I want to go wireless from the VCR to the TV

[Cooperhawk]

In our 2012 Journey 36M there is an ethernet connection from the DVD, which is located in a cabinet above the passenger seat, to the TV which is located on the back wall of the living room.

The Antennae on the roof and the Dish receiver both work just fine, but the DVD does not work at all. I have taken the DVD out of the compartment and connected it directly to the TV and it works fine, hooked up to the ethernet it does not work at all with either the front or bedroom TV. I have tried all the settings to no avail. The ethernet cables are of course installed through the ceiling and are not accessible to repair or replace.

What I would like to do is purchase a wireless system to connect the DVD to the TV. There are a lot of systems out there. Does anyone have any advice on which one to purchase?

[powercat_ras]

Some thoughts on trouble shooting to try to do the cheapest fix possible ...

You can buy a data cable tester for under $ 10 on Amazon. This assumes the cable has 8 pin "RJ-45" modular plugs on both ends already.

You might want to substitute the HDMI cable on each end, sometimes they can go bad.

One of the boxes that converter between 4 pair data cable and HDMI could be bad. You might want to try replacing the HDMI to Cat 5 converter boxes for $ 30 first. If the cable ends in 8 pin connectors on both ends, that are plugged into the existing boxes then this would be a plug and play substitution. Replacement pairs are available on Amazon for under $ 30.

Wireless HDMI extenders:

There's a variety available on Amazon for under $ 150. I can't recommend a particular one I have never used one.

[Cooperhawk]

OK,I ordered a data cable tester from Amazon.
I'll give that a try first.
Thanks.

[creativepart]

As Randy said, the Ethernet cable runs from the HDMI Matrix box to a small receiver near the TV that converts the Ethernet into HDMI and that’s what connects to the TV. When you switch to the DVD you must select the correct Input on the HDMI Matrix AND select the same input on the receiver near the TV.

Are you familiar with how this system operates? If not you could simply have it misconfigured for the DVD player. If you are familiar with all of this then you could have a number or issues i.e. the Matrix can fail, the receiver can fail or even be turned off, the HDMI cable from the DVD player to the Matrix could be bad or plugged into a different input, or the HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV could be bad.

It’s a complex system and it’s not uncommon for failures but the least likely thing to go bad is the Ethernet cables.

I am very familiar with the system if you have questions.

[Morich]

Back in the old days, I used to go on service calls and we would find the problem was the TV not plugged in!
I'm afraid that we are now into a totally confusing mess no sorting how to get things to do the multiple operations we expect.
As mentioned, I feel it is far more likely to have a the wrong way than to have bad cables unless there has been some work done on the RV.
With my current knowledge of the audio/video end of things, I would first ASSUME I had it wrong!

[Wayne M]

Originally Posted by creativepart

As Randy said, the Ethernet cable runs from the HDMI Matrix box to a small receiver near the TV that converts the Ethernet into HDMI and that’s what connects to the TV. When you switch to the DVD you must select the correct Input on the HDMI Matrix AND select the same input on the receiver near the TV.

Are you familiar with how this system operates? If not you could simply have it misconfigured for the DVD player. If you are familiar with all of this then you could have a number or issues i.e. the Matrix can fail, the receiver can fail or even be turned off, the HDMI cable from the DVD player to the Matrix could be bad or plugged into a different input, or the HDMI cable from the receiver to the TV could be bad.

It’s a complex system and it’s not uncommon for failures but the least likely thing to go bad is the Ethernet cables.

I am very familiar with the system if you have questions.

What he said.
HDMI Matrix is the sender
Little Box near the TV is the receiver
Those are the first things I would check. If you have a second TV it will also have a receiver. You could swap them out and see what the results are.

I have replaced my HDMI Matix and a receiver for the outside TV. They do go bad.

If it is the CAT cable you can buy an end, clip the old one off and put a new one on. There is a tool for putting one on. Just make sure the color coding on the wires match up the one clipped off. To many times I have seen where the CAT cable was installed wrong or someone jerked on it and caused one of the "important" wires to come loose.

[Cooperhawk]

Originally Posted by creativepart

Are you familiar with how this system operates? If not you could simply have it misconfigured for the DVD player.
It’s a complex system and it’s not uncommon for failures but the least likely thing to go bad is the Ethernet cables.

I am very familiar with the system if you have questions.

I have read all the manuals that Winnebago provided and tried all configurations of the buttons. You're right, it is a complex system.

[Cooperhawk]

The HDMI Cable from the DVD Player goes down into the button box compartment so I can't see where it joins the ethernet cable. I tried to pull the front off the button box but can't see a way to get it out of the space.

