The Best 12V TV For RVs, Campers, Boats
Finding a 12V TV to put in your RV bedroom or living area that runs off DC power is not as easy as finding one for regular homes. They’re not as popular since they’re not as sought after as regular televisions.
Therefore, the market isn’t as big in the category. That being said, there are some excellent choices, and that’s what we’re going to look at in this review.
Related Product: We use the reliable VMAX 100Ah AGM battery (click to view on Amazon) in our RV.
The big difference between a 12 volt and a normal 120 volt TV is just that, the voltage.
If you’re camping without hookups and no power, a 12V TV can run on the house batteries in your RV, bus, boat, truck, or van.
But if you plug a 120 volt TV into an outlet in your trailer, it won’t turn on unless you’re running a generator or using an inverter. An inverter turns 12v DC into 120v AC.
In our travel trailer, we ended up having to replace the 12V RV TV with a regular AC powered one.
To run it, we used a solar generator power station (click to view article on the best power stations/solar generators).
It worked great and if you want to use a regular tv in your RV without having to install an inverter or run a generator, the power station is a fantastic way to go.
See Also: Best 12 Volt RV Lithium Battery Reviews + How To Charge
In this review, we’re looking at six different 12V televisions in different sizes that will work great in RV, campers, vans, boats, and skoolies.
As a consumer, there are a few things to consider, and you might have questions, scroll to the bottom of the post where I’ll talk about a few points to consider and questions related to DC powered TVs.
Summary
- Most Efficient – SYLVOX 12V TV DVD Combo
- Best Overall – Free Signal TV Transit Platinum
- Biggest Screen – Jensen Widescreen 40 LED DC TV
Most Efficient
Best Overall
Biggest Screen
Last update on 2024-11-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. SYLVOX 12V TV DVD Combo
This is an awesome 12v TV DVD combo that’s perfect for small RVs, camper bedrooms, or people looking for a low energy consumption television.
It’s a simple 22 inch 12V TV that uses a backlit LED screen with a 1080p resolution. With the small screen size the picture looks great.
A feature that a lot of people are looking for when they shop for 12 volt RV TVs is a DVD player, and this one has one.
The built-in DVD player will play your favorite movies and be controlled with the included remote
Since a built-in DVD player takes up some space on the back, you should be aware of the thickness of it.
If you’re planning on hanging it on a wall or put it in a TV cut-out in your RV you may want to measure how much space there is first.
There’s also a stand included if you want to have it freestanding instead.
On top of the DVD player it’s also a smart TV with Chromecast already installed.
See Also: Best 12 Volt Refrigerator Freezer For Camping & Travel
Regarding inputs and outputs, has ATSC, NTSC, HDMI, and USB ports. It can also connect to WIFI and Bluetooth.
There are also built in speakers and it can be run on both DC and AC power.
The max power consumption will be less than 30 watts per hour.
Included are an AC power adapter, a 12v car cord, and a remote.
The SYLVOX 12V RV TV DVD Combo is a TV that would work great in a camper bedroom where you want to watch the occasional DVD movie.
If you don’t need the DVD player and you want a bigger TV there’s a larger 32 inch option with more advanced features made by SYLVOX you can find here (click to view on Amazon)
PROS
- DVD Player
- Great Selection Of Inputs/Outputs
- Lightweight
- AC & DC Powered
- Low Power Consumption
CONS
- Small
- Older LED Display
- Not Blueray Compatible
- No Wall Mount Included
2. Jensen 12V TV HD Ready
Jensen is a popular brand often found in new RVs, trailers, and vans. A big reason they’re popular is due to their 12v TV lineup.
This 19″ 12V RV TV has a 18.5″ inch screen with 1366 by 768 resolution. This is not full HD, but at 19 inches, it will look ok.
It does not have a DVD built-in, but it has an HDMI port so you can easily plug in a DVD player, a HDMI device like the Fire Stick (click to view on Amazon) or a video game console.
Note that it only has one HDMI port, so this would work better as a bedroom TV than a living room one where you have more devices that need to be plugged in.
You could use an HDMI splitter if you need to.
The Jensen 12 volt television uses around 27 watts per hour.
See Also: 6 Volt vs 12 Volt RV Batteries: The Pros & Cons Of Each
The Jensen 12V TV HD Ready doesn’t come with an AC transformer or a cigarette plug, it comes with bare wires sticking out the other end.
