TV's made for RV's????

[H. Miller]

Was just perusing the latest Camping World brochure and noted they hyped "TV's made for RV's". What would make a new lcd/led tv different for RV's? Why do I doubt that the mfg's making millions of tv's annually would have a different line just to make a few thousand tv's "made for rv's"?
My concern:
Purchased 2 lcd tv's for MH use from Sams as they were the only ones narrow enough to fit the existing holes left by the Sony boat anchors. One installed over a year ago (5,000+ miles) and no troubles (yet).

[Route 66]

Usually, the "RV" designation on an item means a higher price for reduced features/performance.

Home units work just fine in RVs.

[John H...]

Have replaced both of mine and have had no problems. Even sitting outside through winters.

[RLshines]

for performance or more features, manufacturers produce LCD tvs with built in tuners so that RVs would presumably have the ability to have standard channels.

LCD Television for RVs - Anything RV

[wa8yxm]

There is nothing special abut the TV in most RV's it's a standard "off the shelf at Best Buy" model... HOWEVER... They do make some TV's that can be powered by 12 to sixteen volt battery power.. THOSE, though standard "Brick" or "Wall wart" powered home TVs... are, Designed for automotive use as well, and thus best for RV's. but if you have a good true sine wave inverter, don't matter.

There is one exception.. Some of the really big water cooled Plasma and/or Projection jobs... NOT for RV use

(These need to be mounted on a floor that DOES NOT MOVE, and have to be re-installed if you move them, even if it's just from one room to another)

[Wayne M]

RV TV's is like HD TV Antenna.

Selling hype.

[JENSENRVdirect]

I represent ASA Electronics, the producer of the JENSEN brand of televisions, stereos, and speakers and the Voyager brand of observation monitors and cameras. At ASA, we strive to provide excellent customer service and product satisfaction and would like to offer some assistance in this matter.

This topic arises from time to time and is a valid question. What makes a TV “made for RV’s”? As the leading manufacturer of electronics made specifically for the RV industry, I would like to offer some insight to help answer this and avoid some of the usual misinformation that typically follows this question. While many TV’s installed in RV’s are traditional “home” TV’s, our JENSEN line of TV’s really are different in several ways that make them more desirable for mobile applications.

One of the first things is the internal chassis, where the wall-mount brackets attach to the TV’s substructure. This is significantly strengthened to allow us to make sure that the TV will not break-free of the mount due to a major impact (such as a bad pothole or a bumpy road). This is a safety concern as an unsecured TV could become a danger to passengers if it broke free of the mount. At ASA Electronics, we test both our TV’s and some competitor TV’s in a vibration chamber that shakes the TV while mounted in RV fashion. We have seen many “home” TV’s break free during this comparative testing, specifically units that mount only to the plastic housing.

Our TV’s are also tested to verify they will hold up to the common temperature & humidity extremes that our RV customers may experience from summer through winter. Specifically, we test our TV’s to these conditions: Operating Temperature Range -4°F to 149°F (-20°C to 65°C); Storage Temperature Range -22°F to 158°F (-30°C to 70°C); and a maximum 90% relative humidity.

Many of our JENSEN TV’s also feature anti-glare screens which help with daytime viewing and front-panel controls which are very handy in many RV cabinet installations where top/side controls are inaccessible. Robust internal electronics, including conformal coated circuit boards, add to the durability of the product. We specifically produce +12V DC LCD televisions for RV use and have a line of LED LCD TV’s that are entirely +12V DC (up to 32” screen size). This is very handy for the RV application as 110V AC is not required to operate.

TV’s that are made for “home” use are fine, when used in the climate-controlled, stationary installation of a home’s living room. Will they hold up as well while traveling through the various road & weather conditions that many RV’s encounter? Possibly. It is true that most of the large “home” TV manufacturers will not produce specialty TV’s for the smaller quantities that this market demands. ASA Electronics, however, specializes in mobile applications and markets.

I hope that you take this as an informative answer rather than as a marketing/sales pitch. While I only included information about our TV’s for reference, there may be other TV’s made for mobile applications. I just wanted to add some facts that can help answer this question and possibly help future TV buyers so that they are aware there really are differences, and can make an informed buying decision.

Please let me know if I can assist further.

[fansill]

That was a great response. Thank you for taking the time to educate us. That is another reason why I love this site...

Faith

[Wayne M]

Thank you JensenRV.

I guess an old dog can learn new stuff.

[H. Miller]

Jensen,
Thanks for your time & info.....

[dav-cle]

Originally Posted by JENSENRVdirect

I represent ASA Electronics, the producer of the JENSEN brand of televisions, stereos, and speakers and the Voyager brand of observation monitors and cameras. At ASA, we strive to provide excellent customer service and product satisfaction and would like to offer some assistance in this matter.

This topic arises from time to time and is a valid question. What makes a TV “made for RV’s”? As the leading manufacturer of electronics made specifically for the RV industry, I would like to offer some insight to help answer this and avoid some of the usual misinformation that typically follows this question. While many TV’s installed in RV’s are traditional “home” TV’s, our JENSEN line of TV’s really are different in several ways that make them more desirable for mobile applications.

