Custom Headrest Monitors

Anybody else here got any in their Tacoma?

I don't really like for my kids to watch much TV, but my 2 year old drives me nuts sometimes on long trips, so I figured it was time to go ahead and do this.

I'm almost done with it. I just have to run a few cables, and connect power to the video switcher.

The Access Cab and Double Cab have skinnier headrests that are almost too skinny for a 7" monitor. So I looked around and noticed that reg cabs have flatter and wider headrests. Bingo! So I got some reg cab headrests from a junk yard. I had to add a little foam on the back to make them thicker. No big deal. The fabric cover still fits good.

I like these Eclipse MRE-700w monitors because they have a sweet picture, lots of picture control options, and they come with a nice video switcher, and the video switcher is controlled with the same remote control that controls the monitors. The monitors are auto dimming. They have a little sensor on the front that makes the brightness dim whenever it gets dark inside the truck. The video switcher can send separate video to each individual monitor. One kid could be watching a DVD and the other kid could be playing Nintendo Wii on the other monitor at the same time.

You cut out the headrest and then you zip tie a case to the bar inside the headrest. Then the actual monitor just snaps into the case. The case allows the monitors to pivot the viewing angle up and down 10 degrees. Angling them down makes it easier for the little kiddies to see the screen.

Sport headrest on the left. Reg cab headrest on the right.


Reg Cab headrest on left. Sport headrest on the right

 

very very nice install man, those look flawless!

 

Thanks. I didn't do a perfect job, but I did good enough. If the headrests were thicker I might have been able to do it a little cleaner. They're mounted solid though.

 

where do you have the dvd player, is it in the head unit?

 

Yeah. My Eclipse AVN-6610 has dual DVD drives. It can send A/V to the rear monitors and wireless headphones, and at the same time it can play music or navigation for the people in the front of the vehicle.

 

You amaze me man, really nice work!

 

Very nice man. I would do this mod but I have an access cab so, it would probably be worth less because generally people arent sitting in the back for too long.

 

I got the monitors all connected and I also installed the IPC-106 & custom iPod cable. For connecting the video and audio inputs and outputs between the AVN6610 and the RAS-100 AV Switcher I used StreetWires ZNAV60 A/V cables and cut them to length and then soldered Neutrik RCA connectors on the cut ends. It all works awesome. I can watch DVD on all 3 monitors, or Watch DVD in front and iPod video on the back two monitors, or watch iPod video in the front and play a DVD in the rear at the same time, and then the rear monitors can individually watch either DVD or iPod, at the same time.

I love these Eclipse monitors. With the remote its easy to switch to whatever AV input you want to watch, adjust volume, turn on IR wireless headphone output, adjust the picture settings. The monitors have 3 different AV inputs, and you can set individual picture settings for each input, like if your DVD picture is a little brighter than the iPod picture then you can adjust the picture settings to compensate for that, and the monitor will remember the settings for each input.

Anyway, here's a few camera phone pictures. I'll get better pics later.

Here's 3 things playing at once. Sirius radio up front, The Office playing on the passenger side, and Dave Matthews playing on the drivers side.

Eclipse RAS-100 AV Matrix Unit

That wad of white wires is my custom iPod/iPhone cable. It will soon fit into a custom aluminum iPhone dock that I'm making.

 

PB i didn't know you liked Dave Matthews that much

 

I always use Dave when I take pics of my radio. That's the Live Dave and Tim Reynolds.

Right now I'm actually listening to Egypt Central.

 

pb2themax, u r one hell of a modifier!!! what will you do next or what can u do next to ur tacoma? how did u become soo great at doing all that stuff to your taco without messing it up?

 

I learned a lot of electrical stuff from my dad. Then I worked as a professional car stereo installer when I was younger. The rest I just learn from research, and trial & error. I take my time, think about it, and always use good tools and products.

 

Heres my boy. He loves the monitors.

You can kinda see how the screens will angle down a little bit. That extra 10 degrees helps combat the fact that our headrests lean forward.

 

very very nice man

 

looks good man couldnt even tell you did it yourself

 

Why pay somebody else to do it? If it looks good then you know Pb did it.

 

thats right thats why I work on my truck myself

 

Those are really nice! I was just looking through a JC Whitney catalog I got in the mail and they had these for $1700 ! Very nice install.


Bill

 

dang..... You amaze me....I wish I was you PB.

You have the baddest truck onthe site IMO..And your train horns are the best of the best.... I hope to have some by the end of the summer.