RCA T13082 13" Mobile TV/VCR Combo with AC/DC Operation

Rating:
Summary: Good price, if only!
Review: I bought this model 4 months ago for my kids to watch movies on a 12-hour road trip. I figured that for only a few bucks more than a 9" TV/VCR, I would get one that we could actually use at home, too. I had a bit of trouble finding a place for it in my mini-van, but finally squeezed it in between my 5-year-old's and 3-year-old's car seats in the third row. The day of our trip to Grandma's came, and I spent half an hour playing with the plug to get power to the unit. For some reason, the plug just doesn't fit tightly into the cigarette lighter! After finally getting the plug in at an angle that worked, we were off. And soon, so was the TV. Any time we hit a bump (or I hit the plug with my knee) the delicate balance was interupted, and my kids would begin whining until that was restored. Strike one against the unit.

While it was playing, my kids were happy. I was happy that they were content. But there is an annoying high-pitched "whine" from the unit. And while playing a tape, you can hear the motor turning. Strike two.

But my kids were actually quiet for most of the trip. We returned home and had the same balance problems with the plug, and the "whine" noise from the unit. Once home, the TV found its semi-permanant home in the master bedroom.

Another car trip to Grandma's last month, and the one time we got the plug "balanced" in the lighter outlet, we proptly hit a bump and never did find that elusive angle again. Once we go there, my husband tried the lighters in his parents' cars to no avail. This plug was just too small in diameter (we suspect) to stay snug in the lighter. Strike three.

No more strikes left, but the VCR is not done yet. In the last week, the player has developed a tracking problem. When we insert a tape the picture now jumps for 5-6 seconds before clearing up. That's fine at the beginning of a tape, but when my kids want to finish a movie it can be annoying to have to rewind it a bit because they insist that they "missed that part!!"

All in all, a decent unit for a fair price. But only a week after receiving this model, I saw a power inverter ..., ... so I could have gotten a better unit for less money (and no shipping) if only I'd held off a bit.

Rating:
Summary: Works fine at home but don't take it on the road
Review: The first trip we took this television on the cigarette lighter adaptor failed continuously - but we managed to keep the T.V. running long enough to watch a movie in segments. The second trip we took it on the on/off button broke (it pushed inside of the television and broke) and the cigarette lighter adaptor failed completely. A great disappointment - especially for the price.

Rating:
Summary: A great TV/VCR for the kids.
Review: This isn't a big TV, so you won't be using it as you main TV. But if the kids want a TV and VCR, this is a great choice. It's small, and it'll fit in most spaces, and the included VCR really helps.

On the technical side, there are no problems. Everything seems to work fine. The price is a little high, but it's good for a combo.

Rating:
Summary: A great TV/VCR for the kids.
Review: This isn't a big TV, so you won't be using it as you main TV. But if the kids want a TV and VCR, this is a great choice. It's small, and it'll fit in most spaces, and the included VCR really helps.

On the technical side, there are no problems. Everything seems to work fine. The price is a little high, but it's good for a combo.

Rating:
Summary: TV's fine, but too bulky for our car.
Review: We bought this as a kid's room TV and to take on our 3-4 road trips a year.

It works fine as a TV/VCR for kid's room, but when we took it in my Grand Am, it is way too bulky. It took up about 1/3 of the back seat and our 7-year old daughter couldn't lay down all the way anymore so it hasn't come on a trip with us since then.

Also, it blew the fuse in the cable after a few minutes. Thankfully, there was a Radio Shack on the way and we were able to replace it. Then, during the trip it blew my cigarette lighter fuse in my car and we had to stop at Wal-Mart and buy some more.

Unless you have a big car, I wouldn't recommend this for travelling.

Rating:
Summary: TV's fine, but too bulky for our car.
Review: We bought this as a kid's room TV and to take on our 3-4 road trips a year.

It works fine as a TV/VCR for kid's room, but when we took it in my Grand Am, it is way too bulky. It took up about 1/3 of the back seat and our 7-year old daughter couldn't lay down all the way anymore so it hasn't come on a trip with us since then.

Also, it blew the fuse in the cable after a few minutes. Thankfully, there was a Radio Shack on the way and we were able to replace it. Then, during the trip it blew my cigarette lighter fuse in my car and we had to stop at Wal-Mart and buy some more.

Unless you have a big car, I wouldn't recommend this for travelling.

Rating:
Summary: Works fine at home but don't take it on the road
Review: We purchased this TV/VCR combo for use in the kitchen and to put in our minivan for long trips so the kids could be entertained. I found the unit's quality to be suspect at every turn. I should know better than buy RCA, and I will know not to in the future. We would use the push buttons instead of the remote in the kitchen, and lo and behold the on/off button pushed in all the way and broke off. Now a gaping hole exists. The tracking and VCR picture has been atrocious and the sound quality pathtic for even a 13 inch TV. Speakers on the side of the unit does not help. I suggest going with Toshiba or a brand you can trust.

Rating:
Summary: RCA TV/VCR Combo
Review: We purchased this TV/VCR combo for use in the kitchen and to put in our minivan for long trips so the kids could be entertained. I found the unit's quality to be suspect at every turn. I should know better than buy RCA, and I will know not to in the future. We would use the push buttons instead of the remote in the kitchen, and lo and behold the on/off button pushed in all the way and broke off. Now a gaping hole exists. The tracking and VCR picture has been atrocious and the sound quality pathtic for even a 13 inch TV. Speakers on the side of the unit does not help. I suggest going with Toshiba or a brand you can trust.