# wall sized TV, on a sailboat



## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

OK, lets see them. Who has a wall sized TV.
I will not discriminate, your wall can be any size.
We are planning about a 40-55" TV for our salon wall.
An LED unit with Wi-Fi, and all the goodies. 
Just curious who else has one?
Any recommendations, or horror stories?
We are looking at a 240HZ, 3D capable, and maybe 4K but we will see where prices are in 6 months.
I am hoping that black Friday brings the first 4K tv sale, maybe $999? who knows!
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-49-class-48-1-2-diag--led-4k-ultra-hd-tv-2160p-120hz-smart-3d-hdtv/3894006.p?id=1219094472073&skuId=3894006&st=pcmcat205800050000_categoryid$abcat0101001&cp=1&lp=1


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

We don't watch "TV", but we LOVE watching movies. So I installed the largest TV I could manage for our 1983 Slocum 43. After some research, I picked the Samsung model here:

Amazon.com: Samsung UN40F5500 40-Inch 1080p 60Hz Slim Smart LED HDTV (2013 Model): [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@51hizuhju6L

Frankly, I don't like the higher refresh rates like 120hz or 240hz. They make movies look like they were shot on videotape for TV.

The TV is a little wider than I would like, but I think we'll manage just fine.

For sound, we went with the Amazon.com: VIZIO S3821w-C0 38-inch 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer: [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@31L3c5--VpL

I wired HDMI and an extension cord to the bulkhead where the TV and sound bar were mounted and electric to the subwoofer that I installed under the Salon table. Works great! Not exactly surround sound, but good enough for us.


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## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

You need to remember the bigger the screen the greater the watts. We have a 19" and that uses about 3Ah of juice.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

Nice install mycroft.
For sound I brought my amp from home.
Its an awesome sony ES amp. I paid $4500 for it, so I couldn't just sell it for what little I am sure its worth used. We are going to hook up some bose cubes to it for surround sound.
We don't watch TV either, just movies, The TV will be hoked to our PC thats being installed in the other room, under the bed. Also the TV will be used to display photos, and edit our video blogs.

Simon V
The LED tv that is 48" uses 60 watts. VIZIO E-Series 48? Class Full-Array LED Smart TV | E480i-B2 | VIZIO
With 1000AH bank, we should be fine, even when using the big amp, and the big pc. those are the real power users.


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## Group9 (Oct 3, 2010)

I used to have one on the salon wall (and a smaller one on the wall of the main stateroom). We used them to watch movies, but I took them both out when we got back from our cruise because I didn't see us using them much on day trips and weekend trips.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I don't even know what 4k is.......... &#55357;&#56842;

I am looking far and wide for a 22" TV that has two critical features. It's must run on 12volts and it must have the standard female mounting holes directly on the back of the unit, so it can be screwed flush onto the wooden bulkhead.

Of course, it must receive a digital antenna signal, but we're not too hung up on picture quality, as long as it is not bad. Seems nearly all digital led/LCD sets are good these days. If it can run a Bluetooth speaker, that would be a bonus.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

Minnewaska said:


> I don't even know what 4k is.......... ��


Its like HD, but more.

tube TV x 4 = HD x 4 = 4K or UHD.
If you don't have really keen eyes at 40" you cannot tell the difference.
Since my eyes work so well still, I can tell.

The are many tiny 12 volt TV's, but why would you want one on a 54' sailboat? I thought those all came with a pop-up tv from the factory?


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

So, does this mean that with the advent of wall-mounted flat screen home theaters, boats now have _"walls"_, instead of _"bulkheads"_ ?


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

Is this for use mostly in a marina or will you be anchored out while cruising?

You've got a big boat, so I'll assume the TV won't be a huge strain on your house bank. But if you're looking at 3D smart TVs you have to consider the speed of your internet connection. 

Any marina I've been in has had slow, spotty wifi (if they have it at all). I usually use my cell phone as a hot spot for web browsing, but you'll max out your data plan pretty quickly streaming Netflix, Hulu or HBOGO. To really utilize this setup you'd need a cable internet connection at the dock and a router.

Open wifi is getting as rare as hens teeth. Even if you find open wifi you can trust you may have trouble streaming video. I love our Samsung smart TV, but if I was going to upgrade our boat tv I'd go with a standard LED and save the $$. I doubt I'd even go the 3D route. It's pretty cool, but there's just not a lot of 3D programming.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

JimMcGee said:


> Is this for use mostly in a marina or will you be anchored out while cruising?
> 
> You've got a big boat, so I'll assume the TV won't be a huge strain on your house bank. But if you're looking at 3D smart TVs you have to consider the speed of your internet connection.
> 
> ...


It will be used while anchored out, and while on passages. It will be connected to my PC, my PC contains about 600 movies, and 1200 show episodes. We pull form those, and as there are not many movies that are new, and good, I don't see this being a limit. 30% of our movies are in 1080P, the rest are in 720P. While at the docks I do watch a lot of youtube, and I take classes online. We will be docking about 1 time a month for water, provisions, and youtube uploads. This will be when we use the net to its full potential.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

JonEisberg said:


> So, does this mean that with the advent of wall-mounted flat screen home theaters, boats now have _"walls"_, instead of _"bulkheads"_ ?


