Replace Tube TV's with Flat Screens

[Chaffeekid]

When we purchased our 2004 Winnebago Brave, 34D it had the old Heavy tube type TV's front and rear. Not a Fan.
So I sat about looking at how the front unit was mounted and it was very much well designed and built like a tank. Ok so removed the screws for the surround and then a bunch of screws around the plastic beauty piece, and removed it. Oh heck here's a bunch of pictures to show what it looks like.

One of these days I will learn how to take pictures with this stupid cell phone that arn't upside down, sorry.

There are a bunch of screws holding the metal rack to the superstructure of the Motorhome. Remove all of those. You will be left with two welds at the top into the support bars running across the top of the unit. I used an angle grinder to cut through these welds. WEAR safety glasses and put up some type of non flammable backstop for the sparks to hit. I used a scrap piece of metal to keep anything from getting alight. Worked great.

I should also add, be prepared for some heavy lifting when you remove that tube type TV it is HEAVY and that rack its setting is no lightweight either. I pulled the TV by myself 77 year old Marines can do anything Have someplace designated to set it before you start stumbling around with it

Now after everything is said and done you will have a nice flat area with a big hole where the old TV was.

I am using a piece of an old shower surround that I had and cut it to fit the opening left behind the TV. And I am using a piece of 1/4 plywood as an underlayment for the shower surround plastic. It is just used to match the white vinyl on the underside of the cabinets.

I used 3/4 inch plywood anchored with L brackets to the metal frame running across the top of the opening. You can swing off that plywood, so no problem holding a 32 inch Vizo flatscreen.

I think I'll use my digital camera to take pictures from now on.

BTW, I am mounting a Dishplaymaker upon the roof and pulled the cable that was prewired for that purpose, cause who wants to drill a hole large enough to fish it out. Not me. I am going to drill a hole in the front cap top just large enough to push the cable up through it, put a cable entry cap on that hole with a lot of caulk and then run it back to the playmaker, stand by for pictures of that. Hope it isn't to bad trying to figure out my pictures at least they are consistently upside down

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by Chaffeekid

One of these days I will learn how to take pictures with this stupid cell phone that arn't upside down, sorry.

It's easy peasy... hold your phone horizontal not vertical when taking the photo and always have the volume buttons facing down and the "home" button if you have one, on the right hand side.

That will set your uploaded photos to be the right orientation.

For photos you've already taken you can simply view the photo on your phone and take a screen shot (do you know how to do that?) Then upload and post the screenshot.

One final way, you can download the photos to your computer and then open them in a photo editor and rotate them to the correct position and SAVE the photo. That will do it also.

[CapeCodRob]

On the Bounder Diesel I had I changed the tv to flat screen also. I didn't go as far as you did but used the original "box" the tube tv was in.

Started by removing the frame around the box and having a friend assist lifting that heavy tv out. Taking a 3/4" piece of marine plywood cut to fit in the box leaving a cut out at the bottom for the wiring. I secured the plywood by fastening small blocks of wood inside the box, using screws into the box sides making sure not to protrude thru the outside. I placed the blocks so the face of the tv w/ mounting bracket and 3/4" plywood would end up in the same location as the original tube tv.

Reinstall the face and you have a 40" LCD TV that takes the place of a 25" tube tv.

I also painted the plywood flat black to blend in with the frame of the tv.

[BobC]

It's more work and you may not have options but over the cab isn't a great location for TV watching, cricked necks and all. I haven't done it yet but I'm planning on relocating my flat screen against the wall across from my recliners that replaced my sofa. My plan is to build a small cabinet with a lift.

If you do keep it over the cab, invest in an articulated mount that will allow you to get it in the best orientation possible. This is what I have until I have time for the relocation project:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Although mine locks in place it does rattle a bit while driving so I tightly secure the TV in place with a strap padded with soft fabric.

[MadMaxWinny]

My solution (agreeing with Bob) was to repurpose the cabinet between the door and the passenger seat (also a Brave). I cut the back 4" off, faced with oak, and installed a swing mount for a 42". The remainder of the cabinet was shortened a few inches and took the place of the tube TV. Much better than above the dash.

[7997redtail]

Before I bought our 29r the previous owner took out and replaced the front tv. I took out the back and am thinking about what to do with the space. Another thread?

My part of this thread is to ask what you did with everything behind the old tv. There must have been connects to the old dish and the tv antenna. On mine I’m thinking about removing both. What did you do? I did notice the dish playmater and it got me thinking about a newer dish. Playmaker uses the existing tv anntena and an adapter for local stations. So maybe I should leave that part?

2 cents worth.

[MadMaxWinny]

Originally Posted by 7997redtail

Before I bought our 29r the previous owner took out and replaced the front tv. I took out the back and am thinking about what to do with the space. Another thread?

My part of this thread is to ask what you did with everything behind the old tv. There must have been connects to the old dish and the tv antenna. On mine I’m thinking about removing both. What did you do? I did notice the dish playmater and it got me thinking about a newer dish. Playmaker uses the existing tv anntena and an adapter for local stations. So maybe I should leave that part?

2 cents worth.

I ran an external wire chase to the new TV (mostly for the cable/Bluray) which you could do for the dish (if you look to the left of my sideways photo, you can see the 4" wide wiring chase). Since you can get anything with a cell phone signal, I removed all of that garbage from the roof.

[7997redtail]

I was just reading up about keeping the tv antenna. I was thinking about checking to see what I get locally off it. I know the hdtv channels should come through. Might be a while before I get to do that. Snowing like sh** and everything’s got a foot of snow on it. Sun Peaks BC

[jarnarcos]

Vista M26P: we took out the front mounted TV to avoid that "crick in the next from sitting in the dinette and trying to watch a TV over the dash" syndrome. What were they thinking? Had cabinets with doors on either side of the removed TV so we bought a new veneer-matched door from the mothership sized to cover the hole where the TV used to be. Just looked at the existing cabinet doors and picked the best size match. Gave us a new cabinet over the dash. Then mounted a 27" flat screen on a hinged mount over the door. We bring it down to watch, fold it up for travel. Main pain was taking out the old TV. Aargh!

[Chaffeekid]

Well I sorted all the wiring behind the TV hooked up the earphone jack of the tv to the little amp and now can play through the speakers and it sounds great as does the radio.

I removed the cable from the satellite in, pulled the cable out where it was pre-wired for satellite mine did not have the dish installed. And the label had long since disappeared. So didn’t want to drill a bunch of holes looking for it.

So I attached the cable to the satellite plate, remove two screws attach the cable then I drilled a hole in the front cap just large enough for the cable to pass through.

On the roof I installed a cable pass through with lots of butyl tape to prevent leaks. Did the same with the feet on the playmaker, it works beautifully.

That’s how I did it.

[Chaffeekid]

Keep your tv antenna there will be times when your satellite signal may be blocked, during bad weather then it’s nice to have OTA capability.