Newbies-Need to Buy TV for RV

Go to Costco or Best Buy and get a well rated brand like Sony or Panasonic or Toshiba. A 110 VAC set is fine as an inverter will easily handle the power demands of today's LED LCD televisions.

I never shop at places like Wal-Mart that force their employees to get welfare supplemental aid to be able to eat and deny them overtime pay for hours they are forced to work by their managers. My integrity is worth more than saving a few dollars at places like this and there are alternatives like Costco that pays its employees twice as much and provides health care instead of relying on federal and state welfare assistance.

you don't need special "vibration isolators". My Walmart TV accidently got left on the dinette as I started one trip. 100 miles later when I stopped for a potty break, I found it on the floor against the bed. Picked it up, laid it on bed for rest of trip (its normal travel position) and it worked fine when I got where I was going and hooked it back up.

as far as short queen bed, I use regular queen sheets (I do have memory foam on top, so it is a bit thicker) and just tuck the extra in under the mattress. I use a double blanket and bedspread so they don't hang so far down the side. (I do travel alone, so only have to cover one person). I find the double isn't as likely to fall and cover the floor heat vent.

Our RV mattress was horrific. Added a Costco memory foam topper and now it rivals our sleep number + memory foam at home! Easy upgrade.

I think my Magnavox 32" LED/LCD screen was around $200 at Sam's Club. If I was worried about vibration isolation (I'm not), I could mount it on rubber mounts. Mine stays bolted onto the swing arm bracket while travelling.

FWIW, I've repaired these LCD TV's and there isn't anything inside that needs special isolation from vibration. The newer ones are comprised of three circuit boards.

Finding this thread was great. Thanks everyone. I was at a dealer today looking at a Toyhauler and was told the TV's that come from the trailer manufacturer are RV specific as they have "special" vibration isolators. Sounded like bunk to me. Forest River charges $757 MSRP for a 29" tv. Glad I won't have to spend that much for a television I'll watch a few times a year by comparison to the one I watch at home...

You can buy a TV anywhere, there is nothing special about TVs in an RV.

Many TVs up to about 24" come with an adapter (wall wart) that produces the 12-14v that the TV uses. You can throw out (just kidding) the adapter and connect the TV directly to the RV's 12v system. Just make sure that the adapter is supplying 12-14vdc. Some adapters produce other voltages that your TV may not like. That way you can watch the TV whether you have hookups or are camping off the grid as in some state parks and other campgrounds without hookups.

I bought a new Magnavox 32" LCD/LED screen (weighs 8 lbs., draws 33W). It's mounted on a standard swing/tilt arm bracket. The bracket is secured to a piece of plywood. The plywood is fastened to the studs of the trailer. No stowing or dismounting is necessary. I have an inverter that powers it when off-grid. It has a DVI input so that it can be used as a computer monitor.

2012Coleman wrote:
Many new TT's have stickers on the wall that tell you where to mount a TV - does yours? Just measure the space you plan on putting it, and buy a LCD TV that fits. If mounting on a wall, you'll need a bracket - get one that can be moved in multiple directions. Use a stud finder to find a stud, drill pi;ot holes and use an appropriate size lag bolt to mount the TV bracket.

Yes, ours shows where to put it. We were thinking of mounting a samller one on the wall in the bedroom too and that does not have a sticker but it does have a stud we can use a stud finder for.

We bought TV/DVD combos so that we didn't have to have 2 devices for the bedrooms.

You might want to consider using/buying a laptop instead of a one use TV. Laptops can be used to watch TV shows and movies, listen to music, as well as regular computer functions.
Congratulations on your new purchase!:)