Best 12 volt TV for RV Living
Jensen JTV19DC HD 19″
When choosing a 12-volt television for RV road trips often you have to sacrifice image quality as compared with a traditional AC model. However, with the 1080p resolution and 19” screen of the Jensen JTV19DC TV for RVs, this is now an assumption of the past and makes it our best 12v TV for RV living.
This 12v RV TV also features a 16.7 million color palette that surpasses the majority of its competitors. The Jensen JTV19DC will also save you money in the long run since it draws only 24w from your power supply, by far the least wattage usage on our list.
No need to worry about your signal source either since the Jensen RV TV can support everything from HDMI to PC to component inputs as well as legacy RCA. Of course, you may not need these anyway since this Jensen TV also comes with a built-in ATSC tuner to pick up free HD channels.
While not the largest on our list, the Jensen JTV19DC more than makes up for its smaller screen size with one of the best image qualities we found, as well as having some of the most reliable and durable electronic components on this list.
Considering a New TV for Your RV?
RVing may be a great way to “get away from it all,” but that doesn’t mean you have to give up the creature comforts of life. With hours and miles on the road, sometimes all you want to do at the end of a long day is put your feet up and watch TV.
Nowadays an RV trip away doesn’t preclude you from the simple pleasure of watching sports or your favorite shows. However, regular TVs found in the home are not the best choice for RV travel as they require more expensive hardware to run and are not designed with RV limitations in mind.
That is why we have put together a list of the 7 best 12 volt TV’s for RV travel based on your specific situation. We also reveal what features are most important when buying a new RV TV and which are only for window dressing.
Whether you are replacing your old TV or completely new to the scene we can help you find a great TV for your needs.
Looking for the Best 12v TV?
- The benefits of buying a television specific to RV use
- What features to look for in a 12 volt RV TV
- Reviews of the best 12v TVs on the market
- Which product was crowned winner as the best 12 volt TV for RV living
Can I Use Regular TV in an RV?
While technically you can use a regular television in an RV, it is not generally advised for several reasons. Essentially, regular home TVs are not specifically designed to handle the variable conditions that traveling in an RV otherwise exposes them to.
Regular home TVs offer a few advantages over most 12 volt TVs, but these advantages only matter if the television will actually work.
PROs
- Generally better image quality
- Usually has ‘smart’ TV features
CONs
- Not designed to deal with regular vibration or jostling
- Only AC compatible
- Not designed for numerous viewing angles
- Not designed to deal with varying climate conditions
For RV owners that want access on the road to things like a cable or dish network, or a satellite TV service you will need an RV antenna or satellite antenna. To help you decide if you need an antenna as well as some great reviews then check out our RV antenna buyers guide.
Things to Consider When Buying a 12v television
Screen Size and Quality
For a standard TV, the screen size will get plenty of fanfare, but how much space you have in your RV will generally limit that. When you further tack on the power limitations of a 12V unit, you should not expect the massive screens you can find for standard models.
Rather than focusing on the actual size of the TV screen you are better concentrating on the image quality. The most important factor in determining image quality is the resolution, though the screen can limit the resolution slightly.
However, even some of the smallest RV TVs can display in HD with 720p being the lowest you should go. Keep in mind, an RV television set may accept a 1080p signal but still only be able to display in 720p resolution.
Another feature to look out for is the TV’s refresh rate which shows how many times the screen has refreshed in one second. A refresh rate of 60Hz is good for RV televisions.
Compatibility
This is likely more of an issue if you intend to use your RV TV as a computer monitor should you work from the road. In this instance, you need to make sure that your 12v TV has a VGA input with a secondary speaker system or a 3.5mm input as well– though the latter is uncommon.
Some 12-volt televisions also include inputs that are a bit outdated, such as component video but are still used for particular types of hardware. That said, the main outputs to look for, and one which all the 12v TVs we reviewed include, is an HDMI input port.
Power Consumption
It may be assumed that the 12V draw from a DC-powered TV uses significantly less energy than a 110/120V AC TV. However, there is not much difference between the two and this comes from other hardware than the actual television itself.
A standard AC TV requires the recreational vehicle battery power source to be run through an inverter, a kind of DC to AC power adapter, to turn it into AC power. Then, the power brick in the television converts the AC power back into DC power with some energy lost between both conversions.
That said, the difference is fairly minimal, and you should look at watts consumed more than anything else.
