Entertainment system upgrade in my 2005 Journey 36G

[HiBanky]

Over the years I have come across a number of threads addressing the need to upgrade older entertainment systems. Although the system in my 20-year-old Journey was state of the art at that time, it seriously needed an upgrade. It seems the biggest obstacle to an upgrade is installing a large screen television. Upgrading to a smart TV and a sound bar above the dash is not too difficult, but you are left with a pretty small viewing area compared to what is available these days. So after some serious head scratching, my wife and I came up with what we believe is a very practical and cost effective solution.

First, replace the in-dash radio with one that is Bluetooth capable.
Place a smart projector and fan on the shelf above the couch.
Hang a retractable screen above the opposite window.
Set up a Wi-Fi system such as StarLink or cellular hot spot.
Purchase a streaming service like Netflix or Prime Video

Connect the projector to the Wi-Fi for internet and use the Bluetooth connection to the dash radio for sound. In the end you have a 72" high resolution viewing area and surround-sound through your existing in house speakers.

 

[GMorgan3002]

I replaced the tube TV in my Journey with a 34" flat screen. Mounted a board and TV mount to the steel cabinet frame. The TV is in front of the cabinet but really looks like it belongs there. Also added a door to the lower front of the cabinet for storage. Worked out well for me. As for signal source, I use an Amazon Firestick. It works great! Same one I use at home so I'm taking all my home access with me, including my home DVR system. If I have WiFi or Cellular data, all is good. I use PdaNet to supply mobile data from my phone when I need it. When I don't have a signal, I have a 500 GB flash drive with movies and TV shows recorded from my Channels DVR system at home.

 

[HiBanky]

I replaced the tube TV in my Journey with a 34" flat screen. Mounted a board and TV mount to the steel cabinet frame. The TV is in front of the cabinet but really looks like it belongs there. Also added a door to the lower front of the cabinet for storage. Worked out well for me. As for signal source, I use an Amazon Firestick. It works great! Same one I use at home so I'm taking all my home access with me, including my home DVR system. If I have WiFi or Cellular data, all is good. I use PdaNet to supply mobile data from my phone when I need it. When I don't have a signal, I have a 500 GB flash drive with movies and TV shows recorded from my Channels DVR system at home.

Sounds like a very good plan. It's very similar to what I did a few years back with a 32" only I added a sound bar under the TV instead of a door. The Projector set up was to get more of a home theater experience. So now I have both.

 

[Horse54]

As stated by GMorgan3002, you will need something like Firestick or Roku. Think of it as your computer operating system. That is a one time purchase. From there you can get your streaming service. I first use YouTubeTV which provides me with many channels including local. Great for network tv viewing. I don't even want to guess at how many channels it provides...a bunch. This is a monthly subscription that is under $100. For others like Netflix, Paramount+, Prime Video and many more, you will have monthly subscriptions. However, check with your cell phone carrier as some offer these free with your phone plan. If you have Amazon Prime, you get the video free. Some plans offer a family program that covers multiple family members. You may be able to tag onto someone else's plan for free. Keep on researching and you will be amazed what you may find! Good luck

 

[tinas8690]

Over the years I have come across a number of threads addressing the need to upgrade older entertainment systems. Although the system in my 20-year-old Journey was state of the art at that time, it seriously needed an upgrade. It seems the biggest obstacle to an upgrade is installing a large screen television. Upgrading to a smart TV and a sound bar above the dash is not too difficult, but you are left with a pretty small viewing area compared to what is available these days. So after some serious head scratching, my wife and I came up with what we believe is a very practical and cost effective solution.

First, replace the in-dash radio with one that is Bluetooth capable.
Place a smart projector and fan on the shelf above the couch.
Hang a retractable screen above the opposite window.
Set up a Wi-Fi system such as StarLink or cellular hot spot.
Purchase a streaming service like Netflix or Prime Video

Connect the projector to the Wi-Fi for internet and use the Bluetooth connection to the dash radio for sound. In the end you have a 72" high resolution viewing area and surround-sound through your existing in house speakers.

I love all that except Netflix. Prime is worth the money if you shop a lot. But Netflix has raised its price 3 times in the last year and a half (It's 26.99 right now, and I cancelled it). You will be surprised at all the channels you get with a smart TV. Check those out first before you get extra added bills. I have a Samsung and it has "Samsung free Channels" All smart TVs work this way. Plus the good old antenna brings in many digital channels now days.
We bought a 2004 Trek years ago and the first thing we upgraded was the old TV above the driver with a smart one.
Now we have a 2014 Winnebago Adventurer. Unfortunately the entertainment system was not working. Shocker. Bought a Amazon fire stick for the hidden TV and voila! Amazon Channels! Have Fun!

 

[GMorgan3002]

Sounds like a very good plan. It's very similar to what I did a few years back with a 32" only I added a sound bar under the TV instead of a door. The Projector set up was to get more of a home theater experience. So now I have both.

Here's what mine looks like:

 

[HiBanky]

I see some comments offering sources for TV channels. I appreciate the input but frankly we don't watch TV often and when we do I put up the antenna to pick up the local channels on the TV above the dash. Not to mention out of the hundreds of channels available, we would watch 2 or 3 at best. The projector set up is for movie night not TV, but it is a smart projector with built-in Google Stick, plenty of built-in apps and TV channels if that is what you are looking for.

We have been enjoying movie night for a month now and love the big screen and great sound. Sure, an 80' OLED TV does have better picture quality, but where do you put it? I considered a TV on a lift but that required moving furniture, building a cabinet and losing floor space. The projector, Bluetooth radio, and retractable screen eliminate all that fuss. The cost is about the same depending on the quality of the hardware. We went with midrange stuff.