Replacing TV on an "older" Alpine

[DrDaveMA]

I replaced the RCA CRT TV in the bedroom with A 20" Phillips HD LCD TV by adding a piece of plywood covered with the "special" carpet we all know and love, however since the TV covers almost all the area, you can't see anything. I also purchased a wall bracket with a lock (to keep the TV from vibrating loose). I got the TV and bracket from Best Buy. The original area for the TV is wasted, however the new set up looks great.

[Jim&MaryJo]

Jeff,

Like Dr. Dave, I think I would opt for a larger TV that sits outside of the current TV enclosure. The articulating arm mount should make it possible to snug it up against the wall (bezel removed) during travel and swing out for viewing angle during use. ANother benefit is to use the enclosure for additional "concealed storage".

Thus, the TV dimesion you would need would be ,primarily. the width of the wall. You could still house a DVD player in the enclosure too.

Jim

[OldForester]

I replaced the bedroom TV with a 20" Magnavox LCD TV over a Samsung DVD recorder, so I can record
DVDs from anywhere - Satellite, cable, or crank-up antenna and play them in the rear or the front.

I made a couple wedge-shaped pieces from pine and stained them to look like cherry to match the rest of the cabinetry. The TV base is industrial-strength velcroed to the wedge-shaped pieces (to get the right angle on the TV for viewing from the bed). The TV also sits on a piece of cherry-stained 3/4" pine lumber over the DVD player. The TV can be easily removed by separating the velcro with a credit card, but it holds the TV firmly in place for travel.

I then bought a cabinet door and hardware from WRV to match the other cabinet door for the linen cabinet in the bathroom, cut out a hole for the door behind where the old CRT TV used to sit, added the new cabinet door, and opened up a bunch of space. I now use this space behind the old CRT TV to store the controller and modem for my satellite internet, but one could use it for a lot of different storage options, once you tuck all the wiring from the roof that comes down through that compartment out of the way.

This is just one way to re-capture the space behind the old CRT TV and not have to add a lot of permanent bolt-on fixtures and hardware.

[Jeff and Cheryl]

Jim, Dr Dave, Old Forrester,

Thank-you all for your suggestions. Because I am mechanically challanged, let me see if I am understanding all this. First step is to remove the bezel and the old CRT. I can attach an articulating arm to the wall inside the TV enclosure, providing I can find a stud. Dr Dave, forgive my ignorance, where is the carpet covered plywood and how is the TV attached to it? Old Forrester, do the wedges stick out beyond the enclosure that was originally for the TV?

If I have the TV attached to an articulating arm, will the arm stand up to the bumps and turns of travel, or do I need a base under the TV to support the weight when traveling?

[Jim&MaryJo]

Jeff,

If you're considering the front TV, I would assign much more importance to an approach that secured/supported the TV, considering it's proximity to driver/passengers and its greater weight/mass. In fact, I'd opt for something other than an articulating arm and try to "fix-mount" it.

On the BR TV, given its much lighter weight, I think a strong articulating arm (mine is rated for much more weight than the 20" LCDTV it supports) would be OK without support and just the "TV snaps" available at Camping World. However, I'd run a screw thru the snap attached to the wall, rather than rely on the double-sticky tape.

[Jeff and Cheryl]

Jim,

Thank-you for the guidance. After reading these comments, reading what Danny G. did with his front TV, and the comments there, I think I've come up with a solution for the front TV. Once I pick a set that will fit into the front cabinet, I'll need to build a frame in behind the TV that will hold it tight to the bezel. Once I see the space available, it may make sense to install a drawer for storing the remotes, sun glasses, ect.