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Old 06-12-2019, 06:46 PM   #1
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Forester outside tv and awning speakers

Have any of you Forester owners found out if the awning speakers can be used with outside television? I have the 3011 DS
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Old 06-12-2019, 08:17 PM   #2
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Short answer...no. I’ve been thinking about a mod to get around the system.

As delivered, the outside speakers are powered by the Jensen DVD/Radio mounted in a right side overhead cabinet. Whatever is playing on that unit (radio, DVD, Bluetooth, etc) can be sent outside using speaker source Zone “B”. To hear TV sound, the HDMI port on the side of the Jensen has to be connected to the ARC HDMI port on the TV...usually HDMI-2 will be labeled ARC. The setup as delivered is connected to the inside TV so getting ARC signals from the outside TV is not available.

You got me wondering about how to do a workaround. First thing I’ll try is to run an HDMI cable from the outside TV to a switched splitter. The splitter I have laying around is two cable in...one cable out, or vice versa. With a cable from each TV ARC port connected to the splitter then I can push a button to send whichever signal I want to the Jensen.

Plan B if there is not an ARC port on the outside TV. There are two aux inputs on the Jensen that accepts the mini audio plugs. One is on the front and the other is at the back. Disadvantage of using the aux inputs is losing volume control from the TV remote (I think). Using ARC from the TV to the Jensen allows me to control the volume from the TV remote, the Jensen remote, the iPhone app or the manual knob on the front of the Jensen.

Another advantage to this setup is getting extra sound from the Bazooka subwoofer. Since it’s installed adjacent to the main door then the sound should sync really well with the outdoor speakers (which really need help).

I don’t have anything on my schedule for the next three days so I think I’ll start this project in the morning. It is a good reason not to fire up the Toro for cutting grass. Will keep you posted on how it goes.
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Old 06-13-2019, 12:40 AM   #3
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Short answer...no. I’ve been thinking about a mod to get around the system.

As delivered, the outside speakers are powered by the Jensen DVD/Radio mounted in a right side overhead cabinet. Whatever is playing on that unit (radio, DVD, Bluetooth, etc) can be sent outside using speaker source Zone “B”. To hear TV sound, the HDMI port on the side of the Jensen has to be connected to the ARC HDMI port on the TV...usually HDMI-2 will be labeled ARC. The setup as delivered is connected to the inside TV so getting ARC signals from the outside TV is not available.

You got me wondering about how to do a workaround. First thing I’ll try is to run an HDMI cable from the outside TV to a switched splitter. The splitter I have laying around is two cable in...one cable out, or vice versa. With a cable from each TV ARC port connected to the splitter then I can push a button to send whichever signal I want to the Jensen.

Plan B if there is not an ARC port on the outside TV. There are two aux inputs on the Jensen that accepts the mini audio plugs. One is on the front and the other is at the back. Disadvantage of using the aux inputs is losing volume control from the TV remote (I think). Using ARC from the TV to the Jensen allows me to control the volume from the TV remote, the Jensen remote, the iPhone app or the manual knob on the front of the Jensen.

Another advantage to this setup is getting extra sound from the Bazooka subwoofer. Since it’s installed adjacent to the main door then the sound should sync really well with the outdoor speakers (which really need help).

I don’t have anything on my schedule for the next three days so I think I’ll start this project in the morning. It is a good reason not to fire up the Toro for cutting grass. Will keep you posted on how it goes.
Sounds like a plan. Please report any issues that came up and what you ended up doing. I'm not liking the weak speakers on the outside tv.
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Old 06-13-2019, 04:42 PM   #4
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The mod I described earlier worked great. Now I just select via push button which TV provides sound to the Jensen. Outside sound is now available on the the awning speakers.

The only problem is the quality of the sound from the awning speakers. It is a lot better than just the TV speakers but still what I would describe as pitiful. Anyone know of a good marine speaker that would fit the LCI Solera?
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Old 06-13-2019, 09:59 PM   #5
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The mod I described earlier worked great. Now I just select via push button which TV provides sound to the Jensen. Outside sound is now available on the the awning speakers.

