Showing posts with label ipod ready. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ipod ready. Show all posts

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Soundstream VIR7870NRB 7-Inch Flip Up TFT-LCD Receiver (Black) Review

Soundstream VIR7870NRB 7-Inch Flip Up TFT-LCD Receiver (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I'm in love with this multimedia headunit! I can do everything on this thing! GPS, Live TV, Bluetooth, Media Streaming via Bluetooth, Play DVD,s-etc! One thing I find great is you can set a background on the display. Has so many inputs and outputs. I have my whole system amplified via Front, Rear, and Sub amps, so I can't say how the sound quality through the built-in amp is. I may add a video review later, because there are SO many things this head unit does! I HIGHLY recommend this unit!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Soundstream VIR7870NRB 7-Inch Flip Up TFT-LCD Receiver (Black)



Buy NowGet 55% OFF

Click here for more information about Soundstream VIR7870NRB 7-Inch Flip Up TFT-LCD Receiver (Black)

Read More...

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Sony MEXBT5700U CD Receiver Bluetooth Hands-Free and Audio Streaming Capability (Black) Review

Sony MEXBT5700U CD Receiver Bluetooth Hands-Free and Audio Streaming Capability (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this product from a cheaper source, but use these reviews to determine which head unit to buy. The MEX-BT5700U had all the features I was looking for at a decent price. I have a '92 Toyota Pickup with a manual transmission, so Bluetooth calling was my top priority (safety) as my state hasn't implemented handsfree calling laws yet. My calls at highway speed (windows up) were clear and my caller only noticed a slight hum/noise and reported I sounded very clear. This was using the external mic provided on default settings for the gain and noise cancelling.
Note: if an external mic is provided with ANY head unit(this one comes with an external mic)USE IT, DO NOT bother with a head unit that you cannot add or use an external mic....proper mic placement is key. I placed my mic on the steering column in front of my gauges.
Pairing was simple, and iPod control is built in so you DO NOT need the separate iPod controller Sony sells for the other units. I also purchased the HD-Radio unit, but haven't installed it yet.
The controls, and layout are decent, but some functions take multiple pushes of a single button to reach, or spin the dial....this can be a bit tough while driving. I figure after some use I will figure out what buttons do what and how many times to push to get to a function. In my opinion, no head unit is completely intuitive but I believe this unit provides a reasonable logic to it, but could most certainly be improved like every other head unit on the market.
I recommend this unit to anyone looking for hands free calling, and iPod control. For the iPod control, all you need is your iPod USB cable, plug it in and the unit recognizes it and takes control. The unit can control the iPod, but nothing beats holding the iPod in your hand and selecting music the way you are used too. Looking at the screen you will still see the Artist Name and Song Title displayed even when in 'passenger mode'. Again, I haven't read a single review of any unit that has 'excellent' iPod controls.
Four stars because, no head unit is perfect, and Sony could probably spend more effort in making the controls more intuitive.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony MEXBT5700U CD Receiver Bluetooth Hands-Free and Audio Streaming Capability (Black)


Sony's MEX-BT5700U receiver offers plenty of modern features and room to grow. Enjoy hands-free calling with your cell phone or wirelessly play back tunes on your Bluetooth-enabled audio devices. Connect, control, and charge your iPhone, iPod, or MP3 player. Play back hours of music from single CDs loaded with MP3, WMA, or AAC files. Or grow your system by adding HD/SAT radio and external amplifiers/speakers.

Hands-Free CallingThe MEX-BT5700U features Bluetooth connectivity for making hands-free calls, complete with an integrated microphone (or use the included external mic). It also features audio streaming with compatible devices, and will display music metadata if included. Bluetooth profiles supported: HFP, A2DP, PBAP, and AVRCP 1.3.

Flip-Down DisplayAn enhanced display gives you and your passengers up to four lines of music and phone-call data on a bright, full-motion fluorescent display, while the flip-down faceplate keeps your CDs and stereo secure.

MP3/WMA/AAC Playback With DM+Multi-format playback lets you play CDs, CD-Rs, or CD-RWs loaded with hundreds of MP3, WMA, or AAC songs, for hours of music on a single disc. Sony's DM+ restores the fidelity lost in compressed digital audio files, so you always get CD-quality sound.

4V Front, Rear, and Subwoofer Preamp Outputs with LPF/HPFExpand your system with 4-volt front, rear, and subwoofer pre-outs. Add amplifiers and other components, while improving the system's dynamic range, reducing system noise, and providing powerful volume. Built-in LPF/HPF (low-pass filter/high-pass filter) functionality gives you the power to customize the sound outputted to your external amplifiers and other custom components, dialing it in just right for your gear and vehicle.

