# Autotrail Freeview Media Pack.



## sennen523

Hi All,
I have a new Autotrail (May 2010) with the new type Digi-Box with a 15" drop-down monitor. The original Digi-box has been replaced due to the unit switching to standby for a few seconds, then restarting. The picture quality was always perfect though.

My dealer has fitted a new Digi-box, but now the picture quality is poor (horizontal lines on dark colours) both on Freeview and DVD signals. Unfortunately, the dealer cannot find the fault and insists the picture is normal (can't be bothered with it!!)

Can anyone suggest anything or should I insist on a new box? All the connections into the box are tight and secure.

Regards,
sennen523.


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## neilbes

It might be worth trying a new lead.


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## clodhopper2006

Is the scart lead fully pressed home in the digibox. Your problem is certainly not normal.


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## sennen523

Thanks neilbes for your reply, it certainly pointing to the AV lead or a connection problem.

Thanks clodhopper2006. The new Autotrail Media Pack systems don't have SCART connections now but use AV cables (yellow push fit for video).
I have checked the connections in/out of the Digi-Box.

Thanks 
sennen523.


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## stewartwebr

I was having a very similar experience. It turned out to be nothing to do with the AV System. I was messing around with the control/charger panel and found when I turned it off (green switch) the system changed to 12volt from battery and the picture on the monitor became perfect. On turning the panel back on the horizontal lines reappeared. 
I contacted my dealer who returned the panel to Sargent who fitted a capacitor into the charge circuit and I know have perfect tv with charger off or on. 
Suggest you check your system with the charger off. Sounds like the same fault. 
Hope this helps

Stewart


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## sennen523

Hello stewartwebr,
Thanks for your post. Autotrail have asked me try this as they have had instances when interference is coming from the charger, as in your case.
My interference is there all the time even when not on EHU and only on 12V.
Thanks for your help anyway.
Regards
sennen523.


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## Rapide561

*TV*

Don't ask me why I am suggesting this, but I am.

Do you only get a poor picture if you have the water pump running or internal lights on?

Russell


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## sennen523

Hi Russell,
Thanks for the post. The interference is there all the time, even with the pump and lighting off. What's strange is the picture was perfect with the original Digi-Box and only started after the dealer changed the box because of the known fault. The picture is worse on the DVD signal.

Thanks Russell
sennen523.


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## peribro

I think it would be useful to try to rule in and out the various possible causes. First, I presume it could be the monitor - either a fault or something wrong with the set up. Can you try to connect another video device such as a camcorder to the aux sockets on the side of the monitor and see if the picture improves. If it doesn't, then the cause is either a fault with the monitor or the set up of it. If the picture does improve then it is most likely going to be either the cabling from the AV unit to the monitor, the AV unit itself or external interference. If you are able to connect up another TV to the AV unit using the audio and video sockets on the back of the AV unit (rather than the UHF out socket) then that will give you a fair indication of whether the unit itself is faulty or not. If the picture on the TV improves, then it would indicate that the cabling to the monitor may be faulty or suffering from external interference. I don't know if you've got the same AV unit as the original but it is a bit fiddly getting to the back of it as you need to detach it from the shelf. There also isn't much wriggle room. An obvious thing to check is that the cables are all in the right sockets - from recollection there are two video out sockets next to each other - obviously try swapping the cable into the other one.


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## sennen523

Thanks peribro. I have tried connecting my camcorder to the monitor aux sockets on the monitor, as you suggest, and the picture is perfect.
I will try swapping the two video out sockets and see what happens. 
It's a bit frustrating when the units are only four months old and I have paid £900 for a load of problems.
Thanks for your kind help with this.


Kind Regards,
sennen523.


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## peribro

Hi Sennen

I'll have a look at the back of my unit tomorrow to remind myself of the connections - it's a little while since I last had reason to do that.


edited to corrected typo


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## Locksmith

stewartwebr said:


> I was having a very similar experience. It turned out to be nothing to do with the AV System. I was messing around with the control/charger panel and found when I turned it off (green switch) the system changed to 12volt from battery and the picture on the monitor became perfect. On turning the panel back on the horizontal lines reappeared.
> I contacted my dealer who returned the panel to Sargent who fitted a capacitor into the charge circuit and I know have perfect tv with charger off or on.
> Suggest you check your system with the charger off. Sounds like the same fault.
> Hope this helps
> 
> Stewart


I was having the same problems after I replaced the digi box with a freesat box. The picture on the dvd - freesat and the reverse camera was terrible, dark with lines etc. I then notice it was only bad when running off the battery's but on the mains it was fine, the reverse camera was also fine when the engine was running, The battery state of the vehicle was also reading zero when off the mains but this was not the case. The dealer is sending me a new Sargent display panel and say this should solve the problem ???


