Not necessarily starting a revolution or anything - but I question some things.

1) Why cheap sound systems and bulky components? (SANYO -vice- ALTEC LANSING, CAMBRIDGE, etc...)
2) Why not incorporate PC's as prime entertainment center management units?
3) Why don't RV's have T-1 connections in parallel with PHONE lines?
4) Do RV Parks have internet availability? If not - WHY not?
5) Are the manufacturers in the stone age, or just not thinking outside of the box?

Look at what a PC with a sound card, A/V card, DVD/DVDR/CD/CDR, RADIO CARD, and so on can do....

Connected to speakers, a microphone, a camera, and enough screens both large and small, and a T-1 connector onsite at the park...

a) HI DEF movies and TV are possible.
b) HI DEF surround sound is possible at low current demands.
c) All radio bands are available through SAT RAD.
d) Audio/Visual Teleconferencing can be done (NETMEETING)
e) Internet becomes available, and thus E-MAIL
f) All of the analog units needed for this become unnecessary (weight and space freed up)
g)The majority of entertainment discs can be stored by the PC, no need for media slithering around on shelves somewhere...
h) If LCD screens are used instead of CRT's, you can get RID OF the "Head Banger" in the front of most class "A" coaches.

All of this with a unit at the heart of it that measures 24" X 18" X 12". Why the heck not?


Lets face it people - cable TV was cool when "Escape from New York I" first came out - but it ain't the big deal now.....

Cable is crap. Sat dishes can be set up with a compass. NET is the thing that people crave.

 

I've often wondered why some of this stuff didn't come in RV's - as far as the manufacturers using cheap components... well, I think we know the answer to that.

For what a LCD or Plasma TV costs, you can buy a desktop PC (small form factor) with a larger LCD and TV Tuner Card... voila, multi-entertainment system. Watch TV, surf the web, communicate (email, IM, VOIP), and play games all with one system.

Not sure that T-1 connection is gonna happen just yet though. Of course it may not be necessary - EtherNet and WiFi are getting faster than ever before and most will never use the total bandwith provided.

Why do RV's still have telephone lines? Wouldn't it be better to just wire for ethernet ( CAT6/RJ45).

 

T1 is slow and expensive.

 

1 The higher end units use better equipment, you get what you pay for.
2 Who would want to have to boot up a PC every time you stop. Some of use dry camp with generators and a PC would be a PITA.
3 I have never been to a park that has a T1 into the park office let alone at the site, 99.9% of RVers would have no use for one.
4 Most RV parks are getting Wi-Fi and the quality is getting better all the time.
5 The ones that are not thinking outside the box are no longer around.

We have a dish but not in use right now because the park we are in has very good cable and it's free unlike Sat TV. We will go back to it next year because of where we will be but free is better for now. Our rig was also wired for phone, cable, and sat tv with a nice switching control box as standard equipment.

Denny

 

The kind of PC you would use for entertainment would not be a standard desktop PC. There are many lite or low-power computers that would work well.

 

I forgot about wi-fi. Hmmm....

 

In order to get a pc to survive long term you would have to use something other than a standard hard drive. They don't like the constant vibration all the time. On that note, there are several laptops that that have recently come out with "solid" memory. They are using the same thing we are already using in the USB drives that are common now. They are just using lots of it. The down side is it is expensive.

The options are already avalable. Just look into the boating industry (I don't mean lake lice or roll bar board boats). Boat wide systems are becoming common place. The down side is the cost. People on a 2+ million $ boat are more likely to spend the necessary cash than a 25K trailer. Fortunately, there is a trickle down effect that will spread out to trailers some day.

 

The hard drive should be fine provided that it is mounted properly. Is this something that will be used when parked or while on the road?

 

If it's a MH it would be used both on the road and parked, a trailer it would be parked only. Some of the high end MH use computer systems to run about everything now, they work great when new but after warranty is gone they are a PITA or so I have told by some of the owners that have them.

Denny

 

I've never seen a self-search sat dish that worked well in travel.

If you watch TV when there is so much more to see out of the windows, I have no sympathy for you at all!]


Go play a computer game....

 

A few good ideas turn into great inventions, Dutch.....

It's the tinkerer who dreams this stuff up......Can you turn some of this stuff into money? All it would take is one GREAT thing that EVERYONE has to have.......With YOUR name on the patent....and your ticket is punched, and enjoy the royalties.

You've always struck me as a natural-born tinkerer.