Quick-BrowZer with Jump Mode and Zappin TechnologySony's Quick-BrowZer lets you search and select songs by category, including artist, album, genre, or playlist. Jump Mode gets you closer to the song you want by allowing you to fast forward through a music category in 10 percent increments. With Zappin, you can play music in six-, nine-, or 30-second clips until you find the song you're looking for.

Satellite Radio/HD Radio-ReadyThe MEX-BT5700U integrates seamlessly with satellite radio Sony Bus adapters (sold separately), so you can receive digital satellite radio broadcasts. HD Radio capability lets you receive digital audio broadcasts when used with an optional HD Radio tuner.

Front Auxiliary InputThe front auxiliary input lets you connect almost any portable audio device to your car's sound system.

USB 1-Wire for iPod and other USB devicesUSB 1-Wire lets you directly connect, charge, and control your digital music player via the USB jack in the front of the unit, as well as view metadata like song title and artist on the front display.

The Passenger Control feature lets your co-pilot control your iPod via a connected wire as they scan through your music, artist, and album information that is conveniently shown on the receiver display, so you can keep your hands on the wheel.

EQ3 Stage 2 and 52W x 4 High PowerThe MEX-BT5700 delivers 52 watts of peak power to all four speakers, for bass-pumping sound.

Wireless Card Remote Included The included wireless card remote (RM-X306) lets you control the basic functions of your Sony Xplod system while keeping your eyes on the road.

What's in the Box
Sony MEX-BT5700U receiver, wireless card remote (RM-X306) with battery, front panel case, wiring harness, installation hardware, external Bluetooth microphone, and documentation.


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sony MEXBT5700U CD Receiver Bluetooth Hands-Free and Audio Streaming Capability (Black)

Read More...

Monday, October 3, 2011

Power Acoustik PTID-8970NRB 7-Inch In-Dash Widescreen TFT/LCD Monitor with DVD Review

Power Acoustik PTID-8970NRB 7-Inch In-Dash Widescreen TFT/LCD Monitor with DVD
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I don't normally write reviews, but I decided I should for this product since there aren't many and I think the manufacturer deserves credit. I've used Power Acoustik amps and speakers before and liked them a lot. The company produces quality products but gets non-name-brand prices. So I wasn't too scared rolling the dice on this unit. I've been using it for a half a year now and it hasn't disappointed.
Sound is just fine. I doubt its audiophile quality, but it will stand with a good portion of the Sonys and the Pioneers. My one gripe there is that it doesn't seem to filter the low pass signals out of the main channels if you tell it to output to the sub channel, but this is a relatively minor problem and if you're not using a sub, you won't even care. The volume is sufficient.
Menu/control system is pretty good. You get some geek cred for having a touch screen and the basic functions are as you would expect. The external controls on the faceplate are a little weird. I definitely would have made the source easier to change than scrolling through by tapping the power button (I've never accidentally shut it off though--it's just you would think this would get its own button). I do like having the call pick-up and disconnect buttons that you can use when the faceplate is down.
iPod control is weird and I honestly don't use it. It's 100x easier to navigate your songs on the iPod itself. But I don't have use the custom ipod input because the basic audio input off a headphone jack is all i need there anyway and it lets me set my iPod in the console right side up. I suppose if I got into video on my ipod I'd give the ipod control another try, but it doesn't really worry me.
The Bluetooth handsfree option works fairly well. When someone calls you, no matter what screen you are in, it mutes your music, comes up with who it is and lets you choose to answer. It will also dial out strait from the head unit and interface with your phone's phonebook. It had troubles interfacing with mine. I actually prefer to just make the call from the phone and then the head unit takes over. I'm still out on whether I find the audio quality acceptable. In town its fine, but at highway speeds I think it picks up too much noise. Still, it's definitely usable.
Movies are pretty good. They can be a little washed out in the day depending on where the sun is etc., but generally the picture is great. I also like that it's not just a DVD player but a divx/xvid player and can use SD and USB storage devices. I haven't really used it, but I like knowing its there. If I did want to watch movies etc, I'd definately be using more the xvid/divx stuff than off the ipod. My one grip is that you have to use the remote for some of the navigation of the movie menus. I wish this was all touch screen, but you don't need it that often.
Navigation is the killer app for me. I just love it. It's also the part that I was most ambivalent about since there were no reviews of it. Well I'm glad I took the plunge. It's $200 extra, but well worth it. It's well programmed, you won't have a problem switching from a Garmin or a TomTom. It finds the satellites a lot quicker than my Garmin too, and I assume (though I don't have many tall buildings or mountains around me that it will hold on signal better there as well. And I have the antenna buried behind my glovebox. I imagine if I gave it more prominent positioning, the signal would be even better. The maps seem to be better than my garmin: it has less unnamed streets in my experience. And the fact that it's built into your dash and you don't have to sucker it onto your windshield is great. I'm really interested if anyone knows about software updates for it (just because I'm geeky that way). The website it points to doesn't seem to exist. You can quickly switch between your nav screen and your audio screens. You can continue listening to your source audio while in the nav screen and you can continue to get audio nav directions when off of the nav screen.
The security feature sort of scares me. The removable part isn't all that noticable when it's removed. It doesn't seem like much of a deterrent, which is all that really matters. I once had a head unit with top of the line smart card security. Well, it was stolen even though the card was out. All the thieves got was a dead stereo, but that didn't help me any. Anyways, this unit is so reasonably priced that I think the risk is worth it.
So all and all: everything is a little rough around the edges, it seems like it was designed a little hastily--maybe by the engineers, but it's feature-rich and most of the features work well. And if you tried to get anything similar from a big name you'd easilty be paying twice as much, which makes this a great buy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Power Acoustik PTID-8970NRB 7-Inch In-Dash Widescreen TFT/LCD Monitor with DVD



