TV upgrade

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

After several years of watching the small 20in. TV's, Suzie and I thought we would try to upgrade to something a little larger but not go into a complete cabinet rebuild. I removed both front and rear TV's (59lbs. ea.). The rear is now a cabinet that will have a flat screen added to the front at a later date. The front now has the satellite control box and the Direct TV receiver in the cabinet where the TV was. I installed a flat maple panel on the front with a brass piano hinge at the top and brass sash locks on the bottom. After fitting and cutting I had the panels, both front and rear, stained to match the dark walnut finish. After a lot of trial and error we were able to mount a 27in. Samsung 1080 flat screen to the panel without it interfering with other cabinets. We think it turned out quite well. (I'm surprized!). As it stands right now we are into it about $800. without the rear TV.

[Jay and Raylene Todd]

Looks right nice Mr. Schenck. I may have to wander across the street and have a look at it tomorrow. Nicely done.

[Jim Shaw]

How are you able to use the direct TV remote with the receiver behind the TV? I really do like your installation and believe I could do the same on my 03 Monterey. Thanks for the pictures.
Jim

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Jim, I bought a Sewell IR repeater. It was Jay Todds idea (he has one on his o6 Thunder). It comes with a new sensor that you mount where ever you can so the remote can see it. It then sents the signal through a wire to a little box (also mounted behind the panel) which then relays the signal to the satellite box via a wire with a signal emitter on the end. That emitter is taped over the IR receiver on the satellite box. If you look at the first picture you can see an emitter  taped over the satellite box receiver. The repeater kit comes with enough emitters to connect 6 devices. The repeater was only $39.95 delivered including shipping. Marty

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

You can get the repeater here:

http://www.amazon.com/Sewell-Infrared-Remote-Control-Repeater/dp/B004FJV8EE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328420931&sr=8-1

Larry

[Gil_Johnson]

Here's another option if you don't want to run any wires external to the cabinet.  I have no idea how this thing works, but I know it does, as I used it in my boat.  In my boat, I could change channels on the Sat receiver, from the stateroom or the main salon, which was a real plus.  If you don't need to change channels from another room, then I would go with the Sewell device, only because this one baffles my mind on how it works.  Again, I know it does.

http://www.amazon.com/Next-Generation-Remote-Control-Extender/dp/B000C1Z0HA/ref=pd_cp_e_2

Gil

[Joel Weiss]

We use a Logitech remote to control devices both inside the old TV box like Marty has done and also to control those in the overhead cabinets.  The Logitech is a little different than what was described here.  It uses a handheld with both an IR and RF output.  The RF output is sent to a small receiver that has fiber optic IR outputs which can be run to each of the units to be controlled.  The Logitech is described here (the receiver is purchased separately): http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Advanced-Universal-Control/dp/B000CS1TLE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1328450295&sr=1-1

[Dick Simonis]

That's a very nice looking installatiion.  The PO of our coach did something similiar but the TV is out a bit further and the door on the right slightly rubs the right side of the TV.  In fact the PO actually moved the door hinges to the right for a bit more clearance.  Not sure what size TV we have but I think it's about a 27".

I might need to consider an LED LCD which quiite a bit thinner.

Also, can you open that cabinet door with the TV stll mounted???  We have to remove the TV for access.

Dick

[Joel Weiss]

My coach's PO had installed a flat screen TV a bit differently from what I have seen in any posts here and I think it has a few advantages. Like Marty's, it is rather inexpensive and leaves room in the cabinet for other electronic components.  He installed a vertically mounted 2x4 just to the right of center in the old TV cabinet; this "post" serves as the anchor for a large, articulated TV mount on which we have the same size (27") TV as is being discussed here.  The mount is large enough to permit the TV to swing sideways nearly to the center of the coach.  This provides much of the advantage of a center-mounted TV without having done any significant alterations.  The TV lies flush across the front of the old TV cabinet when we are underway and is held in place with a "designer" bungee cord (one of these days, I'll come up with a more sophisticated latching mechanism.  If anyone wants to see any pictures of how this was done, let me know.
Joel

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Dick, Yes I can open the cabinet with the TV mounted. I still have the controller for the Daytron satellite dish (now also behind the panel) so I needed access to that. The panel swings up so I can adjust it from there now. I moved both the satellite box and dish controller because the TV would interfere with the old cabinet door on the right in which they were behind. Marty

[Dick Simonis]

Thanks, I really really like what you did and might try to emulate it.  Big obstacle is I have no idea how to make panels that match my light oak interior.  Bet Beaver coach could do though if i stop in on our summer trip.

[Marty and Suzie Schenck]

Dick, Try taking one of your trim rings (the framework around the TV) to a local cabinet shop. Thats what I did, a friend that owns his own shop. He then recomended a finishing shop to take it to. The finisher said it would be no problem to get it dark enough to match. The bonus was that I was only charged $53.00 to stain and clearcoat both front and rear panels. That was one quarter the cost to put the panels into the frames. Marty

[George H. Wall]

Joel, I would be interested in how you mounted your 2 x 4 post , and how you mounted the TV to it?    G H Wall

[Joel Weiss]

George:

Here are a couple of pictures of the installation.  We inherited the basic TV mount although we replaced the TV itself. We also replaced the audio system since the Bose had failed and we wanted a digital system that could take an HDMI input.

1.  The TV in the closed (travel) position.  This is a 26" LG LED HDTV.  A portion of the sound bar can be seen under the cabinet on the right.  In this fully closed position the cabinet door to the right of the TV is blocked but only the Blu-ray player is in there.


2.  The TV in the fully extended position.  The cabinet housing the DirecTV DVR is left open because of the heat generated by the unit.  In the old TV cabinet you can see the subwoofer/receiver for the Sony soundbar system.  The fiber optic cables coming from the Logitech RF remote control can be seen on the front of the subwoofer.  The RF unit itself is in the bottom of the old TV box with fiber optic cables running to the Blu-ray and the DVR.


3. The TV mount itself. It is a standard articulated TV mount that appears to have been designed for a larger TV so it is somewhat stronger than needed in this application, but that is comforting to know.  The black band at the bottom of the cabinet opening is a piece of plywood that covers up the opening below the TV when it is in the travel position (just aesthetic).


As you can see this was a low-budget conversion.  One of these days we might remove the fabric trim around the cabinet opening and have it trimmed out in walnut, but the price of walnut is rather high and the fabric gives the TV some padding while we travel.

Let me know if you have other questions.

[George H. Wall]

Joel,  THANKS!! What a great setup! This is what I've been looking for.      George