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Car on: new headunit+video in the back

ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
edited December 2009 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
My son is almost two and we do many long car trips. I know playing videos for him is going to be a ridiculous benefit, so I want to get set up for that. My headunit is also broken, I can't play CDs. The thing is, I don't know a damned thing about this type of equipment. Here are some things that I think are helpful:

I don't have an iPod, but an aux in is nice
Nissan Xterra, everything is stock.
$400 budget, is this reasonable?

What are good brands to look at? Should I get a separate head unit and DVD player, or should I get something integrated?

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    Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    If you're installing it yourself you might be able to get the pieces for that budget, but I would plan on spending $100-$200 more. A quick googling shows a lot of in-car DVD players running over $400 alone. Maybe try looking around Craigslist or Ebay for a used one? If you're having someone else install it, expect to spend $400 or more on labor alone.

    Lord Yod on
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    Mmmm... Cocks...Mmmm... Cocks... Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    I mean I see cheapo stuff at Wal-mart all the time.
    Shop around a bit and I'm sure you can do within your budget.

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    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Oh I can go to $600, sure.

    Improvolone on
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    Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Basically you're looking at $100-$150 for the head unit and $400+ for a mounted DVD unit with screen. You can get a combo in-dash unit for about $450-$550 but that isn't the best for kid in the back seat. Then you're looking at a few hours install time depending on how the thing mounts. The head unit won't be too difficult to put in but the DVD player might be.

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    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Is any brand "stay away from"?

    Improvolone on
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    Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Jensen. They're tempting because they're a lot cheaper, but there's a reason for that. The old standbys are Panasonic, Sony, Aiwa, Alpine. I know Sony tends to be fairly affordable, their quality is a little lower than brands like Alpine but unless you're doing a ghetto-fabulous system you won't be able to tell the difference.

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    1ddqd1ddqd Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Pioneer makes the AVH- series of indash receivers and they're pretty nice.

    Crutchfield.com may be the best resource for you to bone up on this kinda stuff. You can put in the type of car you have, then ask all sorts of FAQ questions like "Will this fit my car?" and see instructions on how its done.

    You should note that on the Pioneer units, there's a rear monitor hook up as well. You need to buy the screen and wiring, but those can be mounted nearly anywhere (and you can buy some that have mounts that flip-down from the ceiling, if that's your bag)

    1ddqd on
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