AV challenged

[dmills]

Troubles with Panasonic DVD on my 2000 Featherlite. The model is DVD A110. Skips and stops. I want to replace it with one that is compatable with the AV entertainment stack in the stateroom. I need it to fit in the cabinet and work with the two tv's and the Bose Lifestyle surround. Any help?

[Jerry Winchester]

Now this is strange. I just had the same thing happen in our coach with the same player. In fact, it wouldn't even read the menu or start the DVD in the end.

We will be replacing it shortly. I will follow up when I figure it out.

JW

[dmills]

I began my search to replace the DVD with the same model, so as to "plug n play". I have discovered this model is characteristic of this symptom. It stops and skips. The concern is something compatable, will fit isn the entertainment cabinet, and wont add another remote. You also need to find a player with two pin jacks for two tv's. I would also like to find a stackable dvd and one that is "roadable". I have tried to get Featherlite in on it but so far I have not solved this. Panasonic is of no help with a replacement. Any help would be welcomed.

[mike kerley]

dmills,

This is a tough one as you will probably not be able to find another unit that is the same size as the old DVD player. Look at Circuit City or Best Buy and you'll see they are all different sizes and shapes and they change every month or so. Find a name brand, check on line for product reviews and figure out a way to mount it in the old space.

On my unit, a combo VCR/DVD player, I use the S/video out to feed the television closest to the player, and send the RF output (channel 3 or 4) on a coax to the "selector switch-VCR input" which will send it to the other tv's located in and out of the coach. Not as high quality a picture as the S/Video, but it works.

For remote control, we use a "Harmony 880" (i believe thats the model) which is a universal programmable remote that will control numerous devices. its is easy to program from your home computer or laptop, and will control the DVD player, satellite (Tivo/Direct TV unit) amplifier, satellite radio (XM) and television without problem. I keep the old remotes handy for emergencies, but we seldom have to use anything else.

Hope this helps.

MIke K

[MangoMike]

Mike K,

I would like to add some of those small 7" LCD monitors around the bus. Can your recommend a brand or dealer. Also have you had any luck w/ the remote RF cable hookup to send the cable signal remotely?

Thanks
Mike

[ken&ellen]

Mango, Do not mean to jump in here, but Radio Shack has that unit for $49. It works great outside the coach to switch the Direct TV box in the salon. Ken

[dmills]

Good information. The connections are a nightmare. I am running the dvd and vcr from separate players. I also have a Bose surround (separate nightmare that I also just replaced), sub woofer under bed with a satellite. I am running two tv's (bedroom-stateroom) and a bay entertainment tv. All the tv's have switch boxes so they can all watch what they want. You're right with the size/shape issue. I have found other brands with closer sizes but they do not have two pin jacks that my present player has. Can I get a different brand to run on the remote you suggest? Also, can I run one tv on a s-video jack and one tv on a pin jack (connected to the dvd player) and have this work? Re-cabling scares the juice out of me.

[mike kerley]

MangoM,

I've little experience with the small LCD units. I know they vary greatly in brightness and viewing angle. Many units will require you to be almost directly in front of them in order to see the image, others have a wide viewing angle. Something to check on specs when buying. Problem, as always, is getting the signal to them. Running wires around inside these units is "tough".

I've not been a fan of the remote transmitters that send the remote control signals over the coax (cable). On our bus, it produced a small "noise" line that rolled through the picture and was less than satisfactory. Old technology. I believe we will see the new conversions with separate sat. receivers and amplifiers for each television, sending satellite feed, cable and off air signals to each television station. With HD and surround sound, thats what works best. Who wants a million dollar coach with a snowy tv picture.

Mike K

[mike kerley]

dmills,

The Harmony remote will work with "almost" any brand or device type.

Important to remember that in a few (two) years, HDTV will be the standard and you may want to change out your televisions soon to HD units. DVDs are also now being produced in HD, which requires a different player and cabling to the TV, so you may wish to plan on a separate DVD player at each TV location and if you use satellite TV, a separate satellite receiver at each television. That will allow the best cabling options to the television from the receiver and also to the sound system for that television. Most true surround sound requires digital (fiber optic cable) signals from the satellite receiver to the amplifier or surround system.

We have three TVs with three satellite receivers (all TIVO direct TV units) and one surround sound system in the main salon. All TV's are LCD HD units but only the salon unit has a HDTV satellite receiver. This allows the best cabling options from the receivers to the televisions and surround system (for best quality picture and sound) and also lets each TV operate independent of each other. Great when the grand kids want to watch different programs.

Buy doing it this way, you use the existing coax cable to feed the signal from the satellite dish to the areas where the televisions and receivers are located. Some day this will all be done with wireless transmissions (like WIFI), but for now, this seems to be the best and most economical way for me.

confused yet, my wife is!

Mike K

[Navigator]

Put it in your Toad!

[jello_jeep]

dmills,

Most true surround sound requires digital (fiber optic cable) signals from the satellite receiver to the amplifier or surround system.

