Car Tv's

[sotal]

Just bought a plain 7" TFT Screen of eBay nice and cheap - just to watch divx files through from a media player hdd.

When it arrived it turned out it had got a TV tuner built in which was a bit of a bonus.

But it didn't come with an aerial. It's got 4 aerial inputs on a little gold box and they also seem to take a standard jack plug like a headphone plug.

The TV works fine on the spot (in the right place) but when you start to move it just breaks up (this is without an aerial)

So I was going to get an aerial, but I just wanted to make sure about what I was getting and if it would work.

I've seen a 4channel Aerial on eBay for £20 which has the right connectors etc - would that keep a good picture whilst on the move?? Or are they still a bit crap whilst moving??

I've also seen a car freeview box for about £50 which comes with a free aerial - would that be a better buy what with them switching off analog soon - and having the advantage of a few music channels etc?

Didn't want to just buy an aerial and be in the same position that I'm in at the moment!

[DefiantFrog]

You're always gonna have probs with this I think... Your aerial needs to be pointing at a transmitter, otherwise all you get is fuzz or bad signal. So when on the move its just not gonna work. I have to confess, I have no personal experience of this, but logic dictates my thoughts...

I await to be corrected though!

[sotal]

That was my general thinking. That's why I thought I'd ask!

At the moment it works well enough with no aerial (well I plugged a lead in which is just a 3.5mm jack plug going to another 3.5mm jack plug and I ran that up the middle as an aerial)

So if I'm not going to get much better then I won't bother.

Could just do with some advice from someone who has got one!

[DefiantFrog]

But then looking at it another way, if it didn't work why do people make them? They must do something, and for £20 its not a great deal to lose if it doesn't work out exactly as you wanted...?

[sotal]

true, I just wondered if they were meant to be used just whilst you were stopped?

I also wasn't sure if I should spend the extra and go for the freeview as the analog will be switched off one day soon?

Or if I just forget the TV and go back to just having videos play on it??

[Kev Mc]

My dad's car came with an onboard computer with Sat Nav etc on it & that has the telly on it but when you start moving it goes blank, I've always thought it was a safety feature so the driver wont be tempted to take their eyes off the road.

[Hou]

it is a safety feature, your right. Theres meant to be a handbrake connection to turn it off when the handbrakes down!

As for a tv on the move, tbh its pointless watching unless you are still anyway imo

[sotal]

The idea isn't for me to watch the telly - otherwise I'll crash. It does come with a wire you are supposed to hook up the handbrake switch but if you leave it disconnected it just works.

You can however listen to the TV with the screen shut - which is useful