12v tv - 1080p?

[Johny London]

Just looking to get a little 12v tv finally. Think 28" is going to fit my requirements but can't find any 1080p. The Cello website shows only 720p in that size yet smaller tv's with 1080, so I'm confused. Maybe its just not worth having that high a resolution on a small screen (dpi count will be very high) but then how come smaller screens are available in 1080p?

 

Couple of sellers on ebay showing Cello tvs with 1080i (28") but when you delve into the spec they say only 720.

 

Anyone know of a 28" 1080p 12v set or am I asking the impossible? Maybe I should just go 720 or perhaps with a 240v tv?

 

I'll be viewing across the width of the (narrow) boat so won't be far away.

[Dave Payne]

What are you mainly watching on it?

 

i ask because i believe freeview hd is not actually 1080p, more 1020i which is the same as 720p.

[Onewheeler]

When I recently bought a telly for the girl-child's flat, there seemed to be a lot of 1080p devices out there with 720p tuners - "HD ready" as the adverts put it. Would be fine with a HD external tuner. I've not looked at 12 V TVs.

 

My attitude is (a) a TV is a waste of space ( buy the cheapest available and © if for a boat, I'd buy a 230 V one and use the invertor.

 

Martin/

[Johny London]

My understanding is that "HD ready" usually means it's a 720p screen, but that it will "accept" a hd signal from another piece of kit, even if it has to down scale. True about the freeview tuners - my last tv ashore was 1080p but with only a standard definition freeview tuner (720) what a con . There are a few hd freeview channels, just the "main" ones I think.

 

I've got some films in 1080p, so that and the odd freeview program (from my youview box that does have an hd tuner).

 

I suppose it's partly so I don't have to keep upgrading (though - won't be going 4k anytime soon!).

[Onewheeler]

I often find that the HD freeview is worse than the standard version on our domestic TVs. You can see the quantisation of the colour levels much more clearly in HD in large areas of fairly uniform colour - such as areas of flesh (no, not that sort of programme - faces!!!) I suspect there's been a compromise between colour detail and spatial resolution.

[Psycloud]

We went with a 240v 40" full HD Freesat Smart TV which you can probably get for the same price as a 12v TV half the size. It uses 80w on full power which isn't too bad and runs nicely with a budget Chinese inverter.

[Johny London]

I like the fact that the Cello 28" are using under 30w. Those rainy Sundays spent catching a box set need not flatten the batteries. Especially if I'm using my little raspberry pi with xbmc (5v so could be from the 12v). It seems we are very poorly catered for in the 12v market. I'm trying my best to go that way but they don't make it easy.

[rusty69]

I like the fact that the Cello 28" are using under 30w. Those rainy Sundays spent catching a box set need not flatten the batteries. Especially if I'm using my little raspberry pi with xbmc (5v so could be from the 12v). It seems we are very poorly catered for in the 12v market. I'm trying my best to go that way but they don't make it easy.

What do you want to run that you can't get a 12 volt version of or that will run from a 12V system?

[Johny London]

Well, 1080p tv, (28") as mentioned, youview box (possible?) fridge/freezer (v. expensive). Oven and hob with 12v ignition, display and fan (none found as yet)...

There usually are options, but very limited.

[rusty69]

Well, 1080p tv, (28") as mentioned, youview box (possible?) fridge/freezer (v. expensive). Oven and hob with 12v ignition, display and fan (none found as yet)...

There usually are options, but very limited.

Maybe you are right. The closest I could find was the 32" Avtex. I believe youview (humax) and many other will accept a 12v supply. Lots of 12v fridges/ freezers, but as you point out, expensive.

[mrsmelly]

Christ what a load of bunkum nowadays innit. I remember clearly when we went from 405 lines to the new and improved super dooper 625 lines in the eighties sometime I think and err it was all very underwhelming. Nowadays there is so much hype over HD, HD ready etc etc etc they are flippin tellys!!

 

Tim

[dor]

I watch a lot of documentaries, particularly natural history and to me full HD really makes a difference. At home I've got a 42" plasma and the pictures from Blue Ray are stunning. Broadcast HD is noticeably less definition than the BD source, but still very good. I've got a Samsung 19" full HD (1080P) and the pixel density is about the same as 42" 4K which means you can watch from relatively close up without being able to distinguish the pixels. A small TV closer may suit a narrowboat better.

 

I often find that the HD freeview is worse than the standard version on our domestic TVs. You can see the quantisation of the colour levels much more clearly in HD in large areas of fairly uniform colour - such as areas of flesh (no, not that sort of programme - faces!!!) I suspect there's been a compromise between colour detail and spatial resolution.

 

 

I suspect that has much to do with the quality of the TV internals and whether it is upscaling. It will also depend on the compression of the transmission. I notice it sometimes but rarely, very rarely, on mainstream BBC natural history programs, especially as they are now filming in full HD or 4K.

[Alan de Enfield]

I find that watching TV 'across' a NB is most uncomfortable.

 

It is only 4 feet from 'eye to screen' which for me is far to close for comfort.

 

Currently have a 15" TV screen on a 14 foot widebeam and that is a 'comfortable' distance and doesn't make my eyes hurt.

[Dave Payne]

I find that watching TV 'across' a NB is most uncomfortable.

 

It is only 4 feet from 'eye to screen' which for me is far to close for comfort.

 

Currently have a 15" TV screen on a 14 foot widebeam and that is a 'comfortable' distance and doesn't make my eyes hurt.

