Mel B Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Hubby spotted that Brownhills have been putting some stuff on Ebay so has bought some bits. They had a new boxed (opened) Avtex W163DR telly/DVD etc finishing today, and as we plan to go away for longer in our motorhome and wanted a better quality TV with a few more things on it such as being able to record stuff etc, we decided to have a bid for it, well it finished today and we 'won' it for £152.34 so we're happy with that as they normally cost at least £249 from what I can tell. We already have a VESA bracket over the bed for it, so storage isn't a problem although I'll probably invest in a quick release adaptor so we can move it to the front of the 'van when we want to watch it there. Anyway, what I'm wondering is, is there anything we need to know about the TV for when we put it in the motorhome? Any tips on using it etc? :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyg3nwl Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Hi, Fine on the TV, I dont actually know that model. However, I wonder if you have a suitable aerial on or in the van. Remember everything is going or has already gone fully digital, so you might have problems finding a signal from terrestial stations, as it is an all or nothing situation when aerial direction is considered. Do you intend having a satellite box as well, and if so which one (full sky or cheapo box for other satellites.) Then there is question re satellite aerial (full auto or crank up or manually set up free standing dish. Satellite also requires a clear path so bear that in mind. Good luck with it and enjoy you TV, but watch out for battery loading, unless you intend using hookup sites. Tonyg3nwl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 tonyg3nwl - 2011-09-29 8:12 AM However, I wonder if you have a suitable aerial on or in the van. Remember everything is going or has already gone fully digital, so you might have problems finding a signal from terrestial stations, as it is an all or nothing situation when aerial direction is considered. In last couple of years whilst waiting for new van we hired vans that had omnidirectional aerial, very poor if any reception, with the new van we have directional aerial, only once (in silverdale) failed to get signal. We have found the signal to be much more tollerant of aerial missalignment than would be imagined, IIRC signal is ok down to 40% quality and we've often got this over a 90deg angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugga Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Hi Mel Good price for the Avtex. We have two of them, one in the kitchen that we used to put in our caravan and a new LED one that we keep on a bracket in our bedroom. We take the tv and bracket off the wall and put it straight into the motorhome, trying not to forget the remote. You cannot do anthing without the remote so dont forget that. We started out with a 2gb usb stick but that barely recorded for 2 hours. I think we got 1hour 45 mins on it. I would recommend that you buy as big a stick as poss. We have just bought a 16 gb one from John Lewis who had it on offer for £10.95. OH shoudl get all the F1 on it now. When you are playing back your recorded programme, we have found that you cannot 'pause' it as when you restart it it goes back to the beginning, so make sure you have everything you want before you press play. The instruction manual is not the best either and it took us a while to work out how to record and to play back. One tip, when you have set up the TV to record, DON'T turn tv off as it will clear the recording schedule, leave it on standby. The bracket that we bought is: http://www.motorhomeshop.co.uk/shop/3_Entertainment/812_Double-arm-wall-locking-lcd-bracket.aspx We bought an extra wall bracket to make our life easier. http://www.motorhomeshop.co.uk/shop/3_Entertainment/815_Wall-Plate---For-Triple-%5E-Double-Arm-Wall-Brackets-.aspx Hope these links work. They are really good tvs and we love both of ours. The led one does not drain the batteries like our older one and it seems to go on forever. The DVD player is excellent too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdrive Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Hi Mel. Yes Avtex TV/DVD very good picture an easy to use - we forgot remote first time out but still managed to navigate to the tuning menu using the set buttons. We we have ours linked to an existing Status omnidirectional ariel and found often we get no digi signal at all UK and abroad. I'd like to know if anyone has experience of the Avtex Digital ariel coupled to the TV ? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Just bought an Avtex Tv "bundle" that includes their 20db digital tv antenna. I did not want a permanent aerial on the van and afriend had a similar aerial and foundit far better than an omnidirectional that many vans are fitted with. After a trip round the Westcountry I have often had "no signal" displayed whilst with analogue I used to get a signal if sometimes fuzzy. The aerial is a figure of eight shape andI assume I point that at the direction of the signal? Does it matter whether the figure of eight is perpendicular or horizontal? Looking at other aerials on site the omnirectional ones often pointed in different direction s which did not help!! The answer may be to buy a digital signal meter but they seem to be wired to the aerial to find the correct direction and then removed and at that stage the tv attached. However the Avtex aerial has an integrated amplifier which is powered by the tv and so will a signal meter work with this type of aerial? I will be grateful for any help as this is an area of which I know very little as can be seen!