Caravan TV

[MHOLLY]

Hi, we’re about to buy a tv for the caravan and was wondering if there’s a make or brand that you’d recommend? I’d appreciate any advice or suggestions.

(We watched sky go on my iPad and it wasn’t too good!).

Many thanks and happy caravanning to you all.

 

[borderbilly]

I just use a cheap 2nd hand Panasonic from gumtree and it works fine.

 

[JTQ]

An aspect that IMO is important to address first is the TV's use, is it always whilst camping with an EHU?
If so, then those primarily aimed at the domestic market are by far the most cost effective-quality to quality buys.

The challenge is where there is no mains and we need to watch whilst sapping power from our 12 Volt leisure battery.

Here, an additional challenge is to do so using a minimum of the pretty limited energy the battery actually holds. Domestic TVs are not all targeted at minimum power usage.

There are work around solutions, but initially it is best to know the answer to that first question, so we can tailor the answer for you and spell out the arising issues you need to consider.

 

[otherclive]

Cello TVs have a number of models that have extra features not found on domestic TVs such as DVD, Sat tuner and 12volt inputs.

Worth a look

British Made Televisions | HD Televisions Cello Electronics (UK) Ltd

Unveil a world of HD televisions and shop Cello's televisions for top-notch entertainment. All made in Britain.

celloelectronics.com

 

[MHOLLY]

An aspect that IMO is important to address first is the TV's use, is it always whilst camping with an EHU?
If so, then those primarily aimed at the domestic market are by far the most cost effective-quality to quality buys.

The challenge is where there is no mains and we need to watch whilst sapping power from our 12 Volt leisure battery.

Here, an additional challenge is to do so using a minimum of the pretty limited energy the battery actually holds. Domestic TVs are not all targeted at minimum power usage.

There are work around solutions, but initially it is best to know the answer to that first question, so we can tailor the answer for you and spell out the arising issues you need to consider.

Hi,

Yes we intend to use it with EHU, we were concerned that the tv needs to be 12 volt only - is this the case?
Ideally we’d prefer to be able to watch Sky / Netflix / Amazon Prime both in this country and in Europe.

TIA.

 

[borderbilly]

Hi,

Yes we intend to use it with EHU, we were concerned that the tv needs to be 12 volt only - is this the case?
Ideally we’d prefer to be able to watch Sky / Netflix / Amazon Prime both in this country and in Europe.

TIA.

In that case a bog standard 240v will be OK.

 

[Mr Plodd]

Hi,

Yes we intend to use it with EHU, we were concerned that the tv needs to be 12 volt only - is this the case?
Ideally we’d prefer to be able to watch Sky / Netflix / Amazon Prime both in this country and in Europe.

TIA.

Many TV's work on 12v but come with a transformer specific to the voltage in the country they are sold in.
In order to watch any of those when out of the UK you will need Internet access. You might be able to pick up sky but you will need a satellite dish to do so.

 

[JTQ]

Hi,

Yes we intend to use it with EHU, we were concerned that the tv needs to be 12 volt only - is this the case?
Ideally we’d prefer to be able to watch Sky / Netflix / Amazon Prime both in this country and in Europe.

TIA.

Hi, as you are being told, as you will be on EHU you will have "mains", AC electricity to power the TV so don't need to use the 12 V DC supply. You can use 12 VDC, and as the battery charger will be keeping the battery charged then there is not the issue with being very careful how much you take from the battery.

As implied earlier buying a 12 Volt DC specific TV, tends to be a poor choice re the quality purchased for the "buck". There is simply way more competition in sets made for homes, so the "value" is better. I would in your case buy a premium brand domestic TV, paying careful attention to the viewing angle and avoiding screens that are too reflective. so avoid images of the vans windows spoiling the picture.

I will have to leave it to others to detail what you can watch outside of the UK as there are "national boundary issues to be worked round, complexities I am out of date about.

Here, as at your home you need an internet connection; typically that is achieved away from home using a mobile phone systems "data", either by "tethering" a phone, or a dedicated mobile hotspot device. Or in my experience a rare site wifi, that has adequate bandwidth.

 

[MHOLLY]

Thank you one and all so much for your very helpful advice and helpful suggestions. It’s all very much appreciated.

Mholly.

 

[Buckman]

All 240v TVs will work on 12v if using an inverter. An inverter converts 12v to 240v however it also drains your battery if used for 5 or more hours a day unless you have a solar panel..

A decent Satfi satellite dome will work right down to northern Spain. We had one and it was excellent however we now have a sat dish as we travel to southern Spain.

 

[Andy Norfolk]

We have a Sniper 27 inch with Amazon fire stick. It has a built in DVD player, Bluetooth and a satellite and Freeview receiver. Model SN-2704-F. No 12v input. Before we had a smaller Sniper that had both mains and 12v supply.

