Onboard Entertainment Systems

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PhilipH

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We are just back from a factory visit re our Ovni 395 being built at Alubat and need to specify what LW/MW/FM radio we want. We also need to spec other music source - nothing like a good sound system at sea. Not entirely clear about MP3 players etc but seems like a good idea not to have to carry lots of CD's about the boat. Then of course there's the odd film it's nice to watch when it's blowing a hooly and you're going nowhere. Any ideas for how best to configure/specify radio, music and DVD/video? Assume a fairly low level of tech know-how on my part. Thanks in advance for all suggestions.
 
Being a metal boat and of reasonable size it will be dry so you can mix and match anything you want including using domestic type equipment (assuming AC available on board). I will leave others to give their favourites but from my own experience specifying systems for boats the following need to be watched.

Watch current draw if important away from marina.

If the boat is to cruise internationally, then ensure that any TV system is multi-system (or else is fed from a multi system tunered VCR or such). Also the am/fm radio should be a model tunable for the channel steps used in North America/Bermuda/etc which differ from UK.

If installing a vehicle type am/fm/cd type unit try and find one that does not need the accessory backup power feed to maintain its memorised stations when turned off (or even worse to maintain an anti theft code, but haven't come across an aftermarket one like that yet). Else one has to leave an unisolated live connection back to the boats batteries if you want to avoid station tuning loss whenever you turn the boats main DC power isolator off (always a good idea to turn that off on any boat when left, but especially so on a metal boat). I do not know if such a unit needing no backup for the memories now exists, we have used domestic rather than vehicle units recently. Also, vehicle type ones do not give you a headphone output without building a seperate box to do so, if that is important to you.

Also check that the am/fm antenna coaxial cable shield and antenna are isolated from the hull (either by a capacitor or by using a non grounded antenna - in Europe, the Glomex grp am/fm antennas are non grounded as far as I have come across) else will connect DC negative to your hull - the radios also are often not infinite resistance between DC negative and their chassis/antenna coax shield to so check no other DC negative path to ground on the metal hull from the radio because of that.

Regarding putting speakers and other such equipment outside - nice if you are happy to add another high maintenance item to your inventory, else keep everything inside the boat. Especially if the yacht will operate in heavy weather conditions rather than being a calm weather day boat. Is purely personal choice.

John
 
I'd go along with John on his recommendations which are well beyond my level of competence.

Regarding MP3 players, have you thought about getting something like a Sony car radio which takes an input from, say, an IPod? That way you get a good radio and can use a portable music store. You can get a radio tranmitter that fits into the IPod and can be picked up on the radio so in theory you don't need a link. In practice, on my boat at least, the reception is dodgy especailly when the instruments are running.

Personally, I wouldn't buy an all-in-one radio/TV/DVD module, they try to be all things to all men and don't pull it off on any front IMHO.

I'm dead jealous 'cos your boat is well up my wish list.
 
The only comment I would add is that it is well worth considering a unit with DAD radio. The quality really is superb and there is an wide range of stations to listen to. We wouldn't be without it.
 
I'd best tell you what we have on board:

Of course, the normal car stereo with CD player. But since, we have bought a flatscreen TV set (Philips 150MT) that doubles as a computer monitor. The TV set gives a decent sound, but still studying how to connect the TV set to the car stereo speakers. On top of that, we carry a normal computer, no laptop, which is fixed inside a locker and will always stay dry unless we sink. Hooked up to the computer is an external hard-disc of 160 GB. This is the main storage of all our audio and video entertainment. We are not really short of space, but still prefer not to carry hundreds of CD's and DVD's.

You can imagine what this set-up can do if combined with a powerful broadband internet connection. On-line radio stations, downloading music or films and all that stored in a small box of 15 x 10 x 4 cms, that is well stowed away as you normally don't need to get at it.

I have been told that the quality of MP3 files is rather poor.
As we also like to carry a lot of classical music, this won't do.

If you don't live aboard, consider a set-up with a wireless system that enables you to take the external harddisc with you..

Just ask if you want any specific details

cheers
Peter
 
All 12V?

A good Car Audio head unit - Radio/Cassette + separate CD changer. Get one with Audio input so you can fire in the sound from a portable CD/DVD player. That way you can also have your entire album collection on CD as MP3 (quality is absolutely fine except through a good home hi-fi), and have stereo sound for watching movies. 2 pairs of speakers wherever you need them e.g. one set in master cabin or outside. Mustek have just launched an 8.4" screen DVD player that has digital tv tuner built in.

If the head unit needs it, wire a small aux battery through a split charge relay to power the memory when batteries are isolated. An alarm back-up battery should do it.

If you need a bigger screen, you are on your own I'm afraid, but the Mustek DVD has both audio and video output.
 
we'll look at the car radio and Ipod approach - we are quite smitten with the boat, so when we get it and if you are in NI let us know. By the way is that the Prince Buster version on Jools Holland 3, 'Jack O The Green', because it's currently our signature tune.
 
