Why don't we get these options :'(

13-07-2006, 11:23 AM

http://ford.co.uk/ns7/foc_c307/foc_c...biles/-/-/-/-#

13-07-2006, 01:36 PM

Try this: http://www.ford.co.uk/ns7/foc_c307/f...obiles/-/-/-/-

blacksapphire · 13-07-2006, 01:48 PM

Awww man! Those are really nice! Exactly what I was hoping to do with the HU in the car. Does anyone know if there are aftermarket ones that will fit? I saw a touchscreen unit fitted to a Camry but it had an ugly interface and there were some ugly gaps on the sides.

13-07-2006, 02:04 PM

Problem is our head units are aobut an inch wider than normal din.

What is coming popular is to disassemble a 7 or 8" LCD off ebay, mould it into the front facia where the radio used to go with bog/fibreglass, and connect it to a in-car computer, you can use a laptop etc. It was covered in a thread not long ago.

Then you have DVD player, MP3 Player, TV tuner, radio, GPS, plus other things a computer can do!

photn · 13-07-2006, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Then you have DVD player, MP3 Player, TV tuner, radio, GPS, plus other things a computer can do!

to do all that on a single laptop, u are requiring alot of money, especially for the software, it will have to be all custom fittings for all that. a dvd player and Mp3 player ona computer is comon, radio will require software and a jack on the laptop, tv tuner will require an antenna that is insulated against the radiaton form the computer(trust me it does effect the signal) a gps is something allitle harder. as i said all these things are easy to get, but as soon as you try and put them all on a laptop, ull probably be paying 5g for that laptop and more for the software!!!!

blacksapphire · 13-07-2006, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

ull probably be paying 5g for that laptop and more for the software!!!!

The guy who had the touchscreen unit in his Camry said he paid $950 for his. It had radio, DVD, TV, not sure if it had gps (I doubt it).

Wonder how much it would be to import and install the units offered on the Ford UK site? We can only dream...

#Russ#Es# · 13-07-2006, 03:17 PM

We aren't missing out on much (maybe apart from the navigation system). The Sony premium hu isn't that great, have heard of plenty of guys in the UK complaining about a lack of power and lack of features (it is a factory hu after all!)

All you need is this >>>http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Car_Stereo_f...ford/focus.htm

...and you're laughing (and remove the annoying steering wheel audio controls as well).

photn · 13-07-2006, 03:22 PM

the dvd and radio are easy to do, the laptop can have a dvd player drive installed easily, the radio will be simple as well not much there, the tv requires a hardware component due to physical requirements. he probably paid 950 for the laptop which had a dvd player on it and moded the laptop to recieve Audio and Tv. there are ways of getting this done, but its still going to cost you to put it through the car system. lol i played jarhead on my laptop in my car, attached a fm transmitter to the headphone jack and listened to it through the car, (crap quality) but hilarious especially with the guns going off, and the sub going NUTS!!!!

LethalLeigh · 13-07-2006, 03:55 PM

Why would importing a factory component from the UK be any cheaper than and aftermarket HU or DVD player from here. Pioneer have released Bluetooth HUs now and I believe Eclipse do GPS in some of theirs. DVD units are a dime a dozen and getting better by the minute.

13-07-2006, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

to do all that on a single laptop, u are requiring alot of money, especially for the software, it will have to be all custom fittings for all that. a dvd player and Mp3 player ona computer is comon, radio will require software and a jack on the laptop, tv tuner will require an antenna that is insulated against the radiaton form the computer(trust me it does effect the signal) a gps is something allitle harder. as i said all these things are easy to get, but as soon as you try and put them all on a laptop, ull probably be paying 5g for that laptop and more for the software!!!!

Not too much...

Basic laptop - New around $850, if you can score off a friend/ebay one with a dead LCD it can be substantially cheaper/free. Add another stick of ram for a hundred or so.

Radio and TV tuner - http://www.ht.com.au/scripts/xworks.exe?PART:98455
This is a more high end unit at around $250. Includes FM. Add double shielded coax , wire it away from other wiring as you would an amp install, and install the antenna away from electronics. (rear parcel shelf ideal) Or if you own a Fairlane put a Boomerang antenna on the boot and be a limo wannabe.

GPS - Around 450 for GPS reciever, cables and Papago turn-by-turn software.

8" touch screen - Around $200 on Ebay

13-07-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksapphire

The guy who had the touchscreen unit in his Camry said he paid $950 for his. It had radio, DVD, TV, not sure if it had gps (I doubt it).

Wonder how much it would be to import and install the units offered on the Ford UK site? We can only dream...

Something like this?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BelCanto-DVD-...ayphotohosting

photn · 13-07-2006, 04:20 PM

yer the problem with that device from ebay is that a) it hasnt got GPS, b)its a high price.

