RCA RB24H2CU: 24" HD TV RCA - Review 🏆

RCA has a long history in consumer electronics, dating back to its founding in the early 1900s. While the company is perhaps best known for its audio equipment, it has also produced televisions for decades. The RCA RB24H2CU is one of the company's newest TV models aimed at the mobile entertainment market.

This 24-inch HD LED TV is designed specifically for use in RVs, campervans, boats, and other vehicles. Its compact size and 12V power supply make it ideal for life on the move. Despite its portable design, the RB24H2CU still offers the key features you'd expect in a home TV, including built-in Freeview HD, HDMI inputs, and more.

Design

The RCA RB24H2CU 12 Volt 24" HD TV is designed to be compact, lightweight, and durable for use in RVs, caravans, campervans, and other mobile applications.

Size: At just 24 inches, this TV has a smaller screen size than most home televisions, making it well-suited for confined spaces. The total dimensions of the TV are 21.5 x 13.3 x 2.5 inches (WxHxD). So it has a slim profile that doesn't take up much depth. The compact footprint allows it to be installed in tight spots.

Weight: Weighing only 5.5 pounds, the RCA 24" TV is extremely lightweight. This allows for easy portability and installation, without adding major weight in mobile vehicles.

Materials: The TV has a plastic body, which helps keep the weight down. The materials feel decently durable and sturdy. While not as premium as metal materials, the plastic housing is appropriate for an RV/mobile TV meant to withstand bumps and vibrations during travel. Overall build quality seems suitable for the application.

For those looking for a slightly larger option, the RCA 32 Inch 720P TV: 32 HD TV offers a 32-inch display with 720p resolution. This TV provides enhanced screen size for a more immersive viewing experience while retaining a lightweight design ideal for mobile setups. With easy connectivity options and vibrant picture quality, it's a great choice for RV enthusiasts.

Display

The RCA RB24H2CU TV comes with a 24-inch HD screen with a resolution of 1366 x 768. This allows for clear and detailed viewing even on a smaller screen. The LED backlighting provides good brightness levels, making the picture visible even in daylight or bright environments like an RV or campervan.

The 24-inch screen is a decent compact size - not too small for a living space TV but also not overly large. The HD resolution gives you a sharper, more detailed image than a standard definition screen. While not full 1080p HD, the 720p resolution is perfectly fine for a screen of this size. Colors and contrast are vibrant thanks to the LED backlighting.

Overall, the display provides a solid viewing experience and should satisfy most needs for a small RV or motorhome TV. The size and resolution combine to deliver good image quality without taking up too much space. Brightness is also sufficient for well-lit indoor settings. Those looking for the highest resolution may want a full 1080p TV, but for most purposes, this 720p LED screen gets the job done.

In addition to the RB24H2CU, the RCA RB22HT5: 22 FHD TV offers a slightly smaller option with full HD resolution at 1920 x 1080. This 22-inch model is ideal for tight spaces while delivering higher picture clarity and detail than the HD counterpart. Whether for gaming, streaming, or watching movies, the sharper image quality enhances the viewing experience. Its compact size makes it a great fit for bedrooms, small living rooms, or even kitchens.

Connectivity

The RCA RB24H2CU TV offers a good selection of connectivity options for its size and price point. On the back of the TV you'll find:

• 1 x HDMI port - Allows you to connect devices like a Blu-ray player, gaming console, or streaming stick in HD quality.

• 1 x VGA port - Lets you connect a computer to use the TV as a monitor.

• 1 x USB port - Enables playback of media files from a USB flash drive or external hard drive.

• 1 x AV In port - For connecting older devices that use composite video cables.

• 1 x headphone jack - Plugs in headphones for private listening.

• 1 x coaxial input - For connecting an antenna cable.

For wireless connectivity, the TV has built-in WiFi and Bluetooth support. The WiFi allows you to connect to the internet for smart features and streaming. Bluetooth can be used for connecting wireless headphones or external speakers.

Overall the port selection covers the basics for most uses. The HDMI and USB are key for connecting modern devices. And you still get legacy connections like VGA, composite AV, and coaxial antenna input for older equipment. The built-in wireless makes it easy to get the TV connected to the internet in your RV or campervan.

Audio

The RCA RB24H2CU TV features decent audio quality from its built-in speakers. The speakers deliver reasonably good sound for a 24-inch TV, producing clear dialogue and adequate audio for shows and movies.

While the speakers don't provide room-filling or booming sound, they get sufficiently loud for personal viewing or smaller spaces like an RV or campervan. The maximum volume is enough to hear the TV over typical ambient noise levels.

The built-in speakers utilize Dolby Digital audio processing for improved sound quality. This helps deliver clearer and more dynamic audio compared to basic TV speakers.

Overall, the audio performance matches expectations for this size and class of TV. The speakers provide good sound for personal viewing without the need for external speakers or audio equipment. While audiophiles may want a soundbar, the speakers are fine for casual TV watching during travel or in tight quarters.

