Vic-1/3

[im lost]

Hey guys, have any of you ever installed the VIC systems in your hummers/military vehicles?

What's the difficulty of it? Is it all pretty much plug and play?
Ideally, I'd like to have the one that allows the noise cancelling headsets and from reading around that appears to only be the VIC-3. Is that correct?
If I got a VIC-3 control station would it work with VIC-1 crew stations?
I've only ever used the VIC-3s so even without the sound cancelling features, are the VIC-1s good enough?

I don't really plan on using this for connection to any type of radio comms but I would like to look into integrating my music into the system and mostly talking amongst the passengers. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[aleigh]

I own both systems. They are, quite simply, the best thing ever. If your headsets are halfway decent your passengers will really thank you.

Yes, it is easy to install. If you do not intend on interfacing with civilian radios, it is really easy.

No, the VIC-1 and -3 components are not compatible. The mounting positions are the same though - so a VIC-1 MCS fits in the same bolt pattern as a -3, and the crew stations. I suspect that was not an accident. The cabling is different.

The headset compatibility is a little different. The -1 supports BOTH 1-plug and 2-plug headsets. The -3 only supports 1 plug headsets but then also supports ANR. There are headsets which work on both systems. The sound cancellation (ANR) on the -3 is a head-set provided function, it has nothing to do with the intercom system itself, OTHER THAN, the intercom provides the power to run the ANR. There are ANR sets which are compatible with or otherwise can be made to work with the -1, they just use batteries for the ANR.

In a truck, passive cancellation is good enough. The -1 is good enough - the main problem with them simply that they are old, but, they work. Who can complain. The -1 looks it's era. The -3 looks modern. If that matters to you. The -3 is more programmable but in ways that IMO do not matter to you if you mostly just want it for an intercom. It also supports redundant cabling between the stations which the -1 does not.

Both systems accept 2-wire. Both systems can be integrated with music systems. Both systems are mono only so the music does not sound great but hey it's something. You can also get your garmin nav and a phone via bluetooth in there if you really put your back into it. This requires some electronics experience though or someone who can help you. The circuits are simple.

 

[jake-cutter]

Vic 3 is only compatible with Vic 3, no mixing and matching with older systems. It is pretty much plug and play once you get all of the cables which seem plentiful right now. The hardest parts is finding the control station and crew stations. There are also 2 versions of the Vic 3, one is called the lite version with a smaller master control station that is the same size as the crew stations and two crew stations that feed two users each. The full version has a bigger master control station and the crew stations are individual and serve only 1 person. I have been told the lite crew stations can be used with the full master control station, but don't have any experience doing it. Check with 86humv as he may have some parts.