Television & stereo notes on 2015 ... frustrations

[mefly2]

After six weeks, we have finally gotten around to using the TV in our 2015.
Noteworthy is the abandonment of the rotating unidirectional TV antenna for the "Frisbee" omni-directional antenna. That has cut our rural channel options from 13-15 viewable channels to 5! That is a comparison with the same AS orientation and from the same campsite location as we have used before - this season.

The larger TV in the dining / galley is no longer on a pivot & swing out mount; rather it is fixed to the wall ...so, much of the sound emanating from the rear of the TV is now lost bouncing back and forth between the wall and the rear of the television. The smaller TV in the front bedroom now has an AC adapter connected to its rear (???)... with the same issue with signals from the antenna booster at that location - still cuts the available channels by more than 50%.

The Clarion stereo (at least to us) is not as user friendly (if you could call it that) as the Sony it replaced. If there is a way to get TV audio (like previous iterations of the FC and EB) through the Clarion, we have yet to figure it out; choosing aux (with either one or both televisions turned on) on the Clarion does not seem to connect. Pandora still works just great on the Clarion, however.

[Aggie90]

I'm interested in finding about getting the tv sound out of he speakers as well


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[overlander63]

Just an FYI, the Clarion replaced the (very) short-lived Pioneer.
I will have to check a '15 tomorrow and make sure there is still a set of RCA plugs connected to the sound output on the tv. If there isn't, I don't think tv sound can be routed through the stereo.

[drew05]

What model is the Clarion?

[cory_can]

I'll be picking up my '15 this weekend but I believe based on pictures it appears to be a Marine unit M502. The only way it will work is via analog audio into the 3.5mm AUX port ...like Terry said, there would have to be cables run from the TV to the head unit.

EDIT....
BTW, what are the models of the TV's? Do they have Bluetooth streaming output capabilities? If so, that may be an option.

[FollySteve]

We have 2015 23D with Clarion strep and TV sound if great with aux setting (only one TV). Volume of stereo is is in addition to TV sound, if that makes since. We turn stereo up enough to harmonize with TV speaker then use TV volume to change overall volume of system. Works great and gives home theater sound. Might want to be sure that ex


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[FollySteve]

Originally Posted by FollySteve

We have 2015 23D with Clarion strep and TV sound if great with aux setting (only one TV). Volume of stereo is is in addition to TV sound, if that makes since. We turn stereo up enough to harmonize with TV speaker then use TV volume to change overall volume of system. Works great and gives home theater sound. Might want to be sure that ex


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External sound is on in TV menu. If still problems suggest contacting Airstream support.


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[FollySteve]

BTW, our 23D also has directional antenna and it works great. Camped in boondocks this past weekend and got at least a dozen stations with definite ability to tune signal by antenna direction. Interesting that you have a different antenna. What model do you have? Does the antenna raise and lower (ours does)?


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[cory_can]

Can anyone answer the question I asked about the TV brand/models in the 2015's?...preferably in the wide bodies. Thx

[lsbrodsky]

I think the 23 is traditional non-ducted air so they would not have had to change the TV antenna to the non-crank up model. It would certainly be interesting to see if the new 25's and up suffered in the electronics for the benefit of ducted air. I watch my TV more than I use the air.
Larry

[Grezdlitn]

My wife and I will pick up our first Airstream this coming Saturday. It's 25FB International Serenity. Both of the tv's are Samsung HD, the stereo is a Clarion and the tv antenna is fixed. That's about all I know at this point.

Originally Posted by cory_can

Can anyone answer the question I asked about the TV brand/models in the 2015's?...preferably in the wide bodies. Thx

[RVDreamer]

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

I think the 23 is traditional non-ducted air so they would not have had to change the TV antenna to the non-crank up model. It would certainly be interesting to see if the new 25's and up suffered in the electronics for the benefit of ducted air. I watch my TV more than I use the air.
Larry

It could be that Airstream just chose a cheap omni-directional antenna. You can buy non-crankup antennas that are just as good as the old crank-up model.

There is a "bat-wing" shaped fixed antenna with a signal meter that allows you electronically steer the antenna rather than mechanically steer the antenna. That is the same type of antenna that Winnebago uses and it would work as well as the old antenna.

I get my Airstream next month and I will let you know what I find out. Although I rarely use over the air TV because there is no over the air tv where I live or where I usually camp. I have a Directv satellite system for home and RV.

[mefly2]

As I said above, the antenna in our 25 is fixed / non-rotatable which results in marginal signals effectively being lost as they can no longer be "focused in" by the antenna. The "Frisbee" Omni-directional antenna was likely necessitated by the ducting which now utilizes the real estate formerly occupied by the rotating antenna.

The main television (only) has fixed level audio outputs which connect to the aux inputs of the Clarion M502 via RCA plugs (which in our case - were not connected). In order to have audio from the Clarion at the front of the AS, the main TV must also be turned on. The Samsung TV audio output to the Clarion does not vary with the volume of the TV; hence, either the remote control unit for the Clarion or its main function knob must be used to vary volume level independent of the TV setting. Previous iterations of the Samsung appeared to have a "custom" pair of output cords added to the factory television. Since the main TV is now in a fixed mount, I have not yet had a chance to remove it from the wall to examine the particulars. As an interesting note, the secondary /smaller television, appears to be a 12VDC unit with a 110 converter attached to its rear side.

