TV Location - Why on the rear wall?

[Rockwoody]

Have a question. Why do most of the manufacturers now place the TV in the class A's at the rear of the living area next to the dinette and behind the slide? What happened to placing them up front above the windshield so that you can watch while traveling?

It would also seem that near the dinette is not a very comfortable place to see the TV from the couch.

Any thoughts? Is this actually a better location for viewing?

[realebill]

here is an exerpt from a page from RVconsumer group rating different types of RV's......
quote:Although the class A's biggest problems by far are payload and wheelbase, the issues of width, length, and structural integrity are not far behind. Another black mark against the class A, however, is the mounting of an overhead television in the cockpit. Because it poses a serious threat in an accident situation, it doesn't make sense for a manufacturer to mount a heavy appliance over the heads of driver and passenger. At RVCG, we attach a penalty to the safety rating of any motor home with an overhead TV in the cockpit.quote:

[cfsoistman]

The safety factor is an excellent point. I also believe the manufacturer's have started tp listen to their customers about creature comforts. When you get a chance check out Itasca's Ellipse Layout. The manufacturers are making the effort to make the interiors more like a home setting. Granted in this case the price is more than double than a Georgetown but there seems to be an emphasis on getting away from the older standard layouts in Class A RVs.
2012 Itasca Ellipse 42AD - Class A Diesel - RV Sales, RV Inventory, Massachusetts, Rhode Island RV Dealer, New Hampshire, CT
The big dollar guys are still learning this as well. At the Hershey Show my wife and I love to look at the big rigs, Dreaming about Retirement, and one particular coach was beautiful and really a great layout except for the fact that you had to turn your head 90 degrees if sitting on the sofa to see the TV that was mounted over the cockpit. I really think we'll be seeing some new layouts each year as the technology evolves where the TV up front will be now longer available.

[nemo45]

Originally Posted by realebill

here is an exerpt from a page from RVconsumer group rating different types of RV's......
quote:Although the class A's biggest problems by far are payload and wheelbase, the issues of width, length, and structural integrity are not far behind. Another black mark against the class A, however, is the mounting of an overhead television in the cockpit. Because it poses a serious threat in an accident situation, it doesn't make sense for a manufacturer to mount a heavy appliance over the heads of driver and passenger. At RVCG, we attach a penalty to the safety rating of any motor home with an overhead TV in the cockpit.quote:

Its the main reason we bought our 2011 378TS. Not only the safety factor, but we just don't like craning our necks to watch an overhead TV like that.

[wnytaxman]

Most RV's actually have it set up that you can't watch the front TV while the engine is turned on. The reason for this is to avoid driver distraction.