BAC Forum
General Boards => Redecorating and Updating your Motorhome => Topic started by: Gerald Farris on October 15, 2010, 08:27:49 PM
-
I recently had RV Outfitters in Bend Oregon upgrade the original 21 inch TV to a 40 inch Sony LED LCD flat panel HDTV. The new cabinets and TV installation are beautiful and it looks like it my 2000 Marquis was originally built with a 2010 TV. Jim Sizemore and Greg Fulton could not have been more professional, efficient, and easy to deal with. Here are the before and after pictures.
Gerald
-
Gerald,
Nice work. It is great to go to a shop and have them be able to handle all aspects of the job including the woodwork. Trust is everything nowadays. Enjoy the new TV, it should be easy on the eyes compared to the 20 inch.
Regards Ed
-
Have you had any problems with hitting your head while getting in or out of the drivers seat? This looks fantastic!
-
It really looks great! Congratulations! They certainly do great work alright... :)
-
The new TV actually has more headroom for the driver than the original one did. The new LED LCD TVs are so thin that the bottom of the cabinet is only 4 1/2 inches thick. So it can be moved close enough to the windshield to allow the privacy curtain to close behind it and it still does not cause any clearance concerns. If you would like to see the installation, I will be at Indio, Quartzsite, and Moultrie.
Gerald
-
We had ours done in Lakeland and agree that replacing the CRT TV with the thin LCD makes a huge improvement in clerance.
-
That 40" gives you a big picture. The LED is about 1/3rd as thick as the old LCD and about half the weight, and uses much less energy (good for dry camping). I changed my 20" CRTs to 26" LCDs a year ago, but I did not forsee LEDs. LED is the set to get for RVs and the LCD may not be around to purchase much longer. Placing that 40" forward of the dash gives you a good view of the games as you drive down the road.
Larry
-
Don't worry! Neither of us watches TV going down the road. We listen to books-on-tape.
Glenda 8)
-
Had mine done several years ago at Sizemore's shop. We had a 26 RCA so was able to fit a Sony 26 into the existing cabinet. Looks like factory installation. Love the LCD as they do not reflect outside light and the picture is perfectly clear with the batwing and Moto Sat HD. Bought another Sony 26 for the basement and I installed a 23 Toshiba in the bedroom. Now I just have to find time to enjoy them. Believe me, it is hard to watch regular t v after seeing HD.
-
Gerald,
I am thinking about doing exactly what you've had done, except using a 32" instead. What angle (off straight down) would you approximate the set sits? Do you have any problems with entry into the coach with this new setup?
Jim
-
Jim,
The TV screen is tilted at about 15 degrees, making the top of the TV box about 11 inches deep and the bottom is 4 inches deep. Since the cabinet is so thin at the bottom and about 4 inches off center to the driver's side, there is no clearance problem when you go in or out the door.
If you install a 32 inch LED model, you will not have to remove the current TV cabinet. You can mount the new TV in the center section of the cabinets above the dash and against the current TV cabinet. You then just have to add doors and shelves to the original TV cabinet for component storage.
I will be at the Steedman, Branson, Oklahoma City, Amarillo, and Chama rallies in September, 2011 if you would like to see my installation before you start on your coach.
Gerald
-
Gerald,
That is exactly what I was thinking of doing. I plan to center mount a 32" LED HDTV and reuse the existing TV cabinet for AV equipment. Presently the AV equipment is in the overhead cabinets and runs way too hot anyway.
Since I was also considering installing a high quality multizone AV receiver (home style - Yamaha, etc) this extra cabinet space would work nicely to accommodate the larger unit. I'd also like to get rid of the Bose stuff (not a fan at all) and replace that with quality speakers while I'm at it. Now if I can find a good place to put that center channel speaker...
I wish I had thought to look at your coach while we were in Moultrie, but oh well for that.
Jim
-
If you're still looking for ideas on audio/video changes, we replaced the old Bose system with a Sony HT-CT350 sound bar system. The receiver/amplifier is integrated with the subwoofer enclosure and the entire unit sits nicely in the old TV box. We decided on a 26" LG LED TV because it fits over the old opening with very little overlap and the HD picture is plenty big enough for us. The sound bar itself is hung below the front overhead cabinets and doesn't interfere with their use nor does it take up more than an inch of headroom. I was able to find a Blu-ray player that fit into the small left-most cabinet and the center one will accommodate a DirecTV DVR. Because the DVR runs hot I usually leave the door open, but eventually I'll install a cooling fan. All components are controlled by a Logitech remote with an RF extender to operate things like the receiver and Blu-ray that are hidden from view.
-
Gerald,
Very nice job. Do you measure the screen diagonally or the whole box?
I have a Sony Bravia with a 32 inch screen ;the box measures 38 inches diagonally. I am going to mount it the same way. Thanks, Jeremy.
-
Jeremy.
