Giving up on Concertone

[dezolen]

Should clairify my statement. Any tv or stereo receiver I purchased in the last 20 yrs are still working. Usually send them to Goodwill so someone else can use them as other than obsolescence they all still did what they were designed to do. WORK.
Concertone concept is great if only they were reliable.

[fivecodys]

Originally Posted by reubenray

Is it possible to install a house A/V receiver and DVD player? I know they would not work on 12v, but I would not ever use it that way. The speakers may even need to be swapped out.

Did not mean to hijack this thread!!

Yes it is possible.
I did it.
Works very well.

Part One: Concertone Replacement Part 1 pictures by fivecodys - Photobucket

Part Two: Concertone Replacement Part 2 pictures by fivecodys - Photobucket

We don't dry camp so the 12 volt issue is not a problem for us.

Let me know if you have any questions.
Glad to help if I can.

Bill

[Gabesgdson]

I have a 2008 Cardinal and if I use a Concertone it will be the third one. They are a piece of crap, not just my opinion, but also that of several repair shops.

I will probably go to something else rather than go through this trouble again.

[Bob Fields]

"Several Repair Shops" - is that Electronics Repairs Shops that have probably seen very few Concertones in their lifetime or RV Service Centers that hardly understand 12Volt electronics as their focus is selling and installing hitches - two vastly different knowledge requirements.

I am happy to take your personal opinion at face value and not debate - I am sorry you feel that way and if there is anything I can do to help please let me know.

But I am unwilling to take third party statements as facts as there is ALWAYS more to the story.

[tking01_2000]

Thats it got the 2005 Roo out today getting ready to head out friday morning turn on the concertone unit and it worked again i have nothing to complain about except that it worked again and i cant get a new concertone until this one dies! 2008 Cardinal is that still under warranty?

[dodge3500]

Well as a former tech at a "RV repair center" we did not install any hitches at all. We worked on all the components in the RV's. Stoves, water heaters, AC's refers' plumbing, electrical and basically all of the components in the RV. Granted this was a number of years ago but the place has been in business for over forty years. I drive by it every day on my way to my current job.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by dodge3500

Well as a former tech at a "RV repair center" we did not install any hitches at all. We worked on all the components in the RV's. Stoves, water heaters, AC's refers' plumbing, electrical and basically all of the components in the RV. Granted this was a number of years ago but the place has been in business for over forty years. I drive by it every day on my way to my current job.

I am sure Bob spoke "in the heat of the moment" and did not mean to imply "that's all they do." I am sure he meant that home theater equipment is not their specialty.

[Bob Fields]

I guess I painted with too big a brush...

Of course, they do more than install hitches, BUT I speak to LOTS of dealers and service centers and they would rather work on about anything more than anyone's entertainment system.

All the systems mentioned above certainly take brains to work on -NO QUESTION! But there is hardly anything that you can use from that system knowledge to entertainment systems. The theories of operation and working components are completely diffirent AND I guarantee you they work on these other systems EVERYDAY and entertainment systems rarely.

Believe me, I buy the dougnuts and coffee when I visit them too! :-)

[Killman]

Bob (and everyone else out there with knowledge),

Maybe this question should be a separate post since it doesn't really deal with the original issue of the post, but who does the initial installation of the entertainment systems?

Not knowing how the whole RV industry works, my first assumption would be that the RV manufacturer installs them as they are building the unit. Then the unit is shipped to the dealer where it is finally sold. But then I started thinking...again not knowing how the auto industry works either, I do know that some equipment is boxed and shipped to the dealer when a new car/truck is ordered, for installation by the dealer or a third party. Is that the way it is in the RV industry?

The only reason that I ask is that it seems that there is a wide variation of how systems are installed in identical units around the country. If the units are being installed at the RV plant, then there are some serious quality control issues that the manufacturer needs to address within their company. If they are being delivered to dealers for installation, there there are still quality control issues that need to be addressed, but it makes it that much more difficult for the manufacturer to control.

You would think that a RV company would do a better job of controlling quality. Even under warranty, when a unit is returned to have a 'defective' stereo removed and a replacement ordered and installed...the dealers aren't doing that for free! I would have to imagine they are charging that work back to either, in this case, Forest River and/or Concertone. (And this issue isn't relegated to just the entertainment system, but since this is the issue being discussed, that is where it will remain).

Anyway, in this and other posts there have been reference to crossed wiring, loose connections and so forth, so you can see the vast difference in installation and quality.

