Suggestions/Recommendations for a 12V TV and Antenna Setup

[rusty gates]

Hello fellow myswaggers

After our last trip away, we've been talking about getting a 12V TV so I'm looking for suggestions or recommendations on what's a good TV and antenna set up for our camper trailer.

I've searched online and there's a myriad of TVs and antennas, so I'm keen to hear your thoughts on what you've got and what to steer clear of.

Thanks in advance.

regards
Rusty...

[Jules456]

Get a VAST setup rather than normal antenna.  Little bit more “stuff” but normal aerial is very limited.  Make sure when you get a 12 volt TV that there’s a headphone jack.  Gives you flexibility to add external speaker because all of the speakers on small tvs are less than average. 


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[GeoffA]

USB TV tuner in a laptop?

[Rodt]

Rusty big amounts of discussion on this topic on Caravan Forums. General consensus though appears to be a full satellite with a vast system and every man and his dog has an opinion in regards to tvs (majority seem to be about Kogan but are both positive and negative).

Good luck with it

[DannyG]

I have used a very cheap 12v TV from Kogan for several years. I have a small mounts permanently mounted on the main hoop that swings around to allow the tv to be watched from inside or outside and then swings out of the way to allow the camper to be packed up.

For an antenna I use a normal tv antenna, again its just the cheapest ebay thing I could find. I have a tent pole mounted on the front rack on a pivot so I can lift it up and extend it. I just keep the antenna in the trailer with the U bolts loose so I can quickly and easily attach it to the pole.

The whole set up works well for the rare times we actually use it.

 

[Spada]

Whilst not something I have myself, and would normally avoid with a passion, once after 3 days couped up inside with 3 of us and crap weather, I did do some thinking about it.

It seems that any of the cheap and cheerful TV's are capable for occasional use, there are a couple of things to consider. Most TV's these days have the speakers mounted in the rear, which is fine if you have them against a hard wall, but not great in a camping environment. Look for one that has bluetooth connection so you can stream the sound to one of those portable speaker devices (especially if you plan to use it to watch the grand final while camping on the long weekend with a group  ). Another thing is it seems some of the TV's advertised for the caravan market appear to advertise that they are more robust and vibration resistant, which I assume the cheapies from BigW or Kogan aren't ?

For and antenna, I like something like this that is easy to set up, pack up, and takes up stuff all room - https://www.foldawayantenna.com.au/products/antennas/

[Bird]

https://campaddict.com/12-volt-tv/
https://www.amazon.com/Jensen-40-Led-Jtv4015dc-12v/dp/B01N17YYW0

[glenm64]

Ive had a Kogan for a few years. Heaps of corrogation hasnt bothered it.
Sound on small tvs are normally ordinary, as is mine.
I dont bother with an antenna. I have a hard drive loaded with movies to watch when Elaines had enough of my witty charm.
Radio and internet gets the info I need. We only bother with the TV when we're away for a long trips.
The camp fire is more intelligent than most tv shows.


Cheers Glen

[WilSurf]

Light a fire and you will have bush TV.

[Wazza999]

USB TV tuner in a laptop?

I use this type of set up though not extensively, I really only bought the tv dongle to watch the rugby world cup in 2015, the Goldstream was already setup with a basic antenna. I purchased a Kaiser Baas usb dongle, so far impressed that it has worked under both Win 8, 8.1 and the various iterations of 10, my experience is that many of these niche peripherals don't survive OS updates.

[jfella]

I scored one like one of these for free:

https://www.whitworths.com.au/tv-antenna-ufo-x

Only used it at one location but it worked well and kept the kids happy - I just stuck it on the end of an extendable rod and tied it off against the camper as the plus with this type is you dont have to worry about signal direction.  Its about the size of fisbee and pretty light so easy to store.

[Marcus73]

The whole set up works well for the rare times we actually use it.

