TV/VCR in car for our drive to WDW

[drewc]

All,

We're driving down to WDW in March from NY. We have a 9" tv/vcr combo, but we're having trouble figuring out where to put it. We have base model Caravan, and with 3 kids we need to have both seats in (2 bench type seats). The tv unit won't fit on the floor between the two front seats, and even if it did, I think it would be difficult to view from there. I looked at one of those canvas bags that fit the 9" sets, but it seemed pretty awkward for the driver and front passenger.

I'm thinking about placing the set in between the front seats on their arm rests, and then getting cargo straps to ratchet it tight. It won't be great for the driver and front passenger, but it would be fairly easy to take down when the kids aren't watching.

Any other ideas? I know there is always the option of getting a smaller lcd screen set, but they are fairly expensive, and we already have this set.

TIA.

 

[VickiVM]

I don't really have any suggestions about mounting it. We drove from San Antonio last fall and debated whether to get the TV combo or not. We have a van with captains chair in the middle and a bench in the back, and other than mounting from the ceiling, there really doesn't seem to be a good spot so that viewing from both sets of seats is optimal. We decided that for the cost of the dern thing (and we also took in the aggravation of 3 children whining about not being able to see) we would just do without. The kids did beautifully all the way there and back. We took plenty of activities to keep them busy, plus they just enjoyed the scenery as well. We also had concerns of how dangerous the unit could be during an accident. I've heard others say that it could become a deadly missile.

Anyway, that was our experience driving sans a tv. Good luck and if you are successfully able to mount it so that it benefits all in the back seats, let me know. I'm curious.

 

[pstepka]

We mounted ours on a rectangle milk crate (the plastic ones) right behind the front seats (same van as yours) and it was viewable from the 3rd row seat. My husband somehow tied it down with bungee straps (cuz the milk crates have the holes in the side). We put the milk crate so the open end was facing the front seat and used it as storage for snacks, etc. (we drove from Cleveland, OH). It fit nicely wedged in just between the backs of the front seat armrests. I think ours was a 13", though.

For our next trip, we bought the tv in a bag from Best Buy and hung it from the back of the seats (we bought two and the 3rd row kid got his own). They are great cuz the tv part can come out and you can put it anywhere. It's not actually a t.v....it's a small 5" screen and a vcr. It worked out great for the kids.

If you want more info, feel free to email me.

stepkpam@yahoo.com

Pam

 

[BCAMom]

We bought the TV bag for our 9" TV/VCR from Target. You mount it on the back of driver and passenger seat. We leave in 5 days....can't wait to try it and see how it works!

 

[SamR]

...we bought two and the 3rd row kid got his own...

Did you buy two VCR units, or did you buy a second screen for the first unit? I have also been considering something like this for our Caravan, although I was looking at the "DVD in a bag". I have read that you can get a second screen for it, and that would be ideal for my third-row passenger, but I haven't been able to find one yet.

 

[drewc]

My father had bought the bag carrier from Target also. We tried it out on his Town and Country, and our Caravan, and we weren't really happy with the way it fit. It seems really awkward for the front passengers. On the other hand, the tv is very secure, which is a major concern of mine.

They ended up doing the milk crate thing in their mini-van, which is bigger than ours and has 2nd row captains seats. It worked out just fine for them. We can't fit the crate and tv in ours with our 2nd row bench seat in. I wish we could fit all three kids in the rear bench seat, but with car seats and booster seats (they are 5, 4 and 18 months) it just isn't possible.

I think we're going to just try setting it on the arms of the captains chairs and then lashing it with the ratcheting cargo straps. That seems like the best compromise.

 

[erikthewise]

If you use a TV, make sure it is VERY securely mounted. A loose CRT in a vehicle is extremely dangerous and could cause serious injury even in a relatively minor accident.

 

[pstepka]

We bought two separate units (they were on sale because they had the 4" screens, and they were coming out with the 5" ones -- my kids said the 4" was just fine). I just saw the dvd in a bag advertised at Best Buy or somewhere like that. It was about 279.00. I also have seen a different kind of tv in a bag, where it's an actual little tv that is in the bag and the bag then hangs. Miine is just a vcr with a screen and the screen can be removed from the bag (it's held on with a velcro strap, I believe).

 

[Gillian]

I know you don't want to buy another TV, but maybe someone else would be interested in knowing that Sam's club sells a set with 2 screens included. I think it's VHS, not DVD.