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Topic: The basics of running a TV in the tent

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ANGEDAWS

07/6/2014 at 5:30pm
Location: Northern England
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I know to some people the thought of taking the TV camping fills them with horror. However, we have always had a small portable DVD player for cold wet evenings or when the kids just want a bit of quiet time. The DVD player has gone on the blink so we wondered about getting a small portable TV instead.

Now, everything I read about TVs in tents or caravans seems really complicated and really expensive. If we bought a little TV with built in freeview and a satellite dish on a tripod (seen one for £40) is that it or do we need more?

Can someone explain it to me in very simple terms?

Of course we would have the sound down very low or be using headphones and would make sure the noise wasnt bothering anyone else.

I dont want to spend a silly amount of money because we wont use it that much and if its going to be difficult we will just buy another DVD player.

Tynxuk

07/6/2014 at 8:14pm
Location: Sunny Suffolk (West)
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I think you will need either a digital aerial for freeview or a freesat box & signal finder for satellite.

Does the dvd player have a usb input? ours does and it's much easier to upload DVDs to a USB stick and use that in our portable DVD player than taking a DVD collection.

mark e

07/6/2014 at 9:40pm
Location: Rhondda Valleys South Wales.
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Nice 15" freeview tv and digital areial on a little stand. Dont spend less than £15 on an aerial of you wont get a good picture. I take my tv from my daughters bedroom and the quality aerial. Simples.

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Pup tent > Family tent > Caravan > Family tent > Motorhome > Tent Beyond Corvus 6+2 + trailer

pwatson

07/6/2014 at 9:55pm
Location: North Hertfordshire
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Just a point of clarification - Do not be mislead by claims for 'digital aerials'. There's no such thing!

What you do need is a good quality wideband aerial as you will need to be able to receive signals from any transmitter. Some retailers suggest that log periodic aerials are a good choice for mobile applications.

weeshell

07/6/2014 at 11:25pm
Location: scotland
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I use my laptop and have Pinnacle PCTV 80e HD Mini Stick, It comes with a small aerial and works fine but we now plug it into a indoor aerial with a line amplifier so we are guaranteed to get all channels. This system works really well and doesn't take up too much space.

Bramston

08/6/2014 at 12:49am
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Get a laptop with a usb tv dongle (including freeview), then enough solar power to run it for a couple of hours per night.
More than that you will need a leisure battery (gel car battery) and more serious solar or EHU connections.

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ANGEDAWS

08/6/2014 at 8:25am
Location: Northern England
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Thanks all. Looking at usb tv dongles there are loads out there and they vary so much in price but this might be the way to go. Will do some more research.

The downside of this is taking the laptop camping which I am usually reluctant to do, in terms of value and security a cheap telly might be better.

Any recommendations for aerials?

sunvalleysue

08/6/2014 at 8:53am
Location: The Love Shack
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We take a small 15" tv with built in dvd player.We knock one of those spikes into the ground(those that are for washing poles etc) and then insert a 3 section mast(held firm by some small wedges as the pole is smaller than the spike recess) that we connect a cheapo aerial to it.Just set the tv to auto tune and its sorted.

(See photo)

Post last edited on 08/06/2014 09:03:51

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--------------------- I Love My AeroBed

ANGEDAWS

08/6/2014 at 9:19am
Location: Northern England
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Quote: Originally posted by sunvalleysue on 08/6/2014
We take a small 15" tv with built in dvd player.We knock one of those spikes into the ground(those that are for washing poles etc) and then insert a 3 section mast(held firm by some small wedges as the pole is smaller than the spike recess) that we connect a cheapo aerial to it.Just set the tv to auto tune and its sorted.

Brilliant, that looks good and wouldnt cost a lot to buy. Thank you

sunvalleysue

08/6/2014 at 11:07am
Location: The Love Shack
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Quote: Originally posted by ANGEDAWS on 08/6/2014

Quote: Originally posted by sunvalleysue on 08/6/2014We take a small 15" tv with built in dvd player.We knock one of those spikes into the ground(those that are for washing poles etc) and then insert a 3 section mast(held firm by some small wedges as the pole is smaller than the spike recess) that we connect a cheapo aerial to it.Just set the tv to auto tune and its sorted.

Brilliant, that looks good and wouldnt cost a lot to buy. Thank you

We have just returned from Boroughbridge C&C Club site and got excellent reception on all Freeview channels.The aerial mast will go quite a bit higher than in the photo.Its just a case of trying what is best,just look at which direction others have their masts pointing.
Good luck with what you decide to get.

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Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed

tezza1

08/6/2014 at 5:01pm
Location: Sunderland
Outfit: Arapaho 6DL Atakama 5

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While I usually take a sky dish and my freesat box, I have noticed that on some of the EHU's on sites, there is a connection socket for Freeview tv! Found this out at Wild Duck in Norfolk, when there were too many trees for a sat box. You would just need a long ariel cable with F connecter one end and normal tv connecter the other.

It would be worth checking with the site and asking, after all, just a tv lead and telly is better than spikes-poles and ariels!

Terry

NickH

08/6/2014 at 6:42pm
Location: North Surrey
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Quote: Originally posted by ANGEDAWS on 08/6/2014
Thanks all. Looking at usb tv dongles there are loads out there and they vary so much in price but this might be the way to go. Will do some more research.

The downside of this is taking the laptop camping which I am usually reluctant to do, in terms of value and security a cheap telly might be better.

Any recommendations for aerials?

Angedaws, if you want to take your laptop and have security, you could get one of these,
example, and secure around something solid

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Nick

2017
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Queen Vic

08/6/2014 at 8:05pm
Location: Liverpool
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I've just bought this
to take camping. It has a usb as well as card slot too. Will be trying it out camping in a few weeks but seems to be working great. Lots of tv channels and radio stations, so plenty of options. Although "used" it is fully refurbished by Maplins and looks brand new. Comes with the same 1 year guarantee as their new items.

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Hunter30062352

08/6/2014 at 9:18pm
Location: Frinton - Essex
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sue that's a lovely set up!

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The great outdoors, sunshine, laughter.. a moaning wife and screaming brat!

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sunvalleysue

08/6/2014 at 10:33pm
Location: The Love Shack
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Quote: Originally posted by Hunter30062352 on 08/6/2014
sue that's a lovely set up!

Thanks

Just to show the tv works...

-------------
Sue & Phil
--------------------- I Love My AeroBed

hrob487

09/6/2014 at 9:49am
Location: preston lancs
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Quote: Originally posted by sunvalleysue on 08/6/2014
We take a small 15" tv with built in dvd player.We knock one of those spikes into the ground(those that are for washing poles etc) and then insert a 3 section mast(held firm by some small wedges as the pole is smaller than the spike recess) that we connect a cheapo aerial to it.Just set the tv to auto tune and its sorted.

(See photo)

Post last edited on 08/06/2014 09:03:51

That's Exactly what we do, Works perfect.

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