TV Upgrade experience, and yet another question.

[mycoolbeans]

My first post concerning my tv upgrade was made on 9/2/2008. I received 7 replies for which I am truly appreciative. The installation of a 32' Samsung lc went better than I expected, and overall I am quite happy with the whole experience. It took me a little bit of time, but I tend to work slowly and deliberately. Others undoubtedly could accomplish this type of upgrade much faster than I did. However, I am retired, so I can maintain my own pace.

I would appreciate the help and advice of those in the forum with another issue that I am attempting to resolve. When I installed the new Samsung lc d tv, I removed an older Sony VCR/DVD player which was not working properly.
This older vcr/dvd player had round 75 coaxial inputand outputs ports on the back to which were connected the input and output coaxial cables that were originally wired into my 2004 winnebago journey. I replaced the older Sony player with a relatively inexpensive Phillips vcr/dvd player. The new player does not have the 75 coaxial input/output ports similar to the older player. I attached, where I though appropriate, rca audio/video inputs from the new tv to the new dvd/vcr. I can play dvds successfully, haven't tried vhs tapes (which I will use infrequently, if at all), but my issue becomes this......I have not been able to figure out how to get my OTA antenna to function. I will use the the tv antenna when I am not using satellite or cable. Most of the time I will use the OTA tv antenna when I am in an area where I want to pick up local channels (if cable is not available). I am of the opinion the somehow I have to get the input/output that was provided by the coaxial wiring in the coach connected to the tv or dvd/vcr unit. My bedroom tv picks up the OTA transmissions (at least it will until February).
I've gone to the resource center at Winnebago Industries and have looked at the wiring manual and diagrams for tvs. However, I'm missing something and not quite comprehending what I should do or not do with the two 75 coax wires.
Bottom line, what am I missing and how do I get the OTA transmissions via the tv antenna to work? As always, much thanks!!

 

[mycoolbeans]

My first post concerning my tv upgrade was made on 9/2/2008. I received 7 replies for which I am truly appreciative. The installation of a 32' Samsung lc went better than I expected, and overall I am quite happy with the whole experience. It took me a little bit of time, but I tend to work slowly and deliberately. Others undoubtedly could accomplish this type of upgrade much faster than I did. However, I am retired, so I can maintain my own pace.

I would appreciate the help and advice of those in the forum with another issue that I am attempting to resolve. When I installed the new Samsung lc d tv, I removed an older Sony VCR/DVD player which was not working properly.
This older vcr/dvd player had round 75 coaxial inputand outputs ports on the back to which were connected the input and output coaxial cables that were originally wired into my 2004 winnebago journey. I replaced the older Sony player with a relatively inexpensive Phillips vcr/dvd player. The new player does not have the 75 coaxial input/output ports similar to the older player. I attached, where I though appropriate, rca audio/video inputs from the new tv to the new dvd/vcr. I can play dvds successfully, haven't tried vhs tapes (which I will use infrequently, if at all), but my issue becomes this......I have not been able to figure out how to get my OTA antenna to function. I will use the the tv antenna when I am not using satellite or cable. Most of the time I will use the OTA tv antenna when I am in an area where I want to pick up local channels (if cable is not available). I am of the opinion the somehow I have to get the input/output that was provided by the coaxial wiring in the coach connected to the tv or dvd/vcr unit. My bedroom tv picks up the OTA transmissions (at least it will until February).
I've gone to the resource center at Winnebago Industries and have looked at the wiring manual and diagrams for tvs. However, I'm missing something and not quite comprehending what I should do or not do with the two 75 coax wires.
Bottom line, what am I missing and how do I get the OTA transmissions via the tv antenna to work? As always, much thanks!!

 

[bruceh-WO]

For starters, a question. Is your dvd/vcr a player only or a player/recorder?

If it is a player only it has no tuner and the old 75 ohm coax input from the antenna should go directly to the TV and bypass the dvd/vcr.

