Spike100

You cannot place a double-din device, such as the Pioneer AVIC D-3, in the Z’s upper /forward cubby. It won’t fit there. If you do a search here, you see that many would like to do this, some have tried, but no one has been successful.

In your post, you say: “Only thing i didnt like about the Kenwood DVD/NAV is the crappy 80's style and rediculously complicated interface.”

Kenwood’s current navigation products are not DVD-based. In fact the Kenwood’s current navigation products use a ROM chip (think of it as a “flash” drive) along with a processor on a solid state board. The application software and map data are always (and only) in fast RAM. Since the navigation device has no moving parts, it’s fast… really fast.

DVD-based and HDD-based navigation devices attempt to improve speed by loading pertinent application software and map data into faster on-board RAM, but disk access is costly as to performance. Certainly HDD-based navigation is faster than DVD-based navigation, but neither of these can keep pace with the nearly instant performance of “flash-based” memory device (as is navigation in Kenwood devices).

As to your other point (“…rediculously complicated interface…”)… It’s probably that you haven’t set your initial configurations properly. Other than Kenwood’s great navigation performance, the thing I really like is the Garmin interface. I enter an address, tell the device to navigate, and never need to do anything else.

--Spike

GeauxLadyZ

iTrader: (9)

Ya i understand the speed of the kenwood nav...and i like the fact that it uses Garmin...but if speed was a concern for me i would have got a HDD based system or even Alpines docking based nav system. The diff in speed, however, is so minute that it really makes no difference. once i input the address (automatically starts--and i dont even have to push 'start nav' or anything like that) it loads with a little spinning cd at the top right for literally like a half a second--if that. But yes, i agree any HD or flash based system IS better for the reason of not having to use the DVD disc. The one upside to this flaw, however, is that i only have to put in the dvd to input the route...once i do this and the route has been programmed, i can THEN take out the dvd and put in a music cd if i want--while it still guides me to my destination. This is fine by me. Plus I THINK that Pioneer units have alot more POI (11-12 million or so) than the kenwood units. Ive already used the POI many times so this is a plus--its found everyplace (stores, resteraunts, gas stations, atms, etc.) ive looked for. As for the interface--i was reffering more to the OVERALL interface for the kenwoods and not just the nav interface. But your point with HDD-flash over DVD and the use of Garmins system is well recieved and totally on point.

Spike100

You make some good points.

The premise on this thread is: Can you install a LCD touch-screen monitor into the Z’s upper/forward cubby and use this as the main control to operate a sophisticated CES?

The answer is: Yes you can, and you have two choices. You can install a CarPC with a touch-screen monitor (complicated installation) or the Kenwood KOS system (simple installation).

________________
About DVD-based navigation systems: I really dislike this structure. It is worse when you have only one drive and cannot just leave the disk inside the drive. The message “Please insert Disk 1” is very annoying when you hit a detour, heavy traffic, or some other situation requiring a new route or access to a function not supported in the device’s original RAM-load. Anyone who has retrieved and re-inserted a disk while driving knows why this is a disadvantage.

--Spike

Bat Z

I have a question. I have a kenwood system like the one above. I want to add a gauge device to another screen in the upper cubby (I don't have nav) other than a screen, is there any other bracket required to mount a screen in the cubby? The gauge device comes individually and can be installed once I have the screen.

Spike100

Could you provide more information about the "gauge device?"

Sorry if I missed the question, but I don't know about the "gauge device" you mention.

--Spike
_______________
EDIT: If the gauge device you mention is a digital device capable of outputting a visual of an instrument panel to a LCD screen, the Kenwood KOS system will handle this. You simple connect the gauge device to an A/V input on the KOS controller, and then select this A/V input as the display.

Not sure if that was the question though…

Bat Z

The Gauge device is the HKS CAMP 2 monitoring system. It requires a...monitor. I already have a Kenwood stereo (not a double din) but the cubby hole is empty. Sounds like you got it though.

Spike100

Ok… got it.

I’m not fully familiar with the HKS CAMP 2, but awhile ago I did look at the HKS CAMP (which I’m guessing is an earlier version).

If I remember correctly this device allows you to monitor a bunch of data signals from your car (12 or more, maybe up to 24?... not sure about the actual number), and then display this information on a LCD monitor (4 or more at once, maybe 6?.. again I’m not sure, but it is at least 4). The display on the LCD screen uses the metaphor of analog instruments providing a familiar and easily read readout. You see the digital output on the LCD screen as an image that looks like analog gauges. I also believe you need the Nissan CONSULT harness to connect this device to your Z car.

