Adding a LED TV with built in digital TV tuner and DVD player wasn't too hard. I bought the 12V NAXA NTD-1552 15.6 inch widescreen online for about $150 and a good TV stand to mount it on. The stand I purchased was the Sanus double-pivot full motion flat panel mount which ran for about $50 online. I then purchased two bolts, washers, and locking nut for another $3 bringing my total cost to about $203. Nowadays, because certain online companies are collecting state taxes, the price would be a little higher.I really like the panel mount I purchased as the TV stays put while I drive but it is easy to move when I want to use it and even face forward so I can watch it from the front side captains chairs. Unfortunately, the viewing angle on this TV is not that great meaning that if you are not viewing the TV straight on the images will darken making it hard for two people to watch a program who are not sitting close together.
A big plus to this project is getting to reclaim the old analog TV storage area. This space is great for storing my CD collection, DVDs, laptop computer, camera equipment, and a small inverter for charging my ipod, computer, & camera batteries.
I should also note that I try to unplug the TV when idle as it drains the battery a little in off-mode. A simple enough solution is to disconnect the power which gets plugged in the rear cigarette lighter. It is also nice that the panel mount manages the cables that need to run into the cabinet.Tip- While drilling your hole to run the cables through make sure you drill it out on both sides or you may tear the oak veneer on the non-drilled side like I did. I was able to glue back the veneer for the most part but I do wish I had partially drilled it through on the one side and then reversed drilled it on the other side to get a clearer hole.
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