Additions to new motorhome (1 Viewer)

eddie

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 4, 2007
8,122
41,030
Taunton Somerset
Funster No
540
MH
RV
Exp
since 1989
Right, so had my new van a couple of weeks and have started sorting things out.

Personally I hate things that don’t work properly or well. Sometimes we have to put up with cranky performance when a technology is new but luckily we don’t know any better so it doesn’t matter! Mobile phones for example.

When they first came out they were huge and had a very short battery life and very limited coverage around the Country.

If we used them now we would be pulling out hair out but then.. Boy what a great toy.

I have given up buying DVD’s an CD’s This started as self defence from my children! Well, I say children four grown up men, that happily pick up Dads new DVD, remove the disk and either take it home or to their rooms leaving me to look forward to watching the said DVD the following weekend, relaxing with a drink or two. The weekend comes, I persuade my wife that watching “Megadeath Alien Killers” is better than “strictly” and get the case out! Only to find it empty and “Mr Nobody” has borrowed it!

So, to be able to simply buy and download films and music straight to my iPhone is excellent. It is normally with me so we can listen to and watch what we want, when and wherever we are.

The downside is the quality and the leads needed to make this happen. But there is a way to get HD quality without the need for leads and adapters!

In the Sun Voyager I have installed a satellite system, with a twin LNB. On Ebay I purchased a 2nd hand Sky Plus HD box with 180GB storage drive. I have a Sky Multi room viewing card which costs us £10 per month so I get all of our subscribed channels when away in the motorhome without any upset for those left at home and any hassle or work for us.

When this was being installed we also mounted a Apple TV HD unit which will communicate through a wireless network to my iPhone and my iPad

Then via a HDMI cable, the system plays my films and videos on the TV in HD. To facilitate the “wireless bit” we set up a “pseudo” wireless network using an Apple Airport Express .

Both these units are small and have been easily hidden in a false panel so are out of sight. They are both 220 VAC but this doesn’t matter as the TV and the Sky Plus box are also 220VAC so the use of a pure sine wave inverter to power all this was a logical conclusion.

When a little more time is available we will be installing a HDMI splitter/amplifier as I intend to connect the rear TV up with a HDMI connection so I can lay in bed and listen to all of my favourite music or watch a pre-recorded late night film, and simply control this from my iPad or iPhone.

The front system is connected to a Bose sound dock, which sounds great and was a lot less work and not intrusive, unlike my first idea for a surround sound system.

I am sure that this will bring howls from the purists that “don’t go camping to watch TV” but I don’t care:Eeek:. I don’t go camping to watch TV but when I do want to watch TV I enjoy it and it adds to the whole “home from home” ethos in my opinion. :winky:

Blowing a gale outside, Torrential rain lashing the side of the motorhome, curled up on the settee, a bottle of wine with some nibbles watching a great films with Lyn, my wife, for me is a great way to spend an evening!

If anyone is interested in doing this I am happy to help them either ask on here or email me at eddie@vanbitz.com:thumb:
 
Last edited:

MHVirgins

Free Member
Aug 22, 2011
3,889
3,158
South of Scotland
Funster No
17,867
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
March 2011
This all sounds great Eddie, we have only just got the tv and satellite for the van, the Avtex185DRS that we chose doubles up as our computer monitor, which we wanted.

Hopefully we'll manage to get it set up ok when we go away this weekend:RollEyes:
We are going to buy a Sky box off eBay to use when we're away with the viewing card etc. The portable satellite (Avtex) that we bought has a single LNB, can we still buy an HD box for this?
Bill
 

slobadoberbob

Free Member
Jun 1, 2009
6,151
1,960
Kent, garden of England
Funster No
6,953
MH
Winnebago 23' something
Exp
25 years & counting
I like the use of the Airport extreme

I like the use of the airport extreme. I have only ever used it at home for the storage/printers in the office, allowing me to work front he house on the Apple MacBook... greta bit of kit.

Sounds like a modern view on old ideas.. like it...

Bob

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
OP
OP
eddie

eddie

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 4, 2007
8,122
41,030
Taunton Somerset
Funster No
540
MH
RV
Exp
since 1989
This all sounds great Eddie, we have only just got the tv and satellite for the van, the Avtex185DRS that we chose doubles up as our computer monitor, which we wanted.

Hopefully we'll manage to get it set up ok when we go away this weekend:RollEyes:
We are going to buy a Sky box off eBay to use when we're away with the viewing card etc. The portable satellite (Avtex) that we bought has a single LNB, can we still buy an HD box for this?
Bill

Hi Bill

Yes you can do that, but you will not have a watch and record function with a single LNB You will be able to do either, but not simultaneously

The other solution is to simply swap the box and card from the house, which is what I have been doing, but it is a pain to be honest so I rarely bothered so went away with nothing:Doh:

We quickly learnt with our motorhomes that swapping too much between the house and the van was a nuisance and we learnt to buy two of everything to make life easy:thumb: Which in our minds is what enjoying a motorhome is all about.

