TV install

[amytom]

I'm sitting in the bowels of the Jacksonville airport babysitting some equipment while others are on vacation. This is the most boring Maytag duty you can imagine. The worst part is all the time it gives me to think about how to spend even more money on the boat.
I was looking at the holiday deals on TVs and was thinking of the best place to install a TV on the 32. Right now we use two small DVD players made for a car and they clutter up the table. I was looking at Gus' setup on Nina Bonita and it seems like a natural fit but still not perfect. I have a large crew of kids who will break everything they can and clutter up the rest and I'm concerned that a TV on the "blank wall" would get beat up or maybe even wet if the dodger is open when waves spray over the top. I've seen that Gus' is removeable for storage but again that's more clutter.
I was thinking about mounting it either hanging down from the ceiling in the center between the salon hatches or on a small stand in the forward catch all. Either of these would allow for a computer connection with the mini pc (no hate mail please, I'll run Linux) for chart use as well as playing movies.
The TV I was considering is the Toshiba 19" found here http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications ... CatId=3648.

Any thoughts on the TV or the mounting locations?

Anyone in Jacksonville want to rescue me from my dungeon?

[thinwater]

Though not installed, this is what we have done and it is OK:

We have a smallish (perhaps 16") flat screen TV and small DVD that together JUST fit in one of the hatches in the middle of the table. Some disassemble is required (the based pops off). We lean it against the aft compression strut, and so everyone can pile into the front of the salon and watch. It is stable enough to stay underway. We extended wires to aft edge of the table to simplify the plugging and unplugging. I really don't need a bigger screen, but more sound would be nice.

The PO kept it in the forward catch-all, but that is not a great storage space; to much heat, sun, and awkward to reach. We store blankets, pillows, some snacks, and serving trays up there. Blankets are more of an issue here - we had frost last night.

[mat0jab]

Check out the Skyworth 15" AC/DC 720p LCD TV/DVD Combo - SLC-1551A at Target... It has DVD and is 12 volt !!! They also have a HD version and a Marine Version...

http://www.target.com/Combo-Flat-Panel- ... rchSize=30

[mikeandrebecca]

Thats a cool looking little tv. The reviews on it sound pretty good too. To date we have just been watching dvds on our laptops, set on the table.

[thinwater]

...now that it is digital. Make sure you get a digital antenna. I don't really watch TV, but it is very handy for weather radar.

[amytom]

I had to do some research to find what Drew was talking about with the hatches in the table. What were they originally designed for?

[thinwater]

Mine has 2 hatches in the center for storage. I supose they were for plates, but we keep those in the microwave, mostly.

[mat0jab]

Has any one considered installing one of those small under cabinet tv/dvd players that folks typically install in their kitchen? I was thinking of installing one in my son's aft cabin, on the ceiling.

Any thoughts?

Mark

S/V Whistler II
PDQ 32 Altair LRC #41

[amytom]

I've looked at those under cabinet models but they seem smallish for what I want to do in the salon. In the cabins I'll probably mount the cheap car dvd players on the bulkhead. Shelf on bottom and velcro strap across the top?

If you mount the under cabinet using screws keep in mind that the FRP is not very thick above the cabins. Maybe epoxying wood strips and mouting to the wood. Of course that means pulling the liner out temporarily.


I've been watching the prices and I'm hopeful the after Christmas sales will be worth it.

Looking at the Skyworth, has anyone here tried them? It seems that for about the same price I can get the Toshiba which has a long running reputation for longevity; my living room Toshiba is almost 10 years old and still as good as the day I bought it. Of course if I had bought a POS before then I would have upgraded to HD by now...

Tom

[mat0jab]

What about an antenna?? I have seen many of the Halo type antennas but I can't find them for sale. Any opinions out there as to which antennas work best, mast top or otherwise?

Mark
s/v Whistler II
PDQ 32 #41

[Lady of the Lake]

I know you are asking about a 32 but here is what I did on our 36, maybe you could do something similar.

Sam and Gina

HDTV mounted on a swivel mount

LCD2.JPG (434.3 KiB) Viewed 19244 times

Rotated into doorway to view from helm

LCD6.JPG (470.31 KiB) Viewed 19236 times

[windrush]

Sam, I like your setup, do you think you could use a 20" or 24" iMac instead of the TV? Would weight be an issue, and what about the effects on the compass?
Bruce

[thinwater]

particularly if the AC or heat is on. Amplified speaker systems for computers work well (plug in the earphone jack).

My wife got me an Bose amplified computer speaker set for Christmas. Very sweet, like our home system. I like good sound more than I care about the picture, to be honest.

[Lady of the Lake]

I looked at the imac (we have one at the house) but there is no VESA mount so I am unsure how to install it. The unit we have up there now (different than the one in the pic) is a 20 inch unit with DVD, pretty heavy, no issues so far.

Sam

[amytom]

I thought about doing something similar but I'm concerned about spray from the open slider roof or damage from being hit by kids walking by. We picked up a Toshiba 19" w/ DVD built in. I'm looking at the front catch-all as a mounting location.