Hanley

Okay

We were driving 150 miles at the weekend with our 15 month old son in the back of the car, for most of the way he pretty much just screamed

Now, if he had been able to watch C-Beebies then life would have been so much more peaceful for me and my wife, so we've decided we'd like to get some sort of in-car DVD system.

Most of the portable systems I've looked at use headphones, now this is no good for me as my son is too young so I think I will need something that goes through the car speaker system.

As we have another baby due in January I figure I may as well have 2 screens put in the back, thinking ahead

I admit that I know absolutely nothing about in-car entertainment etc so I thought I'd ask you guys for some help / advice.

I now drive an Audi A4, you're bog standard 1.9TDI, good family car with plenty of space, so I would like 2 screens fitted into the driver and passenger headrests, I would also like to be able to control the unit from the head-unit so I'm assuming I'd need a head unit with a screen in the front (only so the wife can select the menu options and play the dvd etc).

A bonus for me would be if I could play MP3 files from a DVD (not essential).

I don't fancy a tacky screen that just fits over the headrest with wires all over the place as my son would take great pleasure in pulling them to pieces

In terms of price I don't want to be spending an absolute fortune but I am willing to pay for a well installed, professionally fitted system.

Any suggestions guys?

Cheers

Hanley

scooby51

If you were to take a look at something like caraudiobargains.co.uk or caraudiosecurity.com then you will see that the range is mahoosive but starts from only £330 and goes up to whatever you want it to BUT it would be down to personal preference as what you go for.
Mine is a Kenwood XXV 05V and that comes with a list of features longer than your arm, but it does have a "dual zone" facility where the front passengers can listen to one form of audio while the rear can listen/watch another.

As far as i am aware, many of the motorised monitors available "should" have this ability. As for screens in the headrests, well, i've never had them as i have bucket seats and they dont fit.

There was a company at MAX LIVE, though, who had screens in headrests that were remote control and could link to a headunit that also had their own loading slot for a disc and when you turned the power off, they spun round so all you saw is a blank plate - neat hey!!!!!

I'll see if i can find their card and let you know the site..

Bartop

I've got a kenwood DDX-6029 HU - pick them up for about £450 new on ebay plus a Kenwood LZH-70WTR Roof screen for about £180..
Loads of features, dual zone etc plus very expandable,sat nav, ipod, bluetooth etc through add on modules as and when..
Job sorted..

Hanley

I like the look of that Kenwood head-unit

Can you play MP3's off a DVD or just from a CD?

Bartop

I haven't tried it myself but I hear tale that you can

Hanley

Definately interested in the head-unit along with the IPOD connector.

When you say 'dual-zone', do you mean it can go out to 2 screens? Pardon my ignorance but when it comes to ICE - 'i know nothing'

Also I'll need to find a reputable installer so if anyone knows of someone in the North-West area (Merseyside) then that would be a great help.

Bartop

dual zone means you can have different audio source to the rear speakers than to the front but you can of course have different video display as well.

I should mention the downside of the DDX is the user interface is a bit bland and boring and takes a bit of getting used to, also the ipod interface is not brilliant, it's not very easy to search for tracks/albums/artists for instance..

other ddx owners feel free to chip in !

scooby51

not a ddx owner but quite right in what you are saying about the audio and visual outputs, they can be separated.

As for MP3 on a DVD - YES you can; i currently have have 36 albums on one DVD but it does remove the facility of watching a DVD at the same time. Unfortunately, i dont have a DVD changer unit and the DVD's wont work in the MP3 changer unit i have but i use these for mixed cd's as MP3 copying puts a blank space between songs for easier location.

HOWEVER - I am looking at the Panasonic CX-DH801 DVD/MP3/CD/WMA 8 disc changer which will rectify this for only 199.99!!!!!

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Halfords have a dvd player that comes with 2 x 8" screens and has built in speakers, the screens strap tp the back of the front seats so you can take it out. They also do the same thing with 2 x 6.5 inch screens both are under 200 quid.

ScoobyDoo555

Been looking at a similar thing for my S4 Avant. Used my Dad's portable DVD player, on the 250mile round trip to Alton Towers - didn't hear a peep out of the kids for 4 hours!!

I've got the Bose system attached to the Concert stereo, so was looking at a dual screen DVD system, where you physically clamp the screens onto the legs of the headrests (much tidier than the straps), and the cables could get fed down the side instead.

The DVD unit - Ebay to some great DVD only items with loads of outputs. Was going to get one of those with the remote control, slot it under the seats, and feed the audio via the TFT screens' own speakers.

Still get to use my stereo too then I also want to look at maybe the Audi TV screen (replaces the head unit)......

The option above came to about £200 in total You'd then need to get the windows tinted (for security reasons!)

Dan