 

Well it used to work anyway 😊

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[Rumpig]

I use this type of set up though not extensively, I really only bought the tv dongle to watch the rugby world cup in 2015...........

that just reminded me of the time we were camped on Fraser Island watching Wallabies versus All Blacks (back when we could beat them), aswell as the following night watching a Broncos versus Cronulla game. Main differance though was we were using 240V via a Honda genny....a mate bought along his 3mtr x 3mtr gazebo with a white wall on one side, we then ran a projector and satellite dish set up onto that wall as a screen, running satellite tv out of Mt Isa....was abit weird sitting on the beach watching sale yard ads for bulls etc...lol.

[#jonesy]

I've got an Aldi one with USB and DVD player. Also one of their antennas.
Works well enough for the few times we've used it.

[rusty gates]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

I much prefer a camp fire but on our last trip we ended up staying in the Tom Price caravan park because Karijini was overflowing (not that you can have a camp fire in a national park).

I ended up using my ipad and connected it to my phone via a wifi hotspot on my phone, so we could watch the evening news via iview....even though it was yesterday's news.

This setup sure chewed through my monthly data allowance, though, hence the reason for looking at a 12V TV setup.

regards
Rusty...

[WilSurf]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

I much prefer a camp fire but on our last trip we ended up staying in the Tom Price caravan park because Karijini was overflowing (not that you can have a camp fire in a national park).

You can camp just outside the NP and have a camp fire.

[Goshen]

that just reminded me of the time we were camped on Fraser Island watching Wallabies versus All Blacks (back when we could beat them),

I guess that would have been a black and white TV then 

[Rumpig]

I guess that would have been a black and white TV then 

it's been All black and white the past 15 years hasn't it...lol.

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

USB TV tuner in a laptop?

Yes, they do work.

Bought an Antenna like this and it works fine:
https://www.ebay.com.au/p/Outdoor-Digital-TV-Antenna-Amplified-Aerial-Booster-DAB-Uhf-vhf-Caravan-RV-Boat/14006871192?iid=253560581854
Believe mine is an earlier model with loops at each side instead of the little stubs.

Bought tuner stick -- AVerTV Volar Green HD
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AVerMedia-A835-AVerTV-Volar-Green-HD-3D-USB-TV-Tuner/320928239736?epid=2254316587&hash=item4ab8d05078%3Ag%3AgAgAAOSwJQdXA34X&_sacat=0&_nkw=Aver+3D+Usb+TV+tuner+&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

Lack of signal can be caused by distance from Broadcast source, or by directional antennas at the broadcast source.

I invert a Tent pole, fix the Antenna to the blunt end of the pole and lengthen the pole then fit to side of trailer by cable tie, and run the 75 Ohm coax into the Tvan camper.
The pin on the end is inserted into a steel washer for stability/fixing at the bottom.  The washer is also cable tied to the side of the trailer.  It just works.
The power is inserted onto the coax via a transformer box inside the trailer and goes up the coax to the masthead Amplifier.  The coax also supplies signal for the stick. And you get TV on ya Laptop. 
Ya want a bigger screen/picture, get a bigger laptop.
Bigger sound will need a set of Auxiliary Speakers or a lead with 3.5mm. speaker plugs, one on each end, plug your laptop audio out, into your radio Aux. input and awaaaay you go.

[Nifty1]

Rusty, you mentioned TV via an iPad, which reminds me of our solution. Bought a thing called EYE-Tv, probably a bit smaller than a matchbox, which takes free to air TV and sends it out on wifi to the iPad or iPhone. It has a retractable antenna about 6 inches long, extended, does auto tuning and TV guide too. Has its own battery internally and charges from USB. It comes with an assortment of optional antenna connections but we’ve only ever needed the pissy little one. I’m still astonished at how small it is and how well it works. It’s a good trick to walk around the campsite with a tv programme running on the iPad and the EYE-tv in your pocket - no one can figure it out. No download charges. It was hard to find, cost a little over $100.