Dual DIN 7" Touch screen radio install

[SoloBox1]

I agree, I will remove them. I have tried to shrink them but it not working. May post later if I can figure out how to make them smaller.

[BruceH]

Originally Posted by SoloBox1

I agree, I will remove them. I have tried to shrink them but it not working. May post later if I can figure out how to make them smaller.

Try Ifranview for resizing. Very simple and quick.

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by SoloBox1

I agree, I will remove them. I have tried to shrink them but it not working. May post later if I can figure out how to make them smaller.

I was just giving you crap.
They are pretty big, though.

[Crono0001]

After driving around with this GPS unit for a week, I've decided to return it and just upgrade for the full fledged Kenwood :P

[jb92563]

Originally Posted by Crono0001

After driving around with this GPS unit for a week, I've decided to return it and just upgrade for the full fledged Kenwood :P

Can you give the link/seller where you bought your faulty unit to help others avoid the same fate.

A couple of us are having no issues so anyone following this DIY should try the proven sources first for the cheap Chinese navigators if they want to take that route.

[Crono0001]

High Tech 7" Motorized Car GPS Navi DVD CD Player USB/SD Ipod Bluetooth+Camera | eBay

This was the link that I used to buy the unit.
To be honest, it doesn't have much to do with the fact that the unit isn't working as promised. That's secondary to what I believe are the bigger issues. Allow me to list some:

The iPod cord that comes with the unit does not charge my iPhone. It only allows me to play music.
The bluetooth microphone is very low quality, and it's not as clear as I want it to be. It is especially muffled when I'm driving and talking through it.
Connection is slow. There is a lot of lag time between menus, and the logic isn't very well refined.
The bluetooth music does not allow me to browse my music or tell me what's playing... Simply a 'barebone' menu is given.

You get what you pay for. It doesn't lie: it offers all of the features listed... It just feels and functions cheaply. And personally, after trying the Kenwood units, I would much rather have that in my car.

[Crono0001]

AFTER TWO WEEKS OF WAITING!!!!


Got everything installed today. All I can say is... wow. The difference between this and the chinese unit... It's not even comparable (well... considering how this one was 3x the chinese one).

Where to begin where to begin. First, let's re-assess why I returned the chinese brand GPS:
1. The GPS was sketchy. It would take forever to load and wasn't very logical. It also lagged. You couldn't see the streets half the damn time, and if you ever exited the GPS, you couldn't get back into it.
2. The Bluetooth was murky. You couldn't hear me half the time. Phonebooks and contacts were not synced. It was basically a telephone on your car, where you'd have to memorize the number, couldn't see who was calling, and they couldn't hear you anyways.
3. The menu was slow, laggy, and un-intuitive. It also wasn't very pretty.
4. The Bluetooth music sync wasn't also very compatible with my iphone. I could play, pause, and go next track or previous track... That was about it. Perhaps the most glaring problem was the fact that the music would cut in and out, depending on where you iPhone was. If it was in your pocket, the music would lag every few seconds!
5. The included ipod cable, although allowed me to play music, didn't charge my phone.


Now let's look at the Kenwood.
1. The GPS is Garmin. It is fast, reliable, easy to use, and even has updated traffic and street view.
2. The Bluetooth is CRYSTAL CLEAR, EVEN WITH THE TOP DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY! Phonebook is synced. I can go through my contacts, recent calls, and even tells me who is calling when I'm getting a call.
3. The menu is lightning fast, beautiful, and easy to navigate. There's no lag, and no frustration trying to go through the menus.
4. The bluetooth music is complete. I can browse my playlists, songs, artists, etc. It shows my album art, and there is absolutely no lag between songs or during songs. Everything is crystal clear and perfect.
5. The ipod cable (another $30) was able to charge my iphone. Something I was very happy about.

But that's not the best part!
I can use my iphone apps through the Kenwood screen. I can even play youtube videos from my phone on the screen. How amazing is that?

Granted, you're paying 3 times as much, but it is sooooooo worth it. This is coming from someone who has tried both. I would say go for the Kenwood hands down. It's only another $400, and it is worth every penny and some.