It took me 3 months to stop calling lines ropes, and rigging cables. 
not sure how long until I stop saying back, wall, ceiling, and stop calling our genoa a jib.
:laugher


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Are you going to gimbal it on the wall or just hang it from the ceiling? Bet if you mounted it on a pedestal in the middle of the room and spun it at about 60 hertz it could be viewed from all seats.Ha, maybe I'm on to something here.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

Capt Len said:


> Are you going to gimbal it on the wall or just hang it from the ceiling?


It will just be screwed to the bulkhead like I would do if home.
not like my last huge HDTV.


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## Capt Len (Oct 9, 2011)

Whoosh!


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

For me, watching movies is for when we're in a marina, not when anchoring or cruising. Since it's our home, I want a chance to watch movies on a quality screen occasionally.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

"We are planning about a 40-55" TV for our salon wall."

The only time there are _walls _on a boat, is when the boat has been cut up and used as a planter in front of a restaurant. Says so right in Chapman's.

3D may be the new Betamax and 4K prices may plummet, even if 4K gets adopted for anything. You won't find it over the air--and there's lots of good HD tv over the air--and you won't find it on BluRay either. Which leaves you some expensive cable packages if you can find them, doesn't it?


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## jmshaver (Sep 16, 2010)

My only recommendation; try to avoid cutting into the bulkhead with this kind of job. Mounting a TV _on_ the bulkhead is fine, mounting one _in_ the bulkhead not so much.

I've seen a lot of boats where tvs are recessed into bulkheads, making reversal of the modification difficult.

This is probably less relevant these days because new LEDs are so skinny anyway, recessing one into a bulkhead would make little difference.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

hellosailor said:


> 3D may be the new Betamax and 4K prices may plummet, even if 4K gets adopted for anything. You won't find it over the air--and there's lots of good HD tv over the air--and you won't find it on BluRay either. Which leaves you some expensive cable packages if you can find them, doesn't it?


4K will come to blueray. they can do 4 layer disks. 100gb is enough for about 4 hours of 4K if I remember correctly. ( depends on compression.) 3d may go away again.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

jmshaver said:


> My only recommendation; try to avoid cutting into the bulkhead with this kind of job. Mounting a TV _on_ the bulkhead is fine, mounting one _in_ the bulkhead not so much.
> 
> I've seen a lot of boats where tvs are recessed into bulkheads, making reversal of the modification difficult.
> 
> This is probably less relevant these days because new LEDs are so skinny anyway, recessing one into a bulkhead would make little difference.


Right, they are 10MM. the wall mount may turn out thickest, But I am thinking of screwing it in from the other side of the WALL.


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

This is the wallmount (bulkheadmount?) that I'm using:
Amazon.com: VideoSecu Low Profile Ultra Slim 1" profile TV Wall Mount for most 27"-47" LCD LED Plasma TV, Some up to 55" Flat Panel Screen Display with VESA 100x100 to 400x400 1RX: [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@41A2xEGRDmL

The front edge of the TV is 2 7/8 inches from the bulkhead, exactly matching the Vizio speaker bar. We can sit comfortably in the salon seat without touching the back of our head on the TV.


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## scratchee (Mar 2, 2012)

If you're going to run everything from your PC like the home setup you showed, might I recommend the following PC case, which has the added benefit of positive buoyancy.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

scratchee said:


> If you're going to run everything from your PC like the home setup you showed, might I recommend the following PC case, which has the added benefit of positive buoyancy.


This mineral oil rig would be more fun








then I could display it!


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

Mycroft said:


> This is the wallmount (bulkheadmount?) that I'm using:
> Amazon.com: VideoSecu Low Profile Ultra Slim 1" profile TV Wall Mount for most 27"-47" LCD LED Plasma TV, Some up to 55" Flat Panel Screen Display with VESA 100x100 to 400x400 1RX: Electronics
> 
> The front edge of the TV is 2 7/8 inches from the bulkhead, exactly matching the Vizio speaker bar. We can sit comfortably in the salon seat without touching the back of our head on the TV.


1" + 10MM = 1.5" very cool, TY.


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## AKscooter (Jan 18, 2009)

Just to throw in a bit of sideways thought.......Since a lot of folks use their TV's just for movies....you could look at getting a projector......Just run it through your computer...also you can by a tv tuner and run it thru the computer and output thru the projector........A good quality projector can have an image as large as 8 feet across....good for those windless nights when you put up your sail and use it as the screen....or on the off days...going below and voila 40" Projectors are easy to stow, do not need a permanent wiring or fixtures and of course do not have the need for a dedicated space.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

We have a massive "freedom VS. Australia" photo on the wall now, so we will not lose anything. 
A projector is a fun idea, albeit impractical. you know they must be a distance from the screen, and they are LOUD!!!!


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## AKscooter (Jan 18, 2009)

What UnionPacific says is somewhat true. They make mini projectors that are designed for business people and their presentations. They require a much short distance between projector and screen. Noise ah yes....they bulbs get extremely hot and fans are important less you burn out these bulbs. But like I said, it is a sideways thought....In dedicated home theaters, projectors have always been the way to go.  Check Newegg or other sites for these projectors. This is not an endorsement for Newegg or any other site....


