The TV Saga

It’s a Saga!!!   I thought we were just getting a new TV!

 

Question: how long does it take to replace a TV?

Answer:  years of thought and a couple more months of action and weeks of troubleshooting

 

Hey let’s get a new TV!  Who know this simple task were develop into a 8 months saga!

 

Our boys, both proud owners of large LED televisions with HD have been urging us for years to join the 21^st century and upgrade out TV system.  We thought and thought about it. Then thought some more. We looked and looked in stores and thought some more. Living in an RV means more than just purchasing a TV and bringing it home when upgrading to HD technology. 
 
During the fall of 2013 we began in earnest. We took several occasions to hang out in the Wal-mart and Best Buy TV departments.  We talked to lots of people and gathered facts and opinions. Derrille took measurements and discussed possibilities.

 In our old RV, a new HD TV required an entire new satellite system! The system includes the TV, the DVR, the satellite and the satellite control box. We contacted our San Diego satellite guy. He told us that unfortunately the company who made our old satellite was no longer in business.  However a group from that company had started a new company and fortunately sold a new HD satellite system. Our research indicated that new company and their satellite was our best choice.

 So with most of the research completed, the process began.

THE TV:

On Jan. 16, 2014 we took the plunge!

 Step 1:   We walked out of Best Buy with a Samsung 39 inch smart TV, thin line.  The TV rode around in the car a few days…maybe a week. 
 

 Step 2: How many bodies are needed to remove the old HEAVY Sony TV out of the cabinet from above the dashboard? Who knows?  The three Bellingham firemen from next few sites came over to help Derrille contemplate the best option. Two men removed the TV and three men guided it in the car for us to recycle at Best Buy. 

 

 

 

 

The resulting hole was quite ugly.  Instead of a TV up front, we now viewed an open-ended metal box gaping out to the living room. Fiberglass insulation and a multitude of cords hung from the interior.  Most of the cords belong to things, other than the TV.

When Derrille match all the cords with the TV sockets and the TV didn’t come on.  He called the help line.  To the engineer in Derrille, the cord alignments he was told to follow, didn’t make sense, but he followed directions and……. the TV came on.

 

WOW what a picture!  Of course we hadn’t worked out the “how-to” reinstall the TV in the box!  So we watched the new toy as it lay on the arms of the driver’s chair while we considered our options.  The view from the front seat was OK, except when a cat decided to get on the climbing tower and stretch like the St. Louis Arch. At those times most of my TV view disappeared.

 

 

 

Our San Diego satellite man gave us the name of another satellite man, Don who was working an RV show in Quartsite, AZ.   That Don was heading to Florida.  He planned to come to us on Feb. 9^th.  Installation before the Superbowl would have been nice, but just having the better picture quality and the Hawks winning turned out to be OK too.

 

 In the meantime we are looking at a variety of ways to mount the TV to the metal box.  For this we visit Best Buy again and some RV stores.  The TV must be secure enough to handle all the earthquake-like vibration that the front of the RV experiences as it travels down the road.  AND it must be mounted secure enough so it doesn’t fall out while we are driving.

 A PROBLEM:

On February 1^st, the remote would not change the TV settings.  Derrille called Samsung tech.  The tech asked Derrille to hold his smart phone as if taking a selfie…. (I was going to explain a “selfie when I originally wrote this in Feb. 2014, but by August 2014, “selfie” is a well-used term. Derrille then positioned the TV remote behind the camera/phone and was to press any button. Derrille saw a red light appear on his phone screen.  The results:  the remote was just fine.  The new TV sensor was not.  So we packed everything back up and returned to Best Buy.

Surprise!!!! We are one day past the return deadline!

However customer service was very nice and gave us new TV.  Because the newer TV was on sale, we got some money back.  You’re looking at some pleased customers.  We had bought an insurance policy on the TV, but we discovered that means they will take the TV in for repair and you get it back in two weeks.  We didn’t have two weeks!  Don the satellite guy had a sudden change in schedule and would be here on Feb. 5^th. We left, thankfully, with the new TV.

