TV/VCR Combo

[HALLOWEENTOWN]

We are on a budget and can't afford $300 for a TV/VCR combo. We are driving from MA to Disney with a 5 yo and a 12 yo so we would like to get one. Anyone know where we can get an inexpensive TV/VCR combo? Is there anyway to safely secure a small TV and VCR into a car? TIA!!!

[Luvdisney]

Have you tried E-bay. I saw some the other day that comes in a backpack that I think went for less the $200.00. It just straps to the back of the front seats. Looked pretty neat. Good luck!

[dg39]

WE just bought our 9"VCR/TV in Sams Club for $159.00 plus tax. They also have the 13 VCR/TV combo for 120.00 but it doesn't come with the adapter for the car. You can probable get the adapter somewhere pretty cheap, dh just didn't want to go looking around for one.

[ScottOKW2K]

We have done the tv/vcr combo on our last several trips, and would definitely not travel that far without it. I bought a 13" Panasonic for the van - a.c. only though, not ac/dc. Then I picked up a 300W dc-ac power inverter at Target to power it. This combo works well with a few caveats:

I have to have the van running to turn the tv/vcr on. The initial current draw at turn-on is too much for the inverter with the van off (12v dc from battery) vs. van running (14v dc from alternator).

I pick up some RF noise. Since I can also hear it on the AM band in the radio, this is something we will have to live with :( .

As far as where to put it - we simply strap it on top of one of the larger pieces of luggage. The luggage will have enough weight to keep it from moving around.

Cost : $40 for the inverter - but you can use this for anything requiring AC power + $180 for the Panasonic 13" tv/vcr ( of which $135 was covered by Best Buy gift cards from various deals ;) ).

good Luck

[chance]

I researched this a lot when we moved from CA to NC and drove with our 3 year. I ended buying a 9 inch vcr/tv combo from Best Buy, I think it was $259. But it came with the DC adapter needed for the car. It also has a plug that it can be brought inside so when trveling we can bring it inside and he can watch videos. At home we leave it in his room and it has parental control so we can set 3 or 4 channels only and he uses it as a regular TV or watches a video. It single handed is the best thing I ever purchased. This 9 inch size fits nicely in our Expedition too and will be a lifesaver when driving from NC to FL for our cruise in October. I would also suggest buying a TV/VCR combo from anywhere and then purchasing the separate adapter for your car. If you get the TV/VCR on sale it will run you about the same but it will be a bigger TV than the 9 inch whatever size is next up. I would stay away from the expensive TV/VCR units they sell just for cars as they are very $$$$ and have a limited use, car only. If you e-mail me to the side I can give you more info. You can also purchase the unit I got off Best Buys website.

[MisterPat]

We just bought ours at Target. It was a 9-inch tv/vcr combo that has both AC and DC power cords. It was $169.99. It's not the "bag" kind, its a regular combo that we also use regularly in our office for the DD's to watch videos while I'm working...or posting this:D

The dual purpose is wonderful and the price was great. Wherever you look, make sure to tell the salesperson that you want one that can be used in the home AND the car without buying anything extra.

One more thing...we tried ours out on a 6-hour trip last week and it worked well. The best part of it was the headphone jack. We have a splitter, so both DD's had a set of headphones and we could not hear the video. The silence was AWESOME. Never once was asked "are we there yet?"

[bethsg]

I wanted to buy a TV/VCR thing for our van. Dh, on the other hand was totally against the idea. What he suggested in it's place were some books on tape. We recently went from MD to NC shores for vacation. Going down was a breeze everyone was excited. Coming home, we popped in Harry Potter the Chamber of Secrets, which was a total of 9 hours and 18 minutes. It ended just as we were getting home, and no one said a word the entire drive. It was great to listen to. A great alternative to movies.

[dougsmom98]

We just saw a 9 inch combo at Wal Mart for $169. It came with the adaptor for the car. It does not come with a bag though. We didn't even see the bags there. We did see the exact deal in the Target flier for the same price and the bag was another $39.95.
Good luck.
Amy

[chance]

The unit I purchased was from Best Buy via their website. It is a 9 inch Symphonic TV/VCR combo unit that comes with all adapters for the car and inside the home. I just checked their website site and it is $169.00. Like the other poster mentioned headphones are a must or the kids movies will send you over th edge in a trapped environment. This TV is a perfect size and has excellant color and picture quality. May I also suggest using a towel to sit it on and using bungy cords to secure it. Good luck it is so worth the money. I even use it going on any trip over 2 1/2 hours.

