Question: TV Audio through Radio Speakers

[RAG]

The Owners Manual, Parts Manual and the Specification Sheets of the 1998 through 2005 Land Yacht 30’s all make reference to a “switch" to make the TV sound go through the 4 radio speakers.

Can anyone tell me where that switch is located and how it works?

Hope everyone had a GREAT Easter!
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[masseyfarm]

On my Clipper, the switch is located on the dash with the group of 8 HELLA rocker switches. The TV sound has to go thru the Sony radio power amplifier as the TV itself is not equipped to drive the speakers. On my Clipper, the amplifier is only 2 channel, and is located on the back side of the oak center dash console which has to be pulled out for access.

The wiring was already in place to the upper right cabinet on my Clipper, but I had to find it as it had been pushed back and hidden behind the upper side panel.

This is general information only, as yours will be different as the TV is dash mounted on yours. You will just have to look for the location of the amplifier.

The TV's are factory wired so that the TV goes off with the ignition on. If yours has been modified, the wiring may no longer be factory specs.

Dave

Originally Posted by RAG

The Owners Manual, Parts Manual and the Specification Sheets of the 1998 through 2005 Land Yacht 30’s all make reference to a “switch" to make the TV sound go through the 4 radio speakers.

Can anyone tell me where that switch is located and how it works?

Hope everyone had a GREAT Easter!
.

[RAG]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

On my Clipper, the switch is located on the dash with the group of 8 HELLA rocker switches.

This is general information only, as yours will be different as the TV is dash mounted on yours.

Dave

Hi Dave,

The Clippers must be set up differently; I can’t find a switch on my dash. The TV itself isn’t up front on the ’04’s; it’s behind the dinette.

Thanks for the response….

[masseyfarm]

Was that factory installed?
I guess yours is too new for me. The ones I have seen had the TV in the center dash area.

Dave

Originally Posted by RAG

Hi Dave,

The Clippers must be set up differently; I can’t find a switch on my dash. The TV itself isn’t up front on the ’04’s; it’s behind the dinette.

Thanks for the response….

[RAG]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

Was that factory installed?
I guess yours is too new for me. The ones I have seen had the TV in the center dash area.

Dave

From the factory, the 2004 and 2005 Land Yacht 30's have the TV's over the dinettes. The dash area was changed to a double-door smoke glass cabinet. I like to think of it as an interesting place to put a self-service bar.
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[richinny]

check the radio manual. the new units (sony) have a menu to select different inputs. on mine ?(2011)i select aux for the tv sound.

[Airstream12557]

RAG, on my 2004 LY gas, the only TV that plays (played) through the remote speakers was the small TV in the bedroom. The switch is over the head of the bed. The TV, as supplied, was an analog TV and had no built in speakers. I removed the small TV and use it as a place to put an electric cube heater for the cool nights. We don't watch TV in bed, and the TV would have needed a convertor box or cable signal to operate, so we removed it. The dash radio also plays through the speakers over the head of the bed.

Sam

[RAG]

I don’t see how this “switch”, (Part# 510929-06 Switch ~ TV audio through sound system), that I’m trying to locate would have anything to do with the dash radio, as the ignition would have to be left on in order for the radio to work. But, I could be wrong.

Sam, on our ’04 LY, the bedroom TV plays sound through the single speaker in the center of the overhead above the bed. The 2 speakers on the sides of the overhead are the dash radio speakers that somehow, along with the 2 radio speakers in the driver’s area, are switched to become audio for the TV’s. As for the TV signal, we don’t use the antenna for reception; the 2 sets are there exclusively for DVD movies and possibly cable TV at a campground.

Why is this "mystery switch" important? When you put a CD into my DVD player and turn the TV or TVs on, the music plays through the TV speakers. Playing the music throughout the coach on the 4 stereo speakers, should just be a much better sound.
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[masseyfarm]

Again, yours may be different. On my Clipper, the radio, TV, etc. is wired to the house battery circuit and not the ignition.


When I look at your model dash, it looks like a TV to me.
I did not know they moved them from the dash.