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

I liked newegg, until they started newegg markets, now I will stick to ebay.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

UnionPacific said:


> ...The are many tiny 12 volt TV's, but why would you want one on a 54' sailboat? I thought those all came with a pop-up tv from the factory?


No pop-up, those are for stinkpotters and people that hire crew to sail their boats.

I've found several 22" sets, I just can't tell if the rear mounting is what I want. I do not want a frame, i just want to screw it directly to the wall.

From most seats in our salon, one sits less than 6 feet from the set. At most, one would be 10 feet, in a single seat. Seriously, how much bigger of a set would one want or need. The 22" will fit its location perfectly too.


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

A week ago my Wife says, "Honey, I have an idea for an improvement to the boat."

Me "Gulp!"

Her "Let's cut out out the coach house walls and put in some big windows!"

Me "why don't we get a big screen TV instead, then I'll mount a wireless CCTV camera so you can have a view which ever way you like."

Wife "OK"

Me "Whew!"

No I gotta figure out how to do it.

Advice?


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

No reason to have to use your laptop hooked up to your TV. WD makes a media player, storage can be done on a dedicated hard drive. We use the media player and a 1 terrabyte hard drive for movies, pictures etc. Cuts way down on power usage. We also loan out the hard drive to other cruisers and swap movies.


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

UnionPacific said:


> It will be used while anchored out, and while on passages. It will be connected to my PC, my PC contains about 600 movies, and 1200 show episodes.


That's what I figured you were doing. The smart portion of the smart tvs is the way they use the web for streaming. If you laptop is your primary video source save some money and get a high quality Samsung without the smart interface.


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

aeventyr60 said:


> No reason to have to use your laptop hooked up to your TV. WD makes a media player, storage can be done on a dedicated hard drive. We use the media player and a 1 terrabyte hard drive for movies, pictures etc. Cuts way down on power usage. We also loan out the hard drive to other cruisers and swap movies.





UnionPacific said:


> It will be connected to my PC, my PC contains about 600 movies, and 1200 show episodes.


Just curious what site(s) do you guys use for your movie downloads? Or do you have software that records from DVD?


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

ssshhhhh!!!! yes, thats why I am using a PC. AVI files. anywho, I also need to video edit on it.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

There is not now, nor will there ever be, a TV on my boat. I go sailing to get away from the damn thing.

Sorry for the divergent opinion....


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## IStream (Dec 15, 2013)

Mycroft said:


> This is the wallmount (bulkheadmount?) that I'm using:
> Amazon.com: VideoSecu Low Profile Ultra Slim 1" profile TV Wall Mount for most 27"-47" LCD LED Plasma TV, Some up to 55" Flat Panel Screen Display with VESA 100x100 to 400x400 1RX: Electronics
> 
> The front edge of the TV is 2 7/8 inches from the bulkhead, exactly matching the Vizio speaker bar. We can sit comfortably in the salon seat without touching the back of our head on the TV.


I've got the exact same mount holding up my Samsung 32". It looks great but there's a very slight rattle fore/aft in big seas due to the tolerances necessary for the quick release mechanism. I just jammed a couple small pieces of foam between the bulkhead and the top half of the TV (making sure not to block any cooling vents) to pre-load it a bit. Completely invisible and works great.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

eherlihy said:


> There is not now, nor will there ever be, a TV on my boat. I go sailing to get away from the damn thing.
> 
> Sorry for the divergent opinion....


Don't be sorry. We have books as well, but sometimes we just want to see a movie without spending $50 to go out to a movie.


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## MarkSF (Feb 21, 2011)

UnionPacific said:


> 4K will come to blueray. they can do 4 layer disks. 100gb is enough for about 4 hours of 4K if I remember correctly. ( depends on compression.) 3d may go away again.


It's "Blu-ray". The limit for a Blu-ray disc has been shown to be 20 layers, so capacity shouldn't be an issue. Bit rate might be, there's no point going up to 4K if you are reducing the quality of the picture in other respects. The 40 Mbps bitrate of Blu-ray gives really nice motion so it would be a shame to compromise motion to get higher resolution. For 4K to keep the same motion quality, they'd have to up the bitrate to 160 Mbps.

It's amazing what some people consider to be adequate HD. Netflix attach the label to a 1 Mbps stream...we have 50 Mbps cable at home but what Netflix laughably calls Super HD isn't a patch on Blu-ray.

Picture quality 101 : The elements of a quality picture are :

Colour
Contrast / brightness (the darkest level vs. the brightest one)
Movement
Resolution (both static, and during movement)

Clearly calling something 1080P only considers one aspect of the picture (pun intended).

Right now the best picture available comes from Blu-ray, and this will be the case for a long time to come. Partner it with a large plasma TV, and the experience is just like going to the movies.

There's a Redbox near the marina and they have Blu-rays for $1.49


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

A plasma on an anchored sailboat? We don't have the power man!


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

A lot depends on screen size as well. We have a 19" on the bulkhead with 720p resolution, which is just fine for 19 inches.

If I ever get around to building a folding salon table I may go to a 32", then it might be worth going to 1080 and a faster refresh rate.

