Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: Electro on July 08, 2004, 01:22:37 am
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;) :D ;D ;) :D ;D ;) :D ;D ;) :D ;D ;) :D ;D
Anybody have a hot tub with the TV built-in?
There are a few manufacturers who have one or more TV options, including a 42 inch plasma wide wide screen (Extended Definition, not High Definition) that comes up out of the side for a cool $10,000 extra.
I'm curious about anyone who'd get a TV in a hot tub. The extended 5 year warranty at one dealer cost an extra $7,000 over the one year.
What about this? Is this too much?
Electro
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it's a little much, but if you got the scratch, whut thu heck, go for it.
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Strickly for lottery winners. Give me a break ha ha ha
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I do not know...but I thought part of the enjoyment and pleasure of your spa was to get away from TV and things for a few minutes...I know it is not for me.... ;)...lottery winner or not....
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I like music in my spa, but would draw the line at TV.
I don't even want to think about the possible service costs to repair a broken spa TV. I've also heard that you are only supposed to run the TV for short periods of time.
But to each their own.
Brewman
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There are so many options for tvs in todays market place i.e. data projectors,lcd and plasma panels so, I would find that getting this option would place limitations on you. I also agree with potential service call costs. I'm the type that wants to get away from the tv and enjoy my surroundings while tubbing unless it was sunday and football games were on then I would like an option for a tv!! I would stay clear of this overpriced add on.. good luck Fedman
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Man alive. Even if I had all the money in the world I still would not get a tub with a TV. The point is to get away from the noise and bussle and relax. How can you do that watching what's on the tube?
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If you're going to get the TV spa why stop there. See if you can get one with a fridge and microwave built in? Craziness!!!!
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I was poking around some big box the other day, and saw a refrigerator with a LCD tv built into the door.
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Y'all assume that the only people that buy hot tubs are stressed out over worked parents. There is quite a number of single people that buy the for the sole purpose of entertainment.
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Look I love sitting in the tub and watching TV it is the ultimate couch potatoeness (all though hot-tub prune might be more descriptive).
I did not want to spend that much money for the installed TV. What I found was the real problem is the sound wheter it is TV or stereo the built-in speakers are simply in the right place to hear the damn thing. No boom box or tv next to the tub makes it from the audio point of view.
So I splurged for the stereo then went to the auto parts store and bought an rf modulator which I hooked up in series with the antenna. Then I ran a wire from the headphone jack on my indoor tv to the tub (via plugs on the interior and then the exterior - no messy wires hanging out almost closed windows and to the jack on from the rf modulator.
All I needed now was a swivel for the kitchen tv and I was in business.
As far as the refrigerator and TV - if you ask the pizza delivery guy will come around back and meet you in the tub - now if it was just one of those fantasy penthouse letter blondes I read about it would really be great to be the king.
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Dino, you da man!
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Read the warranty of these tubs - and look into just who will service the TV if it has a problem.
I have heard some local folks upset because the TV failed rather soon and yet was not covered by the tub maker, nor serviced by the dealer, and they had to pay to have it removed, crated, shipped to the TV manufacturer and repaired, then shipped back to their home, and then re-installed.
I would put a TV or projection screen in such a location that it can be enjoyed from the spa and/or patio.
In fact, I'm working on getting a pojector and setting it up so it can hit the screen in a new home theater we're adding, and swivel around (or use a mirror) so it can also shine on an outdoor screen.
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Chas, I've started to explore this option as well so i'm curious on what brand of data projector and screen you are looking into. I 'm assuming your screen will be motorized!! post som pics when you get it functional..
Fedman
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I'm looking at Sharp. We put a V-10 in our church about two years ago - with a motorized screen - and you can run both the lamps for easy daylight viewing. I want one just like it - but I'm not sure what the current model would be.
4000 ANSI lumens, about 20 different inputs, choose a lens from their pro options, quiet fan, auto-shut-down, lamp saver, fully intelligent, can send e-mail to sysop noting trouble, or lamp life. I think I can control it over a network - but I'm not sure. Only drawback is it's huge! Not as big as a BARCO, but big.
As to the screen at home - the indoor screen will be fixed in place, but the outdoor? I hadn't though about it. I'm leaning toward rear-projection in a window - with a simple mirror to flip down and divert the image to the RP screen for outdoor.
