Adding an Entertainment System
Today, people want entertainment on demand. Boaters shouldn't be the exception to the rule.
January 1, 2006
Today, people want entertainment on demand. Boaters shouldn't be the exception to the rule '
and now, even small-boat owners with limited cabin space can enjoy 'yacht-style' entertainment
while on board. Wouldn't it be nice to treat your kids to a movie while heading back to the dock
after a long day on the water? While there's a variety of systems to choose from, we've installed
an Audiovox VE1020 system supplied by West Marine (www.westmarine.com).
Step 1: The
first order of business is to determine the best location for the system. The unit installed in
this example is on a 26-foot pontoon boat. Within the enclosure, there's a small salon with a
dinette and seating for about four people. Across from the table, a shelf runs along the top of the
wall near the ceiling ' providing a perfect spot under which to mount the unit. It was ideal for
viewing while sitting at the table, it was out of the way, and didn't take up any valuable counter
space. It's best to be sure that the location you choose is in close proximity to an electrical
outlet in order to facilitate neat, easy installation. Be sure not to mount the unit over a range
or oven. One final consideration: If the chosen location has bottom edge molding (which ours does),
it may be necessary to use mounting spacers to effectively lower the unit below (or even with) the
molding. The Audiovox VE1020 system comes with various-sized spacers specifically for this purpose.
Step 2: The next
step involves mounting the unit. The Audiovox comes with a handy template just for this purpose. In
this example, the template is cut and taped in place underneath the cabinet in the selected
location. With a center punch, we mark the four mounting holes indicated on the template. Next, the
four holes are drilled with a 1/8-inch drill bit. Then, the unit is positioned in place and secured
with the supplied screws. Our test unit comes with self-tapping wood screws, which work fine
because the shelf above our location is substantial enough for this type of hardware. But if the
surface is relatively thin, you'll need to secure the unit with similarly-sized nuts, bolts, and
lock washers. The last step is to connect the various peripherals into the back of the unit
(continued in step three) such as the radio antenna, TV antenna, phone line, etc. Be sure to route
the wires safely away from any heat or moisture sources.
Step 3: The test
unit doesn't come with a TV antenna (most don't) so you'll need to purchase that separately. TV
signals are, like VHF radio, line-of-site. There are two main types of antennae: omni-directional
or directional. If you're going to do most of your marine TV watching while anchored, you should
opt for a directional TV antenna. They can be rotated for best reception of various stations. On
the other hand, if you're going to do a lot of TV watching out on the water, you can keep life
simple with an omni-directional antenna. (It doesn't have to be aimed to pick up station signals.)
One final consideration is subscribing to a satellite TV ser-vice, like Direct-TV or Dish Network.
With this option, you may not have to purchase the necessary equipment (i.e. the satellite dish),
but of course there will be a monthly cost for the subscription, although you'll most likely get
more channels with satellite than with a standard antenna.
Step 4: The
final consideration is the power source. Most boats (especially smaller ones) don't usually come
equipped with standard outlets for plugging in items such as TVs, stereos, electrical appliances,
etc. The best (and easiest) solution is to install an inverter. An inverter converts the
low-voltage DC (direct current) from your boat's 12-volt battery to a standard 110-volt AC
(alternating current) household power source with standard 'plug-ins.' Installing or connecting an
inverter to your boat's battery is a relatively easy process. It can be done in one of two ways.
The first option is to use cables that easily clip to each terminal (most inverters come with such
cables for this purpose). Or, you can directly hard-wire the inverter to the battery. However,
you'll only need this type of connection if the inverter is going to be used for extended periods
at power levels above 150 watts. (For our purposes, the provided cables were sufficient.)
Step 1: The
first order of business is to determine the best location for the system. The unit installed in
this example is on a 26-foot pontoon boat. Within the enclosure, there's a small salon with a
dinette and seating for about four people. Across from the table, a shelf runs along the top of the
wall near the ceiling ' providing a perfect spot under which to mount the unit. It was ideal for
viewing while sitting at the table, it was out of the way, and didn't take up any valuable counter
space. It's best to be sure that the location you choose is in close proximity to an electrical
outlet in order to facilitate neat, easy installation. Be sure not to mount the unit over a range
or oven. One final consideration: If the chosen location has bottom edge molding (which ours does),
it may be necessary to use mounting spacers to effectively lower the unit below (or even with) the
molding. The Audiovox VE1020 system comes with various-sized spacers specifically for this purpose.
Step 2: The next
step involves mounting the unit. The Audiovox comes with a handy template just for this purpose. In
this example, the template is cut and taped in place underneath the cabinet in the selected
location. With a center punch, we mark the four mounting holes indicated on the template. Next, the
four holes are drilled with a 1/8-inch drill bit. Then, the unit is positioned in place and secured
with the supplied screws. Our test unit comes with self-tapping wood screws, which work fine
because the shelf above our location is substantial enough for this type of hardware. But if the
surface is relatively thin, you'll need to secure the unit with similarly-sized nuts, bolts, and
lock washers. The last step is to connect the various peripherals into the back of the unit
(continued in step three) such as the radio antenna, TV antenna, phone line, etc. Be sure to route
the wires safely away from any heat or moisture sources.
Step 3: The test
unit doesn't come with a TV antenna (most don't) so you'll need to purchase that separately. TV
signals are, like VHF radio, line-of-site. There are two main types of antennae: omni-directional
or directional. If you're going to do most of your marine TV watching while anchored, you should
opt for a directional TV antenna. They can be rotated for best reception of various stations. On
the other hand, if you're going to do a lot of TV watching out on the water, you can keep life
simple with an omni-directional antenna. (It doesn't have to be aimed to pick up station signals.)
One final consideration is subscribing to a satellite TV ser-vice, like Direct-TV or Dish Network.
With this option, you may not have to purchase the necessary equipment (i.e. the satellite dish),
but of course there will be a monthly cost for the subscription, although you'll most likely get
more channels with satellite than with a standard antenna.
Step 4: The
final consideration is the power source. Most boats (especially smaller ones) don't usually come
equipped with standard outlets for plugging in items such as TVs, stereos, electrical appliances,
etc. The best (and easiest) solution is to install an inverter. An inverter converts the
low-voltage DC (direct current) from your boat's 12-volt battery to a standard 110-volt AC
(alternating current) household power source with standard 'plug-ins.' Installing or connecting an
inverter to your boat's battery is a relatively easy process. It can be done in one of two ways.
The first option is to use cables that easily clip to each terminal (most inverters come with such
cables for this purpose). Or, you can directly hard-wire the inverter to the battery. However,
you'll only need this type of connection if the inverter is going to be used for extended periods
at power levels above 150 watts. (For our purposes, the provided cables were sufficient.)
related articles:
Adding an Entertainment System: Today, people want entertainment on demand. Boaters shouldn't be the exception to the rule.
