Music player with the ability to view video files on a built-in (retractable) monitor. Just yesterday, such a car radio was the subject of unfulfilled desires (5-6 years ago), a symbol of luxury and the designation of a passenger car - a luxury class (configuration)!
Car radio with DVD and monitor
Today it is a common and quite affordable device for installation in a car of any brand. Manufacturers equip this type of equipment with a large number of options and functions, as well as the ability to connect various devices and devices during further operation. Some of the car radios are already equipped with such gadgets, and therefore they are classified as multifunctional multimedia systems (MMS). In addition to differences in equipment, car players differ in their installation dimensions:
- DIN radio.
- DIN players.
These products are produced by almost all the world's leading brands in the field of radio electronics. But, due to the growing demand for car DVD players and a monitor, for example, Pioneer, Prology and the like, models with the same name appeared on the market, manufactured by no one knows who and where. For this reason, it is best to purchase equipment of this level from official trademark dealers (Pioneer, Prology). What to look for when buying
car radio with DVD monitor Pioneer (Sony, Prology), we will tell in the final part of the article. And now we will make a short review of the modern market for auto players, in particular, Pioneer and Prolozhi companies.
Car radio with DVD monitor Prology
The latest devices from Prology are represented by 1 and 2 DIN format multimedia systems. They can play music and video files in JPEG, CD, DVD, MP3, MPEG 4 formats, from any known form of media. They are equipped with 6 and 7 inch, built-in and retractable, liquid crystal monitors. Can connect additional equipment:
- navigation system;
- rear and side view cameras and so on.
The quality of the equipment from the Prology company does not need to be introduced to customers for a long time.
Car radio with DVD monitor Pioneer (avh)
MMC Pioneer series avh, meet all the technical requirements of today, to provide the most comfortable conditions for car owners when watching DVDs from discs, USB devices, as well as listening to radio programs and music. Car multimedia systems Pioneer avh, have in their configuration:
Built-in or fully removable LCD display, seven inches in size with touch control of radio functions.
The necessary connectors for connecting additional devices (iPhones, navigation, etc.).
That is, as we mentioned a little earlier, Prology equipment, Pioneer equipment, is the embodiment in one device of all the achievements and innovative technologies in radio electronics and computer technology.
The impeccable reputation of the Pioneer brand deserves only exclamatory epithets.
Connecting car radios Pioneer, Prology with DVD and monitor
There are three ways to connect a modern MMC with a DVD and a monitor, depending on the car.
First way.
A modern car radio is connected to the systems of a new car using a special ISO connector (international plug connection). This type of connector is equipped with all cars of the latest generations and auto players.
Second installation method.
There is no ISO connector in the car (it is mandatory in MMC). In this case, it must be purchased separately and the car's wiring in the junction box must be wired according to the pinout for this car model.
Third option.
It can be described as an adventure. Connections are made by live stranding of wires, followed by insulation. To exacerbate the extreme - isolation can be omitted.
In any case, the installation of a new car radio with DVD and monitor should be started after carefully studying the manufacturer's instructions attached to the device.
Separate models of video and sound reproducing equipment are initially produced for a certain brand of car.
Setting up a regular MMC with the ability to watch DVD and LCD monitor
The setup of both a standard head unit with a monitor and DVD, and a new, separate device, is detailed in the same operating instructions for the device. If you have additional questions related to connecting and configuring individual functions and options.
You can contact the direct manufacturer of the radio via the Internet for information, as well as find information of interest on numerous forums dedicated to this issue. But this is about complex settings. The usual, standard settings for multimedia systems for a car are almost completely identical to the actions when working with a mobile phone (iPad). And are produced on the touch screen of the device.
Criteria for choosing a car radio with a DVD monitor
First of all, it is of course the cost of the device. But one should not think that a radio tape recorder with a DVD player and a screen costs a lot of money. For a fairly reasonable amount today, you can buy a device of decent quality.
When choosing MMS, you should pay attention to:
- power of the device, nominal and maximum.
- total number of output channels (from 2 to 4).
- line inputs and outputs.
- readable formats.
- availability of additional equipment and similar technical details.
For women (and not only), of course, the external design of the front panel of the device will be important.
