simkna Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 Come on then RR, don't be shy - lets see some pics of the new toy. Si. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 10, 2005 Report Share Posted October 10, 2005 It's being installed this Thursday so pics either late Thurs evening or Friday. At the time of ordering my GTI I didn't feel that I needed SatNav and thought I'd save the money to get Xenons and DSG. I always was going to change the Head Unit to upgrade the audio and had one selected (Pioneer cos I've always liked them) and even ordered from Japan. But then Andy posted a pic of a touch screen combined audio and SatNav and because I had recently got really lost in some wooded lanes with high hedges in Wiltshire and my car was filling up with navigation notes on bits of paper, I decided to check it out. The car sound man I use had a demo I could play with and I tested it out on a few known tricky ones and it was very cool. When I looked into the costs compared with the factory SatNav option I found that I was going to get a better 4x50W amp CD+tuner Head Unit plus iPod Shuffle connectivity plus touch screen plus steering wheel remote control of most functions plus simultaneous SatNav on DVD, even with red lighting, all including installation for about £50 cheaper than the factory option. For me it's a no-brainer! But I do understand those who much prefer their Head Unit to look totally built into the overall dashboard design. For me, I prefer to hear good audio rather than look at it. It will have a proper Mk5 style surround panel anyway. Great news that you sold your Mazda! Same guy you told me about? Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simkna Posted October 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Yup, same guy. Garage looks awfully empty now, but that's no bad thing as the garage is going to be floored and rebuilt as part of the house extension plans for next year. Si. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Def a smart move moving away from OEM. The beauty is that if you get a good installer you can return the car to stock and move the kit to a new car. Get some pics sorted when you get the install finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Si - Good it's the same guy as you told me how enthusiastic he was about your car . dansky - Yep, I have used the same installer guy for my last 3 cars and let the last installation go with the car (Sold within 1 week!!). I'll get plenty pics sorted when installed - I think it's going to be a very comprehensive system. I'm not changing the stock speakers unless it's clear that the new system needs it and doubt if I will cos I only listen to music in the car in certain driving conditions but like to enjoy it when I do. One step at a time and only if necessary - as Captain Sensible keeps telling me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spankit Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 looking forward to the pics Mr. R.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 What unit did u get mate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 ....Pioneer AVH-P5700 DVD AV Head Unit. It has a motorised 6.5inch touch screen and includes a digital tuner and CD/DVD player. I'm hooking it up to a AVIC-800DVD navigation unit fitted under the passenger seat and the system includes a remote control fitted to the steering wheel. The result is that the Nav DVD disk can 'permanently' live in the AVIC-800 leaving my head unit's disk slot free for music CDs and giving protection to the relatively expensive DVD Nav disk. The Nav disk covers 22 countries in Europe and has 31 detailed city maps and 1.65 million points of interest!! The points of interest are in 65 different categories - from preferred eateries to Shell stations for my Optimax! Coverage in Ireland is only partial!(?)! If you want you can give it voice commands and you can also mute the spoken stuff. It also has 6 different view modes. It's expandable to integrate with an optional full iPod adaptor but I'm only getting my sound man to rig me up a jack for our iPod Shuffles in the glovebox. Other extra options, which I don't need, include a Surround Sound digital processor, a TV player, and a Vehicle Dynamics Processor giving car stats (a bit of a pure toy imo). Also there is the extra option of a multi-CD player - again not wanted. The head unit is 50Wx4 and supports MP3 (and WMA) files on disk but not AAC, but that's no problem cos I can easily convert any AAC files to high quality MP3 on my Mac before burning a disk. With iPods the file format doesn't matter. All in all it seems to represent better value for money than the VW factory option but, to be fair, I don't know how good the OEM SatNav option is. The OEM audio doesn't impress me. I am sure that Kenwood and Alpine make equivalent units but I personally prefer the Pioneer user-interface. Pioneer AVH-P5700DVD Pioneer AVIC-800DVD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 I would be interested in seeing some pictures mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Installation tomorrow (Thursday) and pics asap after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 Woke up as a Veteran and now going to bed as a Pooh-Bah!! Trouble is I have no idea what a Pooh-Bah is!!.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simkna Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Pooh-Bah or pooh-bah (pbä) n. 1. A pompous ostentatious official, especially one who, holding many offices, fulfills none of them. 2. A person who holds high office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [After Pooh-Bah, Lord-High-Everything-Else, a character in The Mikado by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.] Si. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentandy Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 In a nut shell, it simply means you spend a lot of time posting on here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Pioneer AV gear installed but not completed yet (one part missing but coming next week). However, an added benefit I hadn't anticipated is that whether you have set a route or not, the SatNav shows the road you are driving anyway and in Driver's View you can 'see' the unfamiliar road immediately ahead and around the bend out of sight, and also blind side road junctions - All being a useful safety benefit. Does the OEM SatNav have the Driver's View (3D perspective view)? The Pioneer unit offers the option of either red & blue lighting or green & blue. At night the red & blue perfectly matches the GTI's red & blue lighting scheme . I'll post pics, report and answer any questions after I've become more familiar. I have never had a SatNav before so I may report the obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simkna Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 As Robin reports, I find my Tomtom satnav perspective view of the road ahead invaluable on unknown roads. Si. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 So, in return for getting involved and trying to help others here, I get a title which means I'm a pompous and ostentatious official!! I suppose I can show a tendency to pose occasionally - Hence the red car - But it's a bit strong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richy Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 [ QUOTE ] However, an added benefit I hadn't anticipated is that whether you have set a route or not, the SatNav shows the road you are driving anyway and in Driver's View you can 'see' the unfamiliar road immediately ahead and around the bend out of sight, and also blind side road junctions - All being a useful safety benefit. [/ QUOTE ] Cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Look forward to seeing your pictures RR. I like the look of the one you have chosen robin, but i need one that can be easily swapped between cars. I have been looking at getting a sat nav system for a while now, and think i have seen the ideal one (for me). Tyresmoke review Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 No way the Pioneer can be car swopped....takes a full day for a pro to install! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Job not completely finished yet but have started to learn how it works. First impressions are: The screen is meant to automatically slide itself out and in as the ignition is switched on and off but the unit seems a bit confused about this - Something I need sorting. After the Pioneer screen there is an annoying red text warning screen display rather like a rented video film intro about copyright crap. So it's two separate touches before you see what you want to see. The screen angle can be set and remembered as can screen contrast, brightness etc as you would expect. Angle really effects visibility because the GTI windscreen is so extensive. However a small magnetic 'lump' Sat receiver works very well on the dashboard. The whole Head Unit really looks much better than I expected in the dashboard. It sits proud but it looks especially integrated with its red and blue lit controls. The steering wheel rim fitted remote control looks cool but it's crap! It doesn't stay seated and it doesn't light up at night and half the time it doesn't work! Fortunately the touch screen and other H/U physical control knobs etc work extremely well, as is usual with Pioneer gear. Audio sound for commercial CD music disks is a major improvement on the OEM. I emphasise "major" and that's without changing the stock speakers. The system does show up that additional speakers might help. There is a very good range of EQ settings including your ability to customise and the touch-screen interface is extremely easy and v.v. cooool (teenage girls just can't leave it alone!). However, music will always be very secondary to the driving when I'm in a car and unless you've got spare dosh there's no need to take it further with new speakers. If you have the dosh then go for it and enjoy even more! Because I have iPod Shuffles we have had to use the AV output and it is disappointing that the EQ doesn't apply there. Also volume levels are down compared with music CDs. My soundman has very neatly brought out the cable connection to the iPod though - Pics to follow when job completed next week. I have only just began to explore the SatNav and there is obviously quite a lot to become familiar with bearing in mind that this is my first one. The touch-screen feature works extremely well and actions can be voice commanded. But! You have to know what I call 'helicopter-pilot-speak' - "Queen" isn't recognised whereas "Quebec" is and so it gets tedious in the extreme re-doing by voice and including spaces etc. Voice command is only any good for simple things such as a Source change...."A V". I expect all SatNavs do this but I was very impressed when missing a turning (on purpose) and the system instantly and automatically gave me a new route to the same destination. My sound man is getting me made a connection device which will allow me to still control the unit's volume levels and mute from the GTI's MultiFunction steering wheel, but this will take several weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spankit Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 Mod that baby mod that baby... Got to get a little remap, just a few extra ponies Mr. Robin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Mod that baby mod that baby... Got to get a little remap, just a few extra ponies Mr. Robin. [/ QUOTE ] ....See my latest post in the long Milltek thread!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 First pic but not a good pic imo. We are going to solve the iPod problem by using the Auxiliary instead of AV - This will allow EQ controls and a much stronger volume than the temporary AV channel. The OEM option looks very much tidier aesthetically but the Pioneer's sound (through the GTI's standard speakers) really is excellent and the touch-screen is brilliant to use. At night the Pioneer's blue and red lights make the unit look as if it's not aftermarket - I'll take pics when I can. I could have put the SatNav lower but preferred the screen to be more in line of sight to the instruments and Road Angel etc. It is less likely to distract from the driving view through the windscreen. The storage slot might look ugly but it's very useful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentandy Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 Looks good but I'm not sure I would have bothered with the remote, it looks out of place. Did you get an adapter to be able to use the steering wheel controls with the new head unit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mu71rd Posted October 15, 2005 Report Share Posted October 15, 2005 that remote looks almost more difficult to get to than the touch screen itself! certainly must be fiddly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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