What is the best small TV for an RV ?
My DW and I are going to spend a couple of months on the road and I would like to get a digital TV that we can easily use and enjoy. In our small Class C I figure 19-24" is plenty big. We have o...
Forum Discussion
There are no really high quality TVs made in that size today, so brand might not matter too much.
In that size, resolution higher than 720 P is a waste of money, you will not see the difference at any normal viewing distance. LED back-lighting is preferable to fluorescent, the technology is sturdier for the vibration/handling involved in RV travel.
If going only in the RV, smart TV is not worth the extra cost, some part of which is licensing for software and media access. Smart TV means capability to do its own Internet video streaming from network cable or WiFi, and you need streaming bandwidth (at least 0.5 Mbits for standard definition) and you are not going to find that very many places. You will be lucky to find a consistent 0.05 Mbits anyplace someone is offering "free" Internet.
I would not worry too much about digital cable capabilities, as this is not a service I've been finding on an overnight basis at RV parks, and never in public campgrounds. If staying long term somewhere, you might be able to buy service direct from the locally franchised cable company, but then you usually need a "cable card ready" TV, or need to rent their cable box, because everything is encrypted. Most cable companies, the rental price for the card and for the box is the same, typically $5 a month.
That all being said, 32" or smaller, I would probably buy a Samsung because they've pared those sizes down to one or two "no compromise" models using the best LCD screens available, but then I would likely be ending up paying for the "smart" capabilities not so useful in the RV. But when I stop using it in the RV, it would be a great TV for one of the grandkids.
In that size, resolution higher than 720 P is a waste of money, you will not see the difference at any normal viewing distance. LED back-lighting is preferable to fluorescent, the technology is sturdier for the vibration/handling involved in RV travel.
If going only in the RV, smart TV is not worth the extra cost, some part of which is licensing for software and media access. Smart TV means capability to do its own Internet video streaming from network cable or WiFi, and you need streaming bandwidth (at least 0.5 Mbits for standard definition) and you are not going to find that very many places. You will be lucky to find a consistent 0.05 Mbits anyplace someone is offering "free" Internet.
I would not worry too much about digital cable capabilities, as this is not a service I've been finding on an overnight basis at RV parks, and never in public campgrounds. If staying long term somewhere, you might be able to buy service direct from the locally franchised cable company, but then you usually need a "cable card ready" TV, or need to rent their cable box, because everything is encrypted. Most cable companies, the rental price for the card and for the box is the same, typically $5 a month.
That all being said, 32" or smaller, I would probably buy a Samsung because they've pared those sizes down to one or two "no compromise" models using the best LCD screens available, but then I would likely be ending up paying for the "smart" capabilities not so useful in the RV. But when I stop using it in the RV, it would be a great TV for one of the grandkids.
