REVIEW – Televisions are omnipresent. They are used at home for entertainment, at work for business, and elsewhere for every other conceivable purpose. So, why not put one in your RV? The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV has features specifically for the road. I have one to review. Read on to see what I think!
What is it?
The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV is a television that has a lightweight design and DC input capability which makes it very easy to install and use in an RV. The lightweight keeps it from moving as much over bumps and the DC input is more compatible with RV wiring than 120 VAC systems. The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV has a host of desirable features:
- Built-in Netflix, Youtube, Prime Video, Facebook, and Twitter
- Compatible with streaming TV boxes, such as Amazon Fire TV and Roku TV sa
- Compatibility with HDMI, Bluetooth, USB and 2.4G Wifi, HDIM input
- Remote control buttons to open Netflix, Prime Video, Pandora or YouTube with one click
- You can share pictures, videos, and music via your smartphone with the direct screen-casting feature
- 178° wide viewing angle
- 1080P full HD, 3000:1 contrast ratio, 60Hz refresh rate
- Built-in two 15W HiFi speakers to provide you with 3D surround sound
- Wide voltage design (10.5V-28V), recoil protection and reverse connection protection
- Support wall-mounted installation with VESA size 200*100mm
What’s in the box?
- Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV
- Detachable feet
- AC power cord and adapter
- DC accessory power cord
- Remote control
- Batteries
- Screen Cleaner
- Warranty card
- Instruction manual
Hardware specs
- Model: 32″ Smart RV TV
- Display Screen Type: Color active matrix LED display
- The maximum resolution: 1920 X 1080
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Response Time(Typical): 8ms
- View Angles: LR,UD(CR>10) 178°/178°
- DVD Player: No
- Display Colors: 8bit, 16.7M
- lmage control: Fine digital control
- TV receive system: NTSC System,ATSC System
- Frequency range Antenna: 2~69;Cable: 1~135(Analog:1-125, Digital: 1-135)
- Video In: NTSC3.58
- Power Consumption(Max): 50W
- Audio output: 2×15W
Design and features
Unboxing
The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV comes well packaged in a cardboard box. The box is labeled fragile and the TV is supported by styrofoam inserts inside.
The TV is covered by a plastic liner and there is a second liner on the screen which extends under the bezel. I was concerned the screen was scratched, because there was some scuff on the plastic, until I realized it was only on the plastic coating.
Design
The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV is physically very similar to other TVs on the market. The overall dimensions are 28.8 inches wide, 20.2 inches high, and 7.7 inches thick if the feet are used. If the TV is wall-mounted the thickness is 3.1 inches. The screen is surrounded by a thin but noticeable bezel that is about 9/16 inches thick. There is a thicker frame along the bottom, which is about 2.3 inches tall, for the speaker grills and for the IR remote control receiver and power indicator. The power indicator is green in power-on mode and red in standby mode. The white Sylvox brand label is on the bottom center of the screen. The bezel is glossy black plastic while the speaker grill is matte black plastic. The design effect is that the speaker grill is an adjacently mounted sound bar.
The lower right side of the screen (while facing it) has buttons for the menu (to see an on-screen menu of the TV’s features), source, channel +/- (which is also for up/down menu navigation), volume +/- (which is also for left/right menu navigation), and power. The buttons are flexibly mounted to the back frame and you can see the switches mounted to the printed circuit board inside. While this design does seem more rudimentary than a captive plastic button inside the frame, the benefit of this design is that it will not rattle when the TV goes over bumps.
The rear of the TV has connections for power, RJ45 ethernet, mini AV (TRRS 3.5mm to video/left/right RCA inputs), left/right RCA out, 2 HDMI inputs, RF input, and SPDIF (laser) output along the bottom and an earphone (3.5 mm), and 2 USB ports on the left-hand side. A nice feature would have been a cable tie mounted to the back of the screen but most of the back of the TV is smooth and an adhesive sticker will probably work to keep cables tidy and free from shaking loose.
The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV has a 120 VAC adapter and a DC power adapter ranging from 10.5 to 28 V and can be wired in reverse without a problem.
The remote control is a fairly standard design that requires a line-of-sight IR transmission to function. The design of the remote is well-sized and sturdy enough. The button presses are responsive and have good travel and tactile feedback. I do think that the buttons could be rearranged some – the YouTube and Netflix buttons are near the numerical input pad and the Amazon and Pandora are towards the bottom.
The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV has 1080p resolution. This is less than many of the 4K televisions available today but the resolution is appropriate for the 4 to 6 ft viewing distance that may be typical in an RV setting. If the TV is being used to stream then 1080p will be the maximum resolution available.
The IPS LCD screen has a 178-degree up/down/left/right viewing angle. This is great for watching the TV from in bed or from watching at an angle across an RV or from an adjacent side.
The screen has an 8ms latency which may be good for gamers. Note this isn’t a gaming TV per se – There is no FreeSync, G-Sync, or standard VRR and the refresh rate is only 60 Hz. Also, a 4K monitor would be better for the viewing distance used on games. Still, the TV can perform as a gaming monitor in a pinch or by design.
The screen panel itself is not as glossy or reflective as glass but is more polished or reflective than a typical laptop or computer monitor. Therefore there may be some interference with reflections or direct sunlight. Today’s cinematography favors scenes with low lighting so reflections can be distracting and watching TV on the road (as a passenger!) can be subject to uncontrolled shifts of the lighting. Independent of the lighting conditions, the screen needs to be able to produce subtle colors in order to see the images in these dark scenes. The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV has a contrast ratio of 3000:1 so the TV should be able to render most scenes.
Below the screen are the 15W speakers. These speakers are loud enough for the TV and turning them up will fill a typical RV or any medium-sized room with sound. However, an external speaker will provide a much wider soundstage. The TV can connect to an external speaker by the wired RCA, headphones, or SPDIF connection, but the TV can also connect to an external speaker or to headphones using a Bluetooth connection.
The Sylvox 32” TV runs on a MediaTek Linux operating system (OS). The OS provides access to Netflix, Amazon, Pandora, and YouTube without the need for a streaming stick. The TV will also support any number of streaming sticks that fit directly into the HDMI port and the stick can be powered by the USB ports on the TV as well.
The out of the box experience has a lengthy terms and conditions contract which must be agreed upon before using the system.
In addition to streaming, the TV has a built-in receiver for DTV signals received over the air. The TV does a wonderful job of rendering the picture from a streaming source. The image of clouds behind the Dreamworks logo does not have any jaggedness or pixelation. The picture rendering on the system seems very accurate, but a full set of picture adjustment tools is also provided.
Performance
It’s still winter here in New England and the TV installation is on hold while the RV is winterized and with a dead battery. However, I do have a picture of the TV sitting on the table in my friend’s vintage (antique?) 1993 Fleetwood Tioga Arrow motorhome.
What I like
- Great picture
- Wide selection of inputs and outputs
What I’d change
- Remote layout
- Expensive
Final thoughts
Many of the items that go into RVs are specialized. These items are usually smaller appliances, special power requirements, protection from vibration, etc. The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV is a specialized product that is as good or better than similar products for general use. The Sylvox 32″ Smart RV TV is more expensive than other 1080p TVs of the same size – almost twice the price. If you have an RV then this may just be the TV you’re looking for. If you are looking for a TV for other locations, a 32″ 4K smart TV can be had for about the same price.
Price: $399.99
Where to buy: Amazon and Sylvox
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sylvox.
