What this does: Using a DVD or Streaming source with an HDMI output, I can have the same picture on up to 4 TVs.
Why I Did it: I had issues with the built in Car Stereo/DVD player skipping and just not playing. Using an old home system the first trip with the grandkids, when one was ready to go to bed and watch TV, the other wasn’t, then, when they did, had to move the DVD player. Gram didn’t like the ‘inconvenience’. She wanted to be able to watch the same thing in both places, I just went all out.
Material used:
1. a compact streaming blu-ray player - (streaming meaning it is Wi-Fi enabled and has some built in internet apps like Netflix) LG, BP340
2. low loss HDMI cable - 15' (2 each) and a 25'
3. low loss, short HDMI (7 each - two for each TV except living room only needs 1)
4. HDMI Switchplates (3)
5. Triple HDMI Switchplate
6. 1 Input/4 output HDMI Splitter (HDMI splitter)
7. Infrared Remote (IR) Extender
8. Inverter (if desired)
How I did it:
After mounting my Blu-Ray player, I connected the Blu-Ray HDMI output to the input of the 4-way splitter.
HMDI Splitter Output 1 from the HDMI splitter, using a short HDMI cable went to the living room TV.
HMDI Splitter Output 2 went to the first jack on the triple switchplate and the a 15' cable was fished through the ceiling into the bedroom. I also fished the IR extender cable at the same time. In the bedroom, a single switchplate was installed in the ceiling next to the Cable TV switchplate, using another short HDMI cable, this jack was connected to the bedroom TV. I affixed the IR Extender to the top center of the TV. This allows me to control the Blu-Ray player from the bedroom too.
HDMI Splitter Output 3 went to the second jack of the triple switchplate, another 15' HDMI cable was fished from the backside of the triple switchplate to the belly compartment and again, adjacent to the cable TV connection, installed another single switchplate.
HDMI Splitter Output 4 went to the third jack of the triple switchplate, a 25' HDMI cable was fished from the backside of the triple switchplate to the belly compartment, then through an existing access to the frame under the trailer.
To get this cable to the garage, I temporarily removed the screws from the frame cover on the curb side so I could route the HDMI cable from the front to the back near the wall between the garage and living room. I carefully inspected the area under the refrigerator to locate a safe place to drill a hole with a spade bit that was slightly larger than the width of the end of the HDMI cable through the floor between the frame cross-members. This was a little easier for me because there is a storage cabinet under the refrigerator. I was able to remove the decorative lining from the inside (hides the plumbing and wires and is only attached to the floor with two screws) Once removed I was able to locate a floor penetration point and by measuring over from it on the inside of the RV (top of the floor) and the outside of the RV (Bottom side of floor), confirmed I was drilling in a safe location. I went slow and when the tip of the spade bit came through the floor, went underneath the camper and drilled it the rest of the way from the bottom side to minimize splintering. Once the cable was under the fridge, I fished it up in the blank space between the fridge and garage wall. Then I came through the garage wall a few inches down from where the 110 outlet wiring goes through the wall. Do not run the cable parallel to AC line or you may introduce noise in the TV. I then added another single switchplate and used a short HDMI to connect the garage TV. I used expanding foam to seal around the HDMI cable where it came through the floor then used tie wraps to secure the HDMI cable under the trailer to prevent it from chaffing over time before reattaching the frame screws.
Optional - run on 12 volts:
I use a 75 Watt inverter with 110 outlet on it and a 5 volt, 1 amp USB jack (standard USB receptacle used to charge your USB devices). My 110 Volt TV (50 Watt max), my 110 Volt Blu-Ray player (converts to 5volt DC, half amp) and HDMI splitter (this comes with ac adapter, but substituted a USB cord with the same connector and polarity since the actual input is only 5 volts DC - instead of wasting energy by converting DC to AC back to DC). This allows a couple of hours of use of the living room TV without running the Generator. (bedroom TV is a 12 volt TV, so it already runs without the generator and is a bit more efficient – as in doesn’t run the battery down as fast)
How abused:
Just like at home, grandkids are watching TV, one laying in the bed (Gram's or in the garage), and another in the living room.
Is this ridiculous?
Yes, but, the alternative is, “If I can’t watch TV, I don’t want to go”. I tried going by myself, but just not as fun.
TIP: before running anything, hook up all components to make sure everything works. I did this, but when I installed the garage, I decided to buy a different switchplate since the one I tested with could not be tucked into the wall without kinking the HDMI cable, the replacement swithplate came with a 6 inch cable and after finishing the install, turned out the replacement switchplate with the 6 inch cable had too much loss and would not work. Had to get a different one.
