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Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

Posts: 593
Reg: 07-2005

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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 01:09 pm, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ok I desperately need to update my stereo deck, so after browsing the stores and seeing the couple of thousands of $$$ I'd need to spend on a well featured deck I figured I'll go down the generic brand eBay route hehe, so here it is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALL-IN-ONE-in-dash-TV-DVD-MP4-MP3-3-5-TFT-Monitor-U12_W0QQitemZ9705862103QQcateg oryZ67772QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's got all the features that I can think of that I want, especially Divx (who'd buy a DVD player without it?), rear view camera option, and a USB port and memory card slot, can be useful sometimes I guess, as well the other usual stuff. And it's only $369 too. Only downside is the 3.5 inch screen. It is a single DIN unit, but from what I can see on the pictures the face plate is more like a 1.5 DIN size to accomodate the screen. I got the space in my dash so that is ok, it will stick out a little though.

Now the face plate is fully removable, as opposed to the usual 7" motorised units, so no shady character walking past it will ever know it's there when I'm parked somewhere. This is the reason why I'm not looking at the motorised ones in the first place.

So my question is this: is 3.5" screen watchable at all? I tried to imagine it sitting in my car last night with a ruler and that, kind of as a reference the screen takes up about half the size of the face plate, but I've never seen one like that in real life. What do you guys reckon? Cheers for any opinions!
Will Adams
TryHard
WA
Soarer GT-TL

Posts: 148
Reg: 02-2006

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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 01:37 pm, by:  Will Adams (Draco) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It looks like a neat unit there Daniel. Although 3.5" is gonna be small to watch anything on it, in my opinion. Most aftermarket deck displays "without a LCD screens" generally take up about 70-75% of the face. Can you use that as a reference point to gauge how it would look?
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

Posts: 595
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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 01:49 pm, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah hmmm, but the thing is the face is not 1DIN size though, it's 1.5 or something like that if you look at the photo below:


Upload

(I can't get the picture showing it better put in here because it's too big grrr)

I guess watching it for a long time will not be good, but for the occasional 'waiting-for-someone-for-ages-in-the-car' situation, would that be adequate? Obviously a 7" one is a lot easier to watch, I just don't want to get it and then straining my eyes after 5 minutes of watching anything on it. On the photo it looks large though.
Will Adams
TryHard
WA
Soarer GT-TL

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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 02:13 pm, by:  Will Adams (Draco) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Personally I think that the eye-strain on "waiting-for-someone-for-ages-in-the-car" situation may be a little too much, given that you will be focusing on a very small area for a while. For quick glances, and the occasional 2-3 minutes waiting in a drive-thru might be okay, but not for long time viewing.

I have a 6.5" and I find this perfect and doesn't cause eye straing (given the distance from the screen and where you sit in the car).

The unit itself would also be sitting at a slightly lower angle than if you were looking at it straight-on.

On another note, I have seen similar screens in places like Alberts, etc. I'd suggest going into once of these places and having a closer look at a similar unit to gauge a better feel for it.

Personally, the Soarer dash is large so a 6", 6.5" or 7" screen would fit perfectly and depending on colors etc. looks like it's meant to be there.
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

Posts: 596
Reg: 07-2005

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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 02:39 pm, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah true, I guess I wouldn't call it a TV as a number one function of this unit, more of an MP3 player that takes DVD's for more storage (which is what I was originally after). It's only an extra 100 bux from an average DVD player with no screen, might just use the screen for reverse camera, easier browsing through songs and good looks I guess. I'll definately check out one in real life at a store though to get a feel for it. If I really do decide to get a bigger screen this one has a video output as well. Cheers Will!

P.S. I've spoke to a friend of mine who has a BMW 330Ci with a factory 4" TV/satnav unit in the dash, he's only ever watched it once, but says half an hour of watching it is ok, any longer than that it gets a bit tireing on the eyes. Yeah I think this will do for now...

EDIT: You don't know of any 2 DIN screens that are fixed in dash where you can take the whole faceplate off do you?
Will Adams
TryHard
WA
Soarer GT-TL

Posts: 150
Reg: 02-2006

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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 04:10 pm, by:  Will Adams (Draco) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

No I don't unfortunately Daniel. Only seen and own one which is fixed in dash, but you can't take the faceplate off.
Shane Ilich
DieHard
W.A.
Manual Single T

Posts: 830
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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 04:32 pm, by:  Shane Ilich (Ferret) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You could get fancy and make a double-din faceplate cover for when you are parked??? Have the screen recessed slightly, and clip the cover into place, or even have a flip-down and slide-back lid??

From looking at the 7" screen unit that Will has, there is room underneath the unit for a lid to slide backwards, so that its not sticking out. (If you get what i mean)

+++ jpeg +++ 58421 +++ Upload +++

Getting fancy, but it'd be a neat solution...
Shane Ilich
DieHard
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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 04:37 pm, by:  Shane Ilich (Ferret) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

try this

Upload
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

Posts: 597
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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 05:12 pm, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hmmm yeah I see what you mean. It would be a neat solution for sure, I'd just have to get that fabricated somehow though... hmmmm, preferrably with some sort of railing inside the dash so it's always attached. Pull out and swing up to close, swing down and push in to open. Grrr that just sounds too hard doesn't it. Gotta give it some thought I guess...
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

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Monday, April 03, 2006 - 05:21 pm, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Preferrably I'd like to have a big screen, but I'd like to have a sound sleep at night and have fun when I'm out instead of worrying that it's in plain view for everybody to see when I'm not there.

Hmmm, I just thought of the glovebox... that's too far off angle though.
Will Adams
TryHard
WA
Soarer GT-TL

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 07:51 am, by:  Will Adams (Draco) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There is plenty of room under there for sure to do what Shane suggested, i.e. the movable cover. I was actually starting to look into this, but haven't really got round to doing anything. Of course, I'd love to put a glass cover over it when the car is off that blacks out everything. It's black now anyway, so it would be worthless for me to even do that.

It's a b!tch to get the unit out anyway, so if you hooked it up, so that the entire unit was held in solid so that if someone did try to take it, it would take them forever and hopefully give up.

If anything it would look like a V8 EMV so hopefully would deter anyone anyway.
Luke Nieuwhof
DieHard
WA
Soarer TT

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 09:52 am, by:  Luke Nieuwhof (Luke_nieuwhof) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah I think making up a cover for it would be the best way, something that clips on and looks I reckon.
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 10:36 am, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


Will Adams wrote on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 07:51 am:

It's a b!tch to get the unit out anyway, so if you hooked it up, so that the entire unit was held in solid so that if someone did try to take it, it would take them forever and hopefully give up.




Well, a crook ain't gonna worry about doing a neat job though, if anything, whether they get it out or not, chances are the interior surrounds will be all scratched up, broken, wrecked basically (I once had a thief break into my old XF Falcon in Curtin carpark, even though the glovebox wasn't locked, the dipshit used a screwdriver and pried it open, breaking off a piece... I dunno, I don't want a repeat of this.

That cover would be ideal, who can make one though? I'm sure there's a few people out there with 2DIN stereos and half DIN blank, maybe a group order at some plastic welder/manufacturer would be a way to go?

Hey Will, does your Belcanto unit play Divx movies? I was browsing through eBay last night and couldn't find any double DIN units that do 90% of movies I come across are divx :-)
Will Adams
TryHard
WA
Soarer GT-TL

Posts: 153
Reg: 02-2006

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 10:50 am, by:  Will Adams (Draco) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

To be honest haven't really tried. The specs on the unit didn't mention DIVX so I suspect that it doesn't like many of the other units out there.

Mind you, I tend to create a DVD from whatever format and then run it as a DVD. I'm not the type of person to sit in front of a computer screen to watch a movie. Mind you when I eventually get around to wireless connectivity between my PC and Home Theatre then I probably will.

Specs

http://soarercentral.com/sc-forum/messages/285/53323.gif
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

Posts: 602
Reg: 07-2005

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 10:55 am, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hehehe, well me neither, I don't watch stuff on my comp, too uncomfortable. I got a home DVD player that plays absolutely everything, and has a codec update facility in case something new is released, so it's just like a PC. I want the same thing for my car... If I can't find one that does I'm gonna have to go down the little screen route, and then maybe a motorised screen if the first one is too small :-( Damn, I'll keep looking for one...
Will Adams
TryHard
WA
Soarer GT-TL

Posts: 156
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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 11:24 am, by:  Will Adams (Draco) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Don't they have some motorized screens that have a detachable panel to render the system useless?
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

Posts: 605
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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 11:28 am, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Motorised single DINs (non TFT screen) perhaps, havent come across a double DIN yet, nor a 7" single DIN motorised one...
Will Adams
TryHard
WA
Soarer GT-TL

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 02:15 pm, by:  Will Adams (Draco) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's a suggestion, why don't you get a roof mounted unit? Concealed and still allows all you to watch a big screen, play whatever and if you have back seat passengers a better vantage point.
Daniel Czechowski
DieHard
Western Australia
Soarer GT-T

Posts: 607
Reg: 07-2005

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 02:24 pm, by:  Daniel Czechowski (Dan) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Haha yeah, could do that too. I think I've decided to get the small screen for now, I've never really watched any movies in a car, so if I happen to watch lots of them then I might get a bigger screen later on. This only costs me an extra 100 bux than a normal DVD player anyway so who cares, I'd have to get another screen on top of it anyway. Oh and I rarely got people sitting in the back, my Soarer ain't a limo
Tamatha Chapman
TryHard
SA
V8 GT LIMITED

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006 - 09:46 pm, by:  Tamatha Chapman (4ltrv8) Quote hilighted text Edit Post Delete Post Print Post   View Post/Check IP (Moderator/Admin Only) Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Unfortunately I cannot add photos as car is back at GT Autosound for a few minor jobs.

I have the head unit under the TV above the ashtray. It is a Pioneer DEH 9350 and it just fits. You cannot open the ashtray with the face on as it does rub against the edge and would probably chip the cover.

If you want to look up the dimensions it would give you a more exact idea of how yours will fit.

Installed at the moment is the Pioneer head unit with MB Quartz splits in the doors, 2 Cerwin Vega subs and Xtant amp. Am more than happy with the system and completed it all about 2 years ago. Only the installer now wants to upgrade subs..but I will see what happens.

Only advice I can give is to make sure your number plates have some foam backing to reduce vibrations and that your boot seals are in excellent condition. Otherwise boom away.

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