| Author |
Message |
Lorin David McCleary (Wacoastmci) (148.78.243.122)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 4:07 pm: | |
Just wondering if anyone has any experience with LCD flat panel TV's in bus conversion. They are lighter and take up less space, but wondering how they would hold up to the vibration and extremes of temperature of bus interior in summer and winter. |
Scott Whitney (66.82.9.44)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 4:26 pm: | |
LCD technology is pretty rugged as long as you don't drive your car over it etc.. Afterall, they're used in laptops which take a beating. I travel with a laptop LCD and a 17" LCD and know many others that do the same. Never heard of any trouble due to road vibrations etc. For some reason LCD TVs are far more expensive than PC LCDs and I think there may be a price bubble bursting soon. (maybe wait til after Xmas?) Only real difference is one has a tuner and the other doesn't.
I suspect that Plasma and CRTs are going the way of the past and larger and larger LCDs and related technologies (Organic LEDs etc.) will be the way of the future for displays of all types. However, still keeping an eye on projection technologies. . .
Have no fear about using an LCD TV in your bus.
Scott |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.41.249.117)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 6:46 pm: | |
I bought a rear view camera system for my coach, that came with a 7" LCD screen, I feel confident that it will hold up. When prices drop a little... a plasma screen for main viewing, on a pivoting arm that will latch back against the wall for travel.
Brian |
SLCs RTS (198.29.191.148)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 7:02 pm: | |
Hey, I just had a thought. They sell a little box on Ebay (oops, DID I SAY TAHT?) anyway, this box ( Sorry, I dont remember what the heck they call it ) can covert a signal from a VCR tuner or computer and send the picture to a LCD monitor, looks just like a tv and it is really cheap. I assume a DVD can be wired through the VCR also making a somewhat simple hook-up. The LCD monitor can do double duty as a computer screen also. Some may even want to use the monitor for the rear camera.
Maybe I am not looking at his right but I think this is one way to save a bunch of money.
I know one of you know exactly what I am talking about and can tell us the name of that box that does all this work. My 2 cents/slc |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 7:16 pm: | |
The "box" is called simply...
"VGA Box"
It is a neat little $50 item that, with the push of a button, selects one of four analog (ntsc) video inputs and converts them to VGA, or you can select the VGA input and route it straight thru.
I have a 14" LCD computer monitor mounted where a rear view mirror might go, and using the VGA box I got from ebay, I can route my DVD player, my back-up camera, or my PC computer with GPS into it. It really works well, been on 8,000 miles worth of trip so far and worked flawlesly.
Here's a photo, you can see the monitor between the sun visors just below my breaker panel:
http://www.heartmagic.com/donefront.JPG
So far the only drawback is that neither the monitor or the back-up camera will reverse the image. That was a problem until I found out about a neat box made by Colorado Video called a "video mirror"...simple video in and video out, but what comes out is reversed left-right. It's almost a grand new but I got mine on ebay two months ago for $39 !! They do come up from time to time although they aren't as plentiful as Big Macs....
Cheers
gary |
BrianMCI96A3 (65.41.249.117)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 05, 2003 - 7:32 pm: | |
The one of the neat things about the camera set-up I bought: the monitor image can reversed AND it can be flipped so it can be mounted upside down... Don't you just love Ebay, I got the whole system, including the full color camera with infra-red LEDs for night vision for $425!
Brian |
Gary McFarland (Gearheadgary) (209.128.99.4)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 06, 2003 - 11:11 am: | |
These guys are clients of mine:
http://www.neovo-usa.com/products/products.htm
they have LCD displays and "The Box" is a accessory you can buy from them, along with mounting bases, etc...
If anyone is interested, I can get distributor pricing.
Gary |
C. Ray Powell (Raypowell) (152.163.252.163)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 06, 2003 - 11:15 pm: | |
There is an article in November issue of MotorHome magazine about LCD & Plasma TVs. It seems that LCD is the way to go.
C Ray |
Don Ripley (206.149.192.12)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 11:34 am: | |
I have two in my bus and they work great. I have a 30" Sharp and a 15" Panasonic. I have 11,000 miles traveling which includes Alaska with no prloblems so far. |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2003 - 8:36 pm: | |
Hey Don, how's travelling the Alcan with a bus? I've got a buddie who lives in Fairbanks and I'd love to go see him...back in the 60's when he moved his family there you had to tie 1/4" wire screen all over the front of your vehicle to travel the Alcan or you wouldn't have windshields for long at all. Has it been cleaned up? Hows fuel availiabllity, etc?
Cheeers
Gary |
Don KS/TX (66.82.9.36)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 6:34 am: | |
My friend just made the round trip, only casualty was a rock thru the windshield. Might be a good idea to still use the wire screen! |
Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat) (68.7.217.217)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 10:27 am: | |
Ugh...That's what I was hoping to "not" hear!! Oh well. Have the roads been reworked to asphalt the whole way? or is a lot of it still gravel/dirt?
Cheers
Gary |
Don Ripley (206.149.192.47)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 12, 2003 - 11:23 am: | |
The roads are better than when I went up 20 years ago,however they are still not good.The last 800 miles or so are the worst.There will always be patches of gravel due to the perma frost problem and you can count on at least one rock in the windshield.There were about 4 to 5 road construction projects going on ranging 1 to 10 miles each.Finding fuel is no problem,just expensive.If anyone is planning on going to Alaska I would love to talk to you and maybe give a little insite and tips. |