Mounting Options
Mounting should not be much of an issue since most RV TVs are fairly lightweight and reasonably compact. On top of that, the overwhelming majority are made with the ability, if not outright intent, of being mounted directly on an RV wall– generally with a 100mm x 100mm or 200mm x 100mm VESA mounting bracket and so mounting space shouldn’t be too much of a concern.
All the TVs in this review come with their own TV stand or mounting hardware. The only thing you might need to watch for is the quality of the fastening hardware included. Even with a lightweight TV, you may need to upgrade to mounting screws made out of harder metal.
DVD Combination
If you happen to own DVDs, then built-in DVD players are a solid extra feature to look for, though is likely not the main reason you choose a particular television. Although a DVD player will allow you to watch movies while literally on the road.
Of course, a VGA input and laptop can often accomplish the same thing with more movies on command and so this feature is more just a matter of preference.
Need a Television for your RV? The Reviews
Jensen JTV19DC HD 19″
Editors Choice
Even high-quality 12 volt TVs suffer from rapid wear and tear from traveling in an RV due to potentially rough road conditions. The Jensen JTV19DC was made with this in mind and uses conformal-coated circuit boards in its design, reinforced mounting points as well as having a rugged metal cabinet.
Beyond the integral strength features, this 12 v TV also sports one of the better image qualities with 720p resolution and a 16.7million color palette. On top of that, this Jensen model works with virtually any signal source you have including Arc HDMI, PC, component, and RCA.
This model also draws less power than any of the other RV TVs on our list at only 24W when in use. Alo if you double up on Jensen products, the J-COM function allows you to effortlessly transition from one Jensen product to another within the same system.
PROs
- Is reliable
- Has an HDTV ATSC tuner
- Good picture quality
- Broad compatibility
CONs
- Higher price point
- Smaller screen
Bottom-Line: If you want a long-lasting RV TV with long-term durability then the Jensen JTV19DC not only stands up to the rigors of RV use but provides an excellent picture quality too.
AXESS TVD1805-24
Best 1080p 12 volt TV DVD Combo
12 volt RV TVs often require compromising on one feature over another, however, AXESS understands most of us are now accustomed to a high picture quality HD resolution. So not to disappoint, they have produced the TVD1805-24 with a relatively large 24” screen that displays in 1080p resolution.
Of course, this model also comes with a wide number of different display modes including VGA and even external memory like USB or SD. Even better, you do not have to let your collection of DVDs go to waste or spend extra money since the AXESS includes a built-in DVD player.
The inclusion of a 3D comb filter and 3D de-interlace feature also helps ensure that you do not suffer interference when watching regular cable in an RV park or another similar source. While its power draw is not as low as some of the other TVs on this list, the TVD1805-24 has a reasonable power draw of only 36W while in use.
PROs
- 24” screen
- Resolution of 1080p
- Built-in DVD player
- Has broad compatibility
CONs
- More expensive
- Has iffy QC
Bottom-Line: For those who demand the best TV watching experience in HD resolution, the AXESS TVD1805-24 is up to the job whilst also providing one of the larger screens as well.
Supersonic SC-2211 22-Inch 1080p LED Widescreen HDTV
Best Image Quality Monitor
The Supersonic 1080p LED widescreen is the other RV television on our list that displays its image in 1080p resolution and further combines that resolution with a rich palette of 16.7 million colors. It also sports one of the better brightness ratings we saw at 250cd/m2 and with a contrast ratio of 600:1.
Whilst this 12 volt LED TV doesn’t have quite as many inputs as some of its competitors, it offers some better options including an Amazon Firestick compatible USB port for streaming purposes. It can also be used as a PC monitor with a 5 ms response, however, if you use the Supersonic in this way the PC audio sound quality isn’t to the same standard.
One thing to consider is that the mounting bracket is not terribly sturdy, so be careful when installing it in your RV. It is also not noted for the loudest audio, so you may want to purchase an external speaker system as well.
PROs
- Less expensive
- Has a USB input
- Resolution of 1080p
- 5 ms response
CONs
- Weak mounting bracket
- Poor sound quality
Bottom-Line: At this price point you will be hard-pressed to find another model that can offer the same picture quality as the Supersonic.
Naxa Electronics 19″ LED TV
Best Budget
The Naxa comes in at a more budget-friendly price whilst still providing a wealth of great features. For example, the Naxa 19” television boasts one of the broader ranges of acceptable inputs including VGA PC, 2 different types of component inputs, and USB or SD.
