Outdoor DVD/TV watching using iRV/HDMI

[ebcobra93]

Hello all! I have a 2016 Roo 183. On our first camping trip of the year, we decided to try the outdoor mount for the TV and watch some movies. We were very careful not to bother our neighbors and they even sent their kids over. We ended up with about 15 kids sitting around the TV eating popcorn while the neighbor adults socialized together.

Now to my question/issue. Under the TV mount, we have one coaxial connection, which I assume is just a split line coming from the cable inlet on the other side of the trailer. In order to watch a DVD while the TV is mounted outside, I purchased a long HDMI cable and plugged it into the unused HDMI out #2 port on the back of the iRV unit. The HDMI cable then runs out through the door to the TV. The screen door can still be shut, because of the forgiving weather stripping along the bottom of the door. When not in use, I just curl up the HDMI cable and store it behind the TV inside.

Has anyone mounted a permanent exterior HDMI connection next to the coax connection? Is it hard to run the cable up near the existing coax outlet? Is there a better way to watch a DVD movie while the TV is mounted outside? I imagine that in most cases, if we mount the TV outside, it will be to watch a DVD movie as opposed to cable or regular TV.

I appreciate any input you can provide!

Thank you!

[dannyabear]

A $15.00 DVD player from walmart.

[ebcobra93]

Originally Posted by dannyabear

A $15.00 DVD player from walmart.

That reminds me of the saying "You can't see the forest through the trees". lol I always get bogged down in the details and tend to miss the simple solution. But, I would still like to have the outdoor HDMI connection. However, your solution is perfectly good.

[Toddupton]

I'm lucky on mine. The propane fitting for my outside grill is right under the tv mount so I just run my hdmi cable through that.

[ebcobra93]

My propane fitting is also in the vicinity. I will have to check that out. How do you get from the iRV to the propane connection (I haven't looked at it yet, so it may be obvious to me once I do)?

[ebcobra93]

Originally Posted by dannyabear

A $15.00 DVD player from walmart.

The downside to connecting a DVD player directly to the TV when mounted outside, is that you would only get audio from the built-in TV speakers, not the outdoor trailer mounted speakers. Granted, they're still not that great, but they do sound better than the TV speakers alone.

[Oaklevel]

Just askin', you can't watch a video through the coax cable and use the out door speakers ??????

[Wandering]

I have an outside radio on my camper and just added an HDMI in the cabinet. Also added BlueRay and routed HDMI to bedroom TV. I'm sure you can add HDMI outside, just need to cover it when not in use.

See my full upgrade here.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...d.php?t=107677




Forester 2451s

[ebcobra93]

Oaklevel, the coax, at least on my trailer doesn't carry any signal from the interior iRV. It's just cable.

Wandering, that's a nice looking mod. I don't have any problem with using the factory outside speakers with the iRV for radio/Bluetooth, it's just the DVD signal that I'm missing outside. But, I will take a look at your upgrade for the HDMI portion. Thanks!

[Wandering]

Ebcobra93

Just be clear, I didn't pick up from the existing DVD (Jensen in dash for my camper). I put a BluRay player in the cabinet where the TV hookup were and then routed new HDMI cable. I did use a powered HDMI splitter too I don't have outside speakers and was just planning to use TV speakers.

With my set up I can run BluRay, OTA antenna or campground cable to all three locations. Same with satellite if I ever add that. The bedroom TV goes outside for easy mounting if we want watch outside.

Happy Camping!


Forester 2451s

[PenJoe]

There are any number of "HDMI Pass Through" connectors available on Ebay and Amazon. This is basically a female to female wall connection.

[ebcobra93]

Yes, thank you. I have been looking at various options. I was hoping to find someone who had actually done the work and found a good way to route the HDMI cable from the iRV to the exterior wall. I would also like to find a weatherproof HDMI receptacle that closely matches the other receptacles already on the trailer.

[ebcobra93]

Originally Posted by PenJoe

There are any number of "HDMI Pass Through" connectors available on Ebay and Amazon. This is basically a female to female wall connection.

I think I found the wall plate/connector that I will use. Not ready to purchase just yet, because the hard part of this whole thing will be routing the cable. The connector would be used in combination with the SCD-W cover.

NAHDMI-W-B - Neutrik