The funny thing is 19" seemed like a "big" TV a few years back when I installed it! :laugher


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

JimMcGee said:


> A lot depends on screen size as well. We have a 19" on the bulkhead with 720p resolution, which is just fine for 19 inches.
> 
> If I ever get around to building a folding salon table I may go to a 32", then it might be worth going to 1080 and a faster refresh rate.
> 
> The funny thing is 19" seemed like a "big" TV a few years back when I installed it! :laugher


When I was a child I had a 13" tv, when I became a man I bought a 67" set, and promptly placed it 10' from the sofa and played Halo. I was a success in my 18 year old eyes. Now I am 32, and I am installing the biggest TV my bulkhead/wall can hold on my own yacht. I shall play Waterworld(ulysses cut) on it, and will consider myself a success yet again. Oh and I have a wife now too.


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## Puddin'_Tain (Feb 14, 2014)

eherlihy said:


> There is not now, nor will there ever be, a TV on my boat. I go sailing to get away from the damn thing.
> 
> Sorry for the divergent opinion....


I'm with you. If I want to watch something interesting, I simply sit in the cockpit and look around.

The day sailing becomes boring enough for me to want to watch TV is the day I sell the boat. Even sitting at the dock I can find something to fix, or clean, or read long before I'll start Jonesing for electronic entertainment.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

JimMcGee said:


> Just curious what site(s) do you guys use for your movie downloads? Or do you have software that records from DVD?


iTunes. You download the entire movie for rental when near wifi, therefore, you don't need to stream when you are ready to watch. Usually 4 or 5 dollars per movie.

You get 30 days to begin to watch the movie and can watch it as many times as you like for 24 hrs from the time you begin. When going cruising, we'll download a few at home and bring them along. Work just as well on an iPhone as an iPad or on your laptop.

Tip.... Unless you are a videophile or a masochist, scroll down and select the SD (standard definition) version. It not only saves you a buck from the HD standard download, but takes less than half the time to download. If you start the D download and run out of time in Starbucks, you can't change your mind. Ask me how I know.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

Puddin'_Tain said:


> I'm with you. If I want to watch something interesting, I simply sit in the cockpit and look around.
> 
> The day sailing becomes boring enough for me to want to watch TV is the day I sell the boat. Even sitting at the dock I can find something to fix, or clean, or read long before I'll start Jonesing for electronic entertainment.


Says the guy with the Totoro avatar.... 
I love Hayao Miyazaki work myself.
Still takes a TV to watch it.


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

Puddin'_Tain said:


> I'm with you. If I want to watch something interesting, I simply sit in the cockpit and look around.
> 
> The day sailing becomes boring enough for me to want to watch TV is the day I sell the boat. Even sitting at the dock I can find something to fix, or clean, or read long before I'll start Jonesing for electronic entertainment.


Every TV thread someone has to jump in with a comment like this. Why would you bother? Obviously the folks on this thread don't share your opinion.

There's no right or wrong way to enjoy your boat. To each his own...


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

UnionPacific said:


> When I was a child I had a 13" tv, when I became a man I bought a 67" set, and promptly placed it 10' from the sofa and played Halo. I was a success in my 18 year old eyes. Now I am 32, and I am installing the biggest TV my bulkhead/wall can hold on my own yacht. I shall play Waterworld(ulysses cut) on it, and will consider myself a success yet again. Oh and I have a wife now too.


Perhaps you can set the record for the largest TV brought to Antarctica, or though the NW Passage, aboard a sailing yacht ?


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## Puddin'_Tain (Feb 14, 2014)

UnionPacific said:


> Says the guy with the Totoro avatar....
> I love Hayao Miyazaki work myself.
> Still takes a TV to watch it.


Sure I watch TV, sometimes --- at home. Not on the boat.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

JonEisberg said:


> Perhaps you can set the record for the largest TV brought to Antarctica, or though the NW Passage, aboard a sailing yacht ?


Not sure, those cruise ships must have big TV's right? I mean for $35,000 a ticket, you must get more then memory's?
For the memories of a lifetime, recall recall recall.
:laugher


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

Puddin'_Tain said:


> Sure I watch TV, sometimes --- at home. Not on the boat.


Well, in case you missed it, the OP's boat _IS_ his home...

When I happen to find myself in a place like Miami Beach on Super Bowl Sunday, as much as I might enjoy watching the sights from my cockpit, or the lights come up on the Miami skyline, come game time, damn straight I'm gonna be parked in front of my little 13" Sharp Aquos... 










Hell, on my last delivery, knowing the boat did not have a TV, I even brought my own along  Whenever I have a trip that falls over Memorial Day, it's largely gonna be planned around being some place where I can take Sunday off, and catch the F1 race from Monaco, and the Indy 500... This year worked out perfectly, I wound up in one of my favorite stops anywhere, Coinjock Marina...

Nah, I'm not gonna rag on someone for watching TV, simply because they happen to be on a boat...

Unless they happen to be running a Honda 2000 on deck in a nice anchorage in order to do so, that is... 

We sailors will always lag far behind the powerboat crowd when it comes to this stuff, however... This Ferretti had no less than half a dozen TVs aboard, one of them even located in _the Engine Room_... The owner's rationale was that he often found himself checking the engines at the end of the day at a time when the financial news and evening news and came on, and he didn't want to miss a beat...


