not another headunit thread.....
 

so seeing as i'm not working on the system build tonight, i've decided to do some interneting to figure out the headunit i want. I've been thinking of the AVN5435, but the more i think of it, the more i realize i'll never use navigation.

On the other hand, there's the pioneer AVH-P6800DVD. 6 disk indash 7" screen. 3 preouts, ipod accessory, nifty car performance acessory, navigation accessory if i ever want it, etc etc etc.

I ran a few searches here on SL and found that the people that have it love it. It fits into the radio area using the stock holes (no redrilling mounting points) and still allows the cover to come down fully. The only thing i noticed was the price. The cheapest i saw someone get it for was like $900 shipped.

Unless i wait until tax return which will be god knows when (tax return forms are at parents house, im in orlando @ school), i dont have that much to play with right now. I do, but i dont want to spend it if you know the feeling... Anyone know of a way i can get this HU cheaper than the ebay specials i found? Does a circuit city/best buy discount come out cheaper?

hell... anyone selling one used?

hum... what about the steering wheel controls? I mean, I don't really use mine all that often to be honest... too hard to press (lazy I know :P), but yea.

I thought you wanted the Eclipse! But I'm sure its more expensive

And I doubt a BB/CC discount will be that much. AFAIK discounts at those places are really only any good on those accessories that they rip people off with (like $2.00 USB cables they sell for $40 and convince people they need) and batteries. It might be different on car stuff, but for the bigger electronics they actually don't make much profit.

I think the "discount" is cost + 10 or 15%

i would think that a pioneer double din would retain steering wheel controls considering our stock HU is in fact a pioneer?

The steering wheel controls aren't shared with after-market Pioneer (or any other) units. You CAN work around the voltage-divider (multi-plexed) wires by yourself, or with the help of the PAC units.

Have you considered the Alpine IVA-W200 or newer W205? What do you want the head unit to do? I read iPod - and screen and thought the W200 would fit the bill nicely, thanks to the "full speed" iPod control. It's also a DVD player and should you want to do 5.1 or full on competition level sound quality stereo, you can connect the PXA-H701 processor. After attending CES, I feel Alpine's really the only one that's putting everything consumers want in their products. My brother's an avid iPod user, and wants to try their new iDA-X001.

video is important, ipod is important, system control is important. has to have a built in amplifier to run my rear speakers off hte HU itself.

pretty much it needs to be the ceterpiece of my show system. I want it to eventually run ~7 monitors in the car and control the trunk/doors.

you should wait like a month or so and get the pioneer avic D3 i heard that it will be the most popular double din out this year because it has a built in dvd and navigation for under $1000

how about a d2? i was talking with someone tonight aobut it.... no dvd playback, but with a slimline PS2 which i've got, i kill 2 birds with 1 stone. gaming console + dvd playback.

has navigation, preouts, and has an ipod accessory.

the d2 is good but i rather wait and get the new one instead of having last years model

the D3 is going to have a single disk drive isnt it? to navigate + watch a movie would involve alot of disk changing...

with the d2 + slimline, you just switch modes

yes it is a single disc but the navigation is built in its not on a cd so u dont have to have the navigation disc in there all you do it load the navigation disc in once n thats it after that you can watch and navigate that the same time

well that's pretty nifty...

Not 100% sure on that one... I think it needs to read the Nav disc the entire time its processing, but I could be wrong.

I think the D3 needs to have the Nav DVD in there when you plan your route and then you can take it out, but in case you get off the route and it needs to re-calculate you will neet to put it back in. Also, i dont think this feature will matter much since you will not be watching DVD's on the D3 while driving, i am 99% sure the bypass will be something out of star wars and will take a long time to be leaked of figured out.

Definitely watching this thread as I'm in the same boat as you Neothin. My setup is ready to go minus my custom sub box, but I've been debating on the headunit for some time now. Like you I opted to stay with the stock headunit and run a LOC for 20 bucks, but I am definitely going to need to upgrade the headunit to a nice Double DIN as soon as I can afford it.

*sigh* my LOC was $90 :(

soundgate LOC4.4

i recently got the panasonic cq-vd6503u and its great. its double din, 5.1 built into the unit, plays dvd and, video inputs and outputs, ipod controls and so much more, less than 600 shipped. navi will be coming out this year but im not sure how much i want that either. I looked at a lot of different hu out there and i really liked the features this one had plus the price i was sold. The touchscreen is really cool, and my only complaint is the volume controls. I like to turn a knob(just because i can adjust the volume faster), this unit has just buttons, but i can live with that.

what color does it light up? what kind of bypass is needed to play dvd's while driving?

all of the back lights are blue and just ground the wire. also no matter how bad the glare or what time of day it is ive never had problems seeing the screen. here is a pic
https://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h...tech43/1-3.jpg

here is were i got it and all the specs (looks like the price came up a few dollars)
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?...roduct_ID=4767

Check out the Clarion MAX675VD

And watching the demo video is a must. Hands down, the best HU interface I've ever seen. ~$600 shipped on eBay.

Actually you are wrong about this the Eclipse HU have a plug that mates up with the factory plug for the steering wheel controls, so that you do not need the PAC SWI. I know this first hand as it works perfectly with my Eclipse AVN6600