TV sound not coming thru the surround sound speakers
This was a problem I solved and thought it would be nice to share the solution. This may only apply if your Dutchmen came with an included TV (Haier) and builtin DVD/Radio/Surround Sound mini-deck.
THE ISSUE: The mini-Surround Sound built-in deck only has one INPUT using a pair of analog RCA-type R/L jacks for an external sound source to input. Sound Output from the deck is not an issue, just input is. The DVD sound goes to the ceiling speakers as does, FM radio etc. When you are watching a DVD, the video goes to the TV but the audio goes to the ceiling. But when you play the TV say for a local channel, the TV's sound only comes from the built-in TV speakers, not the ceiling speakers. This is fine if the A/C isn't running full blast. If it is, even having the TV turned up full volume can make it difficult to hear. If you look at the back of the Haier TV, the audio out is limited to either a headphone jack or the digital port labeled 'Coaxial' (don't confuse this port with the antenna coax, Coaxial looks like a singel RCA-type jack).
TECHNICAL NOTE: You will need to be able to get to the jacks at the back of the mini-deck. For my Kodial 242RESL, this was a simple when I removed to screws to get to the access panel. For others, you may have to slide the deck out to the front (see the manual).
SOLUTION 1: You can get a simple converter cable at Radio Shack for Headphone mini-plug to Analog RCA R/L and use that to connect the Haier to the audio INPUT jacks at the back of the mini-surround deck. Downside for this is that the TV's internal speakers are disabled and you will only get sound from the ceiling and not from TV itself. Depending on where your flat panel is mounted, this may not be comfortable to listen that way.
SOLUTION2: Purchase a DAC converter on Amazon for $16. This litte unit is about the size of a small cell phone. It comes with a 12v power adapter that will plug in where your TV is plugged in. The unit has a 'Coaxial' port on one side and 2 RCA R and L on the other that you will use to connect the DAC's R and L to the mini-deck's INPUT R and L. Do it this way and you get sound from both the TV speakers and the ceiling speakers. The only downside is if you want to watch TV inside while piping music to the outside. If that's your desire, then TV sound will be TV only, while you will select something else besides mode AUX on the mini-deck to feed the ceiling and outside.
LAST COMMENTS: When I picked up my Kodiak, the dealer had connected the TV's Analog RCA inputs to the mini-decks inputs. Connecting Input to Input didn't cause any problems, it just didn't provide any funtionality.
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