Connecting new HDTV to 2007 Tour Master

[Arthur Hayes]

I have removed the Jensen TV located above the windshield and replaced it with a Samsung TV. Until now I did not know the difference between Componet and Coposite cables. The RV is wired with Componet cables, (Yellow, White and Red) and the new TVs require Composit, (Green, Blue, Red and White). I have ordered a converter to convert the Componet to HDMI. My question is did any of you that changed TVs do the same thing or did you come up with another solution?
I am not concerned with getting a true HD picture, just had to replace the Jensen as it was giving us problems.

[Chuck v]

Art,

Yes the connections for higher performance video is different than the old analog monitors/receivers. You have reversed the nomenclature in your post, however. The composite signal is delivered via the yellow RCA coaxial connection (the red and white are the right and left audio signals, respectively...) The composite signal format is the older system and pre-dates all HD standards. Composite signal routing is what GS used on the coach.

Component analog signals by contrast require three video connections in addition to the two audio connections. These three are the red, green blue video cables in addition to the paired audio red/white cables. Digital connection via the HDMI cable carries both the audio and the video in digital format over a single connector.

When I did my update for the front TV of my 2007 T40-C Tourmaster, I routed the unused HDMI cables and a spare component cable set from the television into the equipment area for use with a future blu-ray player (which is true HD) or any other future upgrades. My television also had both component AND composite inputs, so I was able to use the existing connections from the A/V router to continue the existing functions.

It should be noted that the coax antenna connection to the new HDTV allows the reception of off air digital transmissions without a converter box, and these too are HD format and quality (depending on the station broadcasting the signal.) If you are connected to a park cable TV system that has HD signals in ATSC format (usually on an unencrypted QAM carrier...) then you will also get HD format via that source over the antenna connection when switched to CATV at your 'red light' panel in the overhead cabinet.

You don't really need to know how all this works or why, but since the TV itself is a bit hard to get out and back into the overhead cabinet, you need to route the cables from the connection panel on the back of the TV into the center cabinet area where you can use them in the future -- just label everything.

A component to HDMI converter will not allow you to use the current A/V switch in your coach unless it also has an analog composite input as well. Which model of Samsung TV do you have? Most still have a composite input selection in the source menu and rear panel connections to support this mode. Does your set really have ZERO support for composite?

Chuck

[Arthur Hayes]

Chuck

Can't thank you enough for the information. I did not notice that the TV could be connected by Composite or Component connections. The off air antenna gets a lot of HD stations, so I am a happy camper. The converter is a Composite to HDMI but I have not installed it yet. I will run the HDMI and USB cables into the the center cabinet for use later.