[boxster6354]

@ Crono0001 -

Nice Job!

Looks great

[BestGear]

Thanks for the update.

I seriously looked at a couple of the chinese units and went for a Kenwood too, after reading similar horror stories of poor integration, slowness, hanging, no RDs station names etc etc

I am sure they will get better but it seems its the nature of the breed - they are just not quite there yet.

My Kenwood looks very similar to yours - and if you have not yet looked around, they are quite hackable.

David

[jb92563]

Originally Posted by Crono0001

AFTER TWO WEEKS OF WAITING!!!!

Got everything installed today. All I can say is... wow. The difference between this and the chinese unit... It's not even comparable (well... considering how this one was 3x the chinese one).

Where to begin where to begin. First, let's re-assess why I returned the chinese brand GPS:
1. The GPS was sketchy. It would take forever to load and wasn't very logical. It also lagged. You couldn't see the streets half the damn time, and if you ever exited the GPS, you couldn't get back into it.
2. The Bluetooth was murky. You couldn't hear me half the time. Phonebooks and contacts were not synced. It was basically a telephone on your car, where you'd have to memorize the number, couldn't see who was calling, and they couldn't hear you anyways.
3. The menu was slow, laggy, and un-intuitive. It also wasn't very pretty.
4. The Bluetooth music sync wasn't also very compatible with my iphone. I could play, pause, and go next track or previous track... That was about it. Perhaps the most glaring problem was the fact that the music would cut in and out, depending on where you iPhone was. If it was in your pocket, the music would lag every few seconds!
5. The included ipod cable, although allowed me to play music, didn't charge my phone.


Now let's look at the Kenwood.
1. The GPS is Garmin. It is fast, reliable, easy to use, and even has updated traffic and street view.
2. The Bluetooth is CRYSTAL CLEAR, EVEN WITH THE TOP DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY! Phonebook is synced. I can go through my contacts, recent calls, and even tells me who is calling when I'm getting a call.
3. The menu is lightning fast, beautiful, and easy to navigate. There's no lag, and no frustration trying to go through the menus.
4. The bluetooth music is complete. I can browse my playlists, songs, artists, etc. It shows my album art, and there is absolutely no lag between songs or during songs. Everything is crystal clear and perfect.
5. The ipod cable (another $30) was able to charge my iphone. Something I was very happy about.

But that's not the best part!
I can use my iphone apps through the Kenwood screen. I can even play youtube videos from my phone on the screen. How amazing is that?

Granted, you're paying 3 times as much, but it is sooooooo worth it. This is coming from someone who has tried both. I would say go for the Kenwood hands down. It's only another $400, and it is worth every penny and some.

I'm glad you got the unit and features you wanted in the Kenwood.
Install looks great.

I did not have the problems you experienced with your Chinese unit and honestly I'm not even using most of the features of even my unit.
Its working great for what I need it to do, GPS Navigation, Play music from DVD and USB, and the backup video.

I think if you want to use most of the functionality then the Kenwood is the right one to install.

My next upgrade will be to something more resembling an Ipad with WIFI etc as DVD's and CD are virtually obsolete now.

[politby]

Originally Posted by BestGear

I used a Connects2 kit in mine and it fits perfectly - its all down to how you install it.

As long as you dont want a nice Porsche badge on the bezel there is nothing wrong with the Connects2 Kit.

I posted a picture of the fitted unit a few months ago on this thread so have a look if interested.

I think people dont consider how much weight a double din unit is - as with several installs (with both kits) I have seen the kit has insufficient support and the head unit ends up sagging in the dash, meaning usually the bottom of the unit sits further out than the top.

David

Thanks for that. I have just installed the amp, routed the cables into the cabin and swapped the dash speakers. Will do the head unit over the weekend.

I have the Pio SGH-DA100 AppRadio which is quite light as it has no optical drive so I am not too worried about sagging but I will find some way to support it other than just the cage.

[BestGear]

Originally Posted by politby

I have the Pio SGH-DA100 AppRadio which is quite light as it has no optical drive so I am not too worried about sagging but I will find some way to support it other than just the cage.

