Community Forums

view24 · 03-03-2013, 08:57 AM

Hi, We are new with MH. We are very happy to find your site.
We have winnobago view. We want to use internet while we are driving. We would like to watch movies from computer. We noticed on the top of the dash, there is a ipod connection. We are not young enough to understand new technical stuff on the market. We also would like to be able to download books on tape and listen while driving. We also notice wind sound and road noise is loud that my husband who lost 25% of hearing has difficult time hearing radio well and movies. Anyone know how to make these gaget works?

Selah · 03-03-2013, 10:00 AM

Can't help you with the wind noise. I wear hearing aids but mainly to hear my navigator/first officer. DW handles all nav and system monitoring. As far a listening to audio books, it sounds like your radio has a USB interface. My suggestion is to get an iPod or iPhone. If you go to an Apple store ask if they will show you how to play it through your radio. Audio books can be downloaded via Internet directly to the device. They can show you how to do that as well.

RickO · 03-03-2013, 10:16 AM

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If you want to use internet while driving I think you'll either need to have a smart phone (which you can use as a wifi hotspot for your rig) or an air card from a cell provider like Verizon.

Using books on tape is a great way to pass the time on long travel days and we do it all the time. We either get them via itunes and play them through our iPod, or we use the program at Crackerbarrels where you can "rent" a book on CD at one location and return it to any of their other locations along the way.

One thing you'll need to investigate is data usage if you plan to be watching movies via the internet. The data plan you get will probably have some sort of limit to the amount of downloading you can do and if you exceed it, you get hit with overage charges which can quickly add up. You may also have a problem getting a fast enough internet connection to handle streaming a movie if you're in a remote location.

Best of luck.

Rick

MSHappyCampers · 03-03-2013, 12:13 PM

Hi folks! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined us!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

sdennislee · 03-03-2013, 01:29 PM

Hi and

Try Download Audio Books with Audible.com Online Digital Audio Book Store THis is where I download most of my audio books.

Medico · 03-04-2013, 04:08 AM

Welcome and glad to meet you!

**CLIFFTALL** · 03-04-2013, 04:28 AM

Welcome to IRV 2.

Cliff

HD4Mark · 03-04-2013, 05:09 AM

Check with your local library for downloadable audio books also. Our local library has them for free. You may need to download software to play it but in our case it was also free. The only down side is that internet access might be needed when playing them and with a smart phone or air card that could burn a lot of your time online.

The library might also have old fashion cassettes and CDs with books on them. You can usually mail them back so they are on time. Ask about a "book rate" at the USPS.

Whatnobeer · 03-04-2013, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by view24

Hi, We are new with MH. We are very happy to find your site.
We have winnobago view. We want to use internet while we are driving. We would like to watch movies from computer. We noticed on the top of the dash, there is a ipod connection. We are not young enough to understand new technical stuff on the market. We also would like to be able to download books on tape and listen while driving. We also notice wind sound and road noise is loud that my husband who lost 25% of hearing has difficult time hearing radio well and movies. Anyone know how to make these gaget works?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Selah

Can't help you with the wind noise. I wear hearing aids but mainly to hear my navigator/first officer. DW handles all nav and system monitoring. As far a listening to audio books, it sounds like your radio has a USB interface. My suggestion is to get an iPod or iPhone. If you go to an Apple store ask if they will show you how to play it through your radio. Audio books can be downloaded via Internet directly to the device. They can show you how to do that as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If you want to use internet while driving I think you'll either need to have a smart phone (which you can use as a wifi hotspot for your rig) or an air card from a cell provider like Verizon.

Using books on tape is a great way to pass the time on long travel days and we do it all the time. We either get them via itunes and play them through our iPod, or we use the program at Crackerbarrels where you can "rent" a book on CD at one location and return it to any of their other locations along the way.

One thing you'll need to investigate is data usage if you plan to be watching movies via the internet. The data plan you get will probably have some sort of limit to the amount of downloading you can do and if you exceed it, you get hit with overage charges which can quickly add up. You may also have a problem getting a fast enough internet connection to handle streaming a movie if you're in a remote location.

Best of luck.

Rick

1st off welcome to

It's nice to have you here. I'm young enough to be stupid and old enough to know better.

