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Old 11-21-2019, 07:36 AM   #1
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DYI or Dealer?

Vista 35F.

Want to chage lounge & bedroom TVs for TVs with DVD slot. Not being overly mechanical or electrical, is this a relatively easy DIY project or sm I better off letting the dealer do it?

Vista has 3 TVs, only the outside TV has DVD slot - and thats the TV we'll probably never ever use. Outside is for campfires, friends and hard water nestled in ambrosia.
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Old 11-21-2019, 08:58 AM   #2
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This is certain to be a personal choice deal as we each have different talents and attitudes.
For the actual work, it will very much depend on the particular TV and setting of each. Most likely, it will require some "inventive" thinking or very good luck when you shop.
I would go this routine before deciding. Do all needed to be changed or one or two where most likely to need the DVD? Any thoughts of adding a DVD player to supply all the TV?
So some decisions to make first!
For changing the TV, I would first look at doing it myself, as it may be possible to remove a couple pieces of trim to get to the mounts of the current and finding a matching setup on the new TV. Mechanical is more difficult by far than the electrical as it require careful looking/study of what to remove or replace, while the electrical is only unplug/ replug the AC and coax. Usually no big thing there.
But much depends on what existing TV and what you replace it with. Some may be just the same size and no big thing, while others may require almost a rework of the cabinet and mount. It has to get down to really specific things like size and shape.
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Old 11-21-2019, 10:33 AM   #3
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I'm surprised they still make TV's with a DVD slot. To get one I'm sure you have to get an older design that's not the least bit up to date. A search online finds only models from 2015-2016 and nothing newer. Five years old right out of the box.

You can buy a really small BluRay player for ~$60 at any Walmart of Best Buy and connect it to your TV via an HDMI cable. Bingo. Done. And, much better quality video.

You don't state your Vista model year - not on your post, your signature, not even your registration. But I thought the Vista LX came with an HDMI switch in a forward cabinet. Maybe yours did not, but if it did connect your BluRay player right there.
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Old 11-21-2019, 11:17 AM   #4
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To me, when I changed our TVs, the 'hardest' part was the retrofit required due to the fact that RVs don't use the same sort of mounts as in a home, so it took a bit of 'doing' to make things work.
That said, I'd suggest you look at moving your outside TV inside, and move the current inside one outside (or do like me and just leave the outside space without a TV at all. Like you I will never want to watch TV outside - I rarely want to watch TV at all when camping). The two TVs are more likely, but not guaranteed, to be using the same mounts, which will make the change more like 'plug and play'.
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Old 11-27-2019, 04:34 PM   #5
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Every setup is different, but almost all of them have a standard TV wall-mount on springs. Most modern flatscreen TVs have bolt holes in a standard place on the back, so the old mount should easily bolt right onto the new unit. I've had my LR TV pulled out a few times. It's spring-loaded, but if you just lift up and gently pull the bottom out a bit, the whole thing will lever up and you can undo the top part of the mechanism. Then just unbolt it from the TV and bolt it onto your new unit. Then push the top end of the spring mount in first, lift up, and gently push the bottom back in until it latches. It's just a big spring-loaded clamp, basically.

If it were me, I'd much rather just get an inexpensive DVD player and mounti it somewhere.
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Old 11-27-2019, 06:28 PM   #6
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I'd suggest separating the DVD player and TV so you have options should something happen to either one it makes repair or replacement easier. I agree with Morich's comment about the mechanical work being more difficult, but then our retrofit was in a 2000 Itasca. Once that was worked out, then it was plug and play the new equipment. Have fun and good luck whatever way you choose to go.
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Old 11-27-2019, 11:57 PM   #7
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Carpentry or Mechanical issues depends on the year of the coach and whether its already set up for flat screen digital TV's or old analog sets with a picture tube. Electrical is simple as on all, once you get behind the set, its unplug the power cord, disconnect the antenna lead and audio cable plus perhaps a HDMI cable.

I would not cripple things by getting a TV set with a built in DVD player since Blue Ray has been the current tech for a few years now plus a DVD player is much more likely to fail than a modern TV. Also most with a DVD built in are not really the better brands but the lesser ones like Sceptre, SuperSonic, Naxa, Axcess, GPX and whatever has become of RCA so you won't usually find a Toshiba, Sony, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Visio or any HD sets in the mix.

A Basic Blue Ray Player with WiFi costs less than $50 for a major brand and is very compact so it could be mounted on a bracket under the bedroom TV or in the Lounges Entertainment Center. We played the built in player game a few times and found they were not a good value and as mentioned highly prone to failure plus you ended up getting a smaller screen to allow room for the player.
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Old 11-28-2019, 06:09 AM   #8
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2012 Vista 35F

My Vista had it directly from the factory but it did not work. The dash radio was also a CD player. When I tried to use it I could not get it to work regardless of what I did. Long story short took it to a dealer in Knoxville Tn and they found out the cabling was not correctly done. They fixed it under warranty and no problems since.
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Old 11-28-2019, 06:56 AM   #9
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Can you elaborate what wiring and where? Also have a 2012 35F (used, so a poor walkthrough) and never got dash DVD to play on LR TV.

I did also discover the outside TV RCA cables were misfired, and fixed that.

Must have been a rough year for W to find wiring techs.

Tom

Quote:
Originally Posted by rckmtn12 View Post
My Vista had it directly from the factory but it did not work. The dash radio was also a CD player. When I tried to use it I could not get it to work regardless of what I did. Long story short took it to a dealer in Knoxville Tn and they found out the cabling was not correctly done. They fixed it under warranty and no problems since.
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Old 11-28-2019, 09:59 AM   #10
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As others have suggested I would get a Blue Ray and wire it through the Box of many buttons in the entertainment center. That is a DIY thing, Just need a short HDMI or cable.
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