Mike K

Mike, the audio could also be carried via digital coax (single ended RCA type) as long as your receiver is capable of processing it. And if you really get fancy and have a processor that switches video as well, you could run one HDMI cable from each component (dvd, tivo, whatever) to your processor, and one HDMI cable to the display. That would handle both HD video and multiple discreet audio channels (surround) with a minimum number of cables.

For whatever reasons, most Directv HD boxes will disable component, svideo and other outputs as soon as you plug in an HDMI cable, so if someone was thinking of boosting an output through a modulator to watch it on other sets, you would have to keep that in mind.

I like your idea of a different box at each location. Do you run 4 coaxes down from the dish to a multiswitch in the back of the bus to where the distribution originally was? Are you lucky enough to have two coaxes to each location to use dual tuner tivos ?

Also, how do you get more than two weeks out of a TIVO without hooking up to a regular telephone line to get the programming signal ack'd ?

I have not had time to dig too far into AV stuff in my bus, as I am taking care of more pressing issues first, but it is on the list for sure!

Sounds like you have a nice setup for sure!

What size is you salon display?

[mike kerley]

Warren,

We have an "different" setup for the Direct TV feeds. I have the roof top dish feeding two coax runs to a multiswitch. Two outputs to rear SD Tivo which feeds a 23" LCD (Sony, S-video input) in the bedroom. Two outputs (through a pair of coax A/B switches) feed the front HD TIVO unit (located in overhead front). That TV is an 26" (Sharp) LCD. TIVO box uses an HDMI cable for video and fiber optic feeds a separate amplifier/decoder for surround sound (also in overhead front). Also have two more coax feeds from the multi switch which feed an outside SD Tivo unit for outside viewing (26" (Sharp)LCD, S-video input on this one). The second inputs on the A/B switches have cables going out the right hand side of the engine compartment, and when docked at our home #1 or #2 "camp sites", connect to a multi-sat dish which will receive (for now) all the HD channels at one time. We connect to this so that we get more than the network in HD when docked at these locations. On the road, we only receive channels 80/82 and 86(?) in HD on front TV (in motion also). Docked we throw the switch for the front TV and get all the HD channels available from Direct TV.

Two standard definition Tivo's have worked without phone connection for over a year. The HD unit needs to talk every couple of weeks or it refuses to "TIVO" programing. It doesn't care where we call from, just call. Program guides come through the satellite signal. My wife loves here TIVO units and hates watching television without them. Unfortunately, Direct TV is slowly moving them out of the picture.

Your right about HDMI cabling being the best for quality, but its the worst to move through tight areas. Its stiff, large in diameter and has large end connectors.

Are you glad you ask!

[jello_jeep]

You bet I am glad I asked!! Sounds like you have a great setup.

I have 3 TIVOS, one is the first one they came out with, the HD finally pooped out.. Then I have a two tuner sd one, and a dual tuner hd one (modded by weaknees.com with an extra drive and all).

I know the actual guide comes in via sat, but the way its explained to me, many people opt for monthly tivo payments instead of paying it lifetime up front, so it requires a telephone line to check and make sure you are up to date to use the tivo programming features.

Wish they would write some code to flag it if you pay lifetime, so I wouldn't have to try and find a telephone!!:mad:

[mike kerley]

For future use. If your doing any rewiring on your coach, include the best and latest CAT 5 shielded cabling from front to back and in between.

Many of the new systems are using Cat 5 cable to deliver everything from television (HD included) to telephone to INTERNET connectivity to control circuits from a "head in point". We will soon (?) be able to take the feed from our dishes, sent to a "hub type device" and feed the coach with everything on satellite, cable and telephone. Some of this is done with WiFi today, but bandwidth severely limits how much information you can send and video becomes a problem.

On the TiVo's, we have two units that have not called home in over a year and work just fine. No pay per view, but east/west coast feeds and all premium channels work great. Its the new HD unit that demands contact.

Mike

[Ray Davis]

Mike,

You seem to be alluding to something which I've felt was available, or will be soon. And that is some kind of device which will convert video to network, and opposite device at the other end.

Currently my bus has coax run from back to front (receivers are in the back). I'd like (if possible) to replace coax with a network cable, and then send data over network, and reconvert at the TV panel up front.

Such a device exist today?

I guess another similar option is to replace with fiber optic, instead of CAT-5. But, again same question exists. Is there such a device today?

Thanks,

[mike kerley]

Ray,

I've seen the "balum" type devices at MCM Electronics (the have a web catalog). Several different devices that will send/convert s-video and stereo audio to a cat5 cable feed to be reclaimed at the other end by a similar device. The more sophisticated devices will take HD video and full 5.1 surround audio and feed it through a hub system to as many terminals as you want. Just like having your own cable system in your home or bus. The base terminal has a hard drive storage system that allows video to be stored and called for by the hubs as needed. I'll look up some company info for you next week when I get back to the office.

The MCM devices have been around for some time and basically replace the coax with a cat5 cable for audio and video transmission. About $50 per end if I remember correctly. I've used them for audio transfer with great success. I have yet to try them for video

If you try them, let me know how it works.

Mike

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Mike, I think I've decided where to go when the time comes to Update that stuff on our 86. Does anybody know where Ranch River is?:o