Home Entertainment
Center
Even with the extension to the credenza, the computer
must serve double duty. With the addition of a DVD player and a graphics
card that includes an internal TV tuner, the 18" Flat Panel Monitor became the center
of my home entertainment center. I had replaced the standard AM-FM
Cassette radio that is included with Airstreams with an Alpine AM-FM/CD
unit. The stereo speakers in the living room and bedroom are mounted
in the walls behind the drapes. While this unit provides decent sound,
the DVD player begged for a Digital Dolby sound system. With size
and weight being at a premium in trailers, I originally installed
the Cambridge Digital Dolby 5.1 SoundWorks system. This system included
a very small control unit with decoders for Dolby ProLogic and Digital
Dolby as was well as matrix five channel sound from stereo sources.
The five matching cube speakers were secured with Velcro and the subwoofer
fit on the shelf with the ink jet printer under the credenza. The
Cambridge system came with a sound card with digital and analog outputs
to the control unit. Although the volume would be limited for a large
area, it is quite adequate for an area the size of the Airstream.
The system provides a good compliment to the DVD player in the computer
and the 18.1" monitor in playing DVD movies. However, being somewhat
of a hi-fi nut, I quickly determined that the small 3" cube speakers and
a 5" subwoofer were not sonically up to my desires. I purchased a set of Energy Take 5 speakers (comprised
of one Take 1 center speaker and four Take 2 speakers - www.energy-speakers.com)
and an Energy ES-8 subwoofer (www.energy-speakers.com).
While these speakers are several times as large as the Cambridge speakers,
they are still manageable and sound great. I purchased four Omnimount
stands made especially for the Take 2 speakers. I mounted the front
speakers to the credenza on either side of the monitor pointed slightly
up. I mounted the rear speakers beneath the front overhead cabinet,
above the couch. I mounted the center channel Take 1 speaker to the
cabinet above the computer monitor using a mounting kit from Bose. The ES-8 subwoofer barely fits under the credenza.
I also replaced the decoder card included with the Cambridge system with an
ATI Radeon All-In-Wonder card. This AGP video card includes a TV tuner,
a DVD player, digital video output for flat-screen monitors (LCD's) and Dolby
5.1 decoding. The
sonic improvement is amazing. Music CD's sound better than any sound
system I have heard in an RV. The 100-watt subwoofer can easily keep
up with the demands of DVD's.
Lighting
To improve the interior lighting, I have replace most
of the incandescent lights with fluorescent light fixtures. When the
bedroom vent unit was removed to install the second roof air conditioner,
the bedroom light fixture had to be replaced. Since the air conditioner
took up much of the ceiling, I had fluorescent valence lights installed
and wired into the existing ceiling switch.
Window Tinting
An Airstream can really pick up the heat during the summer.
To reduce the interior heat loading and add privacy, I applied 5% Limousine
tint film to all the windows except the front three windows that are covered
by the dark tint stone guard.
Flooring
Our Airstream had carpet throughout. I replaced
the carpet in the entry, kitchen and hall with Pergo Red Oak. The
new floor looks great. I used red oak 1/2 x 3/4 corner molding to
finish off the job. Although it took about a week, the result is
worth the expense and the effort.
More
Photos of our Airstream. (Don't forget to click on the back button
on your browser to return here)
page updated 12/28/05
