Are you worried about entertaining your family on your next camping holiday? Endless sunshine isn’t a given, even in Australia. Or maybe you just want to relax and watch the news or a couple of movies in the evening. Either way, a decent caravan TV can be a game-changer.
The most important thing is to understand what you’re buying before you invest hundreds of dollars in your TV. In this article, I’ll guide you through some of the best products on the market.
We’ve chosen these televisions for their technical capabilities and for their ability to handle the extremes of Australia’s climate. From Smart TVs with online functionality to more simplistic systems, there should be an option in here to suit just about everybody.
Let’s take a look!
| RV Media 32” Evolution Smart TV/PVR | Sphere S7 23.6" HD Smart TV & DVD Combo | Furrion 24" FHD LED TV + DVD Combo | Devanti 24" LED TV + DVD Combo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Our pick  | Best Value  |  | |
*Using coupon CRCSAVE20 | ||||
32" (80cm) | 23.6" (60cm) | 24" (61cm) | 24" (61cm) | |
1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1366 x 768 | |
Yes | Yes | No | No | |
4.5 kg | 4.4 kg | 3.6 kg | 3.8 kg | |
200 mm x 100 mm | 100 mm x 100 mm | 100 mm x 100 mm | Cannot be wall mounted | |
12/24/240V | 12/240V | 12/240V | 12V | |
2 x 8W | 2 x 3W | 2 x 5W | 2 x 5W | |
HD LED | HD LED | HD LED | HD LED | |
732mm x 477mm x 80mm (w/out base) | 552mm x 154mm x 335mm (w/out base) | 559 x 355mm x 60mm (w/out base) | 602mm x 125mm x 370mm (w/ base) |
Best 12V Caravan TVs Australia
RV Media 32” Evolution Smart TV/PVR
Our Pick
RV Media is a brand leader when it comes to camping TVs. The Evolution Smart TV is one of the most advanced models on the market. It’s one of the highest quality units out there and offers such a wide variety of functions that you may be tempted to swap out your home TV for this one!
Initiate autotuning by pressing the button on RV Media’s backlit remote control. It’s really that simple. If you’re in a campervan or RV don’t worry about it draining your battery because it sends low voltage warnings, which is a nice touch.
The RV Media unit produces full high-definition images with generally outstanding picture quality. Wide-angle viewing enables the user to mount it in any convenient location. This is what makes it one of the most popular 12V TVs on the market today.
If you do have an internet connection you’re in for a treat because that’s where this TV really shines. The inbuilt web browser allows easy access to popular apps like Facebook and Netflix. Of course, only you can decide if you need or even want all these features.
Many users appreciate the way this TV can also be run from a mobile phone. This makes it easy to watch YouTube and to stream media online. It’s one of this television’s best features.
The one area where RV Media lets its buyers down is that it lacks an inbuilt DVD player. There is no guarantee that every campsite or pitch will have fast internet access. While it does have two HDMI ports, this means you’ll have to plug in a laptop or an external player.
This TV isn’t the cheapest and this may prove off-putting for some buyers. However, it does have many incredible features so you have to weigh up the value. If you’re not going to use the Smart TV functions, then this TV is probably not for you.
Sphere S7 23.6” HD Smart TV & DVD Combo
Our Pick
The Sphere S7 retails for over $100 less than the RV Media but don’t let the price fool you. In many ways, this TV is more suitable for ordinary campers than its more expensive rival. For a start, it’s significantly smaller than its competitor which may make it more attractive.
Bigger isn’t always better, especially when you’re living in a caravan with limited space. Unless you have an RV with all of the space in the world, the RV Media’s size will likely cause problems. However, the Sphere offers many of the same advantages and many users praise it for being user-friendly.
Similarly to the RV Media, the Sphere has full Smart TV functions. It comes fully equipped with apps like Google Chrome and Netflix as well as links to websites like Facebook and Amazon. You’ll be right at home with the creature comforts that come with this TV.
Despite its smaller screen size, the Sphere comes with an inbuilt DVD player. This is a clear advantage because it saves space on an external player and removes one more thing to think about. There’s nothing worse than sitting inside on a rainy day with a poor connection and no way to play your movies.
