Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays 

and a Have a Great New Year

From Don, Sonya, Cathy, Jimmy and Lily

Amazon Fire TV Stick in the Fuse

Well I started the search for more entertainment by looking for a way to use Amazon Prime Video on the back TV on the Fuse.   We have talked a little about connecting directly from my iPhone to the TV using a HDMI adapter.   We talked about a little about using a Roku Streaming Stick.  And since Amazon is having a Christmas sale I figured I would try the native approach as well.  I purchased a Amazon Fire TV Stick   during the huge black Friday sale Amazon was having.

The cool thing was that since I ordered it directly from Amazon, once I had connected it to the WiFi, it auto configured it with my Amazon Prime  information.  A very nice touch from Amazon to make things easier.

From the setup and what is included in the box,  the Amazon Firestick seems to be more complete than the Roku Streaming Stick.   It comes with the small HDMI standoff cable I had to request from Roku support.  The WiFi is actually a dual band 802.11ac which is an improvement over the dual band 802.11abgn in the Roku.   The remote also supports Amazons Alexa voice assistant.  It is kind of cool and another feature that is only available on the more expensive Roku devices.

Size wise it is a little larger than the Roku.  About 1.5x the size of a standard USB thumb drive.    It also comes with a 110v to USB adapter to power the device.  I used the same  Roku Mini USB Cable  I purchased for the Roku to power it all from the TV and avoid the need for the AC adapter.

Amazon - The Grand Tour

It works very well.  I brought up our test video source, Amazon's own "The Grand Tour" and it ran great.  No drops and it looked beautiful.

If you are looking for Amazon content this is the device for you.  No question about it.   It also has a number of additional applications that can be downloaded giving you access to a number of other video sources.    But it is no where near the number available on the Roku.  For example both devices have the CNNgo application but only the Roku has the National Geographic app.  It will cost to watch some of the past National Geographic content on the Firestick where with your Cable TV credentials on the Roku you can watch for free.  

DirectTV now - Streaming the D-Life Channel

The decision point on all of these devices turns into what content you are wanting to watch.  This is the key differentiators.  They both support Amazon Prime content, Netflix, HBO and Youtube.  If you are wanting streaming live TV they both support Sling, Playstation Vue.  The Amazon Firestick supports  "DirectTV now" today with support promised for the Roku in the near future.

It is still a question on which RV park and other WiFi services will support streaming.  If you use your cellular data plan both the sticks seem to work about the same.

There is one other device I will review in the future.  This is the Apple AppleTV.  This is a much more expensive solution (3-4x the price) but it does something that no other device does - it supports Airplay - The Apple proprietary streaming solution which may be of use if you are using apple devices.

Roku streaming stick in the Fuse

I continue to look at the best way to gain a little more entertainment in the Fuse.  I really don't think I need satellite and my last post discussed showing Amazon Prime Video on the bedroom TV using my iPhone.  During Black Friday, there were several sales I took advantage of to see about a slightly more permanent solution.   One of these was a Roku Streaming Stick (3600R).

I did some research and asked some more knowledgeable friends and they pointed me towards the  Roku devices as being the leaders in this area.  Not looking to spend much and wanting to keep everything as compact as possible, I picked their latest small model -  the Roku Streaming Stick.  It is the size of a USB thumb drive.  Not as powerful as the bigger Roku units and missing some features such as support of 4K displays.  The small size and the TV in the Fuse only needing 1040p output made it perfect for the TV in the Fuse.

The Streaming Stick is designed to be plugged directly into the HDMI port on the back of the TV.  In the Fuse this did not work.  The ports are too close together and it did not want to fit.  Roku has an option through their support site for them to send a short standoff cable at no cost since this must be a common occurrence.  I had them send me one.  I ordered a  slightly longer HDMI Extension Cable from Amazon to give me some more flexibility.

The Streaming Stick comes with a 110v adapter to power it, but all that does is provide a USB power feed like the charger from most cellphones.   On the TV in the Fuse, there is a USB port for displaying photos.  I am not using it.  I used the USB port to power the Streaming Stick. I ordered a Roku Mini USB Cable to make the connection.  Now this setup can run without needing 110v power since the TV is powered off of the 12v system.  If there is WiFi it will work without the generator or being plugged in.