However, a huge limiting factor is that the external inputs only allow music or photo images, not movies. Of course, you can always rely on the built-in DVD player to make sure you have access to a movie whenever you want.
While not the best for energy efficiency, the Naxa 19” is the second-most energy-efficient model we reviewed using only 30W when active and costing around $9 a year to operate. It achieves this high energy efficiency while still displaying in a solid 720p resolution with a fantastic 60 Hz refresh rate, so you don’t have to worry about blurry images whilst you watch TV.
That said, this Naxa model is tied for the smallest screen on our list at only 19”, partly why it is restricted to 720p. The picture image itself also lags behind in other areas as well, though it is not of poor quality.
PROs
- Less expensive
- 720p resolution with 60Hz
- USB and SD input
- Has broad compatibility
CONs
- Has a smaller screen
- Not the best picture
Bottom-Line: Want to enjoy watching your favorite shows without spending a fortune? The Naxa 19” 12v TV DVD combo provides a solid base unit that provides most of the standard features found on other products on this list at a far cheaper price point.
Free Signal TV Transit 28″
Best Video Game 12V TV for an RV
Just because you are on the road doesn’t mean you have to give up on gaming – especially thanks to the Transit from Free Signal. One of the best features of this 12 volt flat-screen TV for gaming is the 5 ms response time, no need to worry about image lag causing you to lose a heated match.
To go along with this lightning-fast response time, the Free Signal Transit is also one of the few models on our list that comes with three HDMI inputs. This means you can connect it to a wide range of different source signals, such as a gaming console, a PC, and a cable box all at the same time.
As if that were not enough, this model also ties for the screen size top spot on our list with a 28” screen to catch all of the action. While not 1080p, this RV television still comes with an HD-quality 720p display resolution.
While the audio is not noted for being the best, that might be in part due to the dynamic audio response and digital noise reduction circuitry.
PROs
- Has a 28” screen
- 720p resolution
- 3 HDMI ports
- 5 ms response
CONs
- More expensive
- Not the best sound quality
Bottom-Line: RV flat-screen TVs don’t come better than this for video game lovers. With a large screen size, great display resolution, and fast response time this option from Free Signal is a top 12v TV for gaming.
Continu.US 28”
Best Basic TV
With a modest amount of source inputs the Continu.US 28″ RV flat-screen TV offers a fairly basic package but with a 28” screen size at the larger end of the scale for RV TVs.
That said, this does not mean you need to sacrifice the number of devices you want to connect thanks to its three HDMI inputs. Even better, the Continu.US HDMI ports use the 1.4 Arc protocol to transmit video signal better than some of its competitors.
The Continu.US comes with a solid display resolution of 720p at a 60Hz refresh rate and a surprising brightness of 300cd/m2. While the Continu.US model comes with a USB-compatible port, it cannot be used to play movie files or connect to stream Netflix or other WiFi-based streaming services.
To help save on power costs, the Continu.US has an auto-power off feature using only 1W in standby mode and uses low-power LEDs.
On the downside, the Continu.US is not quite as durable as some of the other products we reviewed, so you need to make sure that it is held firmly in place and will not suffer too much vibration.
PROs
- 28” screen
- Has 1.4 Arc HDMI connection
- USB input
- 720p resolution with 60Hz
CONs
- More expensive
- Not the most durable
Bottom-Line: If you want a basic TV with a larger screen the Continu.US offers plenty of high-quality HDMI ports and a good display.
Proscan PLEDV1945A-B 19″
Best Mid-Range DVD Combo
The Proscan may not top our list in any particular category, but it provides a good mid-option with average or better than average scores across the board. It also has the option for using the built-in DVD player, so your passengers can still watch movies even while driving.
The display, while not list-leading, comes with an HD 720p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate to prevent blurred images. While not the most compatible on our list, the Proscan still offers more than some with an HDMI port, VGA, and even a component input.
On the other hand, this is easily the least energy-efficient television that we reviewed with an active power consumption of 80W. Outside of that, both the remote and the audio quality are a bit subpar, but neither of them are deal-breakers.
PROs
- Value for money
- Built-in DVD player
- 720p resolution with 60Hz
CONs
- Has poor remote control
- Poor sound quality
Bottom-Line: The Proscan PLEDV1945A-B is a solid mid-range product that provides good value at a fairly low cost and without any major flaws or weaknesses that impact the viewing experience.
Last update on 2024-10-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API