Electricity For Entertainment

[rb_beachcpl]

Camping is ment to get away from it all.  However, sometimes we would like to watch a movie or the news before going to bed. So looking for advice on a good compact DVD / TV to buy? We have a new group 27 battery, but not sure what the power drain would be, so we are thinking about getting a second battery as a backup. We do have a EU2000 and a smart charger, so we can re-charge the batteries durning the day.

We have asked a lot of dumb questons since we joined, but everyone has been great!

Thanks

[tlhdoc]

We have asked a lot of dumb questons since we joined, but everyone has been great!

No you haven't.  
 
I don't know of a good TV/DVD combo so I can't help you out there.  I try not to take "good" stuff camping.

[Recumbentman]

Seems to me that a smarter choice would be to get a lap top computer with a tv card built in. would give you so many more choices of entertainment. IE games, email etc.

[beacher]

Perhaps something like a Mustek Pl-8at-90 .  Or an
   
Astar PDV-7077.  I had a Virgin VP10  that I had purchased on clearance at Target, but I sold it on Ebay for a profit.

[howlinowl]

You always see those mobile DVD/LCD screen things for the back seat for you kids to play video games or watch movies.  Not sure if you can get a tuner for it, though.  I take an old (1985) Teknika 13 inch TV and the Directv dish when I camp with electrical hook up.  Haven't looked for anything for boondocking, though
Allan

[rb_beachcpl]

We just ordered this http://reserveamerica.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=28490 but got it from Amazon.com for $119.00. It's cheap, so if we don't like it, we will get something better.

[Gone-Camping]

Can't point to any TV/DVD combo, but would suggest you keep the size of the TV down. No larger than 13" if you plan to run it off the batteries. I have successfully used a 13" color TV (not a combo unit) and ran it off the battery using a 300/600Watt inverter (modified sine wave).  I was able to watch news and weather nightly, and a movie or tow...plus run a 12v flourescent light for 6 days off a single Grp 27 battery....
 
I did practice very frugal use of the power in the early days of the trip because I didn't have any way to recharge the batteries. The one on the tongue was only a Grp-24 and I left it for working interior lights which got very little use due to the power the incandescent lights use.
 
If you are careful, a pair of Grp-27's (which I have now) should give you good service for an entire week if you limit TV watching to an hour or two per day at the very most....

[zamboni]

We bought a 15" Dell laptop for like $500.  Makes a great DVD player, runs off its batteries (we got the upgraded "4 hour" battery), and I can recharge it in the car overnight if the CG doesn't have electricty.

Also got a $25 web-like hanger to hang the laptop between the seats in the car so the baby can watch Dora or something on a long car trip.

[wavery]

We don't have time for the TV. Our crazy parrot gives us all the entertainment that we can stand while camping and he doesn't use up battery power. :J