vintagescubaman Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 I have a general question about TV's with a DC input, although there are many 12 volt examples available there isn't a great choice when it comes to quality. I have been looking at alternatives and there are a number of LG and samsung televisions that accept a 14 volt 3 amp input. The question I have is twofold, 1) can they be run from 12 volt through a stabiliser? I know that they do in fact work this way, but is it safe and what are the pitfalls? 2) what sort of converter could be used to step from 12 to 14 volts, and would this be more efficient than using a mains tv through an inverter? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 We have had two mains TV's on board that happened to have mains to 12V converters supplied. Using a voltage stabiliser that we bought on Ebay, they have both worked fine off the batteries. A stabiliser is the safest way, though i have spoken to others who just wire them directly to the 12V supply without stabilisers. I ran a digibox for years in this fashion with no stabiliser and it was fine, though of course there is always that risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagescubaman Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Were your TV's 12 volt exactly? i can see that would be easy. Unfortunately the examples i am interested in seem to be 14 or 18 volts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cotswoldsman Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 I have a Samsung that I run direct off 12 v and have done for a few years now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 True, exactly 12v DC systems on boats don't really exist. Although nominally 12v, a fully charged battery is about 12.6volts and to get it charged, the alternator raises the domestic voltage to between 13.6 and 14.8 volts (roughly) whenever the engine is running. Consequently I suspect the 14 volt TVs you have found are actually designed for use on the nominally 12v systems in cars and boats, as for much of the time they are actually up at around 14v. MtB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cotswoldsman Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 True, exactly 12v DC systems on boats don't really exist. Although nominally 12v, a fully charged battery is about 12.6volts and to get it charged, the alternator raises the domestic voltage to between 13.6 and 14.8 volts (roughly) whenever the engine is running. Consequently I suspect the 14 volt TVs you have found are actually designed for use on the nominally 12v systems in cars and boats, as for much of the time they are actually up at around 14v. MtB I would have thought the problem might come if you go above 14v Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 I would have thought the problem might come if you go above 14v There will be some scope for variation. I doubt an extra volt would matter. What application would you think these 14v tellys are designed for, if not caravans and boats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagescubaman Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 The 14 volt TV I have found isn't an automotive TV, it just happens to be 14 volt. I think it would need a stabilised supply, that would protect it from spikes etc. I know someone with a 14 volt samsung which happily runs on 12 volt (for 2 years now), however he thinks the plug gets warmer than it should, possibly because it is drawing more power as the supply is weaker than specified I was wondering if Cotswoldman could tell me the model of TV he uses? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cotswoldsman Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 There will be some scope for variation. I doubt an extra volt would matter. What application would you think these 14v tellys are designed for, if not caravans and boats? As I understand it they all come out of Korea and China at 12-14 and then adapted depending on what country they go to. Most have the converter thing but into the tv. I am no expert but that is how the guy in the Samsung shop explained it to me in other words no tv runs off 240v direct The 14 volt TV I have found isn't an automotive TV, it just happens to be 14 volt. I think it would need a stabilised supply, that would protect it from spikes etc. I know someone with a 14 volt samsung which happily runs on 12 volt (for 2 years now), however he thinks the plug gets warmer than it should, possibly because it is drawing more power as the supply is weaker than specified I was wondering if Cotswoldman could tell me the model of TV he uses? Many thanks I can when I get back to the boat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagescubaman Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Yes that's how I understand it, because the televisions are made for multiple markets they have a DC input and supplied with relevant transformer to suit destination country mains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Were your TV's 12 volt exactly? i can see that would be easy. Unfortunately the examples i am interested in seem to be 14 or 18 volts In my case they were 12V. This is similar to the stabiliser we use, also might be worth talking to this guy as he claims to know about such TV's. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-24-30-Volt-Stabiliser-Regulator-Adaptor-Power-Supply-for-12-volt-TV-/121661451122?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c53966b72 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boredrider Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 I'm not sure about your definition of a quality make of TV, but we are using a Sony KDL-24W60xA which requires 19.5V. This is provided off our 12V (ish) supply by a Kensington PSU from PC World, which was originally designed to provide supply to a laptop from a car cigarette lighter. Alongside this we use an aerial amp, and a Now TV box, both of which need 6V, which is provided by a 12V/6V converter from Maplins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagescubaman Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Ah yes that's the sort of thing I'm interested in. I really want to avoid a lot if the purpose built marine/ caravan TV's as I don't think much if the sound and picture quality. However anything from Samsung or Sony etc would be ideal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detling Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 As suggested a laptop charger designed for car use is ideal, there are many to chose from and they have outputs from 14 volts to 19 volts, as these seem to be