So you can either get yourself a cigarette plug, or wire it directly to your 12v wiring in the camper, or a 12v battery.
So is the Jensen 12V TV the best choice for your camper or boat?
If you would like to wire the television directly to a 12v battery or wiring, then it might be.
It’s from a well-known brand popular in the RV industry, and it’s lightweight and small enough to fit on bedroom walls or other small spaces. It’s also a lightweight option for a truck camper or van.
PROS
- VGA, RF, USB, HDMI, headphone output
- Lightweight
- Low Power Consumption
- 12V TV DVD Combo Option Available
CONS
- 12 Volt Power Only (No AC)
- Only One HDMI Port
- No 12V Plug (Must Be Hard Wired)
- No Wall Mount Included
3. Free Signal TV Transit Platinum 12V
If you plan on camping in places with zero cell phone service, or you just like using your old DVD collection, the Free Signal TV Transit Platinum RV TV is a fantastic option with a built-in DVD player.
There a 3 size options; 22, 28 and 32 inches. Each version has the DVD player so you can choose a size according to the space in your camper or your RV TV needs.
Each size has very similar features. They’re all 1080p resolution and they’re also smart TVs.
There’s also a ton of different input and output options. It comes with a headphone jack, PC Audio input, VGA output, Line Out (Audio Out), two standard HDMI, an ARC HDMI, antenna input, YPbPr input, Optical output, and a USB port.
There’s a ton of ways to get whatever you want on this 12V TV.
Now for the most important part if you’re a dry camper using the RV batteries to power this RV TV, the power draw.
The 22 inch model draws up to 33 watts. The 28 inch model draws up to 39 watts, and the 32 inch draws up to 49 watts. Not too bad for a TV with a built in DVD player.
Included with the 12 volt TV is an AC adapter, so you can use it with a regular wall outlet as well, a remote, and a stand.
You can wall mount it as well but you’ll need to get a standard TV mount.
The Free Signal TV Transit Platinum 12V has a lot to offer. You’ve got the DVD player, smart features, and 3 size options.
There’s some discussion about the quality of the speakers, but as with most televisions, the built in speakers aren’t usually that great.
To combat this issue we use our portable speaker as a soundbar when we’re camping. It works great and runs on battery power.
PROS
- 3 HDMI Ports
- Built-in DVD Player
- Great Selection Of Inputs/Outputs
- Can Be AC Powered Via Optional Adapter
- Low Power Usage
CONS
- Low Sound Quality
- Cannot Add or Delete Apps
- Not Blueray Compatible
- No Wall Mount Included
4. RecPro 12 Volt HD TV
Next up is a 40-inch 12V TV, this time from RecPro.
This RV TV offers a 40 inch screen size, smart TV capabilities, and every kind of connection you might need to plug in a DVD player.
There’s no built-in DVD player, which can be a major downside if you are camping somewhere with no TV signal.
You’ll have to find a 12 volt powered one or get a small portable power station to power the DVD player.
Since this is an RV specific TV, it comes with a wall mount instead of a stand.
There are 2 HDMI ports, 2 USB, a composite video input, stereo audio input, 1 RF, and RCA ouptut.
See Also: Best 12 Volt Coffee Maker For Cars, Truckers, Boat & RV
The resolution is full 1080p HD with a bright 200 nit screen.
It uses 70 watts per hour.
The RecPro 12 Volt HD TV is a 12V RV television I could put in a living area.
It’s made specifically for RV use, which means it’s 12 volt powered, it’s made special to be resistant to vibrations, and it has conformal coated circuit boards to stop corrosion from the elements.
PROS
- 2 HDMI Ports
- Thin Bezels
- Great Selection Of Inputs/Outputs
- Large TV Size
- Full 1080p HD
- Vibration Resistant
- Corrosion Protected Circuit Boards
CONS
- No DVD Player
- No AC Adapter
- No Stand Included
5. CONTINU.US 12V RV TV
The CONTINU.US 12 volt RV TV is built specifically for life on the road. The body is reinforced to hold up against vibrations and road bumps, it’s also 12 volt powered, so you don’t need to be plugged into shore power to use it.
With a 32 inch screen, this RV TV is decent sized, but the definition is a little low at only 720p. Because the screen size is still pretty small the picture will still look great.
