New TV and Surround Sound System

Jeff:
Tried your suggestion and plugged the existing jacks in the audio out ports of the LG and it didn't work like your Sharp. All the surround sound speakers worked great but couldn't control the sound.

I'm a little confused with "stand-alone box" and "built-in" that you mentioned.

Judway:
I got behind that foot rest but didn't see anything that looked like an  amp that had speaker wires connected. Is there a possibility that it is located somewhere else in an 04 Journey?

Thanks very much,
TomC

TomC said:

Jeff:
Tried your suggestion and plugged the existing jacks in the audio out ports of the LG and it didn't work like your Sharp. All the surround sound speakers worked great but couldn't control the sound.

Click to expand...

Tom, you did go to the menu and turn TV speakers off didn't you?  And still no control of the audio out level?

Lou:

Yes and yes. TV speakers off and still no audio control.
TomC

Some have reported that their amplifier is over on the passenger side close to the seat. I am only familiar with mine. Search might locate the source.

TomC said:

Jeff:
Tried your suggestion and plugged the existing jacks in the audio out ports of the LG and it didn't work like your Sharp. All the surround sound speakers worked great but couldn't control the sound.

I'm a little confused with "stand-alone box" and "built-in" that you mentioned.

Judway:
I got behind that foot rest but didn't see anything that looked like an  amp that had speaker wires connected. Is there a possibility that it is located somewhere else in an 04 Journey?

Thanks very much,
TomC

Click to expand...

Well, poo..... I tried.

In the upper right cabinet I have a Sony (don't know the model) DVD/ VHS/ AM-FM/ Surround Sound system that comes with the worlds biggest remote. It has 2 aux-in's if I remember; Aux-1 was the old Sony TV, and Aux-2, with front panel RCA jacks, I gave to the DSS. When I installed the LCD I was fiddling around and noticed that the rear of this Sony unit had an optical input that when anytime it sees light at it's input (and this isn't duplex either), it switches from Aux-2 RCA inputs on the front of the unit to the rear fiber input. Probably would have known that if I had read the book  :-\

PS- After poking around for awhile I found an IR controlled analog volume control. The only hitch is that it's a kit, but the price is $300 less than the next one I found.

Come on  now!

You Winni guys are about to disappoint me.  I thought you guys were a well connected, well informed bunch of guys who knew all there was to know about your brand of RV. 

This is a Winni specific problem, like it or not.  Suck it up and step up.......

The problem is that no one seems to know what the (Winni) pseudo surround sound amplifier looks like, what it's capabilities or limitations are, or where to find it.

All that TomC is asking is;  where in the hell RV is it? 

It's show time.........

 

There is a manual of some kind located at http://www.riverparkinc.com/techpdf/mobile_theatre_express_vans_troubleshooting.pdf.

And the beat goes on...........

Talked to a Winnie tech yesterday about my "problem". We were both looking at the on-line diagrams that are supposed to show how my MH is laid out and specifically where in the H is that amp. It was not in any of the places that various diagrams showed, the exasperated tech gave up saying" well, I don't where else it could be".
CLICK!!!!!!!!!!

Not wanting to give up, I started removing dash panels, covers, wall plates and any cover that I thought could hide the elusive Amp. Lo and behold I found it 90 minutes into the search. It is fastened to  the wall under the driver side window, behind the panel that has the tranny gear shift control, the HWH jack control. mirror controls and the all important cup holder. So much for "as- built" drawings.
Now the fun begins: removing the unit (will not be easy), re-routing all the wiring, installing a real amp( with audio control features) and getting both the TV and the dash radio to connect to the new amp.

Thanks again to all you wonderful people that worked with me on this project. If there are any more ideas and/or suggestions, please send them along.

TomC 

Congrats! Tom,

Sounds like the fun is just beginning.

Before destroying any existing connections, I would consider installing a separate amp for the TV and a DVD/CD player (in a more accessible and convenient location) and leaving the current one in place just for the radio. 

You would need to add switching for the speakers(between amps) or install additional ones.

If you install a new amp in the existing location, how will you get the remote control to work?

Sorry, more questions........

Lou:
Good ideas. I'm going to look into a separate amp for the TV. Yeah, installing a new amp in the  existing location would not work.

Tom

Lou (onaquest) said:

Come on  now!

You Winni guys are about to disappoint me.  I thought you guys were a well connected, well informed bunch of guys who knew all there was to know about your brand of RV. 

This is a Winni specific problem, like it or not.  Suck it up and step up.......

The problem is that no one seems to know what the (Winni) pseudo surround sound amplifier looks like, what it's capabilities or limitations are, or where to find it.

Click to expand...

Lou - okay - we'll claim it  .. it's going over to the Winnie board.

Tom - I didn't study the entire thread, but I think the issue was how have a variable sound output through the Q-Surround driven by the TV.  One problem you overcame was where the Q-Surround was located.  I'm not familiar with the TV, but I would suspect the audio out jacks on the TV rear are variable output depending on TV volume.  Some TVs have an option for turning the internal TV speakers off or on. 

Can you briefly restate where you are in this endeavor?  I am somewhat familiar with the Q-Surround and entertainment electronics (in another life a very long time ago, I was a TV repairman) in general, so perhaps I (or somebody else) can help you figure this out.