[Lemonhead]

I have a ZX700 in a '09 Flagstaff. The radio & CDs sound fine but DVDs have static and the sound cuts in and out on the A speakers which are surround sound. Anyone know if I'm doing something wrong?

[toshu]

Originally Posted by tking01_2000

So you have only replaced your concertone units ? Just being a SA but would hat to see that 20 year old cell phone

[Killman]

For static, the first thing that I would do would be to check all of your connections. If you are saying that you have surround sound for the radio and CD's, but not the DVD's. then I'll have to refer you to someone with better knowledge. The fact that the CD's and DVD's are read from the same 'location', I'm not sure what would cause that. There have been, I believe, other posts on this subject, but at the moment I cannot recall where to refer you.

[Dock]

Originally Posted by dodge3500

Well I am throwing in the towel. My 28RK fith wheel is less than 3 years old. Mine came with a Magnadyne stereo originally. DOA. Trailer had to go back to factory for work and they installed a ZX600. When I picked up trailer my ZX600 was DOA. Dealer replaced unit. Ran for about 6 months. DVD stopped working and woofer issues. I called Forest River and they sent me a new one. 2 years later DVD player has quit working again. Video is jumbled. The systems probably had a total time of 50 hours using the DVD player for videos and CDs. I don't know how anyone would continue to by Concertone equipment. I know all systems in the trailer can have issues but why is Concertone the only one that has its own forum? I don't see any subforums for Suburban furnaces, Dometic refers, Atwood water heaters or any of the other subsystems. I know what the dealers pay for the ZX600 and it is not much. These systems are just plain junk and I will be going to a car audio video system in the future.

Not the only one Pummel drive sounds Systems JUNK!!!

[caleb]

Originally Posted by herk7769

I am sure he meant that home theater equipment is not their specialty.

Apparently it's not Concertone's specialty either

[Herk7769]

Have been looking at what is out there and there are not too many choices in the 12DC Dolby Digital Surround Sound DVD players, that also play MP3 and camera sticks.

I am still totally happy with my ZX-700 going on my third year.

(Would be happier with an upconverting DVD player with HDMI outputs but I missed the camper on that one.)

[caleb]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Have been looking at what is out there and there are not too many choices in the 12DC Dolby Digital Surround Sound DVD players, that also play MP3 and camera sticks.

I am still totally happy with my ZX-700 going on my third year.

(Would be happier with an upconverting DVD player with HDMI outputs but I missed the camper on that one.)

Agreed. My only requirement in a replacement is that it can control multiple sound zones. There unfortunately really isn't anything out there right now.

[Rugged Brown]

I have read a lot of discussion on the Concertone product. There has been a lot of positive and negative feedback. There appears to be a
disproportionate amount of negative comments when comparing concertone to other components that make up a RV. Just my observation. My issue is that no matter what I watch on Television, whether it be through my satellite, DVD or cable, the video image jumps every few seconds to a point of being hypnotic. Since I am still in a trance of another dimension, my comments can be disregarded, but I need help please..

[SaskCampers]

Originally Posted by Rugged Brown

I have read a lot of discussion on the Concertone product. There has been a lot of positive and negative feedback. There appears to be a
disproportionate amount of negative comments when comparing concertone to other components that make up a RV. Just my observation. My issue is that no matter what I watch on Television, whether it be through my satellite, DVD or cable, the video image jumps every few seconds to a point of being hypnotic. Since I am still in a trance of another dimension, my comments can be disregarded, but I need help please..

Concertone has a fix for the jumping video. Contact your dealer.

[JEPSR]

Originally Posted by Bob Fields

You know I understand we have a separate forum for convenience, but when we get a jack slap like that I wish we were just in the technical section! :-(

And this is what happens - one bad title, 9 posts (so far) and only one negative comment, but the reality is everyone will remember the title to a thread started by someone with 2 posts talking about a unit we haven't shipped in I don't know, 3 years.

As for me, I will just keep trying...

This is an issue that does occur, but so far it looks like they fixed your issues and even replaced your prior units. You stated this last one lasted 2 years before an issue occured. Did you purchase an extended warranty to cover these issues? These units come with a one year warranty from the factory and you can even purchase a warranty from concertone for future issues and they have an exchange upgrade program also. I dont work for Concertone, but I bet you dont keep your camper plugged in year round and the temp a constant 75 degrees and if you left your home equipment in an unregulated temp environment it wouldnt last long either.
just sayin
JEPSR

[Herk7769]

I cringe every time I see that myself. I will poll the moderators about changing it to something less "abrasive" yet still be in keeping with the original poster's feelings.