In-car TV Test

February 2008

Whether it’s that crucial cup tie or can’t-miss soap episode, there are times when you simply have to have television in your vehicle. It’s the ultimate in on-the-move entertainment for passengers – or for the driver when parked – yet reliable in-car viewing is also very difficult to achieve.

Wired-in systems can be prohibitively expensive, so a portable kit looks to be the best choice. But are they any good? We tuned in to 10 to find out.

Connected to a decent aerial, most portables work superbly. Yet if you’re using the integral antenna, performance can be patchy. A separate magnetic antenna – which is mounted on the car bodywork – is a bit better, but the ultimate solution is a hard-wired aerial similar to those used by built-in systems. They typically start at about £40.

The Test
standalone TVs made up the bulk of our test, although we also tried a pair of tuners designed to work with in-car DVD systems. To assess picture quality, we connected each unit to the same proven external aerial. All were then road tested to see how the built-in aerials coped with movement and speed. As the analogue signal is due to be switched off entirely by 2012, we looked for digital reception, while easy in-car mounting was vital. For the TVs, we also wanted DVD and CD compatibility, and the ability to play digital music or picture files. Output options were considered on the tuners, as your in-car preferences differ from those needed in the home.

Verdict

A properly installed external aerial is essential for consistently reliable TV on the move. Once you have that, plug in to Orbit’s D-900, because this is by far the best option for practicality, features and picture quality.

Roadstar’s LCD7114 is a great performer for buyers on a budget, and connecting to a digital tuner will be simple when the analogue TV switch-off happens. As for the tuners, we’d go for the Roadstar DVB2112TA. Its compact size appeals, as does the fact it’s easy to position and has a SCART-RCA adaptor.

RESULTS:

Tuners
1. Roadstar DVB2112TA

TVs

Top 3

1. Orbit D-900
2. Orbit 768DVB
3. Roadstar LCD7114

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