I love my on-board music played through a blaupunt car system but am a bit of a neophyte regarding latest formats etc. Last weekend I was given a Atrac Sony Walkman which in conjunction with supplied software, allows you to record up to 30 cd's on one cd-r. It claims that the compression quality is far superior to mp3; however, I have not yet had the time to test it. I wonder if this Attrac-cd is available on non-walkman systems and could one play the walkman through an already installed system with reasonable results.
 
HI all,

I have a Pioneer CD/tuner on board, connected to 4 speakers in the saloon and, via a single switch (operating a purpose made relay set-up) these can be switched off and the two waterproof Pioneer cockpit speakers switched on.

What I'd like to do is use the radio and the saloon speakers for the sound from the laptop (DVD films) and the TV. At the moment if I plug a lead from the headphone output on either unit into the radio auxiliary input, the sound is ok, BUT only comes from two of the speakers (LH side).

Not meaning to hi-jack this thread, but does anyone know a way I can get the system to use all four speakers?

I'd also like to use the 200 odd cassettes we've got from our cruising days without having to re-record them onto CD's. Perhaps connect a Walkman in the same way as I do the TV etc?

Someone mentioned a while ago about some means of 'transmitting'(?) to the radio, but I may have misunderstood.

Any help and advise would be very much appreciated. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers Jerry
 
The Ipod routes a good one as helming at night we would listen to music without waking the off watch person.

We also had seperate speakers in our aft cabin, sometimes nice to chill out in bed with some music, radio. We used the device that lets you share the mast head VHF aerial for boat vhf transceiver and radio, worked really well.

The boat for me was a place to get away from tv, It was fun watching films in local cinemas as a treat.
 
Transmitting to the radio

Not sure abt Walkmans but for IPods you can buy a widget for abt £20-30 that plugs into the IPod and converts the output into a local radio transmitter that you tune the radio to, so that you can use the speakers on the radio to listen to IPod output. #the downside that I have come across is that the intrumentation interferes with the signal. OK when the boat is stopped tho'.

Beleive that they can't be used legally in the UK, wouldn't dream of it!
 
Re: Transmitting to the radio

Hi Chris!!

'Course you wouldn't use it in the UK ..... perish the thought!!! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

However, and purely in the interests of research, could you tell me where you you bought yours? !! I'm not really that interested in watching DVD's etc, but do like music available, though we seldom have the radio/CD player on whilst sailing, so the interference from the instruments shouldn't be a problem. I guess the cassette player would be a problem 'cos ain't digital and fings! Ah well, perhaps I can find a simple way to record the whole lot onto CD's. It's takes an absolute age using my Roxio software though. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I would still like to discover though, why the aux input to the radio only operates via one set (these would be in the rear if the radio was in a car) of speakers, and if there is a way round the problem.

Thanks for the reply. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers Jerry
 
Re: Transmitting to the radio

Arent the speaker controlls installed in the radio, they are on my car CD player and it should be a matter of reading the handbook to see how they are set up? I may be wrong though! I have set up my speakers so that of the 4 I have two on the flybrige and two in the wheelhouse, May not be ideal bit it does for me!
Rob
 
Re: Transmitting to the radio

Hi Robin,

No, it's not as simple as that regrettably! What I suspect you are probably doing on your boat is to split what would be the front and rear speakers in a car, between your flybridge and wheelhouse. No difficulty with that, and the controls to do so are, as you say, on/in the radio.

But in my boat we have four speakers (effectively both front and rear) in the saloon. This allows those sitting either to port or starboard to hear 'proper' stereo, as the speakers are balanced fore and aft on each side.

The very neat relay system I had made, allows a single switch to turn off the four speakers in the saloon, and simultaneously switch on the two waterproof ones in the cockpit. This system has worked perfectly for about 11 years.

I've changed the radio/casstte player (a couple of months ago) for an all-singing all-dancing Pioneer, the same make as before, that will play any sort of CD, MP3 etc etc.

What both the old and new radios will not seem to allow, is for me to plug a stereo lead into the aux. input from either a laptop, TV or cassette player, and play the sound through the existing speaker set-up. I can only get sound from one pair of the saloon speakers, presumably those that would be the 'rear' speakers in a car.

I just wondered if one of the Forum's electronic whizz kids out there could advise a way round this, because I can see no way of achieving it from the info given in the comprehensive handbook.

Both Chris Enstone and Dexter have given me very useful ideas to try both involving the use of a sort of plug-in transmitter, and I'm chasing that up, but I would like to 'hard wire' the system if possible.

Any help from out there would be much appreciated.

Cheers Jerry
 
Re: Transmitting to the radio

Many thanks Chris, I'll look into that option. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers Jerry
 
Re: Transmitting to the radio

If You have fixed PC on board then IMHO You should blug burning double layer dvd station to it. On Your external hard drive You can store Your music and DVD:s. If You buy new movies You can use the dvd station. And if You have lack of space on Your hard drive, you can burn those movies back to dvds (or videoCD). You can compress your movies to more suitable size with dvdshrink.
 
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