Has any got any experience of using them?
Any do and dont's? I'm thinking of getting a system in anticipation of a summer hols taking the car down to S France. If I go for it I'll get it fitted professionally.
Thanks
|
I have had a couple. Firstly they are absolutely superb for entertaining the kids, although they can struggle a little with motion sickness depedning on what they are watching. Also provided that your children are comfortable with headphones.
The biggest mistake I made with the first was to have a fitted kit that I couldn't easily hang on to if I changed the car, but which wasn't going to earn its money back if sold with the car.
The biggest issue I had with the removable kits was strapping the screen down rigidly. With hind-sight I should have got a couple of spare headrests from somewhere or other and been prepared to sacrifice them.
Also consider whether or not your passengers get on well enough to always watch the same film.
|
Let the kids look out of the window and ask questions about the world going by...much better for them.
V
|
Let the kids look out of the window and ask questions about the world going by...much better for them.>>
Yeah like "Are we there yet?" In car DVD sounds like a good idea to me.
_______
IanS
|
|
The kids are quite happy reading books in the back of the car (I do occasionally allow them to read books in-between forcing them to watch back to back cartoons Vin) so motion sickness isn't an issue.
|
|
|
|
We bought a set for the very same reason/journey - ours has 2 screens that attach to the headrests with velcro-type straps. Now we are used to them, they are quick to set up and remove. The biggest bother is all the cables trailing so we have done a little velcro diy to keep the cables tidy and out of the way.
How old are your kids? When we first got the kit ours weren't too good at using the DVD menus on their own, so an adult passenger had to do the controls from the front, while the kids yelled out what the options on the screen were. That was a pain but didn't last long.
We will mostly use ours for journeys of 2 hours plus. I had to put my foot down about watching DVDs on the way to school. We have found that they reduce complaints of travel sickness, presumably because the kids aren't looking around and about all the time.
So overall a positive experience.
P.S. If you don't want it to be TV all the way, try and get hold of a copy of 'I-Spy on a car journey in France' Classic entertainment.
|
|
|
Have a good look on the net at the different types of kit avaiilable.
Some twin screen kits are expense c.£200 and may only give you 6" screens which will be difficult to view.
You can get individual players with a 7" screen (the difference is bigger than it seems) for around £80 or less. Some also have game consoles built in. One I found at Amazon has both of these plus a TV tuner so will be useful once you arrive. Have a look at tinyurl.com/aap5t or tinyurl.com/ayl96 . I have bought neither so cannot vouch for quality, but at least it gives you a benchmark.
|
|
|
Bought one three weeks ago. It's great. £60 from Argos, works off battery, car lighter or mains. 6.5" screen and two headphone points.
Frankly, if it's small kids, i would get the cheapest portable you can get. Benefit of a portable if that you can take it out of the car so there's less risk of breakin and also you can use it at a hotel.
At £60, it's tempting to get one per child, subject to power points.
In answer to Vin - a lot of our long trips are regular so they've exhausted "what's that there, Daddy", and also we drive in the dark, so there's not much to see. We use the DVD on trips over an hour.
My youngest is autistic and if he falls asleep, when he wakes up, it's morning and there's no convincing him otherwise. The DVD player keeps him wide awake and ready for bed when we get home. For £60, i have gained three good night's worth of sleep already, and that's worth it on it's own.
|
|
I bought one about a year ago - a "Venturer" from Argos. It was about £150, the picture is very good. I opted for a single screen (9") rather than the twin screen models. The benefits of this are that its one simple unit in one piece rather than twin screens and all the gubbins: you get a much bigger screen and its a much easier installation. All I do is slip a plastic rod through the headrest mounts and suspend the unit between the seat backs, ie facing the middle of the rear seats. I then secure via a stout strap to the middle (unoccupied)seat belt to stop it swinging and to avoid it flying around in an accident. Sounds more of a fuss than it is - maybe takes 2-3 mins. Both kids get a good view of a big screen,and, crucially, it has two headphone sockets. One unexpected bonus is its so portable(and has a mains unit) that I can take it on business trips with some good films to while away the time in hotels. This would be much less practicable with the smaller screened, twin screen units. Yes its a shame that kids arent interested in scenery etc but to be honest the view on the M6 on a six hour trip to Scotland soon palls and 16-17 year olds quickly tire of I-Spy!!
|
I have had a portable DVD player for a while which I suspended between the front headrests in a special case I got out of B&Q.
However, since getting the laptop, the kids much prefer using that instead.
In the Scenic, I pull the middle seat forward and fold it flat, then place the laptop on it. My daughter is computer literate so knows how to play the DVDs from there. Of course, use headphones plugged in with a splitter jack.
|
I've tried using the laptop to play DVDs and it is fine for that but it has the downside of not being secured properly which is a pain for watching and not a great idea safety wise.
Has anyone come across a good fixing device for securing a lap top between the front seats?
|
|
Whoaa, the safety police will be responding to that one...you wait and see
|
I too bought the "Venturer" twin screen + wireless headphone set up. The screens fit on mounts velcro strapped to the headrests. Certainly keeps the kids quiet.
Its good kit but a pain to set and wire up. When its all dismantled and placed in bag there is some weight and bulk.
I am mindful of anything which advertises the fact that there are nickable electronics in the vehicle which fully fitted screens would do unless you could have some matching covers made to slip over the headrests.
In hindsight one of the single screen jobies all mounted in a self cotained case that hangs between the seats would have been a better option.
--
Fullchat
|
|
7" single widescreen one with car kit on clearance at Aldi next Thursday 23rd Feb., for £59.99.
|
|
|
|
