TV for the caravan.

[Thingy]

Im thinking my Avtex TV is getting a bit long in the tooth, had it for many years and will probably replace it with something a tad bigger. Also the stand is a bit awkward in this caravan and doesnt really sit safely where we place it. What makes and models do you guys use, and with what facilities built in. Would preferably want one with built in DVD player.

 

[Jcloughie]

Do you require 12 volt operation? If so you are limited to Avtex (expensive) or Cello, (better vfm I am informed). There may be others but you generally pay a premium for the 12 volt option.

If not then there are many mains sets much cheaper. DVD built in is increasingly rare now. If it’s important, perhaps find a small player with hdmi.

Do you need smart capabilities?

It’s hard to suggest one without knowing the requirements.

John

 

[Thingy]

Smart yes so we can use it at home in one of the spare bedrooms., 12v no, we never go off grid.

 

[otherclive]

Cello seem to be getting good reports from mobile users and Aldi do a caravan series. But as above they mostly include 12 v which many don’t use/require. DVD inputs are getting rarer but a small DVD player is cheap as chips.

 

[Thingy]

Its more having loads of wires that im trying to avoid hence a built in dvd. Some Cello reports I have read mention a poor viewing angle.

 

[Jcloughie]

Two more considerations are max size and sound quality. Search for “small tv’s” and some say 43”. Not too good for the van. My Avtex sounds terrible, I use a Bose speaker to massively improve it. But as you say, more wires.

Currys don’t seem to do under 24 inch. But do have a couple with DVD

John

 

[Dustydog]

Go for,the biggest that fits your caravan. Argos have some terrific values at the moment. A lot come with Roku. . Freeview is mandatory . DVDs long gone for us. We take the Sky + box so have everything we need.

 

[otherclive]

All modern TVs play video files directly off a memory stick. DVDs are ancient 😁

So do some 12 year old BEKOs and they have dvd integral plus sat input. Pity they dropped TVs from their product range. Not in any hurry to change ours.

 

[Beachball]

At present we have a 24" LG built - in Freesat we have been very happy with

 

[Woodentop]

Take care with a smart TV. They do funny things - like (at least on our Samsung) the BBC red button facilities don't work. Pressing the red button makes the prog replay from the start using iPlayer.

Whatever you get, smart or not, it <MUST> have an HD tuner or it may become obsolete in a few years time when likely all off-air TV moves to DVB-T2 (the system used at present for Freeview HD channels.)

 

[Dustydog]

Crikey. Are they still selling old TVs without HD?🤬🤬

 

[Kevin M]

We have just bought an LG smart tv, hook it up to tinterweb via my mobile phone (unlimited data)
With all the apps, iplayer, itv hub and sky go (projected via phone) we are sorted.
Only for the dark and rainy nights really

 

[audiorob]

We have a small Samsung that sits on the cabinet opposite the sink in our 2 berth layout. I have contemplated fitting a cantilever caravan bracket to the cabinet in that area. Some have a quick release mechanism so the TV can be stowed in transit (or taken into the house as you suggest. Not knowing your layout or placement requirements is something similar a possibility rather than relying on the built in stand supplied with the TV?

 

[Thingy]

During the day, we have the TV stood on the drawers in front of the front window, but if we watch it in bed we switch to a small island top which is barely big enough for the stand. But its fairly high and affects the clarity of the picture as we are lower down. If we take some of the angle of the stand, the TV becomes unsteady. I did buy a different stand for it, which works very well, but its also extremely heavy. There is nowhere really to mount an arm except the side wall of the carafan and tbh I dont fancy that idea.

 

[Woodentop]

Crikey. Are they still selling old TVs without HD?🤬🤬

It's this wonderful selling jargon called 'HD Ready'. It can mean that the TV has a full HD (1920x1080p) panel and a non-HD tuner, or, more often, that it has a full HD tuner but only a SD (1366x768) panel.

They also have variant names for tuner - such as TV Plus - that have no meaning at all and require some digging to find out what the TV <actually> has!

Only TV's with a screen size bigger than 32" must by law have a HD (DVB-T2) tuner but they still don't have to have an HD panel.

Nuts if you ask me!

 

[Buckman]

Crikey. Are they still selling old TVs without HD?🤬🤬

Most TVs under 32" do not have HD as you cannot tell the difference anyway.

Im thinking my Avtex TV is getting a bit long in the tooth, had it for many years and will probably replace it with something a tad bigger. Also the stand is a bit awkward in this caravan and doesnt really sit safely where we place it. What makes and models do you guys use, and with what facilities built in. Would preferably want one with built in DVD player.

We have a 28" Smart LG TV in our caravan bought from Richer Sounds and it comes with a 6 year warranty from RS. Cost us £189 a year ago. It is HD ready whatever that means but no issue with picture.

 

[otherclive]

Our LG has HD and tells us if the programme is transmitting in HD with the option to select. We use HD for nature programmes but others are watched on whatever comes our way from Mendip.

 

[Buckman]

Our LG has HD and tells us if the programme is transmitting in HD with the option to select. We use HD for nature programmes but others are watched on whatever comes our way from Mendip.

What size screen?

 

[otherclive]

What size screen?

Its an LG 43UN 730061C

 

[Buckman]

Its an LG 43UN 730061C

Being 43 it should be HD however I doubt if you take it away in the caravan?

 

[otherclive]

My post was in reply to Richard and Anne’s at #19, but your right this one doesn’t go in the caravan.
The caravan one is a BEKO, quite elderly which has sat input, free view, dvd and USB inputs. So when away between downloads to the IPad and tv we “ survive” quite well.

The home tv is UHD and 4K and allowed me to ditch the 2 nd generation Apple TV which was not compatible with the new MAC MINI. So now if required I can bring the MINI downstairs and use the tv as a monitor. Which is good for looking at old photos that are kept in folders on the HD. The TV has Appletv as one of its built in apps, with so many others I cannot imagine what they are dealing with.

 

[Buckman]

My post was in reply to Richard and Anne’s at #19, but your right this one doesn’t go in the caravan.
The caravan one is a BEKO, quite elderly which has sat input, free view, dvd and USB inputs. So when away between downloads to the IPad and tv we “ survive” quite well.

The home tv is UHD and 4K and allowed me to ditch the 2 nd generation Apple TV which was not compatible with the new MAC MINI. So now if required I can bring the MINI downstairs and use the tv as a monitor. Which is good for looking at old photos that are kept in folders on the HD. The TV has Appletv as one of its built in apps, with so many others I cannot imagine what they are dealing with.

According to the "experts" you can only really appreciate UHD on 65" or higher TVs. I must admit that between HD and UHD we cannot really see any difference, but then we only have a 55" TV. LOL!
I agree about there being too many apps. We have 23 different apps and if we were to use some of them, the maximum woudl be about 3 apps. However we have a Firestick so don't bother with the apps.

 

[Thingy]

TVs have surprised me recently. We have a wall mounted LG in the bedroom with Freeview and its truly excellent. We have a Sony Bravia downstairs and whilst the picture is phenominal, its based around the Youview platform wich is truly awful. As a smart tv the LG has it beat all ways. Neither have good sound so I have attached both to Yamaha Soundbars which have made all the difference.

 

[Beachball]

Toshiba LCD 24" Widescreen HD LED TV built- in DVD player and Freeview
We have this for backup not use it so far .

 

[Raywood]

Any make or model will work perfectly well in the caravan provided you have a hook up so it is really down to what you want it to do and the space you have for it. We use a Toshiba in the caravan but it is many years old but has survived travelling thousands of miles. I would always make sure it is protected when traveling, I use the original box and packaging but using the bedding or whatever is OK.