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07-28-2013, 12:01 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Options list narrowing down...Touch Radio
While waiting for Reace and Tammy to return next Monday from their holiday, I have been trying to resolve a couple of options. One is the radio situation. Although the "Touch" radio Escape installs has gotten bad reviews, I'm wondering what alternative I have. Does it play dvd's for the television and does the tv sound come thru the cabinet mounted speakers. Looks like there are 2 large rear and 2 small front speakers. I'm a little hard of hearing (and hard headed) so 4 speakers may make it more enjoyable. Is there a separate external antenna? I like the weather channel option also.
What about the speakers, do the big ones take away a lot of cabinet space, where is the radio mounted, can it be put anywhere? Thanks for any help on this option.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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07-28-2013, 12:51 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 743
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I can't speak about the Touch radio specifically, but the points I considered in answering this question for myself were:
- Touch system had bad reviews on the user interface.
- reviews are irrelevant regarding sound quality -- it's subjective so you have to hear it yourself.
- audio equipment is easy to install after the fact.
- video equipment is irrelevant to me. If my wife wants her news or TV fix, she can use her laptop.
I decided I'd look into an aftermarket car stereo for the trailer.
I never got that far, though. I ran across a review for an inexpensive but very good sounding amplifier which runs off 12v. I ordered it and am playing with it now. My intention is to mount it under the overhead shelf at the front of the trailer, with a small bookshelf-style speaker mounted under the shelf in each corner. I'll feed the amplifier with a small mp3 player (which includes a radio).
Jim: this doesn't help you with your weather channel, or your requirement to play dvds. It might help with your hearing, since it's easier to make out the audio when it's a quality sound.
For myself, it doesn't solve the problem of outdoor music. I don't (yet) have a satisfactory solution for that one.
__________________
Doug
2013 Escape 19 ("The Dog House") , 2018 Ford F150
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07-28-2013, 12:56 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Doug,
Any pictures of your set up. For outside I use a bluetooth speaker for my iPhone music.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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07-28-2013, 01:40 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
Trailer: 2008 Escape 17b
Posts: 1,868
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I've always liked the DeWalt job site radio. AM, FM, and Aux for iPod tunes etc. when plugged in to shore power or my inverter it also charges the battery I use in my DeWalt drill for raising and lowering the levelling jacks. It works inside and outside and also provides 3 additional electrical sockets. Once it's charged, it can go with you to the lake!
About $150.00.
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07-28-2013, 02:29 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Bellingham and Glacier, Washington
Trailer: 2013 Escape 15A
Posts: 2,053
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
Is there a separate external antenna? What about the speakers, do the big ones take away a lot of cabinet space...
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My external AM antenna is mounted somewhere inside the cabinet by the radio itself--I can't see it. I have Kenwood 6.75" speakers mounted in the back. Quite frankly, I haven't even noticed them behind the cabinet facing and I have stuff stored all along that shelf. The days of bigger speakers making for better sound are long gone.
__________________
Karen Hulford
2013 Escape 15A, "Egbert"
'93 Ford 150 XLT or
'22 GMC Acadia Denali
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07-28-2013, 04:16 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
While waiting for Reace and Tammy to return next Monday from their holiday, I have been trying to resolve a couple of options. One is the radio situation. Although the "Touch" radio Escape installs has gotten bad reviews, I'm wondering what alternative I have. Does it play dvd's for the television and does the tv sound come thru the cabinet mounted speakers. Looks like there are 2 large rear and 2 small front speakers. I'm a little hard of hearing (and hard headed) so 4 speakers may make it more enjoyable. Is there a separate external antenna? I like the weather channel option also.
What about the speakers, do the big ones take away a lot of cabinet space, where is the radio mounted, can it be put anywhere? Thanks for any help on this option.
