Any way to duplicate the factory nav set up with the D3?

I searched and didnt see anyone who had installed an Avic D3 in the cubby.

Imo the unit seems too low in the factory radio location.

I also like how my old 03 with nav could be hidden with a close of the cover.

Any input?

 

jdemos,,,,It would nearly impossible to install the D3 headunit in the upper cubby. Due to the cramped space (there would be no room behind the headunit to connect all the harness/RCA's, ect. ect. ) and many other task,,,,it would take many, many hours of modifying your dash, lots of cutting and I am sure glasswork or skilled abs plastic crafting. Not to mention, extending all the wire harnesses and Antenna plug.

I do agree, having the Nav. on the headunit places it lower than what I like as well. There are options of putting a screen in the upper cubby and adding an external navi system.

Where abouts are you in Atlanta? I am in the Conyers area. If you need any help doing your install, send me an PM. I completed my system over a year ago,,,but would be glad to help and show you things I picked up, taking my car apart.

 

Hey thanks a lot brother. Lawrenceville now. Grew up in Snellville so I've been through Conyers a handfull of times. Do you know of an external d3 equivalent?

 

Jdemos,,,,what I would suggest for an upper cubby Nav set up,,,would do what a lot of members here have done. Use the Power Accoustic, (fareinheit 7000) screen in the upper cubby. I know Kenwood (garmin) offers the stand alone, external nav set up. From what I have read here,,,it works and looks awesome. maybe some of the guys here with that set-up will chime in and give more insight.

I am located off of hwy 138, on the conyers/covington line. Again,,if you have any questions feel free to PM me. I will respond with my number,,,,we could meet up somewhere and go over what you might have in mind with your install.

Take care,,,,
Patrick

 

^^ Very good post(s), this one and your other (#2 on this thread). You are correct. It’s just not practical mounting a double-din device in the upper forward cubby. It would require a lot of custom fabrication, and wouldn’t look right. And as you point out; even if you were to accomplish this, fitting the harness and other wiring would be a miserable task.

Using a remote black-box is the best way to get an after market screen into the upper/forward cubby. There are two choices for this setup:

1) Garmin GVN 53 with just about any 7” monitor. The GVN 53 replaces the GVN 52, and the GVN 53 adds support for RGB monitors using a VGA connector in addition to composite video (the only connection in the GVN 52). This aarangement does not support touch-screen functions.


2) Kenwood KNA-G510 Navigation Box with a Kenwood LZ-702W Monitor. This arrangement supports touch-screen functions.

I’m not sure, but I think the a Kenwood LZ-702W Monitor (that fit’s the Z’s upper/forward cubby) is discontinued. I don’t see this headrest monitor on Kenwood’s current website. It appears that Kenwood is focusing on connecting the KNA-G510 Navigation Box to its double-din devices and single-din devices with motorized flip-up screen. If that’s the case, I would suggest going with the Garmin GVN 53 black-box and just about any 7” monitor. A 7” RGB monitor with an VGA connector will provide better resolution, but composite video on a 7” screen is razor sharp as well, costs less, and easier to install. If you want more function from your LCD (e.g., X-Box, CarPC, etc.), a RGB monitor using a VGA connector is the way to go with the Garmin GVN 53. If your LCD screen in the upper/forward cubby is only for navigation and playing DVD’s, composite video is just fine and much less costly.

I’ve been running a Garmin GVN 52 (now replaced by the GVN 53) for over a year, and never miss the lack of touch-screen function.

1) The GVN 53 uses a RF (radio frequency) remote control instead of an IR (infrared) remote control. That means you don’t need to worry about line-of-site you must do with your home theater system. You can point the RF remote in any direction and it always works (communicating flawlessly with the hidden black-box).

2) The GVN 53 has a very intuitive interface. It’s best feature is the auto zoom function. When you set a destination, the unit shows the best detail automatically without requiring user intervention. Once you enter your destination and begin driving, it isn’t necessary to use the remote at all. The application software is that good.

3) Using a remote instead of touching the screen eliminates all those fingerprints, and you don’t need to constantly clean the LCD screen.

4) If you have a passenger onboard, that person can use the RF remote to run the GPS. I find it very annoying when a passenger is reaching and pushing on a LCD touch-screen, and much prefer having the passenger sitting comfortably in their seat holding a remote and operating the device.

Of course, all of what I say here is personal preferences. Touch-screen support might be a very important feature for someone else.

--Spike

 

Spike:
thanks for all of the advice. Members like you make the board worth posting. I hate "use the search members" I think im just going to do it in the factory radio location. I think I'd be happier with the D3 and its features. I think I could get used to it in the radio location. I don't ever remember thinking, "man i wish the radio was higher up."

Patrick:

I dont have the unit yet but when I finally get one I'll definately get ahold of you if I need some help.

Chris

 

Thanks for kind words.

I agree with your comments about searching. Doing a search is certainly wise, and it provides a great deal of information… but sometimes and often, it returns very old stuff that is no longer relevant. That is especially true on the Audio & Video sub forum. If you look at my posts you see I never “bust” anyone for not searching. The A/V stuff changes so rapidly it’s less useful searching than just asking a new question. If the topic is not addressed within the last 90 days, it’s probably wise to “re-ask.”

Your choice to use the double-din position is what most members do. But, I agree with Patrick that it is a poor visual position for GPS navigation.

And… Patrick certainly sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

--Spike