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My wife & I recently purchased a used, 1999 Trail-Lite Bantam 17 hybrid travel trailer for a trip to PEI & Nova Scotia this coming summer. The last time we camped along this route, I entertained our daughter with a 2.7” LCD TV and tapes transferred to our camcorder. This makeshift tangle of cables was a pain and a safety hazard; and I’m surprised our daughter didn’t squint the entire time. I briefly had in my possession (but didn’t install) a 5.6” roof mounted LCD screen. I was reluctant to slice holes in the headliner, and I would really like to be able to bring the video system inside the trailer on rain days. Our “new” trailer has a TV shelf & antenna. The options outlined below revolve around a DVD/VCD theme because tapes just take up too much space, but other opinions are welcome.
1. Portable DVD/VCD player with integral LCD screen for car viewing & 13” TV in trailer. (PROS: All-in-one solution for DVD/VCD/CD/MP3, highly portable. CONS: Where do you put it in the car?, need a separate TV to watch broadcasts)
2. Portable DVD/VCD player with separate LCD screen for car viewing & 13” TV for trailer. (PROS: Plays DVD/VCD/CD/MP3, highly portable, easy to mount LCD in car. CONS: Getting pricey, need a separate TV to watch broadcasts)
3. Portable DVD/VCD player with separate LCD TV. (PROS: Plays DVD/VCD/CD/MP3, highly portable, now you have a TV! CONS: Damn expensive for decent screen sizes)
4. Laptop computer with DVD-ROM and USB TV tuner. (PROS: You’ve got everything you need & more, very portable. CONS: Very expensive option, an even bigger pain to place in the car, USB tuners have so-so quality, high theft risk, I’m trying to get AWAY from computers on vacation!)
If some of you have wrestled with a similar problem, I’d love to hear about your solution!
Mike Clarke
1. Portable DVD/VCD player with integral LCD screen for car viewing & 13” TV in trailer. (PROS: All-in-one solution for DVD/VCD/CD/MP3, highly portable. CONS: Where do you put it in the car?, need a separate TV to watch broadcasts)
2. Portable DVD/VCD player with separate LCD screen for car viewing & 13” TV for trailer. (PROS: Plays DVD/VCD/CD/MP3, highly portable, easy to mount LCD in car. CONS: Getting pricey, need a separate TV to watch broadcasts)
3. Portable DVD/VCD player with separate LCD TV. (PROS: Plays DVD/VCD/CD/MP3, highly portable, now you have a TV! CONS: Damn expensive for decent screen sizes)
4. Laptop computer with DVD-ROM and USB TV tuner. (PROS: You’ve got everything you need & more, very portable. CONS: Very expensive option, an even bigger pain to place in the car, USB tuners have so-so quality, high theft risk, I’m trying to get AWAY from computers on vacation!)
If some of you have wrestled with a similar problem, I’d love to hear about your solution!
Mike Clarke