Buy NowGet 52% OFF

Click here for more information about Power Acoustik PTID-8970NRB 7-Inch In-Dash Widescreen TFT/LCD Monitor with DVD

Read More...

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Pyle PL95MU AM/FM-MPX Electronic Tunning Radio with USB/SD/MMC Reader Review

Pyle PL95MU AM/FM-MPX Electronic Tunning Radio with USB/SD/MMC Reader
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The idea of the in-dash pure digital media receiver I think will have traction in the future, but this one is "not ready for prime time." I haven't had a radio in my car for probably around 7 years now, and I just wanted something simple that played USB thumb drives and made noise that sounded music-like. In other words, my requirements were low. To get the USB mp3 functionality in another manufacturer I was easily looking at $100+ and I was looking for something that I could sell with the car and not give too much thought about. So the PL95MU at around $50 looked about right. I'd read some reviews of its relatives and they all say the radio is weak - this is no exception, but I don't listen to the radio any more anyway so it was an option I decided I'd pretend didn't even exist while ordering it.
Playing music off of the USB drive is great, excellent storage medium. I've not tried the SD reader, but will probably get a card, or look for a shorter USB, or use a cable to displace the drive because my car is a stick shift and the USB is sticking out to a point where it feels a little bit in danger of getting smacked while shifting into 5th gear (something that will obviously be different for every car). An option to have a USB cable coming out of the back and accessed in the glove box would have been nice. The interface with the music is extremely simplistic and when you put a USB drive, simply gives you a whole bunch of numbers. Potentially hundreds depending on what you have on your drive. You can skip one song, or skip ten songs - that's the extent of your seeking ability. Hitting skip makes a little pop and then fadeout before switching. Slightly annoying.
I planned on doing a review on this after a few weeks anyway because there were none here and I've found other reviews helpful here. What clinched my doing a review on this product...it pi***d me off.
Why it pi***d me off enough to really write this: It locked on. Every now and then it'll get this "USB ERR" message, sometimes it'll recover, sometimes you have to wait until you turn the key off before it'll clear. This time turning the key off did not recover it and the lights behind the buttons stayed on - I HAD TO PULL THE PLUG. I have easy access to do so, but someone who didn't might get this thing stuck on and have their battery drained and a permanent "USB ERR" staring them in the face. This is unacceptable and why this gets 1 flaming turd.
Another thing it seems to do rather randomly is not recover from a wakeup with the USB drive still in it. Most of the time it comes on and restarts from the last song you were on - sometimes it just displays "USB PLAY" and will sit there forever and do nothing, forcing you to pull out the drive and incur a "USB ERR." Which it may or may not recover from. This seems to be worse the higher the number of the song.
Also, though the ad claims 200watts of power, the manual (which has horrible, and entertainingly funny, English) claims a 1 amp fuse on the switched power, and 7 amp fuse on the continuous power wire. Since 7 amps multiplied by 12 volts is 84 watts, and there's likely some overhead involved for inefficiencies and other losses...this thing is 50 watts (total) maximum. It seems not much louder than the factory 25 watt radio that preceded it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pyle PL95MU AM/FM-MPX Electronic Tunning Radio with USB/SD/MMC Reader



Buy NowGet 75% OFF

Click here for more information about Pyle PL95MU AM/FM-MPX Electronic Tunning Radio with USB/SD/MMC Reader

Read More...