Caravan Cinema

There are some caravan purchases that are purely practical.

Levelling blocks. Toilet chemicals. Hook-up leads. Wheel locks.

And then there are the things that make the whole adventure feel a little more special.

This is one of those. ❤️🍿

With Fiona’s 2016 Swift Conqueror 480 joining the adventures, I’ve been looking at the little details that will turn it from simply being a lovely caravan into somewhere that genuinely feels like hers.

And I’ve decided I’m buying her the television for it.

Not just any random little caravan telly either.

I wanted to find something good.

Something easy to use.

Something modern.

Something that actually suits the Conqueror.

And somewhere along the way, what started as…

“I’ll get Fiona a television for the caravan.”

Because apparently I’m incapable of doing anything quietly. 😂

After comparing different TVs, sizes, smart operating systems and specialist caravan models, one television kept coming back to the top of my list:

Small enough for the caravan.

Big enough to enjoy.

Full HD.

Samsung’s proper Tizen smart TV system.

Normal 240V mains power.

And, most importantly, something I think Fiona will actually enjoy using.

Choosing a television for a caravan is very different from choosing one for the house.

At home, television sizes seem to have become an arms race.

55".

65".

75".

At some point somebody is simply going to remove an exterior wall and install the local Odeon. 😂

A caravan is different.

You're sitting much closer.

Space matters.

Weight matters.

And I don't want a giant black rectangle taking over the beautiful front lounge of Fiona's Conqueror.

The 24-inch Samsung feels just right.

It’s roughly 54cm wide, about 43cm high with the stand, and weighs only around 3kg.

Compact enough to suit the caravan.

Large enough to make films and television enjoyable from the sofas.

Exactly the balance I was looking for.

One thing that surprised me when I started looking at small televisions was just how many are still only HD Ready.

For Fiona's caravan, I wanted better than that.

The Samsung gives her a proper 1920 × 1080 Full HD picture, along with Samsung’s picture processing and HDR support.

I'm not pretending we're putting an IMAX screen inside a Swift Conqueror.

Although give me enough time. 😂

But when you're sitting only a few feet from the screen, Full HD should look superb.

Especially on those evenings when the weather turns outside.

Rain tapping on the caravan roof.

Alde heating on.

Curtains closed.

Something good on television.

That’s caravan comfort. 🌧️🔥📺

This was one of the biggest reasons I chose the Samsung.

I didn't want Fiona to have a television that technically qualifies as “smart” but feels like it was designed during the age of dial-up internet.

I wanted something familiar and straightforward.

The F6000 uses Samsung’s Tizen smart TV system.

That means Fiona can have access to the services she actually recognises:

🍿 Netflix 📺 BBC iPlayer 🎬 ITVX ✨ Disney+ 📦 Prime Video ▶️ YouTube 📡 Samsung TV Plus

And plenty more.

No messing about.

Turn it on.

Connect it.

Choose something to watch.

Done.

Samsung TV Plus gives Fiona another source of entertainment straight through the television.

▶️ WATCH: Samsung TV Plus – Samsung UK

That's exactly the sort of feature I wanted in her caravan TV.

Simple.

Built in.

And useful.

This is one of the things that makes the whole setup really work.

Fiona won’t have to rely entirely on whatever Wi-Fi the campsite happens to provide.

She'll be able to connect the Samsung directly to my mobile Wi-Fi.

I already travel with my own mobile internet setup, so when we’re away together the caravan can effectively have its own travelling broadband connection.

Switch the mobile Wi-Fi on.

Connect the Samsung.

And, provided we have a decent mobile signal, Fiona’s television is online.

That means:

Netflix.

BBC iPlayer.

ITVX.

Prime Video.

Disney+.

YouTube.

Samsung TV Plus.

All running through the same mobile connection I already carry on the road.

No campsite Wi-Fi roulette.

No standing in a field holding a phone above your head trying to find one remaining bar of internet. 😂📡

That is where the Samsung starts making even more sense.

Caravanning has changed massively.

Once upon a time you'd arrive at a campsite, put the aerial up and rotate it around until BBC One stopped looking like an Arctic snowstorm.

Now Fiona's Conqueror can have its own little connected entertainment system.

My mobile Wi-Fi provides the internet.

Samsung Tizen provides the apps.

The television provides the screen.

And suddenly a rainy evening doesn't matter quite so much.

That's a lovely little upgrade.

And very NIX. 😎

The Samsung also gives us options for sending things from a phone or tablet onto the TV.

Holiday photos.

Videos from the day.

YouTube.

Something we've found online.

Straight onto the bigger screen.

▶️ WATCH: How To Screen Mirror Smartphone to TV – Samsung UK

I can see that being genuinely useful.

Especially after days out when we've taken loads of photos and video.

