Shopping

Here are some companies offering van, camper van and motorhome insurance.

UK

• Quote Line Direct - Cheap Van Insurance Specialists
• Caravan Wise - Camper van, motorhome and caravan insurance.

It is often nice to watch a DVD in your vehicle. If you have a television you can simply add a DVD player to your setup. If you are staying in campsites and are using a 240 volt power hook-up then you will not have any power problems. If you have a 12 volt system then you will have to use a power inverter. Running a television and a DVD player from your leisure batteries will use your power quickly. A better solution is to use a laptop to watch DVDs. See above.

Television

If you want to have a television in your van you have a few options. 

Terrestrial television

Terrestrial television channels are the free channels, such as channels 1 to 5 in the UK.  All European countries have some terrestrial channels. Most European countries have 4 to 6 terrestrial channels (which can be viewed on a regular television and aerial). Of course these channels will be broadcast in the local language.

240 volt:  A regular household television and aerial (and signal booster) can be used.  If using a colour television a good quality aerial is recommended.  A black and white television requires a lower quality of signal.

12 volt:  You can buy a 12 volt colour television and a regular aerial.  These will consume much less power and are perfect if your van does not have mains.  Watch your leisure battery levels though. 

Freeview digital television in Europe

Freeview (or digital) television is available in most western European countries.  Most channels are broadcast in the countries native languages, but some have English speaking channels.  Some channels show programs and films in English with subtitles.  Freeview television normally offers many more channels than terrestrial television, including radio.  Some channels require a subscription though. Coverage is generally less widespread than Terrestrial television.

Freeview equipment

To watch Freeview television you will need a regular television, a Freeview receiver and a Freeview compatible aerial (of which most are). 
Note: different countries use different frequencies, so a receiver for one country may not necessarily work in a different country.

240 volt: A regular household television, Freeview receiver and aerial will work. Although a smaller aerial one is probably a good idea.

12 volt: It is possible to buy a 12 volt television, although I am not aware of any 12 volt Freeview receivers.  Most household receivers will use an external adapter running at around 9 – 12 volts, so it may be possible to use a different adapter to make it work with 12 volts.  Small camping Freeview aerials are available.

Watching television on a laptop computer

There are several devices available that allow terrestrial and Freeview television to be watched using a computer.  Freeview devices cost around £40 and allow all channels to be watched.  They are generally very good.  They include a small aerial, which you may want to upgrade.

Laptop computers are a great addition to a camper van or motorhome, especially for longer trips. With your laptop you can watch DVDs, listen to music, watch television (with an adapter), browse photographs from a digital camera, write notes and send emails. It is possible to use your mobile phone to connect to the Internet and send emails when traveling, although this can be expensive. You can also make use of WiFi, which is available in more and more places each day. Laptops use a reasonable amount of power. If you are connected to a mains power supply, such as in a campsite, then you will have no problems. If you have a 12 volt power system then you will either need to plug your laptop into an inverter, or use a 12 volt adapter. Inverters are inefficient at converting energy, and a 12 volt laptop adapter is a better idea. If your laptop computer has a DVD player you should be able to use the built in software to watch DVDs. It is now possible to buy television adapters for laptop computers. The television adapter is normally a USB device that once plugged in, allows you to watch television on the laptop. Analog and Digital television versions are available. They normally come with a small aerial, which you may want to upgrade.

WiFi

WiFi is a wireless system that allows computers with a WiFi adapter to connect to a WiFi access point or router. Once the laptop is connected to the access point or router the laptop can use the Internet. WiFi is available in more and more places. More and more campsites are offering WiFi. There are many cafes and bars in urban areas that offer free WiFi access to all customers. Many libraries offer free WiFi access also. There are several places where you can pay for WiFi access.

Free WiFi access

There are an increasing number of locations offering free WiFi access. This makes carrying your own laptop computer a good option. Some cafes, bars and fast food restaurants offer free WiFi access with a purchase. Some campsites also offer free WiFi. An increasing number of libraries offer free access. It is possible to find many unsecured WiFi signals in urban areas. Secured signals will not allow you to connect without the appropriate key. However an unsecured one will generally allow anyone to connect. If you park in a town centre or outside of an apartment block then you will normally be able to receive many different signals.