[creativepart]

Generally the back of the HDMI Matrix has a row of multiple inputs. For each source there is one HDMI input and two Ethernet cable outputs. There are two Ethernet cables for each TV - a transmit and a return.

Everything is color coded with a band of colored tape. Have you found the receiver by the TV? That should be your first step.

Problem is it's very difficult to explain in writing.

[Morich]

Maybe one way to get everybody on the same page, since there are many, many different options available, could we start the search with what items and what options your RV has?

There is a lot of info online showing what might have been installed when new but it has lots of things involved which you may or may not have, so one way to cut confusion is to avoid looking at things you don't have!
Do you know any history of the RV from new? Any signs that things may have been changed out or rewired over the years?
for starters, can you say for sure which DVD you have? Is it the more simple one or the bluray with surround sound?
Click to view better!



Do you have the HDMI matrix?




I see mention of FAA experience? What I am thinking is it takes the whole crew, onboard and on the ground to land the plane right side up!
But first we may need to find out which plane you have!!!

[creativepart]

Here is a typical 4X4 HDMI Matrix over Cat6 device. Yours may look different. This one is very similar to the one in my 2017 Motorhome.

Notice the front has 4-Sources listed on the FAR RIGHT: BLU-ray, SAT Rec 1 and 2, and AUX.

And there are four Outputs Lounge, Bedroom, Exterior and 2nd Lounge.

You turn on the DVD player (and of course the Matrix device) and lets say you want to play the DVD on the Lounge TV. You push that Select button on the lounge output until the #1 LED is lit (Blue). Then you go to the receiver near the TV and make sure it's on and select #1 on that device. Then set your TV to HDMI... NOT DVD.

Now, you can see that the #1 input (DVD) is being sent to the Lounge TV and the receiver near the TV is converting that from Ethernet into HDMI and feeding your Lounge TV.

If you look at the back you'll see HDMI inputs 1-4 on the right. And then each TV location has two Ethernet (send/receive) outputs. You'll also see a HDMI output for each location but those are not used.

[creativepart]

Here's how this all looks in your RV's Operator's Manual:

[Morich]

Agree with the idea of which buttons to push, but this is what made me think we might need to know which options he has.
If he doesn't have 42e, then it has to go a different way?


Maybe I've been watching too many Vids on the Smithsonian Channel show about aircraft crashes.
Too many people pushing the wrong button and making a mess of things!

Most of us are lucky enough to keep most of the wheels on the ground!

[Cooperhawk]

No, not the 42E. I need to go out to the shed and write down what it all is.
Maybe some pics too.

[Morich]

Ok, if not the 42 E, do you see the TV back well enough to check these in/out?
Had to make two snips, one of the TV and the second is the part off to the left of one?
Click to see better!

[Cooperhawk]

I just ordered this.

Wireless HDMI Transmitter and Receiver 4K, TIMBOOTECH Streaming Media Video/Audio/File HDMI Wireless Extender 5G Kit for Laptop, Camera, Cable Box, Netfix, PS5, Phone to Monitor, Projector, HDTV 165FT

I'm just tired of dealing with it.

[Ray,IN]

I bought a cheap wireless HDMI set from Amazon, it lasted 4 months and let the smoke out.

[Cooperhawk]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

I bought a cheap wireless HDMI set from Amazon, it lasted 4 months and let the smoke out.

Yeah, but this one isn't that cheap.

[DNC]

I had a similar issue with mine in my 2016 Journey. Turns out the 4X4 HDMI Matrix over Cat6 device was bad. They don't make the one I have anymore but I talked to the manufacturer and was able to purchase a used one from them. I also learned from talking to the technician that the power supply often goes bad and I was able to purchase a new one from them for $10. I wasn't the power supply so I purchased the used 4X4 HDMI Matrix over Cat6 device for $100. It works fine, but the technician advised that I make sure that the compartment it is in is well vented because the components in the compartment can heat up the space and cause problems with the 4X4 HDMI Matrix over Cat6 device. I installed a couple of 12V vent fans at the top of the compartment to improve the ventilation. Not sure this is helpful, but thought you might glean something helpful from my experience.

[Joeantolik32]

Our 4 X 4 matrix went bad a few months ago. All I saw were blinking blue lights. I wired one sat receiver direct to the TV over the windshield and the other sat receiver to the bedroom TV which Winnebago ran a connection into the cabinet above the bedroom TV.
We have smart TV's in the lounge so we can stream as long as we have a good wifi connection.
Not sure I want to replace the matrix I have had lots of issues with it. I also have replaced the power supply but that was a few years ago and it might be bad once again. That cabinet above the passenger seat gets very hot and I am not sure I am convinced that you can cool it down very much. For a time I removed the doors and I think that help.
I will continue to follow to see how you resolve your issue