The MP3 player has revolutionised music on the move, but only for those in the know. Boat Mart's Peter Caplen talks us through the technical intricacies of the modern music system for your boat.

Many ageing boaters have written off the MP3 player as yet another gadget for the young, entirely overlooking its suitability for providing music on board. Even as a gadget fan, I imagined it was nothing more than a new type of Walkman, designed for young people who constantly need something to fill the void between their ears.

But after being introduced to this small technological marvel, I found that it could produce brilliant high-quality music when plugged into a home hi-fi or car stereo. The advertising agencies clearly failed in their task of telling people like me what an MP3 player could really do because, for boat owners, this is the definitive answer to the problem of music on board. Perhaps you have an upmarket stereo on board with a ten-CD disk changer. Well with an MP3 player you can have a thousand disk changer that fits in your pocket.

Just like Hoover is the generic term for vacuum cleaners, it is generally agreed that iPod is now the accepted name for MP3 (and MP4) players and, when it comes to high-quality accessories for connecting to a variety of hi-fi systems whether in-car, at home or in the boat, the iPod range from Apple can’t be beaten.

I like listening to music on the boat and in the car but one thing I have found is that cassettes don’t like the damp, several having been chewed up by the player when moisture has found its way in. I was thinking about upgrading to a multi-disk CD changer but luckily, before I made the decision, I discovered the joys of the iPod. This little gadget allows me to carry on using my old (but very good quality) cassette stereo with all my cassettes safely transferred onto the iPod. As well as my cassette collection, I have also transferred my collection of now unobtainable vinyl that I have never been able to listen to on the boat.

What does it all mean?
Let’s start at the beginning. MP3 and MP4 are simply the latest designations of the term ‘Music Player’ and ‘iPod’ is the brand name for the Apple Computers version.

Many would say that these are the top-of-the-range players and I would agree. Apart from enabling you to carry your entire music collection in your pocket, there are several more important advantages to using the iPod on board . . .

For the owner who enjoys hammering through rough water with Led Zeppelin blasting out of the speakers there is no longer the problem of CD skip, as the iPod is happy in the roughest of conditions. There is also no need to have a huge collection of cassette tapes on the boat and, while this is now very old technology, there are many owners just like me with irreplaceable album sets that were never produced on CD. And let’s not forget the space that is saved by no longer having piles of cassettes or CDs on the boat.

The only possible drawback is that the music must be stored and organised on a computer before being downloaded onto the iPod - but as most of us now use computers on a regular basis, that is not a major problem.

Putting music in
It is very easy to keep the iPod up-to-date. Adding or removing music is simply a matter of connecting the iPod to the computer via the USB port and it will automatically synchronise all the music that has been organised on the computer with the iPod, while also charging the internal battery. Computerphobes don’t despair. It is much easier than it sounds. Putting CDs onto the computer and then the iPod is no different from uploading any other software from a CD. If you use ‘iTunes’ (the software that comes with the iPod) it is virtually automatic. You tell the computer which music you want to include and off it goes.

Uploading records and cassettes is a little more time consuming but equally easy. Software and cable connecting kits are available on Ebay for less than a tenner, allowing you to connect your cassette player or record deck to the computer via the headphone socket on the deck and the audio-in socket on the computer. If like me you worry about plugging things into the computer, believe me this is a totally painless experience.

The software is easy to use and is no more complex than setting the volume on the deck so that it does not exceed the limits set by the software (this prevents noise distortion on the louder passages). Once set, begin playing the chosen side (record or cassette) and leave the computer to digitise it. Once it is on the computer you then have the choice of saving the entire side of the record or cassette or dividing it up into single tracks. With your entire music collection safely on the computer and uploaded into the iPod the next step is how to actually listen to it. You will have the earphones that came with the player but if you want to fill the wheelhouse with your music then you need to connect your iPod to whatever stereo system you have on board.

Getting music out
Many boats still use cassette decks and these will play iPod music perfectly well (and generally with better sound quality than the cassettes produced).

All that is needed is a cassette adapter. These can be found for as little as £2.99 on Ebay but like most things you get what you pay for so it is worth paying a little extra to improve quality.

Plug it into the cassette slot, press play on the cassette deck and enjoy hours of non-stop music. No more changing cassettes every 25 minutes, just endless streams of your favourite music. The same applies to records that have always been unsuitable for boats underway and to be able to play all those long forgotten classics on board is a real treat.