Note: It is generally illegal to use someone’s WiFi connection without their permission.

Increasing your WiFi reception

If your laptop has a built in WiFi adapter then you may find you have limited reception whilst in your vehicle. This is because the vehicle is mainly made of metal or solid materials and the WiFi signal cannot pass through to the interior. Sitting in the glass cab area can improve your reception, but please be security aware. I recommend not letting anyone know you have a laptop in your vehicle. If you have an external WiFi USB adapter you will find plugging the adapter into a USB extension lead will allow you to place the adapter, which has the aerial built in, at locations around the van, such as higher up or near a window. This will allow improved signal reception. An even better choice is one of the new Belkin and similar adapters which have an extended range. I have tried one these and it works well, receiving signals the built-in WiFi adapter cannot.

Paid WiFi access

Some Internet cafes offer paid WiFi access, whereby for a fee you are allowed access to their network.

Laptop tips

If you use an email client program to receive and send your emails (such as Outlook or Outlook Express) then you can compose and reply to emails without being online. Then, when you go online your ready to send emails are sent, and new emails are delivered to your inbox. This can greatly reduce the amount of time you actually need to be online. You can spend as much time as you like composing and replying to emails whilst parked in your vehicle.

Shopping guide

The cheapest place to buy computers and computer accessories is online. If you are not sure what to buy you should consult a friend who does, or a high street store. Below are some websites that we recommend for buying laptop computers

UK

• Amazon.co.uk - The worlds biggest online retailer. Lots of choice, great value, probably the safest place to buy online.
• ebuyer.com - Probably the UKs best and cheapest supplier of computers and parts

International

• The Wifi Shop - Supplier of long range Wifi solutions suitable for camper vans and motorhomes.

I'd highly recommend having a stereo in your vehicle. Listing to music, or a language CD, is great when driving along. Music is also great when you are parked up and enjoying a drink, watching the sun go down. Most vehicles have a stereo fitted to the dashboard, powering speakers in the doors. It is generally better to add additional speakers to the living area of the vehicle, and wire these to the dashboard stereo. This is easy to do for you technical people. It is always better to run your stereo off the leisure battery, rather than the engine battery. Some people prefer to add a different home entertainment system to the living area of the vehicle. This provides a multi-speaker setup, and normally a much better sound. However these systems require 240 volts, and you will need to run it from a mains electricity supply. This is not a problem when on a power hook-up at campsite, but will require an inverter when free camping. This will use a lot more power than using a 12v stereo dashboard. MP3 compatible CD players allow you to play MP3 CDS, upon which you can store about 10 albums, rather than the 1 album that fits onto a regular audio CD. If you are looking to replace your dashboard stereo, and are comfortable creating your own MP3 CDS with a computer, than an MP3 CD player is the way to go. If you have an MP3 player, such as an iPod, then also consider attaching this to your dashboard stereo. More expensive stereos have a dedicated input for an iPod or other types of MP3 player. If your stereo doesn't have such an input you can buy an FM transmitter. This transmits the music from your MP3 player using FM. You then simply tune in your dashboard stereo to hear the music. Very simple.

Shopping guide

Your local vehicle music store can give you expert advice about what to buy for your camper van or motorhome. They can also assist with fitting equipment. Below are some websites that we recommend for buying music equipment for your vehicle

UK

• Amazon.co.uk - The worlds biggest online retailer. Lots of choice, great value, probably the safest place to buy online.
• Argos.co.uk - One of the UKs biggest high street stores. Great range, very competitive prices

Welcome to the shop. Here you'll find our favorite camper van, motorhome and camping related products from around the internet.

Sat Nav / GPS Units

Awnings

Camping Accessories

Computers

Conversion books

Conversion Parts

Electrical

Fiamma

Guide Books

Lights

Security

Tools

VW Books

Here are some recommended websites that can help you save money when building & equipping your camper van, or when you are preparing for a trip.