Meanwhile, Sphere designed the S7 with Australian conditions in mind. The Vibration function makes this an extremely hardy piece of kit. It can endure turbulence, extreme heat, and doesn’t get damaged easily.
Once again it’s down to the buyer to decide if a caravan smart TV is worth the investment. But unless you really want the biggest screen possible, the S7 holds a lot of advantages over the RV Media Evolution. The price and size make it a more realistic option.
That’s why, for our money, it’s the number one camping TV in Australia.
Furrion 24” FHD LED TV DVD COMBO
Best Value
Maybe you don’t need a Smart TV. All you want to do is to pick up a signal and watch the news or play a DVD. After all, you don’t want to spend your entire holiday indoors watching Netflix. If that’s the case, the Furrion is the perfect TV for you.
The best thing about this TV is that it’s one of the most durable on the market. Furrion is rightly proud of its Vibrationsmart and Climatesmart technology. This makes it possible to leave the Furrion permanently installed in a camping vehicle or on a boat without worrying about it suffering damage.
Meanwhile, with autotuning and surge protection, the FHD is extremely safe and easy to use. Its static isolator also reduces potential negative effects from a 12V power source. This is a high-performance set.
They designed it to withstand extreme humidity and subzero winter conditions. So it doesn’t matter if you’re in Darwin or the snowy mountains of the south-east, you’ll still be able to catch up on your favourite shows.
While it's not a Smart TV it offers the same picture quality as the previous TVs in this article. When you buy a Furrion you’re paying for a well-designed product. Unless you take a hammer to it the television should last forever.
Devanti 24" LED TV Combo with Built-In DVD Player
Budget Pick
This is the cheapest TV on our list. Devanti’s products are made in China. While they insist that they are of the highest quality, they only offer a three-month warranty on their official website. In contrast, Furrion allows customers to return their TV for up to one year.
But the most attractive aspect of the Devanti is that it’s almost half the price. For many caravan users, a TV is a luxury, not a necessity. Some will even roll their eyes at the thought of buying one.
The Devanti fits the bill if you don’t want to spend a lot and will only use your TV every now and then. It’s the same size as the Furrion and the Sphere for a much lower price.
It still offers 1080P HD images although has a lower maximum resolution than the other TVs listed. Also, it’s energy-efficient with 12V compatibility. There’s even a built-in DVD player and USB ports to watch your movies or TV shows.
Online reviews show that this product satisfies customers who want simplicity and quality for a great price. The Devanti is a great basic system if you don’t want to burn a lot of cash on a camping TV.
What to Consider when buying a 12V Caravan TV
Here are some important points to consider before locking in a purchase.
Price
There’s no point dumping over $600 on a beautiful RV Media TV for the sake of a few hours of watchtime per year. Similarly, if everybody in the caravan is surfing the internet on their phones or tablets then you may never use the full functions of a Smart TV.
Whereas if you know you’re going to be in your van for long periods it could be a great investment. Only you know how much you’ll use it and what you’re going to use it for.
This is probably the most important point to consider when buying a TV for your caravan.
Screen Size
Most people agree that bigger is better when it comes to TV screens. After all, we all want to capture that home cinema experience. But the reality of van life means that space is at a premium.
But there’s a reason why three out of four TVs in this article have 24” screens. It’s the ideal size for most Australian caravans and campervans. Ensure you know your measurements before rushing out and buying a TV that doesn’t fit anywhere inside your van.
Smart TV/Bluetooth
Wi-Fi isn’t a given when you’re on the road. Many campsites have limited internet access and if you're off the grid it's even more hit-and-miss. This means it may be impossible to access the internet on your Smart TV or even worse, cause it to keep buffering.
If you’re trying to manage your children’s screen time and force them to enjoy the great outdoors, a more basic set-up like the Furrion or Devanti may be a better option.
If you’re determined to maximize your Smart TV’s functions, consider buying a camping router. By inserting a 3G or 4G sim card, it will enable internet across your devices. Remember, if you can’t access the web, the RV Media is about as useful as the Furrion.
Warranty
All of the vibration-proof technology in the world can’t stop accidents from happening. In the real world, things go wrong. That’s why warranties are so important when you invest a lot of money in a system like a TV.
