Question about Wineguard entertainment

[compint]

Hello, we are new to the RV world. Just picked up a Class A after a 15 year absence from tent camping. We really jumped into it. Anyway, we found a good deal on an RV and it has a Wineguard entertainment system with a television in the front and one in the rear. We were not shown how to work this system and I cannot seem to get it going. The TV's power up and the coax cables seem to be connected in the back. I cranked up the antenna and did an auto-search to find stations and nothing. Just a blue screen. Is there something else I need to do?

Thanks,

Sincerely, The RV Rookie 🙂

[compint]

I will try that. There is a RadioShack box that the RCA cables are connected to and then that is connected to the Wingard unit. Probably to allow just the wingard unit to control the whole system.

[Bill_Satellite]

If the DVD player is connected directly to the TV via RCA cables then the Winegard box has not part in this play.
You would go into the TV setup menu and instead of selecting TV or Cable as the input you will be looking for something like Video (or similar). Select that option and turn on the DVD and it should play on that one TV only.
You can keep your current analog TV's and buy a digital to analog converter to save money but the digital TV signal is so good and the TV's so cheap it really does not make any sense to throw away money on the converters (about $50).

[compint]

Thank you for the responses. Our coach is a 2006 Four Winds 30Q. It does have the analog TV's mounted with the Wingard controller. If I understand correctly, first I need to upgrade to the digital TV's in order for the controller to work. I will replace these tomorrow. One thing though, the dvd player is plugged into another unit and is connected to the TV via RCA cables. However I cannot see that this works either when I press auxillary and select "Front" on the TV input. Is there something I am doing incorrectly here?

[Bill_Satellite]

Not all of the Winegard video control centers have a power button. Some are powered all of the time and some require the power to come from the wall plate 12V power supply.

[wa8yxm]

If by a Winegard entainerment center you are refering to a box of many buttons.. Then I have the same thing.

First: IF you plan on over the air TV, you must have modern TVs or, digital converters... You will need to understand how to get to the signal strength meter.

Now, for each TV, you wish to watch make sure the ANT button is pressed, this assumes you want over the air, Cable/Sat instructions follow.

THe POWER BUTTON on the left must be pressed, and the Light must be on., If that is there is a LED.. that power switch is likely your downfall.

Crank up the antenna use the Antenna Helper app to aim (Remember the arrow on the dial is 90 degrees clockwise of the antenna)

On the TV SCAN FOR CHANNELS. Then go to signal strength and peak by turning the antenna slightly.

That should do it.

For cable or Sat (or dvr/vcr) press the proper buttons on the selector.

DVD also requires the power be on for the selector.

[Gator48]

There is a very good chance your TV is not digital compatable. You will probably need to get a digital converter from Best Buy or Radio Shack and place it in line between the antenna cable and the Winegard switch box. You will then need to use the converter remote to change channels and leave the TV set on either CH 3 or 4 as per the converter instructions. Also the aiming of the antenna is critical as the digital signal is pretty much either hitting the antenna or not. No in between.

Good excuse to upgrade to a new HD flat screen for the to go house.

[Bill_Satellite]

compint wrote:
Hello, we are new to the RV world. Just picked up a Class A after a 15 year absence from tent camping. We really jumped into it. Anyway, we found a good deal on an RV and it has a Wineguard entertainment system with a television in the front and one in the rear. We were not shown how to work this system and I cannot seem to get it going. The TV's power up and the coax cables seem to be connected in the back. I cranked up the antenna and did an auto-search to find stations and nothing. Just a blue screen. Is there something else I need to do?

Thanks,

Sincerely, The RV Rookie 🙂

What year model is your coach? Are the TV's original? Did you also turn on the Winegard wall plate which shows a tiny light went powered on?

[Dutch_12078]

The pointer on the Winegard Sensar (batwing) antennas does NOT point in the aiming direction of the antenna. Looking up at the dial, the antenna aiming point is 90 degrees clockwise from the molded in pointer. The moveable pointer is lined up with the fixed pointer to properly locate the antenna for parking it in the down position.

[kgarrett9999]

compint wrote:
Thanks for the responses. We do not have a dish network setup. I will walk through the steps tomorrow to see if I can get it going. I am not sure exactly how to align it with the different stations but will give it a try and keep you posted.

Thank you,

I use an android app called "TV Antenna Helper" to find the local stations wherever I'm at. It displays them on a map or compass color coded to strength/distance.

If your antenna is like most that I've seen, you simply pull down on the ring around the crank arm and turn the pointer to the desired direction. Turn it back before lowering the antenna.

[dougrainer]

1. IF it has the OLD style Winegard Coax Video switch box and you have OLD style CRT TV's(Tube/glass picture tube), Your Tv's and Winegard will NOT work at all. They will NOT receive the Digital signals after analog was phased out. You either get the Digital tuning adapters or replace the Tv's with LCD/digital TV's.
2. Also, that Winegard Video switch box has been discontinued over 3 years ago.
3. That Entertainment center is NOT really an entertainment center. It is just a way of switching coax video sources to more than one TV. Doug

[Goldencrazy]

Not sure the age of your motorhome and hence your system but if older it may not be digital. If it is digital then you must select antenna as input and then do channel search. Assumed you have turned on amplifier as previously mentioned for the antenna. I have a suspicion because of blue blank screen you have an older CRT and no digital box. Also assume you have cranked up antenna and not a sat dish. Please provide the details on your coach.

[compint]

Thanks for the responses. We do not have a dish network setup. I will walk through the steps tomorrow to see if I can get it going. I am not sure exactly how to align it with the different stations but will give it a try and keep you posted.

Thank you,

[vegasfoodguy]

compint wrote:
Hello, we are new to the RV world. Just picked up a Class A after a 15 year absence from tent camping. We really jumped into it. Anyway, we found a good deal on an RV and it has a Wineguard entertainment system with a television in the front and one in the rear. We were not shown how to work this system and I cannot seem to get it going. The TV's power up and the coax cables seem to be connected in the back. I cranked up the antenna and did an auto-search to find stations and nothing. Just a blue screen. Is there something else I need to do?

Thanks,

Sincerely, The RV Rookie 🙂

Do you have a Dish receiver in the motorhome?

[Old-Biscuit]

Does it have different buttons for 'antenna' 'cable' 'sat' for the different TV's?

If SO.....
Power button has to be ON (it powers up the antenna booster amp)
Select TV ANT for the TV's
Antenna needs to be 'aimed' (head of antenna pointed towards the TV Transponder Tower
TV Input needs to be set to 'antenna' 'air'
Then you do an auto scan for available channels

HERE is a manual for the Winegard Entertainment Select

Finding towers
DTV
TV Fool
Antenna Web