One of the first things is the internal chassis, where the wall-mount brackets attach to the TV’s substructure. This is significantly strengthened to allow us to make sure that the TV will not break-free of the mount due to a major impact (such as a bad pothole or a bumpy road). This is a safety concern as an unsecured TV could become a danger to passengers if it broke free of the mount. At ASA Electronics, we test both our TV’s and some competitor TV’s in a vibration chamber that shakes the TV while mounted in RV fashion. We have seen many “home” TV’s break free during this comparative testing, specifically units that mount only to the plastic housing.

Our TV’s are also tested to verify they will hold up to the common temperature & humidity extremes that our RV customers may experience from summer through winter. Specifically, we test our TV’s to these conditions: Operating Temperature Range -4°F to 149°F (-20°C to 65°C); Storage Temperature Range -22°F to 158°F (-30°C to 70°C); and a maximum 90% relative humidity.

Many of our JENSEN TV’s also feature anti-glare screens which help with daytime viewing and front-panel controls which are very handy in many RV cabinet installations where top/side controls are inaccessible. Robust internal electronics, including conformal coated circuit boards, add to the durability of the product. We specifically produce +12V DC LCD televisions for RV use and have a line of LED LCD TV’s that are entirely +12V DC (up to 32” screen size). This is very handy for the RV application as 110V AC is not required to operate.

TV’s that are made for “home” use are fine, when used in the climate-controlled, stationary installation of a home’s living room. Will they hold up as well while traveling through the various road & weather conditions that many RV’s encounter? Possibly. It is true that most of the large “home” TV manufacturers will not produce specialty TV’s for the smaller quantities that this market demands. ASA Electronics, however, specializes in mobile applications and markets.

I hope that you take this as an informative answer rather than as a marketing/sales pitch. While I only included information about our TV’s for reference, there may be other TV’s made for mobile applications. I just wanted to add some facts that can help answer this question and possibly help future TV buyers so that they are aware there really are differences, and can make an informed buying decision.

Please let me know if I can assist further.

Great info ... and to the point !

[docj]

I'm sure that Jensen does design and test their TVs as was described; the question is whether or not the "benefits" of buying an "RV TV" justifies the additional cost. Read the posting carefully. It states the specifications Jensen requires on its RV TVs; it does not state the industry standard for the same parameter.

For example, having commercially sold and installed many flat-panel TVs, I am not the least bit worried that the standard VESA mounting system will stand up to the stresses of RV use. I would be much more worried about the use of inexpensive mounting hardware than I am about the TV mount itself. Even very large TVs are designed to be cantilevered on all sorts of mounts.

As for operating and storage temperatures, it appears as if Jensen is using the industry guidelines for dashboard environmental conditions which are exceedingly demanding because of the greenhouse conditions that can exist in a closed car. Although it is possible that your RV could get to those conditions, it is probably unlikely. The only extreme conditions that probably need to be considered anyway are those for storage. Are you likely to be watching TV at 149 degrees? Compare the storage and operating temp ranges for most new TVs and I think you will find they are quite adequate for most RV purposes.

I'm not saying that Jensen is wrong for marketing such a product; however, think about how many residential TVs are installed in new RVs. If there was much of a failure rate do you think the manufacturers would continue to install them? You can always pay for "insurance"; it is simply a question of whether the risk is worth insuring against. With the price of TVs continuing to fall; I find it difficult to understand why any RV price premium is worth it. I just paid ~$400 for a superb 26" LED set by LG; as with many electronics items it is a far better set than could have been bought just a couple of years ago at any price. I'm happy to take my chances--it if fails I'll buy a new one with probably better performance at probably a lower price.

[TXiceman]

We have used nothing but off the shelf TVs from Walmart, Best buy and such without a problem one. The TVs go through the Texas summer and winter extremes and never a problem.

While electronics can be built to withstand rugged conditions and all sorts of extremes, I imagine that they are still using the same base level electronic components that everyone else uses, just putting them in a bit more rugged case.

To get to the more rugged electrical components, you have to go to the commercial or military spec components rather than the typical consumer level of components.

Are the Jensen products built to a Mil Spec?

Ken

[Nuge]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

We have used nothing but off the shelf TVs from Walmart, Best buy and such without a problem one. The TVs go through the Texas summer and winter extremes and never a problem.

While electronics can be built to withstand rugged conditions and all sorts of extremes, I imagine that they are still using the same base level electronic components that everyone else uses, just putting them in a bit more rugged case.

To get to the more rugged electrical components, you have to go to the commercial or military spec components rather than the typical consumer level of components.

Are the Jensen products built to a Mil Spec?

Ken

HMM? Are we camping here or going to war?? LOL!!! J/K. While I have repaired standard picture tube type TVs for years, I really have no experience with the new flat screens. I do have a lot of experience with industrial electronics that are subject to vibration beyond the rigors of RV use as well as humid and very dirty conditions. That being said, electronic components are labeled solid state for a reason. A computer hard drive or TV picture tube are fragile components. I don't believe the newer TVs are quite so fragile. For myself, I'll take the advice of an expert who is in the business like Mr. JENSENRVdirect. He provided a thorough and concise report that someone cares about our issues and special needs. I am curious about price differences and it would be nice to hear from other companies on this question, but for my money, I'll look to Jensen when I'm ready to upgrade my equipment.