LCD TV, DVD set-ups

Time to upgrade.* I have seen in some marine catalogues a one piece unit (maybe by Dual?) that is an in dash unit, plays CD, MP3, AM/FM and DVD's.* I was planning on installing a 15" LCD TV as well.* Since we never have actually watched TV, only videos aboard, I am wondering if it makes more sense to just get a 15" monitor for viewing DVD's?* Any suggestions here?* I have tried to talk to some of the*salespeople at the big box electronic stores haven't had too much luck.

Unless you're in the market for a new stereo anyway, you might want to buy a combination TV/DVD player instead of an in-dash unit. Would be cheaper and obviously less hassle to install.

I wouldn't recommend a monitor in any case. About the only ones you'll find are computer monitors and they aren't optimal for TV viewing.

I looked a few years back, and decided to go with a large format notebook PC with an higher-end display instead of a dedicated DVD player. Same story - no interest in TV, just videos.

The downsides
- it's more complex to use.
- it's got the keyboard sitting out in front

The upsides:
- you can use it anywhere aboard pretty easily (send kids to the aft cabin to watch while the adults socialize, for instance)
- it'll play CDs
- it'll store a zillion MP3's
- you also have a notebook PC that you can use for nav software or whatever
- plug in a set of speakers for decent sound

If you're squeamish about using the same notebook for nav and general use, set it up with dual boot with the nav boot stripped down to the bare essentials.

We have a mixture, a 15" combined TEAC lcd unit in the wheelhouse which also has the nav computer feeding into it (old desktop unit, Win98 and nav software with a feed off the gps). It will play dvd's. etc. It is plugged into an inverter.
In the master bedroom we have a 19" Phillips lcd with a separate dvd player. This also is plugged into the tv antenna and the digital tv while in the slip. This* is also the cd player for the bedroom.
In the lounge we have a 42" Hyundai plasma, which is plugged into*a 12volt dvd, cd, am/fm auto head unit. We really only use this tv when we have shore power, plasma has a fairly high power usage compared with lcd.
We have a huge stack of dvds to watch, plus several hundred audio cds. We like our sounds and pictures and are setting up our vessel so we can enjoy our interests.

One question before LCD or Plasma , is weather the boat will be stored in freezing weather.

Some screens will not take real cold.

FF

We are ok in that department, real cold for us is a good frosty morning, not 15ft of snow, hell if it snowed here where we live it would cause a civil emergency lol.

LCD works better in places that might have glare. I've also HEARD that there are so many problems with plasma that they are going to discontinue making them, but that's just a rumor. I picked LCD.

Another potential downside to plasma its sensitivity to shock (i.e., G forces). Unless you're in perennially calm waters, stick to LCD.

My choice is OLCD.
Apart from my Nav screens I have 2 LCD screens both with built in DVD Players.
One an LG and the other a cheaper Paltronic.LG in wheelhouse/lounge the other in master stateroom.
Both work really well, and these days they are pretty cheap.
As we don't sit very far from the screens they are both 17" units and plenty large enough.

The LG in the wheelhouse can also be connected to the nav computer as a back up screen.

Benn