With the digital change over coming we decided to replace our old TV with a new digital HDTV instead of installing a converter box. Thiswas prompted by the fact that our Concept DVD player quit playing and also needed replacing.
The old Samsung TV is actually a computer monitor with a built in TV Tuner. Although it is an LCD it is still analog and needed a converter box. The screen was also more square than current HDTV standards. It was precisely built into the cabinet and there was no way we would ever find a suitable replacement that could fit nicely into the existing opening.
The old TV with separate Concept DVD player above.
To remove the old TV you have to remove a plywood cover at the bottom of the cabinet by removing 4 Robertson screws and then we could unscrew the TV mount by reaching up and removing two wing nuts on 1/4" machine screws that held the TV to a plywood mount.
This is the back of the removed TV showing the two screws that attached it to the mount and the other connections. As you can see Pleasure-Way created an elaborate custom plywood mounting system to attach the TV. Workmanship of the cabinet was precise and superb.
Inside the opening you can see the plywood bracket built in. You can see the 400W inverter on the left that the TV plugs in to. The little red box directly behind the brace is the antenna amplifier I believe. I didn't do anything with it.
We re-used the brace but drilled two new holes for mounting an adjustable wall TV arm with two new 1/4" x 1-1/2" long machine screws and re-using the two wing nuts along with a washer and lock washer. The adjustable arm can swing out so you can turn the TV around or left and right tilt or adjust its up and down tilt. You just have to make sure the arm you use will fit in the opening. We installed the new TV on the arm and plugged in the coaxial cable and speaker connection. The power plugs into the existing 400W inverter inside the cabinet so it can run on 120V or 12V. We left the DVD player (red, white, yellow) connections alone as they were no longer necessary.
The new TV we installed was a TrueTech 19" HDTV with a built-in DVD player that we bought at Target when it was on sale for $269. It probably isn't the best TV in the world but it works and solved two problems easily. We left the Concept DVD player alone for now just to plug the cabinet hole since it would have also been a pain to get to anyway. We could add a new DVD player or just a CD/Radio in the future if we choose.
We get a lot more channels with the new setup where we are at home compared to our old TV so we hope that portends a promising future. The Wineguard amplifier is needed or you get nothing. The Wineguard batwing antenna works. The new TV also scans for channels which allows you to narrow down the clicker to only found channels. Also, the remote works for both TV and DVD so two remotes are no longer needed. One more bonus. The inverter has two plugs. We now have access to it to use it for charging batteries, etc., without needing the 12V adapters. The mounting arm seems substantial enough with hand tightening knobs to hold the TV steady but if it proves otherwise we may stretch a bungie cord across connecting to two concealed eye hooks inside the cabinet.
The whole job including a quick trip to the hardware store for the two screws and washers took about 2 hours.
We are now ready for February 2009.
The old Samsung TV is actually a computer monitor with a built in TV Tuner. Although it is an LCD it is still analog and needed a converter box. The screen was also more square than current HDTV standards. It was precisely built into the cabinet and there was no way we would ever find a suitable replacement that could fit nicely into the existing opening.
The old TV with separate Concept DVD player above.
To remove the old TV you have to remove a plywood cover at the bottom of the cabinet by removing 4 Robertson screws and then we could unscrew the TV mount by reaching up and removing two wing nuts on 1/4" machine screws that held the TV to a plywood mount.
This is the back of the removed TV showing the two screws that attached it to the mount and the other connections. As you can see Pleasure-Way created an elaborate custom plywood mounting system to attach the TV. Workmanship of the cabinet was precise and superb.
Inside the opening you can see the plywood bracket built in. You can see the 400W inverter on the left that the TV plugs in to. The little red box directly behind the brace is the antenna amplifier I believe. I didn't do anything with it.
We re-used the brace but drilled two new holes for mounting an adjustable wall TV arm with two new 1/4" x 1-1/2" long machine screws and re-using the two wing nuts along with a washer and lock washer. The adjustable arm can swing out so you can turn the TV around or left and right tilt or adjust its up and down tilt. You just have to make sure the arm you use will fit in the opening. We installed the new TV on the arm and plugged in the coaxial cable and speaker connection. The power plugs into the existing 400W inverter inside the cabinet so it can run on 120V or 12V. We left the DVD player (red, white, yellow) connections alone as they were no longer necessary.
The new TV we installed was a TrueTech 19" HDTV with a built-in DVD player that we bought at Target when it was on sale for $269. It probably isn't the best TV in the world but it works and solved two problems easily. We left the Concept DVD player alone for now just to plug the cabinet hole since it would have also been a pain to get to anyway. We could add a new DVD player or just a CD/Radio in the future if we choose.
We get a lot more channels with the new setup where we are at home compared to our old TV so we hope that portends a promising future. The Wineguard amplifier is needed or you get nothing. The Wineguard batwing antenna works. The new TV also scans for channels which allows you to narrow down the clicker to only found channels. Also, the remote works for both TV and DVD so two remotes are no longer needed. One more bonus. The inverter has two plugs. We now have access to it to use it for charging batteries, etc., without needing the 12V adapters. The mounting arm seems substantial enough with hand tightening knobs to hold the TV steady but if it proves otherwise we may stretch a bungie cord across connecting to two concealed eye hooks inside the cabinet.
The whole job including a quick trip to the hardware store for the two screws and washers took about 2 hours.
We are now ready for February 2009.
