What habitation sound systems / hifi ?

16:47 and it is still going!

Good solution if you don't want to pull the radio out.

This shows that the clever (20-30?) mins switch off trick is part of the radio, nothing to do with the CANBUS.

I still maintain that connecting the 2 wires together giving permanently on radio is a better option in a motorhome and connecting to the leisure battery ensures you can't flatten the vehicle battery. Don't know why the builders don't do it it's such an easy mod.

Match I think 180min is ideal. If we full asleep after a couple of glasses of Ricard while listening to Leonard Cohen at least we know it will turn off eventually.

I have quite a few mp3 CDs already, we hired an RV in the US a couple of years ago and I recorded a whole bunch in the hope the RV would play them. It did.

If the method above works and it is looking promising then you have to wonder why:
(a) AS don't do it automatically, and
(b) Why the hell don't FIAT (or Renault) make this info available.

I hope this is of use to other people. After all, the supplied radio/CD is OK, yes a point to plug in an mp3 player would be good and some people would like DAB - but not me though, I ain't a fan of DAB. But with the speakers, fitted by AS, on the back doors the sound quality is fine. We read a lot in the evenings so all we need is a bit of background music most of the time.

But this 20min malarky was driving me mad.

ps How easy it is it to connect the radio to the leisure battery? I am assume that AS don't make a 12v feed available under the dash, do they? Maybe I can ask them to do it at the next service.

Oh dear - 20 or 180 minutes setting on Euro V Boxer!
I sent the instructions for this to ASOC about 8 months ago for them to publish it as one of their tips! They check out all tips with Auto-Sleepers. I had a response from Baz Wellard to say that the procedure would invalidate the warranty and could not therefore be published.
I had found the "Easter Egg" because Swift Group vans havd this done by Swift.
Incidentally, I am not sure that the 20 minute/180 minute cut-off is a nuisance anyway. I can't check now as I am in India but as far as I remember the auto turn off only happens if you turn off the ignition while the radio is playing. If you switch off ignition and then turn on radio it will stay on.

Ron wrote:If you switch off ignition and then turn on radio it will stay on.

Not on mine Ron!

But it is now 17:50 and I have just switched it off - RESULT.

Invalidate the warranty????? How on earth could something you select invalidate the warranty? If it were likely to cause damage then why put it in the options.

Luv a duck! That's all I can say.

Hi there,

May I ask where exactly do you all find these partners who like to listen to whatever you decide to play?

When not using ear-phones the only variation I get to "Turn that down." is "Turn it off. It's giving me a headache."

Best regards,

.... I met my wife a few years ago, and we started talking about how
neither of us had been to a music festival, missing that in teens/20s/30s etc. So,
we decided to go to Glastonbury for our first one. Talk about jumping in the deep
end. It was a muddy year, too, and in a tent. That experience (is a large part of
why we have a campervan and it's mostly for music festivals. We don't share all
music in common at all, but a rocking good chunk

Dutto wrote:Hi there,

May I ask where exactly do you all find these partners who like to listen to whatever you decide to play?

When not using ear-phones the only variation I get to "Turn that down." is "Turn it off. It's giving me a headache."

Best regards,

Luckily Chris and I, like the same stuff ...... the 'real' rock & roll years ..... keeps us young at heart (and relives the past)

Brian

PS .... We will stick with 'Clubby's' "gas powered" radio / cassette player, as I haven't a clue what all you geniuses' are talking about

Yup me and the mem-sahib have similar tastes. In classical we both love solo piano, opera & many symphonies (esp Beethoven & Mahler) and modern minimalism (Glass, Adams etc). Neither of us are great jazz fans but we are 'old rockers'. We love the Stones (pre Ronnie Wood), Fairport Convention, Pink Floyd etc. My tastes are a bit more way out than the missus, I like Psychedelic Rock a lot and she likes Nancy Griffiths a lot but I can tolerate Nance, so no problems.

But you forget the Radio. We are both fans of Radio 4 and apart from that idiot Evans we both like Radio 2, although my missus doesn't loathe that idiot Evans as much as I do.

There you have it, a recipe for Marital bliss, 40 years not out this year!

[quote="deckie"]Luckily Chris and I, like the same stuff ...... the 'real' rock & roll years ..... keeps us young at heart (and relives the past)

Brian

PS .... We will stick with 'Clubby's' "gas powered" radio / cassette player, as I haven't a clue what all you geniuses' are talking about
[/quo

Thanks Brian

I was beginning to think I was getting too old for this Digital malarkie.


Andy

andygump wrote:
Thanks Brian

I was beginning to think I was getting too old for this Digital malarkie.

Andy

Hi Andy,

Some of the stuff on this topic went so far over my head .... it's now in outer space

Brian (Off to wynd up ye old Gramophone)

Interesting to know of the radio fix, shame I didn't know about this before I replaced my head unit.

I'm in the same camp as Dutto, MrsCC always complains when I try to listen to music so it's usually done in solitude through ear buds, even then I get wrong as I can't hear her when she talks to me... Sometimes in life you just can't win music is one of the greatest joys in life and can take you wherever you want and frequently bring back both good and not so good memory's

mccormw wrote:.......... If we full asleep after a couple of glasses of Ricard while listening to Leonard Cohen at least we know it will turn off eventually.

........

Not a lot will top that!!

I can't think of any way more likely to ensure that I finish up banging my head against a wall than drinking glasses of Ricard and simultaneously listening to Leonard Cohen!

The only thing that comes even close for me would be to spend four hours sat next to the Pibroch Competition at a Highland Games!

Best regards,

What's a Pibroch?

We both love Cohen and Dylan, come to that, but it's only me what likes the Ricard.

...btw we were 40 not out last year. Erk hope the missus doesn't see that faux pas.

mccormw wrote:Haaaaa, look what I found then

Unlike previous seasons, this radio links to the CANBUS system and is supplied with a timer to automatically shutdown to conserve battery power. The radio has two modes, one for when the vehicle is used as commercial vehicle (NORMAL) and one for use as a Motorhome (CAMPER).
If a customer wishes to change the amount of time the radio will stay on, please follow the instructions below:
* Turn radio on using central power button
* Within 15 seconds, simultaneously press FM AS and preset button 2. Each time this pair of buttons are pressed, the display will alternate between
NORMAL POWER MODE and CAMPER POWER MODE
* Ensure that CAMPER POWER MODE is displayed, then press MENU
* Using the UP and DOWN button now changes the display to show various adjustable items. Cycle through the options until RADIO OFF and a number of minutes is shown on the display. This will take approx. two presses of the UP button or seven presses of the DOWN button.


* With RADIO OFF shown on the display press the LEFT or RIGHT button. Each press of either button will alternate the number of minutes shown between 180 and 0
* With 180 showing on the display the setting is complete and three hours of radio operation should be possible. Press the POWER button to exit the menu and return the display to its usual view.

Please note that in NORMAL POWER MODE the same subsequent steps detailed above can be followed, to choose between 20 mins and 0 mins of radio operation.

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Don't really know what the ? signifies, I would guess it would be to make the surrounded text bold or italic. In fact I have gone through and converted them to bold - so ignore this point.

I have just popped out and carried this out on our Sussex Duo (Marigold) and with some messing about I think it might have worked.

(i) You have to be pretty quick to press the two buttons FM AS and 2,
(ii) I also could only get to work if I pressed 2 first, and
(iii) The only choice was 0 or 180, nothing in between.

OK, I have left the radio on in Marigold (~15:30) and I will post an update in a couple of hours on here. Fingers crossed.

To quote the words of a particular person that most of us of a certain age can relate to
“ I don’t beleeeve it “ I have just taken the advice of putting the radio in camper mode with the 180 minute cut off and it appears to work, I was only able to leave the radio switched on for around 45 minutes owing to a promise to take my other half out for a mothers day lunch, but prior to this it would switch off after 20 minutes so it looks as if this is going to work..........
bl***y marvellous.
Why is there no mention of this setting in the Peugeot or Autosleepers handbook? in fact even the Autosleeper dealer that we purchased the vehicle from doesn’t appear to have any knowledge of it.
The van had to go back to the dealer to have some minor warranty work carried out so I thought it would be a good time for them to get their auto electrician to sort out the radio as well, this he attempted to do but had to accept defeat when after doing what ever he thought he had to do it still turned its self off after 20 minutes,[ I still got charged for it though].
I fail to see why Autosleepers don’t or wont make any reference to this simple adjustment and the fact that it might invalidate the warranty doesn’t make any real sense, if the radio gives you the option of normal mode or camper mode what possible reason can they have for not wanting to let their customers know about it in fact surely the obvious thing to do would be for Autosleepers to make this the default setting.
Anyway thanks again for the information, I just wish that I had known about it a few weeks ago.

Victor …....... Sorry I mean Batch

mccormw wrote:What's a Pibroch?
................

Connoisseurs of Scottish music will tell you that a Pibroch is a musical composition that demonstrates a person's skill in playing the Scottish bagpipes.

However, people who are not tone-deaf will tell you that it is usually one of the most mournful dirges ever composed; which is then subsequently murdered on one of the world's most unmusical instruments.

The famous composer Sir Malcolm Sargent was once asked which type of bagpipe music he preferred to hear; and responded that he didn't really mind ".. as long as it was from very far away!"

Best regards,

Dutto wrote:The famous composer Sir Malcolm Sargent was once asked which type of bagpipe music he preferred to hear; and responded that he didn't really mind ".. as long as it was from very far away!"

Some of those old composers really knew their stuff and I can't disagree with Sir Malcolm on this topic. The bagpipes make Leonard Cohen sound rather joyful after I've had one or even seven Ricards.

Guys like him and of course the brilliant Sir Thomas Beecham were real characters, although I do feel sorry for the poor Australian lady he accused of scratching between her legs.

Hi Mark

This is something we have looked at & for the moment I have bought

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This works on Bluetooth with the iPad/iPhone so we can use Internet radio - if at CC as we have bought a card for their wifi - also it has a lead in so connect the old iPod or personal DAB we have already. Tried this last night and worked fine. Also with the lead in the battery life is so much better. Saying that we haven't charged it up yet it is small and the jar acts as a storage pot.

Keep looking at changing the radio but the cost of a new radio DAB, leads to work with the steering control is £200+ which is a lot of campsite nights and the small speaker was £25.

The only problem is travelling on Sundays the only radio in the afternoon is either sport (boring) or the chart type shows with ad breaks.

Our on board HiFi consists of a Sony CDX-GT?? for when we are on the move. When we bought our radio DAB wasn't available, but I don't think we would have gone for one as we don't tend to listen to a lot of radio. We chose this radio because it came with a USB socket so that we can listen to music in MP3 format on various SD cards depending on the mood. As a result we no longer carry CD's, and what a space save that is.

When we are on site, we don't use the radio at all. intead we use a combination of a Samsung NC10 netbook + portable harddrive that are connected to the TV and operated with a wireless keyboard and mouse. So we have the choice of TV, Computer, Internet all from one unit. At present we are using some cheap and nasty speakers that unbelievably produce decent Hifi, but eventually I would like to "tap in" to the habitation speakers without using the vehicles radio as the amplifier.

Wireless headphones have help to keep the peace when my wife wants to go to sleep early but I want to watch a late night night TV or film or when I'm listening to music when she is reading. The real beauty of these is that I can sit outside the van and listen to my music without having any trailing leads to get tangled up in.

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My music tastes are wide and varied, but at least I now don't have to listen to that "TURN THAT RUBBISH OFF"

Zozzer if the sound quality is good then those 'cans' look interesting. I have often hankered after a pair of wireless 'cans' but the ones I have listened to didn't sound very good.

ps DAB radio is rubbish mainly because the BBC insisted on using old technology (mp2 I believe) at low bit rates that it was not suited to anyway. I am very worried about the demise of FM as this technology can sound beautiful. I remember one night listening to a Holst Opera (I think he only wrote one) through my Quad tuner through a pair of Sennheiser 'cans' and it was like I was standing on stage with the singers moving around me - beautiful. DAB won't do that! In fact internet radio at decent bit rates (>= 128kb) will sound much better than DAB.

mccormw wrote:Zozzer if the sound quality is good then those 'cans' look interesting. I have often hankered after a pair of wireless 'cans' but the ones I have listened to didn't sound very good.

ps DAB radio is rubbish mainly because the BBC insisted on using old technology (mp2 I believe) at low bit rates that it was not suited to anyway. I am very worried about the demise of FM as this technology can sound beautiful. I remember one night listening to a Holst Opera (I think he only wrote one) through my Quad tuner through a pair of Sennheiser 'cans' and it was like I was standing on stage with the singers moving around me - beautiful. DAB won't do that! In fact internet radio at decent bit rates (>= 128kb) will sound much better than DAB.

Well I was so impressed with them, I bought a second pair for my wife as we use them at home in the computer suite (back bedroom really ). Wifi range is very good and I can wear them in any part of the house and listen to my music from the PC. When sat by my wife at the PC there are no conflicts as the headphones have three channels easily switchable by a button on the left speaker pod. The on off switch is on the right speaker pod. Charging is done via a docking station that plugs into normal 240v mains, but when charged they do last a few hours.

I would not say these headphones are the best there is, you pay your money and you take your chance, but in the passed I've a lot more for normal wired headphones and ended up with phones I would say are inferior in comparison.

Hi Campievanner

That doesn't look like it's going to be powerful enough to me, although it might, the habitation space inside a Symphony is pretty small, but don't you find it bright and bass-free?

Marc

Campievanner wrote:
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This works on Bluetooth with the iPad/iPhone so we can use Internet radio - if at CC as we have bought a card for their wifi - also it has a lead in so connect the old iPod or personal DAB we have already. Tried this last night and worked fine. Also with the lead in the battery life is so much better. Saying that we haven't charged it up yet it is small and the jar acts as a storage pot.

Keep looking at changing the radio but the cost of a new radio DAB, leads to work with the steering control is £200+ which is a lot of campsite nights and the small speaker was £25.

Hi Marc
We don't tend to listen to a lot of music in the van to be honest although it isn't too bad.
We wanted something small that we can put on when in the back of the van to avoid "who's turn is it this time" every 20 minutes when the radio goes off. Obviously there is music but it tends to be part of the show Radio 2 or BBC London. Although we are known to listen to Take the Floor & Pipeline on BBC Scotland.


I would have loved one of the Bose systems but as they are so expensive I couldn't justify it also the space issue not just cupboard space but space on the bench top.
Have a trip to John Lewis or Apple and have a play around with the ones on display.

It's funny you should mention John Lewis, I was in the Oxford Street one the other day, and they have a wonderful selection of wireless speakers. The Bose does look pretty good, but I think (from reviews) that there are probably cheaper comparable alternatives. Like you, I don't know how much we'd actually listen to music much.

Campievanner wrote:Hi Marc
We don't tend to listen to a lot of music in the van to be honest although it isn't too bad.
We wanted something small that we can put on when in the back of the van to avoid "who's turn is it this time" every 20 minutes when the radio goes off. Obviously there is music but it tends to be part of the show Radio 2 or BBC London. Although we are known to listen to Take the Floor & Pipeline on BBC Scotland.


I would have loved one of the Bose systems but as they are so expensive I couldn't justify it also the space issue not just cupboard space but space on the bench top.
Have a trip to John Lewis or Apple and have a play around with the ones on display.