Portable TV/DVD Player for the Boat

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Bill3558

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Jan 12, 2007
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C Dory Year
2006
C Dory Model
22 Cruiser
Vessel Name
Pluto
Can anyone recommend a small 7or 8 inch combo TV and DVD player? Its odd, I have searched online and in stores and cant find one. They used to be available, but apparently not any more. It doesnt matter if its 115 volt or 12.

Thanks for any info.

Bill and Beth
"Pluto"
 
Well, it's raining in Southern California, and there's no outside work. 100 deg F last week, rain this week. So, here's another post.

As far as a combo TV/DVD player, have you thought of killing two birds with one stone (in a metamorphic sense, of course)? Get a laptop computer and that will be able to play DVDs whilest it does your navigation, and keeps you in constant touch with the C-Brats, via WiFi. Get the cheapest one, cause they're all assembled from stock components, etc. You-all will need a small inverter ($25 at Cut Rate Auto) to keep the battery charged.

They do sell them, they just have a different name.

Boris
 
Also, if you have the computer for DVD, get the Elgato "EyeTV Turbo" which plugs directly into your USB port and gets available local TV (searches itself) from a simple antenna. Latest version conforms to the new digital TV rules. This unit really works. Is small, no wires or external power required, not expensive. Will also record TV programs on your computer. Know it works very well on a Mac but have not tried on a PC.
Zelpha, Papa of Chivita
 
I use a bottom of the line Dell for TV and web and e-mail communication. As far as chart plotting I wasn't impressed with the various programs. Key board and mouse were just not very user friendly especially underway. For TV I use Hauppauge WinTV-HVR 950. It has a plug in external antenna and search feature for local channels.
 
Marvin I'm not sure what you mean by being not impressed by the chart plotting software on a PC. Certainly they are not the equivalent of a top notch plotter. However, I use Fuagawi (sp.) to display the FREE US govt. NOAA charts off the internet, including the vector charts. I develop routes, measure mileage, etc. at home and then just take it on board. Also the plotter/radar uses C-Map cartridges, and I got a reader w/ software so that I can look at those charts at home on the laptop. The 15" screen certainly shows a whole lot more than I can get off the 7" plotter/radar I have. Connect a cheap GPS puck ($70) and you have an backup on-board plotter which uses the free NOAA charts.

Note the word "free." Every official US chart is available from NOAAs web site. Download any place you want, put them on a DVD, and take them along. Impresses the heck out of me. They also have historical charts. I haven't found free Canadian charts yet.

Boris
 
Boris I've used Fugawi and Coastal Exployer trial versions along with the free vector charts. It is nice to have the 15" screen compared to my 7inch chart plotter at home but I haven't found a GPS puck to work consistenly with the laptop. The one I have Streets USA uses third party software and works sometime and sometime not. Perhaps if I ever got either program to function properly I'd feel differently. Then there's the issue of mouting the laptop while underway. The concept sounds great I just haven't been able to make it work effeiceintly.
 
One thing I failed to mention that I use my laptop for is Active Captain. I really enjoy this program (which is free) because it's interractive and for me really nice used in conjunction with other charts to establish routes and other things of interest.
 
Maptech, Has it all, Gps puck, offshore Navigator, Pocket Navigator to work with palm computers with Noaa charts. Tide info. They will even tell you how to make it work on Garmin Hardware. It gives you a redundant nav system. It surprises me that it is not widely used.
Captd
 
Marvin,

The Duglos GPS puck I got may be the same as yours, since mine came with MS S&T also. For awhile it drove me nuts, interfering with the mouse. Windows thought it was another pen/something and used it for the mouse placement. Here's a link to their tech page: DUGLOS FAQs There's both a link on how to fix the mouse jumping and how to get the darn thing working better. Also a diagnostic. Actually since the puck outputs a standard NMEA 0183 data stream, this info should be valid for all GPS's that connect to a laptop.

Boris
 
I have used both the PUCK and Handheld GPS units with my laptop and I've found the pucks frequently drop the signal :crook The pucks are handy as you can stick them anywhere, where as the handheld needs a mounting bracket. :sad Personally I like the handheld better, as amoung other things, it is also a multi unit backup for my speedometer and compass :smiled

P.S. Out of the 3 Garmin (48xx) Units I have, one of them quit sending data to the PC. :cry Just about drove me nuts as all three had exactly the same settings :smilep ...And other than that, it works fine. :thup
 
Thanks you brats for the idea of using a laptop as a tv. I went to Circuit City today and got a Hauppauge USB TV tuner for $68. It picks up analog, digital and HD channels. You can also attach a cable input.

Perfect solution, no remote control to get lost, its all on screen. Only problem may be getting enough volume out of the laptop speakers. Aside from that its great.

Going cruising to the NC Outer Banks next week. Its good to have another creature comfort on board.

Best Regards to you all!
 
I was watching a dvd on my lap top at a open house sunday and found that the sound was really low. I turned it all the way up on the player control panel and still could not hear it. I had to go in to the computer control panel and turn up the sound. Ihad to re do it for every cd we were previewing. so make sure you have both sound controls up.
 
Take a look at Slingbox. All of the cable channels you have at home are available anywhere you can get a cell signal. You'll need a data plan and an aircard(I use my PPC as a Bluetooth Wireless Modem). If you're using a DVR/Converter Box such as the Motorola DCH 3416(Comcast) you can also view all of your recorded programs. For true mobility(and another $30) Slingplayer Mobile gives you the same capabilities on your phone or PPC(Pocket P.C.).
 
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