Non-RV television

[bigorange]

We're considering moving a smaller LCD flat-screen TV from the house into our trailer. Any concerns with using a "non-RV" TV? I assume maybe some risk with vibration and temperature extremes, but what really makes a "RV-specific" TV any different? DC power I guess...anything else?

Maybe I'm overthinking it and shouldn't be concerned...LoL

[FlatBroke]

I put a Samsung newer 40” tv in mine. They have a smal thin frame. Coming home from AZ we were on a pretty rough road. When we got home there was a thin line running from top to bottom in the middle. Loss of pixels. It got worse, when doing a search I found that there are ribbon connectors running along the bottom and can come lose. I squeezed the lower frame with my hand and the lines went away. I took it apart and could find no loose ribbons. I ended up putting a clamp on the frame, not pretty but pixel lose went away. I blame all this on the new TVs having this thin frame and have less support then the older ones. I would suggest putting a strap around the middle of the tv top to bottom to minimizing this to happen.

[mr__ed]

When I purchased my new Hitchhiker 5th wheel in 2007 it didn't have a TV installed. It had been removed for some reason. I already had a home-type TV in my motorhome, which I traded in on the 5th wheel. The sales people offered to pay me for the missing TV and I decided to use my existing TV in the 5th wheel instead. The space where the original TV in the fiver was supposed to be was much larger than my home-style TV. I set my TV in the space and connected the necessary wiring (it was an AC only set, but there was a receptacle nearby). I didn't care about the appearance. In preparation for travel, I employed bungee cords to hold the TV in place. It remained that way for about 8 or 9 years until I had to sell my fiver due to a sudden disability. No damage ever occured to the TV during that time.


So the answer is yes, you should be able to install a home-type TV in your RV.

[ktmrfs]

about the only difference is that there are "RV" TV's that will run off 12V instead of 120V (actually the 18VDC Power supply used for most computers). There are also lots of "RV" TV's that won't run on 12V, need 120V. Kinda defeats the purpose IMHO.

so..... unless 12V is really important, no real reason to get a "RV" TV.

[1492]

I seriously doubt LCD consumer manufacturers specifically build a "tough" version for RVs. Get what you want.

[Bill_Satellite]

bigorange wrote:
We're considering moving a smaller LCD flat-screen TV from the house into our trailer. Any concerns with using a "non-RV" TV? I assume maybe some risk with vibration and temperature extremes, but what really makes a "RV-specific" TV any different? DC power I guess...anything else?

Maybe I'm overthinking it and shouldn't be concerned...LoL

No such thing as an RV TV. There are some 12V TV's but otherwise, just go get what you like and put it in place.

[wa8yxm]

bigorange wrote:
We're considering moving a smaller LCD flat-screen TV from the house into our trailer. Any concerns with using a "non-RV" TV? I assume maybe some risk with vibration and temperature extremes, but what really makes a "RV-specific" TV any different? DC power I guess...anything else?

No such item exists at least not any more, or almost do not exist.

Back in the OLD and I do mean OLD days when you could test the Vacuum tubes at your local K-mart and pick up replacements..... Well some of those did not like bouncing down the highway. Not a problem with modern Solid State TV's that do not have socketed parts or not the same kind of socket.
Likewise with CRT televisions moving around can cause color issues as the set can build up a magnetic field from moving too much.. Again not a problem with today's flat screens.

Today Plasma type TV's (Very big) do not like bouncing . But when I say BIG (And heavy) I mean BIG and HEAVY!!!

As for flat screen LED/LCD tv's. Anything you find on the market is RV compatible. Samsung, Dynex. Toshiba, And brands you have never heard of. Even ELEMENT (only TV made in the USA at least till they finish shutting down the plants) which is also the only TV I do not recommend for RV is ok in an RV. provided you never want to watch digital cable. (They are also the only TV I know of that does not decode QAM digital cable). They just announced closing one plant. I know they have. or had more. but do not know their status.

But any TV OTHER THAN PLASMA you find today at Best-Buy, Wal-Mart, ABC-Warehoue. Costco, Sam's Target, Sears, ______ will do just fine in an RV.

[2edgesword]

Our 19" flat screen is just a standard television sold for general use. It's held up without any issues for six years during all of our travels. It's mounted on a wall mount that allows it to be easily removed and stored while we are on the road and none of the shock/vibration of travel has done any damage.

[RSD559]

The only difference between RV and Consumer TV anymore are quality and price. You got it. RV TVs are lower in quality and higher in price. And usually, not so much with TVs, but with sound bars and players and such, odd shapes or with odd connections to make it more difficult to replace with a higher quality consumer product. The DVD player/radio in our old trailer was so complicated to use, I couldn't even turn it off. So I disconnected it. The directions said to hold a button down and click another one several times. Had to break out the manual everytime I wanted to turn it off.

[Old-Biscuit]

When the 'digital age' occurred and converter boxes were needed we swapped out the OEM 25" analog heavy TV and replaced it with a 32" VIZIO ---that was back in 2008 while we were FT travleing all over the USA

I still watch that TV on occasions cause trailer is parked at home set up as a man cave.

At same time put a 19" Philips with DVD in bedroom and it is still functioning

Both have been bounced/vibrated....cold/hot etc.


ANYTHING advertised as 'RV" this or that is going to cost more and perform worst.

[bigorange]

Excellent...I didn't think there was any real difference aside from price.

[ScottG]

The vast majority of the TV's used are not "RV" specific.

[BB_TX]

I replaced both my TVs with Samsung from Best Buy several years ago. No problems with bumpy roads.

[gbopp]

bigorange wrote:
but what really makes a "RV-specific" TV any different? DC power I guess...anything else?

Probably the price? 🙂

[jorbill2or]

Standard LCD tv brands are in every large Motorhome . Samsung,LG etc There is nothing special about them. So they will work just fine Some smaller Rv's use 12volt DC televisions because I assume they don't have a inverter. In truth many LCD tv's run on 12 volts internally or something close. Just secure it to not move around.