Satellite wiring from outside

Dave's · 09-19-2010, 07:37 PM

There has been several posts on this but I'm so mixed up not sure what is what, have a 2004 32T journey and want to use the external cable hook up for my satellite, had a roof mount that doesn't work any longer so I got a portable unit and I don't want to run cable through the window could someone please show a simple drawing on how to use the external cable in hook up from the back of my unit and make it all work, I brought an A&B switch box and have several diplexers but nothing I do seems to make it work and I'm sure I'm just not hooking the right cable in the right place, I even ran an extra cable from the drivers side to the other side where the multi- switch box is located . Please help

edj · 09-19-2010, 09:35 PM

Does the satellite receiver work OK if you run the coax from the outside dish directly to it through a window/door? Assuming it does, it is probably the roof antenna amplifier blocking the voltage going from the receiver to the dish. The easiest way to fix the problem is to get a coax through connector from someplace like Camping World, drill a hole through the outside wall of the RV and use that to bring the signal in.

ernieh · 09-19-2010, 11:13 PM

Your cable in connection most likely leads to the video switching box so it may or may not be usable for sat in. Although I have a roof mounted dish, I also have a portable for use when needed. I ran the cable for the portable from the front left cargo compartment under the dash and up under the left side window trim to where my sat receiver is located. The compartment door closes easily over the sat cable.

Clay L · 09-20-2010, 09:18 AM

There are several ways to do it. Winegard recommends the diagram below.

Note that the Winegard wall plate amplifier switch acts as an A/B switch and must be in the off position when you want to use the satellite receiver.

Making the connections the way Winegard recommends does not require adding any coax connectors to the wallplate.

Note that this assumes your front TV is connected to the coax connector on the front of the wall plate. Winnebago doesn't do it that way . they connect the left side coax that is labeled "to second TV" from the back of the wall plate to a splitter that feeds the front TV and the rear TV. The wiring is the same.

What Winegard calls a "power supply" below is the wall plate with the antenna booster switch and LED showing when the amplifier is on.

If you still want to be able to use the external cable in for both cable TV and the external dish just add an A/B switch to switch the incoming coax from the sat receiver "sat input" to the sat receiver "TV input".

One thing not shown in the diagram is using the RCA type connections between the sat receiver and the TV. I connect them and get a better picture with no interference from any local channels. You have to select a "video in" with your TV menu instead of using channel 3 (for example). You can also use a HDMI cable if your receiver and TV support it.

If you have a video distribution box that will have to be taken into account.

John Hilley · 09-20-2010, 09:38 AM

Looking at the wiring diagrams it looks like his "cable in" probably goes to the TV Switch box. In that case, just remove from the back of the switch box and connect to the A/B switch.

tderonne · 09-20-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Hilley

Looking at the wiring diagrams it looks like his "cable in" probably goes to the TV Switch box. In that case, just remove from the back of the switch box and connect to the A/B switch.

Bingo. I did this with 2 diplexers, one on each end of the cable mentioned above. I now have two inputs in my electrical bay, sat and cable. I still manually switch the cables around at the receiver to switch from my roof dish to outside input. I think I could put an A/B switch there, but I haven't bothered.

Hikerdogs · 09-20-2010, 10:24 AM

Atached is a diagram of how I wired the system to accept a portable satellite dish. As tderone mentioned I also used 2 diplexers. I also incorporated an A/B switch so I could switch between the roof dish and the portable one.

We use the portable dish when the roof one is blocked by trees. After trying to move the coach a dozen times to get roof reception I decided enough was enough. Not the coach stays put and the portable dish comes our in wooded areas.

Dave's · 09-20-2010, 10:43 AM

All I have read everyone’s notes and appreciate the comeback but still not grasping what has to be done other than running the cable directly to the receiver, the diagram that was put up is nothing like what I have, I have a multi- switch box on the passenger’s side and if I use an A/B switch they all have 2 inputs and only 1 output, if I put the input cable that comes from the back to the A side of the A/B box what goes on the B side and the output from the A/B box goes where to the satellite receiver input, this may be plain as day but I must have dark glasses on. I still want to use the second TV if needed in the bedroom.

