TV replacement?

[wkearney99]

I'm looking for suggestions for a TV to fit into an indoor pop-up lift cabinet. The existing TV is an ancient Sony KLV-23M1, which has a pretty enormous bezel all around it. Not to mention it radiates heat like a furnace (and likewise consumes power).

The max dimensions I have inside the wood pop-up cabinet are 24 7/16" wide and 21.5" tall. This being the box that holds the TV itself. There's 3.5" of depth, which ought to be more than enough for most modern televisions, right?

I'm not expecting amazing in the sub 30" category. But I'd spend extra for something offering better PQ or sound.

It could be either AC or DC powered. On the rare occasions we'd be using it there would likely be AC power available (genset or shore). That or via the inverter.

Any suggestions?

 

[Larry M]

I'm not sure of our dimensions but I'd look at a Samsung Smart TV. Our 28" unit has 2 USB ports on the back that we use for watching movies. We got rid of the DVD player. We can watch Netflix, Amazon, Hula, etc. via Wi-Fi when the signals strong enough. The picture and sound quality are good and we paid less than $200.

 

[DavidM]

HD flat screen TVs have typical overall dimensions in a 3:2 ratio. Your cabinet opening is much less so you will end up with a TV of about 24x16" which is about a 26-28" TV. But a quick scan of Amazon doesn't show much in between 24 and 32" TVs so you will probably be stuck with a 24. If you can cut out 1/2" more in width then you could fit this 27.5" LG https://www.amazon.com/LG-LJ400B-28...tv&refinements=p_n_size_browse-bin:1232879011

So go to Best Buy and look at them or Amazon and check out overall dimensions that will fit.

Sound quality is limited in all flat screen TVs particularly the smaller ones. I just bought a sound bar for our new 49" and it is amazing with or without a sub woofer. Maybe you can find a smaller one that will fill up the extra space on the bottom of your 24" opening. Mine is only 4" tall but much too long for your opening but I am sure that there are shorter ones.

David

 

[LaBomba]

We don't have a genny on board so went with a 12V Majestic TV. We bought it locally but they seem to be available online or at many marine outlets. Ours has USB, HDMI and RCA inputs and outputs. We use an Android black box and stream nearly anything when internet is available. Majestic link is:

Majestic has a full range of 12 Volt LED TV for Boats, RVs and Motorhomes

 

[wkearney99]

We don't have a genny on board so went with a 12V Majestic TV.

Yow! For what they're asking you'd pay for a battery... or two!

 

[wkearney99]

I'm considering going the route of a computer monitor and a soundbar. I don't do any tuning from OTA RF stations, so I don't really need an actual TV. There's no RF antenna on the boat anyway. A lot of what we'd likely watch would be from streamed sources or locally stored videos.

There is an ancient Bose DVD player onboard, along with a pair of speakers and a subwoofer. It only drives via composite video currently, so it's a dead-end for picture quality. I may look into a similar all-in-one unit like that, if just to have a normal range of TV-like features and audio control.

 

[DavidM]

There really isn't much difference between flat screen TVs and computer monitors these days. The only difference is the type of inputs on the back.

The smart TVs with apps for Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, Pandora, etc are nice though and only cost a few bucks more than non smart TVs.

David

 

[FF]

The Jensen folks make RV tv that are both 120v and 12v.

They are hardened to take the road movement and should work fine in a boat.

A number of sizes to select from.

Shop Jensen RV TV - Amazon | Free Shipping w/ Prime | amazon.com‎

Adwww.amazon.com/electronics/tv-video‎

 

[Larry M]

I'm not sure of our dimensions but I'd look at a Samsung Smart TV. Our 28" unit has 2 USB ports on the back that we use for watching movies. We got rid of the DVD player. We can watch Netflix, Amazon, Hula, etc. via Wi-Fi when the signals strong enough. The picture and sound quality are good and we paid less than $200.

I forgot to add the above tv is 12 vdc. I have no idea on what the + or - voltage would be but if your concerned, a 12volt voltage regulator would be easy to add.

 

[wkearney99]

There really isn't much difference between flat screen TVs and computer monitors these days. The only difference is the type of inputs on the back.

The wrinkle is if the HDMI inputs into them don't properly handshake with whatever player device you're using. It can be... problematic to debug if the source player doesn't get the right handshaking signals from the display. Some are better/worse than others at this.

I've had success using amazon fire players for backyard and boat movies nights (with a portable projector). I'll likely use one in this situation. I may go an additional step and add an HDMI matrix switch to allow relatively easy in/out switching. As in, keeping the player in a permanently mounted location and having an HDMI output for wherever the projector is determined to be best situated. Won't know that until we get a chance to try and hang the projector screen, which will require some kind of poles not currently available on the boat. Using a switch would also give me the bonus option of having the TV able to act as a display for a PC or one of the chartplotters (via it's DVI output).

I do potentially have as much as up to 1" additional clearance on each side if I find a TV that's thin at the sides. I could have the sides of box for the TV cut back 'just enough' to allow the bezel to overlap at the front. There's enough clearance down into the lift cavity to allow for it. Perhaps also adding a piece vertically inside the back corner to lend some stiffening. I'd only go that route as last resort because, honestly, we don't use TV "that much" to justify more complicated efforts like cutting and refinishing the teak.