I wound up putting some black tape over the power light so it would not bother us at night.  I also put some Velcro around the streaming stick to help with dressing the cables and the streaming stick together.  It also helps keeping it from rattling.

Now that I had it set up, it was time to see how well it worked.   I turned it on.  I picked the Amazon  Prime application and it downloaded.  A small downside was I had to use a separate computer (in my case my iPhone) to authorize the application using a web browser.   Once that was done I was in business.

I went to our test video, "the Grand Challenge".  It worked fine.  It worked as well as the iPhone and I did not need the cable to the iPhone.  The Roku only connects to the Internet using WiFi.   The Streaming Stick has the latest 802.11ac WiFi so it can connect to either 2.4 or 5ghz wireless (a/b/g/n).

The Roku has many other applications other than Amazon Prime.  If you have cable TV at home you can get access to many of the channels that you have there via applications on the Roku as well.  I tried the CNN app. I entered in my Xfinity password over the web to authorize the Roku and I could watch the news.

Another device that directly competes with the Roku Streaming Stick is the Amazon FireStick.  We are going to review that next.

Prime Video on the TV Using Just My iPhone

I have Amazon Prime.  Until recently I thought it was just for inexpensive shipping from Amazon.  But a couple of weeks ago I found out you could watch Videos, Movies and the most important part -
a new series called "The Grand Tour" staring Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May.  My favorite folks that were fired from "Top Gear".

I needed to find out how to watch it.  I could watch it on the iPhone, maybe the computer, but that was not the way to watch a fine television program.  As I laugh, I might get stuff all over the screen.  You definitely need distance between you and the screen for this show.  And what is better than to watch a car show than in a motor vehicle.  My Fuse motorhome is the perfect venue.

The simplest solution I found was to connect the iPhone directly to the TV using an HDMI cable.  So what did this take:

• An Apple Lightning Digital AV HDMI Adapter (MD826AM/A)  In addition to the HDMI port it has provisions for the power cable as well
• An AmazonBasics High-Speed HDMI Cable - 10 Feet   I picked a 10' one so I could have the phone at the head of the bed

I connected the HDMI adapter to the iPhone and connected the HDMI cable to the TV.  Then connected the two together and I was in business. Immediately my iPhone screen was replicated on the TV.  

I had previously downloaded the Amazon Prime Video app so I started it up.  Picked "The Grand Tour" program and was greeted by a full screen 1080p version of the show on the TV.  It ran fine and it was great to sit in the Fuse and watch the show.

Amazon - The Grand Tour

I was connected to my house/RV WiFi.  Be very careful watching a show like this using cellular data.  Streaming video is large and could quickly eat up your data allocation.  Also some RV park/public WiFi locations block streaming video so this might not work everywhere.

Connecting the cable to my iPad worked the same way.  As I get older reading from the small screen of the iPhone is just too hard on the eyes so I have the iPad.

CNN - On TV and iPad

I tried several other streaming video sources as well.  CNN and many of the direct to provider sources ran fine.  The only one that did not was the Comcast/Xfinity streaming app.  It has some programed in limitations that deal with licensing that prevent it from being displayed on anything other than the iPhone/iPad itself.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all fellow FUSErs.  And a happy start to the holiday season.  Sorry this is a little late but we have been busy with family, friends and turkey.  Now that they are gone (all but the turkey at least) I figured it was a good time to talk about how we used our Fuse over Thanksgiving.

Though we stayed at home, our home is the nexus for the clan so the Fuse got used a lot.   It served as a bedroom keeping people from having to sleep on couches.   It served as a refuge for people to escape to when it just got too hectic in the house.  We showed it off to the curious. And lastly it got used as a lab for several projects for future blog posts.

Before everyone showed up we knew we were going to use the Fuse as an overflow bedroom.   No big deal.   All I had to do is plug it into the house power and we were good.   Everything worked fine.  The weather was beautiful and crisp (at least for Tallahassee).   The fan, open windows and the heater kept everything comfortable.  

