In dash Navigation Systems?

[kjdahlstrom@mac.com]

Has anyone installed a aftermarket double din indash navigation system like the Alpine TME-M770S touch screen with the Alpine NVE-N872A GPS computer. Just wondering how it fit in the dash and if any modifcation was needed.

I saw a fuzzy photo of a dealer in Texas who installed a kenwood double din nav unit but could not tell what if any extra dash work was done.

[TexasBadlands]

Right now I have a Lowrance Global Map 100 hand held I plan on installing with a mount. Later when I have more time I plan on getting a large screen Lowrance unit to go on the dash or thereabouts. Of all the GPS units, I have had the best experience with Lowrance in heavy cover, so that is my GPS of choice.

[Downer]

I opted for the removable GPS as well. I travel alot and take it with me for my rental cars.
I have the Lowrance iWay 500C. 5 inch screen mounted on the dash works great.

[BigBlue]

Can you post pics of the Lwrance mounted?

[rusty_tlc]

I've had good luck with my Magellian Meridian Platinium. I'd buy another, but get color this time. The magellian mount works great and is easy to move from one vehicle to another. I have the topo maps loaded and they are pretty detailed. The Rubicon shows up turn for turn.

The Maggie also works better under cover than the Garmin eTrex Legand I owned.

[TexasBadlands]

Right now I will make-do with my hand held Lowrance GM 100, but I am going to buy a dedicated GPS for the Cruiser, the Lowrance 480C which I will most likely mount to the left of the steering wheel. There is a big open space there begging for an instrument!!

[the magnetguy]

this might be a good spot to mount-

[TexasBadlands]

Too far away for me........ I like instruments within easy view......

If you had a passenger to co-pilot constantly, might not be bad

[mustang5]

I went for a Garmin Street Pilot and mounted it just to the left of the steering column. The Garmin has a touch screen making it very easy to use. Not much good if you go off-road and for that I stand a Garmin Etrex by the windscreen, works fine.

[sos10]

I bought A TomTom , at the moment I just let it lean against the frontwindow, because of the rubbery dashboard it sticks nicely to it's place. The remote is very handy while driving. I also store 20 Gb of music on it that connects to the aux to the car stereo. The spoken indications also go through the car stereo that way.

[MAsFJ]

I had the new Pioneer AVIC Z1 installed, it is amazing, and it fits great. they had to make a black plexi frame around it, but it is so thin that you can't even see it.
This unit has great IPOD management as well, I wired the adapter to the drivers dash box, very clean and neat!
Navigation is amazing, almost no glitches, with Navtraffic from xm satellite, it actually shows you highway traffic info in real time, and it really works!!( does not show traffic for state roads or secondary roads, just major highways.)
It has a cool customizeable backgroud feature, and you can upload your own pictures, I took a closeup of the dash dots and use it as the background on the screen, it looks totally factory that way!!
The audio is simply the most awesome stereo system I have ever heard!!
Backup camera and bluetooth phone will be installed next week
This thing is too much!!
Love It!
MA

[FirstToy]

I'll add this thread to the FAQ, hopefully we can keep adding more interesting ideas

Mustang5, that Garmin turned out unusually well. Nice use of the flat dash area.
Too bad it doesn't have offroad function. Can it do "breadcrumbs"?

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by MAsFJ

I had the new Pioneer AVIC Z1 installed,

How about posting up some pics of the install and the unit in operation?

-B-

[Granger]

I put this together for another forum and have been meaning to copy it over here.

Hope it helps

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forum...ead.php?t=3626

[65-fj45]

Originally Posted by mustang5

I went for a Garmin Street Pilot and mounted it just to the left of the steering column. The Garmin has a touch screen making it very easy to use. Not much good if you go off-road and for that I stand a Garmin Etrex by the windscreen, works fine.

