No reason at all not to get a standard home TV, if you only want to watch TV under shore power. It's a good choice, and there are excellent values out there nowadays. Make sure it's installed somewhere safe from water intrusion, such as from a chainplate or deck hardware leak, or leaving a portlight open while away from the boat, etc.

Another benefit of a new flat panel TV is that they can easily serve as the monitor of a computer. You can use your computer for streaming downloads of TV and videos, as well as for anything else you'd normally use a computer for. As we have had no TV hooked up in our home for almost 14 years (ahhhh, life is good), this is how I get my Comedy Central fix everyday, AND importantly, how I view and re-view John Reimann's great Wild Ride Outside the Golden Gate youtube video.

John,

I will be following the input here. Several years ago I purchased on Ebay a flat screen TV for the boat. It was great, 17 inch, had a DVD player built in, worked on both 12 volt or 110 volt, fantastic picture from a set of rabbit ears or DVD. The name of the manufacturer was Digital, I thought I was all ready to go until the end of analog broadcast at which time I discovered the only thing DIGITAL about this set was the name. Now it is just used for DVD's

I have considered a new set, my quandry is at home I am on cable, I do not know what reception is like on new digital TV's using a converter box or ones with digital recievers. I could by a converter box for mine, though I have not found any of these in 12 volt form so I guess I need to get an inverter to drive it or purchase a newer DIGITAL TV that runs on 12 volts.

I noted today that Ebay shows several 20-22 inch sets with DVD players that run on 12 or 110 volts and have ATSC digital recievers for around $300. Not sure if ATSC Digital is what is needed these days or what reception is like on the bay with an antena, dragging the cable behind the boat tends to foul other peoples props. I can not get Comcast to show up at home, I know they would take for ever to clear props out on the bay. I am also gun shy about something that says digital since my last fleecing.

I had to buy a new TV when they switched to digital. My little old DC 13" TV I'd bought from M&E Marine in the 80's had refused to die, but wasn't much good. I bought a 22" LCD TV 120VAC and installed it in the entertainment center on a swivel arm. Hooked up to the masthead Shakespeare TV antenna it works fine. If anything, I get more stations than I did before (Baltimore MD area). I especially like the radar weather, most helpful. I use a small 400 watt inverter plugged into the DC outlet formerly used by the old TV; only turned on when using the TV and/or DVD player.

When underway, I have an elastic cord that I clip across the TV to hold it flat against the forward bulkhead of the entertainment cabinet (after folding it back on it's arm). Works just fine.

I don't remember the brand; but to my knowledge, any current TV with a built in tuner should receive digital TV without the need for a converter. Only older TV's need one.

While on the hook I use a converter on my old 13" TV and found it dosen't pick up stations on the fringe area as well as it used to before digital. I guess it's time for a new TV without the converter. I run the TV and microwave at the same time while on the hook using a 1000W inverter with no problem.

LED TV generally uses less power than LCD. It is wise to check the amperage used by the TV's under consideration. Especially if you are an 'Amp-Miser' like me.

John Meyer
Hilbre 2135
San Pedro CA

The new LED TVS consume a lot less power, have a sharper picture, are thinner and lighter, and are probably more reliable (I am imagining the screen backlighting paraphernalia that can now be eliminated with LED technology).

A note on powering away from shore: sophisticated consumer electronics seem to be increasing unforgiving about the Quality of the AC power they require. Inverters on the market today generate AC, of course, but few generate *sine-wave* AC, which is a pure AC voltage cycle that is the equivalent of what you get from your wall power plug at home. Many inverters put out a 'modified sine wave' that as far from a quality voltage wave cycle, and that might damage the TV's power converter or make it refuse to function entirely. Beware of poor quality inverters.

I was concerned about the inverter myself. I don't recall the brand I purchased, whatever Boat US had in the store. Both the TV and DVD player function just fine with it.

I have an older Portawatts 300 watt inverter I use to charge laptops and whatnot; it's not happy in that role, especially if anything else is running on it's DC circuit. I usually reserve charging to when the engine is running or at night when nothing else is on. By it's specs it should have more than ample capacity for the charger, but it sounds it's low voltage alarm and shuts off. It also will not run a small AC hand vacuum cleaner which again, should be well within it's capacity.

