Flip-down TV and/or integrated DVD units?

wkearney99

wkearney99

Active Member
Feb 23, 2006
583
Bethesda, MD, USA
Boat Info
47'
Engines
Twin Caterpillar C-12, Twin Disc straight shaft inboards.
Anyone have pros/cons on various brands and models of LCD TVs that flip down, or have a DVD player built into them? I'm thinking about adding a TV and could go with either a flip-down on something mounted on a swivel arm. If I went with one using an arm I could potentially move it from below up to a mount in the cockpit. Since all we ever use a TV for is to watch DVDs it would seem like less hassle to use one with a player already in it rather than pull yet another cable from the existing player.

So, anyone have ones they really like? Or really despise?
 
What size boat do you have?

Adults only or kids as well?

One advantage of the portable units (10.2 size) is that you can move it anywhere on board as needed. This is good for kids.

One advantage of the fixed/temp mount, is they look nicer once mounted.

Some people also do a table top mount, so you can easily move from cabin to cockpit. Just remember to store securely when underway.

Esteban
 
I just bought this 19" TV/DVD combo at circuit city ( $350) and mounted it in my cabin. Time will tell how it holds up.

19tvdvdhh7.jpg
 
The mounting locations could accommodate up to a 19" unit but 15" would probably be better for the forward berth location.

No children in the equation, yet. The due date is June 18th and it won't be until at least next boating season until we'll have to deal with a TV for him.

I don't think I'd go with a large drop-down there because of how it would drop low from the ceiling. I'm 6'4" and need all the headroom I can get. And come to think of it, getting a drop-down unit installed might be more trouble than it's worth. What with having to get the vinyl down, put up some sort of backing board (presumably marine ply epoxied to the ceiling) and then get it all back together. Hmmm, yeah, that's not gonna fit on the To Do list...

So I guess that leaves the wall-mount location. A table mount wouldn't be idea as one of the locations is a forward berth without a flat surface on which to rest it. Anyone have suggestions on a mounting mechanism that would allow install in two places, both being vertical wall surfaces? I've not yet found a mount that can swing out while also being "relatively easy" to unmount (as in, without tools).
 
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Our 280 came with the 9" tv with dvd player (crt), which I replaced with a 15" LCD/DVD by AKAI on the same factory swivel mount, then replaced that TV and the swivel mount with a higher res 19" LCD/DVD on a swing-out mount. I replaced the 15" as it was too small and not great picture quality. The swing-out mount is great - lies flat against the cabinet when not in use and we get much storage space behind there. It does stick out about 3" and sometimes moves while underway...but much, much better than the factory tv.
 

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Bill...put your boat year,model,engine, & outdrive in your signature ! I have no Idea what kind of boat you have, so it is really hard to offer much else....thanks.
 
What boat? Considering that nearly every Sea Ray cruiser comes with at least one TV as standard equipment, what TV shouldn't be that hard. Is this a replacement or an additional unit?

Best regards,
Frank
 
wkearney: I just did the research on this and was warned away from a TV/DVD unit that would be mounted in any position other than perpendicular to the deck line, as the dvd may have issues playing properly when off line. I used a 15 inch Element from Circuit City for $220 to replace the 9" TV/VHS combos for a mid and forward cabin and it is plenty of viewing screen.

For a TV that is going to be moved you will have to go to the mount used by Sea Ray and it is expensive.

Bill
 
I thought I was clear, this is an additional TV being added. For a couple of reasons. One being the ability to watch a movie up in the cockpit when on the hook overnight. Watching them in the cabin is fine, just you're stuck down below to do it. Same idea with viewing from the berth.

Hmm, good advice regarding mounting angles and the integrated DVD. I only considered it as it would be a bit tedious to run a video feed off the current DVD player. That and the IR remote won't reach from the cockpit or the berth (distance or angle issues). I've already got RF remotes at home and I have no desire to repeat that setup adventure on the boat. So one built-into the TV would avoid running the wire.

