Hard to believe, a $0.15 cable connecting the HDTV

[Click_here]

When we did our check out with the technician upon picking up our RV, he and I noticed that the DVD picture from the dash mounted player was horrible. Every image was ghosted and looked worse than a VHS tape. I brought a movie to test with me, just in case. He advised to note that problem when bringing it back in later for the inevitable list of things to get corrected under warranty.

When I made my appointment, I discussed this with one of the dealer service techs and asked why Jayco would use the cheapest, worst possible (yellow RCA style) single video cable up to the TV. He replied they also used the cheapest units in the dash as well, sadly.

I hooked up my laptop with a Costco 12' HDMI cable directly yo the TV and the picture from the same tested DVD was excellent, as is the local HD off air broadcast from multiple channels.

When I suggested I would supply one of these HDMI cables when he was trouble shooting the picture quality issue, he demurred, saying Jayco wouldn't pay for him to replace the cable with one of mine. They only pay to 'fix' the problem, as in straitening out a kink or checking to see if the cable was seated properly or even installing filters to help.

I'm willing to pay them for the 30 minutes or so it might take to route the HDMI in place of the RCA VHS-like cable (and removing the red and white audio as well) but really feel this is an issue the manufacturer should have done right the first time.

Thoughts, comments, experiences, advice?

[Murff]

RV manufacturers use the crappiest video and audio components known to man. We tow a small trailer. so the television is also small and that is okay. What is not okay is the crappy Jensen TV and DVD/AM/FM stereo isn't even provided with the ability to use an HDMI cable. Hence, the quaint (antique?) RCA red/white audio and yellow video cables.

The crummy TV was replaced with a Samsung Smart TV that was around $200.00 that will stream video from my phone, an SD card or even an external memory. It's even capable of searching the internet!

At the time of the purchase of the Samsung, the original Jensen had a price of nearly $400 at CW.

My thoughts, comment and experience. (and worth what you paid for them)

Murff

[Murff]

Reading the Furrion thread also reminded me that the Samsung TV speakers sound better than the ceiling speakers.

The Jensen TV speakers sound like a 1950s Japanese transistor radio.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...tml#post598782

Murff

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by Click_here

DVD picture from the dash mounted player was horrible.

Don't know about yours but the dash DVD player in ours isn't Blu-ray. And plays an acceptable standard DVD picture with RCA style wires.

The dash head unit feed an AV distribution box in ours, by the rear TV. That unit is Y/R/W RCA only.

IMHO an HDMI feed from our head unit would be a waste.


With all of the challenges they face, I think their AV engineer (assuming they have one) probably is on your side - wants to upgrade. But the front office takes a "if it ain't broke or if it'll cost more, we ain't doing it."

I don't bother with DVDs in the head unit. A Blu-ray was $50-$75 so there's a dedicated one on each TV, with a short Monoprice HDMI cable to the TV.

[JesseS]

My 2016 Alante came with HDMI over Ethernet cable, works fine as long as one of the converters don't go belly up. Too bad they used the cheapest UN-shielded cat-5 to the outside TV and bundled it with the AC lines, causing a terrible signal. I didn't even try to go thru the dealer and just ran a new cable myself. The head unit on the dash system uses the old school RCA cables, they seem to work fine... after I opened up the dash and hooked them up, seems the installer forgot that little chore. I am so glad my father taught me which end on a screwdriver to use, has saved me a lot of time and money over the years.

[Click_here]

Originally Posted by Murff

Reading the Furrion thread also reminded me that the Samsung TV speakers sound better than the ceiling speakers.

The Jensen TV speakers sound like a 1950s Japanese transistor radio.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...tml#post598782

Murff

Oh man, I actually did LOL at that. The absolute first add-on purchase was one of the Yamaha sound bars on sale at Costco around Christmas. Must say, I do have good sound now.

[Click_here]

Decided when we drop off the 'Hawk for service later this month, our first visit, I will just ask them to charge me to install an HDMI in lieu of even bothering to trouble shoot the picture.

Anyone have any experience with replacing the dash head unit with a better system? There must be better systems out there I would guess.

[glamisbound]

The good news is that I just learned I can use the Jensen head unit in my dash to watch DVD movies. This I did not know. Thanks.

[pconroy]

One thing I've noticed is that the head unit volume needs to be up in order for the volume to make it to the back TVs. Thought that was really dumb.

The head unit can feed video to both TVs in the coach, but the cab speakers have to be on (and loud) for the volume to make it to the TVs. weird...

[Click_here]

Originally Posted by glamisbound

The good news is that I just learned I can use the Jensen head unit in my dash to watch DVD movies. This I did not know. Thanks.

Hopefully it won’t be as bad a picture as mine!