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## johnnybiker

Hi, I had similar problems with mine, finally traced the fault to the infra red sensor cable that goes in to the back of the digi box. It is a din plug and easily comes loose from the back of the box, when it is not fully connected it means you cannot change to the AV1 channel on the monitor properly so affects the picture quality. Suggest you try pushing this in fully, easiest if you unscrew the digibox from the wall to do this,


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## sennen523

Thanks for all your help.

johnnybiker, I will try this tomorrow. There are 2 cables other than the AV cables, is it the one with the black cable?

sennen523.


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## DJP

> My dealer has fitted a new Digi-box, but now the picture quality is poor (horizontal lines on dark colours) both on Freeview and DVD signals. Unfortunately, the dealer cannot find the fault and insists the picture is normal (can't be bothered with it!!)


Don't accept the dealers response. Insist that he changes the Digibox for another. Try a different dealer. IF it wasChelston, try West Country. All should honour warranty problems. You could ask Sargent Electrical for advice, they make all the wiring looms for Autotrail.


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## johnnybiker

Hi Sennen, its the black cable at the bottom corner of the unit and is a din type connector, it easily works loose when the digibox is moved around or if you have been messing with the wires at the back. Just needs pushing in, I found that when mine was loose it affected the AV signal from the digibox to the monitor meaning you didn't get a proper picture on the monitor. Good luck


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## sennen523

Thanks DJP for your reply.
Sometimes as you know, it's easier to sort out the problem yourself. I have already taken the van back three times for this, with a round trip of 140 miles.
But ultimately, I am supposed to have a warranty!!!!

Kind Regards,
sennen523.


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## austerj5v

Hi All
We have just picked up our new Autotrail Chieftain and guess what?
The media pack keeps resetting. Really annoying when in the middle of a program, even when a DVD is playing. Seems to be the Digibox as you say. A new one is hopefully on the way. From these post it seems to be a common problem. I will also look out for any picture quality changes.

Roger and Jane


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## drfcchris

hi all, i think we must be having the same problem the tv screen flickers on to the Autotrail logo for a couple of seconds then resets it's self back to the picture. this happens about 2 or 3 times nightly
(we have no problem with the picture quality)
I always thought this could be happening because of a surg in power
Think i will ring the dealer tomorrow

chris


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## sennen523

Hi johnnybiker,
I have tried the Din connection but the picture quality is still the same. Thanks anyway, it was worth a try.

austerj5v, 
Yes, this IS a common fault on the units. Mine was diagnosed by Autotrail and the supplier.
The supplier contact for Tech Support ( not the 09 premium rate number Autotrail gave me!) is:
www.armourauto.com Andy Horton 01420-470618

They new the fault immediately and suggested a new box but only via my dealer.

drfcchris, Your fault sounds similar, mine used to switch into standby for a few seconds and then the picture came back on.

The poor picture quality I have got now is even more annoying, so i am pushing for yet another new box. The dealers haven't a clue with this problem.
Good luck with both of yours anyway and please let me know how you get on.
Regards,
Al.
sennen523.


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## austerj5v

Sennen 523

We have had our digibox replaced and all is well at the moment. 

Roger


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## sennen523

Hi All,
I'm STILL having problems with the Media Pack on my Savannah both with the Freeview and the Radio reception.
The supplying dealer has replaced the Monitor and the Freeview box but I still have annoying interference on screen (horozontal lines) both on DVD and Freeview.
The dealer cannot diagnose the fault although they have spent alot of time on this. They are now saying that new vans are like this but my original Freeview box picture quality was perfect apart from a minor fault (switching to standby).

Has anyone experienced this problem with the 2010 model Media Pack (15" monitor) and do you get perfect picture quality?
Any advice would be appeciated.
Regards,
sennen523.


