FR3 32DS, where do I mount my satellite receiver?

[Hmarqprince]

We just bought a 2017 Fr3 and cannot get any help from Forrest River or the dealer on where he Safelite reciever goes. The TV is mounted over the kitchen and there is no where to plug in the satellite reciever. Pretty dissatisfied with Forrest River and their lack of help, apparently they built a motor home with no thought of where to put a direct tv reciever. There is only one outlet behind the TV for the TV itself and when we plug in the portable satellite dish he coaxle where the cable would hook up it does not work. The only way we could get it to work was to run the cable through the window and plug it in directly to the TV.
Anyone out there with an FR3 can be of any help? Thanks

[wolfgang22]

I posted this on an earlier topic regarding satellite receivers. Also, as for the plug behind the tv, I added a power strip.

I wired my FR3 for satellite myself and it was easy. I put a duplex plate in the basement by the park cable outlet. I ran a separate home run line to the main tv and bedroom tv so that I could have two different receivers.



Ran a RG6 cable under the coach to the battery compartment and drilled a hole in the floor and ran it up through the entry closet to the main room TV. I put my satellite box in the cabinet behind the tv. From there I used a hdmi splitter and ran a hdmi cable to the main tv and one to the exterior tv. You can get to the exterior tv by running the hdmi cable back through the closet and over to the cabinet under the sink. There is a false back that is screwed in with two screws in the back of the cabinet and once you remove it you have complete access to the back area of the exterior tv. It sounds harder than it really is so just go for it. Both of these TVs will use the same satellite box. I have an rf/ir controller so that you can change the channel from outside the coach or inside. I bought it at Best Buy. You have to remove the corner cover panel and floor panel in the closet. They are attached by staples and remove easily if you are careful and pry it with a knife.



The bedroom was easy, just pull the panel in the closet, remove the drawers and drill a hole in the floor. A short RG6 cable run for the satellite box and run the hdmi to the tv. I drilled a hole above the shelf that sits below the bedroom tv and ran my power, hdmi and coax through that hole. The tv outlet box actually is a duplex receptacle so it worked out great.



All in all, about two hours of work and I was up and running. The hardest part is the fear of pulling everything apart and putting it back together. It was much easier than I expected and am very happy with the result. Play some music, pop a few beers and it goes quickly.



I am using a Pathway X2 dish with two receivers. 2014 FR3 DS30. I would rather wire myself than pre-wired so that I know that it was done correctly, control the quality and know where things are located.



There are other options for using a satellite with your park cable jack but it involves reworking your antenna amplifier box and you can only use a single satellite receiver. I opted for the direct runs so that I could have two different receivers running at the same time on different channels.




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[ResQfrog]

The FR3 and the Coachmen Pursuit like we have are not listed as satellite ready. On our unit we hooked it up in the rear bedroom area and ran the cable down to the wet/dump compartment and hooked it up to the cable port. Then set up a hdmi repeater to the front tv.

The Wildwood trailer we had before the Pursuit had the optional satellite package and two inlets ports on the outside and two outlet jacks near the main tv.

Like wolfgang22 said better to run them our self and have them right.

[Hmarqprince]

Ok, so I cannot run the satellite by plugging it in to the cable connector that you would use for running park cable correct? I need to wire it directly into the tv or run a splitter like you mentioned it run it on 2 RVs at once? Am I understanding this correctly?

Thanks

[mdstudey]

So why is it that the cable connection won't work connecting it to a Sat. They all use the same cable type and all that is between the input and output is the cable. I just don't get it.

[Technorick]

That cable input in your bunk runs to a splitter so it can send park cable to two tv sets. And that line also connects to a power booster for digital. Neither dish or direct tv sat antenna signals will pass signal thru that input. You need to run a separate line for sat either thru the roof from a roof mount or from a line that runs to a Portable dish. Otherwise you'll need to slam the door on the sat in cable or pop out a screen and crack a window.

I have a roof mount sat dome and ran the line down thru the roof. But also added a second line in from the battery compartment.

[wolfgang22]

You can make modifications at your booster to go around it but it will still only be able to use one receiver for all of your TVs. Additionally, depending on how the coach cabling was done and what splitter was used, it still may not work. I found that the best and safest option was to run new cable. It was an easy project. I wish that I had taken pictures.


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[markb422]

No. You cannot run a sat dish cable through the booster whether it is turned on or not. Direct tv (dish) sat signal is not compatable with the booster. I ordered a new connector for the outside of the MH from the Furrion web site, mounted it on the outside of the MH near the other cable connector (also a Furrion) and ran a cable directly to my Directv receiver. You can use the original cable hook up if you take it loose from the back of the booster and run it directly to your Directv receiver. You can still use the roof ant.