2019 Isata 3 Cable Question

[BurnOut]

I recently purchased a 2019 Isata 3 24FW, and I am attempting to install a Dish network receiver. After searching the forums, I have been on the hunt for the elusive cable splitter that splits off the incoming Cable/Sat coax to the three TV locations (forward, outside, and bedroom).

I opened the cabinet above the radio/dvd player expecting to find it there, but only found an incoming cable feed to the front TV, an HDMI cable from the DVD player to the front TV, and a set of RCA component feeds going to the bedroom TV, also from the DVD player.

My next guess is to look behind the ceiling mounted broadcast TV antenna switch and direction control. (It’s a “King jack”, if that matters).

I am sure someone here has been successful in setting up their Isata 3 for satellite. I would be very appreciative of some guidance and help from anyone who can help.

Thanks in advance, I know this is the first of many questions I will have.

[milkman55]

I have a 2017 Isata 3 24FW and the cables you found are all I have as well. I used a Dish Wally and only connected it to the front TV. You will need to change the DIP switch in the satellite dish on the roof to the Dish setting as it comes from the factory set to Direct TV.

The DVD player plays to the rear bedroom, but not the satellite signal. The outside TV is cable only. I did not try and run any additional cables as the same satellite signal would be received at all the outlets. We get by just fine with the front TV on satellite. You do need to turn off the King antenna using the switch on the side of the housing when you are hooked up to cable in an RV Park.

[BurnOut]

Thanks for the info. I don’t have a satellite dish mounted on the roof, but am attempting to use a King Tailgater.

I was attempting to use the Cable/Satellite shoreline connection to introduce the Tailgater signal to the cable system in the coach, but I don’t think that’s going to work the way I had envisioned.

It seems like the front TV is only routed to the broadcast TV antenna, anyone know if that’s normal? I can’t get a cable or satellite signal to any of the TVs using the shoreline connection.

I connected my home system to the shoreline Cable/Satellite connector, and have no signal to any of the three TV locations... I must be doing something wrong, I hope.

[BurnOut]

So the good news is, using the blind squirrel technique, I actually did locate the splitter behind the Winegard switch at the entry steps. I had overlooked that switch, and still am not sure how to use it.

Should the switch be “off” in order to use the shoreline cable/sat connection?

It’s been on while I was trying to get the satellite signal to the TVs.

[milkman55]

When I have hooked up to the outside cable input at an RV Park, the King antenna has to be switched off to allow the cable signal to come through to the TV’s, otherwise the antenna continues to provide the signal over the cable input.

I have read threads from others who tried to route a Tailgater through the outside cable input without much success. You might try it after switching off the King antenna at the housing on the side by the door there is a slide switch.

[BurnOut]

Thanks again for your help. I got it working by eliminating the Winegard switch altogether for now. It wasn’t working even with the switch off, but now is performing like a champ.

I appreciate your input MM55, thanks again, Steve

[Ldhansenjr]

I have a 2017 Isata 3 FW

I worked on this problem a ton!

Here is how is works on my rig.

Cable/Sat connector on outside of rig goes to Winegard Wall plate at your entry.

The Winegard has three coax connectors on the back of it.

One is for the outside connection (as noted above)

One goes directly to the King Jack antenna on the roof.

One goes to a Coax Splitter (behind the wall plate).

The splitter has 3 outputs.

One goes to the Front TV

One goes to the Rear TV

one goes to Outdoor Jack for TV.

The King Jack Antenna on the roof needs 12v of power.

The Winegard wall plate has a 12 volt connection on the back as well.

When you push the button on the front. The green light comes on and power in sent to the King roof antenna. Then all 3 tv's should have access to Over the Air broad casts. Must set each TV to TV not HDMI or Component etc. And each tv must run an auto scan to resister the channels.

Now the part that is complicated.

