Onboard Entertainment Systems

Re: Transmitting to the radio

Hi jasu74,

Thanks for that. I have a high powered Centrino laptop on board that can burn DVD's, store DVD films etc, but it's really the recording of the cassettes to the hard drive that takes such a long time.

If there is better software out there than the Roxio stuff I have, that may be the answer, but I'm beginning to think that using one of the mini FM transmitters suggested by two of the posters may be the way forward. Then I may be able to simply use a Walkman plugged into the FM unit and tune the radio so that it is played on the boat's stereo system.

Cheers Jerry
 
Re: Transmitting to the radio

At the risk of being a complete pain, so what we might be thinking about (given space, longer term intention to liveaboard for extended periods and keping it simple and flexible) is:

1 Sony or Blaupunkt or Pioneer car radio (being careful about security codes);
2 laptop for DVD's
3 Ipod for music
4 all linked (somehow???) and switchable (also somehow???)to Pioneer speakers in saloon and waterproof speakers in the cockpit ( and poss other spkrs in owners' cabin).

Now is it then possible to run all this off both DC (at sea) and AC (occasional marina)???

Look, I'm really good at some things but matters electrical and electronic are whole new areas of learning. I'm going to get the new edition of Nigel Calder's bible.
 
Re: Transmitting to the radio

Run off DC at sea, yep

1. Radio directly off 12v supply just like a car
2. laptop either directly (not a route I would go down) or via a convertor running off the 12v. Dell, for instance, do a travel plug that fits into a 12v cigar socket.
3 IPod charges via USB port of laptop then runs off its own internal battery for abt 10 hours or so

All linked and switchable speakers, I'm sure it's possible but wouldn't expect an boatbuilder to have the skills to do that. If,like me, you are technoklutz I'd advise getting a specialist in-boat entertainment contractor to do the integration. Otherwise buy Nigel Calder's book and DIY, if you are confident of your new skills.

12v at sea then AC in port. Yep, all sorts of ways of doing it, the two that immediately come to mind are having shore power that charges you batteries and then use the 12v dc system. The other is to use the AC for charging laptop and Ipod, or both as we have.
 
Phil,

With regards to outside speakers, we have Bose marine speakers mounted on the wing. I guess that these are the new version of them: Bose Marine Speakers.

They seem to have good quality, and have managed 6 years outside (although admittedly one is now faulty, hopefully only the wiring!)

Hope this helps,

Paul Brown
 
Phil,

The speakers will have been installed either by Alubat, or by Marine and Vehicle Electronics in Jersey, who did a lot of work for the previous owner (in fact I think they re-wired most of the boat, making remedial action very hard!).

The speakers themselves are mounted on either side of the wing. This is nicely out the way, so we do not hit them when walking around the transom or cockpit, launching the dinghy, etc.. I have added a photo below that can explain better than me!

ovnispeakers.JPG


The wiring runs inside the wing frame and into the "wall space" found by removing the rear panels in the aft cabins. From here it can run anywhere inside the boat. Suffice to say, I am not looking forward to trying to fix the broken speaker!

Our system is hooked up to a Panasonic CD Multichanger and Radio/Tape player in the saloon, this certainly has no problem with codes. We also have another 2 speakers mounted on the forward bulkhead in the saloon. Some car systems have an audio input jack. Combine this with an Ipod cradle mounted somewhere (which have audio ouput sockets), and it would be a great system. I am almost tempted myself, having bought an Ipod mini last week!

Any further questions feel free to ask, replies might be a bit slow as I am on a summer intern placement in London at the moment.

Thanks,

Paul
 
We have put the same Bose speakers on big power boats operating in sheltered waters for a customer (they have the same speakers on other boats in their fleet) - unless they are sheltered from rain and spray they have a relatively short life so are a high maintenance item on those boats. I think on a yacht used for other than calmish weather day type sailing, so exposed to driving salt water, they would not last long at all.

Not criticising the speakers, as think they may be among the best, but if used in exposed positions one must do so with the expectation of having to periodically replace them.

John
 
DVD/TV (auto seeks every known system) Computer monitor / 15 inch diagonal / 3 watt stereo speakers /CD player (most types of cd MP3 etc.) / 12 volt

To be found in the bay auction house .... Audio Image Electronics

item search : I searched using:

15 lcd tv dvd

15" TFT LCD FLAT PANEL W/TV/DVD/MP3/DIVX PLAYER MONITOR



Someone please try one so that they can report its performance to us!

Especially if they live in Brighton so that they will perhaps invite me to see it when I visit my mum in November!
 
For outside, the Bose boxes are the ones that I have had most to do with and suspect that they are as good as any.

In the end, I think whatever you put out in the wind, rain and salt spray unprotected will fail, sooner or later. When they say outdoor or marine speakers (talking about hifi not intercom type horns) I suspect that the manufacturers do not anticipate that as meaning exposed ocean going conditions on small boats.

John
 
There are new car radios coming onto the market that have aux inputs suitable for connecting an ipod and the like. Some interfaces will allow control of the ipod from the radio front panel.

Radios with CD or DVD players will play MP3's and I have seen a radio on eBAY that to my mind offers the best solution for marine use and thats a radio with a slot for a memory card
 
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