I was actually surprised it got used as a refuge.  Several times during the weekend, people went out to get away from the confusion.  It provided a calm spot in a turbulent sea called a family get together.   Seeing this, I now I wish I had had a motorhome much earlier.

There were only two first world problems that we ran into camping in the driveway.

First, Internet access was poor.    The WiFi signal from the house made it out to the Fuse but it was not very speedy.  I set up the WiFi repeater and that was solved.   I am working on a description of this for a future post for those technically inclined.

Second, I was concerned about entertainment for those staying in the Fuse.  We get 12 channels over the air on the TV, but I wanted to make it nice for those staying in the Fuse.  So I installed a Roku Streaming Stick and a Amazon Fire TV Stick in the Fuse to improve the experience for our guests.  Ok, so it was more of an opportunity for me to play with streaming video, but you have to take advantage of opportunities as they appear. 

There will be some posts shortly on video streaming options as well.   We have Amazon Prime and streaming video/tv/movies are included in the cost.  We also have Comcast/Xfinity cable TV and with your subscription, you get access to streaming video from most of the content providers with your Comcast login. I am looking for the best way to get video that incurs no additional cost.

Winnebago Fuse 23a vs View 24v comparison

The two closest competitors to the Winnebago Fuse 23a are the Winnebago Trend 23d and the Winnebago View 24v.    These are all twin bed Class-C motorhomes made by Winnebago.

In this family the Fuse is the middle child even though it is the latest model.  The Fuse 23a and Trend 23d are close siblings and the View 24v is the big brother.  We compared the Fuse and the Trend earlier at: http://confusedrv.blogspot.com/2016/08/winnebago-fuse-23a-vs-trend-23d.html

My belief is that the Winnebago Fuse is a motorhome designed for two people and an occasional third as is the Trend.   The View in my opinion is designed for 4 people and not feel like there is much empty space when only two are traveling.  When our two children were smaller we would have had to buy the View 24v.   Now that it is only Sonya and I traveling, the Fuse is perfect even if one of the kids decides to come with us.

I want to clarify that the Winnebago View and the Itasca Navion are the same,  just different branding and some different colors.  Everything else is pretty much  the same between the brands.

Before the Fuse was announced we were about to buy a View 24v.  If there had been one equipped like we wanted we would have it today instead of the Fuse (we did not want the overhead bunk).  When we saw the Fuse we fell in love.  It met our needs better but I am sure we would have been happy with a View 24v.

For fairness,  all images in this comparison are from Winnebago sales literature unless otherwise noted.  That should make all the images the same quality.

Fuse 23a Floorplan (Winnebago Ind)

View 24v Floorplan (Winnebago Ind)

Both of these motorhomes have twin beds.  The layouts are very different.  The Fuse has a large open floorplan with the bathroom in the back.  A slide out up front with a love seat and kitchen.

The View is a split floorplan with the twin beds in the rear.  The kitchen and couch (or sectional) make up the front living space.  This front area has a slide out. There is an optional bed over the cab.  The bathroom in the View splits the coach into two separate living spaces.

Bathroom

• The bathroom in the View is a bigger/not quite as tight.
• The Fuse has a window in the bath and the View does not. 
• The Fuse has a pocket door and the View has a traditional swinging door
• The View has a porcelain toilet with sprayer and the Fuse toilet is plastic and does not have a sprayer.

Bedroom area

• The beds in the Fuse are slightly longer but the same width as in the View
• Both the Fuse and the View beds can be made into a king sized bed configuration.
• The bathroom is at the head of the bed in the Fuse and at the foot of the bed in the View
• There are drawers under both beds in both the Fuse and the View.
• The cabinets slide open on the Fuse.  The cabinets lift up on the View.  
• There is more overhead storage in the View.  This is from overhead storage over the heads of the bed.
• The View has a nice night stand area when the beds are not made into a king configuration.
• The closet is bigger in the View

Living/kitchen areas

• The living and kitchen areas are about the same. The Views is slightly larger but the open floorplan of the Fuse evens this out. 
• The Fuse has a love seat.  The View has a couch which is wider than the love seat on the Fuse.  They both can only fold out into a bed only when the slide is out
• The microwave, refrigerator, and cooktop are the same.
• The sink is bigger on the View though is is split.  The Fuse has a nicer faucet.
• The View has more kitchen storage.
• There is not a place for a front table in the Fuse when the slide is in.  The View has a place between the front seats.
• Both units have TVs in the bedroom area.  In the living area the TV in the View is over the kitchen sink, the TV in the Fuse is over the cab.

