I rushed into buying a TV last month from Harvey Norman. All of the 32inch TVs only ran on 240v some of the smaller models had the transformer box dropping it down to 12volt from 240v but a smaller tv is not what I wanted.
i scratched my head and decided I will just buy the 32 inch and run the 240volt through the 2000w inverter that's wired throughout the yacht.
After doing some trials with the shore power disconected and the fridges off ,
I only got around 1.2 hours until the low battery alarm sounded on the inverter and then loosing all the power!
My last 22inch 12volt Grundig could run for a good session of movies or around 12 hours with the fridge running as well before the battery's would get to 12.2v.
I do do only at present have 200amph battery life and I wonder if this increased it may give me more time but I kind of doubt it! What do you guys think?
I bought a 12v TV on eBay. Was still working last week even after getting a bit wet last year. I think it was rain water.
I know the small teac runs the 12 volt transformer box not sure on the 32 inch you would have to go there and have a look in the good guys
Kogans a24 inch max in 12 volt.
I have been going to look around for a PC monitor in 12 volt have not got around to it yet and run a T.V. card or a usb tv dongal and run a HDMI lead to the screen.
I bought a B.O.A.T. you bought a yacht South Ace I don't have time for T.V. yethttp://www.bigbrownbox.com.au/palsonic-tftv7450m-28-3inch-72cm-led-lcd-hd-tv-combo-12v/ just found this one
What is the format of the TV, Plasma, LCD or LED? In that group a plama will burn enough juice to warm your boat in winter, a LCD will be better but an LED display will be better still at saving energy, the other thing to consider is how much energy were you losing through the inverter. You don't get nothing for nothing, a straight 12 volt unit may have lasted a lot longer than a 240V unit through an inverter.
I thought running through the inverter I will just loose a amp or two! I must have thought wrong!
its LED / LCD I think
www.harveynorman.com.au/teac-32-hd-led-lcd-tv-with-dvd-player-219040.html
I have a 12Vdc TV, a 12Vdc hard drive, a 12VD WDTV (for me movies) and I hate turning the inverter on to charge the laptop. If I come across a 12vdc one of those I might be tempted. I also have 12Vdc USB sockets for charging the ipad and phone. Jaycee supplies the sockets (so I could make up leads) so I didn't have to cut up the original purchased cords for the 12Vdc gear
When buying a TV for a boat, price should be the last consideration , anyway the cost difference between small TVs these days is not very much. The all important thing is power consumption. A 12volt TV running directly off 12 volt is going to more efficient than the same TV running off its 12VDC/240VAC power supply being supplied by an inverter. You need to check the rating plate on the rear of the TV and find the one with the lowest rating. You will be very surprised at the differences in the different models .(Harvey Norman usually have plenty to compare) Make sure that the supply voltage on the plate states 12VDC, some TVs with external power supplies are 17volts and 24volts, these higher voltage TVs will have lower current draw which might suck you in, but the higher voltage can not be used on 12volt. If all the TVs you are looking at are 12VDC you can look at watts or amps. Another thing to be aware of is disconnect the TV from the power supply after use otherwise the TV will remain in 'stand by ' and continue to use power.
Some of the new high end inverters are very efficient and very expensive. The best thing is to find the most efficient 12VDC TV you can find. The bigger you go the more power you will consume so you will now have to look at how long you are going to watch TV, how much battery power you have and your ability to recharge the batteries, then do the sums. This will determine the size of TV you really want. With 200ahr of battery power you will be struggling to run any better than a 15" TV.
I'm like you, I enjoy my TV. and am not a big reader .I find it nice to watch a movie or football while sailing along on a long passage. We have a TV in the cockpit and a satellite reciever which makes it all possible. The biggest thing with a TV on the boat is that it keeps the wife and as they say, " wife life"
Southace don't waste your time with 240v appliances - power hungry, inefficient and designed for the environment of your lounge room at home, not offshore.
Have a look around here majesticelectronics.com.au/
Sorry, can't see how to do a hyperlink.
Anyway, good gear, well supported. No association with them except as a satisfied customer. They specialise in 12V systems.
regards Allan
Well it may just be possible to run it on 12 v anyway after reading this!
Hi Geogen,Welcome to the forum and what you are missing re the RV/Caravan shops is that the 12 Volt TV's they sell are designed to cope with the rigours of bumping around in a motorhome or Caravan.It makes them that bit more expensive than the home based variety.HoweverI have fitted a "Standard" Teac 32 Cm 240 Volt/ 12 Volt LED TV in my motorhome and have had no problems.I did buy a regulated 12 volt supply when I run the TV directly from the 12 Volt battery.The TV draws 5 Amps and I bought a regulated 12 Volt 5 amp regulator from Jaycar.I was told by a TV tech that using the TV directly from the motorhome 12 Volt supply could overload the TV under certain conditions.I have had the TV for over a year now with two trips from Brisbane to Melbourne and back with no problems.Hope this helps. Safe Travels
Select to expand quotesouthace said..
Well it may just be possible to run it on 12 v anyway after reading this!