This is where RV Media shines. They offer two years of support for their product compared to one year for the Furrion and the Sphere. As we mentioned, Devanti only provides a three-month warranty which may raise alarm bells.
Read more the Furrion warranty.
Wall Mount
Don’t buy a Devanti if you want to mount your TV on the wall. It’s simply not designed for it. For some customers this may be the deciding factor because they don’t have space for a standing TV. All of the other TVs listed are wall-mountable.
But of course, the RV Media demands more space because it’s a bigger screen. Know your specs before you spend your dollars.
Power
All four TVs can be powered from 12V sources. You can also use an adapter to connect them to a 240V outlet except for the Devanti. This may not be a deal-breaker but it’s worth knowing.
If you plan on running your TV while off grid, make sure your RV solar panels, caravan inverter and battery setup can handle the current draw.
Automatic Tuning
There’s nothing worse than flicking on the TV to watch the news and waiting 15 minutes for channel tuning. Save time by enabling your TV’s autotuning function.
The Devanti is the only television without this feature. This means you’ll have to retune it frequently, especially if you’re moving around a lot. Ask yourself if the saving is worth the potential hassle?
If you need to do some manual tuning, check out this useful guide.
Dimensions
For the last time, size matters. If you plan on hanging your TV on the wall of your caravan or camper, make sure you know the dimensions as specified above.
Final Thoughts
Having read this guide, you will hopefully feel more confident when you buy your next camping TV. Remember, think about how much you will use it before making too big of an investment.
We recommend the Sphere S7 if you’re looking for a great SmartTV because of its size and user-friendliness. The built-in DVD player is also a nice touch.
However, if you don’t need all the bells and whistles, the Furrion is the best alternative in terms of overall quality and price. Remember you get what you pay for.
If you’ve any questions about these TVs please leave a comment below.
This article may contain affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you choose to purchase a product or service after clicking on my link. This helps pay for the cost of running the website. You will not be disadvantaged in any way by using my links.
Note that while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this page, there may sometimes be errors. Check all specifications with the manufacturer before purchasing any product.
One of the most important functions is being able to connect external hard drives crammed with movies and TV shows but all 12v TV’s seem incapable of reading content from any hard drive bigger than about 500GB. I want to connect 4 or 8TB drives and for the content to be easily and quickly watchable. Please cover this issue in any future reviews (i.e. what is the maximum size drive that can be connected and how quickly and easily content was watchable).
Thanks for the advice John, I’ll be sure to include that info when I update the review.
I will second that comment from John. I have hundreds of movies and tv series i have yet to watch and will even watch some classics again if its been a few years since i first watched them. Leaning towards the RV Media you describe above but would be curious as to how it handles the larger drives. Cheers
Most, 99%, of tvs that have the option to play media from an external source will only support a FAT32 drive. FAT32 supports drive sizes of up to 32GB and file sizes up to 4GB. The main issue is file sizes. You need to make sure that all your media is a compatible format. Generally this means mpeg2 video and mo3 audio. The biggest size component of a video file is the sound. A good quality 720p fhd video can be as small as 200mb for a 50min episode but adding 5.1 audio to it can enlarge the file size to up to 2GB.
So you need to put in a bit of effort and convert what you are going to watch to the format the tv is going to use. Then you can fit lots of series onto a drive to watch.
Great advice here, thanks Richard!
Thats great Richard, except its 2023. Movie files around 2gb are very common. The TV should be able to play ANY common movie file and audio. Selling TV’s with USB2 ports is morally wrong. You cant BUY usb2 drives anymore….
Louis,
As an ‘oldy’, where hearing deficiency is an issue, would the 2 x 3 watt speakers in the Sphere S8 ((new model) present a problem compared to the 2 x 5 watt speakers in the Furrion. Would appreciate your comment asap as I want to purchase a new TV next week.
As above, the manufacturers need to realise this is 2023, USB 3 and TYPE C is mandatory. The ability to play any type of movie format off 2-4TB external HDD’s AND SSD’s is mandatory. USB 3 came out commercially in 2008 and you CANNOT buy a USB2 external HDD anymore so ALL the above TV’s are useless.