Just purchased a 2000 E150 Conversion Van which has a TV and Vhs recorder inbetween the front seat , both work fine but can anyone tell me how to convert the tv to pick up digital tv , like for the local channels

 

You need a digital to analog converter box, just like for a home TV.

That said, I have had a couple conversion vans with TV's and probably watched them a total of about 2 hours in 18 years of ownership... They were useful when our son was 6 years old and we were traveling--he watched VHS tapes. I still remember the sound track to his favorite movie "Top Gun" which he must have watched 25 times

Don't expect much from broadcast signals while driving--reception is pretty terrible. The one day I do remember watching broadcast TV was in our yard, when storms had killed the electricity in our house...

George

 

Thank you, was hoping the TV worked while driving , would have keep the grand kids busy, i guessing there is nothing that would boost the signal while driving

 

This wont help with signal strength but will allow you to eaisly connect a digital converter box to the tv.
I dont know if all converter boxes can be converted to 12 volts but the RCA can. Now days you can find used ones in second hand stores and yard sales. If you find a second hand converter box, be sure to get the remote with it so you can program it.. some will work with a universal remote.

Digital TV Converter Hack

Digital TV Converter Hack - YouTube

 

I would suggest getting a bunch of VHS tapes, actually. You can probably get them for half a buck each at garage sales these days, or make some up yourself if you have a VHS recorder at home. (We have two of them...) The VHS tapes got my son to Colorado and back, and my son and a friend down to Aviation Challenge camp in Alabama.

Or you could possibly get a little box that you could hook up to a laptop USB port and play into a coax wire. Then you could play movies or other stuff out of a laptop computer for the kids.

George