In-Dash ipod/nav/dvd/camera systems?

I've been wanting to upgrade my OEM stereo system for a while now, and im getting ready to drop the hammer on this upgrade!

I know i want a double high in-dash unit, definitely with iPod connection, probably GPS, and camera hookup.. Blue tooth for phone.

Im not sure what system to look go for? The JVC units get good reviews,... and Alpine has a unit which looks pretty sweet...

One consideration is the iPod interface,... most i've seen are inferior to the iPod itself (i have a touch)... so id like to get one that is as usable and slick as is out there.

What are some opinions? What have you all installed? Recommendations? Dos? Donts? etc?...

Any thoughts at all, im in the information gathering and research stage here,... but am sooo ready to get rid of the cig-lighter fm broadcast adapter for the iPod and get something nice!

 

I've got a Pioneer Avic-X920BT and it has all of these features. I've had it for about 3 months now and I love it. I commute 160 miles a day so I'm in my truck a lot. I listen mostly to my Ipod. It is in the glovebox out of site and I don't ever have to touch it. It turns on with the radio and I have full control of it. It also displays the album art and gives me access to all my playlists. Bluetooth is excellent. Navigation is ok. I don't have a backup camera currently plugged in but will soon.

 

I just got the Sony XNV-770BT. It has all those features, and Tom Tom navigation. Kenwood units have Garmin navigation and are the most popular one's out there. I believe the Eclipse requires no harness adapter or steering wheel control adapter.

Everybody who gets an all in one seems to love theirs, in that I have not read a bad review about any unit.

Regarding the ipod interface, mine has a "UBS one" wire, which allows you to connect via usb and a video rca plug, or an idod connector directly. All the album art, playlists, etc. show up on the head unit, but one thing I don't like is that I can't type in an artists name: I have to scroll through the list. Other than that it works great. THe Tom Tom navigation is great, and I picked this unit because good navigation was my highest priority.

 

My Kenwood 9960 interface is only mediocre, but it is touch screen activated. The Ipod interface is probably its weakest feature to be honest and the fact you can only load 100 cover arts at a time.

Now as a GPS and high end head unit for sound quality, in a multifuntion device, it is without peer.

 

That's interesting, because I have been envious of the GUI for your unit. The videos on Kenwood's website make it look like you can scroll rapidly like on an iphone, with a finger stroke. Mine you have to keep hitting up or down arrows to change pages, and you cant jump to a letter of the alphabet, so I find myself listening to all the artists whose names begin with a or b.

 

I've got the same head unit as Bama_TACO the Pioneer Avic-X920BT and I love it. Probably the best money I've spent on my truck. NAVI works great and so does the bluetooth. I love the iPod integration as well.

 

X3 - hands down the best HU I've ever owned.
recommend 100%

 

Once you press a menu option (a main one) it takes 2 seconds for the new screen to load. You cant search songs by voice really easy and there is a slight lag to the system you have to learn to deal with. Its very much like an old, slow, touch screen PC and not like an Iphone or my Droid which is slick and fast. Its also only slide touch (earlier units had no slide) and not multi touch like Iphone and Droid. My slide bar has about a 1 second lag. You will tend to hit it twice becasue you think it didnt register at first.

 

Sorry all as i let this thread lye a bit... life has been craaaaaaaaazy busy!

Anyhow,... i love all the input!

I was at CarToys the other day, checking out some units in person. The Kenwood looked nice,... as i recall the one thing with the pioneer units was that the ipod interface didnt seem to have an easy way to play playlists that i had on my ipod? Is this right? Anyone have that has a pioneer, can you confirm this? Maybe sales guys just didnt know (easy to imagine ;-)

Another thing, and here's big one! Who has installed there own unit? And, the kicker, did you manage to hook it into the steering wheel controls? The guys at car toys told me it was technical and difficult (not a do it yourself task), and said it was extra $200 on the install to hook up steering wheel controls... huh what!? that sounds a little out of hand to me

 

Go with alpine. I see a lot of people recommending pioneer and that's because they are cheaper, sure, but then can't hold a candle to the alpine units. I have an iva-w505, the ipod interface is beautiful and super easy/user friendly. Everything on it is very user freindly actually.

I install a lot of different headunits, amps, subs, etc so i've seen all the good ones and the bad. The pioneers just have horrible display screens and too many warning screens. They are not so user friendly, especially when compared to alpine. Don't waste your money on JVC or sony deffinately though. My choices would be Alpine>Kenwood>Pioneer. I'd put kenwood second because their GPS uses garmin and in that category it would beat out the alpine units.

just my 2 cents

 

I guess I just wasted my money on Sony. The Tom Tom navigation is great, but the interface for the unit is absolutely stupid. Can they ever create a firmware update to improve the interface, or am I fucked for life?

 

Most units require SWI PAC JACK type interface to use steering wheel controls. For my Kenwood I used the JACK and installed the JBL right side controls to add a phone answer button on the wheel which was stupid becasue the huge button on the screen is easier to use. For head unit install you buy a wiring harness then crimp all the various wires together off the wiring nharness by color. Buy a crimper/stripper and crimps. Then you plug in and route the remote buttons, ipod cables, USB, GPS antenna, etc. Its a pain in the ass to do and worth it to pay if you have a decent job or dont simply enjoy working on your vehicle... unless they want to rape you on install.