The TV that I installed is a Sony 40EX710. Since it has been nearly a year since I had it installed, that number has been replaced by the 40EX720. Mine measures 37.5 inches by 24 inches with a 40 inch diagonal screen.
If you are going to the trouble and expense of installing a large TV above the dash, I would strongly urge you to go with one of the new LED backlit models. They are much thinner (for more walkway clearance) and lighter (mine weighs 29 lbs) than the older sets as well as they operate much cooler. All of these factors can be a consideration when installing the TV.
There is also the consideration of a replacement TV if the present one fails. Since a lot of the manufactures no longer make a TV in the 37 inch diagonal class (Sony goes from 32 inch to 40 inch now with nothing in-between), you may have to make serious modifications to the enclosure to replace the unit if it fails.
Gerald
-
Gerald is right, we installed a 46" Samsung in ours and it is so much thinner and lighter than the old .30". We feel it's one of the best upgrades we have done.
-
Hi Gerald,
Did you use an angled mounting bracket? If you did ,is it attached to a flat surface where the door used to be or to a bracket that fits under the locker?
My Sony Bravia 32 inch LCD HDTV weighs 37 lbs. I want to mount it in a similar position to yours using a wall mount ( tilted forward 15 deg ) attached to a plywood board screwed into the old locker opening.
-
Jeremy ,
There is no bracket holding the TV. It is held in with "L" shaped adapters that are fastened to the back side of the TV cabinet bezel. In other words it is edge mounted on the outside edge of the TV, to hold it in place.
I am away from the coach this week (baby sitting grandchildren in Dallas while their mother is out of the country), but I will be back at home next week so that I will be able to take more pictures of the installation. With more pictures I probably will be able to explain the mount better.
The center two cabinets were removed and replaced with the TV cabinet, and the cabinet above the driver was built new to fit the remaining opening. This allowed the TV cabinet to be mounted closer to the windshield so that the cab drapes (privacy curtains) will just clear the TV cabinet when they are opened or closed. It is also offset to the left of center about 4 inches so that there is no obstruction when going in or out the door.
Gerald
-
I had my 98 Marquis modified by Jim and Greg 3 years ago. I wish I had done it sooner! Great workmanship. Those two know all there is to know about the innards of Beaver coaches.
I also removed that crummy Bose and replaced it with a Sony. Much better and half the price, or less!
-
Hello Gerald,
have fun with the grandchildren. I have one grandson in Toronto ,Canada. Jane and I are looking forward very much to our visit in August.
Your installation makes a lot of sense. I will look forward to seeing how these angle brackets work.
Jeremy
-
I just tried to add some photos and the post went crazy. How do I get photos to upload without making the thread go twice as wide and twice as long as the screen? I cropped my photos so they were less than 1 MB (total including both). The preview screen didn't show the photos, but as soon as I posted, they were huge!
-
Keith,
In Windows 7, select the picture, go to Picture, Compress. On the right side you can select size. Web or Email (probably best) are best options. However, this will permanently resize the picture so you may want to make a copy of the original first.
Steve
-
Steve is right, Keith. Just cropping the photo may not do it; you need to get the resolution down. This usually doesn't affect the viewing quality when it's posted here, so don't fret about reducing pixel counts. But like Steve says, be sure to make a copy in your album first, then do your resizing using that copy, so you'll still have the original at full resolution.
As to the TV redo, the guys at BCS in Bend suggested I go to 40" Sony or other brand from the 32" Sharp Aquos that came with the coach. My issue is that I love the view out our one-piece windshield, and they said the 40" will require dropping the cherry frame 2-3 inches. The problem with that particular Aquos is that it has 3" side speakers on either side. That makes getting a newer design 40" in that same opening a cinch left to right, but the 40" is taller, pushing the case down where I'd rather not block windshield area.
What I read in Consumer Reports was that there is on the near horizon a new TV style that will take better advantage of the wide box format provided by most movies nowdays. The TV screen is wider than today's units, and of course I'm thinking I should wait for that technology, in which a 40 or 42" set will fit my existing pocket with little or no woodwork modification. The existing home theater center speaker (Bose unfortunately) could be used, but likely a sound bar could be hung on the passenger side, which has space without interfering with the windshield.
BCS recommended, and I agree, that the home theater components should be replaced with like-brand units, so only one modern remote designed to interlink everything is needed. The maze of wires up overhead would be cleaner. And it just gets too darned hot up there, especially in summer if the rig is facing any direction but north, and isn't in shade up front. An active ventilation system will be added if they're going to be taking out the old TV and components anyway, cuz the existing passive ventilation doesn't cut it, even with a small A/C port in the cabinet - it is almost useless against that Sony AM/FM receiver/DVD player's heat output.
When the time comes, since everyone seems to like the work done by Outfitters, I'll get their input in addition to BCS's.