-buying a 850 laptop is alright, ur buying acer obviously, lol but think of it, ur wasting a good 17/15" screen, unless u know how to remover it and use it instead lol. as as i said b4, which u just demonstrated u need alot of extra parts to get all the things u want to get working ie tv and radio, though there cheap, its not as simple as basicall buying a screen and laptop and connecting the 2 together. as shown u need to buy the tv tuner and radio device, connect it to the laptop sheild it against the radiation, also place the antenna to get the reception, if putting in the back u need to run the wires so that they can be seen, and ware will you have the loading bay for the DVD, u need to think about all that, and the installation, its cheaper to buy the item listed on ebay, though with a computer u can run games and all that, have a biger library of music, and music videos, that and computers are more fun, u will also on the computer require a navigation item, like sum form of mouse, and even maybee a keyboard. personally i reckon should just get the ebay item. and if ur thinking about the media center edition they only come with upper class market laptops with decent lcd screens(NEW) and there worth 3-5g

blacksapphire · 13-07-2006, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackLS

Something like this?
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/BelCanto-DVD-...ayphotohosting

Yeah, except it had an uglier graphical interface (hot green icons on a blue background - yuk). I guess the only issue would be (a) will it fit? (b) if its smaller, where can we get custom faceplates to finish it off nicely.

I guess a cheaper option would just be installing a DVD player in the glove box, with screens in the head rests and a Melways.

13-07-2006, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

yer the problem with that device from ebay is that a) it hasnt got GPS, b)its a high price.

-buying a 850 laptop is alright, ur buying acer obviously, lol but think of it, ur wasting a good 17/15" screen, unless u know how to remover it and use it instead lol. as as i said b4, which u just demonstrated u need alot of extra parts to get all the things u want to get working ie tv and radio, though there cheap, its not as simple as basicall buying a screen and laptop and connecting the 2 together. as shown u need to buy the tv tuner and radio device, connect it to the laptop sheild it against the radiation, also place the antenna to get the reception, if putting in the back u need to run the wires so that they can be seen, and ware will you have the loading bay for the DVD, u need to think about all that, and the installation, its cheaper to buy the item listed on ebay, though with a computer u can run games and all that, have a biger library of music, and music videos, that and computers are more fun, u will also on the computer require a navigation item, like sum form of mouse, and even maybee a keyboard. personally i reckon should just get the ebay item. and if ur thinking about the media center edition they only come with upper class market laptops with decent lcd screens(NEW) and there worth 3-5g

I agree with using the KISS principle (Keep it simple stupid). But for someone who has worked around computers who has a lot of parts laying around, it becomes more simple. Especially someone who is used to in car installs (Stereos, amps, subs, tv, dvd etc)

New laptop is fine, pull out the screen, they sell for around $200. Although there are countless laptop brands, there are only 2 or 3 laptop screen manufacturers. Or go a damanged laptop, there around 300 for a high end system.

Tuner/FM card - Think about it. PCI tuner cards are an open chip inside guess what - a computer!!! The device I intend to use is an external usb version that could be placed further away to the laptop, which it shouldn't need be. Connecting it to the laptop isn't too hard (it is a USB plug and play device ;) )

Only thing that needs double shielding is the coax cable, and this can be argued as unnessecsary over single shielding (the stuff that is used by the car radio antenna mind you). If you were trying to recieve AM, then perhaps there could be noticeable interferance with reception. This is not an issue in this case.

DVD drive could be mounted in the glovebox in a caddie and connected via USB

Navigation can be done by touch screen, which I posted before. (around $240)

What a in car computer offers you that a head unit doesn't is customisability. You can basically make things look however you want it.

EDIt: you need an amp for the computer solution as well ;), but you have offered 5.1 surround

13-07-2006, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksapphire

Yeah, except it had an uglier graphical interface (hot green icons on a blue background - yuk). I guess the only issue would be (a) will it fit? (b) if its smaller, where can we get custom faceplates to finish it off nicely.

I guess a cheaper option would just be installing a DVD player in the glove box, with screens in the head rests and a Melways.

I had a similar system to this (I had the screen mounted just behind the front map light). DVD in glovebox etc, DVD sound out into the 3.5mm aux in.

These would be pretty cool as well
http://www.ex-audio.net/ebay%20pictu...reme%2017a.jpg

photn · 13-07-2006, 08:28 PM

i see your point, this is myne, what about ppl who dont have access to all these little tid bits lying around dont have anyidea what there doing???? like ur idea is great, but not everyone has an IT background.

blacksapphire · 14-07-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackLS

These would be pretty cool as well
http://www.ex-audio.net/ebay%20pictu...reme%2017a.jpg

Yeah they look cool. Don't know if the Mrs is gonna like not having a mirror anymore though - LOL!

15-07-2006, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacksapphire

Yeah they look cool. Don't know if the Mrs is gonna like not having a mirror anymore though - LOL!

Put a camera on the dash and get it zoomed onto a mole or pimple or something. lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

i see your point, this is myne, what about ppl who dont have access to all these little tid bits lying around dont have anyidea what there doing???? like ur idea is great, but not everyone has an IT background.

Its cool dude.