ChrisMCagle

I just got my Z last week and we bummed to discover that you cannot play regular DVD Movies in the DVD player behind the driver's seat (something that the salesman told me I could, surprise surprise). I have seen several posts on installing an LCD screen and in-car computer, but what I want to know is if there is something that I can do to use the stock LCD screen and somehow split the input to it and connect a DVD player for movies? Has anyone tried that sucessfully? The in-car computer would be cool too. Please let me know.

-Chris
chrismcagle@yahoo.com

alphared

yeah, do a search. Someone did do what you just said. Theres also an adapter you can install to allow the stock nav to play dvds.

rbaggett1

iTrader: (1)

Adapter really? That actually works in conjunction with the stock DVD-ROM Drive? I'd be interested in that but I had the understanding that you had to buy a separate DVD Player and use a RF Modulator to connect into the Factory Nav Screen.

I may be wrong, if so can you direct me to the link with the adapter. I'd buy that for a dollar. LOL.

ChrisMCagle

Hell Yeah! I have scoured th enet trying to find this "adapter" and I see no mention of it (other than the post above). If you have a link to a company that sells this, or the original thread... that would be GREAT!!!! The only way that I have heard to do it is as rbaggett1 said with a standalong DVD player and RF Modulater. Please let me/us know. THanks!!

-Chris

rbaggett1

iTrader: (1)

I live in Dallas, TX and I went by Jr's today. They are a highly recommended installer of rims and electronics. I believe a guy on this forum actually got some LED sidemarkers installed through them. Well I asked them if they could install a standalone DVD Player/MP3 Deck into the parcel cubby behind the passenger seat and he said they could but their installer that did that was on vacation for another 2 weeks. He said passing video into the factory navigation system screen wouldn't be a problem at all. He did mention that it would be tougher for them to pass the audio into the factory stereo but it could be done. But he said he didn't know how much it would cost until his guy got back from vacation. Hopefully nothing too outrageous.

While I was looking around the store, they have had some local celebrities that have had their rides fixed up. One that stood out was Emmitt Smith but I guess he isn't really all that local anymore since he's playing for another team. Oh well. I'll let you know how much the job will be as soon as the guy gets back.

jeffa

The video adapter is from a company called Nav-TV. It converts the standard NTSC video format to an RGB format that the factory nav screen can reproduce. This unit is not cheap, and is only sold through authorized car audio dealers; the company will not sell direct to a consumer.
As to the audio, there are no auxillary input on the factory head unit, so you will need to use an RF modulator for the audio portion. You will also need an external DVD player, as the factory DVD reader is for the navigation disc only and will not read a video DVD.

rbaggett1

iTrader: (1)

Unfortunately it looks as though Nav-tv doesn't support our beloved Z. Looks as though it's only BMW, Mercedes, Mini Cooper, & Range Rover. What a bummer.

ChrisMCagle

Yeah, I've been the NAV-TV route. They want about $1700 to $1800 for their unit installed with a standalone DVD player in the Z. Hell, I already paid $2000 for the damned Navigation system, there should be some way to modify the Vanigation DVD player so that it plays regular DVD movie disks. I mean open it up and solder something in. There has GOT to be something????? I'm not paying another $1700 for that. Screw that!!

-Chris

rbaggett1

iTrader: (1)

I'm with you on that Chris, I'm not dropping another 2k. I'm look for about $500-$600 for the mod to my system. I just need to wait another 2 weeks before I can get a price.

alphared

I think the adapter is nothing more than a Mpeg2 decoder chip and flash memory chip to act as a buffer (I think the unit already have some memory to buffer the gps data). But without a nav unit or any info on it can say if anyone gone to make it. If someone wants to donate a unit to me I can figure something out

Sillent Killer

I have an idea but I don't know if it will work.

Ok...Replace the factory screen with an aftermarket screen fron Pioneer or Alpine and wire the Nav system through an RGB cable to the screen. This gives you other A/V inputs for attaching a dvd player or XBOX, plus the screen has a built in speaker to save the hassle of wiring in the sound to the stock audio system.

Do you guys think this will work. I think this would work fine if the cable is an RGB or you can add an RGB cable.

