alexulan

I think I’m in the market for a DVD Head Unit for my GS.

The choices are overwhelming. My head is in serious pain now.

Touch Screen vs Non Touch Screen.
7” vs 6.5” LCD
W/ Optional NAV / DVD-RW / MP3/ XM / Toaster and Beer Dispenser
Built in DVD capabilities vs external DVD changer/players
Prices are also all over the spectrum from $600 – $3000
Manufactures are so many.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...6_4023,00.html
http://www.clarion.com/multimedia/multimediafm.htm
http://www.eclipse-web.com/products/av/index.html
http://iweb.alpine-usa.com:7777/pls/...=100&p_main=30
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_el...dvdplayers.asp
many more:

I don’t need Surround sound or NAV just a nice quality screen that can do:
DVD, CD
Would be nice to have MP3 Capabilities
TV tuner would also be a plus
Don’t need a high power deck – I have amps.
A compatible changer that would fit the stock Changer location in the Dash would be nice.
I heard that touch screen is bad due to dirty finger prints never coming off the screens
So touch screen is not a necessity.
6.5” is ok 7” is Ok too.
From folks I spoke with many recommend Alpine for clarity and performance
What are your Opinions on best bang for the buck.

Prices seem to be falling pretty rapidly and manufactures seem to be releasing new models on a daily basis. Is it worth to wait a little longer?

lexpresion

i am in the same postition as you. i just cant choose. any input from others on this topic would be greatly appreciated! thanks in advance!

Lexis11

I have the Kenwood KVT-911dvd. It is a 6.5" dvd/cd/tv all in one. Overall I am very happy with the unit.it is touchscreen so it is easy to navigate through the features. I paid $2400 for it when it first came out over like 1.5 years ago so mine is somewhat old now but still awesome.
The best quality screen out there right now is defenitely the Alpine IVA-D900. I like the Panasonic a lot as well. I wish you the best of luck in deciding and let us know which unit you choose.

Blue98Gs3

iTrader: (1)

I've been looking at in dash dvd players for a long time, and im just about ready to purchase 1. First off, If you want screen quality.....Alpine is the only way to go, the screen has something like 100x more megapixels than any other. The cd player and other stuff is high quality also, but I think the alpine unit is a lil plain.
Car toys just got in the new Eclipse 8533 and it is damn nice. comes with touchscreen (which i love), and all the goodys, also the background images, such as an image while your playing a cd are the best.
In my personal opinion, I am going with pioneer 7500, they have the 7" touchscreen with built in everything. Built in amp, tv tuner, dvd/cd/cdr/cdrw/mp3 player, built in dolby 5.1, and all. I love the way the pioneer works and all.

What it comes down to is your choice. Alpine is the best screen, period. Pioneer in my opion has the most ease of use, best features, and most logical menu setup, along with the fact that its touchscreen, which i cant live without. Eclipse, from recent experience, is wonderful in sound quality, but the brain (where the aux inputs and stuff are) is twice is big as the rest, and i just like pioneer.

Your choice, but Pioneer 7500 gets my vote!

and by the way, the touchscreens have a special coating to where they wont smudge, i was skeptical at first, but when i tried em out, none of them smudged, that is unless you have chocolate or some other junk on your hands, but of course, why would you be eating in a lexus?

jmecbr900

I've seen the Alpine, Eclipse, and Panasonic all side-by-side.

My personal choice is the Eclipse touchscreen. It has more features than the others and looks really good. All three are good choices, but everything kept even....I'd go with the Eclipse. Plus, you can't beat it's warranty and customer service guarantee. They stand behind their products 100%. Awesome waranty period.

Guru

IN terms of LCD clarity no contest, the Alpine unit is the best one out there. I myself prefer the Pioneer touch scren though for the convenience, features and better price (when you factor in the entire package). I will be going with the 7500DVD which has been posted on many a time here.

alexulan

OK I think I found the deck.... DROOL.

I don't tink they sell in here in the states.

http://www.fujitsu-ten.co.jp/eclipse...903hd/top.html
http://www.fujitsu-ten.co.jp/eclipse...03hd/body.html

This is just SICK!

Blue98Gs3

iTrader: (1)

OMG, I WANT THAT ECLIPSE UNIT!! its got a touch screen fold out and regular deck behind it, if only japanese dvd's didnt have different decoders....

kola

iTrader: (1)

Damn I want it too !!! With that 20gb hard drive, unlimited mp3 songs on there, and hopefully some movies too

jmecbr900

Eclipse is coming out with touch screen DVD player soon.

lexpresion

^^any idea when?

jmecbr900

Supposedly it's coming out either EOY or first thing next year. Based on the pic quality of their top of the line fold out player now, I'm anxious to see the new one. According to them, it's going to have better quality than this years model and have possibly 8v outputs (this years best is at 5v).

We'll see what happens.

Blue98Gs3

iTrader: (1)

its already out, car toys has the medium end one, but you can order their high end one out of their catalog, its the 8533, its pimp

jmecbr900

How's that for SOON?

My car audio store doesn't have it on the shelves yet. I guess they don't want me to order out of the catalog, hence the ETA they gave me.

That is the one I was talking about though. If the resolution is as good or better than the 8132, it's gonna be really pimp.

Thanks for the correction Blue.

Blue98Gs3

iTrader: (1)

no prob, the one i saw is really really nice, has a blueish tint backlight and some real pimp background images, i wanna see the high end one.