GPS to TV

Belgique · 05-31-2006, 10:31 AM

2001 Itasca 35U.
I want to display what is on my laptop's GPS program on the front TV screen. (For the sake of arguement I won't have it on when the vehicle is in motion

)
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Laptop is a Dell Latitude and it has an S video port.
<LI>TV in the coach is OEM...it does not have an S Video connection...just RCA's.
<LI>I added a VCR/DVD player that works fine. It does have S Video and RCA's.[/list]I thought I could cheat by running the laptop through the VCR player...but if there is a way, I haven't stumbled across it. Maybe there is a way of connecting the laptop to the Aux on the video control box that came with the coach (IF I could get my hand back there!

Anyone done this and have a clue? Folks have talked about this on RV.Net but not with a Winnie product.

Thanks in advance! Steve

Belgique · 05-31-2006, 10:31 AM

2001 Itasca 35U.
I want to display what is on my laptop's GPS program on the front TV screen. (For the sake of arguement I won't have it on when the vehicle is in motion

)
<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Laptop is a Dell Latitude and it has an S video port.
<LI>TV in the coach is OEM...it does not have an S Video connection...just RCA's.
<LI>I added a VCR/DVD player that works fine. It does have S Video and RCA's.[/list]I thought I could cheat by running the laptop through the VCR player...but if there is a way, I haven't stumbled across it. Maybe there is a way of connecting the laptop to the Aux on the video control box that came with the coach (IF I could get my hand back there!

Anyone done this and have a clue? Folks have talked about this on RV.Net but not with a Winnie product.

Thanks in advance! Steve

Tom N · 05-31-2006, 11:37 AM

You need an S-video to RCA cable.

I have my laptop feeding my rearview Sony color LCD monitor. I have fed my mapping software to the rearview monitor. The resolution is poor and is not of much use. My Sony monitor does not use RCA inputs. It uses a proprietery connector that looks like a S-video but it is not. I had to get a special S-video to Sony monitor.

Belgique · 05-31-2006, 12:11 PM

Thanks Tom...but to clarify: I want to send it to the big overhead television.. What I'm especially curious about is if there is a way to send it through the VCR so I don't have to get in behind the video distribution box. Or...other ideas of how to do this. Steve

Tom N · 05-31-2006, 12:23 PM

You should be able to feed the S-video into the recorder and then use the TV to monitor that signal. Read your VHS manual.

MrTransistor · 05-31-2006, 01:47 PM

Hi Belgipue,
The S-Video on the back of the VCR is probably video ˜out' and therefore won't work in this situation. If you check with Radio Shack, they probably will have an adapter that will convert the S-Video out of your laptop to a composite video that will feed the TV.

I have a TV that has S-Video input and have an S-Video cable run between my tower computer and the TV to display MapTech moving Topographic maps as we drive (with a Garmin GPS 18 USB). It's great to know what's around you and where the next curve in the road is.

Belgique · 05-31-2006, 02:20 PM

Thanks Mark & Dony! Will look into that. We enjoy having the routing displayed on the laptop for, as we say in the military: situation awareness

...we'd just like to have it on the big TV for on-board guests to see like is done on commercial jets. It would also be handy when we are lost and, as seniors, be able to pull over and see the "big picture".

All ideas on how to do this welcome!

Steve

Tom N · 05-31-2006, 03:38 PM

After reviewing how I connected my laptop to my monitor I now see that I used a S-video to RCA cable and then the special cable from Sony. The S-video to RCA would work for you. But no sound as S-video is only the video. I paid $1.50 for the cable but I think they are out of them. Search the net for another supplier.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=4PINS-VIDEO

Belgique · 06-09-2006, 11:23 AM

An Update:

It works! Totally useless in terms of real need but is a "cool gee whiz" factor for the passengers to be able to look at the TV in the front or bedroom and see where we are, ETA, speed, etc....kind of like on an airplane. Not a real sharp picture but readable.

What I did was, as suggested, found an S video to RCA jack at Radio Shack. Plugged the S Video into the Dell laptop and ran a male RCA to male RCA wire to the front input on the VCR. The only tricky thing was getting the Dell to recognize the TV but if you do a search on Television for your laptop, you'll find instructions. Thanks for all the help! Steve