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Jim, I think you are better off putting in your own stereo but I suggest that you have Reace mount the speakers and run your wiring. That is a lot of work. I mounted the four that I put in (each corner of the trailer) facing downward in each corner. It used no storage space and the sound is great. Here are a few pics...
Here is the location of the stereo over the dinette entrance. This is when you want to be able to reach the volume control....
It's mounted in a surface mounted enclosure....really nice! I also added an AM/FM Sherwood marine antenna mounted horizontally above the entrance door.
Steve
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07-28-2013, 04:27 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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I like those speakers, surface mounted? No holes correct? Please post where you got them and your radio info, I may just do that in the rear dinette area. Thanks, Steve.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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07-28-2013, 04:30 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
I like those speakers, surface mounted? No holes correct? Please post where you got them and your radio info, I may just do that in the rear dinette area. Thanks, Steve.
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There are a few small holes for the speaker wiring and the 4 mounting screw holes. I'll get the list together for you...
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07-28-2013, 04:30 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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I just noticed your corner, this is a 2012 19' correct? Why are the front corners concave and have a bump out, but the rear appear to be convex with a bump in? Maybe it is just the photo angle?
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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07-28-2013, 04:40 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
I just noticed your corner, this is a 2012 19' correct? Why are the front corners concave and have a bump out, but the rear appear to be convex with a bump in? Maybe it is just the photo angle?
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It's an illusion...they are the same front and back...
My stereo is a KDC-BT952HD Kenwood stereo that has several input options such as Aux, XM, USB, etc. and Blue Tooth wireless and a CD player and HD Radio Reception + remote control. The operating colors are even programmable. In each corner of the trailer I mounted one 6 1/2" Polk Audio Coaxial speaker (4) in a pod (surface-mounted) facing downward. If you Google speaker pod you will see the same style. Most of the time I use the Zumo 550 GPS Unit from my motorcycle for the XM stereo plugged into the AUX input. I also horizontally mounted a Marine AM/FM antenna over the inside of the doorway that has great reception.
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07-28-2013, 04:44 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
Posts: 967
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Rhino Speaker Pods
$44.95
Free Shipping to U.S. and Canada!
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07-28-2013, 04:47 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
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Thanks, back to Google........
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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07-28-2013, 11:15 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
Posts: 743
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
Doug,
Any pictures of your set up. For outside I use a bluetooth speaker for my iPhone music.
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My "setup" is various scattered pieces right now -- the amplifier, a pair of Koss M60 speakers I had kicking around (excellent sound for small speakers), a 12v plug that I cut off something else twist-connected (not even taped) to a plug I found in my spare parts bin that fit the amplifier.
Here's the article that led me to the amplifier: Low-cost hi-fi: the amazing world of cheapo mini-amps - Boing Boing
The amplifier is best described as "cute" -- all of about 5" wide, volume/bass/treble/power, and that's about it:
I'm not an audiophile, but I do like good quality sound. For a $25 amp, using speakers I had gathering dust in the basement, the sound is fantastic.
My intention is to build a wide narrow box that will hold the amp, house a couple of spare 12v outlets (for charging phones and such), and provide a place to attach and plug in an MP3 player. But, I have other priorities (put a 2nd coat of finish on a bed-side shelf earlier tonight). It'll likely be August before I get the music installed.
__________________
Doug
2013 Escape 19 ("The Dog House") , 2018 Ford F150
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07-29-2013, 11:14 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Alcoa, Tennessee
Trailer: 2015 5.0 TA
Posts: 419
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I replaced my TouchAudo with a Concertone from Crutchfield. I had to enlarge the hole slightly, but it basically fits the same space. Much better reception, and none of the control problems I was having with the other unit.
Dick
__________________
2015 Escape 5 TA
2016 Ford F-150
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12-11-2013, 07:37 PM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Gainesville, Georgia
Trailer: 2014 19. Birthing date June 23
Posts: 65
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Radio DVD option
IN my build I have ordered from Escape the Jensen DV2011. Any experience with this model?
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