Cab area

• Both front seats in the View rotate.  Only the passenger seat in the Fuse does
• The seats are a little further apart in the View making the cab seem bigger.
• There is a place for a table between the front seats when rotated in the View. 
• There is a TV over the Cab in the Fuse.  There is a window or bed over the cab in the View.
• There is more storage over the cab in the Fuse.  There is only storage along the sides over the cab in the View without the overhead bed.

Mechanics

• The Fuse is built on a Ford Transit Chassis.  The Trend on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis
• Both are Diesel.  
• The miles per gallon are about the same between the two units. Both are between 15-20mpg mostly impacted by speed.  There is a slight edge to the Fuse but maybe 1-2 mpg.
• Both have Dual Rear Wheels.  
• The Fuse has an LP generator.  The View has either and LP or Diesel generator
• The Fuse has a traditional water heater.  The View has an option of an on demand water heater
• Water and sewer capacities are about the same.  The View has the ability to fill the tank by turning a valve when connected to shore water.  The Fuse water tank has to be filled via the fill inlet only.
• The Fuse is lower to the ground.  There is a concern about low ground clearance on the Fuse that has been addressed slightly in the 2017 1/2 version.
• The Fuse has three similar sized external storage compartments.  One on the drivers side and 2 on the passenger side for a total of 23.1 cu ft.  The View has one large external storage compartment that is 2/3s the width of the View and 3 other compartments, 2 on the passenger side and one on the drivers side for a total of 43 cu ft.
• The View can carry more weight.  4220 lbs. vs 3140 lbs. using the GCWR - GWVR method 
• The 2017 1/2 Fuse has a 5000 lbs hitch which is the same as on the View.
• The View is 1.5 feet longer and 1 foot taller.
• The  View uses a pump to empty the gray tank.  The Fuse is all gravity.
• The generator on the View is bigger than on the Fuse.  3600 (LP) or 3200  (diesel) watts vs 2,500 (LP) watts on the Fuse.  It is also much easier to access on the View through a side access hatch vs from underneath on the Fuse.
• The View has an inverter.  The Fuse does not.
• Both come with 2 group 24 batteries for DC power.  Solar is optional on both.
• The View comes with an installed water filter.  The Fuse does not.

Other

• The Fuse is $20,000-$30,000 less expensive than the View

So why did I pick the Fuse over the View ?

• I wanted smaller and even though it is only a 1 1/2' longer, the View seems much larger
• The Fuse felt smaller and easier to drive during the test drive
• I felt that the maintenance on the Fuse Ford Transit chassis would be cheaper and easer to find than the Views Mercedes Sprinter maintenance
• It was easier to get in and out of the Fuse since it was lower to the ground.
• The Fuse was less expensive by about $20,000
• The open floorplan in the Fuse made it seem bigger and more open and airier inside.  The floorplan of the View 24j has this same effect when compared to the View 24v.

When would I recommend a View over the Fuse ?

• If I was traveling with more than 2 people most of the time.
• If I was a full timer - The extra storage space outside would be nice.
• If I was going to tow a car.  The Fuse is limited to sub-compacts even with the latest towing improvements.
• If I did not want the open floor plan of the Fuse and wanted a defined bedroom and living room.

Hose Quick Connects

I use hose quick connects. I put them on the ends of the water filter and the hose to make things easier to set up.   Other than the speed of using them to connect there are two other benefits.

The first is that they are easier to screw on and off from the water bib than directly to it.  It seems every time I attach a hose directly to the bib, I wind up twisting the hose all over the place.  With the quick connect this is a non issue.

The second is if you have problems with your hands it is easier to grab hold of the quick connects than the ends of the hose.  I have arthritis in my hands and this really helps.

I do not leave them connected to the water connector on the Fuse.  I am scared I might scrape something and damage the RV.  It only takes a few seconds to take them on and off, and that small penalty not to have to worry is worth it.