Features

The RCA RB24H2CU 12V 24" TV comes equipped with some useful features for an RV TV.

Tuners

This TV has built-in DVB-T2/C/S2 tuners, allowing you to receive free-to-air HD channels without a set-top box. The DVB-T2 tuner is compatible with Freeview HD in the UK. The DVB-C tuner works with unencrypted cable TV signals. And the DVB-S2 tuner is for satellite TV reception from a dish. Having all three tuners in one unit makes this a versatile TV for receiving programming while traveling.

Smart Capabilities

While not a full smart TV, the RCA RB24H2CU does have some smart capabilities. You can connect to the internet via the Ethernet port or built-in WiFi. This allows you to access a small selection of apps and streaming services through the TV's interface. It also enables software updates to be delivered over the internet. The smart functions are basic but handy to have.

Remote

The TV comes with a simple remote control that has all the necessary buttons. It's easy to use for basic functions like changing channels, adjusting volume, accessing settings, and navigating menus. The remote runs on two AAA batteries.

Performance

The RCA RB24H2CU delivers excellent picture performance for a compact 12V TV. The HD LED backlighting and HD resolution produce sharp, vibrant images with good color accuracy. Fast action scenes in movies and sports come across smoothly without motion blur.

The built-in speakers provide decent sound quality for the size. Dialogue in TV shows and movies is clear and understandable. Music lacks a bit of bass but overall the sound is sufficient for casual viewing. Volume can get reasonably loud to hear over ambient noise. There's also analog audio out and optical digital audio out for connecting external speakers.

In terms of usability, the TV is very easy to operate with the included remote. The on-screen menu allows tweaking of picture settings like brightness, contrast, color temperature, etc. Source input can quickly be changed between the HDMI, VGA, composite AV, and coaxial connections. There are also convenient features like sleep timer. The TV is lightweight and compact for portability in an RV or boat.

Power

The RCA RB24H2CU runs on a 12V power system, making it ideal for use in RVs, caravans, boats, and other vehicles. It comes with a 12V car cigarette lighter plug, allowing you to easily connect it to your vehicle's power system.

One of the benefits of the 12V power supply is that it draws very little power compared to a standard AC-powered TV. RCA estimates the power consumption to be around 18 watts. This makes it very efficient and won't drain your batteries quickly while dry camping or boondocking. Even after hours of use, the impact on your battery will be minimal.

The TV does not come with an internal battery or built-in power system. You need to have it connected to a 12V power source to operate. This can be through your vehicle's battery, a separate leisure battery, portable power station, or 12V solar panel kit. As long as you have a way to provide consistent 12V DC power, you can run the RCA TV without any issues.

Overall, the low-voltage 12V power system is one of the biggest advantages of this TV. It provides energy efficiency and flexibility to use it in many mobile off-grid scenarios. Just ensure you have sufficient battery capacity before extended use away from shore power.

Pros & Cons

The RCA RB24H2CU 12V 24" TV offers a number of benefits along with some downsides that are worth considering.

Pros

• Compact 24" HD LED TV ideal for use in caravans and motorhomes
• Freeview HD tuner provides access to a wide range of channels
• Built-in DVD player allows you to watch movies without additional devices
• Multiple inputs including HDMI, VGA, SCART, and USB
• Dolby Digital audio delivers an immersive sound experience
• 12V power input enables TV to run directly off a leisure battery
• Lightweight and slim design makes it easy to mount and install
• Affordable price point compared to similar RV TVs

Cons

• Picture quality and viewing angles are just average
• Speakers lack bass and could be better
• Some users report issues with overheating in confined spaces
• Lack of smart TV features like Netflix or apps
• Remote feels cheap and can be prone to faults
• No option to connect to WiFi for smart functionality
• Only a one year warranty included

Verdict

The RCA RB24H2CU 24" HD TV is an excellent choice for a small RV TV or portable TV for travel and outdoor use. Its compact yet high-quality HD screen, robust design, and versatile connectivity options make it well-suited for life on the road.

The HD resolution provides a sharp, vibrant picture that looks great even up close in confined spaces like a motorhome or trailer. The LED backlight delivers bright, even illumination across the entire screen. Viewing angles are also good, so the picture stays true when watching from different spots in a small space.

Built to withstand bumps and jostles, the TV's durable plastic housing and metal kickstand can take the rigors of travel. It runs on both AC and DC power, so you can power it in your vehicle or plug it in at a campsite. The simple remote is easy to use and the on-screen menu makes tweaking settings a breeze.

With ports for HDMI, VGA, USB, and more, you can easily connect media players, game systems, streaming sticks, and other devices. The built-in Freeview HD tuner pulls in free over-the-air channels with no monthly fees. And the TV includes a digital converter for older analog signals.

Considering its compact form factor and robust feature set optimized for RVs and portable use, the RCA 24" 12V HD TV delivers excellent value. For those needing a small, durable TV for life on the road, it's easy to highly recommend.