TV Choices in Today’s RV’s

Rv’s have to hold the record for the most television sets per square foot for any type of dwelling. There are many class A’s that have four, class C’s with three and even class B’s with two and possibly more. So where are all these sets in such a limited area? Generally there are up to two in the living room and kitchen area, one in the bedroom and one in an outside bay for patio viewing.  The CRT type has been replaced by lighter more compact LCD or plasma panel types.  The LCD has become the popular choice as it is available in so many sizes, is cost efficient, and seems somewhat more resilient in the mobile application. Now all of these are starting to come equipped for high definition broadcasts, requiring more sophisticated receivers, antennas and wiring. Is this new high definition a “must have” in an RV?  Perhaps not, in my opinion, though many may disagree.  Don’t get me wrong, HD (High Definition) produces a remarkable, photo like, picture.  While this is a stark difference from SD (Standard Definition), I don’t believe it adds that much to watching a movie on TV.  Viewing sports, for example, may be a little different, as the far sharper images can, in fact, make a vast improvement. So how many are too much? Most RV’s today come standard with one or two TV sets.  Generally each comes with a set in the living area with perhaps an additional one in the bedroom area.   An optional set is often available in... Read more

VIDEO: Gear to Get with Brian Brawdy – Eton’s NOAA Radios

If “April Showers bring May Flowers” then “The Heat of Summer brings more than Thunder.” Summer brings violent weather. Period. Thunderstorms, lightning strikes, hailstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves and flash flooding are the prices we pay for warm, sunny days. What turns violent weather deadly, most times, is when it catches us unexpectedly. When we are unaware of a forecasted storm, our chances of weathering that storm diminish greatly. Unfortunately, summertime is, most likely, the time we will be out and about, vacationing, traveling, RVing, boating, cycling and away from our normal shelters and weather media outlets. Getting caught off guard while your on the road is never smart. Away and unaware is the perfect recipe for misfortune. One of the pieces of gear I always carry with with me is either my Solarlink FR360 or the Microlink FR150 from the Eton Corporation. These portable, powerful AM/FM/NOAA Weather radios are the perfect solution to getting caught with your guard down. It’s the “smartest” radio I know. My “bad-weather-crystal-ball” I like to say. In this short video you will learn why it is one of my Top Ten pieces of gear and how to never again worry about the impromptu characteristics of Mother Nature. For more information on the products highlighted in this video, visit EtonCorp.com or CampingWorld.com ______ To learn more about summer survival tips, visit BrianBrawdy.com  Read More →

2009. The Year Of The Revival Of The RV “Bat Wing”

Welcome to the year of the bat wing.  The “Bat Wing”, the “T” shaped crank up off-air television antenna found on pretty well every RV.  Have you noticed how many you see now in the up position in every campground?  Even large highline rigs are displaying their bat wing antennas.  So, why has this changed from last year, or previous years? The government has legislated that television broadcasters switch from analogue to digital.  This was done to make better use of the frequency spectrum and allow more services to have the ability to better share these frequency bandwidths.  This changed has brought a whole new view on off air reception.  Top quality high definition programming is now on many local channels in the U.S.A.  This will boost the number of viewers of off air substantially.  This is a definite bonus to those of us that have an RV.  Many homes get their local news through cable and probably don’t even have an off air antenna.  Many RV’s have satellite dishes, but on occasion wish to view the local news via their off air bat wing.  Whether you have a newer TV that is already digital ready, or add an analogue/digital converter, you will love the picture quality. With this increase in use of the “Bat Wing” antennas on RV’s, will come more accidental damage caused by forgetting to retract it prior to departing camp.  While some rigs have warning buzzers and lights, many do not.  Additionally, with this... Read more

DIY RV TV Antenna Repair

If you have bad television reception in your RV it might be time to replace you antenna head on top of your RV. This video will show you step by step instructions on how to replace your TV antenna so you can get that clear reception. Don’t forget though on February 17 2009 all television frequencies will be switching from analog to digital. For more information on TVs ready for the switch to digital visit your local TV dealer. digg_url = 'http://digg.com/mods/DIY_RV_TV_Antenna_Repair';  Read More →

VuQube Portable Satellite

AA portable satellite TV antenna that’s simple to use anywhere! Set it on a tabletop, on the ground, on your RV or tow vehicle roof–almost anywhere to get a clear line of sight to the southern sky. With the wireless remote and built-in automatic level compensation, you’ll position the antenna and acquire satellite signal in less than five minutes. Store two satellite positions in memory for quick, one touch recall. Because the antenna receives power from your satellite receiver (sold separately), only a single coaxial cable is needed for operation. Weather-resistant antenna is only 17 1/2″H x 16″W and weighs only 10 1/2 lbs. Works with DIRECTV, DISH Network, Bell ExpressVu and free-to-air receivers. Includes VuQube Antenna, wireless remote, 50′ coaxial cable, manual and quick reference guide.  Read More →

