Your opinion - Televisions in an RV

[newrvguy68]

I'm just curious to know of the different opinions that are out there regarding the use/presence of televisions in an rv. Specifically, are you a camping purist who cannot imagine something like a tv being in an rv when you're trying to get back to nature...whether you like to have one to entertain the kids or keep up with the latest news and sports, or if you really don't care one way or the other?

Sorry if this has been brought up before but I couldn't find anything that was related to TV's in an rv, other than installing one.

[LkptRvPilot]

This question is gets a Yes and No from me with an explanation.

To set the scene, we have a Motorhome (Grayhawk 31SS). The standard rule is No electronics, including TV's (although the kids somehow get to bring their ipods - but we limit their use on the trip).
However, for very long trips, usually over several days of driving to get to our destination, we bring the TV to occupy the kids (and non-driver) with movies or Wii. The TV does not get turned on during camping part.
And the final however - one of our favorite things to do is watch the Bills game in October outside the Motorhome with a fire going (ect). Our TV is removable and rarely bring it (unless one of the 2 cases above).

So, while I am not completely against TV's on camping trips, I (we) don't usually bring it on normal camping trips. We do chuckle at people who are inside watching TV while we are watching the sunset.

-Kris

[RedHorse1]

No question for us. We want one. It's gotten the most use by our grandson (6) in the evenings after going like a demon down the waterslides at Jellystone all day. At least we think he was awake, his eyes were open.
The bride and I will use it occasionally when it's just the two of us, usually in the morning to watch the news and catch up on which country we've offended in the last 24 hrs (don't get me started:hihi. We're not boondockers so we've always got the power to spare on the tele.

[Iraqvet05]

I could leave our TV at home but it has come in handy keeping our 5 and 9 year old entertained when it is raining or 100 degrees outside (and it has rained the past 4 times we have taken the TT out). The DW and I rarely watch the TV when camping but it is nice be able to tune in local TV stations when sever weather is around.

[DocBrown]

When we tented and had a pop up, there was no way I would have considered a TV. Without trying to offend anyone, we never needed a TV camping to keep our daughter entertained. A couple of years after we bought our first hybrid, we took a 6k mile trip. This was before widely available WiFi and cheap laptops. So I reluctantly gave in and bought a TV to catch weather reports on the route and have some entertainment on short overnight stops. We've got the point where we like having quick access to local weather reports, and a DVD player to watch movies late at night before going to sleep. Also for the occasional rain day. I guess maybe its become an "age" thing, but more over I think its an RVer thing. We don't watch it for the sake of sitting and watching it. Other daily activities, the nightly camp fire, and the desire to simply be outside really puts the TV at the back seat of our camping trips. If the TV is on in the trailer an hour a day, that would be a lot! So I answered "I don't see the problem!".

[mcfarmall]

I'm more of a camping purist...I like to stay unplugged from the world while camping. However, I find it enjoyable to drag a big screen tv out to the picnic table and watch a DVD around the campfire. The only other time I'd watch it is if it is pouring down rain.

[Nighthawk 96]

DW has got to have her tv. We have two. She will watch while cooking or when she goes to bed. She has been after me to get a satelite dish.
But most of what she watches is network tv anyway, which is available at the cgs we go to. I would like Fox News and CNBC, however I have an xm radio in the truck, so if I need a fix I can get it there. A lot of their programs are available on a smartphone. I like to read, and after all, while camping we should probably try to get away from what we normally do at home; just for a change.

[Old Blue]

Never had one befor we got the Jayco and didnt think we needed one but I will admit we like watching the news or if there is a baseball , football, ect. game on and I have watched some movies when we have the grandkids. but most of the time we are outside by the fire.

[FPM III]

I didn't vote in the survey because there wasn't a category that fit my true feelings. I'm not a camping purist, but I'm not an "I don't care" kind of person either.

We didn't have the ability to use a television until we bought our pop-up, but here's how the "television policy" worked from when we bought the pop-up in 1986:

For trips over a week, the television, a five inch GE Spacemaker, was packed up in a box and placed in truck. It was permitted to be brought out and setup in the pop-up only on days when we were confined to the inside due to long periods of inclement weather. As soon as normal weather conditions returned, the television was placed in its box and in put back in the truck.

