It strikes me that with so many multifunction displays able to show video pretty darn well, a lot of boaters will be looking to upgrade their 12v helm stereo so it can play DVDs. Sound track on the stereo, picture on the bright display. Quarter screen underway in open waters, full screen on the hook. Why not, especially when you’ve already spent the big bucks on the MFD (an acronym I’m not quite comfortable with yet, but “plotter” doesn’t really cut it anymore). At any rate, there’s a lot of activity in “mobile video” because of the screens also appearing in cars, and yesterday I stumbled on this $125 add-on DVD/MP3/CDRW deck which even has a built-in TV tuner. It’s a Boss 3800T and I don’t know much more about it. There is, of course, some good dope on car video (and marine stereo) over at Crutchfield, which I’m exploring. No one’s talking about “marine mobile video” yet, but I’m sure someone out there is trying it, and I’d like hear from them.
I visited the HISWA boatshow in IJmuiden, The Netherlands, yesterday. Can't really say I saw anyting exciting, but the one thing I noticed was a very strong trend towards in-boat entertainment. Even in small boats I saw LCD-screens popping-up everywhere, lots of (somehow all) Clarion speakers installed and marinized stereo equipment. In a couple of weeks I will be at the Monaco Yacht Show and should be able to experience some real state of the art equipment over there...
Jerry Hall, Guinness world record holder for longest underwater submergence with scuba gear, will this time try to stay underwater for 94 hours and 9 minutes in Watauga Lake. He's got all sorts of underwater electronics with him, allowing him to read and play chess. And this time he will also have the opportunity to listen to music since Oceanic is one of his sponsors. And I've written about their H20 Audio product-line before.
"For this dive, I will have the use of powerful underwater speakers and an underwater MP3 player," said Hall. "I can't describe what it's like to be able to listen to music underwater. That alone is going to make a tremendous difference."
"To get the commercial-free ear candy, you need a Sirius receiver and antenna. I opted for the Clarion DSH920S Tuner ($160) and the 1 1/3"-by-3 1/2" Shakespeare Galaxy SRA-30 antenna ($140). The final piece of the Clarion/Sirius system was a pair of 6.5" Clarion CM1622 marine coaxial speakers ($160/each). Then there's a $13-per-month subscription fee � a promotional $500 lifetime fee ends August 31�and a one-time activation fee of $15 ($5 online). Is it worth the price? Silly question. While testing the watertight, sealed-circuit XMD3 with an LCD display, I discovered the Sirius programming to be so diverse and comprehensive that for the first month I didn�t touch the CD player or AM/FM radio.(Sirius at Amazon.com)
I've seen through-hull underwater lights before, and from the same supplier (Underwater Lights USA & E-Fish TV) there is now a through-hull underwater video solution. Streaming right to your LCD screen in de salon so you don't have to dive in order to enjoy great marine life...
"This $1,835 waterproof camera from Underwater Lights USA can be set up for any zoom angle from 35 to 70 degrees and can send broadcast-quality, 470-line-resolution output to any number of monitors (in NTSC or PAL formats). Three and three quarters inches long with a diameter of 13'4", it fits in any of the company�s underwater light housings for steel, aluminum, or fiberglass hulls and thus is serviceable from inside the yacht."
There's no denying that satellite radio has made its entry into boating. This week's Ocean Navigator Marine Elecronics & Communications newsletter is proof of that. Chris Parker is discussing the different options you have, especially highlighting the Brix portable receiver. He's looking at a way to be able to receive the signal as far as in the Caribbean.
"I used to recommend purchasing the Sirius or XM device that was designed to interface with your brand of stereo. But audio equipment manufacturers identified a new market for this technology. Several equipment manufacturers now produce boom-box-type units for under $200 with a detachable satellite radio receiver. This allows you to take your satellite radio with you anywhere you go. You can play the self-contained unit, or play its output on your car, boat, home or office stereo."
Some nice new rugged LCD displays from Trident, up to 21.3", allowing you some great 'views' in the cockpit...
"All three panels have viewing angles of 170 degrees in both axes, with a virtually symmetrical viewing cone. This means that colour shift and colour inconsistencies when viewing the display from extreme angles are almost eliminated. This is essential for mapping and other applications where colours are used to show vital information. This symmetry of viewing angle also means the panels can be used in portrait orientation as well as landscape - something which conventional panels aren't suitable for. This is the result of ID-Tech's Post-Spacer construction, which also yields very high colour consistency."
I already saw it in my logfiles, but looking at the press-coverage on waterproof MP3 players, I must conclude there is definitely a trend here. Oceanic's DV-X has been mentioned on this website before, and now CNETAsia highlights it as well.
"Take the plunge with the Oceanic DV-X, an accessory that lets you use your MP3 player on a diving or snorkeling trip. The kit provides waterproof housing for any iRiver 300-series player and earphones made specifically for underwater listening, so you can hear your favorite tunes or take an audio-guided tour of wreck sites or sea life."
Since so many of you are looking for waterproof MP3 players on this website, I thought it would be better to post the news about this new (cheap) product. It is a "four AA batteries power built-in stereo speakers inside a water-proof casing that even comes with a hanger so you can hook it on your shower curtain rod or nozzle, turning almost any portable audio player into a waterproof shower stereo." I'm sure you can use it in a rainy cockpit as well...
"Boom Boom Multi-Box is water-resistant and is perfect for a trip to the beach, by the pool, on a camping trip, at a party, or even to use in the shower (hanger included); it has quality built-in speakers so you can play it loud and enjoy the sound, while hanging with friends!"
Lots of PR talk here, but Delphi announced today the introduction of the Delphi XM SKYFi Marine Kit. Satellite radio, either from XM or Sirius, is becoming very popular in the boating world looking at all the products (or marinized versions...) that have been entering the market recently.
"For splash proof protection, the Delphi XM SKYFi Marine Kit features a UV- treated cradle cover, which helps users see the display while helping protect their SKYFi receiver. A wireless FM adaptor with a conformal-coated circuit board, allows users to experience more than 120 XM channels of revolutionary programming including news, sports, traffic, weather and 68 commercial-free music stations through their boats' existing FM radio."
[1]-thumb.jpg)
I 
Jerry Hall, Guinness world record holder for longest underwater submergence with scuba gear, will this time 
Talking about 
Some nice 
I already saw it in my logfiles, but looking at the press-coverage on waterproof MP3 players, I must conclude there is definitely a trend here. Oceanic's DV-X has been mentioned on this website before, and now CNETAsia 
so you can hear your favorite tunes or take an audio-guided tour of wreck sites or sea life."
It is a "four AA batteries power built-in stereo speakers inside a water-proof casing that even comes with a hanger so you can hook it on your shower curtain rod or nozzle, turning almost any portable audio player into a waterproof shower stereo." I'm sure you can use it in a rainy cockpit as well...
Lots of PR talk here, but Delphi