3
Posts: 75
Threads: 23
Joined: April 24, 2005
Reputation:
0
Does anyone have some good suggestions for 12" - 14/15" screens with a 12 VDC power option? This would be for the nav station below, so no need for a sunlight-viewable, though of course as much brightness as possible is good. Google gives me products such as Xenarc but I'm wondering what others anyone might have found.
1
Posts: 2
Threads: 0
Joined: January 13, 2006
Reputation:
0
Many of the 14 and 15" LCD screens that have external power bricks are 12VDC out of the brick. I've seen several connected to ship battery power without issue. One was to a PC, and two were to Black Box radars.
1
Posts: 41
Threads: 12
Joined: January 7, 2006
Reputation:
0
I was shopping a few weeks ago for a cheap LCD screen to install as a remote screen for an ibook nav computer, and I noticed that one of the monitors I was examining had a 12vdc input on the back of the screen. Despite the presence of AC power, it is better to have all of the nav electronics running from a securely located deep cycle battery. Separate emergency/comm batteries located well above water line are standard practice on fishing boats. This 12vdc monitor looked like a great discovery.
When I decided to buy the cheap monitor and throw away the adapter brick, I was handed a boxed monitor. Being cautious, I opened the box in the store and discovered that the apparently identical monitor had AC input to it. Another box contained the same model of monitor with 12vdc power input.
Since my discovery I've been looking at the backs of all the LCD monitors I come across, and it is common to find 12vdc operation. All LCD monitors have a common screw pattern for mounting too. There appears to be a wide world of monitors preconfigured for marine use. I'm sure some are better than others regarding daylight viewing, but if you don't like one it looks like replacements are cheap and plentiful.
1
Posts: 2
Threads: 0
Joined: February 6, 2006
Reputation:
0
I have been using a 17 inch Samsung combo monitor/TV for 4 years now. It mounts with a standard VESA mount (mine is on an arm so it can swing into the companionway to be wiewed from the helm or inside the cabin for TV). It came with a brick powered from 110V and converting to 12VCD, but I cut off the connector and built a cable that goes directly from my 12VDC bank to the 12VCD input in the back of the unit and it works great. Just make sure you use a wire big enough to carry the inrush, I used 14 AWG and it works fine. By the way, Samsung also makes a 15 inch version of the same unit.
1
Posts: 23
Threads: 1
Joined: April 25, 2005
Reputation:
0
We are in the process of buying a mac mini for our boat. We shall be using a CarNetix DC-DC regulator and need to choose a screen.
We would like to use an LCD screen that can be fitted to an arm that would swing it to the chart table when we are navigating/e-mailing /working etc, then swing back to watch DVDs.
We want about a 20" screen but want to have one that consumes as little power as possible (or sensible). We don't need speakers, tv tuners or other trimmings, just a DC powered screen that is efficient on power that we can hook up to the CarNetix or boat 12v power supply.
Has anyone had any recent experience of looking into the efficiency of LCD displays, (and display arms)?
