Deal Alert:Cheap TV-$79.00

[Ed Harris]

I saw this today in a Frys ad they sent me. It is $79.00 for a 15" LCD. HDMI and Digital tuner,Vesa Mount,VGA computer input,Low Power Draw but don't know if it runs on 12vdc,LED Backlight.

Sounds tough to beat but I know nothing else about it.

FRYS.com*|*COBY

Seems worth investigating though.

Ed

[Kevin K]

Reviews at Amazon
Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Coby LEDTV1926 19-Inch 720p LCD TV

[DavidSo]

Very good price! I was up last night looking at TVs in fact. Most all of these smaller TVs suffer from poor sound quality. I have a Sharp 19" in my cabin that has a great picture, but I attached speakers to it too. The Cobies generally haven't gotten high reviews for quality from what I saw, but for $79 it's not a bad risk.
David

[honda03842]

One of the disadvantages of living in the East, virtually no Frys, definitely an electronic wonder.

[Kevin K]

They ship.

[honda03842]

They do ship but they also have many 'instore only' deals. What I like best is just walking around, so much stuff. Last trip west I picked up a volt meter for $20 that I've had for 3 years that's smaller than an Iphone and as well built.

Fortunately in our loop this year we'll be near tons of stores.

[cpaharley2008]

Too bad it is not 12 volt.

[Ed Harris]

I have a feeling it is such a low current draw that it should not be too bad thru in inverter.

I have probably installed a dozen or so of this brand but not this exact model,mainly in Kitchens and Bathrooms and have not had any die yet.

Coby is maybe the most recognized of the 4th tier Chinese junk sold here and I think Casita sells a Coby as the TV option from the factory?

Clearly not a great TV but for $79.00 to install in a somewhat hostile environment this one seems tough to beat I think.

I imagine in 2 weeks we will see new low price points everywhere,a least I hope so.

[DavidSo]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

I have a feeling it is such a low current draw that it should not be too bad thru in inverter.

I have probably installed a dozen or so of this brand but not this exact model,mainly in Kitchens and Bathrooms and have not had any die yet.

Coby is maybe the most recognized of the 4th tier Chinese junk sold here and I think Casita sells a Coby as the TV option from the factory?

Clearly not a great TV but for $79.00 to install in a somewhat hostile environment this one seems tough to beat I think.

I imagine in 2 weeks we will see new low price points everywhere,a least I hope so.

Many of these little TVs are 12v and come with a power supply cord to plug into 110V. Even if they don't, they draw between 25 and 40 watts. That is pretty easily handled by even the smallest inverters.

You bring up a question I have wanted to ask Ed. Do these household TVs survive in a camp trailer? Vibration, freezing, moisture, heat, shock? The marine type TVs that supposedly are built for all that cost twice as much. Obviously people are using the regular units, but I wonder how hard? Any comments from anyone?
David

[honda03842]

I was in Home Depot today and for one of their Christmas specials they have a 100 watt cigarette lighter Inverter for $9.88, the lowest price I've ever seen.

As to home TVs in RVs, we've hade the same 15 inch LCD TV for 7 years. For the first three years it was mounted to the bedroom wall of our motorhome, for the last four years it's traveled in our trailers. It has worked perfectly fine and easily runs off a 100 watt cigarette lighter inverter. We see nor hear any interference from the non-sine wave inverters.

Our TV is a Sylvania.

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by DavidSo

Many of these little TVs are 12v and come with a power supply cord to plug into 110V. Even if they don't, they draw between 25 and 40 watts. That is pretty easily handled by even the smallest inverters.

You bring up a question I have wanted to ask Ed. Do these household TVs survive in a camp trailer? Vibration, freezing, moisture, heat, shock? The marine type TVs that supposedly are built for all that cost twice as much. Obviously people are using the regular units, but I wonder how hard? Any comments from anyone?
David

I have found that they seem up to the task.
There is not too much inside these right now really.

Older CRT based TV's were fairly rugged too it seems and these new ones are so simple inside there is not too much that goes wrong from my experience.

The LCD panels seem easily more rugged than any CRT except for sharp objects thru the screen itself.
The Backlights are driven either with CCFL tubes or LED's both of which are fairly bulletproof.

The electronics driving it all is reduced to 1 or 2 boards inside and they now weigh from 5-12 lbs too so there is little inertia inflicting damage from having them hanging.

I have seen very few smaller sized units go out since they have been mainstream products and I imagine I see more of these day to day than everyone else here combined?

Bad for service calls but good as an owner.

[DavidSo]

Good info guys, thanks. Norm, you answered another question before I asked it . I have both true sine wave and modified sine wave inverters. I usually reserve the true sine for electronics, but if the TVs like the modifed signal, so much the better.
David