There’s no built-in DVD player, but there’s an entire smart TV system with plenty of apps you can use to stream video when you have WIFI or cell service.
It’s Chromecast so you can also stream right from your phone.
There’s also a lot of ports to connect devices. These ports include; RF input, CVBS input, VGA input, 3 HDMI ports, component input, PC audio, USB input, Headphone Jack, Optical output, and an Audio Line Out.
The power consumption is decent. It won’t draw more than 49 watt hours at a time.
Included with purchase is a remote and AC adapter so you can plug it into a regular wall outlet.
The CONTINU.US 12V RV TV is simple but durable. It’s made for the road and even though there’s no built in DVD player, it has some great smart features and lots of ports for different devices and cable.
PROS
- 3 HDMI Ports
- Great Selection Of Inputs/Outputs
- Reinforced for RV Use
- Vibration Resistant
- AC Adapter Included
CONS
- Not 1080p
- No DVD Player
- No Wall Mount Included
6. Jensen Widescreen 40 LED DC TV
Last but not least is this 40-inch model from Jensen. If you have the space for it, this is the RV TV to get.
At 40 inches, you’ll get what could be considered an extra large camper television.
The best thing about it, except for its size, is the 1080p resolution. With 1920 x 1080, your movies and shows will look much better, and 40 inches will look big in an RV.
With 200 cd/m2, you’ll even get good brightness from this TV.
A 12-volt cigarette power cord is in the package, so it can be plugged in directly. An optional AC adapter (not included) will let you plug it into 120-volt outlets.
See Also: Best Portable Solar Panel Charger For RV Camper/Boondocking
The Jensen Widescreen 40 LED DC TV doesn’t have a built-in DVD player, but with its 3 HDMI ports, you’ll be able to plug in all your external boxes and players that you need.
A good reason to not buy a TV with a built-in DVD player is that DVD players fail more often than TVs.
If you buy a 12 volt TV with a built-in DVD player and the DVD player fails, you’ll have a big TV with a useless player. An external player that fails is easier to replace.
You can see a review of a portable 12V DVD player later on in this article.
In addition to 2 HDMI ports, you’ll get USB, VGA, composite, 3.5mm audio jack, RF, and headphone output.
Something to note and consider when looking at this TV is that it weighs almost 23 lbs. If you’re going to hang it on the wall, you’d want to make sure your wall and mount can handle the weight.
It also uses the most power compared to all the other 12V TVs in this review. It clocks in at a maximum of 64 watts which can really add up if you are powering the camper TV will small 12 volt batteries.
PROS
- 1080p Resolution
- Great brightness
- 2 HDMI Ports
- Great Selection Of Inputs/Outputs
- Thin Bezels
CONS
- Heavy
- High Power Usage
- No Wall Mount Included
- No Stand Included
Conclusion & My 12 Volt RV TV Recommendations
While there aren’t a lot of choices to pick from when looking at a 12 volt TV for your RV, we’ve covered a lot of good different sizes in this review.
Now, all that’s left is deciding on how big of a 12V TV you want and can fit in your camper, and if you want one with a built-in DVD player or not.
I’ve written a few things to consider below when purchasing a TV for your RV, but now, let’s look at my recommendations:
Most Efficient – SYLVOX 12V TV DVD Combo
Power usage is a big deal when we’re talking RV batteries. If efficiency is what you’re looking for, the SYLVOX 22 inch is a fantastic choice.
It only uses up to 30 watts and hour, and that’s with the DVD player running as well.
With this RV TV you’ll be able to watch DVDs and use minimal power. You give up size and some of the more fancy smart TV features, but you won’t run down the battery as fast as some of the other options in this review.
Best Overall – Free Signal TV Transit Platinum
A built-in DVD player is a must have to me when we’re talking RV TVs. If you’re camping without power, you’re most likely not in a place with WIFI or even cell service.
There are ways to download shows on your phone and stream them to a TV, but the simplest way is to just use a good old fashioned DVD.
All 3 Free Signal TV 12V options come with built in DVD players and Smart TV technology, so you get the best of both worlds.
They’re also full 1080p HD and made specifically for RV, boat, and van use.
Overall these are some fantastic 12 volt TVs for RV use.