John,
Here is the status, but I also suggest you read the thread since there was (as usual) some good feedback.
I installed a new LG 26" LCD in place of the old Sony. I connected the RCA jacks that were plugged into the Sony into the LG. I got sound from the DHS system but it could not be controlled. I talked to the LG tech and was told in no uncertain terms that the LG audio output was "fixed" only and not "variable". After getting great advice from many forum members (thanks again guys), I decided to replace the amp. That led to the chase to find the amp that Winnie was adept in hiding.

Current status: Per Lou's advice, leave the old DHS unit in place to control sound for the dash radio and install a new amp with remote control for the TV. I will attempt this solution as soon as I can figure out how to wire the speakers into the new amp and get around that "TV/Radio" switch in the cabinet above passenger seat.

John-  If you can help, I will be eternally grateful.

BTW, I recently spent two weeks in Bandera at the Singles International All- Singles Dance Rally. Just down the road from your spread, and definitely God's Country.

Did I miss anything?

Tom 

Bandera - cowboy country  ;D  We were thinking about looking for property around there.

I looked at your TV user manual (as much as I could - our Internet is slow on Sundays.)  Taking the LG techs words at face value about the audio output RCA jacks being fixed, you should be able to use your headphone jack as a variable source for the Surround sound input.  The impedance won't match, but if it sounds okay, that's what's important.

If you can do real 5.1 surround sound, by all means go for that!

John, Good idea on the headphone jacks, but the 26" doesn't have it , only the 19 and 22" versions.

I would gladly buy a new 5.1 system if I could get some reliable wiring diagrams from Winnebago. For example, where is the path for the speaker wires, where are the connection points ? Where are the "as built" drawings? So far, all the drawings for the front end of this rig are either wrong, non-existent, or incomplete.

If I now sound frustrated with WGO, that is the truth, since I paid big bucks for an inadequate sound system that was installed contrary to design specs ( if such things exist in Forest City) and they( Winnie techs ) can't or won't help.

Sorry!!!!!!!!! Didn't mean to unload on this forum,which is the absolute best in RV Land, so I'll do better on the next post.

Tom   

I would completely abandon the factory amp and speakers and put a new system in. You would get a much better system and sound that way.

I recently bought an LCD tv for my Journey and have the same problem many have had with connecting to the existing "surround sound". This tv is a 2009 model and is only has digital audio out which is not compatible with the DVD speaker system (the DVD player works fine, just not tv sound through the speakers). On the old tv the RCA connector went to the audio in on the DVD player which controls the speakers. This line was hard wired to the Sony and had the noise filter in line.  My 2007 Journey came with a Memorex DVD only player that has a digital out but not in.

After speaking with Winnebago and others and searching the net, I spoke with Mike O'Connell at Riverpark about the problem. They make the connection like that on the other tv to connect to the RCA cables of the DVD player. He said it is a easy fix if you are handy with a soldering gun.

If you are interested in this, call Riverpark at 574-522-7781 or 800-442-7717 and ask for Mike O'Connell. Mike said he would write up directions for do it yourself.  BTW Mike from Riverpark said if I had not cut the wire from the Sony I could have reused it then just used his directions.

I think more of us with older equipment will now be having problems as analog out becomes extinct. It was a great relief to find an easy fix I believe should work for all the Q Surround problems.

Olive
2007 Journey 36'

__________________

TomC said:

John, Good idea on the headphone jacks, but the 26" doesn't have it , only the 19 and 22"

Click to expand...

TomC - according to your user manual, there is a headphone jack on the rear panel

seilerbird said:

I would completely abandon the factory amp and speakers and put a new system in. You would get a much better system and sound that way.

Click to expand...

Absolutely no argument there - by far the preferred resolution

Olive - a great big welcome to rvforum!  Glad to have you aboard  ;D  I didn't mention the fact you can break the TV case apart and pull out the right/left speaker leads and run them through a low-Z to high-Z transformer and then on to the Surround sound.  Very possible and a good solution for those handy with a soldering iron.

I would like to add that this is not a Winnebago specific issue but affects most of us with analog systems. I have a new Sony Bravia TV that provides a headset output as well as digital outputs whose output volumes are controlled by the TV as well as RCA jacks that are not controllable regardless if the speakers are on or off.

Unfortunately the best usable analog sound quality  is provided by the RCA jacks, not the low impedance headset output. The only real solution is going to be replacing the amplifier as has been suggested here or finding some way to remotely control the volume???

I feel confident replacing the cable that was on the old Sony will fix the problem making the speakers work as they did before. I think those of you who have removed your tv know what I am talking about. It is the cable with the barrel type piece in line. I am also going to let Riverpark do the fix since I am in PA visiting family right now and will be heading to IA the end of the month so can make them a side trip.  He said it would be about $25 but I have to take the tv in to them. That's not a problem since I mounted it on a heavy duty articulating mount. I have a 32" Panasonic. It just fits between the cabinets and the picture is awesome in SD. I'm not even going to rush getting HD I'm so happy with this picture.

I tried the headphone jack but only got sound out of the front middle speaker. Mike from Riverpark explained why that is to me but to be honest I can't recall exactly what he said so I'm not going to repeat it.

Thanks for the welcome John. I've been lurking for a little while since I heard only recently of this forum. Thanks for the work you are doing for it.