Dave's · 09-20-2010, 11:07 AM

Hikerdogs your digram is the best I've seen so far but what is the SAT Switch you show and is that something added or should I have it already or is that your A/B switch. You show a second diplexer at the control box is it backwards will the signal go both directions you show it going in the output maybe this is where I am confused thinking it only flows in one direction. I do not use the roof mount any longer as it no longer works because one of the boards burnt for the GPS

Stevegd007 · 09-20-2010, 11:33 AM

Dave, your rig is new enough that you should have a existing cable connections in your electric cable compartment in the back of the RV or in some compartment where ever the TV cable would come into the RV. At this connection you should see 2 coax inputs. One should be for a TV cable an the other for a portable satellite dish. Hook your outside dish to the portable satellite dish connection. Then inside the RV, near your TV multi switch, you see see another set of coax connections, hopefully one should say or be from the "outside" connection and next to it is another for input to the multi switch. Now hook your receiver to this outside coax connection and the receiver output to the input to the multi switch. Switch your multi switch box to SAT and you should be able to use your portable satellite without running cable through windows and such. If for some reason your coax connections are not labeled or marked, then do a trial by error and move your cables around until you hit the right combination. Then put your own labels on the connections.
This is what I have done in the RV's I have had, so yours should not be much different. Give this a try. Good luck.

Dave's · 09-20-2010, 03:37 PM

Stevegd007 my unit is 2004 32T only has one cable in, in that compartment they made the change in 2005, 1 for cable and 1 for satellite

Stevegd007 · 09-20-2010, 03:51 PM

Jeeze sorry to hear that. I had a 2004 Voyage with the exact description that I posted. My Adventure is the same. Thought yours would also.

John Hilley · 09-20-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave's

Hikerdogs your digram is the best I've seen so far but what is the SAT Switch you show and is that something added or should I have it already or is that your A/B switch. You show a second diplexer at the control box is it backwards will the signal go both directions you show it going in the output maybe this is where I am confused thinking it only flows in one direction. I do not use the roof mount any longer as it no longer works because one of the boards burnt for the GPS

The Diplexer is a special combiner. On the TV/Antenna side it passes the signal, on the Sat side it passes the signal and a DC voltage. On the input side you put the satellite dish on the Sat connector and cable from a campground on the TV/Antenna side, on the single side of the diplexer connect the original cable TV cable. This diplexer combines the two inputs and allows them to go down the existing cable TV cable to the multi-switch box. In the overhead compartment disconnect the cable input from the back of the switch. Connect this to the single side of the diplexer. Connect a coax from the Sat side of the Sat input on the satellite receiver. Connect a cable from the TV/Antenna side of the diplexer to the cable connector on the switch box.

ChrisNiemann · 09-20-2010, 06:34 PM

where are you from dave. if you want, give me a call Tuesday when you have a minute and I can walk you through it all on the phone, don't have your RV but have 5 years with DirecTV and I think I know what your problem is, just need you on your cell at your RV and I can most likely take you from there!

405-923-1489

let me know!

Hikerdogs · 09-20-2010, 07:34 PM

The "sat switch" is actually a 3 button switch I purchased. I'm only using 2 of the 3 ports (like an A/B switch). The green dot is the 3rd unused port. In your case you won't need an A/B switch since you're eliminating the input from the roof satellite.

The "control center" is the box in the overhead cabinet on the passengers side. The diplexers have an A and B port. If you use the A port on the one in the electrical cabinet for cable hook the A port on the one in the coach to the cable terminal on the control center. The B port on the diplexer on the will then be the one used for the portable dish. Just hook a cable from the B port on the one in the coach to the satellite terminal on the control center. You should be then able to use the control center push buttons in the normal manner to select Antenna, satellite, or cable.

Dave's · 09-20-2010, 09:27 PM

All Hikerdogs had it right and I got it all to work by putting the 2 dipexers in line one at the cable connection out side the RV and the other at the multi-switch box, ran a new cable from the diplexer to the SAT reciever on the SAT in side of the reciever and a jumper from the diplexer to cable in on the multi-box all other connections stay the same. Now in the end you can use portable satellite and cable at the same time. I want to thank all for trying to help me. Just need to get all the items I tore apart back together. Thanks again

ChrisNiemann · 09-20-2010, 09:35 PM

good to hear. if you need anything, let me know, you got my number as well as everyone else now, feel free to call, if i don't answer shoot me an email - [email protected]

ya'll have a good night!