[pam2girls]

Bought a FunTV at Best Buy for $188, it has a 4 inch screen. I saw in this Sundays flyer they have one with a 5" screen for about $250. One inch isn't worth the extra $90 to me though. Small is small. ; ) My 6 and 3 yr olds don't mind 4".

We had to ask specifically for the 4" FunTV at the store though. They insisted they didn't have it while trying to sell us the bigger one. We knew they had it because it was in their weekly flyer that week that we bought it.

[HALLOWEENTOWN]

Thanks so much everyone. All this info is great /:D Many of you said you purchased TV/VCR combos. Did you get a bag for it to fit in to or did most of you use bungy cords? How do you bungy cord the TV/VCR to the car? Thanks again!!!!

PS - The Books on tape idea is a great idea also. Thanks.

[DisneySlave]

I bought the same combo that" chance" did and it works wonders,buy a spliter for the headphones at best buy and you are set. We have a Caravan and it sits nicely between the two front seats.

[chance]

To be honest with you I had never heard of the bag until today. I got this idea from my brother and it works perfect and is inexpensive.

Put the TV on the middle console with a towel underneath.
Take 1 large bungy cord and wrap around the front, hook on the back of the TV. Take 2 large bungy cords and hook to the bottom, or top of the TV and pull down and hook under the front seats. Be careful not to let go as the cords will bounce back and really bean you which my husband I have have done to each other with out meaning to :).
Good luck!

[Rpsemont]

9"TC/VCR combo at Target for $169.99!!! Saw it in Sun 6/30 Circular. Bag is optional (and more money)

[Kevin&Becky]

While I think that the TV/VCR Combo is a great idea be weary of how secure it really will be in case of a sudden stop. If you are going 65mph and have to hit the breaks hard a bungy cord would not hold any size unit. There was another thread on the safety issues involved with these. Just be sure that the unit is secure or better yet get one made specifically for the car. Have a great trip.

Kevin

[chance]

You may have a point but the way we secure it is very snug. We have driven from CA to NC, NC to FL, FL to NC and about a dozen other shorter trips without a problem. The 9 inch unit we have fits in our Expedition perfectly. You can also take a milk crate and secure it to that if there is not room between your seats. We try to avoid unsafe situations as Kevin insinuated but we have never had a problem, but to each his own. Good luck on your search and trip.

[toystorymom]

HALLOWEENTOWN - We are from MA too and just returned from our 1st trip to WDW. We survived the drive! The tv/vcr was a lifesaver for us as it kept the 3 kids very occupied.

We have the 9 inch tv/vcr that we bought on sale at Sears for $169, that included plugs for both the house and in the car. We also bought the bag which is made specifically for securing these 9 inch combos into a vehicle. They are somewhat pricey, about $50, but definitely worth it. I have also seen them on ebay. I don't think bungy cords are enough. Remember, you're not just talking about holding the tv secure while you're driving but also in the case of an accident.

I know it's expensive for both the tv and bag but it is a very long drive and I think it was worth the investment.

Have you ever made the MA to WDW drive before?

[SueM in MN]

Bungee cords (or those rubber cords with hooks on the end) may seem to be a safe way to secure a TV, but there are some other things to think about. I know of someone who lost an eye to a bungee cord, so I am very wary of them.

1) A bungee cord is basically a large rubber band or piece of elastic. If you've ever had a rubber band snap when you are holding something it is attached to, you can imagine what might happen if the elastic in the bungee cord snaps.

2) The information I've seen about bungee chords says not stretch them too tightly because it puts more stress on them. if you don't pull them tight, you can't keep a TV from moving around.

3) If you stretch the cord too tight and it gets away from you, the cord breaks, or the hook breaks or the attachment of the hook to the cord breaks, one or the hook ends will go flying. That's how the person I know of lost his eyesight. If you don't believe me, here's a link to a page about the danger of bungee cords to the eyes (http://www.scif.com/newscif2/news_info/bulletins/bungee.htm) and here's another one (http://www.securityworld.com/community/didyouknow/bungeecord.html)

4) In an accident, elementary physics says that things that are not secured will keep going forward with a force of their weight times the speed you were going. So if the TV weighs 10 pounds and you are going 30 miles per hour when an accident occurs (or even a sudden stop), the TV will want to keep going at a force of 300 pounds. Most of the bungee cords I have seen are only rated for between 10 and 20 pounds. Enough to keep the TV still when you are moving, but not if you have to stop suddenly. And, if your car turns over, the TV and milk crate or whatever it was on that stayed secure on the floor before the accident, will be flying to the ceiling.

There are safer ways to keep things secure. You can get cargo tiedown straps at places like Target and Home Depot that can be tightened down securely and won't stretch in an accident. Other people have also mentioned the bags that are meant for holding TVs in the car while you are traveling. Those are safe ways.

