Upgrading TV and associated AV equipment

[aksnowman]

Just finished pulling the front TV and associated stock AV equipment out of our 2008 Beaver Contessa which is very similar to other Monaco products of 2008 vintage. I left the in dash cheesy stereo and the in ceiling speakers (future project).

We are installing an LG 43" TV with a mount (ordering) that will allow the TV to extend out from the cabinet about a foot, swivel left and right as well as tilt up and down. The original POS DVD/FM/AM/CD/SAT component is being replaced with a LG Blue Ray player and a Marantz 1608 Slim AV receiver.

To accomplish this I will be modifying the current TV mount Frame, adding a locking feature for the TV, adding rigid foam insulation because we had issues with the heat in the AV Equipment cabinet, and adding 2 Enermax TB Silence 140mm fans to cool the the components. I will also be reworking the wood within the current AV component cabinet to accommodate the fans and new equipment.

Inside the TV area I found a River Park HT Switching system that enables the in Dash radio to play over all the RV speakers. I am not sure I will still need this but have sent an inquiry to the manufacture.

I am also hoping the upgrade will reduce the cable mess in the cabinet. The TV, SAT/DVR, Blue Ray and AV Receiver connect with HDMI cables. Currently the TV has Component video connections and RCA audio connections. I will be ditching the IR eye for the remote controls because we normally leave the door open when we watch TV or listen to Music.

This upgrade will also allow us to BlueTooth and Apple play from our phones to the TV and the AV Receiver. It will also bring 4K HD to our RV, a big step up from the 2008 Sony that was hard to see from the couch or the dinette.

Photos and updates to follow.

[aksnowman]

Anyone else have a Radio Shack RF modulator in their AV cabinet... Getting rid of mine as I see no use for it unless you all tell me about it.

[moisheh]

WA8XYM is so correct. I think LG stands for junk in Chinese. The fridges are terrible as are all the white goods.

Moisheh

[fairway2002]

aksnowman wrote:
Can you post a photo of the latches? It is the one area I am still figuring out.

So i started with one latch and used for support. Ended up using two latches one at top and bottom (right side).Didn't work. Put a roller that was on TV side with a bracket for the roller to go up on and support all the right side weight. Then latches just held TV back in place. No weight. Ended up running a little rope to the top latch. Started with chain but made to much noise bouncing around. I sold That RV years ago.

[wa8yxm]

LG (Lousy Goods) TV not an upgrade (personal opinion Never had an LG product work as advertised. NEVER, not one and I'm still using 2 of 'em. One I ride heard on to keep working and one I modified Others hit the trash can)

The River Park HT Switching system is needed if you plan on using both house and dash radios/sound systems with the same speakers. If you do not. then you don't need it. one option is to install "headrest" speakers these hang on the pilot/copilot seat and by using the fader controls you both get the sound level you like on the dash radio.. But the job of this device is to switch between the radios Speakers can only work with one radio at a time.

[aksnowman]

Can you post a photo of the latches? It is the one area I am still figuring out.

[fairway2002]

I removed the front trim so TV was flush with cabinet doors left and right. I used a mount that attached to left side. Could pull out two feet. Made a right side latch with support for travel

[Ivylog]

Top TV does not move and bottom one has two 15 lb snap latches at the top. That TV had 2 feet at the edges and I replaced them with hinges.

[aksnowman]

This is what I am shooting for with no modifications of the cabinets. When I got the TV out there is a metal tv mount bolted into the RV's metal frame. Wife found a TV mount that moves in and out, swivels left/right and tilts up and down. Curious to how you latched the TV for travel.

[Ivylog]

I was able to go to a 50” LED TV because they are very thin, inexpensive, weighs very little, and use 15-20 dollars a year in energy. No modifying of the cabinet by mounting on the face of the cabinet allowing for a larger TV that is closer to the height of the old TV...no wood work.
This is in my 08 Navigator.


This was in my brothers MH and the TV pivots down to access the area behind.

[Lwiddis]

Ambitious and worthwhile project!