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## Puddin'_Tain (Feb 14, 2014)

JonEisberg said:


> Well, in case you missed it, the OP's boat _IS_ his home...
> 
> When I happen to find myself in a place like Miami Beach on Super Bowl Sunday, as much as I might enjoy watching the sights from my cockpit, or the lights come up on the Miami skyline, come game time, damn straight I'm gonna be parked in front of my little 13" Sharp Aquos...
> 
> ...


Hmmm...

It would seem that _*YOU*_ are the one getting his panties in a bunch over this. Chill. Go sailing. Have a beer. Watch TV, if you want.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

JonEisberg said:


> Unless they happen to be running a Honda 2000 on deck in a nice anchorage in order to do so, that is...


I have started a lot of fights with "honda generators suck"
Here is what a real generator looks like.
S/V Union Pacific : Generator updates
anything less is a hack job.
My last generator from 1981 was not audible outside the boat. 
This one will not be audible inside the boat.
Hondas are nice and quiet, until you put a load on them.
Even with 0 load, I can hear them a long ways off.



> Sure I watch TV, sometimes --- at home. Not on the boat.


My yacht is my home, and I will not live on land again until I find a new land to call home. I may never. I just hope Miyazaki finishes the next porco rosso before he stops. Can't wait to visit Japan.


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## AKscooter (Jan 18, 2009)

I think this tv would do nicely on my future boat.....The World's Biggest TV Can Be Yours for $1.7 Million


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

AKscooter said:


> I think this tv would do nicely on my future boat.....The World's Biggest TV Can Be Yours for $1.7 Million


You must be channeling your inner stinkpotter. 

A guy down the dock from us with a 45ft stinkpot was late into the water this year. In some chit chat the day he arrived at his slip, he revealed that his satellite TV was not working. I've not seen him use his boat since.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> You must be channeling your inner stinkpotter.


*WARNING - thread drift*

I've owned and cruised power and sail and have some observations.

Almost all sail cruisers are stinkpotters. Aside from motoring time the dinghies most of us carry are pure power boats.

Power cruisers carry dinghies also, and a goodly number if minority are sailing dinghies.

I've certainly seen poor seamanship from those who choose power and sail as principle propulsion.

So why throw rocks based on something so unimportant as choice of propulsion.

On point, I've seen some pretty big TVs on all kinds of boats, power and sail. The two TVs on my sailboat are not particularly large (17" I think) but they get used a good bit. I like TV. Shoot me. Movies from our collection, streaming Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, local news and weather, public television, ... we like it.

Certainly we enjoy our surroundings: dinner and cocktails in the cockpit whenever we can. Snuggling up together to watch a movie (usually half a movie for me, I fall asleep early) is part of the experience for us.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

I am obviously not sailing enough.

I have yet to be out long enough, that I get bored enough to start missing TV or movies.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

BubbleheadMd said:


> I am obviously not sailing enough.
> 
> I have yet to be out long enough, that I get bored enough to start missing TV or movies.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

Was fun watching the Preakness and Belmont anchored in a raft up on our 23" Sharp combo DVD player. Did it make me less of a sailor.....NOT!!!!!


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

IStream said:


> I've got the exact same mount holding up my Samsung 32". It looks great but there's a very slight rattle fore/aft in big seas due to the tolerances necessary for the quick release mechanism. I just jammed a couple small pieces of foam between the bulkhead and the top half of the TV (making sure not to block any cooling vents) to pre-load it a bit. Completely invisible and works great.


Great tip IStream! I'm definitely going to use it, thanks!


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

BubbleheadMd said:


> I am obviously not sailing enough.
> 
> I have yet to be out long enough, that I get bored enough to start missing TV or movies.


So I take it that like us, you live on your boat, but that you read or work on projects until it's time for bed every night?


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## foamy (Nov 26, 2012)

To each his own, but...

I grew up listening to the radio (late 40s), my family did not have a TV until the mid 50s, no color TV until the mid 60s. So I grew with an imagination like most kids of the 40s and 50s...we didn't need TV to be entertained, we provided our own fun.

Much of what is on TV today is pure crap. The exceptions being the History Channel, Discovery, and the like. Pro sports...forget it. College football to some degree. But doing other things...surfing, skiing, cycling, etc.

On my boat (or boats in the last 25 years)...you gotta be kidding.

Too much else to do than waste my time watching the waste-land.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Some people have no sense of humor. Stinkpotter v sailor is a team or sibling rivalry thing. 

However, as a population, there is no question in my mind that recreational sailboat skippers are more focused on seamanship than amenities, unlike stinkpotters. There are exceptions in both populations. 

So I return. A huge TV makes you fit better in the marine culture with stinkpotters.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

UP-
Maybe you don't remember Laserdisc? Surely, you bought them, because the quality was so much better than video tape?

What, you didn't buy them? Right, not many people did. "Better" doesn't translate into a market success. I'd argue that you need a much bigger tv set before you can appreciate the difference in quality from 4K. Right now you can get a lot of DVDs in the stores for $10, and Blu-Ray is asking $15. Guess which one people are buying more of? Because they still can't or don't appreciate the added resolution of Blu-Ray, so what's going to sell them on 4K? 
I just don't see it as something to bet on.

But on the tech side...why are you using .avi files instead of .mp4? I thought mp4 produced smaller files and did it faster (ripping) than avi?

