TV HDMI Cable Install Question

k9jkfham · 06-05-2020, 06:35 AM

I did not have a satellite on my 2014 Vista 35F. I called Winnebago and was told they have installed HDMI cable below the plate on the roof to the TV. I ordered the satellite and when my repair shop went to install the satellite we have been unable to locate any HDMI cable under the satellite plate. We did locate the coax connections, we thought it would still work. We could not get the component connection to work from inside the coach to the TV. . Then we thought the hopper dish setup with the wireless Joey would work. That did not work for some reason.

Has anyone been able to locate any HDMI cable from the overhead cabinet to the TV'S? Has anyone installed any inside HDMI cable from cabinet to the TV'S?

At this point it seems my only choice is to install a coax cable direct from the satellite across the roof, drill a hole in the roof and connect the TV to the coax. (I do not like this idea but I have a satellite o the RV with no connection at this point)

Lv2Roam2 · 06-05-2020, 07:45 AM

A couple of thoughts:
- WBGO is known for installing multiple runs of HDMI to the TVs so that there's a spare wire available. Look for tape markings near the wire ends - there could be from one to three pieces of tape.
- Look at wireless HDMI as a solution. You'll still need the cable run from the antenna to the interior splitter / receiver.

Morich · 06-05-2020, 08:32 AM

We may be missing on the communications, so let me tell you what I would expect.
First, at the roof, I would only expect coax from the dish to the location where the box of brains sets. On my unit, that is the front compartment over the passenger seat and then an HDMI to the cabinet nearer the TV.
However this HDMI was damaged when somebody added an AC outlet and got the drill caught in the HDMI so that it was shorted in the ceiling.
As a "workaround to use a Dish Walley, I found coax running into the compartment near the TV and rerouted it by adding a splitter and placing the Walley above the microwave.
Have you done some looking at the drawings of where the coax is placed to see where it runs? Since HDMI is not needed, perhaps possible to find a route to just go coax is better?
Link to wiring but need the serial number to be exact on going further:
http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/Wiring.htm

rk911 · 06-05-2020, 09:02 AM

the rooftop sat dish connection is coax. the coax is connected to a sat tv receiver which in turns connects to your TV via HDMI.

**creativepart** · 06-05-2020, 10:26 AM

First, WBGO should never have told you that there was HDMI on the roof. That's nuts. Coaxial cable is what SAT dishes use to communicate to a SAT Receiver.

So, as others have said - you will find an RJ-59 Coax Cable on your roof. There should be 12v power lines too, in case your Dish needs power.

This SAT Cable should run from the roof into the cabinet with your TV switcher, etc. There you will need to put a SAT Receiver box.

The Dish Hopper system requires special SAT Dishes and unless you are installing one of those then NO, that receiver will not work. You probably want a Dish Wally SAT Receiver. They are inexpensive, work similarly to the Hopper, but are nowhere near as complex and powerful as the Hopper. The Joey only works with the Hopper. So you will not be able to use it with the Wally. To get programming on other TVs you use the switcher that should be in your entertainment cabinet.

Since we don't know what Dish you're having installed, we can't really tell you what you will need for the Hopper to work. But most folks in RVs use the Wally because only the largest most expensive rooftop SAT Dishes are able to work with a Hopper system.

There should be HDMI cables from your TVs to the entertainment cabinet and maybe some kind of switcher box. You'll plug the Wally receiver into that box and that's how you'll route TV signal to your other TVs. NOTE: All TVs much be watching the exact same channel.

rk911 · 06-05-2020, 11:10 AM

we went a different route from Wallys and Hoppers. we have two TVs in the MH and wanted a DVR and ability to watch/record at least two different programs simultaneously. we chose the Dish Vip722K DVR/receiver. This was a few years ago so technology has most assuredly morphed since then. the point is to determine what you need or want to do before buying anything. suggest you call to Solid Signals at 877-312-4547 and speak with one of their DISH or DTV experts. (suggest you go with DISH. DTV appears to be getting out of the sat tv biz).