ChrisMCagle

Well, I don't know if it would work or not, but the problem I see is that it would require a big chunk of change. I am looking to spend a couple hundred $ MAX. I mean the Navigation system is DVD based so it HAS to be able to read DVD's with a modification. It's just like the XBOX. Out of the box it is designed to play only store-bought/rented games, but you buy a chip and solder it/ screw it to the mainboard and BAM! You can not only play original games, but you can copy them, add bigger hard drive, play DVD movies on it without having to fork out an additional $80.00 for the DVD player add-on, etc. Hell, you can even install Linux on it if you are so inclined. I did. Uhhhh.... wait, I mean... errr.. a "friend" of mine did. Basically what it comes down to is the guts of the machine must be changed somehow by removing or adding something to it so that it will not only see the Nissan Navigation DVD, but ALL DVD's. Who knows... I might be completely wrong on this and the stock navigation system might be a "what you see is what you get" type thing, but it just seems like there should be a way to "fix" it. I kick myself everyday for not getting the Z the dealer had without the navigation system already installed.

Oh well... hopefully someday the fix will be discovered and made available for a reasonable price.

-Chris

swoobyz

I too have no idea what alphared is talking about.
There are no chips that you can drop in to the factory NAV unit that will make it play DVDs.

You can build the http://www.video-nav.com (site is currently down) solution yourself and install it for less than $300.
I have all the info you need at my site:
http://www.swooby.com/z/navpc/
Go to the "GEX-P7000TV" section

The dealer that told you the DVD NAV system can directly play DVDs should be shot!

Pv

swoobyz

I don't know for a fact, but I am pretty sure the XBox and the factory NAV are NOT "just like" each other.
I am sure the NAV unit has some sort of an OS, but you would be hell bent to find a mpeg decoder chip that would work in it.

This is relatively simple to do in an XBox because an XBox is basically a standard PC.

Don't count on it.
Now what WOULD be an interesting investigation would be to see what CPU the NAV unit uses, and see if someone could write a Linux kernel for it!
Again, don't count on it; intuition tells me that the NAV's CPU is very very slow and none of this attempt would be worth it.
You might as well just install your own PC; they make >1Ghz PCs in 1DIN units nowadays.

Pv

Apexi350z

iTrader: (3)

yank out the factory headunit, and replace it with an indash dvd/vcd/mp3/tv player. It will cost you around $1300 though, not including labor.

kitkos

iTrader: (1)

Do a search for a guy named Quadry. He is in the Arkansas Z Car Club with me.
He has a SB 350Z and I know for a fact that he has the converter installed in his glovebox. It is connected to a Sony Playstation2 that he can either play games on or use as a DVD player on his stock Nav. Screen.
He can answer all of your questions.

ChrisMCagle

I found the thread on his setup, but he went through Nav-tv.com and said his setup cost around $1300. WAY out of the question. I like swoobyz's idea, but am a bit irritated that the http://www.video-nav.com site is unavailable. Makes me wonder if they are still in business or what? I'm looking to spend around $300-$400 MAX on the whole thing (I'll install it myself to save on labor costs).

-Chris

Mercuttio

So there seems to be a place here in Seattle called Advanced Audio. They seem to have a contact in NY that has an $800 fix for this problem. I'm not sure if that included an external DVD player or not but I'll find out.

The search continues!

swoobyz

Sorry for any confusion.
I've had a few emails related to this, so I'll make a post here to clarify any confusion I may have caused.
You do *NOT* need anything from http://www.video-nav.com to build the solution that I mention on my site.

I only mentioned http://www.video-nav.com because they are commercial solution of the same thing I built (with the help of many great people, all mentioned on my site).

Some people may want to buy this device rather than build it.

You can buy it for $600 (if video-nav is still in business), or you can very easily build it for $300.

You need a $240 Pioneer TV tuner (which you can buy at most any online electronics store) and ~$42 of parts from DigiKey and RadioShack (plus shipping, plus a good VGA cable to actually wire the setup in to your car).

Again, all the info you need is on my site (that's the whole reason I have the page(s) in the first place).
http://www.swooby.com/z/navpc/
Go to the "GEX-P7000TV" page.

Pv

Quadry

Guys I went with nav-tv, because I would not have a clue on how to put this in my own vehicle. If you can do it yourself, that is great. I have pretty much all of the mods on my car, myself. However, when it comes to electrical, I stop. If something gets wired wrong or goes out, it is a lot easier for the place doing your installation to pay for it, rather than yourself.