Adding Additional TV Wallplate Amplifier

[Cyoul8r]

I recently installed a TV in the bedroom and want to know if I can replace the TV wallplate there with an amplified one. There is the standard amplified one in the living room for that TV but I want to be able to turn the amplifier on/off from the bedroom. If this would create a feedback problem I would only use one at a time. Can this be done?

[OldCoot]

I would think you could install a splitter BEFORE the lr amp and then install your amp in the br. Both would work independent of the other without interference to each other.

[BarryD0706]

I really don't think that will work, at least not if you have the Winegard system. That wall plate passes DC voltage thru the coax to the antenna. Most splitters won't pass DC. Even without that problem, the second wall plate would then be passing voltage to the first wall plate, which might make it unhappy.

[Cyoul8r]

Yes, I have the Winegard system. I'm just asking ... if I install an amplified wallplate in the bedroom will it work realizing that the main one in the living area will not be turned on at the same time. Is the main amplifier housed in the antenna and does the wallplate button send a signal to it there?

[BarryD0706]

Yes, the amplifier is in the antenna. The wall plate sends the power to it and receives the signal from it. I don't see how you connect one antenna to two plates, without a special splitter made to support this operation.

[BarryD0706]

I went to the Winegard site to see if they offered anything. They don't seem to. I did find out that most of the splitters they sell DO pass voltage through. This leaves the question about what happens when two supplies are trying to power the amp. I guess I'm now thinking that it might work, as long as you use one of their "AC/DC Passive" splitters. If it doesn't, you may destroy the wall plate(s).

The following link isn't talking about an RV antenna, but gives some insight into their thinking on the topic. ("One-port passive".)
http://www.winegard.com/phpbb3/viewt...hp?f=17&t=1361

They seem to have a good forum system there. I'd suggest just asking them about this specific configuration.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by Cyoul8r

Yes, I have the Winegard system. I'm just asking ... if I install an amplified wallplate in the bedroom will it work realizing that the main one in the living area will not be turned on at the same time. Is the main amplifier housed in the antenna and does the wallplate button send a signal to it there?

Just curious, why not wire IAW original tv system, two circuits off the amp. Then just leave it on?

[rip]

I looked at the back of my Winegard wallplate in my old 2005 trailer. There's a switch, some electrical components, connections for 12v positive and negative, and three "F" plug coax connectors.

One "F" connector is marked cable, one is marked antenna, the other is marked set 2. The "F" connector to the first tv set comes out the front of the plate.

If your Winegard wall plate is similar to mine, I believe you should be able to connect your bedroom tv coax to the unused set 2 plug. Look behind your wall plate and see if it's the same.

[rip]

If you are receiving signal from the Winegard antenna, you turn the amplifier on and leave it on.

If you are receiving signal from the park cable or satelite feed, you turn the amplifier off and leave it off.

I did not understand why you would want to have two plates attempting to send power to your antenna. My answer is presuming you simply want to feed antenna or cable signal to your bedroom tv the same as it's sent to your living room tv.

[rip]

Oops, my trailer did not have a bedroom tv connection. Yours is likely already wired in to the set 2 connection. Sorry.

[Cyoul8r]

Hey, thanks for all the resonses. I do have a wallplate in the bedroom so I have a feed there but it is not the amplified wallplate. I dry camp a lot so just turning it on at the living room plate and leaving it on will not work for me. I want to be able to turn it on/off from either location when needed and not have to go to the living room plate to turn on/off when I watch the bedroom tv. I would probably forget it's on when shutting off the bedroom tv at night and wake up with a dead battery. It has a led light when it's on so I'll remember to shut it off.

[rip]

Originally Posted by Cyoul8r

I want to be able to turn it on/off from either location when needed and not have to go to the living room plate to turn on/off when I watch the bedroom tv.

Now I understand. Here's an illustration of a typical Sensar wallplate like an RV-7542 (not an RA-7596) from one of my old Winegard manuals.



Notice one of their warnings is not to install splitters on the antenna lead. The electonic board in their primary wall plate (when turned on) is sending power up the coax to the amplifier in the antenna which boosta the tv signals and returns them back down the same coax to the set 1 and set 2 connections. So, you have voltage and tv signal traveling along that coax.

The voltage appears to be isolated from the cable, set 1 and set 2 connections, but I'm not sure. I didn't put a voltmeter on those when I was troubleshooting my wallplate.

Your ideal solution would be to have a different switch on the primary wall plate wired with another switch on the 2nd wallplate, allowing the two to toggle between power on-off. Beyond my Radio Shack experience...

A work-around, not as good, may be to put a switch on the 12 volt wires going to the primary wall plate (the red/white labeled wires in the diagram, yours may be different colors) and wire that back to the bedroom, so your bedroom switch would cut off 12 volts before it got to the primary wallplate. The 12 volt switch on the primary wall plate could still be on but there would be no power going to it because that power was cut off at the bedroom switch.

The bedroom switch would be like a battery on-off switch for your Winegard system. They have lighted 12v switches so you'll have a visual about whether you have your overall Winegard sytem receiving power or not. I don't know if I communicated that well. Others here may have a better idea, or explain mine clearer.

[Cyoul8r]

Thanks rip. I think you are right. The diagram shows no 12v signal at the "set 2" connection and it seems my best solution would be to wire in a swith on the 12v feed like you suggested. That way I wouldn't have to worry about blowing anythin up!!! ... and I could control either TV when needed. I will give it a try.
Hey, nice Texas bass in your avatar!

[rip]

Originally Posted by BarryD0706

They seem to have a good forum system there. I'd suggest just asking them about this specific configuration.

BarryD0706 made a good suggestion. Run it past the Winegard forum he suggested to see if interupting the power with a switch causes some problem.

[RJHuser]

Also, the switch serves another purpose beside turning power on and Off to the antenna amplifier. It also switches the outlets (both No. 1 and No. 2) between the antenna (button depressed) and cable (button released).