Forum Discussion

Effy's avatar
Effy
Explorer II
Apr 23, 2014

wiring TV to existing coach speakers

So my question is a technical one. The dash radio in my MH has speakers built in the cabinets in the bedroom. I would like to use those speakers for my bedroom TV. The TV has RCA outs, which I would assume I can get RCA leads and splice to speaker wire to connect. I have a way to route the wire, but can I add the TV to those speakers and also keep the connections to the stereo? I wouldn’t use both simultaneously and logically I can’t see why you can’t supply a speaker from 2 sources. But it won’t back-feed the stereo will it? I don’t want to run an FM transmitter all the way to the front. Frankly I don’t want to run it through the stereo at all. I am simply trying to use the audio outs and wire to the existing coach speakers thereby controlled by the TV remote. If I wired through the stereo I would need to use it’s volume control and that makes no sense as it’s all the way in the front.
Class A
  • Effy's avatar
    Effy
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2014
    Dale.Traveling wrote:
    Get yourself one of THESE and tap into the wires coming from the dash radio to the speakers.


    Perfect!
  • OhhWell's avatar
    OhhWell
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2014
    Effy wrote:
    Dale.Traveling wrote:
    Get yourself one of THESE and tap into the wires coming from the dash radio to the speakers.


    Perfect!



    Almost... You still need a small amplifier for the wires from the TV to this A/B switch. The RCAs on the TV only put out line level audio. I have used one of these and it would be perfect for your installation since it has RCA ins and can handle down to a 4ohm load.

    Cheap small digital amp
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Apr 23, 2014
    Can you tap into the wires back in the BR? I've run wires in ceilings and walls. Since your speakers are in a cabinet have you considered that possibility?
  • Effy's avatar
    Effy
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2014
    OhhWell wrote:
    Effy wrote:
    Dale.Traveling wrote:
    Get yourself one of THESE and tap into the wires coming from the dash radio to the speakers.


    Perfect!



    Almost... You still need a small amplifier for the wires from the TV to this A/B switch. The RCAs on the TV only put out line level audio. I have used one of these and it would be perfect for your installation since it has RCA ins and can handle down to a 4ohm load.

    Cheap small digital amp


    Are you saying the audio outs on the TV don't have enough power to drive the speakers? Why not?, seems like if I were going to buy this and plug in, then buy the switch, I might as well just buy a sound bar for $50. If the TV is 110 and has power, doesn't that get transferred to the audio outs? I mean what else would they be for. Maybe I just don't understand
  • OhhWell's avatar
    OhhWell
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2014
    Effy wrote:
    OhhWell wrote:
    Effy wrote:
    Dale.Traveling wrote:
    Get yourself one of THESE and tap into the wires coming from the dash radio to the speakers.


    Perfect!



    Almost... You still need a small amplifier for the wires from the TV to this A/B switch. The RCAs on the TV only put out line level audio. I have used one of these and it would be perfect for your installation since it has RCA ins and can handle down to a 4ohm load.

    Cheap small digital amp


    Are you saying the audio outs on the TV don't have enough power to drive the speakers? Why not?


    They are not amplified, they are what are called line level outs. They are made to run to a stereo system for amplification.

    Line Level
  • Effy's avatar
    Effy
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2014
    OhhWell wrote:
    Effy wrote:
    OhhWell wrote:
    Effy wrote:
    Dale.Traveling wrote:
    Get yourself one of THESE and tap into the wires coming from the dash radio to the speakers.


    Perfect!



    Almost... You still need a small amplifier for the wires from the TV to this A/B switch. The RCAs on the TV only put out line level audio. I have used one of these and it would be perfect for your installation since it has RCA ins and can handle down to a 4ohm load.

    Cheap small digital amp


    Are you saying the audio outs on the TV don't have enough power to drive the speakers? Why not?


    They are not amplified, they are what are called line level outs. They are made to run to a stereo system for amplification.

    Line Level


    I see. That makes sense. So they aren't speaker outs per se, but more for like a soundbar (that has a built in amp - hence the plug) But would I get no sound or just poor sound? I was really hoping for a quick and dirty set up. The issue is that the flat screen has poor built in sound (as most do) and going down the road it can get hard to hear. Heance wanting more sound. I thought leveraging the existing speakers would be easy enough. Never thought I would have to amp them.
  • OhhWell's avatar
    OhhWell
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2014
    Effy wrote:
    OhhWell wrote:
    Effy wrote:
    OhhWell wrote:
    Effy wrote:
    Dale.Traveling wrote:
    Get yourself one of THESE and tap into the wires coming from the dash radio to the speakers.


    Perfect!



    Almost... You still need a small amplifier for the wires from the TV to this A/B switch. The RCAs on the TV only put out line level audio. I have used one of these and it would be perfect for your installation since it has RCA ins and can handle down to a 4ohm load.

    Cheap small digital amp


    Are you saying the audio outs on the TV don't have enough power to drive the speakers? Why not?


    They are not amplified, they are what are called line level outs. They are made to run to a stereo system for amplification.

    Line Level


    I see. That makes sense. So they aren't speaker outs per se, but more for like a soundbar (that has a built in amp - hence the plug) But would I get no sound or just poor sound? I was really hoping for a quick and dirty set up. The issue is that the flat screen has poor built in sound (as most do) and going down the road it can get hard to hear. Heance wanting more sound. I thought leveraging the existing speakers would be easy enough. Never thought I would have to amp them.


    You would get a tiny little whisper of sound from the speakers that would (usually) not change with the volume control on the TV. Just add the little amp I linked to the mix and you should be quite happy with the results. The amp is very small, light and runs pretty cool so could be mounted about anywhere.

    It will not reach the full power output it could with 4ohm speakers using the small included power supply but the output should be about the same as your average car stereo. One nice thing is that the power input is 12v so if you could tap into a 12v line and power it direct from your coach, you will get full power out of it.
  • Dale_Traveling's avatar
    Dale_Traveling
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2014
    Effy you'll need to test your TV to find out if an amp is needed. Some will have a volume control output but you'll need to check. I guess you don't have a radio/CD player built into the bedroom which would have made this pretty easy.
  • Effy's avatar
    Effy
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2014
    Dale.Traveling wrote:
    Effy you'll need to test your TV to find out if an amp is needed. Some will have a volume control output but you'll need to check. I guess you don't have a radio/CD player built into the bedroom which would have made this pretty easy.


    I was thinking the same thing. I'll test it all before I chase the wires or amp it. No I don't have a radio back there. That would have been way too easy.

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