Stereo Option - worth it or waste of $?

[Bonibelle]

There are many different brands of MP3 players out there and right now we have Apple (I pod shuffle), Sony, Creative Labs Muvo and Sansa from sanDisk...So from experience, I will say pick ONE and stick with it because the software is, for the most part, proprietary.  For example all the music that I bought from Sony's Sonic Stage will not download to the Sansa, Ipod or Muvos...I can copy the music on discs but the information will not follow, so you have to enter all the info yourself.

I picked the Sansa units for my kids because they also have a video option AND they have an FM tuner with a recorder. I can't tell you how many times my son has said..I wish I could tape that when a song he didn't know came on the radio..So essentially that music is free and so far the FM is clear and crisp as long as they are not in the car. They have loaded video clips from digital cameras and also put favorite photos on the units. The Sansa also have expansion capability and it comes bundled with Rhapsody which, so far, has been the most all around compatable service. Ipods with the same capabilities were much more expensive..Circuit City and Best Buys have good prices on the Sansa units.

The Creative Labs Muvo units are inexpensive (entry level) and have the capability to display lyrics (although I haven't got that worked out yet).
I got them for my sister's kids for Christmas and for younger kids they are virtually indestructable and easy to manage.  

This is the way to go but like I said...pick just brand one per family!

[LtDan]

I have the nano, but when I select "shuffle" from the menu, it shuffles the entire library, I cannot select a particular playist.

[Bonibelle]

Drew Check it out...but check out the others too.

As far as Bang for the Buck, I think these are the way to go...

http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Catalog(1166)-SanDisk_Sansa_e200_Series_MP3_Players.aspx

[vlady]

I have XM Radio.  We also listen to news/talk on XM.  When we are in the spa, we just set the XM to the FM receiver mode like you would in the car and it works great right through the spa radio.

[Richs100]

Rich does your remote control your sound system inside of your house? I am not familiar with HS system, but the dolphin relies on a kind of signal reflector device to send the IR signal from your system to the remote, I believe as an RF signal (help Mendo...isn't that right?). If that is your problem, I may be able to help.

Bonibelle:
The HS IQ2020 controls the tub (lights, jets etc) and also controls the built in stereo (SpAudio) system.  I believe it transmits a signal (sometimes!) to a receiving unit that is in the pump compartment and wired to the spa control board.  Since the receiving unit is out of line-of-sight, I believe it communicates with both the tub and the stereo by RF (radio frequency) waves.  Most in home systems use IR (infra-red) and the remote must be in line of sight of the equipment.  

I understand the advantage of the Dolphin is that it transmits in both IR and RF.  But so far, I'm hearing that it can't communicate with the Hot Spring system.  

[Astropin]

We bought a floor model (HS Grandee) that had the stereo built in. Then someone sold that tub to another customer. So they sent us a brand new tub with the stereo for the same price as the floor model. We do not use it that often....maybe 1/3rd of time or less, but it is nice to have. Especially when we have people over and its a more party like atmosphere.

[Bonibelle]

Rich, maybe Mendo will clarify all of this but the Dolphin works with a command center unit that changes the IR to an RF and by putting that  unit infront of your home system, the RF is "projected" in the opposite direction of your home system. In my case, my CD and receiver are in a room about 11 feet from my tub. I put the control in front of my sound system and it projects the RF signal. The only problem is that I have never been able to get the signal to project all the way to my tub...I was in Walmart in the "junk" isle and found a similar contraption made by RCA that will extend the remote signal for any type of remote,  only it had a second receiver unit. Using that, instead of the Marquis command center, I am able to get the Dolphin to work perfectly. I think that second receiver must boost the signal.  Ideally, you shouldnt have to do all of those manipulations to make the Dolphin work...

I know that the Dolphin has the capability to "learn" different functions. For example, I was able to train it to do everything that my CD remoted did.  I am wondering if it could have the same capability in your tub. You would pair it with the remote that you now have and it would receive the signal and you would assign it to a function...kind of like the Home link garage door opening systems. But that would mean that the Dolphin labeling wouldn't be consistant with the functions in your tub. The Dolphin is labeled for lights, jets etc.

I am also wondering if your whole problem could be resolved with the same type of RCA thing that I am using.  I think there are so many devices that use RF and IR that they cause grief to each other.

Doesn't it really tick you off when something only works intermittantly? Because you know it CAN work, it is just making it be dependable that is so hard.  I will see if I can find that RCA contraption on line.

You could also try to contact Balboa but I talked to a tech person there and I may as well have talked to Jethro Bodine of the Beverly Hillbillies

[Richs100]

Bonibelle:

I think you may be talking about a "repeater" which would extend the range of the signal, but I'm not sure this would help me.  My problem seems to involve the remote and the receiving unit staying in sync with each other.  (What kind of tub do you have, and did it come standard with the Dolphin remote?)

