Xtrons poor radio reception – cause and fix

trebor · 24th August 2010, 11:25

Many of us who have installed an Xtrons double din unit have experienced poor radio reception, with FM channels fading and non existent reception on AM.

There have been other threads on this and I know some members have fitted aerial boosters to try and get a better signal but now we seem to have the problem cracked once and for all.

The purple and yellow power cable on the aerial amp (which on the saloon is located inside the passenger side pillar by the rear windscreen) should be carrying 12v to power up the amp and the other end of this lead is inside the ISO grey plug which plugs into the back of the head unit.

On the Xtrons unit however the aerial power comes from a spare brown lead which comes out of the back of the unit and needs to be separately connected to the purple and yellow lead on the grey ISO plug at pin 5, this will give you 12v and the answer to your prayers. Connect an in line 1amp fuse to the brown wire coming out of the head unit and then connect the other end of the fuse to the purple and yellow cable at pin 5 of the ISO plug– and jobs a good un !

Before I found out about the spare brown cable on the back of the Xtrons unit I had already tested my purple and yellow cable going to the amp and discovered it wasn’t carrying 12v so I ran another lead via a piggy back fuse from the fuse box area but if you do it this way make sure you select a fuse which is not a permanent live otherwise your battery could be run down over a period of time, and also insert a 1 amp in line fuse as above at the glovebox end.

The solution to this problem has been a combined effort so I would like to thank Duncan ( lowed B ) for his advice along the way and Mick ( Wide Load ) for information relating to the spare brown cable on the Xtrons Unit

Happy listening !

tony_fry · 24th August 2010, 16:50

Its strange why the OEM did not suffer the same problems as the Extron and other units, I know CDTi (Eamonn) had problem with the reception on the head unit supplied by Sean (RadioGuy)

MARKUK · 24th August 2010, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by tony_fry

Its strange why the OEM did not suffer the same problems as the Extron and other units, I know CDTi (Eamonn) had problem with the reception on the head unit supplied by Sean (RadioGuy)

I do have issues in the north east and Scotland with reception on my xtrons single din...That might just be weak signal in those areas though..

Mark

baconbuttyman · 7th September 2010, 19:02

i have tried the solution that robert suggested and to no avail, i will try again with a lesser guage wire, but for now, have reinstalled the oem unit to see if there are any probs with that, if there is its obviouslt the booster is shot

baconbuttyman · 9th September 2010, 09:06

oem unit, is fine, so the booster is not the problem, in my initial trial and comms with Trebor about this i tried the full cable with inline fuse, so this afternoon i am going to try the method at the connector plug. will keep you updated, i would rather have the xtron than the harmony, but the radio reception is a problem.

baconbuttyman · 10th September 2010, 09:17

ok
yesterday i tried the reconnection method recommended by Robert, i found that i didnt have the color coding that Robert stated as my unit is not an xtrons its an Xtron, which went belly up a year or so ago, obviously the name was changed to Xtrons and set up by the same people, any way. it seems a lot better, will thorgoughly test tday while out n about. was thinking of putting it on ebay and get the newer xtrons tho. they are only £130.

Mr Edd · 12th September 2010, 19:24

Would this issue be the same as I am having with the Chinese 2-Din unit?

Whistling on AM and fuzzy and clipping or clicking noises on FM.

Edd

trebor · 12th September 2010, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Edd

Would this issue be the same as I am having with the Chinese 2-Din unit?

Whistling on AM and fuzzy and clipping or clicking noises on FM.

Edd

just test the wire going at the rear going into the amp is it carrying 12v ?

Mr Edd · 15th September 2010, 07:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebor

just test the wire going at the rear going into the amp is it carrying 12v ?

How do I do that please? I ain't an electronic whiz kid... I ain't even a kid.

Edd

CDTi · 15th September 2010, 09:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Edd

How do I do that please? I ain't an electronic whiz kid... I ain't even a kid.

Edd

Get a cheapo multimeter in Maplin or Aldi - should be less than £10.

You could use a 12V bulb or LED but a meter is much better.

