replacement 12v tv

[King]

Hi All
I have a class b (98 Pleasureway) which came with a 12v 14 in tv and separate 12v VTP which share a common remote.  Very nice except...  the tv front end is very weak,  No channel comes in well, and here at home I can only get 4 or 5 channels.  Using the same built in antenna provided by pleasureway, a 14 in 110 v tv gets 9 channels, 6 perfectly clear.  I can't seem to find a replacement tv.  Any suggestions?

 

[Ron]

Might be better to get a 110VAC TV and a small inverter that is capable of powering it.

 

[Karl]

King,

I agree with Ron. There are very few 12V sets to choose from, and the overhead of running a small (200-400 watt) inverter is not very large. Besides, you can use it to power other small appliances when you're not watching t.v. And they're cheap. You can even get some with a VTP built in, if that's what you need.

 

[King]

The existing tv draws about 4A 12VDC,  a typical CRT tv draws about 0.6A 120VAC.  Using an inverter, that translates to about 7.3A 12VDC greatly inceasing the load on the house batteries.  I was looking for a non-crt alternative which would be easy on the batteries.  BTW, what is VTP?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Get a small LCD tv instead of a CRT - lighter weight, smaller (less deep) and lower power consumption.

 

[Karl]

King,

I used your term, VTP, and understood it to mean Video Tape Player. Normally we think VCR (video cassette recorder) which plays and records on tape. VTP's don't record.

 

[John From Detroit]

There are VCR's (Video Cassette Recorders) and VTP (Video Tape Players) the latter can not record and ar less expensive (often around 20-30 bucks for 120 volt models)  Just like DVD recorder/players and player only

Daewood makes some 12 volt TV's  I don't know if they make them in the size you are looking for but I too second the suggestion you look at LCD units.  You can get LCD televisions with or without the following options

Power option... Some have the power supply built in (mine does) and run off 120 vac, others run off 12vdc with a power brick to convert down from 120 vac.. Choose the latter

Monitor/optional input functions.. Good, mine can, and did, sub for the computer screen when it's backlight was "the light that died" in QZ this year. (The light that Died, is a song I happen to have on MP3/CD)

The Daewood I have is a 9", 12VDC with external power brick  I've also had dual power with internal bricks.

 

[Karl]

Great suggestion Gary!

Does anyone know of any problems with them running off of modified sinewave inverters?

 

[King]

I have a 600 w inverter and it puts some noise into the picture on ch 3 here in w. MA.  I didn't connect VTP with the tv...  thought it was in the inverter.

 

[John From Detroit]

Great suggestion Gary!

Does anyone know of any problems with them running off of modified sinewave inverters?

I can't recall if I've ever run one off a modified sine wave.. However radios I have used near a modified sine wave inverter knew that they were unhappy (Ok, Just remembered, Church ran theirs off the modified sine wave, but they were playing video tape, not over the air, so it may not count) those things are NOISY

My True sine wave inverter is much nicer.... but less power efficent

 

[Karl]

John and King,

I'm not as concerned about the picture/sound quality as I am the affect it has on the power supply. Some appliances with electronic controls and switching power supples, like some electric blankets and, in my case, the microwave oven, don't like modified sinewave at all. Fact is, my last electric blanket had its' control burned out because of it.

 

[John From Detroit]

That too is an issue... I'm in blackout mode just now... That is, the mains power to my house has failed and a call is in to the power company,  My entire block, and the one across at least one street, are dark.  My house is, of course, an exception (Thank you Mr. Onan)  I've also, suddenly, got the only working WI-FI on the street (Thank You Mr. Xantrex and Mr. Hawking and Mr. Dirctway, and Mr. Runward)  However before I plugged in to the MH, I was runing the bedroom entainerment systems off an inexpensive killowatt inverter, Modified sine wave, no problem.

Personally... My preference for a television that, ultimatly will run off a 12 volt battery, is a 12 volt tv,  This is part of the KISS philosphy,  or, KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.  I mean, you start with 12 volts and you use, ..... 12 volts, how much simpler can it get? 

LCD tv's take less power.... and a good number of them take it at.... 12bvdc

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The biggest problem with a CRT-based tv on an inverter is the initial power surge that better quality tvs use to degauss the screen. Panasonics and Sonys do this, for example. That demands a large than expected inverter to power on the tv.  This would not be an issue with an LCD or plasma tv, but I don't know about the electronics involved. I have heard of any issues running on inveters, though.

The inexpensive inverters tend to be electronically noisy and may put some "artifacts" on parts or even all of the screen. In my limited experience this is just an irritant and not a serious problem.