Stand on the tow path and peer through the window?

[Johny London]

Dor - so if you can benefit from 1080p on a tiny 19" I would certainly notice the difference between 720 and 1080 on a 28", especially being only 4 ft away.

 

So that leaves me with either a 240v tv, a 720 12v 28" or possibly a different size 12v tv - do you think 32" would be too large at that (4ft) distance?) I don't want to feel like im IN the documentary!

 

I let you all know how I get on as hoping to order something soon.

[Detling]

TV's suppliers are dependent on what the screen manufacturers produce, and they are driven by the big boys who sell screens in millions, they set the size and resolution and as you say 19 and 22 inch screens are available at 1080 and are recent designs (largely for computer screens) then there is a gap to 32 as a modern screen and then 42 upwards, it seems the public don't buy enough 24,28 and 36 sets to make it worth updating the screens to new technology, so they just continue to churn out 5-10 year old screens (design age) as it's cheap. Unfortunately these are the sizes we minority boaters want.

[WotEver]

Some good advice and some not so good in this thread.

 

You might find the information on this site enlightening.

http://uk.rtings.com/tv/reviews/by-size/size-to-distance-relationship

 

For a 32" screen you would have to sit 4.5ft away from it to see the difference between 720P and 1080.

[OldGoat]

Put t'telly on an arm - then you can sit further away than across the beam of the boat. THat becomes mid distance, so your eyes don't have to refocus as much.

IME and IMO the slightly larger tvs have better components and are available at better prices (in terms what they can do for YOU) than smaller sets which (often) have older designs and poorer specifications.

I graduated from 19" Lucky Goldstar kit to a 27" Samsung slightly intelligent TV. It draws less power, has a better picture and was cheaper (pro rata). It sips power 'cos it's LED and the sound is a bit louder. I guess - but not proven, that it takes less welly than the older set.

Get canny and buy a set which has 'not quite all the bells and whistles' (e.g. 4K which you probably can't use) - for good value in the sales...

[Neil Smith]

Why do people sit that close, in our nb we watch diagonaly that is much kinder to my eyes.

 

Neil

[Richard10002]

I have a Samsung 22" Smart TV that runs off 14V. I used it for a year or so at 12V via an adaptor with various outputs, (but not 15V), then tried it at 15V. It was fine at both voltages.

I also have an LG 24" Smart TV that runs off 19V. A second adaptor set at 19V has been running this for over a year.

 

Both are HD and HD Freeview is much better defined than SD Freeview.... I think the LG is missing some HD channels.

I found them both by looking at the backs of all the TVs in Curry's and John Lewis to find those with DC inputs via a 240V adapter.

The other day I found some Sony 49" and 50" Smart TVs running off 19.5V DC, which I'm sure would be fine at 19V.

You don't need to pay big money to "specialist suppliers", nor do you have to accept the losses incurred by having an inverter running.

 

My biggest issue was finding an adapter with the right sized connectors, but they are out there.

[WotEver]

Why do people sit that close, in our nb we watch diagonaly that is much kinder to my eyes.

 

Neil

If you're referring to my post I wasn't suggesting that anyone sits that close. I was pointing out that with anything less than a 32" screen you'll never see the difference between 720P and 1080.

[Johny London]

Richard, I like your approach - tv's with external power adapters definitely lend themselves to our world, as dc/dc converters available (I've got one for my laptop that has selectable output voltages).

 

I saw this though: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/381520720614?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT- it's a good price really and I thought I'd cracked it, but then reading about 1080i/p gave me doubts. It seems although this screen is 1080 resolution it will never display a true 1080 line signal, in the sense of that much resolution at any one moment. Don't they make life difficult?

 

If anyone can be bothered there's a fairly detailed explanation of the differences between i and p here...

https://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/1080i-and-1080p-are-the-same-resolution/

Added to that, little "boxes" like Rocku and Rasp Pi with Kodi don't like 1080i

 

The search continues... I just want a tv that's not obsolete before I open the box...

 

EDIT: The link for that tv was £110 this morning - they just changed the price to £180 so won't be purchasing. I've noticed that happen a lot on ebay - they always make a point of displaying a % reduction if it's gone down, but if you save an item and it goes up then you just have to watch out

 

EDIT: Just bought this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172395763853

£109.61 for a 720p Cello 28" with dvd, new. It can go in the bedroom later on if I ever find a 1080p set (mains or otherwise) for the saloon.

Edited November 9, 2016 by Johny London

[Johny London]

Save doing yet another edit - the Cello tv guy just phoned to say those have all been broken in transit so he's issuing a refund - something very fishy going on with the tvs on ebay - another I had been watching jumped from £139 to 400! Do they think we are blind as well as stupid!

It wasn't the 12v model anyway...

[Mac of Cygnet]

I freely admit I thought the OP was selling a telly for £10.80 Seriously.

[Bewildered]

Due to power usage I have just replaced my 32" 240v LG tv with a 24" 12v cello and I'm very pleased with it. I have seen on this forum and elsewhere that some people find they have audio problems and end up fitting a sound bar. I find the audio perfectly ok and better than the LG.

 

The only problem is that even though it is 12v it doesn't come with a cigarette lighter power lead like the smaller TVs in the range. Not really a problem as I had a spare one on board; they are easy enough to make anyway.

I went for the one without a built in DVD player as most of my DVD's have been transferred to hard drive and I already have a 12v bluray player; also the non DVD unit uses less power

 

So far it seems a nice bit of kit