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## peribro

I'm afraid the dealer is wrong. I have the same year model van as you and same media pack and my picture quality is perfect. Have you narrowed it down yet to whether it's the cabling or the box itself? I remember you said previously that you had plugged a camcorder into the monitor and the picture was fine. The problem is therefore unlikely to be the monitor unless there is a fault with the connector from the A/V media box. Can you try plugging the camcorder into the AV cables at the media box end? i.e. remove them from the back of the unit. If the picture quality is perfect then your problem is the unit itself. If not, then the problem is with the cabling or interference affecting the signal through the cabling.


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## sennen523

Thanks for the tip peribro. I will try that to prove the AV leads. I will have to buy a AV cable connector and will post what I find.
Kind Regards,
sennen523.


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## sennen523

Hello peribro,
As you have suggested, I have just tried connecting my camcorder direct to the AV lead at the box (Monitor connection) and the picture quality is perfect on the monitor.
I also tried the head unit (Radio) AV connection and this is OK as well.

As you have said, this rules out a faulty AV lead to the monitor, the monitor or interference, so it must be another faulty box? I know these boxes are prone to interference from the PSU charger but in my case, I get this on 12V or on EHU.

Thanks for all your advice.
sennen523.


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## Broom

Hi Sennen

Try running an aerial coaxial wire from your house aerial system and plug it into the back of the box, see what you get, would alleviate reception fault.

Come back to me with the result

Best Regards
Broom


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## peribro

Since the problem occurs with DVD's as well, I guess it has to be the unit rather than aerial reception.


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## sennen523

Thanks Broom,
As peribro has said, it's the same on DVD. My own Avtex TV (in bedroom) has no interference.
Thanks for your post.
sennen523.


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## Rosbotham

This is a very long shot, but does your Avtex TV just have a connection from the aerial to use its own internal freeview decoder, or is there an additional input into it from the output of the Autotrail freeview box / DVD to let you watch the output of that?

If the latter, then try unplugging the connection into your Avtex TV. The Autotrail decoders / DVDs don't seem to like feeding two outputs (I assume the impedence gets mangled), resulting in interference on the picture of both : on my own which is wired that way, it'll work for a couple of minutes then starts flickering.

If the former, like I say it was a long shot...

Paul


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## sennen523

Hi Paul,
Thanks for your post. I don't really know the "setup" with the aerial connections. With the new system, there is one "F" connection into the Freeview box. There are 2 outlets (coax) coming from the signal booster, presumably one going to the bedroom socket. 
The original Freeview box, apart from the re-setting fault, had a perfect picture even with the Avtex on as well.
Thanks for your help.
sennen523


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## SaddleTramp

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the installed TV system in the Autotrail connect through the Radio system, I recently had an Autotrail Delaware and this had same problem, On the back of the radio is the video (Yellow) plug and this was partly out.
When the Technician pushed this home = Perfect picture


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## Rosbotham

sennen523 said:


> Hi Paul,
> The original Freeview box, apart from the re-setting fault, had a perfect picture even with the Avtex on as well.
> Thanks for your help.
> sennen523


That's the key thing. Is the connection to the Avtex

-simply an aerial (connection into aerial socket of Avtex that would run from the output of the signal booster) or 
- is there an additional connection from the Autotrail freeview box (you can tell because on the Avtex there'd either be a scart connection or alternatively 3xphono connections)?

If it's just an aerial, then the freeview you're watching is being decoded by the Avtex, so has nothing to do with your picture issues on the front screen. Replacing the freeview box wouldn't have affected the Avtex as it wasn't feeding it anyway.

If it has the other connectors, then that is what could cause the interference. The reason it would have both is to allow you to watch the DVD from the head unit on your Avtex.

My system is non-standard and has both, but I believe that's retrofit in order to allow a connection from the satellite to the rear screen. However, mine's a 2009 model so it's possible they've started fitting such cabling as standard in the 2010, hence the question.

If that second connection is there, disconnect it from the Avtex (pull out phono / Scart) and it could remove the interference. I've yet to find a way around this other than connecting/unconnecting the lead to the TV at the back as it's needed.

If the 2nd connection isn't there, then my suggestion's a cul-de-sac. Les's "check connection on back of head unit" is worth a try, but I'd be very disappointed at your dealer if that wasn't the first thing they checked.

Paul


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