I'd have to add a video amp to provide feeds to both the forward berth and up to the cockpit (can't just split s-video). That and I was thinking an integrated DVD player might have a better shot and upscaling from the disc to the display. I know s-video is likely to give less picture quality. But it's not like I care "that much" about the picture given the use. I noticed a helluva difference when I upgraded from a philips to an Oppo DVD player at home. But a 19" TV on a boat has nowhere near the same picture quality needs as a 50" plasma in a home theatre setup.

I'm trying to avoid the overpriced factory mounts. But this doesn't seem to be an application area where any of the mount manufacturers are addressing. So I may have no choice. Or as I get closed to deciding I may have to get some portion of it custom machined, that won't be cheap but at least I'll get what I want (in theory).
 
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I've been looking into two TV/DVD players for my 87 300 Sundancer. So far the research I've done doesn't look promising for any of the integrated units out there.
One idea I've been toying with is mounting a DVD player centrally somewhere (probably over the galley) out of the way, mounting two 20" LCD TV's where I want them (one on the shelf in the aft berth, and the other on a swivel on the shelf in the forward berth) and then running video cables back to the DVD player. I'm thinking that I can use an A/B switch hooked up to the DVD player to switch between the TV's I want to watch the movie on.
Small DVD players are very cheap these days and easily replaceable if they ever act up. I've seen some pretty compact ones on the shelf in WalMart and Target for around thirty bucks. If I buy integrated units I'd have to trash the whole thing if a DVD portion craps out.
The other option is to just hook up a compact DVD to each of the LCD TV's so that my wife and I can watch a movie on one screen while the kids watch another on the second TV.
 
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The TV/DVD combo I just installed has inputs on the back so if the DVD craps out I can always get an external DVD player and run cables to the inputs of the TV.
 
Installed a 15" Toshiba combo unit in the Admiral's kitchen at home a couple of years ago. Its on a drop down mount so that it can be folded up under the cabinet when not in use. I've seen it play the kid's DVDs at some unusual angles without any problems. Definitely the most used TV in the house and works like a champ for what it gets put through.
 
I may look into the separate compact DVD option. If they're that cheap then it might be easier to just get two more (berth and cockpit) and mount them somewhere close. The trouble being having line-of-sight for remote control. (Which you can't escape the need for due to those annoying DVD menus)
 
Quint - that is a nice looking unit - price on those is certainly better than some I've seen which say they are for the boat.

Bill - is this for your Four Winns? You don't have a signature so it's hard to know. Not sure I'd go with a drop down as I doubt the screen clasp is made for sea conditions. It also may be difficult to run the wires through your ceiling material - just a thought.
 
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I had bought a video switcher off ebay to install in my mini van and connect it to two dvd players and an xbox. It had multiple outs and multiple inputs, and they were all independant of each other. The unit also had a wired remotes kinda like the ones for marine radios. I think they are still making them, I don't know how they would survive in a marine environment.
 
I've actually got a waterproof remote, a Dolphin. It's compatible with Radio Shack's line of RF universal remotes. It wasn't cheap. We use it now and then for adjusting audio levels from the hot tub. If I end up using centralized gear I may well move the remote and a base to the boat.
 
Yeah Travis, you're right about the ceiling wiring. It would probably be a lot more trouble than it'd be worth. There are nearby vertical cabinet surfaces that would accommodate a mounting bracket. The question becomes which one. I'd really like to find one that allows uncoupling it from the base without the use of tools. That way I could buy two: one for the cabin and another for the cockpit. It really doesn't seem to be a market any of the bracket vendors are covering yet (if ever).
 
wkearney99 said:
I've actually got a waterproof remote, a Dolphin. It's compatible with Radio Shack's line of RF universal remotes. It wasn't cheap. We use it now and then for adjusting audio levels from the hot tub. If I end up using centralized gear I may well move the remote and a base to the boat.
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Hey Bill, will you please add your basic boat information to your signature? Thank you for your cooperation.

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