The only problem is the quality of the sound from the awning speakers. It is a lot better than just the TV speakers but still what I would describe as pitiful. Anyone know of a good marine speaker that would fit the LCI Solera?
Thanks. I'll bookmark this for later reference.
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Old 06-13-2019, 11:06 PM   #6
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Thanks. I'll bookmark this for later reference.
You only need two more HDMI cables and this switchbox.

https://www.amazon.com/HDMI-Switch-4...s%2C148&sr=8-2

If you’re not using the ARC system for the indoor TV then you only need one cable and no switchbox.
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Old 06-14-2019, 12:15 PM   #7
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I have a 2020 3011DS. Is it possible to hook up an HDMI sound bar to the outside TV?
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Old 06-14-2019, 01:47 PM   #8
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I have a 2020 3011DS. Is it possible to hook up an HDMI sound bar to the outside TV?
The TV has the capability to drive a sound bar, but the area where the outside TV is mounted won’t have enough room for a permanent mount.
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Old 06-14-2019, 03:58 PM   #9
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Thanks emm-dee. I don't use the outside TV often so I was not looking for a permanent installation, just something I can plug in temporarily while using it. However, I am pretty low tech when it comes to electronic connections and was hoping to get some guidance on how to connect the sound bar, or if it can even be done. The TV is a 32" Continu-us and the only output jack I can see is labelled "Line Out" and it looks to me like a headphone jack. There is also one that is labelled Head phone. The soundbar manual says to connect it to the TV with an optical cable but there is no optical jack on the TV. The other jacks on the sound bar (an old Yamaha YAS-101 left over from my 5er days) are labelled Subwoofer Out, System Connector (?), BD/DVD and STB (?). Is there anything I can get to make the connection or am I just out of luck? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
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Old 06-14-2019, 07:26 PM   #10
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Thanks emm-dee. I don't use the outside TV often so I was not looking for a permanent installation, just something I can plug in temporarily while using it. However, I am pretty low tech when it comes to electronic connections and was hoping to get some guidance on how to connect the sound bar, or if it can even be done. The TV is a 32" Continu-us and the only output jack I can see is labelled "Line Out" and it looks to me like a headphone jack. There is also one that is labelled Head phone. The soundbar manual says to connect it to the TV with an optical cable but there is no optical jack on the TV. The other jacks on the sound bar (an old Yamaha YAS-101 left over from my 5er days) are labelled Subwoofer Out, System Connector (?), BD/DVD and STB (?). Is there anything I can get to make the connection or am I just out of luck? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
I have two of the Contin-US TV sets...28 inch in bedroom and 39 inch in the main living area. The outdoor 32” is a Furion. All of them have the accessory connections on the back side. The larger ones each have three HDMI ports (one being ARC) and optical features (which I’ve never used).

To discover which ports your outside telly has requires you to remove it. The mount locks it into place and keeps you from seeing the connections on the back side. To remove it grab the lower right and upper left corners, hold very firmly and rock the tv left and right while firmly pulling upwards. It’s very tight but it will come out with no damage.

Let us know what connections you find back there.
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Old 06-14-2019, 08:58 PM   #11
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Thanks. I had another look and found that there is an optical jack that I had overlooked before. I will dig out an optical cable and try hooking up the sound bar in the morning. I will let you know what happens. Thanks again for your guidance.
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Old 06-20-2019, 08:25 AM   #12
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I hate that the outside speakers are for the inside tv
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Old 06-20-2019, 08:46 AM   #13
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I hate that the outside speakers are for the inside tv
The outdoor speakers are for the Jensen (usual brand) entertainment center. That unit has six sources for input, one of which may or may not be the inside TV. I posted how to change the source from inside to outside TV.
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Old 06-20-2019, 09:03 AM   #14
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I take my BR TV outside. It had so- so sound quality. Went to BB and bought an inexpensive Insignia sound bar and attached it to the bottom of the TV with hook and loop fasteners. The heavy duty 3M kind like you would attach an iPass to your windshield with that are good for 10lbs or so. Works great , sounds great stays on even during transit of RV. Lot less screwing around than running extra cables to use crappy OEM speakers! Cost me maybe $50
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Old 06-20-2019, 10:52 AM   #15
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I have been trying to figure out how the outside TV works. Turns out not very well. The Jensen deck is not connected to the TV so all it can do is pick up local TV stations from the antenna. Many places I go to have no local TV stations. I put in a Blu-ray player for the inside TV. Now I plan to put in an HDMI splitter and figure out how to run a cable to the outside TV. Then at least I can watch movies on the outside TV and use a proper sound bar connected to the TV with an optical cable. At least that's the plan. If I knew all this before I would not have ordered the $1,000 plus TV!
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