24th August 2010, 11:25	#1
trebor This is my second home Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE & MG ZT Saloon 190 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Coven Posts: 12,523 Thanks: 526 Thanked 1,877 Times in 885 Posts	Xtrons poor radio reception – cause and fix Many of us who have installed an Xtrons double din unit have experienced poor radio reception, with FM channels fading and non existent reception on AM. There have been other threads on this and I know some members have fitted aerial boosters to try and get a better signal but now we seem to have the problem cracked once and for all. The purple and yellow power cable on the aerial amp (which on the saloon is located inside the passenger side pillar by the rear windscreen) should be carrying 12v to power up the amp and the other end of this lead is inside the ISO grey plug which plugs into the back of the head unit. On the Xtrons unit however the aerial power comes from a spare brown lead which comes out of the back of the unit and needs to be separately connected to the purple and yellow lead on the grey ISO plug at pin 5, this will give you 12v and the answer to your prayers. Connect an in line 1amp fuse to the brown wire coming out of the head unit and then connect the other end of the fuse to the purple and yellow cable at pin 5 of the ISO plug– and jobs a good un ! Before I found out about the spare brown cable on the back of the Xtrons unit I had already tested my purple and yellow cable going to the amp and discovered it wasn’t carrying 12v so I ran another lead via a piggy back fuse from the fuse box area but if you do it this way make sure you select a fuse which is not a permanent live otherwise your battery could be run down over a period of time, and also insert a 1 amp in line fuse as above at the glovebox end. The solution to this problem has been a combined effort so I would like to thank Duncan ( lowed B ) for his advice along the way and Mick ( Wide Load ) for information relating to the spare brown cable on the Xtrons Unit Happy listening ! __________________ www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk Robs Car Gallery Coven near Wolverhampton WV9 2000 Cowley Built Rover 75 2.0 V6 Club SE/ Atlantic Blue/ Sandstone/Walnut (daily driver) 2003 Land Rover Freelander 1 TD4 HSE Helsinki Blue/Black Leather (swmbo daily driver)

24th August 2010, 16:50	#2
tony_fry I really should get out more....... BMW I3 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South East London Posts: 2,224 Thanks: 31 Thanked 77 Times in 61 Posts	Its strange why the OEM did not suffer the same problems as the Extron and other units, I know CDTi (Eamonn) had problem with the reception on the head unit supplied by Sean (RadioGuy) __________________ Regards Tony Membership No 135

12th September 2010, 19:24	#7
Mr Edd From the Horses Mouth 2012 Honda Oddessay and 1996 Ford Ranger Truck (Splash) Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fort Myers, Florida Posts: 1,045 Thanks: 0 Thanked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Would this issue be the same as I am having with the Chinese 2-Din unit? Whistling on AM and fuzzy and clipping or clicking noises on FM. Edd __________________ I'd be dyslexic if I could spell ti.

7th September 2010, 19:02	#4
baconbuttyman Banned Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 5,724 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 7 Posts	i have tried the solution that robert suggested and to no avail, i will try again with a lesser guage wire, but for now, have reinstalled the oem unit to see if there are any probs with that, if there is its obviouslt the booster is shot

9th September 2010, 09:06	#5
baconbuttyman Banned Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 5,724 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 7 Posts	oem unit, is fine, so the booster is not the problem, in my initial trial and comms with Trebor about this i tried the full cable with inline fuse, so this afternoon i am going to try the method at the connector plug. will keep you updated, i would rather have the xtron than the harmony, but the radio reception is a problem.

10th September 2010, 09:17	#6
baconbuttyman Banned Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 5,724 Thanks: 0 Thanked 9 Times in 7 Posts	ok yesterday i tried the reconnection method recommended by Robert, i found that i didnt have the color coding that Robert stated as my unit is not an xtrons its an Xtron, which went belly up a year or so ago, obviously the name was changed to Xtrons and set up by the same people, any way. it seems a lot better, will thorgoughly test tday while out n about. was thinking of putting it on ebay and get the newer xtrons tho. they are only £130.