For trips less than a week, the television stayed home.

[Jagiven]

I have not voted yet. After our first trip out, and tested everything, I removed tv from the HTT. I do not watch much tv, however my DW and kid cannot get enough of it. By removing it, it helps with encouraging them both to get out and enjoy whatever is around us. We do bring the Itouch which has lots of movies on it, and the kid does like to watch it before going to bed. For me it is a way to encourage the two to get out and explore.

[2edgesword]

We'll usually end a day of camping with the grandkids by watching a movie. If I can get a few OTA channels I'll try to watch the news and weather. Beyond that I'm camping to get away from distractions and enjoy the outdoors so I've put off getting Dish some other satellite TV at least until I retire and go full-time .

[Crabman]

Do not watch much TV myself when camping but when three boys are in the TT and need something to do, well there is a TV there if ya know what I mean....

[marshvegasmike]

New to RV per se. Just bought a Jayco Feather light x23j. All the comforts of home. Which I find a little disturbing. Noticed when we camped on Cape Cod over Memorial Day weekend with a bunch of other RVers, hardly anyone is outside. Granted, the weather wasn't the greatest. Had the dog with us so I walked him a lot and ran into few campers. The couple across from us in a fifth wheel, didn't see them for 2 days. I actually started to worry about them. Second trip to the Cape in July was hot and humid. Wife has come to hate the heat and was quite contend to sit in the camper with AC and TV on. Not my idea of camping. I was outside, had the awning out, 9x12 mat, couple of zero gravity chairs and tiki torches going. Got to meet my new neighbor when he came over to borrow my 5ft step ladder he noticed me on. We were admiring each other's rig and got a laugh as we both had just moved up from popups. That's what I like most about camping, getting out and meeting people. Hearing about adventures or ideas on where to go. That's how it was with all our travels with the popup around the northeast and Canadian Maritimes.

[Dwilcox353]

Last outing, great weather, it never got unstrapped. First outing of the season it rained most of the weekend so we watched some movies and NASCAR. It just depends, I am happy with a book on the rainy days and the wife likes to play board or card games, the kids on the other hand get board and want TV. The X-Box says home.

[gtsum2]

I grew up camping and traveling in my grandparents class a. I was extremely lucky to be able to go to every state but Alaska and to many of our country's great national parks. Most of this in a 37ft class a with ac, tv, microwave, Etc, etc....even though we had all the amenities, we were not in the camper unless it was raining or it was bed time. It was nice to have during those times though. I have 2 and 6 year old boys and we absolutely have a tv with us while camping, but they r outside all day long and tv only gets used as mentioned above

[Mustang65]

We are now winding down from our 3 month camping trip out west. We watch TV in the morning when we awaken with our first cup of coffee and weather channel. No TV during the day. At night we have been watching our home TV stations, recorded programs, and the Tampa Bay Ray's baseball, VIA Slingbox over the Internet. When we do not have Internet or local TV we use the Tailgater. Lately it has mostly been reading books outside, the best of all!!!

[exjay1]

Gotta have my coffee and Robin Meade in the AM lol. OK, I really dont care, wouldnt go off and buy a new tv if ours broke but its good for the kiddies (and our sanity) on a rainy day. Ohh..also not bad to flip it to the Weather channel incase you see some nasty storm clouds/wind coming close. Im more for the TV than constantly looking/checking the cell phone while out camping. I usually leave my phone off or on mute.

[Seann45]

Although I have one in the RV I only use it when snowbirding.. when I am in the mountains in the summer the last thing I want to think about is TV

[thomasmnile]

We have the one TV in our WhiteHawk, but it's no deal breaker if we can't pick up any stations with the OTA. Programming these days (except for sporting events I may want to view) is the best reason I know not to turn the TV on. If I remember them, we may take a few DVD's to watch at night if the skeeters are too bad outside. Otherwise, find me a good country music station and I'm good.

What really makes me happy is when we're camped in an area where there is no cell phone service................:applause:

[Forgvn77]

I debated for a year or so before I did the above in our 32TSBH. Was it going to be too much? Would it be distracting for the kids in the back even if it was off? Well, so far, so good. Like others have said, there are times when we use it and times when we don't. Bad weather and at night are those times. Movies are a blast with our newly acquired bean bag chairs