And then again, ripping dvds requires one level of software, Blu-ray requires another at a higher price with tighter copy protection, and 4K? I'd be afraid to ask about ripping those. Found any reasonable tools that will rip _both _dvd and Blu-ray?


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

Minnewaska said:


> Some people have no sense of humor. Stinkpotter v sailor is a team or sibling rivalry thing.


I use to use the term blowboaters.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

hellosailor said:


> UP-
> Maybe you don't remember Laserdisc? Surely, you bought them, because the quality was so much better than video tape?
> 
> What, you didn't buy them? Right, not many people did. "Better" doesn't translate into a market success. I'd argue that you need a much bigger tv set before you can appreciate the difference in quality from 4K. Right now you can get a lot of DVDs in the stores for $10, and Blu-Ray is asking $15. Guess which one people are buying more of? Because they still can't or don't appreciate the added resolution of Blu-Ray, so what's going to sell them on 4K?
> ...


lazerdisk was awesome. I also had super audio cd. 
I use AVI, or MKV because thats what is given to me.
Back in the day I had a huge collection of DVD's and HD-dvd (lol, woops) but I dumped them all. Now I DL 1080P files.

I can see the difference between Iphone models screens. My eyes are still very good. I can also see a laptop with 1200 vs one with 1980. One day they will not see the difference. Then I will go back to DVDs


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

You can rip DVD's to .mkv files (free software) that includes only what you want (I do just the movie and audio). I don't even bother with Blu-ray, just regular DVD's. Got over 400 movies and over 350 CD's on a 3TB external hard drive (with well over 890 gigs still free). Currently, since I'm on shore power, I'm running a 21" monitor off my laptop and 5.1 surround sound for viewing, or line-out to my stereo for music.

Don't have a TV (although we get free hotel cable), nor any desire to have one.


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## skippmaiden (Jan 3, 2012)

I have a 40" Visio that is better than any TV I have ever owned. Can count the pores in the skin of people. Installed on a Beneteau Oceanis 41.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

The term TV here has been misunderstood. I don't mean watching over-the-air broadcasts, thou I may watch news. 
I have a 4TB drive, filled. and 5TB more, filled. I need more drives.


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## skippmaiden (Jan 3, 2012)

I use mine for over 250 movies on my computer and also for Netflix (at the dock). Works great in every environment.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

UnionPacific said:


> I use to use the term blowboaters.


I've only ever heard it used by a stinkpotter.


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## BCC1 (Dec 18, 2011)

I have a 46"on my 45'. And it's true, I'm not a great sailor. LIS, to the Chesapeake is as far as I go.

But it hasn't got anything to do with the tv.:laugher

Anyway, we sail every weekend from the middle of March to the end of November. But if we are at the marina for some reason, it's nice to watch a show.

BTW, about 70 channels, with an antennae.


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## hellsop (Jun 3, 2014)

hellosailor said:


> UP-
> Maybe you don't remember Laserdisc? Surely, you bought them, because the quality was so much better than video tape?


Heh. I did. But I like catamarans too. It's probably a similar insanity.


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## AKscooter (Jan 18, 2009)

Hey now, Laserdiscs are like vinyl is to analog recordings. Very collectible and if you try and buy them it is going to cost mas dinero! Don't even get me started on tube amplifiers versus transistors........

*Heh. I did. But I like catamarans too. It's probably a similar insanity.*


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## devilbones (Jun 3, 2014)

What is going on in here??


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## shadowraiths (Nov 2, 2011)

Minnewaska said:


> I've found several 22" sets, I just can't tell if the rear mounting is what I want. I do not want a frame, i just want to screw it directly to the wall.


For future reference, this wiki article appears to provide the skinny on various VESA mounting setups, to include screw info, etcetera.

Flat Display Mounting Interface - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are, however, some really nice low-profile mounting systems that allow for decent access to the TV's ports, while not adding much to the set's extrusion from the wall. This one, for example, basically popped up when I googled "_low profile VESA wall mount_."


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## AKscooter (Jan 18, 2009)

BTW One can get a nice 1080P LED projector for under a hundred dollars.......Plenty good for the game and what not.......Why have a big hanging thing on the wall that with the right incentive could leave its domicile?


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

AKscooter said:


> BTW One can get a nice 1080P LED projector for under a hundred dollars.......Plenty good for the game and what not.......Why have a big hanging thing on the wall that with the right incentive could leave its domicile?


Properly fastened, It should not move.


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

I say NO to cheap projectors with loud fans and bulbs that burn out.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Aside from expensive bulbs burning out and becoming unavailable to replace...

Please do show me _any _$100 projector that is a native 1080p, not just 'compatible', and has anywhere near the same brightness as an LED flat panel tv. Not brightness when projected to a foot in size, but same brightness when projecting to a 42" or 46" diagonal, like a commodity grade tv today.


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## AKscooter (Jan 18, 2009)

All true about the* led* projectors (except the expensive bulbs and noisy fans) but.......and this is a big but....100 vs hundreds of dollars.....yea....and yes even properly fasten they do leave their mounts. I have seen many folks with sticky fingers in my day.....you would be surprised what can leave and in how short a time period. I am not trying to point out the best...just alternatives. BTW i would use plasma if I wanted the best as it blows *ANYTHING* out of the water.


