arbnpx
02-10-2007, 01:37 AM
From the press release located at http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=160916 :
Standard iPod Connectivity
Apple iPod connectivity is standard across the Scion lineup for 2008. Scion's standard 160-watt maximum output Pioneer AM/FM/CD audio system features a head unit with iPod control. This head unit integrates track, artist and album information from the iPod into a one-line display on the head unit's screen. Connectivity is achieved by simply plugging the iPod into a port via a connector cable, providing outstanding sound quality through the car's stereo system and constant power to the iPod. Music is controlled through the head unit and steering wheel audio controls. A standard mini-jack port also allows users to listen to their portable music collection through the tC's Pioneer speakers.
Since many Scion customers add in-car entertainment systems to their vehicle, the tC comes standard with rear head unit outputs allowing for the addition of external amps to boost power to the front and rear speakers, and subwoofers.
The tC's optional premium audio system adds one more feature to the standard head unit, the ability to download "skins" to play on the LCD faceplate. Customers can download images, four-second video clips and eight-second movies from Pioneer's website. In addition, Pioneer software allows customers to burn their own images and movies onto a CD and upload them onto the available head unit.
Both the standard and premium head units retain key Scion audio system features such as Scion Sound Processing (SSP) where listeners can choose from three pre-set equalizer settings, satellite radio compatibility, a user-customizable welcome screen, MP3 and WMA capability, Automatic Sound Leveling (ASL) and Sound Retouch Technology (SRT), which provides clearer CD sound quality. Both systems will also feature six speakers: two tweeters and speakers in each door panel.
So what we can gather from the above info:
+ iPod headunit standard now, and the new upgrade also has iPod capability, plus a more advanced display screen, perhaps.
+ Same wattage as before, but now there are preouts on the rear, making it a snap to install custom amplifiers. (but how clean is the sound from the headunit itself to begin with?)
+ The "downloadable images, video, and movies" on the "optional premium" headunit seem to hint at a more advanced display than the current headunit's simple 5x7 alphanumeric LCD screen Images and movies would be pretty awful on a 5x7 display, or worse yet, a 14-segment display. The mid and high end of Pioneer's DEH series ( http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069880_291147601,00.html ) has OLED displays with a resolution of at least 160x48 pixels. This would make iPod browsing far easier than fumbling with a LCD display that can only do one line of 5x7 pixel characters. Maybe this will be a 2DIN unit derived from the DEH series?
Of course, those who want more than that (more advanced EQ, high voltage preouts, better DAC, etc.) will go aftermarket, but this seems like a significant upgrade.
I haven't really searched that much for pictures, but it would be interesting to see the "premium" headunit, to see if it really is a 2U rework of a Pioneer DEH headunit. Would they use a full color OLED display? Monochrome amber? Some other monochrome color? OLED display pixels emit light on their own, so that rules out a color changing display (unless they decide to firmware-cripple a full color display :ponder: )
Standard iPod Connectivity
Apple iPod connectivity is standard across the Scion lineup for 2008. Scion's standard 160-watt maximum output Pioneer AM/FM/CD audio system features a head unit with iPod control. This head unit integrates track, artist and album information from the iPod into a one-line display on the head unit's screen. Connectivity is achieved by simply plugging the iPod into a port via a connector cable, providing outstanding sound quality through the car's stereo system and constant power to the iPod. Music is controlled through the head unit and steering wheel audio controls. A standard mini-jack port also allows users to listen to their portable music collection through the tC's Pioneer speakers.
Since many Scion customers add in-car entertainment systems to their vehicle, the tC comes standard with rear head unit outputs allowing for the addition of external amps to boost power to the front and rear speakers, and subwoofers.
The tC's optional premium audio system adds one more feature to the standard head unit, the ability to download "skins" to play on the LCD faceplate. Customers can download images, four-second video clips and eight-second movies from Pioneer's website. In addition, Pioneer software allows customers to burn their own images and movies onto a CD and upload them onto the available head unit.
Both the standard and premium head units retain key Scion audio system features such as Scion Sound Processing (SSP) where listeners can choose from three pre-set equalizer settings, satellite radio compatibility, a user-customizable welcome screen, MP3 and WMA capability, Automatic Sound Leveling (ASL) and Sound Retouch Technology (SRT), which provides clearer CD sound quality. Both systems will also feature six speakers: two tweeters and speakers in each door panel.
So what we can gather from the above info:
+ iPod headunit standard now, and the new upgrade also has iPod capability, plus a more advanced display screen, perhaps.
+ Same wattage as before, but now there are preouts on the rear, making it a snap to install custom amplifiers. (but how clean is the sound from the headunit itself to begin with?)
+ The "downloadable images, video, and movies" on the "optional premium" headunit seem to hint at a more advanced display than the current headunit's simple 5x7 alphanumeric LCD screen Images and movies would be pretty awful on a 5x7 display, or worse yet, a 14-segment display. The mid and high end of Pioneer's DEH series ( http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/v3/pg/product/details/0,,2076_310069880_291147601,00.html ) has OLED displays with a resolution of at least 160x48 pixels. This would make iPod browsing far easier than fumbling with a LCD display that can only do one line of 5x7 pixel characters. Maybe this will be a 2DIN unit derived from the DEH series?
Of course, those who want more than that (more advanced EQ, high voltage preouts, better DAC, etc.) will go aftermarket, but this seems like a significant upgrade.
I haven't really searched that much for pictures, but it would be interesting to see the "premium" headunit, to see if it really is a 2U rework of a Pioneer DEH headunit. Would they use a full color OLED display? Monochrome amber? Some other monochrome color? OLED display pixels emit light on their own, so that rules out a color changing display (unless they decide to firmware-cripple a full color display :ponder: )