Haven't nailed down all the particulars yet.
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I took the easy way out I guess. I have to agree that 90% of the time I want to enjoy my tub with no TV interruptions but also as mentioned there are those Sundays when a cold one in the hot tub with the football game on is a great thing. So, I basically just bought a TV stand that attached to the over hanging eave of my house right next to my tub. I then spliced my cable and ran a line back to the tub. So all I have to do is bring my 19 inch TV outside, attach the cable and plug it in. Then when I am done I just take it back in the house. We have had some fun football parties and got to use the tub while we watch the game.
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Perk1
sounds great to me..I'd be happy to stop over on sundays and watch the Patriots march to another superbowl berth this year!! Sounds like you have a great setup... Fedman
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In order to comply with the UL standard, hot tubs have labels posted that are to be removed only by the customer. One instruction on these labels says that no electrical appliances may be used within 5 feet of the tub. This is to prevent shock to the user who may reach out while in the tub and touch or operate the TV or stereo, etc. Also, water splashed from the tub onto or in the cooling holes on a TV could easily ruin the TV.
It might be wise to move your TV or other electrical appliance back to a safe distance from the tub, i.e. greater than 5 feet.
Electro
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Good advice.
Also, anything in the spa area should be plugged into a GFI-protected outlet.
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Any of you guys considering projection units should take a very close look at the lightweight DLP projectors selling for under $2,000. These things are normally sold as portable business projectors but if you look close enough you will find that a number of them are well designed for about 95% of most peoples home theather needs. Make certain you get one with at least an 800:1 black ratio. The DLP chips are ROCK-SOLID and the clarity rival's the old 3-gun LED units. For those of you who want the higher end versions, they are available for around the price of a high end spa ($8 to $12K). The one I use is an NEC LT-75z. I can use it for business or mounts it to hang from the ceiling. Haven't considered using it around the spa yet but have set it up in the yard for "movie night" for the neighborhood kids. Gives a nice 30 foot tall image on the side of the house... I am considering mounting a TV inside an exterior wall of my house (facing the Spa). Deck is already wired for whole house audio. Tub has separate stereo but might sync them together to play the TV sound through. Nascar night races could be AWSOME from the tub IMHO!
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We have been considering a projector unit. Now that some are coming down in price. My home PC has a TV tuner card, but I have a laptop with a DVD player as well. We might even shine it on the spa cover that is folded up as a projection screen.
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Any of you guys considering projection units should take a very close look at the lightweight DLP projectors selling for under $2,000. These things are normally sold as portable business projectors but if you look close enough you will find that a number of them are well designed for about 95% of most peoples home theather needs. Make certain you get one with at least an 800:1 black ratio. The DLP chips are ROCK-SOLID and the clarity rival's the old 3-gun LED units. For those of you who want the higher end versions, they are available for around the price of a high end spa ($8 to $12K). The one I use is an NEC LT-75z. I can use it for business or mounts it to hang from the ceiling. Haven't considered using it around the spa yet but have set it up in the yard for "movie night" for the neighborhood kids. Gives a nice 30 foot tall image on the side of the house... I am considering mounting a TV inside an exterior wall of my house (facing the Spa). Deck is already wired for whole house audio. Tub has separate stereo but might sync them together to play the TV sound through. Nascar night races could be AWSOME from the tub IMHO!
Riminds me of the good old days when we went to the drive in theater!
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Just an FYI for everyone considering purchasing a spa with a TV, MasterSpa has had problems with water getting into the mechanism, that is holding the TV, and freezing because the TV MECHANISM IS NOT INSULATED AT ALL. When this mechanism freezes the owner cannot lift the TV up and the freezing will crack the screen. If it is over a year old, the consumer is then held responsible for fixing the TV. I guess Master Spa didn’t think of that happening. Coast Spas has also had the same problem.
One good story that I like to tell…
I know a dealer in South Jersey that sold an Optima with stereo for $15,000 and gave the customer $5,000 gift certificate for Tweeter (which is a high end electronics retailer in the South Jersey/Philadelphia area). $15,000 was the price the customer was going to pay for a Master Spa LS750LST with TV. So the customer got a 42-inch flat panel HDTV from Tweeter instead of a 15 inch TV from Master, and arguably a better spa.
Chris H