Upgraded TCL to Samsung SmartTV

[howson]

My '19 315RLTS came with a TCL 40" model 40D100 "dumb" TV. I swapped it out today with a Samsung 40" SmartTV model N5200.



The Samsung is exactly the same size as the TCL, all the cabling was in place and the mount was already installed in the camper so I anticipated a simple swap. Boy was I wrong!

The first problem was the Samsung uses M8 screws to attach the mount. The TCL uses screws almost half that size. Of course I didn't have any M8 screws. And the only ones I could get my hands on were 20mm (as recommended in the manual) and 30mm. The 20s were too short and (of course) the 30s were too long. What a circus to get the mount installed--but I finally got it done with extra spacers.

I also didn't realize (until I went to put the Samsung up on mount arm) that the mount plate was physically higher on the back of the TV than it was on the TCL. So off came the mount arm from the camper wall and back up it went where I *thought* it should be based on careful measurements of the difference in how the back plates mount. (You know there's a gotcha coming, right?) Nope--it didn't work. Samsung put the ON/OFF switch under the TV so it protrudes down, interfering with the sound bar I have mounted underneath. That raised the TV just enough so the mount arm wouldn't snap into place. Arrrrrgggghhhh. Off came the mount from the wall again and--one more time--back up it went with another 1/2 of space. Oh, and Samsung didn't bother to put a corresponding spacer on the other side of the bottom of the TV so the sound bar tilted at an angle. Out came my stash of felt stickers until I had just enough of a spacer built to even out the bar. Good grief--this was supposed to be easy!

The good news is the install is (finally) done.





I usually always have music playing, so having Pandora and Amazon Prime Music available through the TV is a very welcome addition when WiFi is available. A bonus is I don't have to tie up my phone to listen to tunes. It was easy to connect to my Winegard Air 360+ Gateway Router which currently is connected to my home WiFi. I loaded up Pandora on the TV, cranked up some tunes, and enjoyed a cold one.

I can also Screen Mirror my phone or use Samsung DEX, but I'll post that experience in another thread.

Howard

[Guest]

Samsung likes to use the HDMI interface box with ARC and optical audio which works well. There are no connections on the TV itself. I've not yet moved in this direction to replace the TCL in the Imagine where I did have to buy a blue tooth player since the Furrion was not capable of playing blue tooth (worthless). But I have the Samsung at home and its connected to a Bose 700 system were I'm happy with both. No desire to go to the theater anymore.
Seriously thinking of a sound bar for the Imagine.

Jim

[howson]

Samsung likes to use the HDMI interface box with ARC and optical audio which works well. There are no connections on the TV itself. I've not yet moved in this direction to replace the TCL in the Imagine where I did have to buy a blue tooth player since the Furrion was not capable of playing blue tooth (worthless). But I have the Samsung at home and its connected to a Bose 700 system were I'm happy with both. No desire to go to the theater anymore.
Seriously thinking of a sound bar for the Imagine.

Jim

Not sure if you have the same size opening as in my 315RLTS, but the HW-J450 Samsung soundbar I have fits perfectly. The wireless subwoofer is tucked behind the theater seats--no interference or need to pull the seats out further. Not audiophile quality but beats the heck out of the TV speakers or anything else I have with me to listen to tunes.

The HW-J450 is an old model, but the dimensions should give you an idea of the size you're looking for if you go shopping.

[Guest]

Howard,

That is nice where a sub in an RV must really sound great. I'm sure you can feel it, and the wireless speakers do work extremely well. I'm most likely not going to spend a great deal of money on a sound system for the RV where anything is better than is what's already there. Yamaha has a nice inexpensive sound bar that I'm looking at below. I also see your system is very light weight and the Samsung products are also great. In fact the Samsung sound bar and system most likely would have integrated with my Samsung TV a bit more easily than the Bose.

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audi...108/index.html

Jim

[howson]

Howard,

That is nice where a sub in an RV must really sound great. I'm sure you can feel it, and the wireless speakers do work extremely well. I'm most likely not going to spend a great deal of money on a sound system for the RV where anything is better than is what's already there. Yamaha has a nice inexpensive sound bar that I'm looking at below. I also see your system is very light weight and the Samsung products are also great. In fact the Samsung sound bar and system most likely would have integrated with my Samsung TV a bit more easily than the Bose.

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audi...108/index.html

Jim

Yamaha makes really nice audio equipment. A feature you might want to consider essential is the ability to mount the bar securely to the TV's VESA mount. If you look back at the pictures above, I was able to use the Samsung's wall-mount screw holes. I looked at the Yamaha's manual and didn't see a similar way to mount it. (I may have missed it, but all I see is a way to mount to a wall as it has what I'll call "picture frame holes" in the case to grab screws anchored in a wall.)

Food for thought.

[Guest]

Thanks Howard,

I will need to get my rig back and can take a closer look when its back here to look at possible mounting locations etc. Its at GDRV. With our heavy use of industrial Velcro in the auto industry, this material opens up many opportunities for mounting the sound bar. Your VESA mount idea is very nice.

Jim