DVD Surround/TV/Satellite Conections???

[M&S Norrell]

Can someone offer me a simple solution to hooking up all this audio/video equipment. The thought of having to go back into that little cubby hole and reconnect things over and over til I get it right REALLY makes my leg hurt...remember I'm standing on one leg for 5 more weeks!
We have the DVD Surround Sound System, a DISH satellite receiver box (outside Dish Satellite that we mount into the ground), a HDMI flat screen tv, and that gizmo box that Excel puts in there to ...make it easy . In our old camper we could watch the satellite in the bedroom (same channel as living room) or a separate DVD player in the cubby hole below the tv without having to push any switches on the front gizmo box. I am not sure if or why we need that box. Can someone explain this to me...in SIMIPLE terms???

[M&S Norrell]

Can someone offer me a simple solution to hooking up all this audio/video equipment. The thought of having to go back into that little cubby hole and reconnect things over and over til I get it right REALLY makes my leg hurt...remember I'm standing on one leg for 5 more weeks!
We have the DVD Surround Sound System, a DISH satellite receiver box (outside Dish Satellite that we mount into the ground), a HDMI flat screen tv, and that gizmo box that Excel puts in there to ...make it easy . In our old camper we could watch the satellite in the bedroom (same channel as living room) or a separate DVD player in the cubby hole below the tv without having to push any switches on the front gizmo box. I am not sure if or why we need that box. Can someone explain this to me...in SIMIPLE terms???

[M&S Norrell]

Since I can't go back and edit my post...WHY NOT??? I wanted to add this line...
I'm kinda hoping "WORKSHOP" will draw me a picture! and I also wanted to correct SIMIPLE

[Workshop]

You have to remember my unit is a 2001, after I purchased the unit and got it home....found half of the equipment didn't operate properly or just old and just removed it.....the TV will be that way in Feb 09. So I bought a DVD/VCR recorder with a digital tuner to take care of the TV with the antenna reception problem but will someday have to address replacements.

My unit didn't come with a 'front gizmo' and have no idea what it is or looks like. Can you imagion what that drawing would look like. Does it have a name or model #. The only other Excel I've seen was Rockin's and he wouldn't show me to much! So when it comes to the way the Sat/Tv and other electronics on the current Excel are wired....I can't input much without giving possible wrong advice. Would be willing to do a drawing if I knew what I was drawing.

A drawing would make it simiple.

[bigmichael]

I assume that "gizmo" box referred to is the JAMO receiver? At least thats what is in our "08"

I have struggled with this stuff also, so if someone understands some of this and can help Sue perhaps they can help me with my issue also.

I also have surround sound with the subwoofer and 32 inch Westingouse HD tv. I added a dish receiver for sat tv.

In our stickhouse, with the same Dish rec, I could use my home surround and get fairly decent sound utilizing the surround feature--sound would come from all five speakers and the subwoofer. This is not HD, so not 5.1 sound-just surround.

With this JAMO system, I get very nice surround (5.1 probably) when playing DVD's. I also get surround when receiving HD broadcasts over the air antenna. But when using DISH, I only get sound out of the center speaker. The one exception is when I cycle the JAMO receiver to stereo, at which point I get stereo sound out of the front left and right speakers. However, cycling thru the other options, surround, movie, music etc on Jamo seems to not make any difference, the center speaker is what plays.

I've run the JAMO surround speaker test, they all work fine on the test, and as I said, they all work fine on DVD or HD broadcasts. So I am guessing that somehow I need to wire the Sat audio to the JAMO receiver differently than I have it now??? (I should also be clear that I have the TV internal speaker turned off completely)

I know this is a mouthful--so any help is appreciated.

[Kablewizard]

Hi, I don't have your type of switch box, but I will venture to say that it sounds like either the connection is bad or not correct, or your Sat receiver is not working correct.

There are several ways to check this as far as cables go and is fairly easy, but before you do that, be sure your Sat box has the correct audio settings since only the dish dose not have surround the rest of your system is good. If your sure your satellite is set correct and you are using just the simple RCA plugs (red and white, I would unhook my DVD plugs from the box since that works in surround, and connect the dish audio there. If you still don't have surround, then its the dish box or connections on the dish box, as a last resort, try new plug to eliminate them. I hope this helps.

[BookIIRoadtrash]

I have a Winegard Black Box with push buttons Reading from left to right as this
DVD-SAT-ANT-VCR_CABLE DVD-SAT-ANT-VCR-CABLE
[ Main TV ] [ Second TV ]



Right now I am hooked to the campground cable TV so I have the MAIN TV CABLE button pushed in and the SECOND TV CABLE button pushed in. Now when I desire to watch TV with the surround sound on I turn down the volume on the TV, turn on the DVD RECEIVER and on the second row from the top of the remote control is a selection for Mode. I push the arrows to the TV mode. I now have the audio from the TV going thru the surround sound . So if I decide to watch a DVD I just Open the door, place my selection , close the door and the DVD starts with full surround sound. I hope this will help.

