If anyone is insulted or otherwise taken aback by this, my apologies. DW and I go to the Atlanta RV show every year to check out new designs and pre-shop for when our old Bounder may go belly up. For the past few years I have noticed a design trend that seems to be mostly prevalent in mid to high range coaches. Is it necessary to have as many as five large TV sets in a living space as small as a class A RV? It almost seems that the designers are trying to see that you can always touch one TV from another. The particular locations of some of the sets is another discussion. Are there any "amens" or "grrr...you are wrongs"?

Tommy....Typically, coaches come with only two or three. Many times, the show coaches have a lot of options on them so people can see what's available and are wowed by the goodies.We bought our coach new last year. The basic TV arrangement was one in the bedroom and one in the living room. My dealer likes the one over the dash and the outside unit, so any coach he orders for his lot have four TV's.We laughed at the number our coach came with, but found the optional TV (40") over the dash was better suited for watching TV when it was just the two of us. When we have company over to watch a show or movie, the TV (46") on a televator is best. We've never had an outside TV, but have found it useful for movie night with the grandkids and sports when the adults are outside.The funny part, in a year of ownership, we've never turned on the bedroom TV. We're not bedroom TV people. So these coaches are being set up for different life and viewing styles.

I'll give you a tentative "Amen." Unfortunately, it seems the builders are responding to the buyers.Ever watch one of those RV shows like "RV 2015" or whatever? As the buyers are going through the coaches it's all about the small TVs here for the kids, the big one there, the one in the outside entertainment cabinet. Very little dialog about the chassis, infrastructure, etc. It's the kids oohing and aahing over the TVs, the guy checking out if the shower is tall enough, the wife is looking at the kitchen, and then a price discussion.Maybe it's what it takes to get new buyers out of their homes... show they can have all the electronics etc they are used to having at home out on the road. Doesn't seem to be much about enjoying the outdoors, at least on those shows.

tommy g wrote:If anyone is insulted or otherwise taken aback by this, my apologies. DW and I go to the Atlanta RV show every year to check out new designs and pre-shop for when our old Bounder may go belly up. For the past few years I have noticed a design trend that seems to be mostly prevalent in mid to high range coaches. Is it necessary to have as many as five large TV sets in a living space as small as a class A RV? It almost seems that the designers are trying to see that you can always touch one TV from another. The particular locations of some of the sets is another discussion. Are there any "amens" or "grrr...you are wrongs"?thank-you!! there is no need for more than 1 TV in the living space and another in the bedroom. we've seen coaches with two in the living space. why? and the TV's in the living space are sometimes oriented so that it cannot be seen from one chair or even the couch. I say put the TV back where it was...up between the pilot and co-pilot chairs.

my chieftain had what I consider to be the ideal living area location. it was similar to some TTs with the TV on the angle over the dinette. it could be seen from the sofa opposite, from one side of the dinette, and the passenger seat was a recliner that swiveled around and could view the TV.My first two MHs had the standard centered over the dashboard which truthfully sort of sucked.bumpy

We have 5 TV's currently but 6 were an option. Our coach has several lay-out choices for the dinette where there are two stools attached to the floor with a TV built in the side cabinet for watching TV. You can watch TV during dinner or connect it to your computer if you use that space for cyber stuff. We chose the J-booth set-up so that TV was eliminated.We have a 55" TV at the front of the coach on a lift, a smaller TV that's built in the roof of the driver's side slide that comes down on a lift for TV viewing. This one is mainly if the slides are in and you want to watch TV.We have a small 7" monitor next to the passenger seat so that the co-pilot can watch TV or select the Navigation screen and watch what I have programed in.We have a TV in the bedroom.We have a 55" TV outside.So, 5 TV's total.MM.

Newer floorplan designs | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

J-Rooster
Explorer
Feb 06, 2015
One TV is enough for us in the living room to watch the Oakland Raiders during football season. We have one in the bedroom that we don't use due to the fact that is our quiet place, but we did use it when our grandkids came over. I don't like outside storage bay TV's that I can hear and don't want too!
Goldencrazy
Explorer
Feb 06, 2015
tatest wrote:
They are trying to appeal to a new buyer. More people are addicted to their TV, and if you are to get them out of the house, you have to provide everything from the house they think they need. Since the days of three broadcast networks, there have been people who needed to be watching at least three TVs at a time. Several of these people have lived in the White House.

I'm one who can do with zero TVs, but I'm often using two or more computers at once, have been for 35 years.

I had no idea George Bush was addicted to TV. Are you sure?
Goldencrazy
Explorer
Feb 06, 2015
I love our TV's and especially our dvr's that allow us to record what we like and watch without ads. We also enjoy many sports and record those as well. By recording we are not slaves to any time schedule. I do watch some news and weather. For us it is all entertainment which we control. Of course we enjoy going to a good film from time to time as well and the big screen including Imax is best for some. I do like the TV in the middle of the lounge area and not at ends. Really allows for a much more efficient and home like arrangement for us.
holstein13
Explorer
Feb 05, 2015
You'll get a definite Amen from me. They put three large screen TVs inside our coach, one large screen outside and two DVD players in the bunks. I very rarely watch any of them and I discourage the kids from watching as well.

The only good news is that TVs have gotten slimmer.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Feb 04, 2015
When we bought our motorhome new we immediately took out the bedroom TV and sold it.

We used the living area one for renting movies, not watching TV.
mustang652
Explorer
Feb 04, 2015
My 14 Itasca came with three, one outside which has never been even turned on, one in the bedroom which will only pick up local, so have only used it once, and the primary which is mid ship. As much time as I spend at the front dinette, I'm tempted to have a small flat screen installed over the dash.
mleekamp
Explorer
Feb 04, 2015
Amen! Our TT had a space for a flat screen, but only last year (our 2nd season in the trailer) did we put one in. When we bought the TT, we opted not to have the TV (biggest reason: their cost vs. walmart!). Point is, we have 1, only need 1. BTW: our house has only 1 as well. Yes, the kids complain after a trip to their friends house, but they can call Dad cheap all they want. Truth is it is not about being cheap but being reasonable...we just don't need more than 1.
RV_daytrader
Explorer
Feb 04, 2015
ummmmmm, what's a TV ??...we don't have one in the class C and don't want one!...now if we were fulltiming we would have ONE!
Effy
Explorer II
Feb 04, 2015
We had in motion DTV installed in our first coach and was such a waste of money. I think in a year we used it about 3x. We rarely watch TV when camping or travelling. My 11 year old son is actually against it unless he's watching a moving on a long travel day. What I have noticed in newer models is TV placement is bad in a lot of cases. To each his own. They seem to be responding to buyers so I would imagine the majority like all the TV's. That and they are so cheap now and more functional than the wall art that usually appeals to no one but the designer at the factory.
toedtoes
Explorer III
Feb 04, 2015
msmith1199 wrote:
Okay, I've looked at quite a few new RV's lately and I've never seen five "large" TV's in the living area. I've seen the trend of having two with one over the dash and then one back in the living area, but never five in the living room area. Are you looking at tour buses or something?

I believe the OP is talking about the entire RV when writing "living area". The bedroom, living room, cab area, outside compartment, etc., not just the living room area.