OK, got to fix the TV-

rasbury

I have seen some other threads over the last year about replacing the tv''s with led to save power, how much better the new TV's are etc. etc.- Here is my deal: the tv works (comes on) but we only can watch DVD's since the change from digital. I don't want to have to re do the cabinet to install a better tv unless fixing the one I have is the same cost to upgrade. We just don't use it that much but would like to watch the news in the AM. So, I knocked the antenna off the arch so I have to replace that with something, wish I could mount in a better place, then I need a converter of some sort to get a signal?

Black_Diamond

You'll have to buy the digital converter to use with a non HD tv. 

If you use the threaded mount for the tv/radio antenna you can take it on/off pretty easily. 

Cableguy Greg

The signal is there, you just need a digital to analog converter that works on 12VDC. If it isn't 12VDC, you have to be connected to shore power for it to work. Anytime I trailer my 280, which is rare, I remove the antenna so I don't knock it off.

redlightning

a new Omni directional antenna is pretty inexpensive.  I would suggest a new tv.  it will use less power and have the atsc tuner built in.  I connected mine last weekend and got 5 local channels in hd.  our tv has a built in dvd player so no extra space needed for that.

best buy has Insignia combo units 20", 24" and 28".  $140-$190.  I known in the past LG made all of the Insignia product.  Best of the Korean manufacturers. 

Cableguy Greg

I agree with replacing the TV. I bought an Axxess TV/DVD combo that is a 12VDC unit and it works great. I get close to 25 off air channels with the factory boat antenna. I am happy with it and I can use the TV while out and about.

rasbury

sounds like the way to go....I just have to be very careful with my boat bucks. I don't get to do much to the boat I want to do, just the things I have to do when is comes down to other than sweat equity I'm putting in it!

Thanks, I will up date this with the final purchase as I'm sure all this stuff is changing all the time. It runs off shore and the battery so I need the dual voltage and assume the new ones will have the converter. I hope what ever I purchase will fit into the cabinet I have now as I don't want to have to re invent that area and it will also have the converter built in and will then need just the antenna.  We have a vacation planned for late July and want to have this in as we will be a week at a marina.....

Cableguy Greg

Ras, all you need is a 12VDC TV. When you are connected to shore power, the battery chargers will keep the batteries up and the TV running. The Axxess one that I bought came with a 120VAC to 12VDC adapter which I did not bother using. It has worked out great for me. All new TV's are supposed to have a built in ATSC tuner.

Stodge

We went with a Jensen 12v TV.  It works fine with the existing TV antenna.  The new TVs already do digital. 

rasbury

if I get just a 12v, then it will not work unless on shore or it's running off the starting battery while underway? If it is 12V only, is the factory both 12V/110 and I would need to rewire for the new install? I have not looked at any of the wiring yet...sure would be nice to be able to keep the boat at home!

Cableguy Greg

On my boat, the Rinker installed TV (Broksonic CCVG-1140) is a 12VDC only TV. Rinker used these for a while and they must have gotten a good deal on them. It should be on the house circuit, so it will run while out on the water. When you are connected to shore power, it will still run off the batteries and the battery charger will keep the batteries charged, so it is technically running on 110VAC. The TV that I got is a 12VDC TV that came with a 110VAC to 12VDC power adapter, which if installed on the boat via the house circuit, the adapter is not needed.

Here is the TV that came on my boat.

rasbury

hmmm.....so I really need to get the boat home and see how this thing is wired but I think I'm in the same boat (hey, that's kind of funny!) with my fridge. I don't think it's running on shore either and just runs off the batteries. So far, limited use but have not been in trouble yet. I've only used that a couple of weekends but only for nights out and not running it all day with out charging by running. I'll get it home and do a little more research but I have a different brand of tv/cd player in mine but don't recall the make...thanks for the input all and will update when I get it all figured out for the next guy! I don't deal well with wiring stuff...so I tend to replace and not update if it looks like I need to change stuff...

rasbury

still working on this and have the boat home to tinker....the tv is a Toshiba of 2004 variety, don't see anything on it or in the manual that says it deals with a digital signal. I have found that a converter 12V is not readily available and are not cheap so a new tv seems to be the best as others have already suggested. I did find something interesting in the TV antenna set up. There is the Shakespeare power box in there but there are two cables- one says to tv and the other says to preamp. So does this mean the antenna has to work with the tv signal and the radio amp signal? The antenna  is long scattered down a highway. I was about to order one and I saw I think that there were some just for the tv and others that were both?

Michael T

Ras, like Greg, the TV I bought was dual voltage (12v & 110V). I run it on 110v at the marina or on the generator and 12v when at anchor. It doesn't use much power unless I use the built-in dvd. Then it sucks a bit of power. You can get great dual voltage TVs at the same price as 12 volt only units so I'd buy a dual one just to have the choice. When I looked I googled 12v/110v TVs and a number of sites came up. I think one was Roadtrucker. There were at least two other good sites that had fast and secure shipping with high customer satisfaction ratings.

rasbury

yep, the other thing I noticed is the shakespear power box also has a switch for a/c and d/c. Also, what about the fact that the box has both a tv and apparently radio hook up? There is only one wire on the arch to go to the antenna.....so I have to have a dual function antenna to make all this work? The radio seems to work fine without the arch antenna...

rasbury

ok, back on this...looking at a lot of the TV's on line, the 12v power is a chord to a old style cig plug= looking in the boat, there is just a normal household style plug for the tv I have and I like that, Not sure how both 12  and  120 go through the same line and plug but that's ok~! I will keep looking on line but if someone has already purchased and goes in there real deal, that is the way I'd like to keep it and I don't want to re do that cabinet either....

randy56

ras, let us know what kind antenna you end up with, PO also knocked every thing off the arch. My frig runs off the inverter, when not on shore power. If I don't turn the frig off, and leave shore power unpluged the battries run down. 

06Rinker270

All fun stuff isn't it Ras!  Looking forward to your solution as I'm on the same boat!  Yes also a 270.  Mine works but quality is just poor.  Just replaced DVD player, tv is next.

rasbury

I'm looking...looks like the ones kind that use the regular 120 v type receptor are not the cheap ones. Antenna I don't think a big deal- we aren't tuning in from the middle of the Atlantic are we? I found one on shakespear  for 75 bucks I'm sure will work fine- back to the search.