I need to break down and get a 'real' inverter wired into the boat's AC system with enough juice to perhaps run a small microwave someday. But the true sinewave inverters ain't cheap and it keeps falling off the list.

Last year or maybe the year before, the original AC/DC 13" TV that came with the boat died, just at the time of digital conversion. I found a 15" flat panel LCD TV with built in DVD player for about $300 on Amazon. This set fills the entertainment center opening and either plugs-in directly to the 12 v socket or into a 120V with a supplied transformer.
The unit is made by Audiovox, Model FPE1507DV
The unit is very helpful in bringing in many weather channels with radar display as we sail up and down Lake Michigan on our way to the North Channel.
From our Marina at Port Clinton, we receive over 30 channels using the antenna at the top of the mast.
In the winter, I use this TV in my office at home.

Jack F Stewart
1993 C36#1233 "Windancer"
Port Clinton, OH

[I] saw this on another message board: [url]http://www.roadtrucker.com/[/url][/I]

Click on the 12 Volt TV tab

This morning at Bi-Mart I saw a brand new LG plasma TV, 50 inch, on the shelf for $599. OK, plasma is the oldest flat panel technology, since eclipsed by LCD, and recently by LED. But still, think of how it would look in the salon. The picture would blow you away, and it could always serve as your emergency rudder should that need arise.

I also purchased a flat screen TV (I bekeive it is a 19" screen) and mounted on the most logical place on my boat - on the bulhead on the out side of the head. It's out of the way there. I ran all of the wires through the bulkhead and that way it looks very clean while in the main salon.used a piece of marine grade plywood to cover all of the wires. I then ran a HDMI cord to a flush-mounted switchplate and mounted it in the main salon. By doing this I can use a HDMI cord from my computer directly, so whatever I have on my computer screen appears on the television screen.

We bought a 22" Toshiba with built in DVD player, we power it off a 75 watt inverter. Inverters are inefficient and the closer you match the load to the inverter output the less inefficient (make sense?) it is. So I read anyway. It draws 6-7 amps.

We had a 17" unit on our last boat, it used a power brick which put out 12 VOLTS DC!!!! So I just plugged it directly into the DC system and it worked like a charm for the 3 years we owned the boat. It was a no name TV and it outperformed the Toshiba we have now in every respect. Drew less than 4 amps.

We mounted the 22" in between the cabinets on the starboard side. It's screwed down to the counter in there and has a brace to the back as well.

John, let me explain. On my boat (2001 MKii) there was a table munted in the middle of the main salon. One of the very first projects that I did onboard was to remove it. I mounted the flat screen on the bulkhead.

Same TV measured on two different inverters and running directly off 12V. You might want a TV that will run off 12 DC if using it for cruising as the energy savings can really add up. Check the trucker stores for Skyworth TV's....

[B][URL="http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/inverter_inefficiency"]Inverter Inefficiency (LINK)[/URL][/B]

Right you are John. My TV has a builtin DVD player. We only use it at the dock where we have cable, which makes it very nice. This is nothing like the facilities we had when we owned our Catalina 25 years ago!

I guess luxuries afloat have got to the point where discussions of TVs now rival what is the best anchor. ;)

[quote=deising;7527]I guess luxuries afloat have got to the point where discussions of TVs now rival what is the best anchor. ;)[/quote]

There's been days when I wanted to use this TV for an anchor!:mad:

I just replaced the TV in our new to us 36. I found a Visio 22 inch widescreen on the Walmart site for $238, that actually has an AC to DC 12 V converter block as the power supply. The picture is fantastic, it weighs less than 10 pounds, and works beautifully with our UFO mast mounted antenna. It fits easily into the standard TV cabinet but is also wall mountable. It is not as tall as the opening so I plan on putting a DVD player underneath it.

For now, I'm using the AC adapter until I have time to wire it straight into the 12V system. This might be a good solution for anybody looking.

VIZIO 22" Razor Class LED-LCD 1080p 60Hz HDTV, M220MV

[url]http://www.walmart.com/ip/Vizio-M220MV/15410929[/url]

BTW, you can probably fit a 24 or 26" wide screen in the cabinet.

Stephen,

Being electrically challenged as I am, how would you wire this TV to use both at the dock on AC and while out sailing on DC?

