12 Volt TV/DVD

nk235 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-01-2008

The new boat already has the wires and switch setup for a 12volt tv to be hooked up so I was planning on buying one. Does anyone have any suggestions for a 12"-15" flat screen with a DVD drive built in? Must be 12volt.

I am only going to use it for DVD movies so I could care less about regular TV and the antenna hook up but that is also why I want the DVD player to be built in because I will only be using that and it will be less cluter.
Thanks

hellosailor · #2 (**permalink**) 05-01-2008

"I am only going to use it for DVD movies "
Then you want a DVD player, which will be 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of a TV with DVD built in. 12-15" would be a bit larger than most of them, try an RV store or a "car stereo" store to buy one for car/RV use.

camaraderie · #3 (**permalink**) 05-01-2008

You will pay through the nose for a 12V set...several times the price of an AC set. The best thing to do is to go to one of the superstores and read the power "bricks" on all the AC TV's on display in your size range and read the DC output of those bricks to find one compatible with a 12V input. Cip the leads and wire it into the boat system.
I will ditto HS's comments on built in DVD's...but if you decide to go that route the same advice applies.

EDIT: Polaroid has a 19" TV/DVD at Circuit City that uses 6 amps at 12 Volts for $349

nk235 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008

Thanks for the two replies. That one at Circuit City looks nice but I really need a 15" one as it would fit perfectly where I want to put it and a 19" may be too big for my boat. After all I am mainly puting it in for the ladies. My buddy and I don't really care too much for a TV but our girlfriends always say they wish they had one down there.

I was thinking about the straight portable DVD player route, but all of them seem a lot more clunky and made for folding up or down in certain spots. I want a flat screen tv with a built in DVD because I think it will look a lot nicer, fit in where I want it to go much easier, and in the future if I ever do decide to hook up an antenna to it, I can. I saw on the West Marine website and some other random websites out there that they do have 15" flat screen/dvd combos out there made for 12 volt. I don't mind spending the extra cash for a 12 volt one as I am not that handy in terms of converting a AC one to DC power. I was just wondering if anyone on here had one and if they liked it or not or if they recommend a good brand.

Thanks

SantaSailor · #5 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008

I bought a 17" LCD TV with built in DVD for $379 at Walmart. It was the only one I could find that ran on 12vdc and not 18vdc. But I could not find a 15" that didn't run on 18vdc.

nk235 · #6 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008

Tried looking on the Walmart website and didn't see that one you mentioned. Maybe they stopped selling it. Anyway though what do you think of this one from West Marine:

West Marine: 15" Marine LCD TV/DVD Combo Product Display
0/TV's%20/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/10/0?N=377%20710%201437&Ne=
0&Ntt=TV's%20&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5003&subdeptNum=3&classNum=10877

15" flat screen built in DVD 12 volt DC

camaraderie · #7 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008

Sorry nk235...but you don't want to buy a NON-HDTV like that West one.
Just go the the stores and read the bricks!
Re-wiring is simple. Clip the wire at the brick...that will give you two wires to play with. Bolt on a $5 cigarette lighter plug from radio shack and voila...you have a 12V TV/DVD player.

nk235 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008

Guess you're right. Did not realize that the West one wasn't HD. I'll have to look into it more and do some research. I really should do it this weekend since its suppossed to be crappy out both Sat and Sunday so installing and then hanging out watching movies on the boat wouldn't be such a bad thing!

camaraderie · #9 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008

Here's the Poloroid in a 15" set at Target! ...and it is also a 12V power supply.
Polaroid 15.6" 1080i LCD HD TV with DVD - TDX-01530B : Target

SVCarolena · #10 (**permalink**) 05-02-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Here's the Poloroid in a 15" set at Target! ...and it is also a 12V power supply.
Polaroid 15.6" 1080i LCD HD TV with DVD - TDX-01530B : Target

Where do you see that is operates on 12 volts? Something like this might be nice for keeping tabs on the games while I'm at the marina.