tv/video

[ralf1]

I intend getting a 14"combo set or maybe 13"lcd,but am usure as to what size inverter i will need?,the drain on the batterys it will have per hour? and also would a battery pack like one for jump starting be a good idea with a 12v connection,or else a solar panel to keep batteries charged? any ideas???

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ralf1 on 26/01/2004 22:48 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[poggy]

Hi,

A CRT (tube) based TV will take a fair amount of power for a larger set. Your average 14" TV will take about 6-7amps at 12V plus some loss for the inverter if you don'y buy a 12V version. It may be better to buy a LCD monitor as it will also be smaller.

A standard 150W inverter would be suitable for a 14" TV.

Poggy



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[ceeagr]

Would strongly suggest the LCD tv as being the best solution. As another alternative you can us a TV decoder cenected to your Laptop which is especialy good if you already have a Laptop for Navigation. If its got DVD drive all the better.


Alistair

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[poggy]

Hi,

Don't quote me, but the battery packs are around 15ah, so you could get about 2.5 hours max for a CRT portable.

Poggy

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[Talbot]

It is difficult to be specific in an answer without more details on how you use your boat, what size batteries you have , whether you have access to shore power, what size alternators do you have on your engine/engines. How many battery banks you have etc.

Basically you need to do an energy budget - which is to look at all your power requirements over a 24 hr period (e.g. cabin lights 10w x 3 lts x 4 hrs = 120w/hr = 10 amp hrs) then you look at how much energy you will be putting into the batteries in the same period (could be a problem if you are at anchor - not a problem if you are on shore power and have a proper charger system) and then decide whether you will run the engines for a period, get a generator, install solar panels, or get a wind generator (or combinations of all/some).

As a quick and dirty answer, if your batteries are fine with normal running, and you get an LCD TV you would probably get away with one of these small battery top-up solar panels providing you were only running at week ends, and you have at least 200 amp/hr of domestic battery. If you want the conventional TV then you would need to have a much larger panel or some other means of charging.

A 150w inverter should be fine, and an LCD TV would be happy with a modified sine wave inverter (i.e. the cheaper version) a conventional TV may well need a pure sine wave device (would need to be checked) and these are more expensive.

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[poggy]

Hi,

Don't quote me, but the battery packs are around 15ah, so you could get about 2.5 hours max for a CRT portable.

Poggy

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

I looked at a TV card (usb module) for my laptop as a suitable television alternative.

I spent a few days reading review after review on these and non were good, even the top of the range units. The USB was just too slow to accept the television signal.

Things have moved on with USB2, but I have not read anything since my first trawl, but think carefully before buying a USB 1 TV adapter for an older laptop.

Would be interested in anyones experience of USB 2 and TV adapters if such beasts exist. Problem is though, most USB 2 equiped laptops also have large power consumption to feed the high speed processor which is generally is not required for a yacht laptop.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Top Cat Homepage</A>

 

[stephenmartin]

Have you considered using a standard flat screen monitor with an external tuner...the results are great and all run off 12 volts.....my video....dvd...and pc into it too

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[ean_p]

would agree that flat screen is the way to go....ours is fitted to form the locker door so takes almost no space as such...fwiw when we bought ours we were advised by the tech in Comet to get a pukka tv screen rather than a monitor as the tv screen has a much quicker 'recovery' rate and so prevents a slight image retention....if you know what i mean..... or it may have been a good sales pitch as the price difference is about x2......

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[poggy]

Hi,

We use LCD extensively in our broadcast business and I suspect the salesman was spinning you a line about the difference between the two types.

Poggy

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[ralf1]

thanks for your reply you certainly know more than i do,i have a 65 amp lucas alternator,sterling alternator,2 domestic and 1 engine battery& mains in marina,as for power usage i suppose what you described would be about right.hoping this helps you advise me,thanx again

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