HDMI cable for 20' Flying Cloud

[mistermcfrug]

I bought a 2006 Safari SE and supplied my own HDMI cable to connect my satellite receiver placed on the dinette table to the TV. This was easy to do because the cable could be placed under convenient seat cushions between the mounted TV and the satellite receiver on the dinette table. Now, I'm advising a relative interested in a 20' Flying Cloud.

It appears the TV on a 20' Flying Cloud is mounted above the 'fridge on the right side of the trailer, while the dinette table is on the left side of the trailer. I'm guess the incoming satellite coax comes to a box in this area. So the question is: How do you get a HD signal from the satellite box sitting on the dinette table to the HDTV mounted on the other side of the trailer? Has Airstream been smart enough to string an HDMI cable during the assembly process? When I pressed them on this when my 2006 trailer was being made, the Airstream people (not the dealer, the factory people) didn't know what a HDMI cable was and didn't want to know what one was. So I'm wondering if Airstream is selling trailers that have HD televisions that can't produce a HD image on the TV.

Anybody have some comments?

[markdoane]

Why can't the HD television that came with the trailer use the coax cable that came with the trailer?

[Mrcrowley]

Then it would not be HD BUT if you could run the coax closer to tv and hook the Satalite up close to the tv you could run the MDMI cable from Sat reciever to the TV. In general the closer the reciever is to the HD tv the better.

[mistermcfrug]

A coax cable cannot carry a HDMI signal. Also, those RCA plugs (the yellow for video and red and while for audio) cannot carry a HD signal either. Airstream didn't seem to understand or care about this three years as I mentioned. It just seems odd to me that a so-called high end trailer maker would install a HD television in a trailer that wasn't properly wired.

I'm hoping a knowledgeable owner a 20' Flying Cloud will comment here and confirm that A/S has or has not run a HDMI pre-wire from the dinette area to the TV. Do you know that the cable would only cost about $15 retail? And the labor cost would be about $5 if performed during the manufacturing process.

[overlander63]

If coax cable won't carry HD signals, you had better not tell all the tv cable companies, including the one that supplies the HD signal to our apartment though a coax cable.
As far as an HDMI cable only costing $15 retail, I just went to Bestbuy.com, and the cheapest HDMI cable retails at $30, and that is for a 3' cable. I think you will need more than 3', so I looked at the next longest cable, which is 6'. It retails for $40. If you need 8', it retails at $100.
I won't even go there as far as how much it would cost the factory to run the cable, but if it takes the person running the cable more than 8 minutes to run it, it won't cost $5 labor.

[vswingfield]

I can vouch for this company, and it is much less expensive (Need Cookies Enabled [their bad, not mine]). HDMI cables are in the "early adopter" phase and are not priced in accordance with any relationship to cost, merely the chance to reap profits. As the product life-cycle moves along the curve, the price of the cables will come more inline with other cables. Meanwhile Markertek is a good source of AV equipment.

I even bought a 1.8 GHz possessor for my old G4 Mac there. I am very pleased.

[flashbackk]

Here's the best site for hdmi cables. I just upgraded to a plasma and recabled everything. Don't pay those ridiculous prices BB wants for cables.

HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!

[mickeymoose]

I agree with flashbackk, monoprice.com has great cable prices. I have used many of them on installs. Another vendor I have used is bluejeanscable.com You should be to find any cable or flat panel wall mount you need at those two places. You can even get the cables in different colors for no extra price.

[Mrcrowley]

Ok as far as the coax cable having HD signal from sat disk to sat reciever no but a HD signal from sat reciever to the TV yes it will. Ok and why can't you move sat reciever closer to the TV ? you would need a 15 to 20 foot HDMI cable to from the reciever to the table and that is expensive unless the table is like 5 to 10 feet away and I am totally off .

[mistermcfrug]

Originally Posted by overlander63

If coax cable won't carry HD signals, you had better not tell all the tv cable companies, including the one that supplies the HD signal to our apartment though a coax cable.
As far as an HDMI cable only costing $15 retail, I just went to Bestbuy.com, and the cheapest HDMI cable retails at $30, and that is for a 3' cable. I think you will need more than 3', so I looked at the next longest cable, which is 6'. It retails for $40. If you need 8', it retails at $100.
I won't even go there as far as how much it would cost the factory to run the cable, but if it takes the person running the cable more than 8 minutes to run it, it won't cost $5 labor.

I should clarify my last comment: Coax cannot carry a HD signal from the satellite receiver to the TV. Yes, it can carry signals from the dish itself to the satellite receiver. All my previous comments very clearly were discussing what the heck happens AFTER the HD signal is in the satellite receiver. So we don't need to worry about telling the cable TV company anything.

[SaabLover]

Coaxial cable can carry HDTV. RG 6 is the preferred size it has a much larger center conductor so it carries the signal better with less drop or if are running any new coax. But if you have RG 59 already and it seems like you are getting a good enough signal it may not be worth trying to run a new one if the run is short. (under 50 feet) With a straight run from the dish to the receiver if possible is best. Each break will cause some drop in signal. If you do have to make a break use the professional type of crimper's for the connectors those twist on connectors are just bad bad bad.

