Just learned about slim flexible HDMI cables that can be run from front to rear of coach. Cables have a Redmere chip in one end and the cables are directional, so don't make a mistake installing them or they will not work.
Monoprice's ultraslim 60-foot HDMI cable with RedMere (hands-on) - CNET (http://www.cnet.com/news/monoprices-ultraslim-60-foot-hdmi-cable-with-redmere-hands-on/)
Amazon.com: Monoprice Ultra Slim Series 15ft 10.2Gbps High Performance HDMI®... (http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-10-2Gbps-Performance-RedMere%C2%AE-Technology/dp/B00AJHCPYI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1440096590&sr=8-4&keywords=hdmi+redmere+cable)
I installed two in a row that were eaten immediately by a rodent. Good idea to put them inside of a vinyl split loom. Did the trick so far. Active cables sound like a good idea. Good point about direction.
I have run a stock 35' HDMI without a problem. Not so with a VGA but active VGA cables are cheap.
Pierce
Has anybody run an HDMI cable from the front to the rear in the original path that the COAX is? On mine, it appears the coax travels along the right side roof.
Krush- I've looked into it but I think you'll have trouble pulling the head of the cable through.
If you want to get a cable back, you might have to pull everything through behind the couch, under the sink cabinets and then drop down into the basement to come up into the other side. I've pulled some strings through back to the bed base for future cables if needed.
Look outboard in the overhead cabinets. Remove the small plastic plug with breath holes in it. That gives you access to the beam channel that runs the length of the coach. And, on some models the very front of it is completely open for really easy access.
If the cable is stiff, may be able to slide it all the way, if not should be able to use a fish.
I need to run some HDMI cable to the bedroom myself.
Where is the conduit on my rig?
Inside the audio/video cabinet I see three flat covers on the ceiling that are about 3-1/2" in diameter, each having a flat side, vinyl covered to match the ceiling and covered screw/snaps. Is one or more of these a portal?
From my limited experience. the easiest would be down the driver side. in the cabinet there is a panel with the same color material as the roof and there is a small cavity to put a HDMI cable.
My audio/video cabinet is directly over the driver's seat.
I'll pull one of those covers away and have a look.
Also look at the upper wall ends either side of the front (driver's side in the case of a 2003) slide for a removable (or missing, since the adhesive on the velcro eventually fails) vinyl-covered piece that hides part of a wire chase.
Mystery Part -- 2003 U320 (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=18830.msg130595#msg130595)
If the need to run an HDMI cable from the front to the rear is to display HD on a bedroom TV with programming from a DirecTV Genie receiver, the original RF coax can do even a better job by using a DirecTV Genie Client receiver.
This is how we have our coach setup. I was surprised how well our original-factory-installed coax worked and we did not have to run a new HD or coax cable.
In our Foretravel floor plan it is straight forward to run a long cable from the top of the front dash area, over the door, along the false bottom of the curb-side cabinets through the bath closets to the bedroom TV.
We have also run new cables from dash down the vertical cable run behind the driver's seat, under the street-side couch, through kitchen cabinets, into bath area and to under coach bay areas.
Hi Barry, Is that the C51 Genie Mini for RF Cable? I looked at these for the back bedroom TV. Did you just hook it up and go or did you have to have it activated and pay a monthly fee?
Roger
Couldn't you just pull the HDM1 cable through the chase using the original coax as the fish?
if its like mine the tube goes thru the A/C sections and its not continuous. and no where big enough for a HDMI end. ill try to get some pictures this afternoon when i get home
A micro HDMI would be an easier pull due to plug size.
You could run CAT6 wire, then crimp RJ45 on wire, and then use the cat6-HDMI adapters on both ends. There are a number of option of these. The one I use at the house just plugs into the Cat6 RJ45 plug and then use a 3' HDMI cable to connect to the device.
The coax worked so well to get DirecTV HD to the bedroom TV for us, I wanted to share our findings.
We have our original factory installed coax wired to a DirecTV Genie Mini Client. DirecTV now has a wireless Mini Genie Client so one can have HD in another room even without a coax, and it works very well.
The mini client only works with Genie receivers, which only work with SWM antennas. Winegard is the only manufacturer of SWM RV automatic antennas and they only have one model to choose from.
Every Directv receiver has to be activated and has a normal monthly cost of $6, and the Mini Client is also considered a receiver, so the hardware for a Genie & Mini Client has an ongoing $6-each charge in addition to monthly charges of $10 for HD and another $10 for DVR. And if the Mini Client requires the Whole-home option, there is another $3/month charge. We have it all and find it works fine.
Hardware may also have an up-front one-time cost. We purchased our HR44 5-tuner receiver with an expanded internal hard drive, so it had a large cost, but we have had it in use for several years and love its speed and capabilities.