 

This is Zach.

 

Zach the DISH rep said he would come between 8-noon on Feb. 5th.  So we got up, didn’t exercise and waited.  Zach arrived at 11:30 am and did his job as much as he could without the HD satellite.

THE RECEIVER:

The new HD satellite also needs an HD DVR to get the picture from the satellite to the TV….I think that is correct.  Anyway the DISH people required a service rep to deliver the new DVR, set it up, get signatures on a 2 year contract, and take the old one away.   A time limit exists between the time the new DVR is activated and when the old DVR  gets returned or you are charged for it. Some logistic planning was necessary to get everything here within the required time frame. 

 

 

 

 

THE SATELLITE:

Don the satellite man arrived about noon just as Zach pulled away from the RV. 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

The old TV’s used a nearly square screen design resulting in the square box hole.  The new TV resembles a rectangle.

 

 Derrille and Don talked about placement of the new gear. The old electronics set in the middle of the coach in a cabinet. The newer shape allows room for the DVR and the satellite control box to sit inside the metal box and below the TV. 

 

 

 

The new RF Mogel Eagle satellite comes in black.  It’s bigger than the old Motosat we’ve had for years. It’s bigger but not very heavy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don set to work.

 

 Don just hoisted it on his shoulder and climbed the ladder to the roof. Apparently the new model is considerably lighter weight than the old ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Don hooked everything up in two hours. We paid him for his work. He sent us a receipt from his phone to our computer, and he headed for Tuscan. His wife had taken their rig to a casino in Tuscan to wait for him. 

 

Don and his wife have been full time RVers for 14 years. They travel from Florida to California installing satellite systems.  His work space is a crew cab, full bed pickup weighing in at about 10,000. He tows the pickup behind his Dutch Star RV. 

 

Everything was hooked up electronically, but we were still watching TV on the driver’s chair.

 

THE INSTALLATION into the TV cabinet:

 

Derrille had enough knowledge and skills to mount the TV into the cabinet, but we decided to let the local RV dealer to it.  They have the tools, the know-how and the experience.  We drove it over at 8:45 am.  The service rep wasn’t as friendly as others we had dealt with before. The rep apparently didn’t like us showing up early….our appointment was 9 AM.

 

 A time estimate of four hours was quoted for installation time.  We packed the cats up in their crates….they let us know how thrilled they were!  The howling ceased as we drove from errand to errand and when they realized no vets were involved.  After nearly five hours we returned to dealership. The installation was not finished!  We waited another 2 hours!!  Their workmanship was OK, but not up to the quality we expected.  They also didn’t clean up well. We obviously won’t use them again or recommend their services to others. But…the TV sat in the cabinet ready to go!

The boys were right!  The HD picture quality creates a most enjoyable viewing experience, especially with the sporting events.   Chalk up one more major project completed.  Now all I have to do is learn how sync my phone and tablet with the TV.   I’d also like to install a trim piece between the DVR/control box and the bottom of the TV screen itself, but that isn’t necessary to enjoy this awesome technology.   :) 

PROBLEMS:

 

 The TV saga apparently wasn’t complete with the installation. The TV worked beautifully from April to June.  Then about mid-July the TV took on a mind of its own. The remote light was functional by the TV would not respond to the signal. This means you cannot change channels, engage the mute button or adjust the sound.  When the AC is turning on and off use of the Volume control button is required. After a few minutes the controls returned to normal.

 Then the TV went a bit farther. Just as suspense was building in the program we were watching the TV would shut itself off. The screen went black. After only 6-7 seconds the startup symbols began the reboot.  This happened often at the final Jeopardy question part of the quiz show or at the climax of the mystery shows.

 

Step 1:

After another call to Samsung tech department it was determined we needed a real life technician. We were assured that someone could come out to the coach to fix the problem. The phone tech said repair places were located in Gig Harbor and Kent Washington. He would make the call. We mentioned that we were currently on the tip of Marrowstone Island, and Gig Harbor would be the closest.