Dave

Originally Posted by RAG

I don’t see how this “switch”, (Part# 510929-06 Switch ~ TV audio through sound system), that I’m trying to locate would have anything to do with the dash radio, as the ignition would have to be left on in order for the radio to work. But, I could be wrong.

Sam, on our ’04 LY, the bedroom TV plays sound through the single speaker in the center of the overhead above the bed. The 2 speakers on the sides of the overhead are the dash radio speakers that somehow, along with the 2 radio speakers in the driver’s area, are switched to become audio for the TV’s. As for the TV signal, we don’t use the antenna for reception; the 2 sets are there exclusively for DVD movies and possibly cable TV at a campground.

Why is this "mystery switch" important? When you put a CD into my DVD player and turn the TV or TVs on, the music plays through the TV speakers. Playing the music throughout the coach on the 4 stereo speakers, should just be a much better sound.
.

[RAG]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

Again, yours may be different. On my Clipper, the radio, TV, etc. is wired to the house battery circuit and not the ignition.

When I look at your model dash, it looks like a TV to me.
I did not know they moved them from the dash.

Dave

Yep, looks like a real nice flat-panel TV, but it's not. If you look very closely, you can see it's 2 dark smoke glass doors with 4 round glass-mount hinges and 2 door pulls.

Interesting what you said about your radio being wired to the house batteries. Mine requires the house batteries to be turned on, but it also needs the key in the ignition and the switch turned to "run" or "accessories". Kinda defeats the purpose of wiring to the house batteries, doesn't it?
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[Airstream12557]

RAG, first, my radio, and I assume it is original, works directly off the battery. The ignition key does not have to be on or in accessories. How about that! I also removed the original TV in the living area and replaced it with a similar size digital. I saw no connection from the TV sound system to the four speaker radio sound system.

[RAG]

Originally Posted by Airstream12557

RAG, first, my radio, and I assume it is original, works directly off the battery. The ignition key does not have to be on or in accessories. How about that! I also removed the original TV in the living area and replaced it with a similar size digital. I saw no connection from the TV sound system to the four speaker radio sound system.

Sam, when you say, "works directly off the battery", do you mean the chassis battery or the coach batteries? Mine works off the coach, but the ignition needs to be on. If I'm driving down the road and my wife turns off the coach batteries, the radio goes off, yet if parked, ignition off and coach batteries on, the radio won't function.

And there's still this "switch" that's supposed to be somewhere. I called Airstream this morning and left a message; hopefully, they'll return the call.
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[Schools Out]

Don't know if it's the switch you're looking for, but on our 05 LY there is a well hidden (mystery) switch & turn knob in the cupboard above the TV. It's behind the plug on the top shelf. We've never figured out what it's for. But, a speaker switch & volume control knob make more sense than any of the other ideas we've had.

[masseyfarm]

Sounds like the radio, and the amplifier for speakers, are wired to different battery circuits??

Dave

Originally Posted by RAG

Sam, when you say, "works directly off the battery", do you mean the chassis battery or the coach batteries? Mine works off the coach, but the ignition needs to be on. If I'm driving down the road and my wife turns off the coach batteries, the radio goes off, yet if parked, ignition off and coach batteries on, the radio won't function.

And there's still this "switch" that's supposed to be somewhere. I called Airstream this morning and left a message; hopefully, they'll return the call.
.

[RAG]

Originally Posted by dowpells

Don't know if it's the switch you're looking for, but on our 05 LY there is a well hidden (mystery) switch & turn knob in the cupboard above the TV. It's behind the plug on the top shelf. We've never figured out what it's for. But, a speaker switch & volume control knob make more sense than any of the other ideas we've had.

Dowpells, as my LY is a non-slide, the cabinet containing the switch you mention, is behind the driver seat and above the sofa.

The switch has a green light that come on when the pushbutton switch is pressed, but only with the coach batteries on. That which you state to be a knob, on mine actually appears to be a 12 volt port, I think. From the outside of the cabinet, it can appear to be a knob, but have you tried to turn it? Check and see if it’s not just a plug-in hole with a high lip.