Since we rarely park in commercial campgrounds and prefer boondocking, over-the-air television or Blue Ray are our main sources when viewing the TV ... Pandora for audio, however. My remarks do not apply to units shorter than 25 and then only to the 2015 model. YMMV

[mefly2]

Blue Ray Player: Samsung BD-H5100 (note that the Play/Stop/Power button is located on the top of the player and very difficult to see / operate...at least for us YMMV) supplied with remote control for ease of use.

HDMI Splitter: Riverpark Connex 1 x 2

LED Television: Samsung Series 4000/5000 supplied with remote controls.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by cory_can

I'll be picking up my '15 this weekend but I believe based on pictures it appears to be a Marine unit M502. The only way it will work is via analog audio into the 3.5mm AUX port

The AUX/in you mention should work well with the earphone output of the TV. Most TVs have that these days, and since the earplug output power is regulated by the TV's remote control, it should be ideal for what you want to do. Same size of jack, the 3.5mm.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by Aage

The AUX/in you mention should work well with the earphone output of the TV. Most TVs have that these days, and since the earplug output power is regulated by the TV's remote control, it should be ideal for what you want to do. Same size of jack, the 3.5mm.

I am confused.
Why would you want to connect to an earphone jack (not found on either of the units in my 25) when it is already connected via the RCA pin plugs from the TV to the Clarion? Volume is variable via the Clarion. In our case, the RCA plug into the TV was not connected at the factory or somehow came out in route.

The Clarion offers HDMI as well as selectable aux input sensitivity for either high, medium, or low level inputs (10k ohms or greater impedance). Aux in is via RCA type pin plugs/ jacks. I-pod / phone may be connected either by CCA-750 cable or via Bluetooth.

[cory_can]

It appears like there is the correct compliment of connections wired within the trailer (analog output from TV to 3.5mm Aux input of clarion) to have the TV sound output across the stereo. It seems some of the OP's are not choosing the correct sound output on the TV along with the right input on the headunit.

[RVDreamer]

Originally Posted by mefly2

Since we rarely park in commercial campgrounds and prefer boondocking, over-the-air television or Blue Ray are our main sources when viewing the TV ... Pandora for audio, however. My remarks do not apply to units shorter than 25 and then only to the 2015 model. YMMV

mefly,
As I mentioned earlier if reception is important to you and is a problem with the fixed antenna that Airstream supplied, it should be an easy and cheap update to purchase one of the "batwing" type fixed antennas that Winnebago uses in their high end motorhomes and install it in place of your omni-directional antenna.

They are also small and fixed but they have a signal meter and automatically scan multiple directions electronically (no physical movement) until they find the direction of best signal when tuned to an digital channel. They directionally enhance the signal without physical movement. It is sort of a internal circular yagi antenna which can have element lengths electronically arranged for beam type reception in a certain direction.

It should improve your reception dramatically and be as good or better than your old crank-up type antenna.

[Msmoto]

My observations on the fascinating audio system in my new Serenity.

As has apparently been noted by others, when the main room LED lights are on, a low buzzing sound is present, and it does not go away when the switch/rheostat is changed out. Well, this sound is emanating from the subwoofer which has continuous power if the trailer is powered. The sound disappears when the subwoofer is disconnected from the power.

Second, the subwoofer has adjustments for the frequency of the cross over, and the audio gain. As the sound initially from the sound system was a muffled grumbling, I adjusted both the cross over point, reducing this to probably around 100 hz or less, and increased the gain to almost max. This gives a much more pleasant subwoofer experience as frequencies above 100 hz begin to gather in the human voice, which when amplified via the subwoofer are not natural in anyway, shape, or form, simply garbled.

Third, the AUX of the Clarion unit will play the television sound, but the main room TV speakers will also be playing. If the television is set to "External Speakers" the Clarion will not produce audio...... why I have no idea, but the speakers in the TV must be activated to get the signal through the entire sound system. However, the audio output level of the television does control the input to the Clarion. So, I have found when the television is set to about 25% of its maximum sound level, the Clarion will overpower it very nicely and one has full trailer sound from the television. Also, this did not work, as best I could tell, until I removed the television from the wall, fiddled with the wires, and then replaced the television in its mount on the wall.

Finally, I am going to replace the Clarion speakers with Polk Audio speakers as I suspect this will improve the quality greatly. Also, I will make certain the baffling behind the speakers is proper, so as to eliminate unwanted resonance issues.

Eventually I will attend a four year course at a University so i can fully understand the insane controls of the Clarion…… I really like a screen so i can read content on my iPod, but…. whatever.

Oh, my experience with the new fixed television antenna is it performs very well, better than the crank up directional unit in my 2009 Int 27FB.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by RVDreamer

mefly,
As I mentioned earlier if reception is important to you and is a problem with the fixed antenna that Airstream supplied, it should be an easy and cheap update to purchase one of the "batwing" type fixed antennas that Winnebago uses in their high end motorhomes and install it in place of your omni-directional antenna.

They are also small and fixed but they have a signal meter and automatically scan multiple directions electronically (no physical movement) until they find the direction of best signal when tuned to an digital channel. They directionally enhance the signal without physical movement. It is sort of a internal circular yagi antenna which can have element lengths electronically arranged for beam type reception in a certain direction.

It should improve your reception dramatically and be as good or better than your old crank-up type antenna.

RVD- Sorry! No worky! Not enough room for the larger baseplate.
We don't have a rotatable antenna to replace. We have a fixed Omni-directional antenna WITH AIR DUCTS running the length of the AS.
The Omni is not my antenna of choice for rural / marginal signals.

MsM - The sub has been the first item removed from both of our last two AS units ...can't handle the interference noise.