The secret, (if there is one!) is to put two screws through each side (holes already in cage) and into the plastic dash part just the same as the more expensive kit.

I did this - and added a couple of washers between frame and cage to prevent distorting the plastic frame.

This makes it very rigid and will never sag nor rattle.

You just need to mount everything up on the bench to get the distances right, then fix it in place within the plastic frame.

David

[politby]

Originally Posted by BestGear

The secret, (if there is one!) is to put two screws through each side (holes already in cage) and into the plastic dash part just the same as the more expensive kit.

I did this - and added a couple of washers between frame and cage to prevent distorting the plastic frame.

This makes it very rigid and will never sag nor rattle.

You just need to mount everything up on the bench to get the distances right, then fix it in place within the plastic frame.

David

So did you use the cage that came with the Connects2 kit, or the one that came with the head unit?

I was thinking the Pioneer cage will fit the unit 100% but OTOH the Connects2 cage may be better adapted to the car.

My car has the one piece "horseshoe" vent frame and I am not sure what is the best way to remove it but I suspect is is just using clips.

[BestGear]

Originally Posted by politby

So did you use the cage that came with the Connects2 kit, or the one that came with the head unit?
.

Yes, I used the connects2 cage as the bezel has clips that need to fit to the cage and on my Kenwood it would not fit properly as the cut outs were not there.

You just need to juggle (on the bench) the side mounting clips so that you get the distance correct - ie the distance from front of head unit to flush with bezel.

Its easy when you see it on the bench, rather than trying to describe it.

David

[politby]

Originally Posted by BestGear

Yes, I used the connects2 cage as the bezel has clips that need to fit to the cage and on my Kenwood it would not fit properly as the cut outs were not there.

You just need to juggle (on the bench) the side mounting clips so that you get the distance correct - ie the distance from front of head unit to flush with bezel.

Its easy when you see it on the bench, rather than trying to describe it.

David

Got it. Final question - where did you take switched power for the head unit, and how did you connect the parking brake/reverse leads?

[Crono0001]

Yea, I'm quite sure I bought a faulty unit. Buyer beware.

But I'm quite happy with mine now.

[politby]

I now consider that question resolved.

I am starting to have second thoughts about the double DIN thing because it requires relocating the a/c controls, causing the loss of the lower storage tray. Because I have the Boxster Red interior I don't want to just insert a black replacement where the CD storage is now, that won't look good. And the cost of a red leather tray is astronomical.

I don't really need a large display but it does update the car's look by 10 years. And I cannot find a single DIN unit that has built in BT streaming, iPhone support, USB playback and does not look like a Christmas tree.

[politby]

Originally Posted by Gforrest2

+1 That's where I got my switched power.

I took out the a/c unit today and there are a LOT of wires on those two connector blocks. Which one is the switched 12V supply? Green/black?

Probing them all with the ignition on and off will take ages...

Did you put a tap on the wire or did you cut and splice?

[Gforrest2]

Originally Posted by politby

I took out the a/c unit today and there are a LOT of wires on those two connector blocks. Which one is the switched 12V supply? Green/black?

Probing them all with the ignition on and off will take ages...

Did you put a tap on the wire or did you cut and splice?

I can't remember which wire off hand. I found it someplace, just trying to remember where. I'll search around today. As for the splice. I used one of those clamps where you insert the splice wire in the clamp and close it on the wire you want to spice to. Probably should have just spliced and soldered it but I got lazy.

Glen

[politby]

Originally Posted by Gforrest2

I can't remember which wire off hand. I found it someplace, just trying to remember where. I'll search around today. As for the splice. I used one of those clamps where you insert the splice wire in the clamp and close it on the wire you want to spice to. Probably should have just spliced and soldered it but I got lazy.

Glen

Thanks, great if you can find it.

I have measured the connectors and it seems pins 10 and 11 on the red plug are ignition switched 12V. They go to 12V when ignition is switched on but go back to zero when the key is turned back to the ACC position, which is not really what I want.

I prefer not to have to have ignition on to be able to run the radio. There should be a possibility to just use the ACC position, no?

I seem to remember the stock radio would remain powered until the doors were locked.

If only the pinouts of the a/c display were available somewhere...