Good TV solutions?

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thecommander

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We're looking to get a TV onboard so SWMBO and I can go down to the boat and watch TV when we're bored/too tired to go out sailing (very gin palacely I know :rolleyes:).

I had considered buying a cheap Android tablet (second hand Hudl type thing) and a USB TV tuner for it, but the screen will probably be too small unless I spend mega buckets on a large screen tablet (Surface Pro or iPad pro). I had also considered buying a TV tuner for the laptop, but screen size and power consumption are issues. I also don't fancy bringing an expensive laptop down to the boat each time.

The one good thing about the tablet idea is I can get my charts on it and possibly using a TV tuner receive AIS also.

The other and more expensive option is to buy a proper 12v TV and mount it on one of the bulkheads. Not sure I would buy a proper marine one, the ones for caravans would probably do the job.

I wondering if readers have any good suggestions for cheap TV solutions on their boats?
 
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jac said:
Had been idly considering it. Several suitable ones on Amazon for just over £100 with free view and DVD player. At that price, hard to go wrong.
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I'm wondering what sort of picture you'd get without mounting an antenna on the mast?
 
In this day and age I'd be thinking of a half-decent Internet connection and something that works with iPlayer et al...

Pete
 
We went with a bog standard 240v Sony smart TV through a £20 Maplins inverter. In the Solent, a Banten stub aerial stuffed behind the tv works fine 50% of the time, popped out a hatch and lying on deck 25%, and hauled up the flag halyard the rest. All figures very unscientific!
 
We have a 19inch, 12v, LCD TV / DVD bought from John Lewis, it came with a 5 year warranty. I've had lousy experience with indoor / portable / raised by halyard aerials and one of my best purchases was the one now bolted to the mast top. Keeps the crew happy so worth every penny.
 
We use an Avtec 24" 12 volt Freeview TV DVD combi. Very low power consumption.

When combined with a pipo X9 tv box you have all you want in terms of movies i player e mail wifi connections etc

Ours also is used as a 24" chartplotter screen running OpenCPN on the Pipo X9. We get to display real paper maps (Visit My Harbour Chart Stick) on it rather than cartoon raster charts.

This makes new route planning so much easier than working on a tiny chartplotter screen in the cockpit in the rain and wind!.

Works for me and the lady Admirable.
 
We're in Chichester and don't get any reception using a tv aerial so for the last few years have been using a small caravan freesat dish and receiver. Perfect picture everytime. No good when at anchor though for obvious reasons....
 
We have a 17" flat screen with a Glomex aerial with booster and get good reception most places at anchor. One thing to be careful of if you buy a TV is that the viewing angle is suitable for boat use. Our TV is only viewable +- 40 degrees from head on and the picture is not good enough outside this angle.
 
Or you could go the built-in satellite route that my Island Packet mate has, with telly in the middle of the North Sea if you wish. I suspect that it will cost you a bit. I may still have my old Casio portable TV, with a 2" screen. Analogue only.
 
thecommander said:
... I had considered buying a cheap Android tablet (second hand Hudl type thing) and a USB TV tuner for it, but the screen will probably be too small unless I spend mega buckets on a large screen tablet (Surface Pro or iPad pro). I had also considered buying a TV tuner for the laptop, but screen size and power consumption are issues. I also don't fancy bringing an expensive laptop down to the boat each time.

The one good thing about the tablet idea is I can get my charts on it and possibly using a TV tuner receive AIS also.
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The Hudl(s) have HDMI output, so if your TV has that input (do they all, these days?) then a couple of quid for a cable effectively enlarges the Hudl screen for when you are not watching off-air TV.

Mike.
 
Another vote for Avtec, after trying various cheap sets we bought a gooone and in the end well worth the money. Good picture from almost any angle and a very good digital tv rx, even works in Portugal without a box.
 
i have skygo on my laptop. i usually download a box set of something or other in case we get stuck on the boat and then can watch it offline. it can run on 3g but it uses a lot of data. i watched the rugby on it though and it was a good clear signal. but its all according where you are
 
Glomex aerial at middle of the mast above radar and Grundic Leemaxx 19. This is a 19 inch 12V TV. Simply cut the plug and connect the wires where suitable (no inverter or anything else required). It plays films on USB too.
 
I have had a Pyramid 12/240v tv with DVD player for the last 7 years and it has been faultless. It seems to be aimed at the caravan/motorhome market - http://www.camping-online.co.uk/tvs...-6-widescreen-hd-ready-lcd-tv-and-dvd-pl.html

I originally bought a Tesco TV which had a 12volt transformer so in theory it should have run OK when wired directly to the boat 12 volt system but it died after only one week, apparently caused by the higher voltage from the charger (14.7v ish). Don't know how much truth is in this but we also found that the viewing angle was awful.

The pyramid TV is permanently wired to the 12v even though it came with a transformer to plug into the mains. It hasn't suffered any problems with the higher voltage. The viewing angle is also pretty good, the position of the TV is quite high so you find yourself looking up at it and there is no problem with shadow. I've learnt that a good antenna and booster is important. We have a Glomex mounted at the top of the mast in a pretty tricky area for coverage, it didn't pick up anything at first and then I realised that the gain on the booster was turned right down. We immediately picked up all the freeview channels available once this was set correctly. I had a Glomex mounted on a small A frame with the last boat and failed to pick up a single channel so it's important that the antenna is up high if you are in a patchy signal area.
 
Matt341 said:
I have had a Pyramid 12/240v tv with DVD player for the last 7 years and it has been faultless. It seems to be aimed at the caravan/motorhome market - http://www.camping-online.co.uk/tvs...-6-widescreen-hd-ready-lcd-tv-and-dvd-pl.html

I originally bought a Tesco TV which had a 12volt transformer so in theory it should have run OK when wired directly to the boat 12 volt system but it died after only one week, apparently caused by the higher voltage from the charger (14.7v ish). Don't know how much truth is in this but we also found that the viewing angle was awful.

The pyramid TV is permanently wired to the 12v even though it came with a transformer to plug into the mains. It hasn't suffered any problems with the higher voltage. The viewing angle is also pretty good, the position of the TV is quite high so you find yourself looking up at it and there is no problem with shadow. I've learnt that a good antenna and booster is important. We have a Glomex mounted at the top of the mast in a pretty tricky area for coverage, it didn't pick up anything at first and then I realised that the gain on the booster was turned right down. We immediately picked up all the freeview channels available once this was set correctly. I had a Glomex mounted on a small A frame with the last boat and failed to pick up a single channel so it's important that the antenna is up high if you are in a patchy signal area.
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I haven't checked TV prices recently but £250 seems a bit excessive for a 15.6" screen. I didn't think many people used DVDs on a boat now. We tend to connect a HUDL and play video from that to a TV. I'd suggest looking for a TV that's only able to view video stored on a USB stick or SD Card as that would use less power than a DVD player. Not an issue if you never stray from shorepower.

Not too surprised to hear that 14.7V killed your TV. I imagine it would have been a lot cheaper to just buy a stabilised 12V supply for your Tesco TV.
 
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