A good DVD player will never be an extra item in your car. Many will say that this is overly pretentious and even unnecessary, but a huge number of car owners understand that such an addition will greatly change the quality of the trip. If earlier it was difficult to imagine moving more than 500-600 kilometers in one day, then with good films and cartoons you can take the kids, interest passengers and divert attention from the monotonous road. Sometimes the driver, having heard phrases from familiar films, has a great time behind the wheel and is much less tired. It is very important here to abandon all sorts of solutions that would allow the driver to also watch a movie while driving. The best solution is to embed monitors in the rear of the front seat headrests in the car.
Of course, such a solution will cost just an incredible amount of money, since it requires the services of specialists who cannot always be found at service stations. You can get by with simpler solutions, but they do not make much sense. Also, people who spend a lot of time in the car waiting for their passengers want to integrate various video options into the car. It can be a taxi driver or a company vehicle driver. There can be a lot of options, and often the decision made depends on the type of machine, the financial capabilities of the customer and the ultimate goals of performing all the necessary work. But to say that such a modification of the car is impossible today is not worth it. In fact, everything turns out to be quite real and sometimes does not even require large investments.
2-DIN radio with DVD and fold-out monitor
Probably the easiest solution would be to buy a radio in a car with a fold-out monitor to watch movies using DVD or flash memory. In such a situation, the monitor will be small, and it can only be located at the installation site of the radio itself. This is a simple option that does not require any alterations. It is enough to buy the equipment, install it and enjoy the video in the car. You can look at the following models of equipment:
- PINOEER AVH-180 and other products of the AVH line is a good solution that can provide you with the traditional quality of the manufacturer and a good price when buying;
- Alpine IWE-W 530 is another relatively inexpensive option that will allow you to watch movies and clips while operating your car in any conditions;
- Kenwood DDX5055BT - a more expensive option, which also has higher quality parts, good video and decent sound parameters in the device;
- Sony XAV 65 - an excellent solution for little money with good quality and excellent reliability parameters, amazing ease of control of the radio;
- JVC KW-V30BTEE is another great option with a slightly higher price from a well-known brand, good controllability, high quality products.
As you can see, the market offers simply amazing opportunities to buy wonderful products for your car. Electronics does not stand still, you can quite simply and inexpensively acquire very modern tools for your car. And at the same time, you don’t have to redo the wiring and interfere with the integrity of the cabin. It is enough to install a nice compact radio in the salon and get the necessary entertainment options in the car.
Large screen for rear sofa built into the ceiling
Tall vehicles such as minivans or large station wagons, minibuses and other bulky body styles provide opportunities for very comfortable in-car entertainment. You can build a great module for watching DVD-video for relatively little money. To do this, you will need quite a bit, however, all work must be done with high quality. The process is the following:
- you need to purchase a TV or monitor, the quality of this item should be very high, but the diagonal is not more than 15 inches for a small car and 20 for a large one;
- a TV will be a good solution if you can use the USB output to watch video - in this case, you will not need anything else to operate the module;
- monitors and simple TVs will have to be connected to various DVD set-top boxes with the ability to view video, but this equipment will have to be placed somewhere;
- a TV bracket can be bought foldable in order to fold equipment, if necessary, which in this position will not interfere with the inspection of the road from the back sofa;
- this solution is perfect even if you have three rows of seats in your car, just such a TV will be a nice addition to the multimedia systems in the cabin.
The connection of such a device can be brought out through the ceiling, for this you will have to remove the trim and run the wires under it. This will avoid a lot of wires in the car. Of course, you need to buy a TV not for household use, but for a special car TV. Connecting via 12V will be the main parameter to consider when installing such equipment in your transport system.
Embedding monitors in seat headrests
This is one of the most costly options for in-vehicle video. This method of installing interesting multimedia solutions will require you to invest quite a lot of effort and money. In Russia, it is very difficult to find all the necessary materials and parts to create such a system. But the search is not the worst. All serious problems begin during the installation of these modules in the car:
- it is very difficult to embed monitors in such a way as to keep the headrests in a normal appearance, often you have to change the entire upholstery, create it anew;
- the mount must be of high quality and not restrict the free movement of the headrest, this is an important point for each option for operating your car;
- it is also necessary to use the possibilities of sound, it is best to bring headphones to each monitor, but you can tinker and connect the system to a regular car sound set;
- there will also be problems with the connection - it is quite difficult to quietly bring the cable, but this issue is solved by seat covers or by removing the upholstery and then putting it on;
- it is important to decide how to control this element in the car - it is better to use the central control on the center console to avoid problems.