Then we get a call from……the repair shop in Kent. The young lady said they had received the work order.  After discussing our problem she discovered the TV was only 32 inches. The rule is:

Only TVs 35 inches and bigger get house calls. We were to bring it in. We said no thank you, Kent is too far away.  Now we sat and looked at the TV, wondering just how it was put in and could Derrille even get it out?

 

 

Step 2:

At the end of July we were back in Bremerton for our four days out of the state park. By squeezing his arm up through the lower opening of the cabinet, and positioning the screwdriver back toward him, Derrille began the laborious task of releasing the TV from the cabinet. Of course the first three screws came out fairly easily. Number four took lots of time and torque to remove. His hands and arms hurt for a couple of days.

 

The Visits to Best Buy:

Step 3:

We decided to take the TV back to Best Buy. I mentioned needing an appointment, but Derrille figured we could just go in.  Well, there is a line for with appointment and another without appointment. Young man #1 had us sign-in. Then we sat.   Young man #2 asked about our problem and filled out paper work.  Although we explained the problem, policy says he must try to replicate the problem. We explained the problem was intermittent. The problem usually occurred a couple of hours after being on, and unless you were watching, you’d miss the 6-7 seconds its shuts off. Like talking to a brick wall!  Then he asked if we had brought the remote. That hadn’t occurred to us. So now we need to go home and get that, AND we need an appointment to bring it in!!!  The only open appointment was in about four hours.  #2 plugged in the TV and we left.

 

We dutifully returned with the remote for our 2PM appointment and took a seat in the waiting area.

Young man #3 needed more information to complete more paperwork.  We made another appointment for the next day.

 

Geek guy George was supposed to look at the TV. Surprise!  Surprise!  The problem could not be replicated!  Young man #3 wasn’t sure what was done, but he thought George had reset it. After some discussion with young man #2 rejoining us, it was decided that the Geek Squad needed to see the wiring set up in the RV to be sure that wasn’t the problem.  More paperwork to secure that James would be out to see us. Today is Friday. We leave on Sunday.  So James was promised to come to the rig on Saturday.

 

Step 4:

James came in, looked at the TV and connections.  He asked Derrille a couple of questions. He made a phone call and knew just what the problem could be.  Apparently this model of TV made in 2013 and 2014 had a harnessing problem that requires the installation of a jumper harness. The part had to be ordered. Then we made another appointment for the part’s installation in two weeks when we returned for our next 4 days out of Flagler.  James whole visit took about 15 minutes.

 

Our question is: if you know this is a problem, why doesn’t the repair desk have a list that says these TVs have this problem and this is the fix???   We were not pleased with the time and service we got at Best Buy for this.

 

Step 5:

Derrille put the TV back in for our 10 days at Flagler.  On our return to Bremerton James and his helper came at 8:30 in the morning with the new harness. Watching repairmen pull the back off our new TV was a bit daunting.  Fortunately Derrille was watching too, and when the techs tried to yank out the only wiring, Derrille mentioned the release clips on the connections. James said, “Oh right” and then easily removed and replaced the harnesses. We bid them adieu. 

 

Derrille then reinstalled the TV with new screws making it hang more securely than before.

So far the TV continues to work as it should.  The TV replacement project only took 7 months!

 

I hope this is the end of the TV Saga!

 

 

December 2013

  Welcome Christmas 2013

 Once we recovered from all the wedding festivities the Christmas holidays arrived in a splash of color.  The second weekend in December marks the officially opening of the holiday season.        

     A camping club called the Happy Campers arrived throughout the week.  Buy Friday every site in an entire street is decorated with lights, inflatable Christmas figures, trees and candles. Each member of the club has a little fence that connects one site to another.   

 

Some sites even have edible treats out for the taking. 

 

 

  

Loved these gnomes!  On Monday I was in the pool, and this couple was hooking up their tow car to the rig. I needed a second take on the car. These gnomes travel down the highway sitting in the driver’s seat, the passenger seat and the back seat.  Can you imagine them passing you on the highway? The trio is about 35 years old.

