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Topic: decent sound from camping tv

doit

03/10/2016 at 7:37pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Orion 560-5

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We have a tv for camping which has very tinny sound which is not exactly unusual. So I thought why not use the caravan radio to boost the quality of the tv sound. We tried an FM transmitter to get the signal to the radio but suffered distortion and interference too many times to mention. So we looked for a hard wired solution to the problem as we have used a 3.5mm headphone male to male lead to connect the ipod with great success. However, we didn't want a cable snaking round the van getting in our way and looking unsightly. So a fitted discrete solution was needed.
We have a bailey orion 560-5 caravan which features alutech construction including 'coving' between roof and walls to hide ugly metalwork holding roof to walls. If your van has this same construction method then this solution may well work for you. I needed the cable to go from the radio through the back of a locker, past the microwave, through the crockery locker into the first bed locker then cross from offside to nearside into another bed locker, then into locker above tv shelf ready to be plugged into tv on shelf below. But I didn't want to see any cables or have cables dangling all over the place. So I popped off the 'coving' along the route the cable needed to take. Then I poked the cable through existing holes and gaps and had to drill just 1 extra hole to allow the cable to pass through a locker wall. I added some trunking with self adhesive backing to tidy up areas where the cable is not behind 'coving'. Then I replaced all 'coving' after cutting small notches to allow cable to exit from behind. Look at pictures for finished project which is easily put away for travelling and unobtrusive when in use on site. And now the tv can be heard with great quality sound every time. Happy days!
http://s86.photobucket.com/user/paulwickenden1/library/

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Why am i doing this instead of camping??!!

doit

03/10/2016 at 7:39pm
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Why am i doing this instead of camping??!!

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doit

03/10/2016 at 7:40pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Orion 560-5

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bah! cannot post pikkys - how do you do that?????? Uploaded snaps to photobucket but don't know what to do lol!

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Why am i doing this instead of camping??!!

Jax365

04/10/2016 at 11:38am
Location: south cheshire
Outfit: VW Caddy Maxi

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You can always upload pics to your gallery bit, which others can click on to view.

Mine is just a little box speaker, which plugs into the tv from the headphone socket. It works well!

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tango55

04/10/2016 at 3:21pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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I placed a pair of small 'Edifier' PC speakers in the front window shelf then connected the speakers to the 'Alba' portable TV via an audio extension lead then sited the lead behind the seat so the cable isn't visible. The speaker's USB cable is then hidden behind the front curtain and plugged into a 3 pin adapter plug at the front shelf. The sound quality has improved tremendously and the cost of the speakers plus the extension cable and adapter around 30 quid so it's an alternative to the solution if you don't have the Alutech construction.

doit

04/10/2016 at 6:33pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Orion 560-5

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Cable at tv shelf. Tucks away in locker above when not in use. Ignore black/silver box - that's the solar panel charge controller - nothing to do with audio cable project.

Locker above tv shelf showing cable emerging from alutech coving.

Cable crosses from nearside to offside in some white pvc trunking. Quite unobtrusive and invisible when sitting in lounge.

Same trunking on offside. Trunking in 3 pieces as curtain rail and walls do not align perfectly so I needed the trunking to be kinked - 1 piece nearside, 1 piece across the doorway and 1 piece on the offside, all butted together.

Audio cable (arrowed) emerging from alutech coving in locker next to radio/cd. When not in use the cable lays coiled up in the bottom of this locker, and when in use fits between the locker door and frame without being pinched.

Final view of cable plugged into radio/cd with locker door closed. Nice neat (ish) solution to the problem of getting tv audio out of caravan radio/cd. Much improved sound quality, no interference problems that arise from using fm transmitter and well under a tenner for parts. Took about 1.5 hours to install at a leisurely pace. I hope you are inspired to improve your tv sound experience by seeing this project.

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Why am i doing this instead of camping??!!

doit

04/10/2016 at 6:49pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Orion 560-5

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Thanks for your input guys. Got pictures to work - hooray!! To post pictures you need to upload them to photobucket (after creating free account), then hover mouse over picture you want to put on this forum, then click on share. When the options box appears click on the direct option and you will see copied flash in the box. Then once in the post reply box on this forum click on the mountain icon. Right click in the box and choose paste then click ok - job done!
My reasoning to attempt this project was to use the built in caravan audio system that is already fitted and ready to go but without cables trailing around the caravan which are potentially dangerous and unsightly, or using a fm transmitter which I have tried and was prone to interference and/or distortion which defeats the object of improving the audio quality. I also didn't want more equipment to pack/unpack and find a home for hence avoiding the separate speaker system idea. Once installed all it takes to get near hi-fi sound quality is to unroll the cable from the lockers at either end and plug them in. For those without bailey alutech coving, pvc trunking inside the lockers would hide, support and protect the cable. Hope you have enjoyed my project and are inspired to try something similar for your own van!

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Why am i doing this instead of camping??!!

trog100

06/10/2016 at 11:39am
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you can buy little bluetooth dongles quite cheaply on ebay..

they plug into ether a headphone socket or line in socket..

bluetooth speakers which can be as cheap or expensive as you like can then be used with no cable hassle..

different things TV.. phones.. tablets.. can then be used with the same bluetooth battery powered speakers..

bluetooth is the modern answer to better sound without the hassle of cables..

trog

shaggy2000

06/10/2016 at 12:50pm
Location: County Durham
Outfit: Explore 304

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I would have thought a sound bar would have worked just as well, just a thought.

peter1474

06/10/2016 at 1:06pm
Location: ML9
Outfit: Pageant Champagne 2002 Honda CRV 2008

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Quote: Originally posted by trog100 on 06/10/2016
you can buy little bluetooth dongles quite cheaply on ebay..

they plug into ether a headphone socket or line in socket..

bluetooth speakers which can be as cheap or expensive as you like can then be used with no cable hassle..

different things TV.. phones.. tablets.. can then be used with the same bluetooth battery powered speakers..

bluetooth is the modern answer to better sound without the hassle of cables..

trog

Agreed my Bluetooth speaker HMDS JAM just plugs in to the TV and it charges itself as it is used, not a wire in sight, it also acts as Bluetooth for both our phones, respect for what the OP has done but I would not like the look of that wire poking out a cupboard into the radio. The only reason I have not taken out the radio is my CofSD likes CD's.

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Peter and CofSD (Anne)

Hoverspeed

05/11/2018 at 8:47am
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Hi
How did you get the coving off inside overhead lockers ?
I have a vigo 3 and the coving is in a long length going through overhead lockers did you have to remove the lockers ?

Bob61

05/11/2018 at 9:45am
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Quote: Originally posted by shaggy2000 on 06/10/2016
I would have thought a sound bar would have worked just as well, just a thought.

...or a set of PC speakers plugged into the earphone socket of the TV.

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