Radio etc: when on site.

[WelshGas]

I gather the dashboard head units, although they can be used with ignition off, have a 20min timer so have to be continually switched on & if used excessively can flatten the starter battery.
Is this true? And if so do you take a free standing unit to use the mains or rear cabin 12v sockets?
Thanks for any info.

 

[KernowLad]

Yep; on our second camping trip we kept switching it back on so the kids could listen to stories on CDs to help get them to sleep.

Completely flat battery in the morning! Luckily it was bump start-able.

 

[SteveW]

We carry a Bose sound link mini, sounds fantastic and can be used anywhere. :smile

http://www.bose.co.uk/GB/en/home-and-pe ... h-speaker/

Cheers

Steve

 

[CannellWalker]

+1 for the Bose Sound Link mini. Good sound and small enough.

 

[briwy]

I've swapped the feed to the radio onto the leisure battery so no flat starter battery problems now.
It still turns off after a while though. I'm hoping this a coding thing which can be altered.

 

[KernowLad]

We used this for five weeks in Europe:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soundfreaq-SFQ- ... B007XOQI4S

Cracking little unit that bluetooths off your iPhone.

 

[Yelekreb]

Another vote for Bose mini link - fab!

 

[johnv]

surely it's better to re-route the radio to take power from the leisure batteries and use the van speakers rather than carry around another speaker system? is this hard to do? I would have thought it would be quite a priority to sort this out and stop the 20 minute time-out .. it looks like an oversight from VW when considering the camper over a normal car, it's certainly something I would be very interested in doing (well, having done ) .. especially if you can blue-tooth to the RNS510 from an i-something, you can then have iplayer etc

 

[KernowLad]

surely it's better to re-route the radio to take power from the leisure batteries and use the van speakers rather than carry around another speaker system? is this hard to do? I would have thought it would be quite a priority to sort this out and stop the 20 minute time-out .. it looks like an oversight from VW when considering the camper over a normal car, it's certainly something I would be very interested in doing (well, having done ) .. especially if you can blue-tooth to the RNS510 from an i-something, you can then have iplayer etc

What we found is that when you're sat outside, the stereo needs to be played fairly loud and is a bit intrusive to others. With a portable speaker, sound quality is really good at low volumes and doesn't disturb others - if the campsite has wifi, you can stream Radio 4 too… :lol:

 

[reserves]

Another vote for Bose mini link - fab!

+ 1

 

[teeboy]

I've swapped the feed to the radio onto the leisure battery so no flat starter battery problems now.
It still turns off after a while though. I'm hoping this a coding thing which can be altered.

Changing the feed to the leisure battery will avoid the starter battery going down, but as you have spotted the stereo still turns off. That is because the power feed (from either the van or leisure batteries are always positive), what shuts down the radio is the CAN bus telling the stereo to turn off. I don't think you can stop this via coding, but you can buy a little black box which intercepts the turn off signal from the CANbus and ignores it, other CAN bus signals are still passed through.

I have not tried one of these boxes as it is just too much hassle, and these days with modern mobile phones I find they are loud enough to play music in the van, which will not upset other campers.

T

 

[GrannyJen]

Another vote for the bose sound link mini

 

[Goldie]

Another vote for the SoundLink Mini, I bought it to use in my flat and will use in the Cali when it arrives (somewhere between Singapore and NZ at the moment!). Being a Beach owner I'll have to buy the 12v adapter when I use it in the Cali.

Andy

 

[WelshGas]

for all the information.

 

[SimplyDubs]

Bose Soundlink Mini... stunning bit of kit.


However I've got a Jawbone Jambox which for a couple of years was pretty much the definitive bluetooth portable speaker...

I mention this because there's a deal on the Dabs Outlet site that are doing these for less than £50 delivered... incredible value in my mind.

Sound is VERY good (Though not quite upto Bose) and has the advantage of being charged or run via USB..

http://r.ebay.com/LyDAtN

Probably while they are getting rid of old stock as the "mini" version is now launched...

Rgds
M

 

[skip.lesion]

That is a bargain! We have the Jambox and it has LiveAudio which gives an amazing 3D stereo sound. This works really well with movies on an iPad. Highly recommended!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Alan]

Bose Soundlink Mini... stunning bit of kit.


However I've got a Jawbone Jambox which for a couple of years was pretty much the definitive bluetooth portable speaker...

I mention this because there's a deal on the Dabs Outlet site that are doing these for less than £50 delivered... incredible value in my mind.

Sound is VERY good (Though not quite upto Bose) and has the advantage of being charged or run via USB..

http://r.ebay.com/LyDAtN

Probably while they are getting rid of old stock as the "mini" version is now launched...

Rgds
M

Took delivery of my jambox today and I have to say it's the best £50 I have spent
Can't stop playing with it

The advise,help,comradery and occasional banter on here all adds up to a quality forum

Regards
Alan

 

[teeboy]

Took delivery of my jambox today and I have to say it's the best £50 I have spent
Can't stop playing with it

The advise,help,comradery and occasional banter on here all adds up to a quality forum

Regards
Alan

Me too - amazingly small, but sounds good in the kitchen - so should fill the van with sound

 

[SimplyDubs]

Excellent guys... For the price, VERY difficult to beat.

Glad they worked out for you.

Rgds
Mark

 

[WelshGas]

Been camping for two weeks, California coming in autumn, and used this Musicman Soundstation. Cost £30 from Amazon, plus you need a USB charger, not supplied. Uses a rechargeable phone battery that lasts about 4/5hours. Unit has USB, Mini SD card and line input, also a FM radio. Very good sound quality and volume more than ideal when camping, but not for a rave party.
Just plays the music on the card/usb stick in series but I just have a number of cards with individual genres on and a 16GB USB stick with it all on. Software basic but easy to use.
Also has the FM radio, if there is a signal.
Small unit in size but punches way above its weight. Good value.