HDMI connections to TVs

[bburf42]

To start, I’m a HUGE video gamer, going on a cruise just after an amazing game is released. Do TVs in cabins on the Westerdam have HDMI connections? If no, are there public areas that might have HDMI connections? Teen areas? bars? I don’t care where! 

 

For reference I’m going on a 100% charter cruise - there are no kids or teens on this cruise (end of May/start of June in which I have zero interest in the charter topic but going just to support someone who does).  So looking for my own personal entertainment,  not related to the cruise stuff.  If at a bar, I’m super willing to tip a bar tender very very well to let me connect & play. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

I don't know about Westerdam, but the TV on Eurodam did not have any reachable ports. Posters on other ships have reported the same thing. Wherever the connections are, you can't get to them. I doubt a bartender would allow you to hook up a device to the bar's TV. You and the cable would be in the way.

[shack]

Maybe in rooms where they have computer classes, movies, or guest speaker talks?

[VMax1700]

6 hours ago, shack said:

Maybe in rooms where they have computer classes, movies, or guest speaker talks?

The computer classes are no more, so no computers.

[VMax1700]

The ports are all at the rear panel of the tv and just about unreachable.  It is also widely reported that the ports are disabled.  Also if you need an internet connection for your game, that is 'patchy' and the speed would not lend itself to serious gaming.

[Hllb]

If this is a charter and no kids onboard, perhaps they’d let you use the teen club? I believe there are gaming consoles there. Worth asking about, though I don’t know how charters work.

[vicd1969]

42 minutes ago, Hllb said:

If this is a charter and no kids onboard, perhaps they’d let you use the teen club? I believe there are gaming consoles there. Worth asking about, though I don’t know how charters work.

That is a good idea worth asking. On the Nieuw Statendam most of the video consoles in Club Hal were PS4 but I think they also had one PS5.

 

Also I don’t know if this is still the case, but the large J class interior on the main deck of Vista and Signature class ships like Westerdam had TVs that could swivel due to the bed layout. So their ports were accessible at that time.

[ski ww]

13 hours ago, bburf42 said:

To start, I’m a HUGE video gamer, going on a cruise just after an amazing game is released. Do TVs in cabins on the Westerdam have HDMI connections? If no, are there public areas that might have HDMI connections? Teen areas? bars? I don’t care where! 

 

For reference I’m going on a 100% charter cruise - there are no kids or teens on this cruise (end of May/start of June in which I have zero interest in the charter topic but going just to support someone who does).  So looking for my own personal entertainment,  not related to the cruise stuff.  If at a bar, I’m super willing to tip a bar tender very very well to let me connect & play. 

Maybe this would be a good time to disconnect from the web and enjoy the real world. Enjoy the sun rise/sun set, meet new people. Experience life at sea, get off the ship and see & experience different cultures. There is so much more to life then watching a screen all day.

[3rdGenCunarder]

22 minutes ago, ski ww said:

Maybe this would be a good time to disconnect from the web and enjoy the real world. Enjoy the sun rise/sun set, meet new people. Experience life at sea, get off the ship and see & experience different cultures. There is so much more to life then watching a screen all day.

 

As someone who made a living sitting in front of a screen most of the time, I couldn't agree more! 

[mikebsxm]

Even if you could somehow get an HDMI cable plugged in, maybe with long forceps, the TV remotes are not standard major brand remotes.  They are custom, and provide NO way to switch the TV's inputs.  The data from the ship is fed to each TV by Ethernet.  You can't switch from Ethernet to HDMI.  The only possible way, if you could get your cable connected, is to bring a universal remote, and program it to control whatever brand and model TV your ship provides.  Don't forget to switch it back to ship TV when you are done.

But I'm with the others who say, "cut the cord, forget the TV, and enjoy the cruise you paid lots of money for".

[vicd1969]

OP said this particular cruise is a charter with activities that don’t interest him, but he is going along with his travel partner. Would be curious to see if he can pull this off in a safe manner , in case I need to use the tv input myself possibly in the future to view photos taken during the cruise.

[fusion927]

You might try contacting Ship Services.  They do have the big TV's on a stand that they roll around to various venues.  Perhaps they can arrange something for you.  Or, can you wire it up to something like an Oculus?

 

But I wouldn't hold my breath.  On a charter they are already going to be very busy doing all the non-standard setups and configurations they don't do on a routine cruise (including using extra venues).