Big Mike, I want you to know that this is the first time in over three weeks that I have had the TV on. I needed it on to explain and actually hear the audio.

Sue, I have Direct TV and I had the dealer install my receiver on the days of delivery and now that most campgrounds have cable I disconnected my service. I know everything worked on the SAT. when I had it. If I was you I would have my dealer install it or call Ed in Smith Center for directions. Book2
PS I recommend reading the manuals for the TV and Surround Sound, Theses newer toys take some understanding when we want them to work right. So far I feel that I have lucky on my side but as I get older and being male it is hard to admit I sometimes need to ask for directions.

[MonacoMama]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So far I feel that I have lucky on my side but as I get older and being male it is hard to admit I sometimes need to ask for directions. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>WOW! Did that get posted by a male Excel owner??
(Gosh...that was too easy!)



MM

[BookIIRoadtrash]

Mama, no comment and yes it is hard to admit that I have shoulder blades and not wings!!!


Back to the thread, I am working in a time zone two hours latter than Smith Center and I would appreciate if any one talks to Ed , please get the program code number for Westinghouse TVs so I can program my TV into my surround sound remote. Buy the way my DVD receiver is an Integra DSR-7.3 Book2

[bigmichael]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I finally waited until after my lovely wife went to bed last night, then decided to pull all the boxes out as far as I could get them without unplugging everything, then begin playing with cables.

(now for those of you with a traveling companion,you may have already figured out why I waited till the spouse went to bed. But suffice it to say that when I begin one of these projects, the first half hour the air only gets a little blue, the second half hour I respond badly to the questions of "did you try...?" And any final time on the project--I don't even want the cat watching me !

I couldn't get all the boxes out far enough without unplugging everything, but I figured a mirror would let me see the back of those boxes. So off I went to the bathroom to find my wife's makeup mirror. Now I'll admit, I still need to ask her where my T-shirts are, even though she insists she puts them on the same shelf every time. (I continue to believe she deliberately plants them in different spots to just reinforce how much I need her) But I digress. The mirror will be in the cabinet above the sink. No-well then in the cabinet above the stool. No--so finally after digging through the closet, the drawers and various other places, I find it in her makeup bag! WHAT A STUPID PLACE FOR A MIRROR!!

Anyway, I now have the mirror, only to discover there is NO light that gets into that stupid compartment. I need a flashlight. I quickly get my flashlight,but can't hold the flashlight and the mirror at the same time. If my spouse were up, she could hold that light for me. But no, I'm not suicidal. I do know she has a penlight, but I don't know where she keeps it. Let me just say that many doors, drawers and cupboards later, I find it tucked in the dishtowel drawer (of course, I don't know why I didn't look there first)

So with penlight in my mouth, mirror in my hand,I finally figure out that I needed an additional audio cable hooked from the sat. receiver to the surround system. And finally at 12:30 am this morning, I HAVE SURROUND!

I couldn't wait to excitedly show Jean what I had accomplished as soon as she got up this morning. She seemed much less enthused than I was. I explained that I "figured out the problem after she went to sleep last night" She then exclaims something (in a very colorful way)about the fact that she wasn't sleeping-- how could she sleep when it sounded like someone was tearing the trailer down etc etc

I guess the lesson in all of this is "no good deed goes unpunished"

But I have surround sound-life is good

[clspds]

bigmichael,

Congratulations on figuring out your system. As I read your post I could have sworn it was taking place in our trailer.

Paul

[LindaH]

OK, Mike, now that you have it all figured out, want to come to our rig and hook up our system so that we can get surround sound when we're watching TV? The only time it works now (as it came from the factory) is when we're watching a DVD.

[M&S Norrell]

My little black gizmo is the Wineguard as described above.
BigMichael - Oh I could have written your story. That is exactly how things go in our place! However, since this is our 2nd Excel, I learned about the dark/tight space on the first and have installed a stickup battery operated light in there (Lowe's register area has them), so that I just need to hold the makeup mirror. But you didn't explain what was connected to what...
And since I'm female, I did read the tv book, the satellite book, the wineguard book and the surround sound book, but none of them had the right example (i.e.picture) of all the components together. Ugh

[BookIIRoadtrash]

Good, one down and one to go! Yes Mike please share what you found. Just a hint I always mark on a piece of masking tape where that cable belongs in case it gets disconnected.. Sue did you get a chance to talk with Ed at Smith Center? And does anyone happen to know that program code for a Westinghouse TV, off the top of you’re head? Book2