Making Installing a TV Tuner in Your Car a Simple Project

In-car TV tuners aren't just for mini-vans and large SUV's anymore. Technology and car audio have joined forces to make those long road trips seem enjoyable for once. With their hard work even the smallest compact car can now benefit from a drop-down screen to watch the latest DVD's or to even watch the local television stations. Thanks to this latest innovation in car audio that whole "are we there yet" is dead and hopefully gone forever.

What also makes TV tuners in your car a great thing is that they are absolutely an affordable option for any car owner. It can be as simple or as complex as you want with choices such as a portable all-in-one system that hangs from the roof or to custom component integrations which are stowed away in your dash or headrests. They pretty much can be installed virtually anywhere in your car.

The intricacies in wiring it, mounting it, and deciding which of your current stereo components can stay, which can go, and which get hooked to what can be overwhelming to someone less experienced in car audio installation. That doesn't mean you shouldn't or can't try however. Here are a few quick and simple steps to show you how.

Before you go uninstalling your car's dashboard or actually anything at all, read up on which TV tuners are compatible with your current video system. There are certain tuners that will only work with the same brand of video equipment for your unit to work correctly.


Lift up your car's hood and, with a wrench or socket, disconnect the battery cables from the battery. If you are not sure which size socket you should use, your owner's manual can tell you the correct size.


Now you need to make a decision on where you are going to mount the TV tuner. The spot should be in a location where it won't be hit, bumped, or crushed which is one reason why under the seat or in the trunk are two of the more popular choices. The tuner unit should have come with mounting brackets and screws for you to install it correctly.


The tuner will be powered by your car's power supply and battery so you'll need to route the TV tuner's power wire to that fuse block. The power wire is then connected to an accessory power output in the fuse block. If you have any questions about the location of the accessory output or the fuse block, refer back to your car's owner's manual again.


The tuner's infrared receiver or also called its "eye" is attached. The spot should be placed where the eye is accessible to the IR remote control. The tuner's manufacturer's instruction should help you with any installation questions you may have with this step.


Now, route the audio/video cable from the tuner's video output port to the monitor's video input port and securely connect the cable to receive the best signal.

Now that the tuner is correctly installed and mounted in your car, you can reattach the battery cables, start the car and give it a test. First, turn on the video system and using the remote turn on the TV tuner. You should be receiving all of the local TV stations if you installed everything correctly.

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By Tl Kleban