Television/antenna/internet/????

[10drum]

Greetings, I've been over on the toy hauler forum, but this question is more general. I have a 2015 LivinLite Quicksilver 7x20 VRV. It has a Winegard roadster antenna on the roof, but for the life of me I can not find the wire. I don't think the wire was ever ran from the antenna, because Im sure this was a special ordered unit. My plan is to buy another roadstar antenna/amp, pry/cut the other one off, and run a new wire to just above the refrigerator. However, I may only need cell coverage to watch TV. My iPad is cellular, and was wondering if there are bluetooth, 12volt TV sets available??? Chances are, I could just watch what I want if I have a good cell, which brings me to my next question. Are there window mounted cell antennas available? I could do the research, but Im counting on some of you road savy geeks, whose been there, done that.

[wa8yxm]

Where is the plate... I can only tell you where I have found them.
Behing the TV where it's very hard to get at
In a cabnet near the tv
In a cabinet over the door
And mounted clearly on the wall where you can actually SEE it.

ON one RV (Jack antenna uses the same plate) it was in a cabinet just forward of the entrance door behing the Wall Wart power supply for the "Sure Lock" signal meter.. I got very very very lucky spotting it hiding there .

[10drum]

First of all, after 35 years as an industrial electro/electronic technician, I learned to never say never, or “that can’t happen”. I have no doubt this trailer is a one off, special ordered unit. I suspect it was ordered without a TV, or TV delete, The antenna and camp cable jack were standard equipment, so they had to do something with the wire(s), so they just hooked the two together??? If I decide to use the antenna, I will install an amplifier above thr refrigerator, and mount a TV there. Most likely I will just watch crackle or whatever my cell will get from my iPad, or iPhone to the TV.

[AllegroD]

Is there a plate, above the TV, on the ceiling, where the cable connects to the TV.

[Bill_Satellite]

10drum wrote:
Believe me there is not a plate or switch anywhere inside the trailer. Here’s what I’ve found. There is a plate for camp cable. I pulled the plate on the outside of trailer, there is wire that is routed to the antenna. Why they did that, I have no idea??

If you have found a plate labeled camp cable OUTSIDE the RV and that runs to the antenna that is VERY wrong. However, you appear to have found a cable running to your antenna which, earlier, you said you could not find.
Could you clarify a bit? No RV ever built with a factory antenna on the roof and an outside campground cable connection did not have some way to switch between these 2 options inside the coach.

[rockhillmanor]

Before you start cutting wires you can't find.....

There 'is' somewhere a plate that has a 12volt outlet and underneath it is a VERY TEENIE TINY little switch that turns on the antenna booster.

With out this turned on you won't get channels.

Get a flashlight because you won't see it without one! Mine was a dark brown 12v plate mounted on the far back side inside one of the overhead small cabinets. Could see the outlet but not the switch without a flashlight. I swear these RV manuf enjoy coming up with places to hide these.

Move the dang tiny lever and a red light will come on showing the antenna booster on.

[10drum]

Believe me there is not a plate or switch anywhere inside the trailer. Here’s what I’ve found. There is a plate for camp cable. I pulled the plate on the outside of trailer, there is wire that is routed to the antenna. Why they did that, I have no idea??

[wa8yxm]

As Bill. who by the way is a guy I learn from. ask, How do you switch from Ant to Park cable.

My RV had a box with many buttons (Matrix Switch) but these are NOT common in Trailers.. Should be a wall plate. or a switch somewhere.

[Bill_Satellite]

What do you use in the coach to switch between antenna and campground cable?

[10drum]

wa8yxm wrote:
If they did not run the swire from a Roadstar they did you a favor. IT's not much of an antenna

This is a TV antenna. omnil. good for stations oh 15-20 miles out max

Replace with a Winegard Sensar IV and replace the wall plate (That's where the wire goes) that has the 12 volt outlet, switch, light and antenna connector with a SENSAR PR0 THe improvement is amazing.

They would've done me a favor if they had not mounted the antenna on the roof. There is no wall plate in the trailer.

[wa8yxm]

If they did not run the swire from a Roadstar they did you a favor. IT's not much of an antenna

This is a TV antenna. omnil. good for stations oh 15-20 miles out max

Replace with a Winegard Sensar IV and replace the wall plate (That's where the wire goes) that has the 12 volt outlet, switch, light and antenna connector with a SENSAR PR0 THe improvement is amazing.

[10drum]

the bear II wrote:
Maybe this will help. It's the manual for the roadstar antenna.

http://www.winegard.com/help/images/d/db/2452249.pdf

Thanks Bear, I have already seen that, that's how I realized that once the antenna is snapped on the base, it can't be removed. I really think the antenna was mounted on the trailer without installing the amp and/or wire inside the trailer. The only way I can find where the wire is, would be to remove a portion of the ceiling just below the antenna. I contacted Livinlite (at least what's left of them at Thor) and they couldn't tell me where the wire might be.

[the_bear_II]

Maybe this will help. It's the manual for the roadstar antenna.

http://www.winegard.com/help/images/d/db/2452249.pdf

[theoldwizard1]

10drum wrote:
My iPad is cellular, and was wondering if there are bluetooth, 12volt TV sets available??? Chances are, I could just watch what I want if I have a good cell, ...

Most modern TVs are "Smart TVs" and you can redirect the output of most cellphones/tablets directly to the TV with no wires. (I am not sure about iPhone or iPads, so hopefully some one more knowledgeable on Apple product will chime in.) Adding an Apple TV box will guarantee it will work.

As for getting a radio (TV or cell phone) signal, it is the same problem. Most OTA television signals are broadcast in the low end of UHF band while cell phones are in the high end. Both prefer "line of sight". Televisions have external antenna connections so it is easy to install a better antenna.

[jcpainter]

10drum wrote:
My iPad is cellular, and was wondering if there are bluetooth, 12volt TV sets available???

You don't need bluetooth. If your iPad has a lightning port (which most do), simply use a Lightning to HDMI adapter. Plug one end into the iPad and then attach the power source and the HDMI cable into the other end. This allows you to connect your iPad to your TV's HDMI port. I do this all the time.

If you choose to do this, use only a genuine Apple branded adapter. Off brands are unreliable and often quit working after a short time. You can purchase these at Wal-Mart, Staples, etc.

Purchase locally so you can return if you're not satisfied.