From the receiver box an HDMI cable should be used to carry it to the TV if you want HD. So you will only need to move the box closer. There should be no need for any 20' HDMI cable. I love monoprice.com.

If you have a DVR you may need to run a second coax for the second tuner as DVRs have two tuners.

And I hope that this has made it Highly & Diffidently clear.

SL

[mistermcfrug]

I'm afraid I'm not getting much help here. We've established that you need an HDMI cable to go from the satellite receiver to the TV. However, readers seem to be glossing over the key consideration I posed at the outset: on a 20' Flying Cloud the TV is mounted over the fridge on the right side of the trailer while the incoming cable from the satellite dish goes to a box (I believe!) that is located along the LEFT side of the trailer, under the dinette table. So you just can't say "move the satellite receiver closer to the TV." I'm asking if A/S now runs HDMI cables or would run an HDMI cable if asked during the trailer assembly process or if they is any realistic way to carry a HD signal from the satellite receiver on the LEFT side of the trailer to the RIGHT side. I'd appreciate any thoughtful comments.

[sd90mac]

Originally Posted by mistermcfrug

I'm afraid I'm not getting much help here. I'm asking if A/S now runs HDMI cables or would run an HDMI cable if asked during the trailer assembly process or if they is any realistic way to carry a HD signal from the satellite receiver on the LEFT side of the trailer to the RIGHT side. I'd appreciate any thoughtful comments.

I'm definately no expert, but if it were me, I would call airstream and ask them.

I do know airstream will make any reasonable change during the build, for a fee.

good luck
Marie

[markdoane]

Why don't you put in a wireless HDMI system. Then you can watch your HDTV anywhere in the trailer. Or outside on the picnic bench.

[vswingfield]

Originally Posted by mistermcfrug

I'm afraid I'm not getting much help here. We've established that you need an HDMI cable to go from the satellite receiver to the TV. However, readers seem to be glossing over the key consideration I posed at the outset: on a 20' Flying Cloud the TV is mounted over the fridge on the right side of the trailer while the incoming cable from the satellite dish goes to a box (I believe!) that is located along the LEFT side of the trailer, under the dinette table. So you just can't say "move the satellite receiver closer to the TV." I'm asking if A/S now runs HDMI cables or would run an HDMI cable if asked during the trailer assembly process or if they is any realistic way to carry a HD signal from the satellite receiver on the LEFT side of the trailer to the RIGHT side. I'd appreciate any thoughtful comments.

Here are 3 options from my first post, I don't have any idea why links to Markertek.com show up as "Need Cookies Enabled". Probably something to do with posting to a forum. The links do work though. These products would be my choice for your situation.

2 panel mount options:
Need Cookies Enabled
Need Cookies Enabled

and a wall plate option:
Need Cookies Enabled

Put one on each side and have a HDMI cable strung through the ceiling connecting the two. Then you can use a short HDMI cable from the receiver to the outlet on the wall and another from the other outlet to the TV.

They also have devices for running HDMI over parallel lengths of CAT5 or CAT6, but they are much more expensive and are really intended for longer runs than HDMI will support. Would be overkill for your needs.

[TerryC]

I have ordered a FC 20 due to be at my dealer in late February '10. I requested an HDMI cable installed during production. The cable does not come as a standard feature in the FC.
The factory has proposed an HDMI cable be installed in/from the overhead locker to the TV location. They also proposed installation of a 110V outlet in the locker as well.
The cost will be $545.00 to which I have agreed.
I hope this answers your question!

TerryC

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by TerryC

I have ordered a FC 20 due to be at my dealer in late February '10. I requested an HDMI cable installed during production. The cable does not come as a standard feature in the FC.
The factory has proposed an HDMI cable be installed in/from the overhead locker to the TV location. They also proposed installation of a 110V outlet in the locker as well.
The cost will be $545.00 to which I have agreed.
I hope this answers your question!

TerryC

You are my hero.

That is the ONE thing that drives me crazy about my 'stream... the composite connection from the a/v cabinet to the HDTV. ONE crappy little, unshielded, RCA connector.
Watching DVD's from the factory installed progressive-scan player, on the high-end SONY HDTV looks like a 3rd generation VHS dub.

It appears there is no way to get anything (HDMI or component cables) from a/v cabinet above sofa, to where the HDTV is mounted.

Oh well, I guess that's what makes our camping "roughin-it"

[TerryC]

Hey, NO HDMI, cable? It made me wonder too, after all we're living in the 21ST century. I'm glad airstream finally gave up on the cassette players

TerryC

PS I'm am happy that the factory accommodated my request. Maybe they will soon make the cable a standard feature.

[Aage]

TerryC,

Only $545 installed? Great deal. This may explain in part why an AS sells for several times an SOB's price: creative profit creation!

Maybe send them the links posted here so they can save a bit more on buying the cables...?