I have a Dish Playmaker portable antenna (totally love the portability as I camp near tall trees and rooftop does not always have clear line of sight and I don't care about it working while driving).

if you plug the Dish Playmaker into the outside Cable/Sat jack it will NOT work.

I had tried this a million ways. the signal from the dish to the Wally receiver can NOT go through a splitter.

I thought I was going to be able to install the Wally near the front tv, plug in the coax, connect the HDMI from the Wally to to the tv and get it working. I could NOT.

Here is what I decided to do and am very happy (not for everyone!)

I pulled the Winegard switch out (2 screws) I pulled out the Stabilizer Jacks control panel (the splitter is actually more accessible here).

I then figured out what coax when to the front TV (trial and error). I then disconnected the cable coming from the outside jack and used a coax barrel connector to connect the outside Cable/Sat jack to the coax going to the front TV.

I now connect the Coax behind the front TV into the Wally and then Connect the Wall to the Front TV with an HDMI cable.

Presto! Front tv works perfectly for Satellite. My model year does NOT have HDMI to back TV. I do have the RCA connected wire running from the front to the rear TV. So I use that to get satellite to the rear tv )obviously not HD but good enough.

I still have DVD to the front tv. I do NOT have DVD to rear tv but really don't care.

I don't get Over the Air signal to front TV only the rear and outside. But I am totally cool with that. Easily can have Satellite TV in front and Over the air in rear at the same time both in HD.

Brian Clemens posted a great thread asking people for their input on this topic. He is absolutely thinking about it the right way.

Every year the technology changes s very tough to predict everything.

if I had my say here is how I would design it.

First total access to all connections would make it easier to change things later.

run two coax from outside to an accessible place where would would make the connections. One coax would be satellite one for direct cable tv feed.

then have HDMI to all TV's no harm in running 2 to each location as it would give the ultimate in flexibility. Yes there are switches that can help make this easier.

I hope this helps and does not further confuse anyone

Dave

[BurnOut]

Thanks for your reply Dave. It sounds like we ended up with a similar set up in the end. However, I didn’t consider taking the RCA connection from the DVD to send the satellite signal to the rear TV, there’s plenty of slack to do so, that’s a great idea.

My biggest hurdle was my lack of understanding the function of the Winegard switch (this is my first RV). Through a slow process of elimination, I finally realized that was the location of the elusive splitter, and ended up doing the same as you did, going direct to the front TV feed with the shoreline cable.

I think your feedback regarding clearly marked access, additional labeled HDMI cables and coax, along with a dedicated cabinet location for potential receivers, etc. would be some great improvements. Even a few open (unused) lightweight tubing chases would be great at minimal cost and weight.

Thanks again for all your help and time, Steve.

[mlmay12]

Dave and Steve, I too have put a ton of work into this issue. The carryout dishes require power to be supplied over the coax from the receiver. The winegard antenna control does not allow power to go through it to get to the dish (probably a diode) so the outside built in jacks will not work for a connection to the dish if the coax is connected to the winegard switch and the signal has to pass through it.

Everything works fine if you connect the dish directly to the receiver either through one of the doors using a flat coax ribbon cable (available on amazon) or some other way. I have a direct TV SD Receiver that I run straight from a carryout dish through a coax jack I mounted by the two LED lights on the outside by the passenger door. The speaker by the front door can be removed to provide access to the large void where I ran all my coax and wiring. A short coax provides me with a connection from that side of the jack to the Direct TV Receiver I have on the shelf by the front TV and the output of the Receiver goes to a splitter with one cable to that front TV and the other to the original cable from the winegard switch that sends the signal back to the rear TV and the outside TV Jack. Not an ideal solution but it works for me.

[BurnOut]

Mlmay, thanks for sharing your solution; there are definitely numerous ways to skin this cat, I appreciate hearing all of them.

I see you’re from Escondido; I just moved to Lake Havasu 6 months ago after 43 years in Carlsbad and then Vista.

Thanks again for the help.