TV not playing through sound bar

Elora Traveller · 08-09-2020, 03:53 PM

Hey there. Newbie camper here. Got our 2019 Sprinter set up - TV is Pummel Drive running on satellite, not park cable or antenna. Sound bar is Furrion. Picture is great. Sound on the TV is crap. I assumed the sound would play through the soundbar right below the TV but my assessment of the wires in behind the TV suggest it's not wired to the soundbar. Anyone with any insight into this before I take the soundbar off the wall and see if I can wire it myself?

Of note: literally no one at my dealer OR Keystone knew how this TV was mounted to the wall. We could not for the life of us figure out how to get it off without tearing it off the wall. Turns out it's pressure/gravity mount that was very tight - just need to firmly lift it straight up from both corners and it pops off the mount.

Here's a photo of the set up - let me know if you have any experience with this.

**sourdough** · 08-09-2020, 04:42 PM

I have no experience with your setup but I do have lots of experience with Keystone and Furrion.

I watched a quick walk thru of that unit and it said that the sound bar has switches/buttons to switch between inside and outside speakers. Have you tried that? Is there any kind of a receiver/dvd player etc.? The unit I currently have has Furrion entertainment equipment - every piece is junk. I suspect, after pulling up specs for some of them, that the Pummel Drive equipment is the same - lowest cost, cheapest built units that can be found.

To circumvent all the Furrion speakers installed in this trailer I installed JBL speakers and a Polk soundbar. I put in a Sony Blu Ray wifi unit so I have effectively removed any need for anything Furrion except the TV. I will replace it before we venture out again. My soundbar connects to one of the HDMI ports on the TV. I believe the video indicated you have a port on your soundbar as well. Maybe they require you to run the HDMI cable from the soundbar to the TV in the front?

Elora Traveller · 08-09-2020, 04:52 PM

Hey, Thanks for the insight. Yes, the zones work for the radio from the furrion no problem. And yes the sound quality is crap. The various inputs for the furrion produce no result other than the radio. The rear inputs for the furrion show that there's no HDmi input, only output. So sound could only come from an audio cable - but there isn't one attached. We could run a cable from the tv to a front input on the furrion just to see if this is even worth pursuing.

**JRTJH** · 08-10-2020, 03:10 AM

If the sound bar works with the stereo, you can connect the TV to the AUX IN on the back of the stereo and then play the TV sound through the stereo to the sound bar. If you do that, make sure you turn off the outside speakers before playing a DVD movie late at night, the neighbors will appreciate not sharing your audio LOL

Elora Traveller · 08-10-2020, 03:48 AM

Thank you JRTHT, this seems like the way to go. Just seemed weird that it wasn't already wired that way - but trailers always seem to be full of surprises! And, yes, beware the outdoor speakers when watching TV at night! lol

**sourdough** · 08-10-2020, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elora Traveller

Thank you JRTHT, this seems like the way to go. Just seemed weird that it wasn't already wired that way - but trailers always seem to be full of surprises! And, yes, beware the outdoor speakers when watching TV at night! lol

If you connect thru the receiver, and it is Furrion, you may find what I found; the receiver degrades the sound when sending it to the speakers IMO. That's why I wanted anything Furrion out of the "picture".

Looked at the specs of the receiver and they aren't good. Talked to Crutchfield to get a better unit and found that what they had wasn't any better than the Furrion (had it as well). I did consider getting a high end double din auto stereo but the unit in the RV is a double din front with a single din cutout for it. Tired of making comparisons and wasn't really equipped to make that kind of mod on the road so forgot about it. Thought I would throw that out in the event you came to that point.

Elora Traveller · 08-10-2020, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

If you connect thru the receiver, and it is Furrion, you may find what I found; the receiver degrades the sound when sending it to the speakers IMO. That's why I wanted anything Furrion out of the "picture".

Looked at the specs of the receiver and they aren't good. Talked to Crutchfield to get a better unit and found that what they had wasn't any better than the Furrion (had it as well). I did consider getting a high end double din auto stereo but the unit in the RV is a double din front with a single din cutout for it. Tired of making comparisons and wasn't really equipped to make that kind of mod on the road so forgot about it. Thought I would throw that out in the event you came to that point.

Great info here, thanks for that. I think before I go full MacGuiver and take it all apart, I'll just try the aux port on the outside of the Furrion soundbar and see if it's worth the effort to hide the wires in behind. If the sound is that bad it may not be worth the effort.

Thanks again,
Chris

travelin texans · 08-10-2020, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elora Traveller

Thank you JRTHT, this seems like the way to go. Just seemed weird that it wasn't already wired that way - but trailers always seem to be full of surprises! And, yes, beware the outdoor speakers when watching TV at night! lol

You have also realize there are several Amish folks assembling these things & what could they possibly know about connecting or the use of television, stereo or electricity, but I'd bet they could hook up a team of draft horses & tow it for you.

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