What To Consider When Buying A 12V TV For An RV
12 volt vs. 120 volt
If you always camp with full hookups or at least electricity, there’s no reason for you to go shopping for a 12-volt TV.
On the other hand, if you never camp with full hookups, there’s no reason to have a 120-volt TV unless you plan on running the generator or using a solar power station every time you want to watch TV.
Of course, other options let you use the outlets while dry-camping. Solar panels, inverters, Goal Zero (click to see review), and products like it, are popular ways to go.
Screen Size
The first thing you should consider when looking at a 12 volt TV is the size of it.
By that, I mean the screen size, the area of the TV that displays the picture.
Do you have enough space to fit a 40-inch TV in your RV?
Maybe a 19-inch TV is all you can fit in your bedroom. Check the measurements and go measure spaces in your RV, so you know it’ll fit.
Resolution
If you’ve read about each 12 volt television in this review you might’ve noticed that I complained about them not having 1080p resolution.
The resolution is how many pixels the TV can display. A lower resolution means fewer pixels, which means a less clear image.
If you’re sitting on a couch 10 feet away, it won’t matter to you if the TV is 720p or 1080p as it will be hard to see a difference. But if you’re in bed only 5 feet away from the TV, it’ll be more noticeable.
Is this something that matters? Probably not. Maybe you’ll just be watching free over-the-air channels in less than HD 720p quality anyway.
But it’s something I want you to consider because it depends on what media you’re going to be consuming, and how far away you’ll be from the TV when it’s installed on the wall.
Built-In DVD Player
I don’t recommend buying an RV TV with a built-in DVD player, and I’ll tell you why in the FAQ below.
If you do want a TV DVD combo note that not all the 12V TVs in this review have built-in DVD players.
Weight
The difference in weight of the TVs in today’s review isn’t huge, but it’s there, and if weight is an important factor, make sure you check how heavy the 12V TV is.
If you plan on hanging it on the wall, and you’ve installed a wall mount to a stud in the wall, it’ll most likely be able to handle the TV without issues.
Inputs/Outputs
The inputs and outputs of a TV are the connections where you plug in your external players, computers, and consoles.
Do you need 3 HDMI ports? Or is one just fine since you’ll only plug in a cable box.
If you plan on buying a soundbar, you should check what outputs it has to be sure that your TV will work with it.
Note that HDMI is the most popular choice of connections between TVs and external players and computers nowadays.
Power Usage
The bigger and the better 12V TV (regarding resolution), the more power it will draw.
Higher brightness will also use more power.
Check how many amps your RV battery has, and calculate how many amps a specific TV will use in x amount of hours.
You can often find the power consumption in the specifications of a TV or by contacting the manufacturer. I have also added the maximum wattage in the table at the beginning of this review.
Brightness
If you plan on watching TV during the day in your RV, how bright it is matters.
If you only watch TV at night, you should focus more on other specifications. It matters during the day because sunlight will make the TV appear darker and harder to see.
If you’re looking for an RV TV to hang outside to watch during the day, it’s even more important because then you can’t do a lot to cover the TV from sunlight.
Speakers
Okay, this isn’t something big to consider, but something I thought I should add.
The built-in speakers in most TVs are terrible. They will be good enough to watch some tv, but don’t expect any high-quality sound from your TV speakers, even less so from a 12-volt TV built for RVs.
The best thing you can do after buying a 12 volt TV is upgrading the sound.
I recommend buying a Bluetooth speaker that you can connect with a 3.5mm cable to your tv, something like the Bose Soundlink Mini (click to view on Amazon).
I’ve used one of these in front of my TV, and the sound is incredible for its size.
You can also check out this article here (click to view) to see more outdoor and camping Bluetooth speaker options.
Best 12V DVD Player For RVs, Cars, & Boats
Like I mentioned in the what to consider section, getting a 12V TV DVD combo for your RV or vehicle isn’t always the best way to go.
The DVD player will most likely fail before the TV. You will most likely end up having to get an external 12V DVD player anyways.
Luckily portable DVD players exist and I’ve found a couple of fantastic options.
Ceihoit Mini DVD Player
The Ceihoit Mini DVD Player is a super small and portable option if you want to bring DVDs with you camping.
It’s powered via micro USB and not technically 12V but you can use a 12V USB plug (click to view on Amazon) to make it a 12 volt DVD player. It’s recommended to use 2 amp power sources.