And… yes that would work very well with the Kenwood KOS system. The HKS CAMP 2 connects to a LCD display using composite video (yellow, red, white cables). You would simply connect the HKS CAMP 2 output A/V cables to the KOS controller A/V inputs, and use the KOS touch-screen or handheld IR controller to select that A/V input.

This is just another example showing the plethora of possibilities you have with Kenwood’s KOS system. In this case it is "the performance enthusiast meets audiophile" where the two blend into a car CES for great sound and car instrumentation/diagnostics, all in one.

I suspect this is an example where even the performance purist would accept an addition 25 lbs. or so to get this level of display.

--Spike

GeauxLadyZ

iTrader: (9)

Hey spike, Im assuming that if i wanna just add a regular monitor to my upper cubby and use the D3 video outs, it will work, correct? im also wondering if the D3 has any kind of dual zone option.

ncparamedic

iTrader: (49)

So, theoretically, this could cut out the gauges on the pillar for anyone F/I'd and you could have one intergrated system that showed most of your read outs. This could be great for a more stealth/OEM look with the HKS Camp system.

ncparamedic

iTrader: (49)

Ok this is the information i found on the HKS 2...great idea...

http://www.nengun.com/hks/camp-2

Kwame

iTrader: (78)

Like this...

ncparamedic

iTrader: (49)

Whoa!! Very nice set up... I think i would rather have something like that.. with 6 different screens you are pretty limitless on what you could have.. Nav on one channel, car readings (FI/NA) on the others...mmmmmm....

Spike100

The “bezel/LCD mount” in the pic looks very nice. I assume this is a custom fabrication. It certainly solves the recurring question constantly asked about how to mount LCD’s in later year Z’s.

Could you provide more detail on this LCD mount?

--Spike

clarkemtp

Yep.

Spike100

^^ Will the Pioneer AVIC-D3 display its navigation output on a remote LCD?

--Spike

clarkemtp

Hey man, if it will I'm not aware of how to do it. Which makes sense as the D3 uses the touchscreen interface on the navi and if you weren't using a touch capable external screen, there aren't "hard buttons" to do most functions. Hell, even if you were using a external touchscreen, there's no provision to get an external touchscreen's input back to the D3.

Clark

Spike100

And, that’s the point of this thread. The Kenwood KOS does output its navigation (along with additional A/V inputs) to a remote LCD screen, and does this with touch-screen support that operates the navigation component as well as the entire system. For that matter, you also can run everything with the KOS handheld IR remote.

I don't know of a system (other than Kenwood) that has this capability.

--Spike

clarkemtp

^^^

Allll-righty then. You'll get no argument from me as to the accuracy of what you're saying. I apologize if I stepped on anyone's toes. It was NOT my intention.

I thought the topic of this thread was "Double-Din H/U’s, Multiple Monitors, & Navigation (Pics here) ", so I wasn't intentionally going off-topic. I was just answering the person's question, from a few posts above me, as to whether the D3 could use an external monitor in the cubby. Yes, it can. He didn't specify, as far as I'm (re)reading now, that he wanted to display navi info on it.

Then you asked about the D3 displaying navi info on an external screen. Thanks for that, I didn't realize you already knew the answer and were just "fishing" to make some point. lol I was just trying to answer what I assumed was a legit question for you.

Regards,
Clark

PS - Just for the record, I'm a big fan of the Kenwood system in question and am actually considering it for the system/install I'm planning for my wife's 07 Suburban, where I feel it's multi-monitor a/v capabilities can really be best used. It just wasn't what I was looking for (or needed) in the 350Z.

Spike100

^^ Sorry, that wasn’t my intention. You’re not off-topic at all. Notice in Post #1 I mention that capability (outputting navigation to a remote monitor) with the high-end Pioneer AVIC-Z2. I have no idea if the AVIC-D3 does this (it’s not in the feature list).

--Spike

clarkemtp

No problem man, it's all good. I'll post pics when I do the install in Violet's 'Burb. Nothing fancy on the install front, but I'm pretty much decided on the Kenwood gear up front, Alpine headrest monitors for the rear seat passengers.