DVD's TV's Etc.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally posted by christineb@Nov 16 2005, 09:18 PM
I'm wondering about a getting a portable DVD player for the Scamp. We actually have a little TV/video player, but by the time we get it on the counter, nothing else fits, so we have to take it in and out of the car..........a bit cumbersome. Then.......I thought about a laptop with DVD/wifi..........hmmm. Then I can keep up with e-mail and this forum!! Perfect. Except..........price......yikes! I guess the laptop won't pick up TV though.
Anyone had any experience with any of these toys?

Christine

I recently replaced my Laptop computer with one that has a DVD player. So I now have several options. Including nothing at all. The TV/VCR is too heavy to ride permenently on the mount, so I only install it if I plan to use it. Otherwise, it rides in a plastic bin. If I am boondocking without power, I just put my Teddy Bear(s) on that shelf.

[evan]

Hello Christine, All
We decided to build this little corner shelf to hold a 13in. Sharp Aquos LCD flatscreen TV and a JVC-DVD, CD and radio combination. The TV is available online for $250-$300 and the JVC all in one was $170 from ebay. The cabinet is made from thin plywood covering an aluminum frame and held on with rivets. Its up out of the way and does not take away to much room from the interior of our little 13ft Scamp. I also installed a Winegard power booster antenna, but we mostly just play DVD movies. We are very weight conscious when it comes to our trailer and anything we put in it, we try and keep as light as possible. The whole cabinet with speakers, TV, Radio, wiring etc weighs less than 20lbs. I included a few photos of the installation.

[evan]

closeup of TV cabinet

[Craig Nold]

This little TV/DVD player is at the top of my wish list.

8'' TFT LCD TV w/DVD Player

[Roger H]

Originally posted by evan@Nov 20 2005, 01:40 PM
Hello Christine, All

We decided to build this little corner shelf to hold a 13in. Sharp Aquos LCD flatscreen TV and a JVC-DVD, CD and radio combination.

Evan, what a great setup! How did you attach the cabinet to the walls? I can see the brackets, but I can't tell what fasteners you used.

Roger

[evan]

Hello Roger. The frame is made from 1.25in. aluminum angle which I attached through the walls of the trailer with 1/16 in. screws/nuts. The screws are hidden behind the unit, you reach them from below on the inside. All the aluminum trim on the front is just for looks. The thing has some complex angles to fit flush into the corner. I also have foam inserts around the TV to dampen road vibration and shock.

[Per Walthinsen]

We started out lugging a 9" TV/VCR combination in and out of the trailer. It was too small for reading the subtitles of some of our movies, took too much power, and didn't like to run smoothly on 12 volts.

Replaced with a 15" Sharp LCD, Blaupunkt DVD player. In the picture is also our old Sony receiver /cassette deck. In the cabinet above is a 10-disc changer, and below and out of sight is a 4-channel power amp and a subwoofer. I'm still working out the hookup because there is a slight but noticeable hum coming through. Not acceptable, but I think I have it diagnosed.

[christineb]

I'm still waffling about what to get. Does anyone use WiFi on the road? Is it worth getting, does it work well? A friend has offered me a deal on a laptop, but it's more than I want and less than I need if you know what I mean! Decisions, decisions!
cb

[Steve L.]

I have a AudioVox 12" LCD unit with built in DVD player. Mounted with RAM brackets. In keeping with the policy of Wretched Excess, I did put a 4"x6" stainless steel backing plate inside the overhead.

The basis of the RAM mounting system is basically (rubberized) ball and socket.

I don't travel with the television mounted (it just slides over two screw heads on the mounting plate, but I expect I could.

I just run on 12v. It's just a plain cord so I don't have to carry the brick.

In this picture it's rotated towards the pillows for the horizontal viewing position.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally posted by christineb@Nov 23 2005, 07:49 AM
I'm still waffling about what to get. Does anyone use WiFi on the road? Is it worth getting, does it work well? A friend has offered me a deal on a laptop, but it's more than I want and less than I need if you know what I mean! Decisions, decisions!
cb

We have a wireless network at home for our 3 computers. My laptop works well logging in there, now that Robert has all the setup issues solved. I still have a learning curve to surmount on how to log into some other "Hot-Spot" transmitter. I tried once to do it at a nearby coffee shop and couldn't figure out how, at that time. But Robert wasn't with me then...

WIFI may not be available at some remote campsites... due to a lack of a transmitter. One KOA we stayed at in New Mexico only had dial-up service, and you had to use AOL's 800 number.

[Chester Taje]

Originally posted by christineb@Nov 23 2005, 08:49 AM
I'm still waffling about what to get. Does anyone use WiFi on the road? Is it worth getting, does it work well? A friend has offered me a deal on a laptop, but it's more than I want and less than I need if you know what I mean! Decisions, decisions!
cb

I think the wireless set up is great.I have found sites which the public can use and when we do go to city,I find it fun to keep in touch.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I'm still waffling about what to get. Does anyone use WiFi on the road? Is it worth getting, does it work well? A friend has offered me a deal on a laptop, but it's more than I want and less than I need if you know what I mean! Decisions, decisions!
cb

If have a newer Laptop computer the chances that wifi is built in. If that's the case then all you have to do is find free wifi "hot spots". There's several web site devoted to telling the public where those sites. Do a google search on wifi hot spots. Once connected everything should work the same way it does at home when using that same computer on line.

[BOBSMITH]

Our 2002 Casita came with a tv/vcr combo, so we're keeping it for a while. It has a nice screen and we have a lot of old VHS tapes stored away that we can take with us. Eventually, though, we will get a flat screen TV of some sort and a DVD player. Technology marches on.

[Mike Taylor]

I bought the 8 inch lcd tv/media card reader from Radio Shack. It's a nice small package for my 13 ft trailer and runs directly off 12 volt 2.5 amp or built in rechargeable battery to take outside. Having a bigger screen to look at my sd media card out of digital camera is nice too. Mike