In either case, the pushbutton and green light don’t seem to affect the TV sound through radio speakers, although there is mention in the radio owner’s manual about operating an external device as a “line-in” feature. Can be a multi-disc CD changer or “other” devices. Maybe this is part of the answer, but wouldn’t it be nice if Airstream instructed on its operation, since the spec sheets and brochures state, "TV Audio through the 4 Radio Speakers”.
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[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

Sounds like the radio, and the amplifier for speakers, are wired to different battery circuits??

Dave

I was thinking the same thing.

In fact, I've been wondering if it was a radio was a replacement that a PO wired up. If that's the case, almost anything is possible.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by RAG

... there is mention in the radio owner’s manual about operating an external device as a “line-in” feature. Can be a multi-disc CD changer or “other” devices...

Have you not tried this?

That is my understanding of how the systems work in newer units.

I installed a JVC stereo in my 1983 Excella. That's how I get the sound from my TV through the speakers. The JVC has a rear aux. in, a front aux. in, and a front USB/iPhone input. I plugged the TV out into the rear aux. Switch to the rear aux. and voila, great sound! (Need to do a thread, just haven't taken the time)

[RAG]

Originally Posted by vswingfield

I installed a JVC stereo in my 1983 Excella. That's how I get the sound from my TV through the speakers. The JVC has a rear aux. in, a front aux. in, and a front USB/iPhone input. I plugged the TV out into the rear aux. Switch to the rear aux. and voila, great sound! (Need to do a thread, just haven't taken the time)

Hi Vaughan, first, please tell me that your "trailer/hat" avatar is photoshopped! If not, where did you get that monster? I *want* one!

I may have confused my writings by not being clear; the radio I speak of is a JVC 12 volt car stereo mounted in the dash of a motorhome, not a 110 volt home stereo. Not unlike most car stereos from ‘04, this one doesn’t have any visible front or rear input/output jacks, but wouldn’t it be great if it did? ! ? ! ?
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[Schools Out]

RAG, you are right. That is what I mistook for a volume dial. Just went out to the moho & stuck my finger in the 12V opening. (We can barely see that area, as the DVD player and another connection box are bolted to the top shelf.)
You might be on the right track with looking at the radio controls. The JVC manual states, "select line in on the display, turn on the component, adjust the volume..." Sounds simple enough
Good luck.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by RAG

Hi Vaughan, first, please tell me that your "trailer/hat" avatar is photoshopped! If not, where did you get that monster? I *want* one!

Yes, unfortunately it is Photoshopped. It would be great, wouldn't it? In the photo, it covers the massive hail damage to the front cap that was there when I bought it. Ugly, but it doesn't leak and the price was adjusted accordingly.

Originally Posted by RAG

I may have confused my writings by not being clear; the radio I speak of is a JVC 12 volt car stereo mounted in the dash of a motorhome, not a 110 volt home stereo. Not unlike most car stereos from ‘04, this one doesn’t have any visible front or rear input/output jacks, but wouldn’t it be great if it did? ! ? ! ?
.

I understood that you were talking about the 12 volt car stereo, so was I. What is the model of your JVC unit? It is unusual that recent, after the mid-90s, stereos wouldn't have at least a rear input. It would be very small, like the plug for the headset on an iPod though, not a pair of RCA jacks like a home stereo. I used this Belkin cable from Amazon to connect to mine. The RCA plugs went into the TV sound line out, and the 3.5 mm stereo plug went into the rear aux. socket. It is just a small hole, and not easy to notice if you're looking for RCA plugs.

If you can give us the model of your stereo, maybe we can find an owner's manual online and be of more help.

I still think it's weird that you have to have both the ignition and the coach batteries connected. But what do I know, I'm a trailer guy. I just recently installed my JVC system, so this caught my eye. If it were me, I'd make sure it was only wired to the coach batteries and bypass the ignition using an on/off switch somewhere by the stereo to turn the display on and off. I used one like these on eBay for that purpose on mine. I got mine at NAPA and paid about $9.50 each. The ones on eBay are $7.95 for 25 with free shipping. I think I'm going to order some for future projects, but that's a different thread.