RE: Looking fo a TV/DVD player combo

[OC Campers]

 
I m in the market for a small TV / DVD player combo that my kids can watch in the car on 12V dc and that we can use in the trailer. The 9"  outfits are bigger than i want and the bag type LCD players have small screens and are expensive.
 
  What I d really like is a really compact but somewhat standard TV / DVD combo ( not Lcd ) but one that is really compact.
 
 Has anyone seen one along these lines?
 
 Randy

[Turn Key]

 OC Campers
Saw some small TV/DVD combos at Wal-Mart the other day when we were there.  Don t know if they are small enough or if they are AC/DC.  Might want to take a look.

[SactoCampers]

 OC Campers
Randy,
 
 Our Costco has had a Sansui 9"  AC/DC TV/DVD combo for $199. You should check there. As for small size, I think they re all the same unless you go with an LCD screen, but you can put it in a harness bag and it will fit between your front Astro seats.

[MPTDAT]

 OC Campers
We have the Toshiba 9"  TV/DVD from Costco. There was a coupon last year in the Costco book and we got ours for $199. But then almost everything we have bought for camping is from Costco, as my DH works as a supervisor there. We have the harness bag for the truck and it helps alot when you are on long drives with the kids! Also, if you buy a good antennea for it, you can get quite a few stations with it when you are camping on those rainy days and the kids have watched every DVD you have brought with you! (Rained 3 out of 5 days camping at Tawas State Park last year. Boy was I happy we bought it then!) I have found the Toshiba gets has better clarity than some of the other brands, especially when it come to the DVD s. When we are not camping, it stays on my kitchen counter with cable attached. (In case the Red Wings are playing and I happen to be cooking dinner!)
 -Debby

[Camping Coxes]

 OC Campers
Randy --
 
 The 9"  is the only size I d go with.  The 5"  is too small to bother with.  We have a 9  VHS/TV combo we bought for our Sequoia trip last summer.  I was always one of those moms who thought it was ridiculous to have to put a TV in the car for the kids, but let me tell you, it really cuts down on the stress levels of the parents on long car trips.  The only thing you hear back there is an occasional giggle. Only problem we have now is, all our new movies we buy in DVD and the kids have seen all the VHS tapes over and over and over.  This last trip we stopped into Wal-Mart and let them pick out some of the $4 and $5 movies.  Also, one night we were camping and it was so cold and windy we couldn t have a fire without risking catching the whole campground on fire.  We brought the TV in and had a family movie night.
 
 We have a wedge of foam that has a strap attached for mounting the TV (clearanced at Target, so I don t know where to get it now.)  It s actually two wedges with velcro so you can adjust the pitch.  Then we bought some straps to tighten down the TV and have it attached quite securely to the console.  When we took it in the van, we strapped it to our armrests and headrests and that did the trick.  Between velcro and adjustable straps, you can secure it pretty well.

[oldmoose]

 OC Campers
Jacqui, we got the Costco 9"  TV/DVD and like it. It has a good quality picture. I agree with the previous comment that anything smaller wouldn t be worth it.

[6Quigs]

 OC Campers
Randy/Jacqui,
 I can t believe you do not already own one of those for travelling.
 I used to be against having a TV when camping, but we borrowed one once, and had to get one of our own.
 We currently have a 9"  TV/VCR combo, that fits in a bag, and goes between the two front seats, so the 3 sitting in the second row can all see it, while anyone in the back row has to play game boy[&:].
 
 One thing I noticed, all the LCD screen ones I ve seen are DVD players only, no TV turner.
 When we camped at 49er Village, it was nice to take the TV/VCR from the van into the popup, and watch the news, or the kids to watch TV stations.
 Same if we rent a Cabin, you can take the TV/VCR from the van and bring it into the cabin, and the kids have an extra TV to watch movies on.
 
 When this one breaks, or starts giving trouble, I will be replacing it with a similar sized TV/DVD one.

[SactoCampers]

 6Quigs

ORIGINAL:  6Quigs
 
 Randy/Jacqui,
 I can t believe you do not already own one of those for travelling.
 I used to be against having a TV when camping, but we borrowed one once, and had to get one of our own.
 We currently have a 9"  TV/VCR combo, that fits in a bag, and goes between the two front seats, so the 3 sitting in the second row can all see it, while anyone in the back row has to play game boy[&:].
 
 One thing I noticed, all the LCD screen ones I ve seen are DVD players only, no TV turner.
 When we camped at 49er Village, it was nice to take the TV/VCR from the van into the popup, and watch the news, or the kids to watch TV stations.
 Same if we rent a Cabin, you can take the TV/VCR from the van and bring it into the cabin, and the kids have an extra TV to watch movies on.
 
 When this one breaks, or starts giving trouble, I will be replacing it with a similar sized TV/DVD one.
 

 
 Yeah, Kevin, you might want to get with the 21st century. I second him on the TV tuner thing. I briefly considered an LCD type deal, but quickly discounted it because:
 
 1.) The TV/DVD combo is securely harnessed in the bag. A DVD on a lap is still a flying projectile in an accident (but so is everything else in the car)
 2.) Even without cable, you can sometimes get TV stations. We got lots of stations when we were in Woodson Bridge the other weekend.
 3.) Remote and TV timer. My wife LOVES the TV timer, so when we have hookups, we ll fall asleep to the TV
 4.) The LCD ones I don t think work on DC, but I m not entirely sure.
 
 I also briefly considered the console TV/DVD players that sit on the floor between the seats and have a storage compartment. But I knew I would want to bring it into the popup so we eliminated that one.

[BaysideBruce]

 OC Campers
We bought a TV/DVD player from Circuit City last year.  It was on sale as an " open box"  discount.  It s made by BrokSonic and is a 9"  screen.  I built a stand for it so it will fit strapped on the stand which is strapped into the front seat.  It rides low enough so I can easily see over it but high enough for the kids to see in the back seat.  It has a head phone jack which is great.  I was surprised as how sturdy it is.  We drove nearly 3K miles with it playing most of the way and it never skipped a beat.  Also worked well for video games once we were at the camp site.  It has front A/V plugs.  The only negative I have about it is that the glass on the screen is very shiny and reflects a lot of outside light.  I want to buy an anti-glare screen for it and I think it would work better for the kids that way.

[OC Campers]

 OC Campers
Thanks everyone, we really appreciate the input.  I think we will probably invest in the 9 in TV/DVD combo.  Kevin, don t worry, we usually don t leave home without a TV.  We have a 13 in TV/VCR  but it is just too big and bulky sometimes.  Plus it can t be used in the car.    
 
 By the way, I was glad we had the VCR option at Gold Rush.  That way everyone was able to see Surfcals video he made.  Everyone has the DVD option, so Brian don t " poo poo"  the VCR[][]
 
 Jacqui