**creativepart** · 06-05-2020, 11:28 AM

Rich, Dish retired the VIPs quiet some time ago. I used both the VIP211 and the VIP722 in my RV 5-years ago. There are some problems with the 722 because it normally has two RJ-59 feeds to provide signals from two LNBs on the dish, If you use a smaller dome you don't have two LNBs. Also, it can only record one show at a time unless you install an exposed dish with multiple LNBs.

The VIP211 worked well, but actually the Wally was better over all. Both can have DVR functions added - you simply pay a one time $40 activation fee and attach a hard disk via USB. Both can only record one channel at a time. The 211 has an IR remote while the Wally has an RF remote. So, the Wally works well from inside a cabinet, the 211 must be out and visible.

You can probably buy a VIP722 or VIP211 (or 211K) on eBay just as long as you are aware of the limitations.

Morich · 06-05-2020, 11:33 AM

A point to be awre of is the amount of bogus info you are likely to get when shopping Dish. There are many bells, whistles and features advertised but when getting down to it, many of them DO NOT work in many RV situations. One big one is that many features require a full time internet connection. Not likely to happen in an RV when moving often!
Also we find that keeping the Wally from being disconnected while in storage is almost a full time job and getting it back up to working is a half day job as there is no way you can get through first line support without jumping through the hoops of their directions. They tend to forget that a Walley will not get the software updates when it is stored. That often means that they cannot contact your Walley to set it up and reauthorise it until they do the software upgrade. They have an app for the reauthorise part but that doesn't work when the software is not up to date!
See how this monkey jumps? The problem is always on your end, even when they cause it! Keep a phone with unlimited minutes handy. BAD service, BAD company but still the best option we find.

**creativepart** · 06-05-2020, 11:45 AM

Richard, I agree.

I dropped SAT in 2017 after 21 years with Dish. But I learned to always fire up the Wally a day or two before my departure so I had time to overcome all of those obstacles.

If I could have just phoned into the RV section of Dish without going through the two or three layers of international support folks that have never heard of an RV it would have been much simpler. They always were trying to help but they couldn't understand that we were taking our Dish receiver out on the road intermittently and not leaving it plugged in to a home that didn't move.

While Dish was bad I hear DirecTV is 10 times worse.

We dropped SAT at home and on the road in 2017 and switched to streaming. It saved us money and hassle but it's not for everyone.

k9jkfham · 06-06-2020, 07:30 AM

I have installed the Latest Winegard SK-1000 Satellite. Manufactured after 12/15/19 that now includes all the features to receive all 3 dish satellites plus use the hopper.
The satellite does have the coax cable connection to the cabinet above the driver from the satellite. The issue is making the connection from that satellite connection to the hopper to the TV. Have not been able to find anything except the component connection and that does not seem to work. If I run a long coax connection from the hopper to the TV along the floor and make the connection between the Hopper and the satellite port in the cabinet above the driver all works great.
So I am now thinking of using what was suggested in this thread, the wireless HDMI between the hopper and the TV.

Does anyone have a suggestion on a good/excellent product to be used?

Morich · 06-06-2020, 08:33 AM

What we are talking about is a byproduct of moving so fast on electronics. Remember when every body had to have a CB radios and rV started to come with setups for those? will the setup for various items we now favor be worth just as much in five years?
When working in a mobile radio shop, I once installed a new model, current mobile phone in an RV and the guy was super pleased but I've always wondered what they thought when the telephone company stopped providing that style of phone and they were left with 36 holes drilled all over the RV!
What will an RV do with the big hole in the dash when GPS touchscreen is obsolete? Any reason to think a voice activated is too far off? And why can't it just be in a flip down that is handier to see?
I like to keep my toys simple and separate. I can throw my Garmin away when it becomes obsolete but I like to keep my cars until they are old enough to vote!

**creativepart** · 06-06-2020, 11:13 AM

I'm surprised a 2014 model doesn't have a BOMB (Box of many buttons) that supports HDMI.

There is another option, I don't know if any are any better than the wireless HDMI.

