the -z2 user interface is pretty slick (touch-screen & panel buttons) and you can also get an inexpensive steering-wheel mounted wireless controller to manage the most-frequently-needed functions ala "hands on stick and throttle" (this is without a doubt my favorite and least-expensive add-on). z2 has voice-activated control functions as well, but the steering-wheel thing is way easier. I have my b/u cam plugged into one of the video inputs and my Ham rig (which spits out color-screen and mono-audio signals) plugged into the AUX-in ports. I-Pod adapter interface is transparent, although the search function could be better. sirius and xm radio adapters all work as advertised, bluetooth phone works great (some users in smaller cars report excessive audio feedback, but i think this is based on the interior size & where the mic is mounted... i haven't had any problems in the -100)
My kids are gone-to-college now so i didnt add the rear-seat monitor option, but if you go that route the folks in back can watch dvd on their screens (with headphones, presumably) while the driver/fp listen to something else. This thing is amazing - well engineered and reliable. if you pull the trigger on this make sure you get a newer (e.g. post FEB 2007) mfg unit as the older ones had a defect in the firmware which caused heat-related failures for users who live in warm-weather areas. check out avic411.com for more info, etc.
not that *I* would do this, but there are easy hacks that let you bypass the nav inhibits (like the one that forces you to stop in order to use the distination routing function). The nav is quite sophisticated and offers 6 (if i remember right) different real-time visual mapping display modes, one of which is a split-screen that engages the b/u cam. some guys are replacing the internal hdd with a larger capacity variant to expand their music capacity. this path is technically demanding and you need pc hacking skills to properly transfer the pre-loaded nav database, etc. I think the better solution for that is an I-Pod which could also deliver stored DVD and video-Podcast contnet thru the -z2's aux-in port.
as zj2uzj100 indicates, the installation is not a challenge: using the oem harness adapter, the bare unit & antenna & mic wire routing can be done easliy under 2 hours, although mounting & routing teh small boxes & wires for the optional adapters (I-Pod, Bluetooth, sirius, xm) will require that you remove other panels (I put all these things under the center console & behind the map-box), figure an afternoon to do this. Install this yourself! There's also the option of going aftermarket speakers/amps/subs (I didn't) and the -z2 offers lots of configurations for amp/sub in-out and comprehensive "sound-stage" and level adjustments via the touchscreen
well worth the relatively high price if you want to a complete A/V experience
