Community Forums

Robin_M · 10-13-2007, 06:11 PM

Murphee,

ALL of the issues with the Audio/Video system you just outlined are known issues and you should NOT have to live with any of them. There are numerous reports of all of these issues on this forum and the two Yahoo Monaco forums.

My advise is to call Monaco and get someone in the warranty department (or a supervisor in customer service) to help you through the issues. (What worked for me is to be very polite, but also very persistent. Send me a private message if you need names.) You may want to write them a letter after your call, confirming all the points for the record. That way you you've got them all officially on record before your warranty runs out.

Gordon · 10-13-2007, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Murphee:
We purchased an 07 Knight which has a Magnadyne AC12K2 suppressor between the batt. POS. + and the stereo by Magnadyne also. We were told by Daytona dealer that they replaced the stereo to get rid of the noticeable whistle AND buzz in a kitchen speaker, but if they did, the noise is simply different now but still present. And, if you turn the fader to FRONT, there is NO sound--only on REAR for all five speakers. Dealer says Monaco says "that's all normal--live with it." Plus, we hear there is a woofer in the wall in some RV's that is simply not connected--anyone know if that's standard in 'surround sound' systems?
And re the bad DVD player by Magnadyne--despite it being brand new and we've tried a variety of DVD's--the result is usually a long "LOADING" message on TV, followed by "NO DISC" repeatedly. Useless. Neighbor camper had same problem. Sounds like a magnadyne product problem. Anyone know more on this? I hesitate to run a cleaner through a new unit--never had to do that on older units after dozens of plays.

I found the Magnadyne system to be a lousy system. That was the first thing I changed on my 07 Ambassador.

I'm way happier with the Pioneer AVIC D-3 unit. The DVD function was way better. So was the radio. The added benefit was the navigation system that the AVIC has.

MonacoMama · 10-13-2007, 08:05 PM

Hey Gordon...Did you also change out the speakers?

Gordon · 10-13-2007, 08:14 PM

No. The speakers actually sounded pretty good.

Nice thing about the mid wall TV is that the AVIC will run a DVD while the coach is rolling. Lori can either watch it on the small screen, or turn around and watch the big TV. Even with the slides in, it's a clear view of the TV. If she really wants to, she can go sit on one of the couches.

Pusherpilot · 10-14-2007, 08:44 AM

Unless I'm totally all wet the real problem with the "noise" is in the inverter/converter. I isolated, read shut down, mine completely and the RFI went away. A way you can check it is to take a battery operated portable radio outside the coach set on an A/M station and listen to the buzz deminish as you walk away from the coach.

I was concerned with the noisy nature of these devices because I was involved in testing my companys products for "spurrious emissions" back in the 80s. We had to make sure they didn't interfere with anything! In fact we had to redesign all the machines to eliminate semiconductors called SCRs. (Silicone control rectifiers) I called the converter/inverter mfgr thinking I had a defective unit and it was explained to me that they didn't have to conform to the standards because their devices were portable! They produce a modified square wave which is very noisy and their converter/chargers are no quieter.

I'm surprised that coach mfgrs are still using the noisy boxes when there are quieter ones available. I understand that some Ham operators in RVs have done this on their own. Till then I'll just have to look for a digital radio so I can get local news on the A/M radio.

Ron

Mbl Cndo · 10-14-2007, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Now if I could just get the dash radio to work worth a darn. Keeps freezing/locking up during DVD play.

Carl

Carl, we have had this same problem 3 times. After the first time I bought a lens cleaner. That didn't do diddly. So, after the second time I bought a DVD player and installed it in the front cabinet to the immediate right of the LCD. Monaco said it's a flaw in a particular "lot" of the combo units they purchased. Our 4th replacement is working fine, although it is being replaced due to an issue with the remote. Just my luck they will replace it with something from that dubious lot

loranimal · 10-14-2007, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mbl Cndo:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Now if I could just get the dash radio to work worth a darn. Keeps freezing/locking up during DVD play.