This is a great opportunity for everyone to improve their car to incredible performance. But it is worth recognizing that such processes are far from the most interesting for those who want to save money. Embedding monitors in the headrests gives you a personalized viewing experience, provides a convenient solution for rear passengers, but this method is not aimed at saving you money at all.
How to make a TV in the car and not spend a lot of money?
However, these options can hardly be called the only and most modern solutions. You can act wisely, save money, and also avoid any manipulations with the interior of the car. There are a number of ideas on how you can make a great movie viewing system and save a lot of money on it. And here it is important to show creative and unusual ideas. For example, you can use the following options:
- buy a tablet computer with a fairly large screen diagonal - it can be a 10-inch tablet or so, you can buy two or three such devices at once;
- then it is worth considering options for attaching such computers in the area of \u200b\u200bthe headrests, this can be done using improvised methods, without using expensive brackets;
- another important step will be to run an inconspicuous wire to charge this tablet while the car is moving, this is the key and most difficult moment;
- then it remains only to purchase a memory card, download the videos you need to it and enjoy the wonderful watching of movies during the operation of the car;
- if necessary, you can simply remove the tablet computers and return the car to its former appearance of the interior, no changes in the cabin will occur in the process of alterations.
Such an addition will be the most budgetary and most attractive. In addition, passengers will be able to enjoy all the charms of a full-fledged computer. Play games, watch videos, access the Internet using 3G technologies. All this will become available even for owners of far from elite and not the most modern cars. And such an invention will be useful for children in the back seat during long trips, and for all passengers in general. Compare this process in terms of complexity with installing an overhead monitor:
Summing up
It is difficult to say which method should be used in the process of installing a video in a car. The most inexpensive methods are the purchase of a special radio, as well as the purchase of simple tablet computers to organize stand-alone TV options for passengers in the back sofa. Such solutions fully justify their investments and will always bring a lot of joy, especially to the young passengers of your car. But other methods turn out to be quite an expensive solution and do not always give the necessary results during operation. It is worth remembering that investments will be simply incredibly large.
But the investment sometimes justifies itself if you constantly carry people over long distances. Televisions help us feel less time, drown out the monotonous noise of rubber when interacting with asphalt. All this becomes a necessity if you need to entertain passengers, give them the opportunity to be less tired during the trip. So there are certain incentives, it remains only to find the necessary opportunities for the implementation of this undertaking. Use the method that suits you and always consult an automotive electrician for connection. Would you like to have a full-fledged DVD-module in your car?
The headrest with DVD and monitor increases the level of comfort in the cabin. If the trip takes place in a company with children, then it is also useful - there will be something to distract them. It is not necessary to buy a special headrest, you can install the monitor in an existing one.
Headrests in a car - types and purpose
The headrest on the car seat creates an additional one, but its main purpose is not this. In cases of accidents, when a blow occurs from behind, the most common injuries are fractures and dislocations of the cervical vertebrae, as well as craniocerebral. In any strong collision, the torso will hold; if there are airbags, they will protect both the body and the head. However, only a headrest can protect against a jerk back of the cervical vertebrae, leading to a fracture of the neck, with an uncontrolled tipping of the head from a blow into the car from behind. That is why it is very important that good head restraints are installed in the car, which must be properly adjusted. In modern head restraints, the design is designed in such a way that, if they are properly adjusted, injury to the cervical vertebrae is practically excluded, and in all other cases it is minimal.
By design, headrests are divided into two types. First: passive (non-adjustable) - fixed head restraints, are a solid continuation of the seat or a screwed removable element.
Second: active (adjustable) - movable, are a combination of movable mechanical units that work in conjunction with a special lever built into the seat. The latter is very sensitive to any pressing. The driver's back is pressed into the seat upon impact and the lever is activated. Due to this, the head restraint automatically approaches the driver's head. As a result, the support lever is activated before the neck experiences a backward jerk.
Extended to the desired height, even a passive head restraint can significantly reduce the likelihood of neck injury, as the head rests against it with a sudden jerk of any force back.
Today, the modern automotive industry produces headrests that not only meet the standards of comfort and safety, but also have LCD monitors on the back. This allows you to create additional comfort for passengers sitting in the back seat during the trip. It is also very convenient when there are children in the car, as they can be occupied with watching videos and they will not distract the driver or annoy other passengers. In order not to spend money on acquiring such an expensive pleasure, you can install the monitor in the headrest with your own hands, and the disc player itself, if it is not built-in, can be placed in or on the front panel of the passenger compartment.
