[robert99b]

I bought this flip-down screen from autotoys.com for $306 ( now $279 ). We are using a portable DVD, the Panasonic LA-85, as the video source. For audio, we are using a cassette adapter plugged into the audio out jack of the portable DVD player. This is the cheapest way to go for us. If we find it inadequate down the road, I can always buy this Pioneer 6 disc DVD/CD changer or this Farenheit 5 disc DVD/CD changer, and add a FM modulator. We should be ok for those occasional long trips, since the kids watch more than enough TV as is .

My installation took about three hours, going at somewhat slow rate while also entertaining the kids. Here's a summary of what I did. I also have both the service and electrical manuals, which I found to be extremely helpful in locating the panel clips and wiring.

1. Remove rear map light
2. Pull out B-pillar panels on passenger side
3. Mark mounting location of monitor, drill small holes for the plate through roof liner
4. Run the cable from B-pillar to monitor location
5. Mount monitor on roof liner using bolts, washer and nuts
6. Connect lights on monitor casing to interior lights (from rear map light)
7. Remove front passenger door sill trim
8. Run cable to front passenger fuse/relay box
9. Connect power to accessories +12v line
10. Run video source cable to front console, just under ashtray
11. Put everything back

 

[robert99b]

Not sure how much the unit weighs, not too heavy though. Yes, I used the bracket, which sits between the headliner and the monitor. The unit came with tiny screws to secure the monitor to the bracket.

I think there's slight sag. I haven't watched a program back there while the car is moving, so I don't know how much bouncing there is.

 

[robert99b]

To tell you the truth, I've tried 1 DVD so far, with 16x9. I have not tried 4x3 titles. But there is screen mode selection, so I would think it would be either black bars or blown up image cutting top and bottom off. I'll try it out and post pics.

Good eye with the pink thing on the air vent . It's the wife's car, and she has a Hello Kitty phone holder on the vent. I'll have to take a picture of that too!

 

[robert99b]

Ok, we took a trip to Vegas this past weekend. Have some comments about my setup.

First, I picked up a mobile DVD at Fry's last Friday. I stuck it under the passenger front seat, on top of the DVD nav unit. It fit very snugly in there, so I didn't do anything else to keep it in place. It came with a remote eye, which I stuck on the radio. I was going to use my portable DVD player, but didn't think the battery pack would last long enough. I also tried an inverter and it gave whining noise through the car audio system when the inverter was on. Strange... Anyway, rather than pick up an power adapter for the portable DVD, I bought the mobile DVD for $199.

When I was testing the system after installation (car in the garage), it looked pretty good but skipped/freezed image a couple of times. I thought it might have been a bad unit, but I thought it also might have been dirty disk. So I decided to go on the trip with it. Another thing I didn't like about the mobile DVD is that you actually have the push the power button on the front panel to get it into stand-by mode. Then you can use the remote to control its functions.

On the road, the screen vibrated quite a bit over some of the bumpy LA freeways. I think I will be reinstalling the monitor, doing something similar to cdawg's installation.

The mobile DVD skipped quite a few more times on the road, so I decided to return the unit. It may be this unit only, but I wasn't in the mood to try again. I might spring for the $350 DVD changer .

I feel I needed a screen in the front, so I can make menu selections, etc, from my seat. The video nav conversion would be perfect, but I might try to figure out where I can mount a 7" screen up front, consider it may cost about the same as the video nav conversion, and probably quite a bit easier to do.

I will also be getting a FM modulator for the audio. The cassette solution was ok, but the car was a mess of wires running all over the place.

 

[robert99b]

forgot the picture

 

[robert99b]

Image quality is below that of the display on our portable DVD player. I'm guessing part of the reason being the composite-only connection rather than s-video. Resolution seems to be the same as other 7" 16x9 screen.

The image was fine from all 5 seating position in the back. At an more extreme angle, like maybe someone outside the car, it would probably be black. That's the nature of LCD screens. Well, at least on our screen, angle wasn't an issue.