Joel
-
my upgrade: This leaves space below the TV for the Bluray to be loaded and for its IR port to be seen by the remote. Also, on top of the Bluray, I have located my printer. Both are secured in place by velcro straps. To load paper into the printer the TV has to swing out, but since the printer is wifi enabled, no USB cable is required for its operation. Just swing the TV out to get the printer output.
Not quite done tidying the cables, as I need to put some thought into the length of free cabling to be left.
Also, I have the TV sprung forward on a shock cord, which was adequate for the one short trip we have taken since this modification, but will keep an eye on it on a longer trip, to see how much solid attachment is required.
The only cost here was the TV and the support arm. This was from Costco, about $70. Comes with lots of bolts, lag screws, etc. The cabinet sides at that location are 2, 3/4" panels, into which the lag screws provide a solid mounting for the swing arm. The points of the lag screws just barely protrude through into the cabinet to the right of the TV, so you can see exactly how much wood is providing the secure support. Then the pointy ends can be covered with a dab of caulking so they won't scratch whatever is left in that cabinet.
-
Keith,
I am in the process this week of updating the TV in my Beaver. It looks like, from your pictures, we have the same cabinet set-up. If it would not be too much trouble could you list the name brand of bracket you used and what TV was used to replace your old unit. I am mainly interested in size. I believe a 32 inch will fit on the outside the original box without a problem.
Normally, Wal-mart or Best Buy would have a wall mount, but so far, I have not been able to find what I want locally.
Thanks in advance...
-
Paul -
In our 2002 Monterey we replaced the original TV with a 26 inch TV we found at Target on a close out sale. We purchased the articulating arm bracket at Wal Mart. I think a 32 inch TV would have also worked, but we are fine with what we have and the price was right. I posted pictures of our TV project here: http://forum.bacrallies.com/m-1344801373/s-2/#num2
I'm pretty sure the front TV box in our 2002 is similar to the one in your coach. I don't recall the model of the arm, but Wal Mart still carries them. The beauty of the way we mounted the 26 inch TV is that it sits on the ledge of the trim for support while we travel. I also added a Velcro strap and brass brackets to hold the TV securely while we are traveling.
The articulating arm provides great viewing angles from the sofa and recliner.
Bill
-
Bill,
Thanks for the info. Yes, it does look like we have the same cabinet set-up. I like the way you mounted the bracket. Keeps from running screws through the original woodwork. I am headed to Best Buy and Wal-Mart...again:))
Thanks again...and 73's from K4KRQ.
-
Paul - these projects always sound easier than they turn out to be! ;D.
My wife and I made several trips to various stores looking at TVs and mounting options before settling on what we got. We really just got lucky with the TV. We were in Orlando on vacation and ended up at Target one evening and spied the TV on close out and the right size. Our goal was to use the ledge on the trim piece for support and cover the hole, and it worked out - but only after an entire weekend of trial and error!
Good luck with your project. It's good to see another ham on the list here.
73,
Bill
-
Bill,
Thanks for the info. Yes, it does look like we have the same cabinet set-up. I like the way you mounted the bracket. Keeps from running screws through the original woodwork. I am headed to Best Buy and Wal-Mart...again:))
Thanks again...and 73's from K4KRQ.
Paul, for what's it's worth, I have a new swing arm arriving today..having just sent one back...that has a 20" extension which should allow the TV to swing a bit further towards the coach centerline.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WYVBR0/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1
The new 32" TV arrived Monday, so I should have it installed this weekend and the first surprise was that the mounting holes were larger than the swing arm plate, so I had to order adapters which should also be here today.
The 32" will be a tight squeeze but my fingers are crossed.
-
Paul
I originally used a smaller TV on the swing arm, but had this 27" Toshiba so thought I would try it. I think in order to avoid a lot of work getting the base of the swing arm securely mounted at the right height, without destroying a lot of the original woodwork, this is the largest TV I would try. It is certainly big enough,with the short viewing distance.
The lag bolts are a very solid way to mount the arm, and in the location I chose, they get the benefit of the TV cabinet side and the side of the next cabinet for a very solid mounting. Far more solid and sure than fitting in a new piece of wood in the middle of the big TV box. Plus it leaves all that room for other stuff.
The arm came from Costco in Palm Springs, and I didn't keep the box. They had 2 sizes, this one for up to 40" and a bigger one. You need to check the spacing and bolt diameter on your TV, as that changes depending on size and weight.
Keith
-
Keith and Dick,
Thanks for the info.
I found a wall mounting bracket at Sam's and will be heading to the motorhome shortly to see if it will work. I am also concerned the swing out will be too short. I also have a 32 inch tv in my office that I am going to take down and see how it fits.
It seems the projects never end...
Thanks again
pb
-
I mounted the arm on a 2"x6" bolted vertically to the right wall inside the cabinet. That left the entire cabinet available for storage.
Larry