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12 volt DC bedroom TV replacement

I'm at a campground with analog cable TV for the first time ever so I finally got to test my bedroom TV and... (pause for suspense)... turns out the picture tube is bad so I pitched it in the dumpster along with the VCR that didn't work either. Today I removed the very nicely built walnut TV cabinet and installed the switches in the wall where Foretravel had already made the holes for them. I presume the bedroom TV was an option and coaches without a bedroom TV probably had the switches mounted in the wall. It looks pretty nice without the old TV cabinet except for the screw holes left behind. I probably lost a few more pounds of useless stuff I've been hauling down the road so that's nice too. Eventually I'll want to install a modern TV there and mount it to the wall or the overhead cabinet possibly. I really never watch TV but I think I should have one for emergencies so I can see local weather broadcasts. I have a collection of DVDs so I'm considering getting a TV with a DVD or Blu-Ray player built in. I don't know what I'm looking for because I'm not a TV person. I'm absolutely sure I want a 12 volt DC TV and there's no way I'm gonna use an inverter. Just thought I'd say that up front to cut down on all the inverter talk. I have enough room for a 24" TV now that I got rid of the old TV cabinet. It looks like the largest 12 volt DC TVs are 24" models. Should I get a "large" 12 volt DC TV like that or is it wiser to get a smaller TV that won't come unglued while I'm bouncing down a bumpy road or something? What kind of mount would be the strongest in an RV? Should I get an LED or a CCFL backlight? Battery consumption isn't a huge concern because I don't watch a lot of TV, although I sometimes watch a DVD, which amounts to about two hours of running time for an average movie usually. I currently watch DVDs on my laptop with a 12 volt DC adapter, which probably uses about the same amount of power as a 12 volt DC TV. It looks like I can get a 12 volt DC TV for a little over $200 without the mount. I'm not real interested in buying a top of the line TV to bounce down the road. I presume a TV in an RV will have a shorter life than a TV in a house. What do you guys know about today's 12 volt DC TVs? What should I be shopping for?
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)

Re: 12 volt DC bedroom TV replacement

Reply #1 –

You do NOT need to buy a 12vdc specific tv set any more. Life has gotten a lot easier. If you get a regular LED HDTV you will get more for your money.

I went to Costco and got a Samsung 26" LED HDTV; this is NOT a 12vdc version. However a plug-in cigarette lighter inverter (under $30) will provide enough power to run your TV and your DVD player (or BluRay). I know because I do it.

Same setup for both front TV and bedroom TV (although the front version is a Walmart $130 19" LED HDTV because it is the only one that will fit and still allow me to open the flanking cupboard doors. Since we both grew up with television set that had a maximum of 24" we don't mind 19".

Make sure you get an LED type HDTV and not an LCD. The LED versions draw a lot less power (and create a lot less heat).

If you are worried about not using a pure-sine-wave inverter (most cigarette lighter inverters are "modified-sine-wave") then just get this from Amazon for under $80:

Amazon.com: AIMS PWRI18012S 180 Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter, 12 Volt: Car

Craig

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: 12 volt DC bedroom TV replacement

Reply #2 –
Craig:  For some reason, he was adamant that he would not use an inverter.
The selected media item is not currently available.Brad & Christine Slaughter
Was:  1990 U280 36'
Was:  2002 U270 36' (With a bathroom door) Build #5981
Is:  2021 Leisure Travel Van Wonder 24RL
2015 Jeep JKU, 2003 S10 QC 4x4 or 2017 C-Max
Lake Havasu City, AZ (or Gillette, WY)

Re: 12 volt DC bedroom TV replacement

Reply #3 –
I thought he meant a big inverter... I wouldn't shell out $600 just to watch TV either. But $30 is another question. :P

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: 12 volt DC bedroom TV replacement

Reply #4 –
It's only been a few days since I removed the TV, VCR, and the walnut cabinet they were in but I've already discovered that I like having that open space. I never watch TV and I only want it for emergencies to see the local weather so I'll know which direction to run when I have to bug out. I think I'm just gonna get a USB TV tuner card to plug into my laptop. As an extra added bonus I'll still be able to honestly say I don't own a TV and freak people out! :)) ...so, do any of you know about USB TV tuners for laptop computers? It looks like I can easily get one for $20-50 on the internet but I'll have to do some research first.
Scott Cook
1991 U300 36' 6V92TA
Old Town Penobscot 16
1984 Honda VF1100C (V65 Magna)
 

Re: 12 volt DC bedroom TV replacement

Reply #6 –
I have a couple of Silicon Dust HDHomeRun Dual tuners that I use with our MythTV DVR. They connect via a network rather than USB. They work well with a good antenna and can supply video to a computer. I've been pleased with their performance for my purposes. The USB device is probably cheaper and might be better for your purpose.
Welcome to SiliconDust | SiliconDust – HDHomeRun®
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX