Monday, September 01, 2008 - 12:06 pm, by: James Harris(Haro)
Hi Damian,
Welcome to the club mate.
Personally i wouldnt bother with a unit like that, i just dont see the point... but perhaps that is cos i dont spend much time in my car watching movies etc.
I simply bought a decent Pioneer head unit that has blue tooth (for my phone) and runs my old school ipod which i leave in my centre console. Works a charm and i have plenty of music on hand.
So i assume you have an EMV and want to hook that hard drive up to that ?
Monday, September 01, 2008 - 06:46 pm, by: Chris Lock(Sledge)
I'm going to be doing something similar soon too, but i was thinking of one of these. http://www.mvix.net.au/6000_OverView.html You can also buy a car kit which should help with the installation.
Andrew Stewart TryHard Queensland Manual GT-T VVT-i Single Turbo
Monday, September 01, 2008 - 09:07 pm, by: Andrew Stewart(Daboom)
First of all, welcome. Secondly, is your car EMV equiped. if so i can't really help you there. if it isn't and you are prepared to spend around the 2000 mark, i have a full solution. I just installed in my soarer an Alpine IVA-W502e multimedia hub headunit. it has full capabilities for direct ipod control with ipod video playback, Divx playback as well as the normal DVD, CD playback. Plus if you use a laptop harddrive caddy, supposedly it can also play media off that, however it definately plays standard USB flash memory. It is a brialliant headunit, with excellent sound control, and (like me) if you purchase the Imprint Processor, you can connect the processor up to your laptop and let the software callibrate the system with 500 points of EQ per speaker and 500 points of time correction per speaker. to be quite honest it is the best headunit i have seen for a long time and for the prie you really can't go past it.
one thing i will say, if anyone decides to install a headunit into a soarer (or any toyota for that matter) if it has the standard toyota 2 plug loom for the power and speakers, Aerpro make one that is a direct plug in and goes to ISO. however for the sake of aftermarket units, just cut the wires and match up colour for colour and put heatshrink around the joins. i have done it in both my soarer and mothers corolla levin.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 07:22 am, by: Damian Martin(Chezza_direct)
yes my soarer has a EMV and I'm quite happy with how the factory stereo performs. Just wanted something with a few more options then the 6 stacker. I thought that the tvix or mvix provided a lot of options for around the $500-$700 mark?
Andrew Stewart TryHard Queensland Manual GT-T VVT-i Single Turbo
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 08:29 am, by: Andrew Stewart(Daboom)
Chris; i had the factory pov pack no amplifier stereo. the headunit is $1699 and then $300 for the optional audio processor. it makes a massive difference to the audio performance and also boosts the RCA voltage to 4v. the fact it also has full ipod control and video playback. makes it a brilliant alternative to the EMV if you don't have one. November this year, Alpine are bringing the navigation unit to Australia, which will make the unit (minus the climate control) an exact rival to the EMV. I am really happy with it, but i suppose each to their own.
Damian, since yours has the emv, to get the extra features like what you are talking about, you will need to go for the Vlad TV conversion which will give you extra inputs so you can plug in a DVD or the TivX into the unit. however seeing the Japanese TV / screen playback is NTSC, you will need to have a unit that is NTSC capable in order to get the proper colours. It will also convert the radio to australian standards.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 11:59 am, by: Damian Martin(Chezza_direct)
Thanks for your help andrew. There is a few different ways to install the unit isnt't there? One i saw was installed in the back. This is why I was after someone in the Brisbane area who had done one so they could tell me exactly what to buy and to help with the install of the unit.
Andrew Stewart TryHard Queensland Manual GT-T VVT-i Single Turbo
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 12:40 pm, by: Andrew Stewart(Daboom)
i am on the sunshine coast, but as i have mentioned above, i don't have an emv. if you can find vlad on the website (not sure if he is or isn't) however prior to me purchasing my soarer, i was looking at a V8 and i had a few email conversations with vlad on the options with the EMV.
Below are the excerpts that a Chap by the name of Damien Ware who has done (or has) the kits available. he can also do the retrofit for an extra fee
For information on the radio and English conversion you can look at the links below.
There are other conversions available for the TV with 2 additional DVD inputs and EMV interface that allows the touch screen to be enabled to control other devices.
I can also do EMV repairs, CD stacker realignments (best upgrade along with the radio english conversion), ECU repairs, dash repairs and almost anything electronic to do with toyota soarers.
The cost of the radio and English conversion for parts and labour is approximately $650. (The price will vary depending on how much work is involved to repair the radio. All 15 year old electronics require some repair work to have the working well and reliably. Typical cost is $600 to $700.)
CD stacker realignments are approximately $150 to $200, this will allow you to play burnt CD's and increase the bump tolerance for skipping about 10 times. This is cheaper than buying 12 CD's to fill the stacker and is worth its weight in gold.
If you would like further information as to the other conversions I can provide details prices and links for them as well.
I suggest you do the English and radio conversion first, this is the best upgrade you can do for your soarer.
Worst case you are looking at $700 plus postage approximately $12.
The radio is very easy to remove and reinstall once completed. The car will be operational, climate control ect but you will not have any sound while the conversion takes place. The turn around time is about 1 week.
The TV conversion is a separate conversion, for some reason quite a few soarer seem to loose the TV tuner. Once you have bought your soarer you can check if it has a TV tuner still in place and then we can discuss the TV conversion. The conversion with two DVD inputs PAL to NTSC converter all parts and labour is about $800.
You can still patch into the TV harness to add a DVD player without the TV being concentered. You will not be able to watch TV but you can use a DVD player and this is what a lot of people do.
Hope it all helps
Andrew Stewart TryHard Queensland Manual GT-T VVT-i Single Turbo
and splice it in the TV harness and watch on the EMV
These cost SFA and work fine.
Or you could do what I've also done and get a Nokia N95 which has a TV out cable and use that for MP3 and Video which also has the added bonus of having mobile internet and a moving satellite image GPS on the screen. Video calls also looks great on the screen for added wank value..
Friday, September 05, 2008 - 05:13 pm, by: Mark Ribbans(V8gtsoarer)
Yes i know they aren't for everyone, but then neither is a $2000 head unit.
Point is, for around $100 (inc say a 40GB hard drive) you can have a portable Divx/MP3 player in your car.
I wired up a power source for it and an Ir extender so you can point the remote at the EMV, but then all that was before i had everything running off my Nokia.. Having a moving Satellite image is killer (sh*ts on the UBD style TomTom maps..)
Friday, September 05, 2008 - 05:40 pm, by: Paul Fitzsimmons(Oztif)
Mark, you might be interested in this GPS software available on Ebay. It warns of speed camera positions, indicates current speed zones and allows multiple destinations to be entered in a route. Also gives free turn by turn directions, no network connection necessary. $41 delivered. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=280257027460
Friday, September 05, 2008 - 06:01 pm, by: Paul Fitzsimmons(Oztif)
Personally i use a modded xbox in the car. The feature that i rate highly is the ability to choose the file or folder you want to play at startup. Start the car and the system starts up without touching the remote and plays randomly all music or music videos in a folder for example.
Friday, September 05, 2008 - 08:02 pm, by: Chris Lock(Sledge)
Yeah i thought about that, but figured it would be harder to get working.. ie: power converters etc.. Car to write a walkthrough on how to do it all? I might change my mind lol