This is said with respect to all those that suggest that you can "flick this" "swap that" "borrow this" "solder this" :winky: We simply like to get home and take off our laundry, fridge stuff and books! Everything else stays put:thumb:

Eddie
 

Terry

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 27, 2007
11,904
8,969
Lincolnshire
Funster No
1,075
MH
A class
Exp
Can't remember ;)
That sounds very good Eddie :thumb:--I have a new Sky box in the garage (if anybody wants one-used 2 days) but we went for a micro cyclone hdmi box and pen drives plus snide dvds :thumb:I intend to change the radio cd to one that uses pen drive also,if I get around to it ::bigsmile:
terry
 
Last edited:
Mar 29, 2011
961
639
Rugby UK
Funster No
15,848
MH
C Class RS
Exp
2011
talking of additions, I am sat in my MH at the Awning Company in Bolton having a 5.25mt GH awning fitted with room & skirt they are made to measure while you wait, started at 08.30 and will be finished at 5 ish, looks good.:thumb:

Dave

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Dec 6, 2011
11,467
25,057
South Wales
Funster No
19,136
MH
Coach built Adria
Exp
Since 2007
talking of additions, I am sat in my MH at the Awning Company in Bolton having a 5.25mt GH awning fitted with room & skirt they are made to measure while you wait, started at 08.30 and will be finished at 5 ish, looks good.:thumb:

Dave
pics please when done would be of interst to see:thumb:
 
Mar 29, 2011
961
639
Rugby UK
Funster No
15,848
MH
C Class RS
Exp
2011
pics please when done would be of interst to see:thumb:

We are at a dog show for the weekend so I will take some and see if I can get them on here, if I can work out how to do it

Thats if its not cancelled as some have been in the last couple of weeks:rain:

Dave
 
Dec 6, 2011
11,467
25,057
South Wales
Funster No
19,136
MH
Coach built Adria
Exp
Since 2007
cheers no rush just interestd " Nosey" really:ROFLMAO:

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Nov 30, 2008
87
17
Southampton
Funster No
5,058
MH
Coachbuilt autoroller 700
Exp
on and off 20 years
Satellite system

Eddie great review I don't think I would be allowed to go that far but am looking at a satellite system. I would be interested in knowing which system you fitted.
Many thanks Rich
 
Mar 16, 2010
3,050
29,974
Carmarthenshire
Funster No
10,651
MH
In between
Exp
Since 1988
That sounds very good Eddie :thumb:--I have a new Sky box in the garage (if anybody wants one-used 2 days) but we went for a micro cyclone hdmi box and pen drives plus snide dvds :thumb:I intend to change the radio cd to one that uses pen drive also,if I get around to it ::bigsmile:
terry
Hi What box is it? we are looking for one. Pm me with details please
 
OP
OP
eddie

eddie

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 4, 2007
8,122
41,030
Taunton Somerset
Funster No
540
MH
RV
Exp
since 1989
Eddie great review I don't think I would be allowed to go that far but am looking at a satellite system. I would be interested in knowing which system you fitted.
Many thanks Rich

KVH R4 twin. Had a Kathrein on the last van, and it is fickle with Sky+ which is the main reason for wanting to have a twin LNB system.

Eddie

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Jan 4, 2012
2,240
2,022
somerset
Funster No
19,320
MH
Fiat Ducato
Exp
A few years now
Just been (fitting) today on mine too :thumb:
Sony bluetooth cd/usb/radio head unit so now i can play sound and tunes from my cello tv and phone, wireless through speaker system and a active bass unit :thumb:

Now i can pull up on a site with Barry White thumping @ 400 watts and gold medalions dangling :Eeek:
Pimp my ride bitch----------- Look out you VW boys we are catching you up :ROFLMAO:
Big alloys and a spliff next :Eeek:
 

MHVirgins

Free Member
Aug 22, 2011
3,889
3,158
South of Scotland
Funster No
17,867
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
March 2011
Just been (fitting) today on mine too :thumb:
Sony bluetooth cd/usb/radio head unit so now i can play sound and tunes from my cello tv and phone, wireless through speaker system and a active bass unit :thumb:

Now i can pull up on a site with Barry White thumping @ 400 watts and gold medalions dangling :Eeek:
Pimp my ride bitch----------- Look out you VW boys we are catching you up :ROFLMAO:
Big alloys and a spliff next :Eeek:

Aaarrgghhh! Now I've met someone else with the same "great taste" in music as myself!:thumb:
I love Big Bazza, got all his LP's and the TSOP stuff too.......oops, really showing my age now:Blush: Such a shame he's no longer with us:Sad:but his music lives on.
Margaret:roflmto:
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top