We are off in a couple of weeks our first trip this year Last year we just used our TV and ariel in the van, but with all this new digital stuff what will we need? Can we just use it like before? Any help please...
You can use it as before depending where you are going some area's have gone Completely digital, Don't worry chances are all you will need is a cheap digi box (asda selling them off at £6 now) a scart cable and that's it . Put the digi box to the telly by scart lead. connect Ariel lead to digi box, turn on telly and digi box and select av on telly if it don't automatically go to av. And follow the on screen prompts easy as that. You might if the van Ariel is not that good a better outdoor one again cheap nowadays and easy to set up to van ect. Full cost probably worse case you have to buy Ariel less than £20 quid including box and scart lead.
We have an a £20 quid freeview box (from Aldi) connected to the Status directional area works fine in most areas. Not N.Wales though so we have a Maplin £80 freesat kit, which also works in France!
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
This may be a bit too radical for some, but why not do without a TV in the van? I've been motorcaravanning for nearly 30 years and have never had a TV in the van.
We take loads of jigsaws, games, books, a radio/CD player with plenty of story CDs and music. To be honest, I'm glad to be away from the TV, computer, phone etc.. for a while.
If I'm desperate to see anything, I get it recorded, but the world won't come to an end if I miss Dancing on Ice.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 08/2/2010
This may be a bit too radical for some, but why not do without a TV in the van? I've been motorcaravanning for nearly 30 years and have never had a TV in the van.
We take loads of jigsaws, games, books, a radio/CD player with plenty of story CDs and music. To be honest, I'm glad to be away from the TV, computer, phone etc.. for a while.
If I'm desperate to see anything, I get it recorded, but the world won't come to an end if I miss Dancing on Ice.
I like not having a TV means we talk to each other again. Play cards when OH agrees not to win. Read a book uninterrupted is a luxury.
------------- July 1-9 Nantcol Waterfalls meet Sept naturist week Sept SVR w/e Oct Secret meet Nov hopleys meet
Some areas have gone digital an others are due to be converted in due course but we always take a freeview box and use a small arial an it works fine but some areas have poor reception so that arial may need some height or need to be bigger. Then theres your power source if the site has mains your ok but those that dont you can use a genarator but some may not allow this or better still an inverter that converts 12V to 240V. Then you have the prob of recharging. so a site with EHU is best. I remember running a B&W TV of a car battery in the 80s an ony had four channels but things have moved on. With a freeview box just select auto tune and it does it automaticly but you may find you dont get some channels because of signal strength or your arial has not enough height but good reception areas i find those cheap set top arials work fine.
Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 08/2/2010
This may be a bit too radical for some, but why not do without a TV in the van? I've been motorcaravanning for nearly 30 years and have never had a TV in the van.
We take loads of jigsaws, games, books, a radio/CD player with plenty of story CDs and music. To be honest, I'm glad to be away from the TV, computer, phone etc.. for a while.
If I'm desperate to see anything, I get it recorded, but the world won't come to an end if I miss Dancing on Ice.
I agree. Stock up on story CDs from the library before you go and connect a personal CD player to a pair of small speakers. Nice to get a break from the box too !
Quote: Originally posted by Capt Lightning on 08/2/2010
This may be a bit too radical for some, but why not do without a TV in the van? I've been motorcaravanning for nearly 30 years and have never had a TV in the van.
We take loads of jigsaws, games, books, a radio/CD player with plenty of story CDs and music. To be honest, I'm glad to be away from the TV, computer, phone etc.. for a while.
If I'm desperate to see anything, I get it recorded, but the world won't come to an end if I miss Dancing on Ice.
If we didn't take the tv would only have to listen to the ones either side of us all night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Plus upgraded to van from tent for a bit more luxury not to go backwards, I can see where you are coming from but NO Thanks we will have a box and watch the rubbish on there to pass the time.
aha....i can live without tv...except...i will be camping somewhere during Wimbledon including finals weekend...so apart from finding a pub showing the matches (in which case i may get too 'squiffy' and too loud cheering on the players)..i feel that my mission is to find a site that has good TV reception...i can imagine myself sat outside the tent in the sunshine with strawbs and cream and a nice glass of pink fizz ladywine....(it will not rain...it will not rain....it will not rain...)
I'm with everyone who declared that they don't have TV whilst away.
It's bad enough having to watch all the rubbish at home without having to suffer it when camping.
We prefer to watch the world go by, talk, drink wine and laugh at all the tin tenters who all seem to switch their TVs on at the same time - to watch all the dreaded soaps!!
It's a wonder the site electrics doesn't trip, as there must be a big surge when all the 'on' buttons are hit at the same time!!
Have we all lost the art of self entertainment without having to resort to the dreaded television!
Bought an all singing etc telly for the MH, just the right size with all the toys and a good ariel then I have to spend ages setting it up so OH can watch her soaps (personally I would sooner chop my feet off with a rusty knife)
when we are away that is all the tv is used for
A curse on Proctor and Gamble for subsidising bad television
Lets just remember the orginal question at hand here and that it is not a question on who is right or wrong for taking a TV, who can live with or without a TV etc. etc.
The question was 'what equipment is needed with the new digital TV rollout'. Nothing more, nothing less.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: TV what do we need?
Last year we just used our TV and ariel in the van, but with all this new digital stuff what will we need? Can we just use it like before? Any help please...