Why I Did it: I had issues with the built in Car Stereo/DVD player skipping and just not playing. Using an old home system the first trip with the grandkids, when one was ready to go to bed and watch TV, the other wasn’t, then, when they did, had to move the DVD player. Gram didn’t like the ‘inconvenience’. She wanted to be able to watch the same thing in both places, I just went all out.
Material used:
1. a compact streaming blu-ray player - (streaming meaning it is Wi-Fi enabled and has some built in internet apps like Netflix) LG, BP340
2. low loss HDMI cable - 15' (2 each) and a 25'
3. low loss, short HDMI (7 each - two for each TV except living room only needs 1)
4. HDMI Switchplates (3)
5. Triple HDMI Switchplate
6. 1 Input/4 output HDMI Splitter (HDMI splitter)
7. Infrared Remote (IR) Extender
8. Inverter (if desired)
How I did it:
After mounting my Blu-Ray player, I connected the Blu-Ray HDMI output to the input of the 4-way splitter.
HMDI Splitter Output 1 from the HDMI splitter, using a short HDMI cable went to the living room TV.
HMDI Splitter Output 2 went to the first jack on the triple switchplate and the a 15' cable was fished through the ceiling into the bedroom. I also fished the IR extender cable at the same time. In the bedroom, a single switchplate was installed in the ceiling next to the Cable TV switchplate, using another short HDMI cable, this jack was connected to the bedroom TV. I affixed the IR Extender to the top center of the TV. This allows me to control the Blu-Ray player from the bedroom too.
HDMI Splitter Output 3 went to the second jack of the triple switchplate, another 15' HDMI cable was fished from the backside of the triple switchplate to the belly compartment and again, adjacent to the cable TV connection, installed another single switchplate.
HDMI Splitter Output 4 went to the third jack of the triple switchplate, a 25' HDMI cable was fished from the backside of the triple switchplate to the belly compartment, then through an existing access to the frame under the trailer.
To get this cable to the garage, I temporarily removed the screws from the frame cover on the curb side so I could route the HDMI cable from the front to the back near the wall between the garage and living room. I carefully inspected the area under the refrigerator to locate a safe place to drill a hole with a spade bit that was slightly larger than the width of the end of the HDMI cable through the floor between the frame cross-members. This was a little easier for me because there is a storage cabinet under the refrigerator. I was able to remove the decorative lining from the inside (hides the plumbing and wires and is only attached to the floor with two screws) Once removed I was able to locate a floor penetration point and by measuring over from it on the inside of the RV (top of the floor) and the outside of the RV (Bottom side of floor), confirmed I was drilling in a safe location. I went slow and when the tip of the spade bit came through the floor, went underneath the camper and drilled it the rest of the way from the bottom side to minimize splintering. Once the cable was under the fridge, I fished it up in the blank space between the fridge and garage wall. Then I came through the garage wall a few inches down from where the 110 outlet wiring goes through the wall. Do not run the cable parallel to AC line or you may introduce noise in the TV. I then added another single switchplate and used a short HDMI to connect the garage TV. I used expanding foam to seal around the HDMI cable where it came through the floor then used tie wraps to secure the HDMI cable under the trailer to prevent it from chaffing over time before reattaching the frame screws.
Optional - run on 12 volts:
I use a 75 Watt inverter with 110 outlet on it and a 5 volt, 1 amp USB jack (standard USB receptacle used to charge your USB devices). My 110 Volt TV (50 Watt max), my 110 Volt Blu-Ray player (converts to 5volt DC, half amp) and HDMI splitter (this comes with ac adapter, but substituted a USB cord with the same connector and polarity since the actual input is only 5 volts DC - instead of wasting energy by converting DC to AC back to DC). This allows a couple of hours of use of the living room TV without running the Generator. (bedroom TV is a 12 volt TV, so it already runs without the generator and is a bit more efficient – as in doesn’t run the battery down as fast)
How abused:
Just like at home, grandkids are watching TV, one laying in the bed (Gram's or in the garage), and another in the living room.
Is this ridiculous?
Yes, but, the alternative is, “If I can’t watch TV, I don’t want to go”. I tried going by myself, but just not as fun.
TIP: before running anything, hook up all components to make sure everything works. I did this, but when I installed the garage, I decided to buy a different switchplate since the one I tested with could not be tucked into the wall without kinking the HDMI cable, the replacement swithplate came with a 6 inch cable and after finishing the install, turned out the replacement switchplate with the 6 inch cable had too much loss and would not work. Had to get a different one.