Hi Geogen,Welcome to the forum and what you are missing re the RV/Caravan shops is that the 12 Volt TV's they sell are designed to cope with the rigours of bumping around in a motorhome or Caravan.It makes them that bit more expensive than the home based variety.
I doubt it.. I don't really know what they would do to make them more "rigorous".
its just economies of scale and there not as mass produced and thus cost more.
I do southace l do, an old analog box mainly gathering dust in the corner.
l watch abc mostly if l watch tv at all. Always selectively mostly abc - because no ads' - sometimes sbs seldom the other rubbish.
I am not able to forgive the commercial channels to permanently interrupt my thought process with - say, just for example - a pussy pad commercial or that idiot harvey norman screamer while watching a meaningful thought provoking movie let alone a drama, opera or theatrical production.
Could you comprehend watching Shakespeare broken up with ads? Or a sailing movie?
Well l can not. And l will not.
l read books, e-books too, listen to abc classic fm a lot or l plug in my mp3 player with zillion gigabytes of ad free music on it. Mahlers 8th symphony is an all time favorite of mine.
Call me a fossil. May be l am warped.
If you ever get the time perhaps watch the series The Tudors , Game of thrones or The Vikings but yes I agree with the crappy adds I just hit the Mute button or flick channels. The David Attenborough docos on flight have also been interesting in past couple of weeks.
Anyway it turns out only Jenson and perhaps a few other brands mainly in the states are making 32 inch 12 volt TVs at present and they are costing over $500 and that's not including freight.
So I geuss its TV on shore power or 2kva and books while doing passages for now!
Nothing like doing the research after purchasing a product hey!
There are several power boats on my pier in the marina that use the Teac most are the smaller models. they just pulled the transformer off and plug them direct to there 12 volt system but the 12 volt regulator would be a good thing Id say
They tend to watch T.V. on the boat at the pier when the wind increases and open the fridge door many times.
What I have to watch is come and have a beer mate . Then I have to drive home no thanks . Did it with a nice red and was so nice I stayed for the next three bottles had to get a ride home
There was one guy there had a stern thruster fitted told them to top up the port side fuel tank $2600 
I'm glad Ive a walker with a red fuel miser
Yes but I'm not feeling that rich after buying a new TV , new outboard and soon a new 2kva! 
Select to expand quotesirgallivant said..
Call me a fossil. May be l am warped.
Not at all, at all.
ABC Classic FM, ABC Radio National and ABC Local Radio are all one needs for news, views and musical delights.
As for Television, I haven't had the TV in the house switched on for months so why would I have one on my boat??
Internet on the boat is another thing.
It's easy to make you standard cheap TV into a marine / RV TV . Buy a can of electrical grade laqour and spray the internals. That is all they do and charge an extra $300. I do this with a lot of my gear. Being an electrician I have the ability to pull things apart legally. The only thing is you may void any warranty
Select to expand quotesouthace said..
Yes but I'm not feeling that rich after buying a new TV , new outboard and soon a new 2kva!
I was nearly going to ask on here if some one wanted one but didn't have the box any more
You will have a new bank balance like I do South Ace after this not quiet as much as it had
Sell it on and buy Teac
Harvey Norman do not accept returns. I cut the cord to rewire it through the bulkhead anyaways. I will check it out maybe it will run on 12 volt if not I will just make do for now until I get more $$$
Select to expand quotecisco said..sirgallivant said..
Call me a fossil. May be l am warped.
Not at all, at all.
ABC Classic FM, ABC Radio National and ABC Local Radio are all one needs for news, views and musical delights.
As for Television, I haven't had the TV in the house switched on for months so why would I have one on my boat??
Internet on the boat is another thing.
Yeah, I'm with you guys. I go weeks without turnng the tv on at home, and don't have one on the boat. Good music does the trick on the boat... and the internet... I'd have withdrawals big time without that.
This ones for sir gallivant nothing to do with tvs but a whole lot more interesting . they were taken at the halfway cafe on the putty road last year .the drivers came from melbourne to the gold coast and when we seen them they were on the return trip.Check out the blue one no tail lights no blinkers no mudguards etc. sorry the text did not appear with the photos ,my bad. both cars were bugattis.
How old / good are the batteries? Might have some bearing on the Amp Hours you are getting out of them.
I lied. Tried it today no go. We got pretty wet on the way back from LHI and the TV wore a fair few drips including on the back where the ventilation vents are.
I'm not electrically savie but a couple year's back, I bought a 60cm Full HD, led lcd tv from that Richard Smith guy. (Showed a lot of energy efficient stars and low annual power consumption) It's supply source is 12v / 3A. I run it from a small inverter as it didn't seem to like the direct 12v from the cigarette lighter on the 'breaker' board. The only use is weekends, 330ah of house battery, led lighting, 80W solar panel, mooring /no shore power.
Haven't flattened the batteries yet.
Ps. Rabbit ears mounted on a 3m length of condute, clips onto the shrouds and push up as high as possible.
I hope this helps somehow 
