Executive DVD-Home Theater unit

[ernest917]

Was the Executive DVD-Home Theater unit in the Berkshire an all-in-one DVD player? My reason for asking is that when I purchased my 2008 Berkshire from Lazydays. I discovered that my surround sound speakers didn't work..... Upon closer inspection, I found out that I had a Sony DVD player and all the surround sound wires for all the speakers in the ceiling of the rig had been cut and were sticking out of the back of the unit in the compartment above the right windshield.....

Obviously, none of my speakers now work..... I'd like to figure out what I need to do to get them working..... I'd love to have the TV sound come out of those speakers.....


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[ernest917]

Should add this - the Executive unit was gone and a Sony is now there....


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[ernest917]

Here's a picture of what I now have -


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[speedmerchant]

Originally Posted by ernest917

Was the Executive DVD-Home Theater unit in the Berkshire an all-in-one DVD player?

It was, fully powering all the speakers in the ceiling. But only playing dvd's/CD's. Watching satellite dish itself only comes through tv speakers. Unless mine is wired wrong.

P.S. If anyone has one of these units they have replaced I am in need of one....actually just need the remote but would buy the unit itself.
James

[ceedog]

ernest917,

Are the wires that were cut connected to the Sony system? If not, do you see them? If you can find them, you can splice the wires back to the wires on the connector which will put you back to OEM. Or you can take the connector with the wires attached to Radio Shack to see if they can match it & just reconnect it to the OEM unit.

If the cut wires are plugged into the Sony, you can replace the unit with a surround sound amp w/dvd built in.

I replaced my OEM unit in my 2011 with a blue-ray player from Walmart (cost $79.00) which has more power & a better sound.

Lastly, you can check the wiring to the speakers by connecting a multi-meter (set to 20 ohms or less) to the positive & negative wires respectively. You should get a reading between 4 - 8 ohms & hear static coming from the affected speaker. It's called a poor man's signal generator. If you get a reading of infinity (should be a 1 displayed) or if the reading jumps around, you either have a defective speaker or an open wire to the speaker.

[dan-nickie]

The wires connect directly to the back of the DVD player. I didn't know it was called an executive. After little testing I may not put my back in. If I don't I'll give you a buzz.

[ernest917]

Dan.... I'd appreciate that..... We're about to make the move to full-timing and I'd like to have those speakers working..... I may
putter around with the wires and see if I can get my Sony to work with the speakers.....


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[dan-nickie]

Seems that whatever it is hooked up to it would have to have 'speaker' level outputs instead of 'line' level outputs.

I might need to take a picture of it to make sure it is what you are looking for as I didn't notice anything about 'Executive' on it.

It is a weird setup. I wonder why all that stuff with the audio splitter is necessary.
Especially in my 2014 as there are no ceiling speakers, just the sound bar.
I pulled it out and expect to rewire/replace everything in there once I figure out what it all does, or doesn't do.
I hope to talk to some factory techs tomorrow about it.

I am in Elkhart after the rally going in for some factory warranty work for a few days.

[NV245]

The Executive was an entertainment system unit. It had a built in amp to run the speakers, and the volume was controlled by the DVD player, not the TV. It also had an FM receiver and additional input available. Mine died this spring, and I ended up replacing with a Samsung Blu-ray entertainment unit, giving the speakers to my son-in-law for his church. The Samsung only sends video through HDMI, so I can only watch its output through the front TV.


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[ernest917]

I just want to get the dang speakers in the ceiling to work with my Sony DVD player.....


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[dan-nickie]

Ernest, unless your Sony has built in "Entertainment/Theater System" I don't think it has the outputs to drive speakers.

[Gottawonder]

Ernest,

My coach came with an RCA DVD / Entertainment center. DVD player already died (won't eject DVD) but the rest is functional. I was just gonna stick a Blu-Ray on top of it and be done. I do have one of those boxes like you do. If you wanna come over and see how mine all connects I can meet you most any day this week. I haven't totally studied it, but the solution for you may be to put a small integrated receiver in (to power the speakers) and feed audio from the DVD to that. Anyway, if you wanna come over and see how this one is wired with that box I'm available. PM if you don't still have my cell#

Gottawonder

[dan-nickie]

Gottawonder, does your 2014 have speakers in the ceiling like others have mentioned?

I have the 'box' and the RCA entertainment system in my 2014 also, but the sound is only output at the sound bar. I wonder where all those wires going into the wall end up?

I think we got ripped off

[Gottawonder]

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

Gottawonder, does your 2014 have speakers in the ceiling like others have mentioned?

I have the 'box' and the RCA entertainment system in my 2014 also, but the sound is only output at the sound bar. I wonder where all those wires going into the wall end up?

I think we got ripped off

...Yes, this is on my list of things to figure out... why put the sound distribution box in there to send it...nowhere. There is a subwoofer in there. Have you found that switch yet? (back on the right side of the compartment.) That maybe all the "feed" we get.

Bose noise-cancelling earbuds made my music sound great and my coach ride as quiet as a whisper

[dan-nickie]

Yes I found the 'sub' switch right after I picked it up but it did not do anything with the TV or SAT so I figured since I had fireplace it did not have a sub.
I put a DVD in for the first time a few days ago just testing. Found that there is a sub and it's great for finding the rattles in the fireplace. lol

Seems the sound bar is fed by the RCA jacks. But all those speaker wires go into the hole in the side of the cabinet. Where to? hmm, I'll ask the guys at the factory today and let you know what they say.

The drivers seat is a different story. Those 2 little tinny speakers. DW can stand it for about 5 minutes then makes me turn it off because it gives here a headache. But There is lots of room under the dash for adding amps and a sub. I can fix it.

[Gottawonder]

Yeah Dan, let me know what you figure out. Seems like the wiring in these is transitional between old and new; has HDMI running to a splitter to feed the main room TVs and an video feed running to them as well. Disappointed the DVD crapped out on the RCA unit, but I'm not sure it's worth the labor and shipping to box it for warranty repair, esp since it doesn't seem to actually find its way to speakers. All said and done, there's not much impressive with the installed audio. Let me know what you find out. Ernest is going to come over and we'll grab a flashlight and magnifying glass and see what was can figure out. I don't know what would be involved with retrofitting speakers in the ceiling. "Not fun" comes to mind. </rant>

Gottawonder

[dan-nickie]

Gottawonder, finally got to talk to the FR tech this morning about the wires going into the wall of my 2014 RB. Of course we were wondering if they ran up into the ceiling some place.
He grabbed the wires and pulled. There was only about 5 inches of wire in the cabinet wall and then are cut off, except for 2 wires that go to the sub.

I'm afraid it was no help for getting speakers into the ceiling.

[Gottawonder]

Hey Dan, not too shocking. Ernest came over and we learned enough looking at the back of the RCA and the wiring harness to understand how it all works in theory I'm going to try to get his setup running. He has the speakers but no power amp. We're going to test his speakers before he spends any $ but I think I've found him an affordable amp.

If you find a stereo wiz in Dallas that is going to beef up your Jensen audio system, let me know.

[dan-nickie]

It will still be a couple of months before I get back to Dallas. But I will be doing to work on the front Jensen radio myself.

Yeah Ernest just needs an AMP/Receiver that he can plug in his DVD player and television too. There is lots of them of course, but getting one that fits in the cabinet maybe the trick.

[Terrilegacy]

Anyone have any idea what the switch is on the right side of the entertainment cabinet above the fireplace on the 2014 Berkshire. It is on the same wall as the power antenna switch?


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