You can also power it with a small power bank or the same brick you use for most other electronics.
See Also: Best Portable Power Bank/Supply For Travel And Camping
It connects to the TV with an HDMI cable and it’s compatible with any of the 12V TVs in this review. It also has an output for AV cables for older TVs.
The size of it makes it very attractive for RV use. The entire unit measures only 7.3 inches wide, 6 inches long, and 1.7 inches thick. And it weighs just over a pound.
It can output HD video and can be used as a CD player as well. It also supports USB flash drives if you want to play media that way.
The player is built with anti-shock technology to help it withstand travel.
Included with purchase is a remote control, an AV cable, an HDMI cable, and the USB power cable.
If you need a DVD player to complete your RV entertainment system this is a fantastic choice.
PROS
- USB Powered (AC or DC Powered)
- Very Small Size
- Can Convert Video To 1080p
- HDMI & AV Output
- USB Input For Media
- Ani-Shock
CONS
- Cannot Play Blue Ray DVD
Frequently Asked Questions About 12 Volt TVs
Are 12 volt TVs built differently than a 120 volt?
Most 12 volt TVs are built for travelers that must be able to run it off a battery.
What that means is that they often have more robust chassis that are reinforced to withstand vibrations going down the road.
How do I hardwire a 12 volt TV to my RV battery?
If there’s no 12v outlet where you want to put your TV, you can make your own with a cigarette lighter outlet.
This outlet can be run directly to your battery, or the fuse box.
If you run it directly to the battery, I recommend using an inline fuse on the positive wire. Another option is to splice into any 12v lights in your RV as long as the wire is big enough for the amps required to run the TV.
How to install a cigarette plug to a 12v wire?
I recommend watching this video about how to do this.
How to hang a TV on the wall in the RV?
The most important thing after deciding where to put your TV on the wall is finding a stud in the wall to secure the mount to. Then depending on the weight and size of the TV, decide what anchors or screws to use.
You should also be using a wall mount made for RVs that can lock the swivel during travel. Mounting Dream makes a mount (click to view on Amazon) that will work with all the TVs in this review and that I highly recommend.
Why should I avoid a 12V TV with a built-in DVD player?
12 volt DVD players fail more often than 12V TVs from the vibrations going down the road.
If you buy a TV with a built-in DVD player that might fail after a year or two, you’ll be left with a thick TV and no DVD player.
If you buy a TV, and then buy an external DVD player, you can replace one of them when it fails and save money.
The biggest reason I believe this is because I made the mistake of buying a TV with a built-in DVD player and it failed within a year. The TV is still going strong though.
If an LCD TV uses 50 watts, how long could a 12 volt battery with 105 ah run it?
If the battery is at full capacity and you run it until it’s dead it could run the 12V TV for around 25 hours.
That being said it’s never a good idea to run a battery all the way down to zero. If it’s a lead acid or gel battery you won’t want to drain the battery past 50% capacity. That means your run time is cut down to 12.5 hours.
If you have a lithium battery you can drain it all the way down to 20% capacity. That gives you about 20 hours of safe TV run time.
This is also assuming the battery is only powering the 12V TV. RVs have a lot of other appliances that leach power from the batteries. It normally isn’t very much, but it’s still a small draw you should expect.
How many watts is a LED 12 volt 26 inch tv?
There isn’t a 26 inch 12V TV in this review but there are a couple of 28 inch ones. They use a maximum of 39 watts an hour. A 26 inch DC powered RV will use a little less than that, probably no more than 35 watts.
Have any more questions about 12V TVs? Leave a comment below.
All the TV RV reviews concentrate on a DVD. They do not discuss SMART. Today a USB connection with the ability to play several video formats can be just as good or better then a DVD. Many movies can be downloaded in digital format as part of the purchase. Your DVD at home can be loaded and converted to any format on your home PC. You can load 25 or more videos on a USB memory and not have to bring tons of DVD in your rv. I feel that ability to play many video formats via USB is better then DVD.
That’s very true Paul, I need to update this article.
Thanks for your comment.
One thing that you might include in your article is the power consumption (Watts) (ballpark) of this type of TV. Another is do they have a 110 V input as well. I understand that you can’t go too deep into the specs, but I think it those two additions would b great.
Thank you for your comment and suggestions, Dan.
I will definitely include that when I update this article.
Jesse