2-DIN DVD player/screen

[98se5speed]

so my latest potential purchase that I'll obsess over for a while is a 2-DIN DVD player/screen. I've seen a few decent looking off-brand ones on ebay for under $400, but it's hard to really get any specs or reviews on em. This particular one looks like a winner, but again, hard to get the real specs on it. Most of all I wanna see a detailed rear view of the unit to see what kinda inputs and outputs it has, and I'd like to know what sort of an EQ is built in. Also, above all, I'd like to know if it reads DVD-R's of mp3's.

http://anton.scottpolak.com/maxima/gvox/d5_1_b.JPG

"GVOX" is the brand, and their US operations are actually headquartered out of Elmhurst. They don't appear to make any retail sales, but I'm thinking about asking my buddy who owns an engine shop if he's interested in becoming a dealer (he actually already is an authorized dealer for a local car audio distributor, if anyone is ever interested). Doesn't sound like GVOX requires any minimum orders or initial investment, so it seems to be a win-win idea. I wonder if they have any demo units in Elmhurst I could look at to see if the stuff is junk.

Just my latest obsession I had to write about.

http://anton.scottpolak.com/maxima/gvox/at-208.jpg

[Fishstick]

this is one aproach. THE Coolest thing i've seen is what my friend has in his 2001 Maxima. A touch screen lcd ( 9 inch or so), with DVI and Vga outputs, hooked up to a laptop under his seat. He has windows XP PRo on the laptop, and the video is routed to the LCD. With just a touch , he can play games, watch DIVX , play Mp3 ( audio is routed to his speakers) , not to mention that he has a GPS navigation for fraction of the cost. Thats PIMP and its all custom, done by him.

[Biggs]

b00b started that project havent' finish i'm starting it to (the carpc) i hope i can squeeze a dvd drive in the front for the computer

[98se5speed]

That's pretty badazz. I imagine a 9" touch-screen with GUI output that can connect to a PC isn't cheap. Crazy pimpt though. I wonder how you deal with startup/shutdown when you start/stop the engine? Just have the PC go into hibernate mode with the power is cut to it? I wonder if you can have it resume right back where you were (like in the middle of an mp3 track). I'm sure anything is possible if you know what you're doing.

That GVOX unit claims to be able to control a CD or DVD changer... yet they don't make any changers, nor do they say which brands of changers their stuff works with. Again, lack of good info makes me leery. Guess I'll keep researching it.

[Biggs]

there's a relay you buy...when you turn off the engine the thing signals teh computer to turn off and gives it about a mine to turn off and it auto turns on too

[98se5speed]

very nice. I'll probably go the all-in-one 2-DIN approach for the Max, but the van might have a PC in its future. SO much room and potential in that thing.

Hell, I already have a PC in there sometimes. I cut a board and covered it in black felt, and it secures to my dash with one screw through the center of the dash cup holder. The rear and side of it slip into the ~3/4" gap that is in the center of the dash. Works awesome. This pic sorta shows it, we were about to head to South Haven. Check out the 2nd one, I'd say we had a few weekend supplies packed up. Minivans kick so much ass. We couldn't have taken 1/2 the stuff we did in an SUV.

http://gallery.scottpolak.com/albums/4thOfJuly_2003_james/DCP_2334.sized.jpg

http://gallery.scottpolak.com/albums/4thOfJuly_2003_james/DCP_2333.sized.jpg

[Biggs]

dude....i have a van too it has been through hell....constructions, drywall, tiles, bricks, EVERYTHING. Then there are the times we took it ot the lake with 3 bikes in the back grill coolers 6 ppl and TONS of shit...i gotta say a minivan is very useful

[98se5speed]

Glad to hear someone else understands utility over image. I remember one drunken night getting yelled at by some punks in an Envoy about the fact that we were leaving the bar in a Caravan. We made sure that they knew they were actually driving the more modern (but less useful) version of the soccer-mom-mobile. It was funny.

Not so funny was that my Caravan blew a heater hose on the way to the junkyard today. Luckily broke down like 1 mile from home instead of in Hammond. Passed an Autozone on my way to the yard, decided to just get a brand new hose. Probably a wise idea.

Pick-n-pull in Hammond was no mecca for 4th gen owners. They have about 100 3rd gens, but they had 2 4th gens. One had black leather, but the rear seat cushion was trashed. Fabulous. Both were black, but had wasted rear doors (sorry Fishstick).