Music on board

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tt65

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I need to up grade my music system. Currently using a car radio with tape player. This works a treat and has been reliable for past 20 years, but most of my music is on CD
.
I was going to fit something similar but with a CD player when grand daughter lectured me on benefit of an Ipod type of system which now seems to be the way to go.

Any one out there got any experience of using IPODs MP3 players through a modern car radio on a boat. I use a bit of wire as an aerial which works well and would use my existing loudspeakers and wiring.

I cut voltage off 100% when leaving the boat so do not want to be messed about with security coded type of radio. I would quite like to not have to retune in radio presets every time I visit which I have done for last 20 years.

Suggestions of a suitable radio set would be appreciated. LW is also an advantage and do I need worry about DAB? ( Is there going to be any LW after Digital?) Another last thought what are dates for digital radio along south coast?

This follows a thread on Scuttlebut about one's favourite 5 pieces of sailing music which reminded me it was time I upgraded
 
tt65 said:
I need to up grade my music system. Currently using a car radio with tape player. This works a treat and has been reliable for past 20 years, but most of my music is on CD
.
I was going to fit something similar but with a CD player when grand daughter lectured me on benefit of an Ipod type of system which now seems to be the way to go.

Any one out there got any experience of using IPODs MP3 players through a modern car radio on a boat. I use a bit of wire as an aerial which works well and would use my existing loudspeakers and wiring.

I cut voltage off 100% when leaving the boat so do not want to be messed about with security coded type of radio. I would quite like to not have to retune in radio presets every time I visit which I have done for last 20 years.

Suggestions of a suitable radio set would be appreciated. LW is also an advantage and do I need worry about DAB? ( Is there going to be any LW after Digital?) Another last thought what are dates for digital radio along south coast?

This follows a thread on Scuttlebut about one's favourite 5 pieces of sailing music which reminded me it was time I upgraded
Click to expand...

ipod + the griffin itrip transmitter works a treat.
the itrip can be set to any fm frequency to transmit via your existing set-up.
make sure you get a 12v > mini usb lead.
fit the itrip to the ipod then you can charge the ipod through the itrip via the lead
 
Cool

Sailorman, that sounds a really smart solution. I may even be able to impress my grandaughters if I get it set up with out their help. Downside being they will want to use their own IPOD with their own music.
 
Have a look at the sony MEX series car radio systems.

CD player and or remote CD controller

They have an optional interface that plugs into an iPod and depending on the one you purchase you get levels of control over the ipod from the radio facepanel.

Bluetooth connectivity - with a bluetooth adaptor you can play the ipod without wires at all ( with bluetooth adaptor ) . Also connects automagically to your phone and has a built in mic so the phone can go in the nav table and the radio becomes a hands free phone, talk on the phone just sitting at the nav table.

Auxilliary in, play other devices through the radio amp ( ipod, mp3 player,TV , VHF, etc )

USB connector, play music from a memory stick , just plug it in the front.

They are about £100.

I now have 3, one in each of the cars and one on the boat! My mobile and iPod simply connect to the car or boat as you get 'aboard'.
 
i have a couple of ipod radio gizmos and neither work as well as the hard wire inoyt into an auxiliary on the radio. Just needs a mini jack lead from the ipod to the auxiliary input. some radios have them on the fascia.
 
Music via Ipod

I fitted a new stereo about 6 months ago - a Sony unit which works very well. It has 2 ways to connect an ipod or itouch

1 A usb port for an "intelligent" Ipod to stereo connection.
2 A 3.5mm stereo jack plug on the front as a simpler alternative way to connect the ipod to the stereo.

Interestingly we found the usb port connection a real pain - when the ipod is connected this way, the stereo takes control of the ipod and it becomes much more awkward to control. We found the 3.5mm jack much simpler, with control of the music selection staying with the ipod.

Downside is that you need to keep the ipod charged by a seperate lead.

I would recommend you choose a stereo with both usb and 3.5mm jack options so you have the choice. Should not be expensive, I think the Sony stereo was about £99
 
Well it depends on how complicated you want to make it.

Personally on a boat i'd be tempted to stick with a CD Headunit with USB and auxillary connections.
Regarding USB, either a jack socket in the front or a lead connection in the back both work fine and with the lead option you can locate it wherever you like and your USB pens etc arent sticking out of the front of the stereo waiting to be knocked out etc.

Personally, and this may not be as much of an issue for others, I stick with Pioneer or Alpine head units. Purely because their internal amplifiers are far better quality than Sony etc and you actually get some sound depth from them.