It's funny but Balboa must have Jethro doing the email, too.  I had the same experience when I attempted to communicate with a Balboa tech by email.  After making it sound like it could work, he emailed back and just said "It won't work".  No details or anything.

I am no electronics expert, but I think the problem may be that the HS remote works through a series of menus and sub-menus to get to the command you want.  This may be the root of the problem with the tub interpreting a learned HS command sent by the Dolphin remote, since the signal is not sent at the sub-menu level it would be with the HS remote.  (This is pure speculation on my part since the Balboa guy was less than forthcoming with me as to why he said it would not work).

I just wish HS had been a little more intuitive about how they designed their remote.  The remote only has three (3) buttons: Plus, Minus and Mode.  You have to use these buttons to navigate through menus and sub-menus on the remote to get to the command you want.  Changing a track on the CD is a real pain.  I think that the guy who designed this remote should have to use 3 button remotes on everything for the rest of his life.

Plus, I am very uneasy about the long-term reliability of the remote itself as I am now on my third one in the month and a half I have owned the tub.  Not very reassuring, I'll tell you!

[Bonibelle]

Why are you on the third one? Do they work and then fail? My little remote that controls the jets and lights failed, .there were several on here that had the same problem..but we figured out that we shouldn't have left them inside of the tub when we weren't using them. The bad thing is that since I take mine in the house now, I forget to bring it back into the tub...  Have you had any feedback from anyone else on here about experiences with the same remote that you have?

[Richs100]

Why are you on the third one? Do they work and then fail? My little remote that controls the jets and lights failed, .there were several on here that had the same problem..but we figured out that we shouldn't have left them inside of the tub when we weren't using them. The bad thing is that since I take mine in the house now, I forget to bring it back into the tub...  Have you had any feedback from anyone else on here about experiences with the same remote that you have?

The first two just died and would not re-sync with the tub.  This third one has been working with some erratic behavior.  Since the warranty is only one year and the replacement cost is about $400.00, I really want to find an alternative remote that works with a Hot Spring.
I take mine inside also.  I have a basket I keep by the door which holds the remote, a bottle of dichlor, cd's for the stereo and whatever else I need when I'm out there. (I just don't let anyone see me carrying a little straw basket to the tub when I go)  

What brand of tub do you have?

[Bonibelle]

I have a Marquis Epic, so my stereo is inside of my house and there are transducers in the tub shell.  I need to get a little shelf outside and a basket  like you say...but I am usually the waitress delivering drinks to everyone...so I forget the things that I want!

I sure hope you get your remote figured out, Rich...I know I was determined to get the Dolphin to work...and finally gave up..until I found that RCA thing..and you are right it must be a signal repeater because it is the only way I can get the signal to the tub.
I wanted the Dolphin to work so badly because my husband and I have VERY different comfort levels for listening...he likes it cranked up and I prefer a much lower volume!

Maybe Chas or Term can get you some feedback, I am sure you can't be the only one with the problem...Have they ever checked out the pack that receives the information and controls the jets and stereo? Maybe the problem is in the controller/receiver..whatever receives the signal and initiates the action???

[Richs100]

I've brought the problem up a couple of times here but I haven't heard much from the dealers here or from other HS owners.  Both the remote and the Spaudio are options, so I'm not sure how many people have them on their HS tubs.  But since I'm on my third remote in a little over a month, I can't beleive I'm the only one with these problems.  

We will see how it goes, but I sure wish I could find an alternative to this system that works on my tub.  Especially after the 1 year warranty expires!

[Bonibelle]

Who makes it for Hot Springs?   It isn't Balboa, right?

[Richs100]

Who makes it for Hot Springs?   It isn't Balboa, right?

No, I don't think Balboa makes remotes for Hot Springs.  (how I wish they did!)  I don't know who makes the IQ2020.  It may be a proprietary system made just for Hot Springs.

[Bonibelle]

Well somebody has to have an answer for you...that sound system is way to expensive to not work properly...Have you asked your dealer about the (I'm calling it a pack) contraption that relays the info to the tub functions?  I know my spa monitor had a pack that receives the info from the tub and sends it to the indoor monitor ..I can also use my monitor to turn on jets, change temp, turn on lights and check temp and sanitizer status. so the functions are similar to your remote (minus the sound aspect).  If they have replaced that remote several times, they need to look at something else..When I had a problem with my spa monitor that we couldn't solve, they replaced the monitor AND that pack!
Hey Term, or Chas...does Rich's tub have the whichamagig that I am talking about??..the thing that relays communications from his remote to the functions of the tub and stereo? I bet it does...
Hang in there Rich, we're going to get this right for you!