Ask Our Experts - AV Guide
17th Apr 2025
Ask Our Experts: A Practical Guide to AV and Internet Setup in Your RV
Modern RV life often blends work, travel, and downtime, and your AV and internet setup plays a key role in how comfortable and connected your experience feels. Whether you are setting up for weekends away or travelling full time, having the right gear helps you stream, work online, or watch TV without depending on mobile data.
This guide explains what makes RV setups different from home environments and offers practical advice on choosing equipment that works reliably while you travel.
Why RV AV and Internet Setups Are Different: An RV is a completely different environment to a home. You are working with a smaller space, a 12 volt power supply, and a vehicle that is often in motion. These conditions place extra demand on electronics, especially when it comes to keeping your internet and AV setup working consistently.
Household TVs and routers are designed for stable, indoor conditions with access to consistent power. In contrast, travel brings heat, vibration, and movement that can easily damage equipment not made for mobile use. Signal quality can also be reduced by the metal framing in most RVs, making it harder to stay connected without the right setup.
That is why it is worth choosing gear that is built for mobile living. The most reliable products are compact, energy efficient, and designed to work well in a moving vehicle. By using equipment made specifically for RV conditions, you can avoid common issues and trust that your setup will keep working wherever you are parked.
The Right TV Makes a Big Difference: Not every TV is built for life on the road. Household models are ill-equipped to handle the constant jostling conditions of an RV.
The Alphatronics SLA+ series is designed specifically for mobile use. These TVs run directly on 12 volt power, so there is no need for an inverter. They are lightweight and compact, which makes them easier to install in small spaces, and less likely to shift or strain mounts during travel.
Each model includes Android TV, giving you access to apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video without needing extra devices. Bluetooth 5.0 is also included, making it easy to connect wireless headphones. Most importantly, the internal components are built to handle the movement and voltage fluctuations that come with life on the road.
Secure Mounting for a Moving Space: Once your TV is chosen, mounting it securely is just as important as the screen itself. In an RV, a loose or poorly supported bracket can quickly become a problem when the vehicle is in motion. Standard brackets designed for houses are not built to handle vibration or movement, and they often lack a locking feature to keep the screen in place.
Maxview brackets are made specifically for RV use. They lock into position during travel and provide flexible viewing once parked. That means you can safely keep the TV mounted while driving and still adjust the angle for comfortable viewing when you stop. The mounting design is simple, strong, and easy to install, which is ideal for compact spaces and thin wall panels.
Reliable Internet While You Travel:Having a stable internet connection makes travel easier, especially if you work online, stream content, or want to stay in touch while on the road. A mobile router lets you create a private WiFi network using a SIM card, so you stay connected in more places, without needing to depend on public WiFi.
If you travel often or rely on a strong connection for work or streaming, the Teltonika RUTX50 is a reliable option. It works with 5G and 4G networks and has two SIM card slots, so you can switch between providers based on coverage. It also supports VPN connections and remote access, which can be useful for managing connected devices or working securely online.
If your internet use is more basic, checking emails, using maps, or browsing, the Teltonika RUT200 is a simple and effective choice. It offers stable 4G access and includes automatic failover between connections, in a compact design that suits casual use.
Improving Signal with a Roof Antenna:Getting a reliable internet connection in remote areas can be difficult, especially from inside an RV. The structure of the vehicle often blocks the signal, which makes it harder for your router to stay connected. A roof-mounted antenna can make a noticeable difference by improving how well your router picks up the mobile signal.
The Maxview Roam antenna is designed for this kind of use. Mounted on the outside of the vehicle, it raises the reception point and reduces interference from the RV’s walls and fittings. This helps provide stronger and more consistent coverage, especially when you are travelling through areas with weak signal.
It also uses MIMO technology, which allows the router to send and receive multiple streams of data at the same time. This helps maintain a steady connection and can improve speeds when network conditions are not ideal.
Free TV Without Using Data: Streaming services are great when you have a strong internet connection, but they can use a lot of data. If you are in a remote area or want to save mobile data, free to air TV is a useful alternative.
The Maxview Gazelle Pro is designed to make this easy. It is an omnidirectional aerial, which means it can pick up digital TV signals from any direction without needing to be adjusted every time you move. Once installed, you simply scan for available channels and start watching.
This kind of setup is ideal for catching the news, watching sport, or just relaxing with some evening entertainment, all without using any of your mobile data. It is a simple way to stay entertained, especially when internet coverage is limited or signal strength is low.
Bringing It All Together:A well-planned AV and internet setup makes it easier to enjoy your time on the road. The right equipment runs on 12 volt power, holds up to vibration, and gives you access to reliable internet and entertainment wherever you are parked.
By choosing products made for mobile use, you avoid common frustrations like weak signal, loose mounting, or draining your battery faster than expected. A stable setup means you can stream, work, or watch free to air TV without worrying about interruptions or technical issues.
If you are not sure what you need or want help building a setup that suits your travel style, our team is here to help. Call 0800 782 2278 in touch to talk through the options.