 

[Beachball]

We use a 24" Lg Tv from Curry"s and it work fine in the caravan with no problems

 

[JTQ]

All 240v TVs will work on 12v if using an inverter. An inverter converts 12v to 240v however it also drains your battery if used for 5 or more hours a day unless you have a solar panel..

Not "all" TVs will work with all inverters, the inverter's refinement could be critical.

The particular inverter and TV need to be compatible with each other.
This will I suspect be the case with a half decent "pure sinewave" inverter, but from experience it certainly can go pear shaped with some crude "modified sine wave" inverters.

 

[Raywood]

If you are on a hook up then any TV that fits will work. Both here and Europe you will be on 240 volt so 12 volt ability is not a problem. There are areas where you might struggle due to poor reception, but that is down to the limitations of the aerial system.

 

[woodsieboy]

We use LG with built in Freesat receiver in UK and France, for France you may need 60+cm dish, and I use a satellite finder meter that shows you which satellite you are on, not one of the little dial types,for Sky you will need a Sky box of some description. Regarding Netflix etc we dont bother , but I suspect you will need a smart TV but the reception you get will depend on the internet available to you.

 

[Buckman]

We use LG with built in Freesat receiver in UK and France, for France you may need 60+cm dish, and I use a satellite finder meter that shows you which satellite you are on, not one of the little dial types,for Sky you will need a Sky box of some description. Regarding Netflix etc we dont bother , but I suspect you will need a smart TV but the reception you get will depend on the internet available to you.

Although no issue with us receiving a sat signal, we are unsure about being able to stream from Netflix, Prime etc? Can you give us some up to date advice about streaming on the continent? We are with Three.

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Buckman
Sorry to disappoint but we have never tried streaming in France, we will be going first 2weeks of June, and will see what happens, we have both 3 and 02 phones, also 3 internet box that runs over phone signal, so will give it a try. We have only ever used Maxview dish with built in Freevsat receiver and signal finder, which gives over 100 channels in Brittany, will report back.

 

[Dustydog]

We use a 24" Lg Tv from Curry"s and it work fine in the caravan with no problems

BB is that a “smart”tv allowing to use WiFi for all the catch up stuff, Netflix you tube etc? We’ve been thinking about a replacement. Whilst we use the dish and Sky , I think smart TVs using Wifi offer a lot. Not sure how much they burn the sites wifi🙉🙉

 

[Buckman]

BB is that a “smart”tv allowing to use WiFi for all the catch up stuff, Netflix you tube etc? We’ve been thinking about a replacement. Whilst we use the dish and Sky , I think smart TVs using Wifi offer a lot. Not sure how much they burn the sites wifi🙉🙉

We have LG 28" Smart TV in the caravan. We use our phone as a hotspot as I have unlimited data for £15 a month on a rolling one month contract, During the winter months I drop it down to 8GB for £7.

 

[otherclive]

BB is that a “smart”tv allowing to use WiFi for all the catch up stuff, Netflix you tube etc? We’ve been thinking about a replacement. Whilst we use the dish and Sky , I think smart TVs using Wifi offer a lot. Not sure how much they burn the sites wifi🙉🙉

Worth looking at Cello TVs they do domestic smart and specific leisure vehicle tvs.

 

[woodsieboy]

Hi Dustydog
When we tune our LG in when in the caravan we get a banner along the bottom of the screen with all the netflix,etc, I haven't tried it in anger but normally it comes up with 'check your provider' so I suspect we need to get logged on to a reliable wi fi scource, and sign in using password

 

[Woodentop]

We use LG with built in Freesat receiver in UK and France, for France you may need 60+cm dish, and I use a satellite finder meter that shows you which satellite you are on, not one of the little dial types,for Sky you will need a Sky box of some description. Regarding Netflix etc we dont bother , but I suspect you will need a smart TV but the reception you get will depend on the internet available to you.

The problem here is two-fold.

I am unsure why a smart TV will be needed assuming you will be using some sort of broadband feed. What you will certainly need if you use cable feed is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) so that your source "thinks" you are in the UK. For example if you try to watch BBC on line you will automatically get bbc.com and not bbc.co.uk that you really need.
Secondly since Sky was put onto Astra 2G about a decade or so ago the footprint was significantly reduced. Look at lyngsat.com if you want to see how it was changed. The effect is that now you will only be able to receive Sky (or Freesat for that matter) in a 'tongue' shaped footprint crossing from the south coast of the UK narrowing to a point termination in the Dijon/Jura sort of area. On a 60-65cm ovoid dish you will get very little south of about Poitiers or east of about Strasbourg.

 

[borderbilly]

Bottom line, why bother with a T.V. when you are on holiday?

 

[woodsieboy]

Personal choice

 

[trevormonty]

Bottom line, why bother with a T.V. when you are on holiday?

They tried tablet but screen was to small.