Quote:
Originally Posted by Stan K
Does anyone know if anyone makes a 12Volt Smart TV. Looking for a 24" for my Casita.
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I went through the same research with my new Casita. I did not opt for the factory 22" TV that Casita offers. For me, "Bigger is Better". I discovered that TVs under 32" are very limited regardless of the voltage they run on. Finding a "smart TV" at 24" is next to almost impossible. At 24" "smart" is not very smart. Inputs and outputs are even more limited. The sound on small TV's is definitely lacking.
I finally ended up with a Vizio 24" Smart TV (found on Amazon) that requires 120 VAC for power. I invested in a 150 Watt Inverter and a Bose Mini Link speaker (presently available at Costco) for the sound that I desired. The Bose Mini Link is
battery operated and can be charged with the Casita USB ports available in two locations. The Bose will operate for up to 10 hours on a single charge.
I mounted both the Bose Mini Link speaker and the 150 inverter on aluminum plates using long hose clamps. I used pliers to bend the hose clamps to fit around the speaker and the inverter. Not wanting to drill holes in the structure of the trailer, I opted to use 3M Scotch mounting tape to secure both the Bose Mini Link and the 150 inverter to the cabinet above the TV. Tie-wraps and Velcro straps organized and tamed all of the wiring. I used a stereo mini-plug to connect the Bose Mini Link to the TV.
Results:
Pros: The sound is great. It can blast you out of the trailer if that is your thing. The Bose Mini Link provides excellent sound quality. If you are running a laptop, you can also link the Bose via blue tooth to your laptop, iPad, or smart phone.
Everything is powered by the trailer's 12 volt system. I bought the Zamp 230 watt
solar panels and they work great and give me all of the power I need. I did not opt for the
microwave. The Fantastic Fan provides excellent air circulation.
Cons: The inverter setup is not efficient and uses more power that a TV designed to operate off of 12 VDC. I believe I measured the TV power draw and it was less than 35 watts. I suspect due to inefficiency of the inverter system I am probably at 40 to 45 watts.
While I did what I considered a neat and clean installation, the setup is still somewhat hokey.
You are not able to adjust the sound level remotely and it requires getting up to adjust the sound when needed.
To watch the TV, you have to turn on the inverter, turn on the Bose Mini Link and adjust the sound level. All other controls of the TV are accomplished with the TV remote.
Notes: unless you are in very close proximity to the local TV stations, don't expect much out of the Casita installed TV antenna.
There is a reason that Casita does not offer the 24" TV as a factory option. The location and position of their TV mount is designed for the 22" TV. Mounting a 24" TV gives you less control over the viewing angle of the TV. I find that the TV is usually pressed into the Venetian blinds to some degree regardless of the viewing angle.
I am happy with my installation. I will stick with what I have until a much better TV comes on the market that would improve what I currently have. The installation gives me a good picture and sound.