Preparing the car headrest for monitor installation
Remove the headrest from the seat to make it easier to work with. Then, on its back side, it is necessary to mark the future recess, designed to accommodate the monitor mounting basket. We mark the outline of the widest part of the basket, and inside it, with an indent of 2–3 cm, we draw lines parallel to the sides of the marked perimeter of the basket. The result is two rectangles.
On the upholstery of the headrest with a clerical knife, we make diagonal cuts from the corners of the large rectangle to the corners of the small one. Then, with our own hands, we completely cut out the upholstery along the contour of a small figure, and bend the resulting trapezoidal pieces of the upholstery remaining on the headrest outward from the center. After that, it is necessary to carefully remove the foam rubber within the boundaries of the resulting cutout (along the contour of a large rectangle). In this case, it is necessary to “dig” until a stiffening plate (metal or plastic) appears inside the head restraint, which fixes the foam base and is fixed on a U-shaped tube, the ends of which are attached to the seat. We turn the trapezoidal pieces of upholstery inside the resulting recess and mark the place where the wiring will come out of the monitor. We try on the mounting basket to the resulting recess to make sure that it turned out to be the right size.
We determine where to lay the wiring to connect the monitor - outside or hidden inside the chair. The first option is very simple in execution - the cable is attached along the entire length of the seat. The second one is preferable, but also more difficult to implement. In addition, during its implementation, you will have to cut the monitor cable, which will deprive the latter of warranty service.
To run the wire inside the chair, use the headrest tube. Its inner diameter is approximately 8 mm. This is quite enough to place a cable in it. The tube must first be exposed in the area where the wire exit from the monitor was previously marked. In this place, with a clerical knife, slowly and gradually remove the layers of foam until the tube is found. Then we carefully drill a hole in it, along the edges of which we remove sharp burrs - they can subsequently damage the wiring. To stretch the cable inside the tube, you will have to temporarily cut off one of its connectors. The cut end of the cable is carefully inserted into the tube. If it will be difficult to push it through, then you can use a thin steel wire or another, harder one. A cable is tied to the end of the wire, and then it is pulled along with the wire.
We determine the method of attaching the basket and the place for laying the cable
Now we need to decide how to attach the basket to the headrest. To do this, you can use nylon ties of a suitable length or small self-tapping screws for twisting into metal. In the first case, opposite the mounting holes of the basket in the headrest, remove the foam around the tube until it becomes possible to thread nylon ties around it. After that, their ends are brought into the mounting holes of the basket with their own hands and tightly tightened with clamps. A more reliable mounting option is using four self-tapping screws. They will firmly fix the mounting basket to the plastic (or metal) headrest stiffening bar. But at this stage, it is not necessary to mount a monitor for a car, for now it is enough to decide on the mounting method.
At the next stage of installing the monitor with our own hands, we determine the location of the adapters that switch the video signal and monitor power, as well as where to lay the wiring from them. At the same time, it is important to choose such an arrangement for all components so that they are as far away as possible from the power wires of the car that feed its electrical equipment. The best option is to lay the adapters in the middle of the cabin, in its center console, where the handbrake and gearshift levers are located. There are no power wires supplying electrical equipment, and there is also enough free space to accommodate adapters. The standard monitor wiring should be enough to pull it from the adapters to the headrest with a small margin. The console must be removed for the duration of the work.
Laying the cable and installing the monitor in the headrest of the car
Before laying the cable inside the chair, it is necessary to remove the upholstery from its back. Then we open the back and find inside its bushings, into which the headrest tubes are inserted.
We proceed to laying the wiring of the car monitor. First, we install the headrest in place with our own hands. Before that, if we place the cable inside the seat, we pull the wiring through the backrest bushings into the chair. The cable, regardless of the laying method (outside or inside the seat), must be left with a small margin of length to adjust the height of the head restraint. When laying the wiring, it is also necessary to exclude squeezing or stretching of the cable; in places of sagging, we fasten it to nylon ties. When pulling the cable under the chair with your own hands, you should fix it with cable ties to the existing wiring of the seat and, again, leave a loop (a small margin) to compensate for its tension if the chair moves along the sled. Then we bring the cable from the seat to the center line of the passenger compartment and lay it along it to the front panel of the car.
