Digital TV

[Richard10002]

Another vote for Kogan. Ours is a 19" with DVD. Plugged into a 12v socket with the £8 connector from Kogan.

[neale]

Lots of smallish (sub 19") domestic lcd TVs actually run on 12v. They have a transformer in the power lead. Just cut the transformer off, after unplugging it , and connect straight up to the boats batteries. You can get a set now with built in freeview for under £100.

[Dockhead]

I use the onboard TV only for movie nights for the crew (with a DVD player), and occasionally for the sound of a human voice (BBC news) when spending days on end alone on the boat.

You can buy a 12v TV, but I don't think that it is vastly more efficient than an ordinary domestic TV powered by an el cheapo quasi sine wave inverter, so query whether it is worth the extra cost. You have a lot better choice with ordinary domestic TVs and a lot more quality for the price; unless you are using it for many hours a day (and why on a yacht?) I don't think you would you see any measurable gain in your energy budget with a 12v one.

I have a 22" (I think) Samsung ordinary domestic TV on board -- very good quality and cost peanuts at Tesco. A cheap Chinese auto inverter used to power it (before I had a hard-wired inverter on board) plus a cheap DVD player with no problems.

I inherited a Glomex masttop antenna from the PO. Gives a perfect signal for freeview TV, which is built into all new domestic type TVs -- you don't need a settop box.

[WilliamUK]

Well, to keep you happy I can say that I am totally perplexed at anyone wanting a TV at home, let alone one the boat.

A computer plus some form of internet connection though is absolutely vital

What's it you say on here...?

"+1"?


...but the longer I go without internet, the less I feel I need it. Funny that. It feels really quite good to unplug entirely. One of the best times I've had in a long time involved a valley in the lakes where there was no phone or data coverage and the cottage TV didn't get switched on once. Bliss.

[st599]

I use the onboard TV only for movie nights for the crew (with a DVD player), and occasionally for the sound of a human voice (BBC news) when spending days on end alone on the boat.

You can buy a 12v TV, but I don't think that it is vastly more efficient than an ordinary domestic TV powered by an el cheapo quasi sine wave inverter, so query whether it is worth the extra cost. You have a lot better choice with ordinary domestic TVs and a lot more quality for the price; unless you are using it for many hours a day (and why on a yacht?) I don't think you would you see any measurable gain in your energy budget with a 12v one.

I have a 22" (I think) Samsung ordinary domestic TV on board -- very good quality and cost peanuts at Tesco. A cheap Chinese auto inverter used to power it (before I had a hard-wired inverter on board) plus a cheap DVD player with no problems.

I inherited a Glomex masttop antenna from the PO. Gives a perfect signal for freeview TV, which is built into all new domestic type TVs -- you don't need a settop box.

Most sets are 12v or 5v anyway - so why would you even contemplate converting 12vdc to 240vac then converting 240vac to 12vdc/5vdc?

[DogWatch]

I use the onboard TV only for movie nights for the crew (with a DVD player), and occasionally for the sound of a human voice (BBC news) when spending days on end alone on the boat.

Why apologise?

Is this some kind of pseudo middle class thing that people seem to boast about not owning a television and somehow regard themselves superior? Oh it's not for me it's for my crew (wife).... only way some blokes on here can get their wives to spend time in an enclosed area with them.

It's pathetic when people have to explain why they want a television on board and even more so when people ask for tech help and receive posts telling them stuff like 'I don't have a television and I'm taking the time to write this message to tell you that', like anyone cares!

And sleeep!

[DogWatch]

What's it you say on here...?

"+1"?


...but the longer I go without internet, the less I feel I need it. Funny that. It feels really quite good to unplug entirely. One of the best times I've had in a long time involved a valley in the lakes where there was no phone or data coverage and the cottage TV didn't get switched on once. Bliss.

I believe he asked for tech advice, why do you feel the need to tell us this?

[GrahamM376]

Most sets are 12v or 5v anyway - so why would you even contemplate converting 12vdc to 240vac then converting 240vac to 12vdc/5vdc?

Many sets don't run via a power brick so need 240v via inverter. A TV connected directly to 12v without the power brick may well get fried if the engine is running, particularly if using battery chargers or Stirling type booster.

[st599]

Many sets don't run via a power brick so need 240v via inverter. A TV connected directly to 12v without the power brick may well get fried if the engine is running, particularly if using battery chargers or Stirling type booster.

They don't run on 240v, they may have an internal converter, but that's easily fixed. You don't need an inverter, you need a 12v DC converter.

[Spyro]

[*]A dish is always pointing in the same direction, whereas an aerial has to pointed to the nearest transmitter (and where the blazes is that??).[/LIST]

Print it off and keep it on the boat.
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/bro...nce/transmaps/.
I bought a cheap 2nd hand lcd tv for the boat, I made sure it had an external power unit that outputed 12v dc. Cut the power unit off and wired direct to boats switch panel. The coax for the aerial is run to the cockpit locker so only thing I need to do is point the aerial, connect it to the socket in the locker and retune the TV to the nearest transmitter if necessary. Reception around the Clyde and out on the west coast is surprisingly good even a swinging mooring.