Does the suction cop hold in that possition, or did you attach it in some other way.
Thanks
Mike

[mustang5]

Sorry to take so long in answering, I have been up north.
To mount the suction cup I first applied a square of 3M headlight protector. The suction cup gripped that and hasn't fallen off in over a month. I tucked the wire in the gap between the steering column and the panel then plugged into the cig lighter. I like the location, its easy to use the Garmin and it has no trouble getting satelites.

[sos10]

The TomTom 910 I got is HORRIBLE! The mount doesn't remain in place, The TomTom needs up to 15 minutes to find it's position.. The car charger doesn't connect well and the unit gets disconnected (and restarts every time) from power every bump or 2.. Apparently these problems are not just mine, but very common with the new 910...

[Corey]

Just read this thread.
Later as in after I get my FJ, still has not been built, I will be looking at double din stereos.

The new Eclipse 6600 has DVD nav, and also a DVD slot for your movies, your MP3s ripped to DVD, and of course plays CDs in that slot too.
The nice thing is since it has 2 DVD slots, you can leave the map one in all the time.

I may go with it, or a separate unit like a Tom Tom and get the Alpine W200.
No nav on that unit, but it controls yous iPod which is very cool, and it also plays movies on a 6.5" screen.

Here is the link to the Eclipse one.

http://www.eclipse-web.com/6600index.html

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-d0OU3ls...0&i=099AVN6600

[TexasBadlands]

That Eclipse unit looks pretty awesome. I wonder what kind of map is shows when your tires go off the pavement in places like Big Bend National Park..... ie: trails etc. Looks really nice for street nav, but I would wonder about off road use.

[Cuerno Largo]

The Pioneer Avic-Z1 seems to have all of the items the Eclipse has in addition to having the capability of Bluetooth connectivity for cell phone to allow handsfree use. The navigation is hard drive instead of CD.


I guess the benefit of the Eclipse is you could play 2 separate DVD's and route the output to 2 separate screens so 2 kids could each watch their own thing.
There is a good writeup on Eclipse install in another thread on this site, but I am wondering if anyone has posted a Pioneer AVIC-Z1 install anywhere.

[TexasBadlands]

I would stay away from Hard Drive units in a 4wd vehicle unless you're just driving it on road for the look. The vibration will kill the hard drive.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by TexasBadlands

The vibration will kill the hard drive.

Do you have data to substantiate this?

-B-

[Corey]

That Pioneer is nice.
Video on C/Net
http://www.cnet.com/4660-11405_1-6413241.html

I have not read up on it yet, but will.
Right around the same price as the Eclipse 6600.

Both units though are twice as much as the Alpine W200 I am looking at for a great all around stereo/iPod controller, but it does not do nav.
I am not sure I really need it.
Been using an old Garman eTrex to record routes off road.

[TexasBadlands]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

Do you have data to substantiate this?

-B-

Yeah I do, it's called a degree in electronics engineering. The vibration will kill the hard drive as the needle which reads the head will continually bounce and eventually stop working.

Since you are a 'computer geek', you should already know that.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by TexasBadlands

... it's called a degree in electronics engineering.

I'm sure your mother is proud of you. From tu I suppose?

Originally Posted by TexasBadlands

The vibration will kill the hard drive as the needle which reads the head will continually bounce and eventually stop working.

Since you are a 'computer geek', you should already know that.

Yes, I am a computer geek; for 41 years now. And it's not "a needle which reads the head," it is a read/write head that reads the spinning disk platter. Since you are an EE you should know that.

I didn't ask for your education, I asked if you have any data to back up your claim that a modern disk drive is failure prone due to vibration in an automotive computer/NAV system; off-road or on-road. If you have data then I would be very interested in reading what you have found. If you are speculating then say so.

All modern disk drives are well cushioned and head crashes are rare. A high-G shock can cause a head to contact the platter but that would be more likely if the unit were dropped onto concrete from 6'; not from vibrations while driving off-road.

One wonders how all of these laptops, nav systems, and carputers manage to survive in our off-road vehicles, police cars, 18 wheelers, and everyday mall cruisers.


-B-