[chance]

Thanks for all of the advice. I will absolutley look into it and keep my bungee opninions to myself. Like anything else in the great USA there are a million opinions on everything.....

[mickeyfan58]

I just bought a TV/DVD combo 9 inches at Costco for $329.99.

[AmieeLynne]

hi everyone, new to disboards and hoping I have a clue about posting and get this right on the first try! :) About the tv thing -- I bought a 13 in tv/vcr combo for $119 at walmart on sale and have seen it at bj's for $130 reg price. At target they have the power inverters for $30. I just have to find a way to strap this thing down now. If you keep an eye on the local sunday papers, I'm sure you'll find one on sale. We are leaving in september for our first trip ever at WDW and are driving from western mass, was curious to ask the couple of you from here in mass if you have driven and if so how was it and how did you break it up? thanks :Pinkbounc

[nicknamy1996]

The Wal-Mart one that has been mentioned a few time (9") were all marked down from 169.99 to 160.00 at our local walmart as of last night (Monday)

FYI-We bought a "Funai" 9" for our trip in Feb. and had to exchange it once already and now it starting to act up again.

The tie dow straps are a good idea, sometimes called motorcycle straps. They can be pulled snug and then be tightened by a ratchet thats built into the strap.

The TV in the car will be dangerous, the main thing is to make sure nobody is directly in front of it regardless of how it is strapped in. If, god forbid, there were an accident every little thing becomes a missle. I've got a friend who is a parent educator and an EMT and she once told us of someone who was killed by a box of kleenex which hit them in the back of the head in an accident. So even though the TV is dangerous so is the luggage and the hand held video game and who know what else. The best thing you can do is drive safely and hope everybody else does the same.

What do I know? Not much, I couldn't find our straps so I used my belt!!!

[Luvtomickey]

We have had the TV/VCR combo for the cars for years and loved it but as our kids are growing older all their new movies are on DVD so we just invested in the 9' TV/DVD combo along with wireless headphones. After using headphones with a splitter for 3 kids the wires become a mess and they are always tripping over them getting out of the car. We bought the wireless headphones put the transmitter under the passanger seat plugged into an inverter the TV fit between the two front seats on our car the molded plastic piece for the seatbelt sticks out to keep it from sliding out and I put a plastic shoebox with the DVD's in it behind it and in front of the console thats under the dash ,that TV wasn't goning anywhere but up and that was even tight. We tried to find the bag to help secure it but couldn't find it anywhere not even at Target when they advertised it.

[dougsmom98]

I just bought a 9" tv/vcr combo from Wal Mart to put in our van, and I have been searching on line for a bag to secure it in. I can't find one to buy brand new anywhere. I have seen two on eBaY, but they are going for over $60+ S$H and the auction isn't even over for the two items. I'm willing to pay that brand new but not used. Does anyone know of a site where I can buy one? Is there anyone that has recently bought one in a store? Thanks.
Amy

[mickeylovers]

We bought our bag to secure the 9 inch TV/VCR at Target a few weeks ago. They told us they get a few of them in every couple of days and they sell out real quick, so just keep calling all the Targets in your area. It costs $50, well worth it, I think.

Good Luck!

[toystorymom]

dougsmom98 - try JCWhitney.com From the menu first select Sound & Electronics and then Video. They have the bags from Steel Horse for $49.99. We ended up getting ours online after an exhausting search. I called every Target within 100 miles and there wasn't one to be found. We finally ordered online and it was at my door in a couple of days. Definitely worth the money. Good luck!

[dougsmom98]

Thanks so much for the info Toystorymom. I am ordering mine today from that site. I finally found a few places that had them on line, but they were $60 and $80. $50 sounds good to me.
Amy

[MelodyTime]

We just bought the 9" TV/VCR combo at Sam's Club yesterday for $159. It came with the car adaptor. DS wanted to hook his PS2 up to the tv also so we bought the 300 watt power inverter from Circuit City for $59.99. So now he can attach the PS2 also. The tv has an FM Radio built in so now he has radio, tv, vcr, game, dvd (with PS2) and can play his regular cds. This should be enough to get him through the long ride!!

[Mskanga]

I may have spent a little bit more money but I saved myself all that hassle, I got the 5" video in a bag that fits between the two front seats , that has an awesome audio and video, can be used with video games , has all the adapters I need and can be used anywhere, $270. A lifesaver for us!!

[DisneySlave]

That is a good price,we have a 9" combo with no bag but plan to get one online.They are great for long trips and I guarantee it will be so quite that you will look back just to see if they are there:bounce: