The FT coaches we all know and love here have technology that is long since outdated. This falls into a number of areas and I'd like to get a feel for what others have done. Some of this data exists in individual questions on past postings but I'm curious to start a thread where others like me contemplating our first FT can get sense of what....and in what order things were done. So here goes:
1. Speakers - Over the years I'm sure various speaker configurations were done inside the coach. I haven't noticed any discussion of outside speakers. In later years, at least from what I've seen, there are Bose Surround sound systems. In addition to speakers there has been some amplifier system to drive the speakers I assume independent of the sound source. More clarifications around amplifiers are needed. What have folks done here?
2. Sound source - I've seen dash mounted AM/FM stereos. These can contain their own amplifiers of feed separate amplifiers associated with speakers. I assume these sound sources have also included music sources....maybe 8 tracks in the early days...cassettes later and perhaps CD players into the 2000's. With the advent of Apple products (iPod, iPhone, iPad) with both wired....and later Bluetooth transfer has any FT product been delivered with this capacity? What have owners done to update music sources in their coaches? Outside?
3. TV - its obvious that video has changed a lot since the last of the glory year coaches in 2005. Flat screen TV's have been added to the front and bedroom of coaches. VCR's have migrated to DVD and now streaming video sources. I assume by 2005 that mostly VDR/DVD players were added with links to the amplifiers and sound systems. What have owners done to update the video source technology including streaming from computers/iPads that might have downloaded music?
4. Cellular and Data - the early coaches had cellular antennas from what I've read. With the advent of 4G LTE and build-out of cellular networks what have folks done? I've read about improved cellular antennas, boosters and wifi distribution within the coach. Obviously this is related to streaming audio and video content in #2 and 3 above. How many have use a non-cellular data connection (satellite or some other non-cellular solution)?
5. Computer - Other than the connection to the internet most home environments today use some type of "Media" computer device that can store pictures, video, music, etc. These computer devices can connect to new forms of inputs....like VMSpec to display data...as well as output video/music/pictures to other devices. This output can be wired (network cables) or streamed via Bluetooth/wifi. What have folks done?
6. Satellite/Video - Obviously many sources of satellite TV exist (Dish/Direct TV). These can be mounted on the coach or carried in the coach...Tailgator, etc.). In addition sources like Amazon Prime, Roku, etc. can stream video content with a high quality data connection. What have folks done?
7. Charging devices - All the portable devices need powers. Other than a portable battery pack fed by A/C and using cables (USB) to connect and charge devices, we've seen that new coaches have a plethora of USB charging ports throughout the coach. What have folks done to power devices in older technology coaches?
There may be others. But let's start with these. Feel free to add other technology I may have forgotten.
Thanks
Randy and Karen
Sarasota, Florida
Randy and Karen
Please add your coach info to your user profile, that automatically adds that info to your post- very helpful for theaudience Also as we like to say "search is your friend" here on the forum. For your little get reading pleasure there are likely hundreds of posts in the archives on these topics.
Randy,
Your list would apply to any high-end coach (and even some not so-high end coaches) of "a certain vintage". And some systems are on their third iteration since originally installed.
Just the norm with electronics-- be it in a "stick and brick" or RV.
And, in either, you have to decide what "state of the art" is worth to you.
Let me also add before we get too far that "switching" of inputs and outputs is also a technology that's changed so I'm curious what folks have done.
In this post I'm interested in the "end state" that folks have decided in right for them....even tho they may have added previous, now replace, updates.
This isn't as much about what came on the coaches as whether folks have felt a need to update...and if so...what folks have done most recently.
Our FT will be purchased this year and may have original or previously updated...but now outdated...technology so this post is trying to see what folks have done...and how they've changed to their current setup.
NO judgement on whether is "necessary" to update. Many may find sitting outside around a campfire takes the place of technology. Just an attempt to see what folks are using and have done after purchase.
Since much of this info may be spread amount other posts...many dating back far enough to speak to previous technology I thought I start a thread for consolidated "current" technology commentary.
Thanks.
1. Very happy with original speakers inside. Have portable bluetooth if want take out but very seldom do
2. Dash radio is XM with CD but when parked use home stereo amplifier ($138) that MOT put that contains and run DVD, CD, TV
3. Bluetooth, USB to TV, iPod to stereo amplifier and to dash radio
4. DirecTv, phone hot spot if want. Number people put in extra on this, wifi in the coach for example.
5. Computers. Roger installed a computer as monitor for VMSpc but I use laptop and iPad with wifi and cellular for photos, music. Do not stream movies, too expensive and just not need.
6. Roof mounted DirecTv. Could stream those you noted, have Apple TV at home. But just do not have need, yet. Only thing I miss is Netflix. Love books, have DVDs, some good programs....do not feel limited so happy as is
7. For $10, got 110 plug in that gives two 110 outlets and two USB charging ports. Have one in front, another in back.
8. CB radio. It in the coach, do not have hooked up
9. GPS several options. I use Garmin that was suggested in excellent Forum topic here. Plus will install Garmin program app on IPad. Only difference I may have is one for me, one for wife so we both can see the roads ahead
10 Virtually every light is LED.
11. Go Pro to record travel, dash mounted and remove to toad as want.
There are literally hundreds of threads on all these upgrades. Every coach is different, updated by a few generations of owners.
Each of us started with what was there when we bought the coach. There are only a few upgrades that people will pay much if anything to get especially in the areas Randy is asking about. Then you decide what you want to do in your coach based on what you need/want. And that is widely different from one owner to the next. I like my tech toys. Others want nothing to do with them.
It is all about what makes the coach comfortable for you. And that is all that counts.
Lots of electrical & entertainment Gizmo's, so you might consider a strong clean electrical foundation as part of your upgrade. A robust efficient pure sine inverter with high bulk charge rates would be a must have. Deep cycle golf cart batteries or lithium, might be worthwhile to drive high amp sound systems, when your not on the grid. When you are in an environment that requires cooling you get to pay both ways, adding energy into the coach from Gizmo's, and the cost of rejecting the heat of the Gizmo's via the coach cooling systems. No free lunch. But in humid parts of the country the a/c running all the time can lower interior humidity levels so a higher tstat settings are tolerable.
Did anyone mention cameras? A really neat thing is to have a camera for backing and keeping an
eye on traffic, toad, etc. A camera on each side to watch traffic and make sure an itty bitty tumble
bug of a car is not hidden in a blind spot. Someone mentioned a GoPro, which is great but others
prefer to add a front mounted camera with a recorder to record all and a split screen monitor to
keep up with all of them. You can become "addicted" to these and do not want to untrack the coach
without having them working.
Carter-
Go Pro does record, connect into pc too
....they don't have a coach yet, they're in the shopping stage & really doing their homework!
1. Speakers:The original speakers though the dash audio receiver head (3 above the windshield, one on each side of the bed) function quite well for my tastes. There was an aftermarket residential surround sound audio amp/mixer in our coach when we purchased it - but it was a power hog, which is a no-no because we spend a lot of time unplugged. So we pulled it, pulled the aftermarket polk audio speakers, and we use the original speakers
2. Sound Source: We simply installed a new Alpine stereo receiver with bluetooth in the dash, and use the bluetooth on a dedicated "music tablet" to play on these as our primary speakers. The dash stereo runs on the house batteries (in our coach, at least). We chose not to configure the TV to run through these speakers.
3. TV source:We use an HP Stream Mini (PC Computer) hooked up to our TV for almost all of our viewing. We actually kept the old-school DVD player because it only uses 6 Watts AC- that's fantastic! We also have a Chromecast hooked up to the TV - but with a media computer hooked directly to the TV, we rarely use it.
4. Data: We have been using cellular hotspots as a primary data source outside of the house for years, as we always spent a lot of time on the road. It always has worked great - cellular data is reliable in most places these days. However, when we moved into the FT full time a few months ago, we knew we would need more than 12 GB / month. So, we started renting a grandfathered verizon wireless unlimited plan sim card (from eBay), put it inside this MiFi router: Amazon.com: Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot - AC791L (Verizon Wireless)... (http://www.amazon.com/Verizon-Jetpack-LTE-Mobile-Hotspot/dp/B014WY4IB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485956080&sr=8-1&keywords=AC791L), and when we are in areas with only 2 bars of service, we'll plug in this non-powered antennae: Amazon.com: 8dB Verizon NETGEAR AC791L Mobile Hotspot External Antenna w/OEM... (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015T6Y9E2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
It works great. Our home base currently only has 2 bars of verizon service, but when we plug in the antennae we get 15-50 MB/sec download speeds and 4-8 MB/sec upload speeds.
5. Computer: We have that small low powered HP Stream computer for TV usage, and I also have a separate workstation with multiple monitors that I use for work, and that is more power hungry.
If you are going to use an external TV monitor for computer viewing, I would recommend a dedicated location and hard-wiring. Otherwise, and particularly if you have a laptop, don't do anything with wires that you can do wirelessly. The technology is only get to get "more wireless".
6. Satellite/Video: We don't "flip through TV". If we want to watch something, we usually already know what that is, and we can find it on the internet. Plus, the satellite and antennae hardware on the roof took up valuable solar panel space, and created shading on existing panels!! So we pulled roof hardware. We put in a non-powered $35 Winegard Flatwave on the interior of an overhead cabinet so we could get local channels in metropolitan markets. This is mostly just so we can get PBS Kids and play some sesame street for the little guy!
7. Charging Devices: The newest wave of cell phones now has a different USB charging port - the USB-C - which will mean you'll need an adapter even for some of the integrated USB ports that started becoming more common a few years ago. Older USB charging devices all have adapters that are rated for different charging speeds, and even the wires are rated for different charging speeds. Integrated USB ports are generally not built to be power-variable - some ports are rated for 1A, other for 2.1A, others for 3A, etc. While devices do have some forgiveness for USB charger rating - A 1A port will take forever to charge your new ipad, while an older cellphone consistently left plugged into a 3A port overnight will quickly see decreased battery capacity, so it's not perfect.
An integrated USB power system installed today would undoubtedly be ultra-convenient - but the technology is not finished evolving, and in a few years you may need to start using all those adapters again, or else do the next power outlet upgrade. Just things to consider.
For us, if we need AC power at a DC outlet, we just use that little car-style 75W Inverter. If we need USB power there, we plug in a USB charger, or unplug the inverter and use a straight DC->USB adapter, etc. Once everything slowly "found it's place," there really wasn't much plug/wire switching taking place, and it is convenient enough for us.
Having been in RV parks with neighbors blaring music (or TV) outside, we're not fans of outdoor speakers (probably since any mounted on the coach broadcast out, away from it). Small, portable speakers that are set up to broadcast towards the coach would be more neighborly.
This is a moving target. RV Mobile Internet Resource Center (http://www.rvmobileinternet.com) is the best resource
Replaced OEM duplex outlets with dual 110Vac/USB charging outlets from Home Depot