 

And, as a software engineer for more years than I care to remember, it is good to experience something other than a screen sometimes 😀

 

Mark

 

[Hllb]

I’m not going to shame someone for how they want to spend their vacation. They like to game - no issue with that if that’s how they want to spend their time, even on a vacation. Isn’t the point to enjoy ourselves?

 

But OP, I just realized - how are you going to play if it’s a new release? Will you have a disk and it won’t need online access to play? I can’t imagine the ship’s internet would be usable for anything online.

[gilboman]

20 hours ago, mikebsxm said:

Even if you could somehow get an HDMI cable plugged in, maybe with long forceps, the TV remotes are not standard major brand remotes.  They are custom, and provide NO way to switch the TV's inputs.  The data from the ship is fed to each TV by Ethernet.  You can't switch from Ethernet to HDMI.  The only possible way, if you could get your cable connected, is to bring a universal remote, and program it to control whatever brand and model TV your ship provides.  Don't forget to switch it back to ship TV when you are done.

But I'm with the others who say, "cut the cord, forget the TV, and enjoy the cruise you paid lots of money for".

I had a universal remote and couldn't get it to switch inputs on the Konigsdam eventhough I was able to access a HDMI port.  I think the tv custom firmware disable those ports even if you try with a universal remote (I was able to get to menu and show inputs but can't change to the HDMI port)

 

[JesseLivermore]

On 2/18/2023 at 3:44 AM, VMax1700 said:

The ports are all at the rear panel of the tv and just about unreachable.  It is also widely reported that the ports are disabled.  Also if you need an internet connection for your game, that is 'patchy' and the speed would not lend itself to serious gaming.

 

Ports on the Westerdam were reachable, if you're nimble 🙂 Now I wonder if the box has  internet/ethernet going to it which could help OP's internet access issue too 🙂   

Edited February 19, 2023 by JesseLivermore

[VMax1700]

Just now, JesseLivermore said:

 

Ports on the Westerdam were reachable, if you're nimble 🙂 Now I wonder if the box has  internet/ethernet going to it. 🙂   

There is an ethernet cable going to the TV, for the on demand movies and viewing your account.

[JesseLivermore]

1 minute ago, VMax1700 said:

There is an ethernet cable going to the TV, for the on demand movies and viewing your account.

 

Right I wonder how it is locked down or can OP use the  cable  for internet. I doubt it though

[VMax1700]

1 minute ago, JesseLivermore said:

 

Right I wonder how it is locked down or can OP use the  cable  for internet. I doubt it though

Doubt it.  It would only be connected to the ships intranet and would not have access to the internet.

[iceman93]

Can you bring a laptop with a large screen and an HDMI input?

[bchandler02]

On 2/19/2023 at 1:39 PM, JesseLivermore said:

 

Ports on the Westerdam were reachable, if you're nimble 🙂 Now I wonder if the box has  internet/ethernet going to it which could help OP's internet access issue too 🙂   

 

On 2/18/2023 at 4:45 PM, mikebsxm said:

Even if you could somehow get an HDMI cable plugged in, maybe with long forceps, the TV remotes are not standard major brand remotes.  They are custom, and provide NO way to switch the TV's inputs.  The data from the ship is fed to each TV by Ethernet.  You can't switch from Ethernet to HDMI.  The only possible way, if you could get your cable connected, is to bring a universal remote, and program it to control whatever brand and model TV your ship provides.  Don't forget to switch it back to ship TV when you are done.

But I'm with the others who say, "cut the cord, forget the TV, and enjoy the cruise you paid lots of money for".

 

I have dealt with this quite often in my travels as I frequently need a 2nd screen when working. 

As others have said, step 1 is getting to the HDMI port. This is hit and miss and probably not even consistent across the rooms on that ship due to different layouts, brands/models of TV, etc. Step 2 is getting the input changed on the TV. You could try the universal remote option, or you may get lucky and be able to access the buttons on the TV itself. Places like this typically have a phone or ethernet cable connected to the TV. On some of these, unplugging this and then turning on the TV "unlocks" it and it will let you change. Other times, this isn't the case. 

 

Bottom line - it is VERY hit and miss, and there probably aren't alot of people that have really attempted it vs. just seeing they were not supposed to get to the HDMI port and leaving it at that. 

The laptop as a screen idea is probably your best bet - or a travel monitor.