 

[wkearney99]

They are hardened to take the road movement and should work fine in a boat.

Much like outdoor grade TVs for covered patios, sometimes the added expense of durability is more expensive than just purchasing periodic replacements. As in, use a regular TV until it dies and it'll still be less expensive than a more durable one. For total exposure and sun viewing, yeah, you want something designed for it. The Jensen units look to be more reasonably priced, but nothing sized quite right to fit.

I asked about this over on an AV forum and was pointed to the now discontinued LG 26LN4500. At 24.5" width it would be a tight fit. But it's largely unobtainable since it was discontinued a few years ago.

An alternative might be to go with a computer monitor that has HDMI input and possibly a soundbar. Which would, again, introduce the complication of finding a soundbar small enough to fit in the cabinet.

 

[Xsbank]

Library card...

 

[wkearney99]

Library card...

Yes, well, since our current boating trends involving day/weekend trips and anchoring out with kids, it's helpful to have a number of entertainment options available. We didn't use our previous boat's TV that often because there wasn't much in the way of decent seating angles down in the cabin. With the Eastbay there's more flexibility.

Movie nights on the hook were always a hit, as I'd string a projector screen between the bimini poles. No similar poles on the Eastbay but that's solvable.

For reading it's been working quite well to use a Kindle reader with free electronic check-out from the county library. Books only (along with all the boat's manuals in PDF form) and no games or apps. Week-long battery life is good too.

So, yeah, a lot of the time it's nice to have some peace and quiet for reading.

 

[wkearney99]

Update, I managed to manhandle the TV out of the mount. As I suspected it was glued in there with something. I'll post a pic later. The mount has a Vee shape to it (trapezoidal). The plate on the TV has to be lifted about 3/4" to clear the angle of the bracket.

Now to find a suitable replacement...

The disappointing thing to discover was that even though this TV and DVD player were capable of using higher-res component video they only wired it up for composite. Really? All that money to install this and to get a picture that looks like it was shot through a window screen?

 

[MVDarlin]

Recommend smart a.c. tv, buy an inverter to run it. Also, axillary sound system. Don't need much, $50 should do it. Also check power/ heat difference between LCD/LED/plasma. I run a 30" Visio on a 12 volt Optima battery for hours. Charge on solar panel. Total cost $400.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Trawler Forum mobile app

 

[MVDarlin]

Hmmm. Should have a HDMI connection.. Who uses analog video these days.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Trawler Forum mobile app

 

[wkearney99]

WK99 Ashame they wired it that way makes you wonder what else was substandard installs . I found several things on our boat like this not the TV


best of luck with your new one

Thanks. Overall it's not showing signs of half-assed work. There's a few places where I'd prefer to have seen wires better secured against movement, but nothing extreme or lazy amateur DIY. With diligence I'll try to make sure anything I do is likewise up to decent standards.

 

[Tom.B]

I can’t help you with size restrictions, but it really isn’t hard to find a TV that uses a 12V external power supply. Ours is a cheap Insignia brand we got in the back aisle of Best Buy (you know... where they keep the “budget” TVs). It works pretty good. I mean, you can tell it’s a cheaper brand, but if memory serves, it was only $169 or so.

One thing on “The List” is to rig a rocker switch that makes changing the TV and the Roku over to 12V as easy as a push of a button.

 

[wkearney99]

One thing on “The List” is to rig a rocker switch that makes changing the TV and the Roku over to 12V as easy as a push of a button.

Heh, along those lines, there's a Wirie wifi/cell unit on the mast whose power is controlled by a breaker over the helm. One previously used for a long-since-removed directv setup (good riddance). Yet the installer also ran it through an unlabeled switch over on the other side of the panel. Making for an easy mistake and having no indicator light. So, yeah, wiring is entertaining to debug sometimes...

Where possible I do plan on aiming for using 12v devices. Or at least ones that use as little wattage as possible. Our previous boat had nowhere near the same battery capacity so I'm still keeping that in mind moving forward.

 

[FF]

IF for use on the hook, what external antenna will you use?

Most anything will be OK for 30 miles , but a powered antenna is required for longer distances.

 

[wkearney99]

No intention of watching over-the-air programming, no need for tuner or antenna for it. There's just nothing on OTA we ever need to watch, especially not when on the boat. Mostly it'll be for watching streamed or locally stored movies. Possibly a video game console.

That and powered ATSC antenna are often finicky beasts.

 

[bayview]

I find that having OTA available is the best weather source. Local broadcasters often do a good job following local weather events. Antennas are cheap and digital TV works very well if you are not in a remote area. I hid my antenna in a closed are on the bridge.

 

[wkearney99]

Local TV has it's merits, to be sure. Just not ones I've ever needed during our boating excursions. I wouldn't talk anyone out of using it but don't see it as being at all necessary for our purposes.

Meanwhile, apps like Raindar and MyRadar do a fantastic job of offering useful weather radar info. That and the WeatherUnderground website. Their 10 day forecast chart is very helpful.