the voltages laptops are designed for, but each laptop manufacture tends to have their own voltage and connector. So if you need a 14 volt supply for your TV look for a 14 volt car laptop charger (+or- half a volt should work fine) which can supply the amps (or more) that the telly required. Then just make sure the +ve goes to the +ve connection on the TV and the -ve goes to the -ve on the TV you will probably have ot cut the wires and join to the correct plug. Just because a TV is from a good make unfortunately doesn't give it a good picture quality and certainly not good sound, These are more a question of price for the picture and thickness of the TV for the sound, you cannot get decent bass sounds from a small flat speaker, the laws of physics prevent it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJT Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Just because a TV is from a good make unfortunately doesn't give it a good picture quality and certainly not good sound, These are more a question of price for the picture and thickness of the TV for the sound, you cannot get decent bass sounds from a small flat speaker, the laws of physics prevent it. Very true in my experience. I have yet to come across a small flat screen TV that has a decent sound. We overcame that issue by connecting the TV to a seperate sound bar which runs off a 12v power supply from Maplins. It gives a superb sound quality. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard10002 Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 I have a Samsung 22in smart TV that runs at 15V via a 12v transformer and a LG 24in smart TV that runs at 19V, via a 12V transformer. I ran the Samsung with a 12V stabilised supply for about 12 months before finding an adapter with a suitable connector for the back of the TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rendelf Posted June 15, 2015 Report Share Posted June 15, 2015 (edited) We use an HD Benq monitor which we bought for about £80. It has a native voltage of 12v DC. Runs fine from the batteries, and has a low-level led output option ostensibly designed for reading, but can also be used for frugal power-saving (reduces consumption by up to 70%. Very good quality picture. Obviously, being a monitor, you'd have to provide some sort of tuner if you actually want to watch broadcast television... Edited June 15, 2015 by Rendelf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom and Bex Posted June 15, 2015 Report Share Posted June 15, 2015 We use a Samsung 22" smart tv that came with a separate 14v transformer. We cut the transformer off and wired the TV straight to the 12V supply via a fuse. Been fine for 18 months so far including when equalising the batteries at 16v. We even have a hard drive plugged in to record tv so we can fast forward the ads! Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rendelf Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 Do you think that these devices have some sort of built-in voltage regulators? I was wondering the other day, if I'm being stupid by not protecting the screen with anything other than a fuse.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 Do you think that these devices have some sort of built-in voltage regulators? I was wondering the other day, if I'm being stupid by not protecting the screen with anything other than a fuse.... I use one of the 12 volt regulators, bought from Amazon for about £20. Seems to me to be a small price to pay to be sure that I won't damage a TV costing ten times that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 (edited) Not wishing to start a new thread I saw these advertised at Amazon today. 12 24 or 230 volt TV slight discrepancy on the power as the picture says 13 watt and the wright up 20Watt https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003VPJZ48/ref=dra_a_rv_ff_fx_xx_P2000_1000?tag=dradisplay0bb-21&ascsubtag=5b24cfb5d5dc3ba4d9f86de6752a2bbf_S Edited October 8, 2016 by ditchcrawler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwatch Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 Thats a good deal. On acdctv site they are a little bit more for a Cello model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearley Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 (edited) Just paid £149.95 on eBay for a 22 inch Cello TV/DVD. Collecting from Argos on Wednesday. I know the sound will be crap so am also getting a pair of USB powered speakers to go with it. Has to be better than the 18 month old Finlux TV we now have. Worst TV we've ever bought. Now another question for those with more knowledge of these things. We only watch DVDs, generally bought from CEX or charity shops. Most we watch then sell/give back but some we keep to watch again so over the years our collection has got larger, and taking up more space. I would like to transfer these to a hard drive and the watch them on the TV. However, I need some way to control the player. Can I do this via a Now TV box or some other sort of Android Media Box to give a on screen display selectable via remote control? Edited October 8, 2016 by pearley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Brown Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 VLC codec (free download) will play anything that you can put on a hard drive onto a computer monitor. Blu-ray discs are better protected and may not copy to hard drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewildered Posted October 8, 2016 Report Share Posted October 8, 2016 Now another question for those with more knowledge of these things. We only watch DVDs, generally bought from CEX or charity shops. Most we watch then sell/give back but some we keep to watch again so over the years our collection has got larger, and taking up more space. I would like to transfer these to a hard drive and the watch them on the TV. However, I need some way to control the player. Can I do this via a Now TV box or some other sort of Android Media Box to give a on screen display selectable via remote control? I have a hard drive plugged into the USB socket on my bluray player. All fully controllable via bluray remote control. My entire DVD collection was copied onto the 2tb hard drive before I moved aboard. However I have just noticed that although the movies work and play ok, anything with subtitles doesn't have them. Watched all the original Startrek movies recently, no Klingon subtitles, Last Samurai, no subtitles for Japanese. After you have copied a movie that has subtitles you may want to check it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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