Power Acoustik DVD headrests
#16
Lexus Champion
you'd still need to take off the seat backs to do the headrest clamps.. there are 2 locking clips that hold the headrests in... but the seat backs are super easy to remove.. reach under the seat unclip the c shaped clip tied to the elastic, raise it up to expose 2 screws.. remove the screws the hold both sides of the seat back at the bolster supports an pull towards u an down...it'll slide rt off...
#19
Lexus Champion
again i'd chk ur particular vehicle to see whats really there..
this pic is the headrest laying on the back seat.... no wires.. unless its what bluetooth???lol
Last edited by Shibumi1; 05-02-12 at 11:51 PM.
#20
Driver
Thread Starter
OK.....I pulled off a seat back and made the initial attempt to install the headrests. For now, they are back in the box and not in the car.
The headrests look decent enough. They are more black than the Lexus charcoal-y black interior but few people would ever notice.
The instructions provided are written by someone obviously who does not speak English and are near-useless. "Make connector to cann't tip power to North" kind of stuff.
For the poster who said he wanted to mount the DVD players in the seat itself, I don't see that working well - the DVD at headrest level is far more comfortable viewing.
1) The factory headrest is motorized for up and down. It is retained by two clips that register in a groove of each post. The PA headrests do not have this groove; which doesn't really matter since (see #3).
2) At least in my 2007 460L, there is nothing electrical going on in the headrest.
3) The posts of the PA headrests are .400" diameter. The stock headrest posts are .550" diameter. The PA headrests do include a set of 'adapter' sleeves to enlarge the post diameter - but they are only .500" diameter and still would be loose.
4) The carriage which holds the stock headrest posts is 'capped' at the bottom, right where the wires out of each post exit for the DVD player. So, you would need to drill a hole in the plastic carriage to allow the wires to pass. Not a big deal but like anything you would have to do it with some care so as to avoid a slop-job.
The big issue at present is how to remedy to post diameter issue. I looked around and there is no off the shelf tubing available in the sizes needed, so I am going to consider machining some tubes with a .550 OD and a .400 ID. I have a machine shop so I can do that...but for the average person it would most likely be a deal killer.
Once the headrests are mounted, I still am unsure of how to get power to them and how to connect them to each other but I am hoping I can snake some cables as needed.
The headrests look decent enough. They are more black than the Lexus charcoal-y black interior but few people would ever notice.
The instructions provided are written by someone obviously who does not speak English and are near-useless. "Make connector to cann't tip power to North" kind of stuff.
For the poster who said he wanted to mount the DVD players in the seat itself, I don't see that working well - the DVD at headrest level is far more comfortable viewing.
1) The factory headrest is motorized for up and down. It is retained by two clips that register in a groove of each post. The PA headrests do not have this groove; which doesn't really matter since (see #3).
2) At least in my 2007 460L, there is nothing electrical going on in the headrest.
3) The posts of the PA headrests are .400" diameter. The stock headrest posts are .550" diameter. The PA headrests do include a set of 'adapter' sleeves to enlarge the post diameter - but they are only .500" diameter and still would be loose.
4) The carriage which holds the stock headrest posts is 'capped' at the bottom, right where the wires out of each post exit for the DVD player. So, you would need to drill a hole in the plastic carriage to allow the wires to pass. Not a big deal but like anything you would have to do it with some care so as to avoid a slop-job.
The big issue at present is how to remedy to post diameter issue. I looked around and there is no off the shelf tubing available in the sizes needed, so I am going to consider machining some tubes with a .550 OD and a .400 ID. I have a machine shop so I can do that...but for the average person it would most likely be a deal killer.
Once the headrests are mounted, I still am unsure of how to get power to them and how to connect them to each other but I am hoping I can snake some cables as needed.
Last edited by GregCon; 05-03-12 at 12:03 PM.
#23
Driver
Thread Starter
So....2-1/2 months later my headrests are finally in the car and, for the moment, working.
Back in May I installed them only to find out they had two problems out of the box - they wouldn't 'talk' to each other and one of the players had an issue where it would go to a solid blue screen for about a second every 10 or 15 seconds.
Back they went to Power Acoustiks. I order lots of stuff on the internet and let me tell you - these humps at PA are among the very worst I have ever dealt with. Their customer service is near-zero - their entire attitude is based on the 'why are you bothering us?' concept. In addition to the $20 I spend returning them, their warranty (even on an out of the box issue) requires me to send another $20 for shipping back to me. Just sucks. Then, they have the nerve to tell me that when they send them back to me, if I am not home to sign for them, they will charge me another $31 to re-send them to me.
So here's my review in a nutshell:
The Good:
1) Kids can watch DVD's on a fairly large screen
2) Sound quality is quite good from the headphones
The Bad:
1) so-so picture quality
2) miserable customer service
3) Low product quality - Chinese made junk in a fancy box
4) Velcro closures at the bottom are useless as headrest cover are too short to allow them to even touch
5) The symbols on the pushbuttons will be worn off within 2 weeks - they must use Paper Ink.
6) The posts do not match Lexus/Toyota diameters - these will never work for you unless you happen to own a mill and lathe as I do and can make custom sleeves.
7) The universal fit requires the posts to be adjustable width, which makes them flimsy. I would expect in an accident they would fly loose rather than support your head.
The bottom line is headrest DVD's are a great idea - they are positioned perfectly for viewing - but the execution of the Power Acoustiks is sub-standard in almost every way. Avoid them.
Back in May I installed them only to find out they had two problems out of the box - they wouldn't 'talk' to each other and one of the players had an issue where it would go to a solid blue screen for about a second every 10 or 15 seconds.
Back they went to Power Acoustiks. I order lots of stuff on the internet and let me tell you - these humps at PA are among the very worst I have ever dealt with. Their customer service is near-zero - their entire attitude is based on the 'why are you bothering us?' concept. In addition to the $20 I spend returning them, their warranty (even on an out of the box issue) requires me to send another $20 for shipping back to me. Just sucks. Then, they have the nerve to tell me that when they send them back to me, if I am not home to sign for them, they will charge me another $31 to re-send them to me.
So here's my review in a nutshell:
The Good:
1) Kids can watch DVD's on a fairly large screen
2) Sound quality is quite good from the headphones
The Bad:
1) so-so picture quality
2) miserable customer service
3) Low product quality - Chinese made junk in a fancy box
4) Velcro closures at the bottom are useless as headrest cover are too short to allow them to even touch
5) The symbols on the pushbuttons will be worn off within 2 weeks - they must use Paper Ink.
6) The posts do not match Lexus/Toyota diameters - these will never work for you unless you happen to own a mill and lathe as I do and can make custom sleeves.
7) The universal fit requires the posts to be adjustable width, which makes them flimsy. I would expect in an accident they would fly loose rather than support your head.
The bottom line is headrest DVD's are a great idea - they are positioned perfectly for viewing - but the execution of the Power Acoustiks is sub-standard in almost every way. Avoid them.
#25
Just a thought, do they have head rests with stereo speakers built in? Might be good to have speakers closer to ears when high speed driving. We go 80 on the interstates here. My ear plugs work just fine to my iPhone, but would be nice to sometimes have nice stereo without the wires and total ambient traffic noise shut out (like honks, sirens and such).
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