replacement radio with screen-which do you prefer?

I'm looking to replace my factory radio with a 7" screen one. but the question is what type do you guys recommend and brand.

I know there are two types of the screens:
the 7" pop up screen that is a single DIN that folds and flips open
then there is the 7" double din.

I like the flip one just cause it folds away and kinda hids it.

any suggestions guys?
thanks in advance?

 

I recently installed a Kenwood DDX-712 and I am very happy with it. I prefer the fixed screen simply because in my mind it is less to break. I also like the double din size, with the single you end up with a little storage pocket that I find to be pretty much useless. That's just my opinion though.

 

I prefer the double-din's. I saw a unit somewhere that came with a cover that you could pop over the stereo that made it look like air vents to hide it. i thought it was pretty cool

 

thats a nice looking radio. thats what i was thinging about the flip ones, that it could break and it won't flip out. was it an easy install? i read a thread with a write up on this using wire adapters so you don't have to splice the factory wiring harness. is that what you used? also did you get your replace dash cover at crutchfield?

I was wondering if they made that for the tacoma. my sis has that in her accord where she has a 7" screen fixed radio and there is a plastic cover that just slides out and covers the entire screen as if it wasnt there. you know a site that might have something like that?

 

i came across it while looking at many stereo sites i don't remember where i saw it, but i'll look again

 

I purchased the radio and dash kit off of ebay. Crutchfield was pretty expensive on this unit, they sell it for $699, I purchased it for about $520 shipped. The dash kit cost me around $25 and included the wiring harness. The stereo is extremely easy to install, you just pop off the silver piece below the radio (heater / air control surround) and you will see four 10 mm screws. Just remove those screws and the radio comes out (pull kind of hard since it is still snapped in). Remove the yellow clips from the radio and put them on the new dash kit. Unplug the radio, plug it into the new wiring harnesses that you already connected to the radio harness, then just mount the radio, clip in the dash kit, snap the air control bezel back in and you are done.

The install should only take 20 - 30 minutes if you have already connected the new wire harness to your new radio harness which only takes about five minutes. If you decide to add sirius or an ipod adaptor that is pretty easy as well. The toughest part of my install was that I added the converter so I could continue to use my steering wheel controls. That part was a little tricky since it was my first time using one.

 

I mainly want the screen for a back up camera. i'm gonna check out ebay right now and see what they got. they i was looking at crutchfield and their shit is pricey. might wait for the Black Friday sales and see what the electronic stores offer.

 

I just installed the KVT-617 DVD single DIN in my 08 Tacoma. Got it through Crutchfield. It was refurbished, so that is a concern since I believe it is probably due to your concerns on all the mechanical movement of the screen. But for the price I could not pass it up and they sent all the harnesses and new center console plate.




I like the unit since it hides the screen. Install was easy with Crutchfields instructions, but there are some good guides here also.

 

looks sweet. i like how the screen is a above the dash a bit when opened. this helps a lot so i won't have to look down so much. how much you pay for that one? is that dash face a scorcshe or metra? is it also textured? i was wondering if i should get the gray to match factory or the black.

 

I just install yesterday, but sorry I don't know who made the dash face. It is textured and it is black. I paid $400 through Crutchfield for the unit. I also was able to bypass the parking feature for DVD playing. All you have to do is ground the parking wire. I hooked up my ipod through one of the video inputs and am able to play video and songs through it. I had originally ordered the ipod interface, but it did not offer alot of control of it. Like I mentioned, the ipod is playing through one of the two video inputs and I control through the ipod. I got my Tacoma two weeks ago and just joined this forum today. I hope I was of some help.

 

welcome to the forum. definitely helps. your photos give me a visual of what my second option is with the flip screen. now i'm wondering more bout the dash face if the textured face gray matches the piece under it where the a/c controls are. by your photos they look close but not an exact match. then again i can go all black but not sure how that would turn out.

 

Did you bypass the DVD player so that you could watch movies as you are driving? I plan on buying the same thing on eBay as well and I'll find a harness like you did as well. Thanks.

 

I have the Eclipse AVN5500. Love this deck.