Double din navigation head unit

[Darrell]

So are there any double din navigation head units out there for the US?

I hope that Pioneer will make the AVIC-N1 in a double-din without that extra control box that has to be mounted somewhere. I suppose the box can be mounted in the double din slot in the dash in a professional-looking way, but a double din unit would be a much cleaner installation IMO.

I saw this unit on ebay, but it's for Asia I think and looks like an early generation and kind of cheesy compared to the US market AVIC that is out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...738503211&rd=1

So, are there any double din navigation head units available now? Is there any buzz about their availability in the future?

Cheers!

[ej20fan]

Pioneer is releasing a Double Din unit, very similar the N-1 function/feature wise, but it will not play DVD's. The good news is that unlike with the N-1, you don't have to remove the navigation disk when you want to listen to a CD. It'll be a 6.5 touch screen, priced around $1600 msrp.

[Darrell]

And it won't have that separate control box thinger? I wonder why it won't play DVDs.

Any idea on a release date? Spring 05, Fall 05? Summer 09?

[ej20fan]

I'm not sure whether or not it'll have a hide-away unit, but they ditched the DVD capability to drop cost, and liailities. It does have A/V inputs though, and will be in stores by March/April.

[Darrell]

Killer. I can get it in time for my roadtrip in May/June If I can convince the "wife"...

Too bad it won't play DVDs. She'd like that on the long trip. I wonder how much cost savings there are in removing that capability though. I mean, the navigation discs are DVD format, right? I bet it's more for the liabilities. Oh well. That's a bummer.

Last year on our trip, we set up her laptop with the Delorme GPS software and receiver. It worked great, but the computer bogged down once in a while and having to manhandle a whole laptop and turning around to look at it in the backseat left a lot ot be desired. Perhaps she'd like it better if I bought her a $1300 laptop instead

[iv30]

You could use a KENWOOD DDX-7015 6.5 Double din unit and a KENWOOD KNA-DV4100 NAVIGATION Unit

http://www.kenwoodusa.com/product/pr...productId=2557

http://www.kenwoodusa.com/product/pr...productId=2627


If you do some shopping you can get both units for around the $1500 mark

[Darrell]

Are you suggesting installing the single-din navigation unit in the stock clock location and the double-din unit in the stereo location in the dash?

I'd like to avoid buying or installing more than one thing, which is why I'd like to a self-contained AVIC-N1 in a double-din size.

[iv30]

Like most of these units most have some kind of outboard processor, even with the pioneer unit you have to find somewhere to put its external unit. With the Kenwood Nav Unit you could put it under your seat as it is something that you will not access much, and the indash unit plays DVD's itself.

[sd-wrx04]

The esclispe DD deck has most of the feature you are looking for.

[Darrell]

Like most of these units most have some kind of outboard processor, even with the pioneer unit you have to find somewhere to put its external unit. With the Kenwood Nav Unit you could put it under your seat as it is something that you will not access much, and the indash unit plays DVD's itself.

That's why I am wondering if there are units coming out without and external processor in the 2-din size. The external AVIC-N1 processor wouldn't take up another din slot, so I don't see why Pioneer couldn't make a 2-din AVIC-N1 with all of the features in a full-contained package that is easy to install in the dash.

I'll definitely read up more on the Kenwood stuff. Thanks for the links!

[TSwenson]

You should check out the Eclipse AVN2454. I have had it for a couple months and it is really nice. The link below has more info on the unit.



http://www.eclipse-web.com/

[Darrell]

I just read the review on Carsound. Looks pretty good! What are your thoughts? How is the navigation software? Accurate? Easy to use? Good options? Can you add stops along the way to modify a route?

[sd-wrx04]

As far as I know, the esclispe unit is all in one. nav, dvd, mp3, and touch screen.

http://www.eclipse-web.com/products/avn/avn_top.htm

The model# is AVN2454

[TSwenson]

I just read the review on Carsound. Looks pretty good! What are your thoughts? How is the navigation software? Accurate? Easy to use? Good options? Can you add stops along the way to modify a route?

You can add stops along they way, you can modify you route to avoid certain areas ie toll roads, bad intersections, certain freeways. Last moth I was in L.A. and it came in really handy because you can pull up what restaurants are in the vicinity. Then you can narrow it down by type of restaurant like Mexican or Italian etc. It has all kinds of places called "Points of interest" that include ATM's, grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, hotels, pretty much anything you could ask for. The GPS is very accurate, down to which corner of an intersection you are at. It has a neat feature that if you miss a turn it will re-route you automatically. It will play cd's while the NAV is working and will only use the driver's door speaker to give directions while the rest of the speakers play music for the passengers. You should stop by your local Eclipse dealer and check one out.

[iv30]

Yeah the Esclispe is a great unit, but a major buying point for me on these nav systems is that it have Sattelite Radio, which it does not have.