Pioneer AVIC-N1 in dash GPS, XM, DVD, MP3 and Back-up camera

This video from RV Today and Bob Livingston introduces you to an in dash system that will revolutionize your road traveling. The in dash system, Pioneer’s AVIC-N1, includes a DVD/CD/MP3 player, XM radio and comes with a disc that includes map to turn it into a GPS. You can also install, at additional expense, a back-up camera that activates when you put your vehicle in reverse. The best part of the unit is that it can be voice activated if desired. IMPORTANT: The item reviewed here is no longer available has been replaced with the Pioneer AVIC-Z3, but the good news is that it is less expensive than the original and also has a review monitor option as well as a nifty iPod integration accessory. This version is taller than a standard stereo on older vehicles so be sure to check the applicaiton guide for your particular video before you buy it.  Read More →

Digital TV for the RV

Being the geeky types that we are, you would probably think that we were all set for the digital TV conversion coming up in February. You would be wrong. First a little background. We don’t actually have a television set at all. We use our computer, a projector and a TV tuner that plugs into the USB port of our computer. We don’t have satellite TV, and most parks we stay at don’t have cable, so we are using the rooftop ‘batwing’ antenna to get broadcast Television signal. Here’s what it looks like in the cab over area of our class C motorhome. Whadaya think? Pretty cool huh? Home theatre complete with surround sound. Since it’s being projected from the computer, you’d think that means it’s ‘Digital’ wouldn’t you? It’s my husband, Jim, who handles all our audio-visual needs. He told me, “No, we’re not ready for the digital conversion.” Huh? Well, come to find out the key is to be found in the source of the television signal. If you’re getting your TV channels from satellite, or from cable, then you’re not affected. BUT, if you’re getting TV from an antenna, then you need to look to the next device in line. The antenna, if it’s both VHF and UHF, can pick up the new digital signal, but your TV (or, in our case, the television tuner) may not be able to display it. If the TV/tuner is analog, as ours was, then you’re in trouble. In case I had any... Read more

Extended Warranties for Digital Cameras

One of the first things many salespersons will suggest when you purchase a new camera or other piece of electronics is that you also purchase an extended warranty. Should you?   Like most things, it isn’t all that cut & dried & you will find strong opinions both ways. Read more  Read More →

Living In A Digital World

From material world to digital world … As we head into the latter part of this decade, we are moving more towards a digital world then ever before…and faster than ever before. It’s no wonder that a lot of us are having difficulty keeping up with the latest innovations. Unless you constantly embrace all things techie, you probably feel a bit overwhelmed, or maybe even a little bit behind, when it comes to the latest in digital technology. We could write volumes about what is up and coming in electronics technology, so perhaps let’s start with something that we can all relate to, something that would be near impossible to live without. Our televisions. Loads of people have already made the switch to high definition, flat panel digital TVs, but many are still in the dark on how to use high definition programming and cable features to their fullest. Get ready to take a crash course! HDMI? What does that mean? With HDTVs everywhere we look, you keep seeing the phrase HDMI all over the place. What does that mean? HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface and is the all-digital cable connection from any audio/video source (including cable boxes, DVD players, and audio receivers) to televisions or monitors. HDMI cables transmit uncompressed digital video and audio content to audio/video entertainment systems that support HDMI. In layman’s terms, instead of using oodles of cables for audio and video equipment hookup, an HDMI-capable TV only requires a single HDMI cable... Read more

‘I’ versus ‘P’: More Than Just Letters Of The Alphabet

As Bob Dylan once sang, “The Times They Are A-Changin” and that means how most Americans spend the majority of their free time – watching hours and hours of TV. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, especially if you are viewing your favorite program in stunning HD. Because once you’ve witnessed the glory of HD, you’ll never want to go back. And on February 17, 2009, the way we watch TV will be altered forever as nobody will be subjected to watching a snowy, fuzzy analog picture anymore. On this upcoming historic winter day, all stations will be broadcasted with a digital signal and you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it. That is as long as you have either satellite TV, cable TV , a converter box or a TV with a digital tuner which gives you a digital signal with an antenna. If don’t have one of those, you’ll be watching a blue screen. The thing about digital, unlike analog, it comes in different formats and picture resolutions, from 480 to 1080, with the latter delivering the best picture quality available today.  By the way, in 2015, the next generation in high-resolution makes its debut with what should be a jaw-dropping picture in 2160p. (Important note here, a digital converter box will give you a 480 resolution on your old CRT or non-integrated HDTV, in order to get a higher res picture, you’re going to need an HD-ready TV. Hope that clears things up.) OK, now on with this 1080 thing. You may have never noticed, or even known, that there... Read more

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