2DIN + Bluetooth Headunit?

[nickCR]

Any recommendations for a 2DIN / Bluetooth head unit? Touch screen would be nice as well as it seems more logical and easier to navigate all the different screens.

I'm looking to spend up to $500.

These are the options I've come across so far. Figured some of you have a 2 din in your SUV or car so might be able to suggest something decent for the price range or if I'm wasting my time trying to get one at that price range.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Sony-XAV-72BT-In-Dash-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B004H8FTMK/ref=pd_cp_e_1]Amazon.com: Sony XAV-72BT 7" In-Dash Double DIN DVD/MP3/WMA/AAC Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth and iPod Control: Car Electronics[/ame]

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-P4400BH-Multimedia-Widescreen-Bluetooth/dp/B006Y441L0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334189412&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Pioneer AVH-P4400BH 2-DIN Multimedia DVD Receiver with 7" Widescreen Touch Panel Display, Built-In Bluetooth, and HD Radio™ Tuner: Car Electronics[/ame]

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/JVC-KW-XR810-Watts-Dual-Receiver/dp/B003EO8UNI/ref=sr_1_1?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1334189278&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: JVC KW-XR810 4 x 50 Watts Dual USB/CD Receiver: Car Electronics[/ame]

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Clarion-CX501-Double-DIN-Bluetooth-Receiver/dp/B004KVLB9E/ref=sr_1_2?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1334189312&sr=1-2]Amazon.com: Clarion CX501 Double-DIN CD/Bluetooth/USB Receiver: Car Electronics[/ame]

If these aren't good and there isn't much else on the market worth looking at, would anyone suggest a way to get an aux input into my radio? My radio is stock and it sucks monkey balls, not even MP3. I don't need the disc reader at all if that helps, I want bluetooth with my iPhone, that's the most important.

Thank you kindly in advance!

 

[cheshire]

Love my Pioneer Z130bt in the Jeep. MP3, Aux In, USB, SD Card, iPod, Pandora (control it from the screen), decent Nav (not the best), Bluetooth calls, Bluetooth streaming (A2DP).

Avoid the Kenwoods the lag between button pushes is god aweful. Don't have any experience with Clarion or Sony. I'll never buy a JVC anything ever again. Had a single din a few years ago that died 8 months into the 1 year warranty and they still denied coverage stating I was outside the warranty.

 

[dchuk]

pioneer or alpine are usually the only head units you should be looking at

 

[nickCR]

Thanks for the input!

Here are two 2012 models from Pioneer which are reasonably priced. Not sure if the apps on the 8400 are even worth it considering I live in Costa Rica and most apps like Pandora block IP's that are not from the US. Most of these system don't have a way to integrate a VPN like HideMyAss so I can't trick it into thinking i'm there. Rendering any apps that are US only useless. But I don't know much about that app thing, maybe it's some sort of integration with Apple or something?

Let me know what you guys think:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-P4400BH-Multimedia-Widescreen-Bluetooth/dp/B006Y441L0/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1334212807&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: Pioneer AVH-P4400BH 2-DIN Multimedia DVD Receiver with 7" Widescreen Touch Panel Display, Built-In Bluetooth, and HD Radio™ Tuner: Electronics[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-P8400BH-Multimedia-Widescreen-Bluetooth/dp/B006Y442AU/ref=pd_cp_e_1"]Amazon.com: Pioneer AVH-P8400BH 2-DIN Multimedia DVD Receiver with 7" Widescreen Touch Panel Display, Advanced App Mode, Built-In Bluetooth, and HD Radio™: Electronics[/ame]

 

[cheshire]

If you don't need the app support then just get the P4400. Bluetooth streaming is all you really need. Then you can play MP3's off your iPhone or Android device without hooking up any cords, and take calls.

 

[nickCR]

If you don't need the app support then just get the P4400. Bluetooth streaming is all you really need. Then you can play MP3's off your iPhone or Android device without hooking up any cords, and take calls.

Having it stream the music and calls is all I really care about.

However I feel very intrigued by the App stuff. I'm confident that this is the way vehicle audio / video interfaces are going.

