12V Didgital flat screen TV

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davedpc

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Now that analog is finished i would like to replace my set. I note that Avatex seem to be the market leaders, their sets having all the thing like dvd freeview and sat. decoder etc. Dont think i need a decoder but the satalite dish on my motorhome gives me 100% picture all over Europe. I have a Glomex aerial/amplifier on the boat but this serves to amp. the reflections of the raggy masts so i find a basic 'coathanger better'. Where as Avatec sets are approx. £400. I can get a 18" set from Curries/Comet for a quater of the price but without the sat. decoder.Anyone recently been down this path of replacment.
 
12V Digital

I have a similar antenna and am waiting for digital switchover in Eastbourne before making any decisions. My understanding is that once the analogue system is switched off the digital system power is massively enhanced so that the freeview channels should be received with a strong signal.

If you buy a 12 volt set from Comet etc. you will probably need a power stabiliser to keep it operational. You may be better buying any 240v set and using an inverter. The cost is not dramatically different and you'll get a much better choice
 
Many of the smaller, up to about 19", 240V sets in Curry's and the like are in fact 12 volt, but use a transformer in the mains lead.

Ditch the transformer and plug straight into 12 volt on the boat. Some people will say you need a regulator to avoid the 14ish volts you get when running the engine or on battery charger from damaging the telly. I haven't had a problem and regularly use mine while charging the batteries.
 
We have just purchased the Cheap and cheerfull Luxor 19" Freeview LED TV/DVD from Asda for £114.
Uses a 12v transformer which you have to cut the lead off for fitting a 12v plug.
The aerial is one of these:
http://www.audiomate.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=T143EB
though I got mine through Ebay for about £40 delivered.

Only tried it at the Marina (Cobbs Quay in Poole) but seems to work OK, The BBC channels pixelate sometimes on some days but overall the picture and sound are better than expected for the price.

Be aware that Asda also do a similar LCD TV/DVD which whilst only £98 is just mains powered. We used one for a week through an inverter, as they gave us the wrong box when we first bought it!!!
 
It's also possible to use a freeview dongle with a laptop. We have a laptop at home, tucked in the TV cabinet. Connected to the digital aerial with a dongle. Connected to the TV and the surround sound system. We have a remote that works with Windows 7 media centre and a wireless mini keyboard.

Using the remote or the keyboard we have a freeview plus system, a video library, a music library etc. Plus, anything you can do on a laptop/PC can be done with the keyboard, internet, email, downloaded movies, iPlayers etc etc.

£200 for a 2nd hand high spec laptop and a few odds and ends, less than £300.

Onboard, we use a laptop as a backup chartplotter. In the process of changing to a bigger boat and the plan is to stand a laptop at the chart table, wired into an NMEA network so that it can be used as a plotter/sonar. Will connect to a separate monitor and a sound system. It will then double up an a kind of entertainment centre. TV, radio, CD/DVD player, internet, email etc.
 
neale said:
Many of the smaller, up to about 19", 240V sets in Curry's and the like are in fact 12 volt, but use a transformer in the mains lead.

Ditch the transformer and plug straight into 12 volt on the boat. Some people will say you need a regulator to avoid the 14ish volts you get when running the engine or on battery charger from damaging the telly. I haven't had a problem and regularly use mine while charging the batteries.
Click to expand...

Yep done the same and bought the Tesco 15" Technix Tv which is 12volt with a transformer (about £110 with dvd, the last time I looked). I just made up a 12volt lead and bought the correct plugs from maplins. I've had it for several years and no issues on 12v to 14volts, although I try not to have it plugged in with the engine running.

