Smooth Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Hi all Have a swift escape 622 (2009). It currently has the single din jvc stereo in. Has anyone ever replaced this for a double din and if so did you encounter any problems? Also should I go for a stereo with a built in sat nav or not? Finally anyone got any thoughts on any good after market stereos and best places to buy?? Cheers all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Is the existing stereo defective, or is there something you want to be able to do with it that it can't presently do? In other words, what do you want to achieve by changing? Re sat-nav, my personal view, which I know is not shared by all, is that incorporating this into an entertainment system needlessly complicates the entertainment system, tends to make upgrading maps and adding POIs more inconvenient and, with some models, quite expensive. You therefore need to choose with great care. Stand alone sat-navs are relatively cheap and after a few years become obsolescent, when the easiest thing is to buy a new one with the latest routing logic, improved screen etc. OTOH, doing this with a built-in unit is liable to prove more costly, albeit it will be a tidier solution. Whatever you get, try to get something with lifetime map updates. The maps are all permanently out of date, because the mapping lags what happens on the ground. This is made worse on those units where the maps are difficult or expensive to update, as the cost/faff becomes a disincentive to get new maps, which can in some places cause rather odd navigational instructions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Had Enough Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 My MH has a very fancy radio unit by Kenwood.I didn't select it as it came as standard. It has sat-nav, CD, iPod connectivity, plays my TV through about sixty speakers (or so it seems) and will play videos from various sources. It took longer to master than any other facility on the 'van! We're just about to set off on a stage of our journey through France and I will not be using the radio's sat-nav. Like Brian Kirby above I find it complicates things and we prefer to use a relatively inexpensive Garmin unit that we got from Halfords. It sits on the dash on a weighted nav-mat so can be positioned to a better viewing place than the radio unit. I like to see what's happening on the screen. In Europe it's my iPod with my 300+ CD collection and in the UK it's radio stations. Constantly fiddling with the radio to find out what that music is that I can't put a name to, and then going back to sat-nav is fiddly, distracting and dangerous. My Garmin sat-nav is also much simpler to update, it's free and can be done by connecting it to a PC. The radio sat-nav update is much more complicated and it's expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I agree with the previous two posters that integrated dashboard satnav is a step too far. Single DIN audio units offer most of what can be genuinely useful in a MH and the principal advantage of a double DIN unit (discounting satnav) seems to be that you can have a video screen for playing DVDs, which I see as of very limited value. You can have a DAB radio in singe DIN size and I replaced our MH unit with one of those - not that expensive and it works very well indeed. Unless the vehicle's dashboard was designed to take a double DIN wouldn't it be impractical to creat a double-DIN sized hole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 ...I agree with Brian's initial sentiment (that you should be clear of why you want a replacement), but not a lot with the other views expressed on the thread. Given the correct choice of unit, a decent double-din (satnav) can, IMO, be a great addition. These very recent threads cover most of the ground. http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Dash-SatNav/37453/ http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Which-Sat-Nav-for-Europe-/37182/ Fitting is not difficult for a competent DIY'er, but a decent fitting kit is a good idea, and you will possibly have to remove the "crossbar" across the middle of the double-din aperture with a padsaw, if your current radio is single-din. (The offer detailed in the first link is still active, and is a VERY good price for a well-featured unit). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 As above I agree, stick with a stand alone Sat-nav, for all the reasons that Brian says, get a Dab radio though they are great,with terrific clarity, mine is a double din JVC one which is now discontinued, but they do a very good single din one. Think that the dash will take either just and extra bit of trim to keep or remove. Tip source the 12v power from the leisure battery ,if it doesn't already, to do away with the '20 minute shutoff' annoying 'feature'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 hi, I have just replace the standard radio fitted to my 2014 ducato based van. after spending hours looking at radio specs, reading reviews and looing at the forums. I went for a kenwood double din. what I wanted in the end was reversing camera monitor fitting, dab radio, and ipod, blue tooth connections.did not go for the sat-nav as they are hard if not impossible to update with ones own poi,s and cost a bomb. easy job fitting but don't forget you will need a new surround and arial for dab, I went for the window fitting one and it works fine. michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynneroy Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 We have just fitted a Clarion with built in Sat Nav, £399 from Spares world, in our 2014 Majestic 125. It is an amazing piece of kit and worth every penny, no wires trailing everywhere, nothing stuck to windscreen, and we are