There are some excellent specialist caravan televisions.

Avtex is probably the obvious example.

They're designed specifically for motorhomes and caravans and 12V operation can be extremely useful.

But that isn't really what Fiona needs.

Her Samsung will be a proper 240V mains television.

When the Conqueror is on campsite electric hook-up, it'll simply plug in and work.

Simple.

That's exactly what I wanted.

I'd rather buy Fiona a mainstream television from a major brand with a smart system she knows than choose something merely because the word “caravan” appears on the box.

Another advantage of a compact modern LED television is that it uses very little electricity.

Compared with many of the appliances inside a caravan, the TV is barely sipping from the hook-up.

So film night isn't going to cause the campsite electricity bollard to apply for early retirement.

Despite being a compact television, the F6000 gives Fiona plenty of flexibility.

There are two HDMI connections, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and network connectivity.

So there’s room for other equipment later if we ever want it.

A Fire TV Stick.

A little soundbar.

USB media.

Or some completely unnecessary gadget I've yet to discover.

There will be one.

There is always one. 😈

Small TVs inevitably have limited room for speakers.

But for normal caravan viewing, the Samsung's built-in sound should be perfectly adequate.

And if we ever decide we want more?

Bluetooth opens up plenty of possibilities.

Which is dangerous information for someone who enjoys gadgets as much as I do. 😂🔊

This video isn’t specifically about Fiona’s Samsung, but it gives a good idea of just how easily a modern smart television can become part of a caravan setup.

▶️ WATCH: Installing a Smart TV in Your Caravan – Berger Camping

Modern caravanning really has moved on.

The television weighs only around 3kg, which matters more in a caravan than it would at home.

Payload gets swallowed surprisingly quickly.

Clothes.

Food.

Chairs.

Awning gear.

Bedding.

Kitchen equipment.

Cables.

Toiletries.

Wine.

More wine.

Emergency wine.

So keeping accessories small and light makes sense.

This Samsung fits that philosophy perfectly.

This is ultimately why I think I've picked the right television for Fiona.

It feels proportionally correct for the caravan.

The Swift Conqueror 480 has that lovely front lounge, side kitchen and full-width rear washroom.

It's elegant rather than enormous.

I don't want the television to dominate it.

When the Samsung is switched off, it should quietly sit there.

When Fiona switches it on, 24 inches should feel plenty big enough from the sofas.

That's exactly how a caravan television should work.

We're pitched somewhere lovely.

Rain tapping gently on the windows.

The Alde heating has the caravan warm.

Kettle on.

Lights down.

My mobile Wi-Fi quietly providing the internet.

Fiona on one sofa.

Me on the other.

Netflix on the Samsung.

Something daft playing that neither of us will admit we actually wanted to watch.

Popcorn somewhere nearby.

Probably wine too.

Outside, the campsite has disappeared into the darkness.

Inside, Fiona's little Samsung is glowing away.

And suddenly it doesn't feel like just another television.

It's part of her caravan.

Part of the weekends away.

Part of those evenings when we don't particularly want to do anything except sit down and relax.

Those are often the best bits.

I can already see this becoming a thing.

Curtains closed.

Drinks poured.

Popcorn deployed.

Mobile Wi-Fi on.

Samsung connected.

Phones ignored.

One rule:

I suspect enforcement may prove difficult. 😂

There are all sorts of things Fiona will need for the caravan.

Some are practical.

Some are necessary.

But I wanted to buy her something that adds a little enjoyment to it as well.

Something she'll actually use.

Something that'll be there on rainy evenings, winter weekends and quiet nights away.

The Samsung feels like exactly that.

Not some enormous luxury item.

Just a really good little addition to her new caravan.

And every time she switches it on, it'll be part of the Conqueror we've spent so much time talking about and getting ready.

I like that.

For Fiona's Conqueror, I think I've found exactly the right television.

A proper Samsung.

Full HD.

A proper smart operating system.

Compact.

Light.

240V.

Wi-Fi.

Bluetooth.

Streaming apps.

Screen mirroring.

And she can connect it to my mobile Wi-Fi whenever we're away together.

It's not trying to turn the caravan into a house.

It simply makes the caravan a little nicer.

A rainy evening somewhere in the countryside.

A film after a long day out.

A cup of tea before bed.

A Christmas movie in December.

A ridiculous comedy after too much wine.

Small moments.

Big memories.

And that's why I'm buying it for her. ❤️

Starring: Fiona Co-starring: The Swift Conqueror 480 Featuring: Samsung F6000 24" Internet: NIX Mobile Wi-Fi 📡 Catering: Popcorn, curry and suspicious quantities of wine Technical department: NIX Coming soon: A campsite near us.

Small TV. Big adventures. Fiona's caravan.