TV and PC

[Caronia]

With a coming up to three year old on board an essential aid to peaceful passages is the television. Over the last few days my trusty laptop has shown imcreasingly erratic and odd behaviour, I suspect that it is about to shuffle off this mortal coil and needs replacing. I had wondered whether I could kill two birds with one stone and get a laptop with a TV card fitted so that the PC can be used as a Television. Has anyone had any experience of these cards?

 

[Trevethan]

I have one, with a Hauppauge card fitted and it works quite well. At least when its not moving. Picture at home is pretty good.. alittle jerky but you soon stop noticing it. The biggest problem with on board TV seems to be reception

She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like the sound a dog makes just before it throws up

 

[gtmoore]

If TV reception is difficult under way then most come fitted with a DVD player which could be useful instead. Might want to check this when buying? I assume childrens programs are available on DVD now?


Gavin

 

[pandroid]

I've got a a Haupagge Card too (at home) and a Hauppage USB unit that plugs into the laptop in the boat. Both work equally well but:
a) Getting a good signal on a boat seems to be difficult
b)The continent uses different standards, and different tuners are required
c)Some (cheap) laptops screens are only visible at narrow angles. This is OK for one person but limiting if the whole family is watching.

Most laptops play DVDs these days. We take a stock with us. Fortunately even those you buy on the Continent have English tracks on then.

The Dutch seem to take their own sattelite dish with them. I've not tried that (yet)

 

[Trevethan]

my hauppage card has adjustments for French and other European systems, plus NTSC.. not tried to use the card abroad, but seems from the configuration settings that it will deal with most signals

regards,

Nick

 

[tcm]

i would be wary of a 3-year-old with the fabbo not-very drool-proof PC, and cost of the cards is not low for a decent unit. I think a better idea is a separate PC and separate tv. Note also that the reception may be dodgy and anyway, C4 racing is not that great. The all-in-one tv/dvd's are not bad. or praps a 240/12v vcr/tape.

 

[MarkR]

You might like to consider an LCD monitor with built in TV tuner/speakers. PCworld have one for just under £300 right now, it runs on 12V DC so you could conceivably forget the invertor/power block and go direct from the ships supply. I also think it does NTSC but not sure abour SECAM (France).

Benefits:
1. Can be used as standalone TV
2. Typically the first thing to go on laptop in screen and this could be driven direct from your existing laptop. Strange behaviour is often the result of a nearly full disk with lots of conflicting software - sometimes best to start from scratch, i.e. backup the valuable stuff, format the HD and reinstall only the things you really need.

Anyway, just a thought ...

 

[steve_cronin]

When we used to sail in the UK we took the divital (now called Freeview) box with us this worked well on the circular aerial (was it called a Gazelle?) because digital is either received or not received so you get a good picture or no picture which is much better than a snowy or multiple shadow effect.

We sail in Greece now and the transmissions amongst the islands aee usually very good but you need a Greek standard set or you have to put up with picture OR sound but not both! Must say though that I bought the 4" B/W combi set in a Greek hardware for £65 in a moment of weakness during England's World cup campaign. It hasn't been on the boat since but plays CD's Ok on the garden deck.

Steve Cronin

 

[hylas]

One of the problem with Laptop PC is the consumption.. between 2 and 7 amps..
On "Hylas" I have a small "TFT" 5" TV, working on 12 volts with only 0.8 Amp of current draw.. both Pal, Secam and NTSC.. and also a small DVD, CD and MP3 player..