 

[FrankO-WO]

I agree with bruce in that theonly reason the coax cable goes to the vcr is for recording otherwise not needed. I do find it odd that your OTA works for the bedroom tv and not the main. All coax goes through the distribution panel switcher above the vcr/dvd/sound system box (at least that is how mine is setup) so what ever works for one should work for the other. Do you not have the switcher?
Frank O.

 

[Navy Flier]

If I understand your question correctly your new DVD unit has no coax in/out connections but does have RCA in/out connections. The simple way to transistion from coax to RCA is with an RF Modulator. It converts any A/V signal into a coax signal. These units are about the size of two cigarette packs and are readily available at Radio Shack. You should be able to attach the antenna coax to the Modulator then an RCA cable (red/yellow/white) from the modulator to the DVD RCA in. Then probably an RCA cable from the DVD out to your TV. You can then watch your OTA antenna through the DVD/VCR unit.

 

[bruceh-WO]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Navy Flier:
You can then watch your OTA antenna through the DVD/VCR unit. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am not so sure about this. This will only work if the dvd/vcr combo has a tuner and the cheapies usually don't.

I think that the coax should go directly to the TV.

 

[John Hilley]

Your old TV must have had a coax from the Video Switch Box. That coax should have been connected to the new Samsung LCD. If you did that, you should get OTA when the Video Switch Box, Front TV Antenna is selected. The Video Switch Box VCR selection will no longer work either for the Front or Rear TV because there isn't a Ch 3/4 modulated output, only the composite video/audio from the DVD/VCR. There should be two coaxs you removed from the old VCR. one Antenna from the Video Switch Box and one TV out from the VCR to the Video Switch Box.

 

[jhanan]

Coolbeans,

John Hilley has it right here. You need to do a couple things here based on my DVD replacement experience. If you connected the new TV with the coax input from the old TV, then you should get an Antenna signal OTA from that input. Now, if you did not connect the coax to your TV, you will have to remove the TV and connect it to the coax input, since the only way to get the OTA antenna signal is via the coax.

About needing the modulator. If your DVD is wired direct to your front TV using either component or composite video, that is fine, and provides a good signal from the DVD. You want to put in the modulator so you can view DVD's on all TV connections via coax in the MH - the bed room TV, the outside coax connection, and a second source for your front TV. When you install the modulator, the input signal does not really matter since you don't have a VCR or other recording device (DVD recorder), but connect the input to the modular input anyway in case you need it later. Connect the output from the modular to the output that was on the old VCR/DVD and now your DVD signal will be distributed via the coach coax switch. When I replaced my DVD, I wanted the better composite signal to go to the front TV, so I wired the yellow composite video from the DVD to both the modulator and front TV (as well as and RCA for stereo sound). Is your TV HD capable? The other challenge is the hook up of the surround sound system if you have it.

 

[RVDriver]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">OTA antenna </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Don't know if this applies or not. While at the FMCA Convention in St. Paul MN, there was a presentation on installing a "digital converter" in a MH. I listened and took notes!

I installed a DVD recorder with Digital turner in my 2003 Winnebago Adventure. Every thing said about the "Digital Converter" (the one with a free coupon) applied to my DVD recorder!

"You can not hook it up to the coax comming from the OTA roof antenna on the MH" and have it work! This is due to the 12V DC (for the amplifier)going to the "Winegaurd"(sp) roof OTA antenna. I inserted my DVD Recorder between the Antenna out (to the front TV) and the Front TV, by inserting a "Splitter". Then used RCA output jacks from the DVD Recorder to the "Old VCR input Jacks"

I now view "Digital TV" through the "Old VCR" front input. Dish Box is also connected to the DVD Recorder via RCA Jacks and viewed the same way through the "Old VCR".

I now have the best of both worlds with all of the old operating same as always, and DTV coming in great. Signal on Old OTA is snow, snow and more snow, on 6 channels, and when I switch to Digital TV, it is clear as "cable TV" and I recieve 23 channels here at home in Minnesota.