TV in my boat for the kids

[amanphoto]

OK, I am looking for a TV for my boat's cuddy. I have a nice flat spot to mount it and am looking for TV's with dvd player. My options are a 12V tv or a 110 tv with an inverter. Which one will draw less? Do I need a marine tv or will a regular tv work? I was thinking around 19".

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

....how about a couple of kids fishing rods and some little binoculars?
BP

 

[amanphoto]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

are you crazy. Ever seen two boys with fishing rods. They will use them like swords or light-sabers. Not to mention getting a hook stuck in me or one of them from a wild cast.

They have fishing rods. I always end up putting the warm on the hood and taking the fish off. They enjoy that for a little while.

The TV is for at night when we are camping out.


I was looking at these....

http://www.12volt-travel.com/12-volt-15-tv-dvd-combo-marinized-for-boats-p-8725.html

http://www.12volt-travel.com/19-hid...olt-tv-w-builtin-dvd-player-combo-p-7786.html

and I need the DVD player to be on the right side of the unit.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

Why not just a portable dvd player. They can watch it on the drive to the ramp as well.

 

[Tommyfmu]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

I'll be mounting a flat panel, around 19" - 22" in my cabin too come Spring, but have decided to do an LCD tv but a separate DVD player. We have so many DVD players break down in our house, no doubt a built in one on a TV will break too especially with all the bouncing of the boat. Just my 2 cents.

 

[cpubud]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

I run a reg house tv 19 inch flat panel in mine on an inverter with built in dvd player 2 years and no problems ,so far. and a lot cheaper.

 

[Druff1]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

How about one of these?

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Photos/Default.aspx?i=020VZ409&tp=20220

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

19" Flat screen will draw far less than than a CRT. If you look around, you can get one that runs on a 12v adaptor, but you will probably find the draw is the same. Buy a portable DVD player to go with it. You will get more use out of it than just on the boat.

 

[paulspaddle]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

Why not a laptop?

I have numerous laptops and we cart them around and use them all the time.

You can get 17" even 19" and larger laptops that will play DVD's with the added benefit of multiple uses other than just a media player.

12V with converter with battery back up. Keep your files close at hand, keep multiple movies on the hard drive ect...

...AND, get WiFi and do some iboats..when everyone else is asleep.

 

[amanphoto]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

a standard tv should hold up?

 

[Iwannacentury]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

how about one of those flip up models that a van has mounted to the roof?
i know it could be small but...it can stow out of the way,its gonna be 12 volts,and it will have a built in dvd player.
im not sure how big the screen will be.

thats my 2 cents

 

[Aviator5]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

You can also buy a digital converter and antenna to hook up to your portable DVD player, and receive some HD chanels from the air. That is what I do on minea. Or TV adapter for laptop.

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

a standard tv should hold up?

Sure. I remember being on lots of boats in the 90's that had standard CRT tvs.

Still, CRTs use a lot more power than LCDs. I would get a portable dvd player as suggested. They are inexpensive compared to tv's and have the advantage of portability. You can run them off their own battery, 120v ac with an adapter or 12V with a ciggarette lighter adapter.

 

[JaSla74]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

I'd go portable, unless you just have to mount a LCD. You'll get more use out of the port unless you're on a live aboard.

 

[109jb]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

comparing 12V DC to 110V AC, the DC should draw less than the AC with inverter because the inverters I have seen draw a bunch of current just by themselves. The conversion doesn't come free. I bought a 10" 12V LCD TV/DVD combo about 5 years ago for about $300. It came with detachable speakers and 2 sets of wireless headphones. It is really a tv and has a built-in tuner and remote control. I'm not sure if the tuner is digital signal ready, but I'm sure the current version must be compatable. The DVD inserts from the top. It is about 3 inches thick and has its own flip out stand. It also has low power draw, about 20 watts if I remember right. There are also aux inputs and my kids have used it with their game consoles, although at that point you would need an inverter. I would guess that you could get something similar for much less money or go bigger for about the same price. I guess I'm saying I would go 12v if I were you. Here is the one I have and have been extremely happy with it for what I bought it for:

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=D1020&cat=CON

 

[roscoe]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

Why not just leave them at home?

If you are camping, there is plenty of things to do.
The only time they should be inside is when they are actually sleeping.

 

[Jess13]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

If you go with a 110v TV and a power inverter you are going to burn valuable power that doesn't need to be used. Power inverters are from about 92%-98% efficient at best. I have even seen some by cobra that have an efficiency rating of only 88%.

When you consider all the loss that you will experience over the life of the vessel, you might just want to think about a 12volt-travel TV. The power rating on them is usually about 5 amps but this rating is only for the 110v power supply that comes with the TV's.

When the 12volt-travel TV is used with the included 12V DC power cord they draw closer to just 3 amps.

I have also found out that "marinized" TV's are not absolutely necessary on a boat. If the TV is going to be used/kept where it's not exposed to the elements a non-marinized TV is fine.

Buy your 12 Volt TV here; I did & I Love It. They have wall mounts, all the accessories you might need for the install and extended warranties if you're worried about the built-in DVD player takin' a crap.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

I agree.... avoid an inverter any time you can.... Save it for the microwave

 

[Steve Mahler]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

i have three very active boys and know that you need some 'down time' especially during long slow cruises etc. I found the portable DVD player the best option - the laptops draw more power, get scary hot sometimes, and are easy to bump a button and goof up.

More important, PLEASE BECAREFUL OF INVERTERS - my buddy lost a 32 carver to fire this season because a 'cheap' inverter running a flat screen TV got really hot and lit up a curtain. No one was hurt, but the boat was written off.

Since then, I am even more careful (at home too) leaving these types of devices turned on. I should also mention that my laptop at work caught fire on my oak desk a few years ago - that woke me up

 

[traderdavel]

Re: TV in my boat for the kids

I'll be mounting a flat panel, around 19" - 22" in my cabin too come Spring, but have decided to do an LCD tv but a separate DVD player. We have so many DVD players break down in our house, no doubt a built in one on a TV will break too especially with all the bouncing of the boat. Just my 2 cents.

How do you actually mount it. I wanted to do the same with a 15" TV - but not sure how to keep it from flying off the walls while under way.