Poor FM reception

Has anyone else experienced poor FM reception from their combo DVD/FM receivers?
I can usually receive one or two channels at best and these are usually poor quality.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Has anyone else experienced poor FM reception from their combo DVD/FM receivers?
I can usually receive one or two channels at best and these are usually poor quality.

Sir:
As a long time electronics technician I can tell you I am VERY DISAPPOINTED in Heartlands choice of a stereo surround system. Look the model up on the internet, and you can see that it sells for under $50. It just has a shortwire antenna - no terminals to connect a standard 300 ohm T antenna or connect to the rooftop TV antenna (FM frequencies are between TV Channels 6 and 7 in the RF spectrum, so your TV antenna picks them up).
I am looking to upgrade to this unit (Short of a $1900 Bose Lifestyle System) which includes better speakers and a subwoofer. The speakers can replace the existing cube speakers on the celiing. Here is the link: http://www.jr.com/sony/pe/SON_HTDDWG700/
 

Larryheadhunter

X-Rookies Still Luving it
We have great speakers and subwoofer but lousy FM (only 2 stations). How does one improve on that? I also have Serius Radio in the truck so I was thinking of just getting another face plate. Your thoughts?
 

lhetsler

Well-known member
FM radio reception

I went to radio shack and bought an adaptor that will connect to your tv antenna connection and has two wire that will fit into the clips on the back of your receiver. I now get good FM, AM is the one I can't figure out.
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
Sir:
As a long time electronics technician I can tell you I am VERY DISAPPOINTED in Heartlands choice of a stereo surround system. Look the model up on the internet, and you can see that it sells for under $50. It just has a shortwire antenna - no terminals to connect a standard 300 ohm T antenna or connect to the rooftop TV antenna (FM frequencies are between TV Channels 6 and 7 in the RF spectrum, so your TV antenna picks them up).
I am looking to upgrade to this unit (Short of a $1900 Bose Lifestyle System) which includes better speakers and a subwoofer. The speakers can replace the existing cube speakers on the celiing. Here is the link: http://www.jr.com/sony/pe/SON_HTDDWG700/

With my hearing the way it is...the current speakers are just fine. I'm also disappointed in the current stereo setup. There is no AM...and the FM is a joke. I get tons of stations. But, the ones I want to hear get poor reception. And, the antenna is literally across the street.

I'll keep an eye on JR's. This setup is currently out of stock.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Surround Sound Reciever

Lefty:
Search the model # on the internet, or look for something similar at a decent price. Maybe call JR and ask them what they recommend - I have always found them to be good people over the years.
To whoever said get the adapter and clip to the 2 terminals for FM, I didn't SEE any such terminals on my system. The AM antenna is normally a Ferrite bar wrapped with coils of wire hooked to the antenna input of the reciever. These can be pretty good or pretty poor. Most good stereo recievers will include an external wire loop AM antenna to connect to the reciever, and place the loop where it works best.
I have a XM MY-FI portable receiver I bought on E-Bay used with a car cradle and antenna, a home cradle and antenna, and headphones (with a built-in satellite antenna) for walk around use. I have found that since the Bighorn doesn't have a metal clad skin, the satellite antenna (and the headphones) work perfecly well inside the RV. BTW, I got all of this stuff for only $39!!! I hate all of the commercials on regular FM, and have the choice of listening to an all-crooners Frank Sinatra channel, 50's, 60's, 70's etc. channels, and every major league baseball game plus a lot more. The new age channel is peaceful to sleep to at a quiet volume.
 

Zuey

Member
We have a samsung DVD Radio Combo in our BigHorn 3670. The DVD is pretty good but the radio is useless. We even have an external antenna but it does not help.
 

Bobby A

Well-known member
my 3580 b/h has the samsung DVD combo, with terrible FM recetion, today I took the hole antenna out along with the wireing. I think half the problem is cheap antenna and wireing and terrible connections. I went to radio shack and bought a fm Dipole antenna and matching transformer. Reception is much better but you have to take the T antenna and drap it outside of the cabinet. Cost about 13 bucks. Now I know its not the receiver I'm gonna call customer service and see if they will send me a new antenna and wireing, maybe the connections will be better.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
my 3580 b/h has the samsung DVD combo, with terrible FM recetion, today I took the hole antenna out along with the wireing. I think half the problem is cheap antenna and wireing and terrible connections. I went to radio shack and bought a fm Dipole antenna and matching transformer. Reception is much better but you have to take the T antenna and drap it outside of the cabinet. Cost about 13 bucks. Now I know its not the receiver I'm gonna call customer service and see if they will send me a new antenna and wireing, maybe the connections will be better.