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

Yes, Plasma definitely rocks in the picture department, but they're at least twice as thick as an LED. (I had a 60" Kuro back in my pre-liveaboard housebound life.) But I think LED is a good compromise with how thin it is, price, and picture quality. I considered projectors, but the mounting and cabling on the overhead didn't really appeal to me. Plus I didn't know how much noise there would be from it two feet above my head.

Cabling my bulkhead mounted LED was a piece of cake. Just an extension cord and a single HDMI cable routed from behind the TV into the overhead beneath the side deck and into the salon cabinet. The TV and speaker bar plugged into the extension cord out of sight and the wireless sub fit perfectly under the salon table.


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## Hush34 (Dec 12, 2013)

Television on a sailboat? I thought only the power boaters had those things. Try stepping away from TV, there is a ton you can and should be doing besides that. Save the programing (they call it that for a reason) when you are not so busy sailing. Not judging just saying IMHO.

p.s. I am too darn tired from all the sailing, logistics and chores to do much besides read a book before hitting the rack.


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## goat (Feb 23, 2014)

Now, a projector showing a movie on a mainsail/screen with some serious sound?
....drive in at the anchorage? Just thinking out loud here.

goat


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Hush34 said:


> Television on a sailboat? I thought only the power boaters had those things. Try stepping away from TV, there is a ton you can and should be doing besides that. Save the programing (they call it that for a reason) when you are not so busy sailing. Not judging just saying IMHO.


I have two TVs on my sailboat, one in the salon and one in the aft cabin. We like watching a movie (usually half a movie for me) in bed at night. Offshore when the weather is nice and everyone is rested we'll have movie night a couple of times a week after dinner.

That works for us. I would not say that anyone "should" do or not do anything with respect to entertainment aboard.



goat said:


> Now, a projector showing a movie on a mainsail/screen with some serious sound?
> ....drive in at the anchorage? Just thinking out loud here.


I've been to movies projected on sails in a number of cruising destinations. It is usually a great social occasion and a natural fit for dinghy raft-ups. Sometimes the alignment can be odd but that is part of the charm.


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## DocHolliday (Jun 24, 2014)

Also consider the ratio of size to distance. Salons in boats are generally fairly small. Having a really big tv means that you'll have to sit farther away from it to watch in comfort. While size is a wonderful thing, I think that you'll be happier with a somewhat smaller tv, perhaps 27" or the like.


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## Minnesail (Feb 19, 2013)

Is there a rule of thumb for boat TVs? Like the size of the TV in inches should be about the same as the waterline in feet?

I think I could squeeze a 20" TV into my little Catalina.


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## Mycroft (Sep 27, 2013)

My rule of thumb was to install the largest that would fit. 40" barely made it. I had to chuck the nautical looking swinging oil lamp, but otherwise, it works great!

I know lots of other liveaboards eschew "TV", but I love my movies and make no apologies for it.


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## UnionPacific (Dec 31, 2013)

yep +1 largest that will fit in the space you allot. pachuca did a circumnavigation, and watched a movie every night of his passage, thou I think he used a laptop. Some nights are just going to be boring.


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## JonEisberg (Dec 3, 2010)

UnionPacific said:


> yep +1 largest that will fit in the space you allot. pachuca did a circumnavigation, and watched a movie every night of his passage, thou I think he used a laptop. Some nights are just going to be boring.


And some nights, perhaps a bit less so...



> They were sailing in the dark west of Tahiti when they heard scraping on the bottom of the boat. Jean Silverwood looked at her husband. "What was that?"
> 
> John didn't know, not right away. He thought maybe they had hit something floating in the water. Then this man who considered himself a born sailor recognized the sound, and what Jean saw on his face was shock.
> 
> ...


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## SantaAna12 (Apr 15, 2008)

I own a smaller TV....and would like to get a 1080p for movies. Does anyone here know of a LED one that I can cut the "block" off of and use plugged to 12 volts and not the inverter?


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## Caribbeachbum (Feb 23, 2014)

Another consideration is the differing broadcast standards used around the world. If you plan to visit the other side , you might want a TV that does multiple standards (NTSC/PAL/SEACAM + digital variants). I had one of these a long time ago in a far off land. You haven't truly laughed at a cartoon until you've seen the Flintstones dubbed in German.


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## girlgoessailing (Mar 19, 2014)

We were debating back and forth about what to do about a TV - the boat came with a pretty small monitor - and after meeting a few other sailors, we were convinced that a projector was actually the way to go. It was cheaper than buying a new TV and we are able to dismount the screen as needed (for crossing). We wrote about it here if you're interested on our blog couch sailors dot com

As long as you have a way to hook up the projector to either a laptop or have movies on an SD card, you're good to go!


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## PassMeBy (Jun 12, 2014)

Saw projector/camera rig at Costco the other day. Hand held. Can't speak to the quality but tiny.


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## UltimateWalrus (Aug 6, 2014)

Mycroft said:


> Frankly, I don't like the higher refresh rates like 120hz or 240hz. They make movies look like they were shot on videotape for TV.


What you're seeing has nothing to do with the refresh rate. Most movies are shot in 24FPS I believe. Many TVs nowadays have advanced post-processing which attempts to double low framerates by inferring the inbetween frames (which seems to work _some_ of the time). Even a 60Hz TV can do this, as it refreshes 60 times a second, and should be able to handle 48fps.

