280 EC Cockpit TV?.?

aferretti3

Has anyone ever installed a tv in the cockpit of a 280 EC? If so, how hard was it to run power and cable? Where did you mount it? What kind/size tv did you use? Thanks for any advice and info...hope Lake Erie thaws soon enough to actually be able to use the boat this year!!?!

pepmyster

Never did that, that is a very personal thing to do. The cockpit is usually our point of drinks and food , and, watch the water. Having the same boat, wouldn't it be tight up there? Why not use , like us sometimes, use an Ipad to watch movies (under the stars) or a lab top? You have the aux input for sound on your helm for sound. There!! All set and ready to go. Just my 2 pennies.

My_Dinghys_Dinghy

Like that Idea pep. We spend our time socializing and when parking, it's usually because we are talking (Our boat isn't the place we hang out for the most part) with friends or aquaintences.

aferretti3

I agree pep and dinghy...unfortunately my 7 and 4 year old kids get bored with just relaxing and "watching" the water...I would rather have them up in the cockpit with us even if it's watching a movie or maybe catching a Cleveland Browns game while we're boat gating?!?

My_Dinghys_Dinghy

I DJ and there is a thing I use that mounts to a speaker poll that may be something you may want to make for a TV. You could store it somewhere and then just plug it in and put it on a pole or make it's own area. This way it clears the deck while running.

Cableguy Greg

This thread has an interesting mount for a TV. You could use the light pod that is above the captains seat rather than the center mount. I thought about doing something like that for boatgating as well. Since I go to all of the home games, I scrapped the idea for now...
http://rinkerboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/2257/tv-mount-and-new-table-for-my-342

Dream_Inn

Well, on my 310 I installed a small mount on the top of the arch (bottomside of course) and another on the cabin wall.  Then I very easily could move the TV between the two places.  Allowing one TV to be used throughout the boat.  I think if you do a search you'd find my pictures on here (I guess it may have been on the RBO site).  I remember many people that saw it, really liked it and did the same.  I put a coupler in the arch on the TV antenna cable and then could connect in either place.

Dream_Inn

http://rinkerboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/9672#Comment_9672

Here are some shots of the TV mounted below, still looking to see if there are some on the forum of it on the arch.

pepmyster

I also like the idea of the pole being used, cool idea and not permanent.

Dirtythirty

whatever size that you choose, (under 32") try to find one that is a TV/DVD combo....we found that a DVD is a lifesaver if you don't put the cash out for Trac-Vision, or you don't have a cable hook-up.   There are several brands listed on Amazon that are both TV/DVD.

Also, the one I would go with would be a 12v/120v model.  to accommodate shore and battery power.  They are also available on Amazon.   

They offer a decent flip down mount that locks in place if you have an arch to mount it up and out of the way.

And they also sell waterproof zip up covers for whichever size you go with.

Cableguy Greg

I agree with Dirtythirty... Get a combo unit. The one that I got is a 12v/120v model, which actually is just a 12vdc unit with an external 120VAC power supply. I have it connected to the 12VDC system and when I am connected to shore power, my battery chargers keeps the batteries up. It is a 19" model that has a digital tuner. I got close to 20 HD channels off air. I also got it on Amazon and it is the Axess TVD1801-19. The picture is decent, but not great. It isn't a 4K Sony or Samsung, but it works just fine on the boat.

Dream_Inn

I agree as well.  I have a Naxa unit that, like Greg, have connected as 12VDC.  It has the built-in DVD and that is what gets used the most. 

Dirty, have you found something that replaces the player we have on our hardtops?  I'd love to put something new in place up there similar to what is there but a better picture.  Please let me know what you find.  thanks!

Dirtythirty

Dream Inn...Ive found NIB units that replace ours, but I don't like them, they are unsightly and too small, I was considering a 32", tv/dvd, 12/120 unit with a flip down mount that would bolt directly to our existing tv location.  I've read a lot about these units, and it seem that the sound is horrible without somehow running the audio thru your stereo system. Also, I heard the picture is not too bright when its out in the sun. (that most likely won't be a huge issue, because if the sun is shining, I won't be watching TV.  I looked at the white aluminum cased all weather 32" TVs that are supposed to be SUPER BRIGHT and at first sounded like the PERFECT tv for our application, but not only are they very expensive, ($1495.) I have a feeling they will draw more power. I don't think I want a unit that I MUST run my generator, just to watch TV. For the time being, I am going to keep searching. When I do replace mine, I want to do it right, it must flow well with the rest of the interior, and it has to work the way I want it to. There a lot of info that can be found on the various RV sites. A lot of those systems on motorhomes are similar to ours , but way more popular. Lots of discussion boards and articles.

Dream_Inn

Thanks Dirty!  I probably will just leave what I have and not do anything with it again this year.  I had also thought about just making the TV I changed in the salon to allow for easy quick disconnect off the cabinet door and set it up on a counter in the cockpit.  I can actually see the salon TV from the aft seat in the cockpit and done that once or twice, but it's a bit hard to see football scores!

Dream_Inn

http://rinkerboats.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/9672#Comment_9672 Well, I found a topic that I posted pics of it mounted below.  I'll keep looking for the arch shots.