Your ipod cable will do you wonders if you have an ipod. If you don't and just have a laptop, tablet or other type of MP3 player, look for a regular USB jack or a seperate audio in jack (will look like a small head phone input) to plug in to. They all work well. My Infiniti SUV has the plain USB input that will take anything that uses USB to connect with. Makes it easier than trying to find an ipod. If you need some more help with it just ask and I'll get some pics for you if needed.

And to reiterate what Rick said, be very careful streaming certain things over a smartphone. I do and it will burn through your data fairly quickly. It's great in a pinch if you want to watch something, but I wouldn't recommend it on a daily basis.

Let us know how everything turns out for you.

gajd33 · 03-04-2013, 05:57 AM

There are several questions that you have that just arent simple to answer. When I have many tech issues like what your describing, I usually find a friendly and trusted young person to show me the ropes. They can usually figure that stuff out in a fraction of the time of most of us. If you have a nephew, grand child, or neighbor that can have a look at it for you that would be best.

At the bare minimum you will need:

A Device that connects to the internet (Mifi Device or Hotspot on a Smartphone) available through wireless carriers like Verizon or Millenicom

A device that can play books on tape and connect to your MH audio system (iPad or the smartphone you may have purchased above)

The good news as many other posters have mentioned is that there is a solution. The real issue is understanding what you need.

PyrateSilly · 03-04-2013, 06:37 AM

You can also get books on CD at truck stops. Most of the ones that you can get there actually has sound effects and different people do voices. As it says on them "It's a movie in your mind". Graphic Audio is the maker and they do series. One of them that we are listening to is over 20 books in total, another is 30 books long.

If you have a CB you might be able to talk to the semi drivers to ask about trading CD books. A lot of them do that.

A lot of campgrounds have an area to trade books and movies. You might be able to find some there too.

Oh actual brick bookstores will have sales a lot of times and it doesn't hurt to sometimes stop off and look. We have found lots for just $1 or $2.

pcurt23 · 03-04-2013, 09:07 AM

We get books on tape from the Library and load them to I Tunes. We can either listen to them on the computer or load them to the Iphone and play them through the radio.

JohnBoyToo · 03-04-2013, 09:22 AM

Have been a member of Audible.com for 10 years or more...
first got it free with one of the Garmin gps's I got...
still use the gps and audible for that reason, just connect audio out to your line -in with a cable and you are good to go...
(fyi, ball current vehicles have nav, line-in, aux, and bluetooth now, but still prefer the lifetime maps and comfortable functionality of the Garmins

)

Once the long trip starts and the DW falls asleep (I give her a pass because she gets up 2 hours b4 me each workday) - I'm usually on my own and love the way audio books pass the miles....

good luck - our genre is the super duper spy thriller / detective genre type
- favorites are ANYTHING by David Baldacci, or Harlan Coben, or Stuart Woods

njs42 · 03-04-2013, 09:49 AM

I cannot speak to whether this is the most cost effective but when it comes to actually hearing and enjoying I get what works best for me and this is it.

I'm seventy years old so I need a little help with this tech stuff but in reality it is not that complicated. The language of tech is new so it makes it sound more difficult than it is. Our youngest son worked for Microsoft and now has his own business. So he is our helper. He suggested iPhone.

I also have severe hearing loss.

It was simple. We have iPhones and are set up with iTunes on line. I learned how to download the music I enjoy and then play it through the radio. Actually I plug my phone into the lighter jack to charge it and use bluetooth to connect the phone to the radio. You can use the usb slot on your radio to do the same thing. This is all very easy to do. It is a great experience, and since I purchased the songs it does not use up my data minutes.

If I am not mistaken books available from iTunes ( a huge variety) would be the same, once you own them, you can play them w/o using your date plan on your phone.

In my case I have an old truck I use at our home base and I installed a radio which would accomodate the usb, bluetooth combination. It is a JVC no frills, no buttons, no CD player etc; retailed for $100. I also updated my speakers. This set up gives me the best hearing I have ever experienced and I can answer my phone hands free and talk and it is crystal clear for me (I rarely take phone calls in the truck and only talk briefly). The point is the music I enjoy uninterrupted is crystal clear, like never before, and I hear only what I want to hear.

The same would be true of audio books.

Your MH is already set up for this so it may work well for you. I'm going to install the same radio as I used in my truck in my MH, may do an upgrade since we have satelite radio in the MH. On the on other hand we may just cancel satelite radio.

Lots of other advantages to an iPhone or similar device, but that is another thread.

Gee this is fun, educational too.

Good luck with your choices.