Question for Tour or Ellipse owners-TV switchbox

[hogdriver]

I was looking at 42ft Tour's and Ellipses last year and ended up buying an Entegra. One thing that I noticed on the Winnebago models was the 4x4 HDMI switch and distribution box. I never got to play with one but a I am considering buying one for my RV so I can watch the SAT signal in the bedroom or outside, or a previous DVR-ed show elsewhere in the RV. The problem is those units start at $500 plus cabling.

Do you get a nice picture throughout the RV? Can you watch a SAT signal, Blu-Ray, or other source anywhere in the coach? Does the system work well without a lot of hassles?

[dlovitt]

Originally Posted by hogdriver

I was looking at 42ft Tour's and Ellipses last year and ended up buying an Entegra. One thing that I noticed on the Winnebago models was the 4x4 HDMI switch and distribution box. I never got to play with one but a I am considering buying one for my RV so I can watch the SAT signal in the bedroom or outside, or a previous DVR-ed show elsewhere in the RV. The problem is those units start at $500 plus cabling.

Do you get a nice picture throughout the RV? Can you watch a SAT signal, Blu-Ray, or other source anywhere in the coach? Does the system work well without a lot of hassles?

We have in our coach. Works quite well once you get through the learning curve. Don't you have similar system in your coach? If you have to re-do your coach with HDMI cables, it might get a little expensive??

[CoreyinWP]

Dave

You can do that in your coach now...I believe. Just change the bedroom tv to hdmi input and you will see the mid coach tv

[hogdriver]

CoreyinWP

Yes and no. Entegra uses a cheaper RG-6 (cable TV type) based switchbox that distributes the signal around the coach...at least in the Aspire model. What I liked about the one used in Winnebago's and Itasca high end coaches you can select any one of four devices playing and view it anywhere in or outside the coach. The signal is distributed via Cat6 wires vs HDMI. I was wondering if it was a nice picture and didn't have any pauses, resets, or complicated operations. It's also expensive and involves serious wiring. My goal is to have one SAT box vs several, a DVR, BluRay, or whatever in the Entertainment center.

[CoreyinWP]

you are correct on all counts!

[Wannabe]

Originally Posted by hogdriver

CoreyinWP What I liked about the one used in Winnebago's and Itasca high end coaches you can select any one of four devices playing and view it anywhere in or outside the coach. The signal is distributed via Cat6 wires vs HDMI. I was wondering if it was a nice picture and didn't have any pauses, resets, or complicated operations. It's also expensive and involves serious wiring. My goal is to have one SAT box vs several, a DVR, BluRay, or whatever in the Entertainment center.

It works fine. I leave all three switches on (don't have four) and whatever TV I'm using the picture is good. Be sure and use an RF type remote and if you are at the exterior TV it will send the signal through the wall to the inside DirecTv receiver.

[hogdriver]

Thanks for the info Winny folks, I'll shop around. I think Tour's and Ellipses are very nice.

[dsbike]

I have this system in my 2013 Journey also. It works very well.

You may check this site for cables & possibly the switch box. They are extremely reasonable on their prices & their quality is good also. I have no affiliation with this company, however their warehouse & store is only a few miles from my home. I use them any time I need a cable for any electronic device. Just for example, I wanted a usb to iPhone cable for my iPhone. Every store I looked at wanted $15+ for a 3' cable, FireFold, $2.99.

HDMI Cable, Keystone Jack, USB, Ethernet Cable, More : FireFold.com

[David Bott]

For what it is worth...A 4x4 Matrix HDMI switch is just that. A Digital Switch that allows for multi display posts from any of the 4 inputs. All HDMI...All Digital in and out. It will give you the best image it can based on the display that is using it. HDMI is the current standard for connection of digital content.

Coxal can be used also for HD, but requires it to either come out of the air or use a RF modulator to make the video into an RF channel and send that over the cable and then you turn the freq you need. Still not as nice as HDMI.

All in all, if you do not have an HDMI switcher now, you will have wire the coach with HDMI and that will prove to be a lot of fun. I am shocked and amazed to read your 2013 coach does not have a 4X4 switch.

I converted my 2008 Tour Master to all HDMI with a 4X4 switch years back. Showed it to some RV manufacturers at shows and rallies about what the future holds and what they should be doing. I was happy to not only see the new coaches doing it, but also using the same HDMI switch that I had shown. It should have started back in 2009 but they would not pay the cost of the switches and the HDMI cables. (It took a 75 foot HDMI cable to go from the front of out coach to the bed room based on the path it needed to take. Ouch!)

All in all, you might be better off looking into Wireless HDMI solutions if you want HiDef and not needing to run the cables.

I was happy that the our new TOUR 42GD on order is properly wired with the same 4x4 Matrix Switch I speced out a few years back.

BTW...Here is the one I believe is being OEM'ed by Winniebago...

Amazon.com: Monoprice 4x4 Matrix HDMI Switch & Splitter with Remote: Electronics

Also note that if you go over 25 feet, you will need a booster unless you go over cat5 cable. (Boosters are cheep though.)

Seeing I have not looked closely at the black of the unit, they may be using the model right before this one.