I used to do quite a bit of audiophile work with Car setups so I may be more fussy than some.

FM Transmitters are handy but sound quality is always compromised and are open to interference. Some love-em. Personally physical connections every time on a boat.
 
There are many stereos available with Ipod hookups nowadays - in fact most available. If you don't want to have re-tune your radio stations each boat visit you will have to connect the memory wire to constant power - maybe where your bilge pump is already hooked up. It uses a very small amount of power but keeps the memories and time if it has a clock. If you get an Alpine it is the yellow wire and others probably use the same colour.
 
I have used several different models of FM transmitters for ipod/MP3 -> radio in cars and boats for quite a few years now. While they do work, they are never an entirely satisfactory solution. Sound quality is OK but only OK, interference is a recurring problem and they are not 'stand alone' because they need to be connected to 12V for more than a few hours use.

If I was to get a new system for car or boat I would only consider one that allowed some means of piping music straight from MP3 player or USB stick. I would certainly not consider relying on CDs, the best entertainment value is often from stuff recorded from the internet or other sources and you can easily carry vast quantities with you without having to mes about with disks.

All my personal opinion of course!
 
Not keen on the ipod transmitter - too much interference. Got a Sony ex display from Halfords; £65; it's got a lead that connects to the ipod & charges it so you only need to find a radio with LW. You will need a permanent 12v supply to the radio to keep your preset channels - but the radio is otherwise "off" so shouldn't drain the battery. All works well.
 
The trouble with transmitters is that the boat aerial is likely to be a long way from the radio, unlike in a car where it is a couple of feet away. Have a look at the Dension unit (sold at Halfords and also on Ebay). This connects into the radio aerial lead and therefore does not suffer from interference. It works with any type of radio and has a neat holder that fits by the radio and keeps the Ipod in position. This is the neatest and cheapest solution. I got one off Ebay new for £45 after seeing them in an article in MBM.
 
Use your existing stereo and get one of these:

wnb014162.jpg


Cassette goes into your stereo, jack goes into the headphone socket on the iPod... been using these for years..... seemples.... :D
 
We use an FM modulator (transmitter) that plugs into a 12v socket with a 1gb memory stick that holds the music, it can be tuned into by any FM radio and seems to work with the radio up to 50mtrs away. We use it in conjunction with a solar/clockwork powered radio on deck. We have a variety of memory sticks with different play lists on them and several transmitters so the kids can tune into their own music.

The advantages of this setup are the amps required to run the transmitters is very small and the whole lot is very fexible as regards location of equipment.
 
I went the route of plug in devices (looks like a cassette) and transmitters because the cheap car CD player I acquired could not be fitted into the depth available when the radio/tape unit was removed! Obvious, really - the cassette tape is oblong a CD is round. Everything worked apart from the MP3 player which failed after an hour and refused to reset!
 
tt65
Since you want to change from tape to cd anyway it makes the most sense to buy a radio/cd player which accepts Ipod as the new ones virtually all do. With a standard USB connection you can also connect USB memory sticks so I think that would be the best choice.
 
PCUK said:
Why change at all when your current radio will work perfectly with the Dension unit. You don't need an obsolete CD player when you have an Ipod!!!
Click to expand...

I'd certainly agree with the general sentiment - CDs (and I've got about 450 on the boat) are obsolescent technology.

MP2 on an HDD or mass-SSD (not necessarily an iPod) is the way to go. Most modern car-radios accept an USB input. The reduced quality won't be noticed as you'll never be able to fit adequate speakers (in any case most contributors to this website are well on the way to age-induced deafness).

I would strongly recommend getting a proper marinised radio (Bosch, Kenwood and Clarion do ones, though their distributors are totally ignorant of their existence) car radios, under heavy use in marine conditions are not up to scratch.
 
I'm also interested in the above, after a quick look on line I've not seen any radios saying they have LW, sometimes they mention AM but I"ve not seen one that said LW do the Sony ones mentioned have LW? I'td be pretty useless fitting one on a boat not being able to get forecasts, news or the archers once a few miles offshore.
 
pugwash60 said:
I'm also interested in the above, after a quick look on line I've not seen any radios saying they have LW, sometimes they mention AM but I"ve not seen one that said LW do the Sony ones mentioned have LW? I'td be pretty useless fitting one on a boat not being able to get forecasts, news or the archers once a few miles offshore.
Click to expand...

we use a micro hi fi set ( with remote hand set :)) worked fine 4 the past 10 yrs fm.mw.lw/tape deck.CD + ipod + transmitter
 
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