Double DIN head units

paradigm said:
I'd retrofit the BMW nav and be done with it tbh. Granted you don't get full postcode search, but the 4-5 digit search was good enough for me, and a recent map disc is all you need to have decent european-wide routing.
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You also don't get bluetooth, a touch screen, postcode lookup, high resolution screen, modern map graphics, modern connected features, etc etc. It also won't show media information whilst the map is visible (Unless you have the map in the tiny little assist window). You don't even get a clock or time and date display with an E39 retrofit unless you also retrofit a high onboard computer instrument cluster.

It's a pros and cons thing and I'm beginning to think the pros of the modern functionality outweigh the cons of the Bezel not looking quite as good.

I want a system where the default view is a map showing exactly where I am with my current media information displayed in the corner. BMW's system cannot offer this :(
 
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This to me sounds like a no brainer towards the Sony unit, it looks good, and the navigation will be top notch. The sound quality will not be an issue coming from the standard E39 system given how bad that already is, so i really dont see that as a potential downside.

scousegit said:
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This could look pretty good if you could somehow fit the wood facia to extend over the top half, i wonder if it would be possible to adapt the wood from the old fashioned cassette cover and make it look OEM that way?
 
thats what I have been asking but have somehow been ignored.

He could wrap it as someone else mentioned if his was a metal finish, but I gather it's wood?
 
scousegit said:
thats what I have been asking but have somehow been ignored.

He could wrap it as someone else mentioned if his was a metal finish, but I gather it's wood?
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One of the other retrofits i believe Fox has planned is walnut finish inserts to replace the ally ones. This really helps the E39 interior and is the way to go for sure, but it does rule out any wrapping of that facia.
 
NeilMick said:
Maybe worth waiting for the units that look OEM which should be released running on Android?
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I've been watching these for 18 months now. They are all made by Chinese firms who appear to keep making irritating mistakes.

The best one at the moment is the Dynavin one - but it looks ridiculous because there is a 3cm gap at the top of the unit because Dynavin insisted that the end user be able to install it without removing a bracket that takes 5 minutes to remove, and therefore they couldn't extend the screen any higher.

It also has a few epic failures such as the inability to switch music tracks in Navigation mode. They've just released an Android E46 one which looks good and would fix all the software crap, but unless they fundamentally change the way the E39 one looks..
 
NeilMick said:
I thought I'd seen one installed in an E39 that looked fine, maybe I was mistaken?
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There is another one made by a firm called Hualagin (I can't spell it). They've got the asthetics nailed - it looks really good, unlike the Dynavin. But the interface is apparently ridiculously bug-ridden and Hualagin don't appear to have an Android version in the works.
 
One other bonus with the double din installation over the bespoke unit is that it leaves you open to later changing the unit for any other double din unit should an appreciably better one be released. This would enable you to keep on top of changing technology regardless of how long you keep the car. That would be an attractive benefit to me if i was planning long term ownership.
 
You've picked out the two units that I was considering some months ago!

[TW]Fox;19951540 said:
But the Sony has an ace up its sleeve - the navigation side of things is basically the latest TomTom unit with IQ routes. Say what you like about navigation but I firmly beleive TomTom is the market leader. I love the interface, I love the routing, I just love the products full stop. I rate Tomtom higher than any navigation system I've ever used and as a result it's really making me lean towards the Sony - having a large, widescreen version of the current generation TomTom units - with full European mapping, Live services and all the other jazz you get with the top end £200+ TomToms, is just hugely appealing.
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You describe the exact reasoning for me buying the L77BT. I've got it fitted into my Type-R and it's a gorgeous piece of kit. The Sat Nav. side of it is as you expect, a full-blown TomTom. I did have a problem where the unit didn't pick up a satellite lock which rendered the navigation part of the L77BT completely useless, but a quick update seemed to fix it.

I do find using the actual unit a little slow, but I'm not sure if this can be said for all double-dins as this is the first I've used. This is especially noticeable when you're trying to navigate your iPod (it takes a second or so to go from page to page).

Not sure what else to say, it's a lovely bit of kit. If you have any questions or want me to take some pictures of the various screens, let me know and I'll go take some and post them up.
 
Fox, you've hit the pros and cons on each unit on the head. It can only really come down to your preference now. The Sony may have sub par audio as it is, but sticking it through a decent amp will make it sound better than the pioneer (which is worth remembering). For me, an easy to use and read nav would be key
 
Xtrm2Matt said:
Not sure what else to say, it's a lovely bit of kit. If you have any questions or want me to take some pictures of the various screens, let me know and I'll go take some and post them up.
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Excellent - great to find somebody who has one. I do have a few questions, quite odd and specific ones :p

When you power it on, does it default to whatever you were last doing? So if you were on the Nav, does it come back when you return to the car?

It has a window to display track information whilst in the Nav, yes?

Do you have steering wheel controls and do they allow you to change track whilst using the Navigation?

Does it reboot when you go from ignition on to engine start?

What is the typical delay between turning the key and having the radio playing on the unit?

Does it support Playlist files if you are playing from SD card or USB stick?

Why didn't you buy the Pioneer?

Did you consider the 66BT?

Lucero said:
Fox, you've hit the pros and cons on each unit on the head. It can only really come down to your preference now. The Sony may have sub par audio as it is, but sticking it through a decent amp will make it sound better than the pioneer (which is worth remembering). For me, an easy to use and read nav would be key
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This is why I'm leaning towards the Sony - though it is more expensive.
 
I would be tempted to find something that looks the part even if that come at the cost of some functionality. Most of the BMW bezels are just hideous or very cheap looking IMO.
 
I have decided that spending 1k fitting a 10 year old computer just because it looks a bit better than the bezel is just silly.
 
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