Having decided to drag yourself into the 21st century with your own iPod, it may be worth considering going that bit further and upgrading to a dedicated stereo with iPod input. Most modern car stereos now have an MP3 socket, making it easy to integrate the iPod and the stereo. Some have a simple socket on the front of the unit that allows the pod lead to be plugged straight in but this means there are cables trailing around. A much better option for car stereos on boats is to use a model with the iPod input hardwired into the back of the unit.

Many modern car stereos like this Pioneer unit are designed with the iPod in mind and while this has the standard audio inputs on the back to accept the input from any MP3 player, it also has a rear USB input that allows the iPod to be controlled and charged from the radio while showing track details on the display. This means that the iPod can be left connected all the time you are on board and safely clipped into any suitable iPod holder you choose. A further refinement on this radio is a bluetooth connection, allowing hands-free operation of your mobile phone with automatic radio volume reduction when a call is detected.

Upgrading the stereo should be a simple job, as all modern units are the same size. Begin by removing the old unit.

Connect the wiring for the new model, while running the iPod connection cable out to the chosen location of the pod.

Reassemble everything, fit the iPod holder of your choice, plug it in and you’re all set.

A much cheaper option is this Dension Ice-Link, which is particularly suitable for boat use, as it connects to the radio via the antenna socket. It is therefore compatible with all car radio stereos no matter how old and, although it uses a modulated signal, it is totally legal as the signal is via cable rather than airborne.

Installation is straightforward. Remove the radio and unplug the aerial from the socket on the back of the radio.

Plug the aerial connector on the Dension Ice-Link into the radio socket and the boat aerial cable into the trailing socket on the Dension. Apply a power feed to the unit - ideally one that can easily be switched off. I wired this one to the aerial amplifier which has an on-off switch mounted next to the radio. Also connect the lead to the iPod holder.

Reassemble everything and fit the iPod holder. Then choose a frequency on the radio that has no incoming signal. There is a frequency switch on the Dension unit holder that allows the same frequency to be selected and memorised.

Dedicated wireless short range FM transmitters are available but some use illegal frequencies. This iTrip is nicely designed and not expensive. It simply plugs into the base of the iPod, but it should be borne in mind that the distance between a stereo and aerial in a car is far less than that in many boats so the transmitter range may be insufficient to work on larger craft. The maximum range for this unit is nine meters. Move the pod about to obtain the best signal.

Set-up is identical to that of the Dension unit. Simply select the compatible frequency of your choice and enjoy the music.

Dedicated marine stereos with in-built iPod docks are now available and are particularly popular with big RIB owners, as they are waterproof and designed for open cockpit installation. This Latest model from Fusion allows iPod control from the radio and displays music details from the iPod on the display.

The great thing about these is that the iPod is held firmly inside the waterproof housing and is therefore totally protected (and skip-free) however lively the seastate gets.

This stereo comes with a selection of docking adapters to suit all current iPod models. The large adapters are for the Fusion stereo. The smaller ones fit the Apple iPod dock. We will be looking at the installation of a complete Fusion system in a later issue.

Owners of larger luxury vessels wanting something more sophisticated than an in-built stereo may opt for something like the brilliant Bose Acoustic Wave stereo with iPod dock. Bose has chosen the Apple Universal iPod Dock as its connection medium to produce a totally integrated system with each manufacturer’s equipment enhancing the other.

The Apple iPod Dock is a simple method of connecting the pod to the stereo, whether it is top of the range Bose or something more modest. Either way, by using the adapters shown, it will suit all modern iPod models. This dock also comes with a small white remote control shown in front of the Dock in the picture (which provides iPod control from the comfort of your helm seat).

Connection is simply a matter of connecting the dock to the stereo using an iPod to stereo cable.

The standard phono input sockets found on car stereos and indoor hi-fi will happily accept the iPod signal.

The upshot
I am told that my taste in music is rather ‘eclectic’, with dance bands of the 1920s nestling oddly alongside Temperance Seven. But your taste can be as broad as you like. You can still have it all in your pocket at all times, ready to please your guests whether on board, in the car or at home. There is a wide choice of connection methods for the iPod and a variety of players from car radios through dedicated marine stereos to top end hifi with which to connect. The choice is limited only by your budget and your imagination.

Useful websites
www.bose.co.uk
www.plastimo.com
www. pioneer.co.uk
www.densionice.co.uk