Weird Chinese HUs with 1.5-DIN faceplates

[GnatGoSplat]

I had been looking for cheap ways to get a stereo into my wife's car with LCD, DVD, Bluetooth, and iPod control. Sound quality is no concern, she just wants to be able to watch movies and TV shows on her lunch breaks at work. I found some weird cheap Chinese stereos that have oversized faceplates that look to be approximately 1.5-DIN in size. The chassis is 1-DIN, but the face hangs down. One could use an American International 1.5-DIN installation kit designed for mounting a 1-DIN HU and 1/2-DIN EQ below, but instead just put the HU on top and leave the bottom empty. When installed, it would look exactly like a 1.5-DIN stereo.

 

Here's one with navigation built-in:

 

Here's another with a larger LCD, but I don't like how the corners are cut out:

 

There are actually a ton of different brands of HUs that look similar, I had no idea!

http://www.actvideo.us/headunit.html

http://www.eonon.com/index.php?controller=Default&action=ProductList&cateid=4

 

I didn't end up getting one because the wife wants the biggest LCD possible (ended up buying a Jensen 7" flip-out), and this stuff is probably worse than Pyle or Pyramid, but it's definitely an interesting idea. Maybe they're old news, but I've never seen such a thing!

 

[stockgp]

those have been around for quite a qhile. i remember my first year in college (2001), alpine had one with built in cell phone and shit like that. pretty neat

[GnatGoSplat]

This Alpine?

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-BkdtCXa8Kx1/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?i=500CDA7897

 

I remember that one, but its face doesn't fit up flush against its body so it wouldn't really be able to fool anyone into thinking it's a real 1.5-DIN, at least not from the side view. Alpine did used to have real 1.5-DIN stereos in the late 90's though.

 

[stockgp]

that's it. they are getting better now, that's just one fo the first i remember.

[Addicted2bass]

I remember i used to want one of those Alpines!

 

We have this Fahrenheit at work:

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Farenheit-TID-530

Its a decent unit, video looks pretty good. It has probably the worst background for when your listening to a cd or the radio. It looks the blue screen menu on a TV. I would never put it in my car for that exact reason. We have sold a few of them though.

 

[Pontiac6KSTEAWD]

Thanks Gnat. I think I am going to get 2 of those eonon E0905 models. One for the STE AWD, and one for the TGP. But first I need to see about steering wheel control interface.

[GnatGoSplat]

I think you'd have to use an SWI-X. I did discover there's a clever way to hard-wire an SWI-X to any HU with an IR detector, but it requires dismantling the HU and soldering a wire. I can go into more detail about it if you're comfortable taking a HU and the SWI-X apart and have a multimeter and pencil-tip soldering iron. I have done the mod on the Jensen I plan to attempt to install in my wife's vert, and will be doing it to the HU going into my 89 as well.

 

I saw the E0905 often sells < $300 shipped on eBay, brand new. That's really dirt cheap for an indash navigation with RDS tuner and built-in DVD player, I would be afraid, very afraid.

It's a neat idea and they do look really nice, but I did find a few youtube videos where people had trouble with the Eonons and like the one Addicted2bass mentioned, its GUI is also really ugly. For me, no iPod control is also a deal killer. If you're going to try one, I'd just get one at first to see how you like it.

 

[jeremy]

Thanks Gnat. I think I am going to get 2 of those eonon E0905 models. One for the STE AWD, and one for the TGP. But first I need to see about steering wheel control interface.

 

definitely report back if you end up buying them, I am very curious to get your feedback

[Pontiac6KSTEAWD]

Will be a bit.. All my money is wrapped up in renovating my house to be sold in 2 months..