Notice how they didn't bother to match the antenna connector (banana plug) to the receiver (RG-6 coaxial) antenna input?? So they jerry-rigged an adapter to put the two together. Come on now. I get better radio reception from a 10 year old alarm clock radio than I do with the one that came with my 3670.
 

Bobby A

Well-known member
Got the fix from Ray Le Tourneau post on another Thread, it works GREAT, for those of you that have the Samsung DVD combo unit with bad FM reception. Useing a splitter a small coal cable and another longer coax cable to the FM input on the receiver, just remember to turn on your antennas power when listening to FM, it works great and I don't even have my antenna up. For those that want a more indept "how to" PM me or e-mail, it's really quite simple. This forum is AWSOME !!
Thanks again Ray

Bobby A
 

leftyf

SSG Stumpy-VA Terrorist
Come on now. I get better radio reception from a 10 year old alarm clock radio than I do with the one that came with my 3670.

Same here...the old clock radio will pick up FM stations that the Samsung won't even find. And, the antenna for the FM station is about 5 miles from here...I can see the lights on it at night.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
And I'm still trying to figure out how to get the Jensen TV to play through the Samsung stereo without sounding like a '60's reverb unit driving over the train tracks. There was a suggestion about hooking up a HDMI cable, but the Samsung doesn't have a jack for it.
 

Bobby A

Well-known member
And I'm still trying to figure out how to get the Jensen TV to play through the Samsung stereo without sounding like a '60's reverb unit driving over the train tracks. There was a suggestion about hooking up a HDMI cable, but the Samsung doesn't have a jack for it.


Well JohnDar, I have the Samsung DVD combo and a Samsung TV, I'm not a electronic geek but my son came over and hooked up my system with HDMI cables and optical cable, so now I get digital picture and digital sound. I do have a dish Network receiver for satillite so my set up may be a little different than yours.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
And I'm still trying to figure out how to get the Jensen TV to play through the Samsung stereo without sounding like a '60's reverb unit driving over the train tracks. There was a suggestion about hooking up a HDMI cable, but the Samsung doesn't have a jack for it.
John, Check the remote on the Samsung for a button that will change the type of sound it plays. It should give you several options like Theater, Hall, Surround and maybe several others. You should be able to change what you hear. If you can't find a specific button for it you may have to go through a menu. Look for set-up and sound. Worse case, go for the owners manual. :eek:
 

mountainlovers76

Mississippi Chapter Leaders
Well JohnDar, I have the Samsung DVD combo and a Samsung TV, I'm not a electronic geek but my son came over and hooked up my system with HDMI cables and optical cable, so now I get digital picture and digital sound. I do have a dish Network receiver for satillite so my set up may be a little different than yours.

I am guessing your son hooked up your satellite receiver to the TV with an HDMI cable and not the Samsung DVD combo. Unless your Samsung DVD is different than most that Heartland uses, it does not have a HDMI connection, at least mine and others I have heard from don't. Of course, yours could be a newer model. I would be interested to know.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Well, if nothing else, I followed the suggestion to hook the Samsung antenna input to the TV outlet via a splitter instead of to the outside radio antenna (with the wrong plug on it). Now I'm getting VERY good FM reception. So at least that problem is solved.
 

Bobby A

Well-known member
I am guessing your son hooked up your satellite receiver to the TV with an HDMI cable and not the Samsung DVD combo. Unless your Samsung DVD is different than most that Heartland uses, it does not have a HDMI connection, at least mine and others I have heard from don't. Of course, yours could be a newer model. I would be interested to know.

Yea, your probably right, HDMI from TV to Satallite receiver and an optical cable to the combo, with out pulling everything out I'm not exactly sure. I do know I can watch TV with the speaker on coming from the combo, something I couldn't do before he did the mod.
 
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