 

 

The Happy Campers set up warming fires and lamps and sit in the middle of the street to enjoy the passerby. Holiday music streams from speakers. I find it all very magical. On Saturday Santa, elves and reindeer walk around the park and distribute candy canes to people and dog treat to the pets. When night descends visitors from inside and outside the park, come to see the holiday lights.

Several park guests, besides the camping club, put up displays.

Saturday night offers these visitors a Chocolate Extravaganza in the club room.  The room is filled with tables and tables of chocolate treats including fudge, brownies, chocolate cookies, pretzels dipped in chocolate and colored icings, Reese-like peanut butter cups, peppermint bark, etc. This year I baked four recipes to add to this event. 






 Door prizes are drawn. My ticket was the first one drawn, and I won a big popcorn holiday treat box! You can hardly help but catch the holiday spirit

The next week I baked 8 kinds of cookies…one of my holiday traditions.  Then we delivered big trays to the park workers, the office staff, and our neighbors. Of course I made a tray for Jason and Desiree too. With the baking done, my friend Karen and I went to lunch for a nice long visit.

We adjusted our Christmas celebrations this year.  Desiree’s traditions include Christmas Eve at grandpa’s house with about 25 family members.  After that, her immediate family returns to their home in Orange County so they can be there for Christmas morning with her 13 year old siblings.  With both Jason and Desi working all week except Christmas day, our first plan of having Jeff join us seemed questionable. Then Jeff’s meniscus surgery got scheduled for Dec. 23^rd. We’d just seen him at the wedding, and considering cost, schedules and surgery, we agreed that he stay home this year.  Jason and Desiree did come down for dinner on the 23^rd and we opened our gifts then.

 

 

 

 

Christmas day we joined about 50 people at the RV Park Christmas potluck. Although the group was significan Again we had a really great time.

 

Someone snapped this photo of us.  Looks like a candidate for next year’s Christmas Cards.

 

This turned out to be a very special Christmas holiday with time to reflect on what is really important about this holiday.   2014 promises us some interesting possibilities to come!

 

May 2014 be very good to you!

 

 

 

 

 

Arizona 2014

 

WOW!  Time continues to move at lightning speed. April signals time to move! This winter in Arizona offered us cool yet comfortable weather in January, perfect weather in February and a gradually increase in temperatures for March.   Now that the thermometer reads mid to high 80 degree, it is time to get out of town.

We did have one torrential downpour this year. We were at a baseball game when the grounds crew brought out about 15 members to man the tarp. Our experience has taught us that when the crew arrives a downpour is imminent.   We wonder if they have a crystal ball to watch the storms move across the valley.  As soon as they appeared, we moved quickly toward the exit. The skies then opened up and dumped inches of water onto the streets.  Following the car in front of us looked just like following a boat out of a marina.  A wake of water billowed up behind the car, while water rooster-tailed out each side. At times the water spray from out car rose higher than our front fenders, as curbs lines disappeared.  We were told that after clearing our closer intersection, other cars were not able to make it through the running water.

 

 

 

 

The corners of our street quickly became a pond.

 

A day or so after the rain, the ground absorbed all the water.

 

Water remained in the usually dry river bends for several days rather than being syphoned immediately into the desert sands as normally happens here.

 

We saw water in places that normally look parched from the sun.

This wash has a bike trail along it. Riders usually see a dusty, dirty, dry ditch here.

 

Spring Training baseball weather paralleled the winter climate with only a couple of games being too hot for me and one being too wet.

 

 This counted as Derrille’s 13^th and my 12^th year of Spring Training.  However instead of attending at least one game/per day as in the past, this year we took two days off each week.  We haven’t discussed if we will maintain this schedule next year or not. The days off were kind of nice.

This  photo shows our view of the field.    The couple right behind the 109 sign are our friends Ron and Nancy.  We sit right in front of them.  You can see Derrille in his straw hat and gray shirt.

