Survey of CRT TV to LCD replacements

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John Canfield

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SCVJeff had a great idea about starting a sticky to share details about LCD TV conversion projects.  We want to limit the topic to only reports of conversions in Winnebago Industries products.

Please mention the following:
  • Model, model year, floorplan of your Winnebago Industries RV
  • Location of replaced TV (dash, bedroom, etc.)
  • Make, model, size of TV to be replaced (if known)
  • Make, model number, size of replacement LCD
  • Issues with the replacement, other comments

Thanks everybody!!
 
I guess I'll start this off.  We have a 2005 Itasca Meridian 34H

Front & Rear HD Upgrades  See the comments imbedded in the slide show...

We installed a 32" Magnavox LCD in the front, and a 19" Magnavox LCD in the rear.  Then I added dedicated DVD players to both front and rear via HDMI cables.  I linked in the existing Video Selector Box to both front and rear, to retain all the original functionality (satellite, antenna, cable, & shared VCR/DVD player).

I installed the Wineguard Wingman, with some improvement on over-the-air reception.

Still working on a solution for the surround sound link...

Tom
 
THutch said:
Still working on a solution for the surround sound link...Tom

Great work , Tom.

My only other comment would be that ** A neat work bench is a sign of a sick mind **  ;) :D
 
My greatest achievement is replacing the rear TV with a bookcase!

Arne
 
Arne said:
My greatest achievement is replacing the rear TV with a bookcase!

Any pictures or info? I've got a TV rack in the bedroom of the Sightseer that I'd love to remove and replace with a bookcase. I always need places to put books.

Wendy
 
Not sure why this would be a question or survey that one would want to limit to Winnie's only.  Seems to me that a TV is a TV.  Unless there is some huge difference that I am not aware of?

Just curious.

-Mike
 
Mike,

This thread is in this section because there are some "idiosyncrasies" in the wiring configurations on the Winne.

John started a parallel subject in the Tech section for everyone else so we don't have to wade through the Winne only idiosyncrasies.
 
My turn..
After being tired of looking at an extremely mis-converged CRT I decided to pull the TV and fix it.. until it was on my shoulder and I said there was no way it was going back in. After CAD'ing up my cabinet I spent hours at WalMart, BestBuy, Sears, etc. looking at what would fit and look OEM, finally settling on the Sharp LC-32SB24U. This apparently is a BestBuy, WM, (and I'm sure others) "store model", but it has one of the best pictures of all I've seen, and even at 720 for a 32" is just fine. Geeeze, it's just camping!

What started this sticky was a place to post Do's, Don't's, and stuff to watch out for. Here's mine:

Do buy a Wingman! They absolutely help the OEM batwing, but are not the magic answer to being 75 miles away. It's a cheap upgrade to the batwing. HERE is a geek test I did on it awhile back.

Don't buy a 4x3 screen! It may be a good deal and fit within the frame, but the world is going 16x9 and these displays will either cut off the edges, or force you to underscan to see the antire pic, just as with a CRT.

The TV should be able to "update" it's scan (mine doesn't) so when you go to a city and do a new scan, then move to the next place and do another scan (or update), you won't lose what you previously scanned. The TV will only stop on a channel that has signal so you are not entering useless channels, but this prevents you from having to do an entire channel scan every time you move. Anytime you return to that area you already have the local channels in memory. Make sense?

If you run the TV into an external audio system and want to use only the TV remote, MAKE SURE that the TV not only has external audio out, but it is VARIABLE output that tracks with the TV's volume control. In the case of the Sharp listed above, it has a pull-down menu that selects internal speakers and fixed external out, OR internal speakers off and variable audio on the RCA Line level outputs. The Sharp also has a 5.1 optical output that plugs into my Sony VHS/ DVD/ Surround system that I think also tracks the TV's volume. I'm not familiar with the Winne "built-in" surround, but anyone having the Sony combo will find an optical input in the rear that interfaces with the TV just fine. This seems to be a hot button.If you're not sure, get the model# and look for the manual on the web and see what it's supposed to do.

Other Inputs:
1- PC (VGA) for VMS or Flight SIM  8)
2- HDMI
1- 'S'-Video
2- Additional component/ composite Inputs
It has a USB jack for firmware updates. Haven't use it yet.

When dry camping, keep the brightness down as there is a significant difference in consumption depending on brightness level.

One thing about this install is that the TV mounts on top of the frame, meaning that the only way to secure it is to have the lower shroud removed. No problem as I was able to dress the cables and really secure the monitor down. The rear 8 screws are more than enough to hold it in, it doesn't need to be mounted to the frame in front.

Coach Bracket

Rear Panel

Finished Install

Goose'd up the roof too :)


One more thing.. Installing this monitor involved sawing about 1" off of either side of the frame, so it's an intentional snug fit. To keep the squeaking and wear down, I bought a package of thick sticky-backed felt from Home Depot and cut it into 1" strips that now line the interior of the frame. The only two things the monitor comes in contact with are the rear mount and the felt lining.
 