really pleased with. Lynne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Rayjsj - 2015-03-18 8:47 AM As above I agree, stick with a stand alone Sat-nav, for all the reasons that Brian says, get a Dab radio though they are great,with terrific clarity, ................... Agree with the above re DAB, especially in UK, but if you intend continental touring, check availability of DAB signals. I heven't found anywhere in France with a DAB signal yet, Germany seemed quite well served, and I can't remember what happened in Spain. That is the limit of our touring with DAB so far, so can't say what the position is in other countries. Someone else is bound to know, though! However, outside UK, I think you may find a good aerial and a decent VHF receiver are still essential if you want a choice of stations in the places DAB doesn't reach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hideyspidey Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Ive just bought the single din JVC DB958T, it has full bluetooth, andriod, iphone etc and DAB+. The main thing that tempted me apart from ours being crap was the ability to have 2 phones connected at once and voice control. I use a parrot in my car and always stream music by bluetooth from my phone and i also run google maps from my phone and we can now do this with our new stereo. You will also be able to control the stereo from the rear or outside of the van.Its getting fitted on Saturday, it needed and ISO adaptor for 1.99 and a DAB aerial. I bought an ex demo one from car audio direct for 109.99 but they average 135-185. Mine came yesterday an i ordered on sunday and its brand new! Very happy Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Re dab radio.i have the radio fitted as I use the globecar as a 2nd car, so it gets used 3 to 4 times a week.and I only like the old plays on bbc4 extra, the rest of the programs are full of rubbish. Outside the uk I have an ipod full of audio stories, hancock, the goons etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 Hi all Thank you all for the replies. Just to answer certain questions raised, The first reason I'm looking to upgrade my stereo is for Bluetooth. I would like to connect my phone to the stereo and the one currently in has not even got an aux input. Most of our music is contained with mine and the wife's phone so this was the initial reason. The issue of sat nav is a secondary option and still seems to split opinion as above. Why I asked about a double din and if it would fit is, having looked at what's in there now I have a single din and a compartment above that doesn't really benefit anything. However if you remove it there are 2, what look like plastic screw holes above the single din unit which would get in the way. If I do go with just replacing the stereo and buying a stand alone sat nav have people got any thoughts on if the extra cost of motor home/campervan sat navs are worth the extra money??? Or does this open up a whole new debate? Ha ha Cheers again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 lynneroy - 2015-03-18 10:34 AM We have just fitted a Clarion with built in Sat Nav, £399 from Spares world, in our 2014 Majestic 125. It is an amazing piece of kit and worth every penny, no wires trailing everywhere, nothing stuck to windscreen, and we are really pleased with. Lynne Is that the one listed above???? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 I have the tomtom motorhome sat nav and after 3 european trips find it good. One thing that made this a deal for me was unlike some other makers I could download 3rd party poi, s. Worth the money, I would say look for deals and then a yes from me.michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Smooth - 2015-03-18 5:43 PM.......................If I do go with just replacing the stereo and buying a stand alone sat nav have people got any thoughts on if the extra cost of motor home/campervan sat navs are worth the extra money??? Or does this open up a whole new debate? Ha ha Cheers again It does; but hey, it's your string! :-) Value, as ever, is a judgement. Mine is that they are not, until you get up to the really big vans/American type RVs. They have one major practical limitation. Road widths are not actually mapped, though legal restrictions on width are. This means that to be reasonably certain of not sending you down a narrow road that has no legal width restriction, they have to prioritise A roads or the equivalent. Depending on where you are, this can result in miles of perfectly navigable roads being rejected, resulting in lengthier routes than would result using a non "truck" type device. However, they will keep you away from weak bridges, the increasingly common weight restrictions at town/village centres, and low bridges - the latter possibly being your main concern. Your van is, I'd guess, plated at 3,500kg, so weak bridges should not be a problem unless you have strayed way off into bandit country. Generally weight restrictions are clearly signposted well in advance, so it is relatively easy to ignore the restricted road and let the device find an alternative route. Many of the weight restrictions at towns etc apply only to commercial vehicles and not to private vehicles. This is usually signified by a symbol of a truck along with the weight restriction, sometimes with additional details regarding times of day or days of the week. So, assuming my 3,500kg guess is correct, I don't think you'll find you are restricted that often. Much the same is also true for low bridges which, if you keep a look out for the signs, should also allow you to avoid them in the same way. In any case, at around 3.0 metres high, you are only likely to get caught on really minor roads that one would normally reject on common sense