 

 

 

The Mariner Moose even showed up a couple of times. He poses with fans and cavorts on top of the dugout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of those days off we traveled east of Phoenix to a place called Tortilla Flats. It sits just a few miles beyond the Canyon Lake we visited last year. The road winds toward Superstition Mountain.

After winding though the high desert terrain, and climbing into the hills, it stills amazes me to see boats on the road.

 

 The “Flats” originally was a stagecoach stop. The three building array reminded us of Chicken Alaska. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These three building house a country store, where we got ice cream,

 

a saloon restaurant and a gift shop. 

 

 

 

At the end of the main structures sits a dilapidated cabin that houses a museum. 

The ceilings and some walls of the main buildings are papered with dollar bills.

 

 

The restroom visit turned out to be an interesting place in its décor.

 

The large sign out front gave us a little history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This little tourist attractions beckons people from all over.  The day we visited a live band was entertaining visitors in a beer garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at the Paradise RV Resort, the gardens around the swimming pool grew up and filled in during our time here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the beginning of January in the photo above right,  

 

 

 

and then the end of March.

 

 

 

The flowers, grassy areas and trees set this park apart from some of the others.

Along the outside wall of Paradise  RV Resort the bougainvillea that nearly died in the freezing winter of 2013, bloomed in all its glory this winter. The vivid color warmed my heart every time we passed by. 

 

This flower blooms all throughout the SW, including Southern California.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paradise Shopper Day occurs the second Saturday of each month. The ballroom takes on a bazaar feel. A variety of vendors put their wares out for sale.

 

 The wood workers have things for sale. Avon, Home Interiors, and Tupperware have booths; leather works, several kinds of jewelry, cleaning agents, fancy sweatshirt, bike lights, baseball caps, homemade cards, knives and kid’s shirts. The metal sculpture garden area always catches my eye, and as does one of my favorites... the banner booth. We own banners for every month and holiday.    :)

 

I purchase my tee shirts here and some from their home store. Every year I restock my basic wardrobe here.  The Saturday Shoppers use to have a great kitchen gadget booth, ­but I haven’t seen it the past two years.  I shop and then I swim.   I like to look, but seldom buy, once I’ve made my tee shirt purchases.

 

The Saturday following the Paradise Shopper is called Patio Sale day. The park allows residents to put things in front of their park models or RVs for sell.

This group gives the patio sale proceeds to a military postage group.

Az 01  04

People come by cart, bike and one foot to delve into the “bargains”.

 

 

This group of people were not looking at a patio sale, but had gathered to check out this man’s new truck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent a good part of January and February getting a new HD television system operational. I plan to write a separate blog on that process.­_­

 

Derrille continued his 4 mile morning walks and I took to the pool.

My new right shoulder reaches out with a smooth, powerful stroke that moves me easily through the water. The sensation of the water gliding pass me provides a feeling of peaceful serenity.   My T-Rex-like left shoulder may move in a small dog paddle stroke beneath the water or just drag at my side.  The result was a ½ crawl stroke down one length of the pool and then some other kind of movement back across the pool.  With no left arm and a fused left ankle I usually swam a crooked path.  Fortunately I often had the pool to myself, or with my swimming partner, Larry, who understands “crooked lanes” and didn’t worry about hitting anyone. Although it continues to amaze me how many people have no knowledge of pool etiquette. I quit counting the number of times one other person would join me in the pool and then express surprise when they floated into me. The pool is huge.  I’m obviously swimming laps and they still hit me.  Hmmmm

 

 

 

 

 

February continues to be Girls Scout Cookies time!  We gave a donation and bought a box at the stand in front of JoAnne’s. 

Did you know the Scouts now take debit and credit cards?????  

Wow have they come a long way since I sold cookies door to door back in the dark ages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cats spend most of their days like this. Only their favorite napping spots change as we move from place to place due to where the most sun is entering the coach.

 

Good bye Arizona, until next year.