Jeff, I'm having difficulty determining just what I'm looking at in the coach bracket photo.

Is the hardware mounted on the rear of the TV custom made or part of a manufactured mount?
 
I have other pix but am in Canada this week and the internet is really slow...
That is a shot taken with the lower shroud off and the TV mounted. That is a piece of 1" aluminum L-stock bolted to the Winne frame. Bolted to that are 2 pieces of 1"x1" steel square stock that the LCD bracket is bolted to.
 
Mike and Sherrie in VA said:
Not sure why this would be a question or survey that one would want to limit to Winnie's only.  Seems to me that a TV is a TV.  Unless there is some huge difference that I am not aware of?

Mike - it's more of a 'what will fit' a particular hole due to Winnie cabinetry.  For example, Rex (LK23) and I have identical coaches and he has replaced his 27" CRT with I think a Sony Bravia.  I can duplicate much of his effort and avoid trial and error on my own.  Also, dissecting Winnie TV cabinetry can be a challenge.  I have seen many questions about "how do I remove my TV", obviously every house builder does things differently.
 
I like Jeff's idea of just putting in a 32" flatscreen in the FRONT of the cutout.  I haven't done it yet because I am not in a rush to throw away our perfectly good Sony 26" tube TV, as we aren't fulltiming quite yet.
 
Voyage1 said:
I like Jeff's idea of just putting in a 32" flatscreen in the FRONT of the cutout. 

That's what Mike did in our Sightseer. He's still tweaking the bracket that holds it and lets him swing it open so the area where the big honking tube TV used to can be used for storage.

Wendy
 
We would like to replace the (above the dash mounted) tube TV in our '03 Brave with a flat screen but still retain the plastic frame.  Has anyone done this particular job?
 

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The best thing to start with is really good measurements, preferably in the form of a drawing, and hit your local TV store with a tape and see what fits. With all that nice Oak surrounding it you might elect to replace the frame anyway.

Wendy: You're right, mine is solidly attached and I do lose potential storage in the rear, but I also have quite a harness off the monitor now and decided I didn't want anything banging into it.
 
I made a front TV change on my 03 Itasca Horizon which is a little different than most. The description is in the forum library. Tom arranged my information very well to give the complete story. I really like my installation. Give it a look.
 
Home > RV Forum Library > Conversions and remodels > HDTV installation
 
I Just installed a 32 LCD in my Voyage. Walmart price 477.  It is the  VIZIO VW32L HD TV40A. A nice thing about this TV is it will fit in where the Sony 24 inch Tv cabinet hole was with very little cutting of the wood on the sides.  I did not have to cut the top or bottom wood at all. It does have the speakers on the bottom.  You do not have to cut any of the metal behind to get it in. I first beefed up the wood cabinet mounting trim. Securing the wood trim frame very well to the metal frame and the top wood trim to the cross bar. The little original 4 screws holding it in place would not support the 28 pound Tv to well. Now you may want to turn away for this next part if you are prone to be Squeamish! Instead of using a standard mount which may make the Tv cabinet squeak as it rubs on the wooden cabinet going down the road, I turned the Tv over and where the case screws hold the front and rear of the Tv together, with a drill made for drilling into plastic, (Gets even more Squeamish here)  drilled out the boss that receives the screw all the way thru.  This worked very well. I did this on the 4 bottom screws but not the bottom corner screws. I then disassembled the Tv case halves to make sure I could drill the top 3 without any electrical parts coming out with the drill bit. (a lot of stuff in there) I used the top center and the top outer left and right corners. The 3 top screws had a small metal tab I had to drill thru. I used a large magnet to collect the metal chips as I was drilling.  I then closed up the Tv case halves. I then installed  from the front of the TV, 2 ? inch #12 screws with a rubber washer on the head in the 4 lower holes thru the TV into the wood trim, then 3, three inch #12 screws  in the top 3 holes thru the TV into the wood trim. As the old Tv weighed 72 pounds and the new one 28 pounds, This should be over kill.  Twenty eight pounds divided by 7 screws = about 4 pounds per screw. Yes it will most likely void my warranty. If I had to take it back I could say the those holes were from plastic eating termites! So far works great. I am not telling everyone to do this just showing another way to mount it.  I painted the screw heads black.  I also picked up over 40 pounds of CCC by going to the lighter TV.  Now to mount a 26 inch in the bedroom and save about 20 more pounds! Remember I am not telling anyone else to try this at home! As you can see in the 2nd photo I now have the rear 26 TV in. Total savings was 79 pounds. Art
 

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judway said:
I made a front TV change on my 03 Itasca Horizon which is a little different than most. The description is in the forum library. Tom arranged my information very well to give the complete story. I really like my installation. Give it a look.
   
Home > RV Forum Library > Conversions and remodels > HDTV installation
MAN! What a Trek!!
Klick Home > RV Forum Library > Conversions and remodels > HDTV installation
 

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