Satellite connection in Bailey 745 (1 Viewer)

[South_Wales_Lady]

I've got a new Bailey Autograph 745 and we've just got around to trying out the satellite dish ( a Travel Vision portable). We can get it to work by plugging the satellite dish directly into the converter and thence decoder but that means we've got to have the cable coming through a door or window. It doesn't work when we plug the dish to the sat point on the side of the van. Should we be doing anything to the Status aerial gubbins inside the van???

 

[Adbt]

What do you mean by converter and decoder?

 

[South_Wales_Lady]

Sorry, the converter is a little white box that connects to 12v and sends power to the dish for it to find the satellite. The dish connects direct to that and then there's a lead connecting the converter to the decoder. The decoder connects to the tv via HDMI and the tv connects to the status aetial via the tv socket in the van. If we take away the lead connecting the dish and converter and instead plug the dish into the dedicated sat socket then it doesn't work.

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[Adbt]

If the converter supplies power to the dish and you then disconnect it then the dish is not receiving power ????? The converter has to be in the " loop " ?????

 

[South_Wales_Lady]

Yes but that's the cable that goes through the door, which is the one we need to get rid of.

 

[South_Wales_Lady]

I suppose I'm hoping/assuming that the van sat point will "somehow" close the loop but admit I really don't know how it works, or how a sat point is wired up, so am in the dark

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[Adbt]

I think that the sat point is just transferring the signal to the decoder

 

[Sheddy]

Well good that you know the satellite system is working.
What you need to do is check where the external sat connector is connected to inside the van and from that point connect to the decoder/receiver. All the sat cable connectors should be F type which screw on as opposed to the TV connectors which are generally push fit.
Cheers
Ed

 

[Big Nick]

Our satellite connection on the outside of our Bailey MH worked fine from the off for both satellite and aerial (with an adapter) from the off

I'd check the back of the sockets to ensure the cable is connected

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[Adbt]

Our satellite connection on the outside of our Bailey MH worked fine from the off for both satellite and aerial (with an adapter) from the off

I'd check the back of the sockets to ensure the cable is connected

Ditto

 

[Cilfan]

Sounds like your dish is demountable and you set it up each time you park up. If so then that's the root of the problem. Somewhere externally on the van there should be a connection point for a dish. If your dish isn't connected to this then no signal will / can be transmitted down to the internal outlet. Theoretically, if you connect your dish to the external Sat Dish connection point and your decoder to the internal outlet you should be able to bypass the the converter using it only to locate the satellite and then unplugging it.

Take the face plate off the internal Sat connection point and check that it is supplied by a coax cable - if the plate provides both TV and Sat connections there should be 2 coax cables. Then check the outside of the van (or ask your dealer) for where the connection point is. Hope this helps.

 

[South_Wales_Lady]

Really sorry guys, you're all being very helpful and I'm trying to hang in there but I'm afraid I'm still a bit confused.

Yes we've got the type of satellite you set up every time and yes we can connect the dish to the external point. With regards the internal sat point though, there's only a tv aerial point - is this dual purpose, ie do I unplug the aerial and plug the decoder in there instead, via an adapter??

I've traced the wire from the external point and it goes to the Status aerial box, screwed into the point marked tv3. Presumably that then leads over to the aerial point? I could unscrew that and plug the decoder directly into it (I guess?) but the Status box is in the wardrobe on the other side of the van and tbh it would probably be less fiddly to stick with the lead through the door!

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[Cilfan]

Yes we've got the type of satellite you set up every time and yes we can connect the dish to the external point. With regards the internal sat point though, there's only a tv aerial point - is this dual purpose, ie do I unplug the aerial and plug the decoder in there instead, via an adapter??

I've traced the wire from the external point and it goes to the Status aerial box, screwed into the point marked tv3. Presumably that then leads over to the aerial point? I could unscrew that and plug the decoder directly into it (I guess?) but the Status box is in the wardrobe on the other side of the van and tbh it would probably be less fiddly to stick with the lead through the door!

I'm not surprised you're confused. All I can assume is that the status box you refer to is some form of splitting device allowing multiple inputs - you say the external cable is connected to point tv3, implying there are at least 2 other terminals - to be connected and then on transmitted to the internal outlet. If my assumption is correct then yes, you should get the desired result by connecting the decoder to the tv outlet using an adaptor but it does seem an odd setup. I'd have a word with your dealer and get him to clarify the situation. It may be that ideally you need to run an additional feed into the status box and let it do what it was designed to do......assuming you want to have a conventional antenna and dish that is, otherwise ignore this last part. Good luck.

 

[Big Nick]

Coax cable is coax cable as far as I'm aware
If you are plugging a satellite dish into the vans external socket then you need to plug the decoder or tv's satellite input socket into the vans internal socket.

You can buy different connectors that change a standard tv aerial type plug to the f-type satellite type and vice versa.

You'll have a problem if you are plugging into the decoder/tv's aerial socket instead of the satellite connection though, if that's what you're doing!!??

 

[Sheddy]

I think that your system is currently wired so that the external connection is used to supply a tv signal to an awning / external tv from the status booster and not the other way round, however it can be reversed.
From the status booster in the wardrobe there will be at least one cable (either tv1/2) supplying the tv socket in the lounge area.
If you are not using the normal tv antenna, then if you connect the cable in TV3 to the connector from either tv2 or 1 using an adapter effectively bypassing the status unit.
Then as previous post use another adapter to connect the decoder to your existing tv socket this may work but the loss of signal in the various connectors adapters may be a problem.
The reason is the F connectors (screw) provide a better connection for the cable joints that the standard TV push connectors. However it will be possible to change the normal tv connectors for F types without effecting the quality of your normal tv signal but then improving the signal from your satellite feed.
Where in S.Wales are you? we live near Llanelli and if your in the area I can certainly have a look for you.
Cheers
ED

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[tonyidle]

I understand now. Your connection route should be:

Satellite aerial to external socket
Satellite receiver (decoder) DIRECTLY to the cable coming from the back of the outside socket and NOT to the output of any splitter / Status box. If you are lucky the cable from the outside socket will be connected already to a useable socket but don't assume it is - find out where it goes.

As an aside Big Nick stated that coax is coax. It is to an extent: for short runs (inside or on the roof of a van for instance) 'TV' coax can be used to connect to a satellite dish. It cannot be used for domestic satellite connections that usually involve long runs of cable. 'TV' coax loses a lot of signal when handling the output of a satellite dish. 'Satellite' coax is more expensive and manufactured to lose much less signal. It can be used for both satellite dish connections and 'normal' TV aerial connections.

 

[South_Wales_Lady]

Thanks so much everyone, I've had a hard job understanding some of it BUT.......I plugged the dish into the external point, that was the easy bit. Then I plugged the decoder into the TV aerial socket - going much against the grain but I heard what was said about coax can be used for both over short distances - and - drum roll - it works!!!!!

Still not sure if I can capture the signal with this set up or if I've got to do that first with the cable through the door, will try both at some point but right now I'm leaving well alone!

Thanks again all - Ed, TVM for your offer of looking at it for us, much appreciated though thankfully not now needed. We're in Llantrisant by the way, so not tooo far

 

[Cilfan]

Great news, love it when a plan comes together.

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