They will be computers. Eventually integrating with the car itself (in some cases this already exists).

I really wish they would just dispose of the DVD / CD stuff ... I don't care to carry discs around with me and looks like it can pull Video from an iPod and/or SD card.

 

[yuqde]

I can't trick it into thinking i'm there. .

 

[nickCR]

Was reading around quite a bit to determine the difference between the two.

Both will require that you purchase the iPod / iPhone integration cable to get the app on your phone to work with the deck (ie Pandora).

I'm still not sure if either of those will allow you to control the music on your iPhone via Bluetooth without the cable. Seems like it's a control bus or something.

If you want to make usage of your stock steering buttons, you need an adapter.

Also if you want to leave your stock harness it's strongly advisable that you buy a harness that fits your deck / stock harness.

By the time you add up all the extras I think your talking $250 for just the after purchases. Then $430 or $530 for the deck. It's a pretty penny to put out for a deck but then again you'll have everything you need with the exception of navigation.

 

[cheshire]

Was reading around quite a bit to determine the difference between the two.

Both will require that you purchase the iPod / iPhone integration cable to get the app on your phone to work with the deck (ie Pandora).

If you want to control Pandora from the head unit then yeah you'll need the cable. If you just want to stream over bluetooth there is no need for it, but you have to look at your phone screen to change songs, etc ...

I'm still not sure if either of those will allow you to control the music on your iPhone via Bluetooth without the cable. Seems like it's a control bus or something.

See above

If you want to make usage of your stock steering buttons, you need an adapter.

Also if you want to leave your stock harness it's strongly advisable that you buy a harness that fits your deck / stock harness.

Yup, the joys of installing an aftermarket deck. You definitely want the harness, you don't want to cut into your stock wiring harness. If you use the steering wheel controls a lot you need those boxes.

By the time you add up all the extras I think your talking $250 for just the after purchases. Then $430 or $530 for the deck. It's a pretty penny to put out for a deck but then again you'll have everything you need with the exception of navigation.

Yeah it adds up, but if you had gotten the nav with your car it would've cost you a few grand. If you buy a deck for $500 and it doesn't have Nav then keep looking.

 

[nickCR]

If you want to control Pandora from the head unit then yeah you'll need the cable. If you just want to stream over bluetooth there is no need for it, but you have to look at your phone screen to change songs, etc ...

Amazing that a simple company like Parrot can do a full integration with your phone and allow you to control it via the deck over Bluetooth without any extra accessories. (Parrot Asteroid).

Yup, the joys of installing an aftermarket deck. You definitely want the harness, you don't want to cut into your stock wiring harness. If you use the steering wheel controls a lot you need those boxes.

Yeah I plan to put the original deck back in when I sell the car. So keeping the stock hardware is a must. Worth the money I guesstimate.

Yeah it adds up, but if you had gotten the nav with your car it would've cost you a few grand. If you buy a deck for $500 and it doesn't have Nav then keep looking.

True but I didn't buy the car so the opt-out of Nav system wasn't my choice. Also living in Costa Rica. The navigation systems are still very tough to work with. The make you go down the wrong way on roads, and addresses don't even get my started.

My old house was from "the exotic greenhouse, 600 meters North, 50 meters West, Condo Blah, #123"... Seriously you can't program a navigation unit to think like that lol, if you know where you are going it's easy you can identify it on the system. However the Pioneer is compatible with iPhone nav based applications so to find one that will work with both should be fun but i'm sure possible as there is already one that works for the US maybe they have maps in Costa Rica. Also it has the bus for an external navigation unit.

 

[cheshire]

If you don't need nav then don't bother with a 2-din. You can get some really nicely equipped single DIN units for almost half price.

 

[nickCR]

If you don't need nav then don't bother with a 2-din. You can get some really nicely equipped single DIN units for almost half price.

You are absolutely correct. However I like the idea of playing videos for my daughter and having a full touch screen. Navigation will eventually come here. Also with the USB link you can use certain apps from the iPhone on the AVH unit so maybe I'll be able to find a nav app that works in CR.