As for the aerial, I have this Magic Circle Aerial, seems to be the best for signal and I have tried many ariels, also very cheap: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000KLFMJS/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details
 
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I bought a second hand Avatec 15inch TV that is 12/240v for £80 on Fleabay. Being in a poor signal area (at home berth) I need to boost the signal and the Avatec sets have a built in power booster if paired with an Avatec aerial which works just fine for me. I have just installed a car FM/CD/DVD player and linked the video out to the Avetec TV - hey presto - 12v surround sound DVD system.
I will try a Glomex aerial after digital switch over to see if the signal has been boosted as the directional Avatec aerial is a bit of a pain
 
neale said:
Many of the smaller, up to about 19", 240V sets in Curry's and the like are in fact 12 volt, but use a transformer in the mains lead.

Ditch the transformer and plug straight into 12 volt on the boat. Some people will say you need a regulator to avoid the 14ish volts you get when running the engine or on battery charger from damaging the telly. I haven't had a problem and regularly use mine while charging the batteries.
Click to expand...

+1 never had a problem stright on to 12v battery. I bought a standard telly from Comet, made sure it worked on 12v and wired it so I could use it on 12v on a mooring and switch it to 240v on shorepower. Worked a treat.

Re Glomex. I tried their products and frankly always had a rubbish picture. But via a recommendation in this forum I tried this antenna and it's brilliant.

http://www.parkmyauto.co.uk/parkmyauto-portable-tv-aerial-arial-areil-antenna-136-c.asp

It soes look cheap n cheerful but it really is good.
When analogue was switched off up here our digitaql signal did improve dramatically and we get a much better picture than we did with analogue.
 
Not that it really helps, but I've just ordered one of the Kogan units to replace the analogue only TV on the boat. Reviews seem to think they're cheap and cheerful, get the job done however video/audio quality isn't particularly great.
 
asteven221 said:
+1 never had a problem stright on to 12v battery. I bought a standard telly from Comet, made sure it worked on 12v and wired it so I could use it on 12v on a mooring and switch it to 240v on shorepower. Worked a treat.

Re Glomex. I tried their products and frankly always had a rubbish picture. But via a recommendation in this forum I tried this antenna and it's brilliant.

http://www.parkmyauto.co.uk/parkmyauto-portable-tv-aerial-arial-areil-antenna-136-c.asp

It soes look cheap n cheerful but it really is good.
When analogue was switched off up here our digitaql signal did improve dramatically and we get a much better picture than we did with analogue.
Click to expand...

I dont know if i want to bother with 240v wether on shore power or not. The only things i have on shore power is the kettle fan heater or a dehumidifier. All the other equipment runs 12v so i will only have an aerial and 12v cable to a neet flatscreen on a mounting bracket. This is the same set up that i have on the motorhome.I would like to hear from anyone that uses Glomex aerial / digital tv.on the Hamble.Thanks all for your input.
 
Cardo said:
Not that it really helps, but I've just ordered one of the Kogan units to replace the analogue only TV on the boat. Reviews seem to think they're cheap and cheerful, get the job done however video/audio quality isn't particularly great.
Click to expand...

Recently bought a 24inch Kogan and the video is OK but the audio is very poor using the in-built speakers. It'll be OK when I've re-vamped the on-board audio system !!
 
Before the digital switch over I had a Maplins 7" tv on board linked to a Status omni directional aerial mounted on the radar arch. Boat is at Cobbs Quay, TV worked OK but sometimes lost signal when on LW springs.

As I normally have laptop with me bought one of those usb tv dongles (as already mentioned by someone else), just plug on the aerial cable and then into the laptop and I am really pleased with the results and even on LW springs, and it was quite low last weekend, no loss of any channels or picture quality. Cost was about £12 from CPC.
 
Our boat came with something that looks like this
http://www.glomex.it/product_details.asp?id=V9125/00
mounted to the top of the mast.

This is fed into a signal amplifier mounted in the saloon that runs off 12v. Last weekend I connected the antenna to my USB DVB TV dongle and was able to pick up just about every Freeview channel, I think. We were at Haslar in Portsmouth at the time.

Will be interesting to see how it fares with the new TV.
 
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