This will add lag if you're playing games, and can make movies looks weird, especially because the effect only works in scenes that don't have a lot of motion. You can usually just turn this off in the TV's settings. You're cheating yourself by intentionally seeking out low refresh rates, as higher refresh rates will result in less ghosting. Also those with sensitive eyes will be able to actually see the flashing of a 60Hz TV when the background is white, causing eyestrain.


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## Night_Sailor (May 27, 2012)

I use a 24" Visio 1080p on wall mount that can be locked close the wall for travel. My eyesight is such that placing it a few feet away means it is very sharp and being close it is just a nice as a big screen farther away.

I use a TiVo which I load with Turner Classic movies and a few other shows, it takes me a while to burn through those. I also have Netflix, and a MiFi and unlimited data on Verizon. I still need to put up a better WiFi antenna--haven't really needed it yet. I also have a BlueRay player which I love. I can't see the difference in resolution between DVD and BlueRay, but the colors are much more vivid on BlueRay. So I use RedBox for these. I also have a Mac Mini which I don't use all that much for navigation and as a media center, and a Gigabit switch.

All this stuff runs fine on a 500 watt inverter. I bought a 1000 watt inverter and then found it was two 500's. I may upgrade that at some point, but it has worked well and only needed some sheet metal flanges to made to mount it. The only reason I'd upgrade is to run my microwave. I have a good electrical system and solar panels and don't ever need to plug in. I've debated putting in a satellite in-motion system, but have not felt the need as yet. I watch more TV when the weather is bad and very little when the weather is nice.

I would like to put in a larger TV at some point. For now I'm happy with a small one at my bunk. If I buy a bigger boat, I'll probably put in a nicer entertainment system.


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## Night_Sailor (May 27, 2012)

Forgot to mention I have an iPad mount for the Binnacle, and I can bring it with me when delivering boats. I have to use headphones or I should bring an external speaker as the sound is weak. 

I make everyone watch Captain Ron if they haven't seen it. 

I love my 1st Gen iPad for navigation if it is not wet out. It works great for movies, and that makes the slow watches go a bit faster. It is easy to pause, and check the chart app.

I also find using one ear piece works great for listening to music and still hearing what is happening on deck.


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## Delezynski (Sep 27, 2013)

How about 60 inch on our Nor'Sea 27? 

A couple of years ago I purchased an LED Pico projector. It fits in the palm of my hand! 

We can sit in the cockpit (in the evening), or even on the beach, and watch 60 inch screen. We have had other boats dink up and watch along side of us. It runs off an internal battery for over 2 hours, or sips very little power when connected to ships power!










We also have a Seagate hard drive with a built in WiFi that we can connect to with our pads and watch a ton of recorded movies and TV series we carry along.

Greg


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I just realized that I posted our epilogue in another thread. 

It's actually become a joke aboard. We went through no less than 4 TVs, or was it 5. Some returned, some given to the kids. 

First, while the Vizio 110v TVs were fine quality (I don't have very high standards here, but I think most would like them), the process of turning the invertor on/off was an ongoing concern, especially if we went to bed before kids or guests. We have to hope, fingers crossed, etc, that they shut it down properly. I really needed to find a 12v set. Not to mention the simple inefficiency of an invertor on house power.

I did buy one 12v Supersonic set from Amazon that was horrible, with a capital H. The picture was probably the worst I've ever seen, dating back to when color TVs first came out!

Finally, we purchased a 24" Jensen LED, that is 12v. In fact, it only comes with a 12v stripped power cable to be connect to ships power. If you want 110v, you buy that adapter separately. The picture is actually great and you can also bolt it directly to the wall, without a separate mount. Naturally, it was a few more bucks than the other several attempts we made, but turns out to be well worth it. Purpose designed almost always is.


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## Brewgyver (Dec 31, 2011)

Wow, ten pages on a thread with "let's see 'em" in the opening post, and only ONE pic? I have a 40" LED screen, a smart Blu-ray, not to mention Blu-ray drive and HDMI output on my laptop. My boat is my getaway even when I don't have time to take her out and actually sail, and of course there are always maintenance days. So, at the end of the 40 mile drive, I stop at the store for dinner to grill, beer or ice, and frequently a red box movie. The display and Blu-ray run on a tiny inverter when away from the slip.










I used a swiveling bulkhead mount to give me the stand-off space to stow the dinette table (I'm sure most of you have seen that setup, it goes vertically to the right side of the screen in the pic). Oops, pic is sideways, so the dinette table goes above it in the pic! 







.

When I go out, the screen gets bungied to keep from swinging. If the going is rough, it lifts off the mount to lay flat on the berth.


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## Brewgyver (Dec 31, 2011)

OK, can somebody please tell me why these pics don't show? I put them in an SN album, and inserted links in the post.


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## JimMcGee (Jun 23, 2005)

Brewgyver said:


> Wow, ten pages on a thread with "let's see 'em" in the opening post, and only ONE pic? [/IMG].
> 
> When I go out, the screen gets bungied to keep from swinging. If the going is rough, it lifts off the mount to lay flat on the berth.


OK, here's the 19" on our boat. The mount is through bolted to the bulkhead with 3/8" stainless bolts. It's not going anywhere, even in rough conditions.


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