DVD Noise

[kenleycb]

I know there are already topics on this, but I wanted to see if anyone could give me some specific ideas.

Here's the scenario:
I have installed a Sony DVD player and two Sony monitors in my headrests. Each headrest has a control module. I mounted the DVD player and the passenger monitor control module under the single seat in the back. The driver monitor control module is under the backseat behind the driver.

The picture is great. The sound, not so much. I am getting a ton of engine noise.

I think it is my grounds, but I am not sure what is wrong with them. I have grounded all of the equipment in the door jam on their respective sides of the truck. I used a Dremmel and removed all the paint.

Any suggestions??

 

[DS]

Read the thread at the top of this forum regarding elimination of electrical noise. Typically, door jam and seat bolts make horrible grounds.

The perfect ground would be one of an equal potential, but in this environment, that practically doesn't exist. However there are better ground and worse grounds. I would find an easily accesible spot on the chassis/frame and ground to it. The idea is to find a spot on the ground plane that isn't being used by something else, and this may take some experimentation. Get this spot down to bare metal as you did earlier and use a self tapping metal screw and lock washer and have at it. I'll bet this change will eliminate your noise problem. Again, read that thread as mentioned above for more noise finding info.

 

[kenleycb]

Thank you.

I bought a noise suppression device that go rid of some of the noise, but I will definitely try moving my grounds.

Is is okay to run all of the grounds together (2-dvd and 2 each monitors), or should I run them all sepearately.

Again, thanks for your help.

 

[DS]

You're best bet is to run the grounds to the nearest frame/body metal that is a part of the ground plane. Running them together comes from the old myth that running all of your grounds back to the negative post on the battery is the way to go, which is totally a waste of time, honestly. Try regrounding everything, and if that doesn't work, see if you can move the grounds for better results. Use the noise suppression gadget or ground loop isolator only if you can't solve the problem first.

Good luck,
DS

 

[Naked AV]

Running them together to a good ground is okay, you don't need to run them separately. You could consolidate them prior to running the common wire/cable to a good ground with the same results as if you ran them all separately to the same good ground.