Carl

Carl, we have had this same problem 3 times. After the first time I bought a lens cleaner. That didn't do diddly. So, after the second time I bought a DVD player and installed it in the front cabinet to the immediate right of the LCD. Monaco said it's a flaw in a particular "lot" of the combo units they purchased. Our 4th replacement is working fine, although it is being replaced due to an issue with the remote. Just my luck they will replace it with something from that dubious lot

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Since then I had replaced the unit. Getting ready to call Monaco again as the replacement isn't doing any better. I have an exterior system with the same radio and haven't had any problems with it. Yet!

Pusherpilot · 10-16-2007, 02:49 PM

We had a problem with the rear TV not responding to the remote. After reading the book I learned that Flourescent light affedt the IR remotes. Turn the overhead flourescent on and the TV remote quits, Overhead light off it works fine.

Ron

Socal36 · 10-16-2007, 07:17 PM

Just got my coach back from having stuff fixed including this hum. After showing this to my local repair company they ordered the kit installed it and no more humming

I have also had this dash dvd issue. I am on my 3rd dvd player and it seems to be holding up.

Murphee · 10-17-2007, 03:53 PM

I was going to ask the folks who "changed out" their magnadyne DVD lemons for a different brand--did their dealer or Monaco pay for this if the DVD player was on warranty still, bec. I don't fancy paying more when this is a new unit. For the writer who found the third MagnaNoise to be the charm, was it the same model, or a newer version. And, btw, we never got any 6 mos. free of Sirius either, but that is the least of our problems. And in the Monaco Knight, at least, the driver is out of luck as far as we can tell, if they wish to listen to radio since the speakers are in ceiling BEHIND the driver, facing rearward, and the other occupants aren't receptive to blaring the radio back there so the driver can hear. If I can just get their magna device to perform reasonably, then we'll rework the weird speaker layout so we can enjoy music while driving, AND does anyone know if there is supposed to be a subwoofer somewhere? They called it surround sound system, but only see 3 front 'tweeters' and two rear speakers in kitchen. One camper said his woofer was discovered, unconnected, behind his elec. fireplace in his Monaco 5th wheel 2007... anyone know what's the scoop here ? Thanks.

MonacoMama · 10-17-2007, 06:33 PM

Murphee...
Not all of these Magna-whatevers have the Sirius radio receivers with them. They come "Sirius Radio ready" ...so unless you paid extra for the the Sirius receiver... you would NOt get any Siius radio for free. As far as the subwoofer ... ours is in the cabinet area behind the louvered vent by the sink.
The radios are horrible...and I can only hope that this one thing that seems so small to Monaco but ALL their buyers complain about...that they will change it ASAP to something more worthy of their product...OTHERWISE...more people will start to doubt the overall quality of their coaches...

Robin_M · 10-18-2007, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MonacoMama:
As far as the subwoofer ... ours is in the cabinet area behind the louvered vent by the sink.

That's interresting. I wish they'd put ours there. We have the same year and floor plan, but they mounted our sub-woofer in a cabinet under the dinette table, taking up precious storage space. I've seen some mounted in the galley under the stove. That's even worse!

I agree that for coaches costing over $200 thousand dollars (and up) the sound systems are awful. Monaco has used the cheapest components they could find.

MonacoMama · 10-18-2007, 06:12 PM

Quote:

That's interresting. I wish they'd put ours there. We have the same year and floor plan, but they mounted our sub-woofer in a cabinet under the dinette table,

Rob...We don't have a dinette so that is one reason why we don't have ours there. I am glad our is where it is...and I certainly don't have a clue why they would put yours where they did!

UPS 34 · 10-19-2007, 07:41 AM

We just bought ours and have not had the pleasure of hearing the noise yet. In fact I hardly had the system on. How do you hear the humm. I did hear a hum when I had the water heater on elec. and speakers had a hum.