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 29, 2011 Author Share Posted September 29, 2011 Thanks for all the info guys, to answer a few queries: Tony, the Avtex W163DR is the outgoing model, the new one being the W164DR, however, upon reading the reviews, it appears that the W164DR has some drawbacks - one reviewer had replaced his 163 with a 164 and regretted it as apparently he said the on screen programme guide had been changed to a less user-friendly type. We have a directional Status 530 aerial so no problem there, we also have a Multimo and receiver too so can move it to wherever we can get the best satellite signal if needs be. :-D Power usage isn't a major concern as we have 2 leisure batteries and a solar panel and as the TV will probably live in the van permanently hopefully we won't be likely to forget the remote! :D As for the bracket, as we already have one fitted in the 'van I thought I'd just get one of those quick release plate sets where you attach one part to the bracket and the other to the TV and then just slide it on/off as required, possibly with another one to put on the original TV stand that came with it so we can use it 'free-standing' at the front of the van if needs be, or maybe put a small bracket up ... I'll wait and see what the TV is like when I pick it up and then decide. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 IMO if you are trying to ensure you get TV reception wherever you roam, you need to have more than one option available. Therefore a Terrestrial Ariel & a Satellite Dish, but even then local conditions can twart your attempts to get a satisfactory signal. Terrestrial signals, even with boosted Digital output (post changeover) can still be variable in countryside areas. Satellite signals can still be distorted by Trees or Buildings in the line of sight. Purchased as an individual item, dedicated 12v "Free-Sat" boxes, are still relatively expensive, Those supplied in the occasional Lidl / Aldi offers & Maplin's Suitcase Camping Satallite Kit, are often a cheaper option, even if you replave the Dish for a larger size. Regarding the Avtex TV/DVD, we have the 15" model & find it by far the easiest to set-up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 29, 2011 Author Share Posted September 29, 2011 Oooooooops ... flicka sandwich! (lol) Whilst we have the aerial and satellite dish, if we can't receive 'live' TV it won't be a major problem, we always take DVDs away with us of stuff we've recorded at home anyway and usually watch that anyway. Hubby's now wondering about using the record function on the Avtex to use it at home to record loads of stuff onto a portable hard drive and watch back from that instead - has anyone done this? Also does anyone know what format the USB recordings are in - eg avi, rar etc? I'm wondering if it might be possible to record stuff via our PC (I have a Hauppauge Win TV receiver connected) straight onto a hard drive or USB to use with the Avtex - what do you think? This is the quick release bracket I was thinking of getting: http://www.motorhomeshop.co.uk/shop/3_search/676_Quick_release_bracket.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 We have a Avtex 18.5 LED model. I have never worked out how to record a programme on to the USB unless the TV is on and showing the programme you want to record which makes it a bit pointless. So any advise on this would be good. We gave up on relying on Digital aerial reception and bought a Satelite dish in a brief case from Maplins, it is great, we have used it from Scotland to the France-Spanish border with 100% success we always look for a pitch with a clear South East view. I have found a short peice of old curtain pole hamered in to the ground is the most versatile for clamping the dish to. To make finding the correct satelite easier I bought a sat finder from Maplins for £14. Another option would be to buy the Sat dish and encoder B&Q are selling for £26 or HD version for £60 odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 OOPs double post sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolly1965 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 we got a tesco home brand quick release TV bracket. Can't fault it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Bolly1965 - 2011-10-02 9:14 AM we got a tesco home brand quick release TV bracket. Can't fault it I got this one for £10. http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Quick_Release_LCD_TV__Bracket/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=164111 Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tugga Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Mel B - 2011-09-29 9:00 PM This is the quick release bracket I was thinking of getting: http://www.motorhomeshop.co.uk/shop/3_search/676_Quick_release_bracket.aspx We have one of those on the back of ours. It is brilliant. It came with the kitchen Avetex so we didn't have to pay for it, but it will be worth every penny. According to our book, it records and plays back in MPEG4 and JPEG. I don't know about any other technical stuff you are asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Rayjsj - 2011-10-02 11:00 AM I got this one for £10. http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/Quick_Release_LCD_TV__Bracket/?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=directory&utm_content=GBR¤cy=GBP&country=GBR&SelectedBundle=164111 Ray I brought two brackets and fixed the stand to the second bracket. Clip off the M/home, Clip on the stand at home ! Only to add that I had a couple of dealings with Avtex service and got a lot of helpful advice. And very quick service on a remote control that went wrong. Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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