New Head Unit Install

[^whitey^]

Bought one of this recently ... http://www.mysilvercrest.de/en/artikel.php?a=127 also bought the Leon MK1 kit here ... http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Car_Stereo_fitting_kits/seat.htm.

Its all fitted and works great (bluetooth is very handy) except for 2 things:

Radio reception is awful even using the PC5-90 (It was perfect with the standard AURA head unit)
The dash board dimmer won't dim the headunit even though its connected (Again worked with the AURA)

Anybody have any ideas of how I can sort out these 2 issues?

Cheers.

 

[Stan 24v]

It may be that the signal amp in the new stereo isnt as good as the OE unit, or the connection has come loose.

Also, have you been into the radio functions to make sure the auto dimming is physically switched on, on the stereo? You normally have to select it on/off.

 

[^whitey^]

I have a bad feeling it may be the amp in the new unit. Is there anyway of working around this if it is the case?

As for the dimmer I must look into this but it doesn't bother me as much as the reception.

 

[ChrisGTL]

Got exactly the same issues as you with my Sony head unit.

The dimmer problem is because the dashboard lights are on all the time (as soon as key is inserted) - thus causing the head unit to think the lights are on, enabling the dimmer effect. On my stereo you can overide the auto-dimmer function to permanantly on or off. I've got it off and will switch it back on in the summer when the sun is bright again.

The aerial thing is one I have to suss out yet, I believe my problem is the little connector I have to use with my Sony isn't maknig as good a connection than the standard Aura did.

Stereo FM doesnt seem as good now I've taken the Aura out.

 

[Stan 24v]

Im not sure you can get a booster for it mate. Looking at the pic it wasnt an expensive head unit was it? I think it may be a case of "you get what you pay" for in this instance. Maybe return it and save for a better one???

 

[^whitey^]

No it was a great price. It's a tidy little unit and suits the dash, same lights and all.

Given that a Sony head unit has the same problems it doesn't seem worth my while saving for a more expensive head unit. I'll have a look at the weekend and see if I can sort out the FM reception. Dimmer doesn't bother me.

 

[^whitey^]

Did a bit of searching:

The Car antenna / blue lead from the head unit serves to extend automatic aerials or provide 12v 0.5A for FM boosters.

What i'm wondering is what ampage the AURA head unit is delivering?

I'm going to make sure the connections are attached properly ... from reading the manual it should work unless the AURA feeds a higher ampage?

I might also try connecting the blue lead from the adaptor above to the ignition lead from the car instead of the blue lead from the head unit and see if that helps!

 

[ChrisGTL]

Let me know when you try it out.

I'm gonna have to pull my stereo back outthis weekend to try locate where the REALLY REALLY annoying 'creek' 'rattle' 'noise' is coming from on my dash.

I hope its just the ISO harness rattling against a piece of plastic or metal behind the stereo.

 

[xd-data-ii]

Just bought the silversrest unit today myself and am looking at how to install it and what i need.

So i need to get the Facia adaptor.
And it appears i also need to get the antenna amplifier you mention above.
The cable connector set that came with the radio - do i just ignore them and plug in the ones out of the aura radio?

also, it seems the blue cable from the antenna amplifier is to go into the number 5 pin on the bottom iso connection block on the radio. (car antenna/blue) on page 9 of manual.
Did you do this?

Let me know if you get it sorted and if i am right in all that i need

 

[^whitey^]

Finally got a chance to try connecting the blue 12V booster lead to the ignition wire ... made a slight improvement in reception but the sometimes the unit would not power off when I took the keys out so I just reverted back to the way it was. Reception is not as good as the Aura but it'll do.

 

[ChrisGTL]

The AURA units must just work well with the exisiting SEAT aerials.

I went to Halfords and bought the aerial amp connector, plugged it all in and turned on stereo, tuned it to Radio 1 and made the blue wires touch. The difference was defo there.....stereo actualy now sounds like stereo but the reception hasn't improved very much.

Might plug my AURA back in and see how much power the blue wire sends out. Can't be anymore than 12v though surely.

 

[xd-data-ii]

I ended up taking back the silvercrest unit to Lidl.

the reception was not great even with the aerial amp (but thought would be same with all aftermarket head units) but main reason i brought it back was because the random feature would only randomise all files on a CD/SD card.
I could have 30 albums on the card and it shouldnt just randomise all tracks. Needed it to randomise with albums too.

So i then installed a Sony head unit i had and it works great. Much better than the silversrest unit - has the shuffle albums and disc features and importantly the radio reception is great with it (with the same aerial amp). Just as good as original aura unit.

So the reception problem is the fault of the silversrest unit itself