What stereo to fit?

[Horza]

We looked at various solutions for aux inputs as the mini driver uses a 60Gb Creative Dukebox MP3 player and it seemed silly not to incorporate this into the install.

The head units shown above with the USB port are great for certain applications, if you have an iPod or if you use a device that is compatable with the USB Storage device standards (if you can plug it into an XP PC without using a driver is how you will know) then you will find something that works for you. I would have said the Aldi one is probably the biz in this case as it's compatable in all sorts of ways with all sorts of things (and it's cheap).

No one seems to do a head unit that works with the Creative unit so we didn't use USB. The phono works with anything and I was surprised at the quality from the Sony head unit playing music that was basically linked through a headphone socket.

Speakers in the door aren't much of a problem IMHO. I have a great set of 2way JBL 6" jobs in the bottom part of the door. If I had had the money I could have got seperates with crossovers and monted the tweatery bits in the top near where origional VW speakers go. I'm not sure what is meant by under the dash but you don't want your speaker pointing down, this is bad. If I were doing a proper job I was thinking of having something on the door pillar too behind my head.

Remote controls for campers are a must have. I bought a remote for my Sony head unit after the fact from ebay for only a couple of quid plus postage. I thought is would be pre loved but what turned up was a brand new boxed item. How chuffed was I?

[Arvi]

have a vw Gamma radio cass blue display type

£25.00

the code is 0000 but have forgotten how to imput it

have a top of range sony with remote new price £300 sale at £150

07711137125

[CovKid]

Mine came with rear aux in (phono) and video and preamp out (again phono) - also the usb slot on the front right - although on my T25 the slot lines up rather too well with the gearstick so if you plugged in an MP3 player you'd smash it. Hence using DVDs

Incidentally I also have a late model Honda (2005ish) cassette radio (you'd need to get code from Honda) if anyone is interested. Sells on ebay for £100 and apparently retails for over £800! £20 to anyone who wants to pick it up but you'll need to get the code for it as I say. You can get it done by post for around £15. It has aux inputs - very clean condition complete with carrier. Its just taking up space here.

Horza: At the volume mine is at it makes no odds plus you can use the door speakers as tweeters then. The area I mean is immediatey behind the fusebox - screwed to the bulkhead (similar spot other side). Its impossible to get a perfect sound in a bus with so much glass anyway. Purists will struggle to solve that one but after much trial and error door tweeters and mid to bass under dash works great and doesn't get in the way.

[MrDenis]

Update - I bought a noname mp3/DVD/cd/fm of ebbay - had it fitted - the 45w x 4 into the Pioneers sounds fine for the moment. The only minor niggle is not being able to navigate through mp3 directories without a video output screen to see what you're doing and lackof random play.

I'm getting a Roadstar 5" 12v screen, again off ebbay but now need an auto sparks to help me wire the stereo into the leisure battery and run cables around the bus so I can have the screen either up front for the passenger to control or in the back to watch MP4s when the weather's pants!

[CovKid]

Sounds like the £40 one if it needs the screen output. I bought one of those prior to getting the in-dash one but i use the original indoors now cos it plays DIVX movies so well.

Either that or you're putting them in folders:) I found the best way was to create genre DVDS - ie Rock, Jazz, Classical, Floaty stuff etc and just put the mp3s as they are in the root - not subfolders.

[lance]

what ever you fit ,if you have opening quarterlights be careful to get removable head unit fascia ,this cost me loads as little gits opened my doors through side windows be warned

[MrDenis]

Got my hands and a few other bits dirty today.

Fitted a new 110ah battery and split charge relay and hooked up the stereo to the new leisure battery.

I connected both the yellow and red fused wires of the stereo to the +ve of the new battery - is that the right thing to do?

Everything seems to work OK - so far anyway

["WEAZLECHIN"]

sounds alright to me, if its working.

[CovKid]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/In-Dash-USB-CAR-D ... dZViewItem

I got one similar to this - 4x45 watts (speakers from boot sales). For the extra £50 or whatever you've got a stereo that can play DVD films, DIVX, MP3's, all sorts. DVD holds a LOT of music too. There are a few on ebay - search for 'car dvd' or 'car divx' to see whats around.