grounds as part of a point to point route. My only other comment is a general one: that no matter what type of sat-nav you get, you cannot just enter the coordinates for your destination in the morning, and expect the device to guide you there without a hitch. They are very clever machines, but they are still dumb machines. So, it will always pay to spend a little time with a map, looking at the route the sat-nav sets up, and being prepared to add waypoints to pull it away from anything you don't like the look of (or towards anything that looks interesting). This process is much helped by those devices that allow you to store routes in advance, so you can do your route planning with map and device for several days ahead (assuming you know where you want to go), and pull up the routes as your trip progresses. But, that is me. If you are concerned about low bridges, and are given to deciding where to go on the spur of the moment, you may well find a "truck" type sat nav will give you greater peace of mind, in which case, it will represent good value for you - even though you will barely scrape the surface of its capabilities. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Posted March 18, 2015 Author Share Posted March 18, 2015 It does, and thanks Brian for taking the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Hi all Have decided to stick with a single din unit. However next question is, as anyone fitted one of those dab window aerial and if so how easy is it to route the cable from back of stereo to side of window. I have a 2009 ducato cab. And the window panels have the built in screens. Hope this makes sense Cheers all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Posted March 21, 2015 Author Share Posted March 21, 2015 Hi mate How easy was it to route the aerial to the window Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Hi, its an easy fit for the window dab aerial,.just make sure that the metal section is earthed on bear metal on the a post.michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Agree with the above, the trim beside the windscreen comes off easily allowing you to fit the digital stick on aerial,if its a JVC it will be the same aerial, I have found mine to be all that is needed for good digital reception in the UK. Be aware that the 20 min ' cutoff' comes from the vehicles power supply NOT the radio itself.So get the supply from the leisure battery to avoid it. If ever a Sat Navy mapping company ever does a ' As it is physically on the ground' type of mapping, like ' Google earth' only with laser measurement instead of photography, I'll be first in the queue to buy one, until then there will still be vehicles getting jammed after going down unsuitable roads.I have a Tom tom go live 1005 camper edition, with free lifetime UK mapping, discontinued the 'live' subs. as didn't think it was worth it.My Europe map is now 2 years out of date, but as we tour the UK that's OK. Still the route needs checking though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Rayjsj - 2015-03-22 9:00 AM Agree with the above, the trim beside the windscreen comes off easily allowing you to fit the digital stick on aerial,. Sorry to ask, how easy ha? Really want to try and fit this myself but a little worried because the panel has the blinds built into it and don't want to damage anything. Does the pillar Pop off or are there screws? Once off how easy is it to them route the cable through the dash. Any other help would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks for the replies this far Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooth Posted March 22, 2015 Author Share Posted March 22, 2015 Yes again Anyone have any answers to this? Took the current jvc out of motorhome today and had the standard ISO plug. However there was Another plug behind the stereo not going into anything? Any idea what it could be. Just to not, both sets of plugs are black. Cheers All Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 If you haven't already bought your new radio, consider getting it from Halfords, who seem to be competitive on price anyway, because they offer a fitting servce. They also srock the various adapters/connectors which might be needed, so for a modest price (about £20 as I recall) they do it all. If it plays up afterwards you can also simply take it back and they will fix again. Car radios can be fiddly to get into the hole and the installation can also be tight for access for the cables etc so it's much easier for someone who is used to doing it. My DAB radio also went peculiar after working normally for week or so and Halfords "rebooted " it, by disconnecting all power connections for a while, which I wouldn't have known to do. Incidentally the prices of car radios change all the time and there are usually special deals at Halfords. You also need to get one which can be switched off completely at the front panel because some only go to standby there and the lighting of the panel is expected to be controlled by the car's ignition switch. Failing to get this right could mean your radio's panel lighting (which these days can be pretty lurid) will stay on all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynneroy Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Sorry only just read question, it is the Clarion NX 502E we went out again last night, and it really is excellent, if you ask for local facilities, it gives campsites, shops etc and even phone numbers and if your phone is connected to it you can call of it. If listening to the radio, it tells you what song and who is singing it. Sat Nav is good too, so we feel it is a good buy for the money. Lynne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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