I think the best procedure would be to unplug the DC cable when on AC power, and instead use the AC power converter 'brick'.

This assumes that one would create a separate power input cable for the DC power, which would run directly from the DC circuit breaker to the TV. When on DC, you would plug this cable into the TV; and when on shore power, you would unplug it and then plug in the AC brick.

A caution on hooking a TV up to DC: you MUST use a properly sized circuit breaker or fuse. Remember that circuit protection is sized for the wire(!), not for the size of the TV load at the end of the wire. The circuit protection is not there to protect the TV, but to protect the boat!

Larry,
Thanks for that input. I had never thought about watching tv when sailing, but while on a long motor trip, it might be something to do.

[QUOTE=windward1;7926]Stephen,

Being electrically challenged as I am, how would you wire this TV to use both at the dock on AC and while out sailing on DC?[/QUOTE]

I plan to wire it into the 12V system using a matching connector from Radioshack. The 12 V system is always working so that is my plan.

Be careful to make sure to match the polarity of the power brick when you make your new 12v cable - wired with the tip the same polarity as the one that came with it. Reversing it can fry the TV. Simple to test using a multimeter, the tip of the plug is ether positive or negative and the side is the other.

I purchased a 19" AC/DC flat screen with a DVD player built in at bundlecity.com for $289.00. I believe shipping was free they usually have them on sale the TV has worked flawlessly for two season.

But the key is the antenna I purchased a GXV9112EC
14" TV Antenna with Gain Control Amplifier. This thing is by far the best I have ever seen . It recieves load of channels, but the best is it recieves in High Def.

Well worth the money.

Best part keeps the kids busy at night till they turn in, while I enjoy my beverage after a long sail

[QUOTE=jsc4484;8640]... the key is the antenna I purchased a GXV9112EC
14" TV Antenna with Gain Control Amplifier. This thing is by far the best I have ever seen . It recieves load of channels, but the best is it recieves in High Def...[/QUOTE]

Jeff,

We have never had a TV on our boat, since we almost never go into marinas. For our 6 month cruise next year along (mostly) the ICW from FL to New England and back, we might really enjoy having a TV for both entertainment and the ability to get a bigger weather picture than the VHF Wx reports.

Anyway, is there any special location desired for the antenna? How is yours set up?

Thanks.

Ours is on the top of the mast. Higher is better. We had a Glomex on the last boat, this one is from West Marine, it works as good as the Glomex did, both are about a 10" flying saucer type thing. Both have boosters, they are essential, are 12Vdc and draw a small fraction of an amp. You don't need anything special to get digital, it's on the same frequencies as analog. HD on OTA digital is better than cable or satellite can deliver, it is the pure signal as it leaves the originator's facility and it is very good. Both cable and satellite screw around with the signal with compression and so forth and it degrades it somewhat.

Interesting, Bud. Thanks.

While recognizing that higher is better, I have no plans to go to the masthead. I may just try to be satisfied with mounting above my bimini adjacent to the solar panels.

Duane I disagree
I am familar with the WM antenna and no way does it even compair to the GLOMAX. Ask around, I am a firm believer you get what you pay for.
As for location I did not want to put it at top of the rig, I have it mounted to the Questus backstay radar pole. I am sure if you wanted to mount it higher up would be great, but I get over 18 channels in just about every harbor we are in, and most are HD.

My backstay pole wgere the radar sits is gimballed, at the end of it was the end of the SS tube I but on a SS elbow and a 4" piece of 1"SS tube Glomax is made for the 1"tube/

To be Honest it uses very little amp hr

I will send you a photo but I cant figure out how to

PS I am on a mooring, I hate slips, on a slip your business is everybody elses business .

Hi, Jeff.

I am not sure what you are disagreeing with.

I was glad to read your post about the Glomax and was seeking location info, which you provided.

You could always email the photo to [email]duane.ising@comcast.net[/email]

Thanks.

Hi Duane

Photo is on the way. I think it was to large for our site I think I went over the size

I installed a 26" flat panel on Deja Vu. I use a digital decoder box and a generic Best Buy digital antenna which is mounted in the aft cabin. There's also a DVD player hooked up to it and an HDMI cable so I can output my laptop to it.

Mike

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