HDMI via Coax adapter. It lets you feed the TVs HDMI signal via the cable TV Coax. Surely there is a coax connection to each TV for cable and ANT TV. It's a two box solution but so is the wireless. It might be more reliable than wireless.

https://www.amazon.com/single-Extend.../dp/B00HWIWEMU

keithpollard · 06-10-2020, 04:51 PM

I bought an HDMI - Wifi unit off Amazon. It connects to the Dish receiver via HDMI then transmits the signal via wifi to a box that then connects HDMI to any TV. Quite a good solution, but only works for one TV at a time.

Katie · 06-10-2020, 05:41 PM

We had at 2013 Vista 27N and we had the exact same problem. It was way to expensive to try to run a HDMI cable so we just gave up. I thought it was just a fluke with our motorhome but I guess not.

Cover Dog · 06-10-2020, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creativepart

If I could have just phoned into the RV section of Dish without going through the two or three layers of international support folks that have never heard of an RV it would have been much simpler.

I’ve never had a problem when contacting dish. I always ask for a representative in the United States. They will always connect you to someone stateside.

Yoders2Go · 06-10-2020, 06:00 PM

We have the Travler 3 eye auto dish, DISH TV, the original hopper, a DISH wireless access point, and 3 wireless Joey's. I got rid of the box of many buttons/Matrix/entertainment control center.
I have coax from dish to receiver, Ethernet cable between receiver and access point, and that's it. I don't have any cable between the hopper/receiver and any of the tvs (3). Camping world installed the dish, Dish installed the hopper and access point, and the Joeys. There is a power unit for the dish so there is a connection for that they hopper and the dish but that isn't involved in your issue. You do NOT need a cable between your receiver and any tv. Wireless joeys and their access point are the easiest way to go.

navnaz · 06-10-2020, 06:39 PM

I installed a dish satellite on a 2017 Winnebago Sunova 33C. There were two coax cables at the antenna location under the roof. Fished them out with a coat hanger. One went down to the VIP211z satellite receiver area up front. The other went back aft to the rear bedroom to attach a second receiver, if you should desire. I ignored that coax altogether since we only have one receiver. There was a pre-existing HDMI cable in the satellite receiver area that somehow went to the main TV and was the satellite input to that TV. So my sat receiver got its feed from the front coax and receiver output went HDMI to the main TV. To hook the other two TV’s to the satellite, I used the coax output from the receiver and used a gizmo off Amazon to convert it to RCA plug input to my Winnebago mixer. So if the other TV’s are set to channel 3 and the mixer is set to the other TV’s, we get our satellite to them. It has been working good.

danhannah · 06-10-2020, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k9jkfham

I have installed the Latest Winegard SK-1000 Satellite. Manufactured after 12/15/19 that now includes all the features to receive all 3 dish satellites plus use the hopper.
The satellite does have the coax cable connection to the cabinet above the driver from the satellite. The issue is making the connection from that satellite connection to the hopper to the TV. Have not been able to find anything except the component connection and that does not seem to work. If I run a long coax connection from the hopper to the TV along the floor and make the connection between the Hopper and the satellite port in the cabinet above the driver all works great.
So I am now thinking of using what was suggested in this thread, the wireless HDMI between the hopper and the TV.

Does anyone have a suggestion on a good/excellent product to be used?

In 2014 WGO was still using component TV cable - big, thick red, green,blue and then a red and white for the sound. I would expect somewhere in your overhead cabinets, behind the carpeted panel, to be the switcher for this junky system. if you have a wall wart transformer plugged in up there, that is feeding the component switcher box.

Weird, because it all looks so much more expensive than simple HDMI.

I pulled the component cables and switcher all out, and then snaked a long, high quality HDMI cable to the main salon TV. Most of the new HDMI cable can be hidden behind molding, etc. - but a few feet had to go in a surface mount wire chase in a matching color to the wall. Best of Luck!

k9jkfham · 06-29-2020, 09:11 AM

Thanks KeithPollard for the suggestion. I did install the J-Tech wireless HDMI. So far so good. The main TV is working wonderful with wireless HDMI. Now today I will connect the bedroom TV with a 2nd J-Tech wireless unit. I believe it will work also. Then the outside TV is next. Just need to remember all TV'S will have the same program and I can live with that.