After market Navigation

I just got my backup camera in the mail today...it's a tiny thing and came in an envelope! Tomorrow I'll do a bit of a write-up for you on the install. It's a good NAV unit for the price but there are some cons:

1 Don't expect much out of the DVD player as the most it will render a thin letter-box effect so your viewing screen is about two inches tall - it can't be stretched like most TVs
2 The backlighting on the buttons at night is VERY dim and they can't be made brighter.
3 There's NO WARRANTY that I can find with this unit so we are on our own if there's a failure.
4 One member already had the Bluetooth interface stop working with no resolution.

I will post a new thread either in the audio or Tech section for you as this one has been run into the ground already. Best of luck...I hope you are familiar with taking a part your dash?

 

Not famIliar at all. I have watched a few videos on how to take apart the dash. Any pointers?

 

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Can u post a picture of what the DVD screen looks like while playing a DVD? Have u tried playing a full screen dvd(not wide screen DVD)?[/quote]

 

The eBay seller shows a warranty of 3 years in one of his photos.

The seller and Myron & Davis have both been very helpful in trying to resolve my Bluetooth problem. I've been given an RMA number for the return and they offered to check it out while I wait if I decide to go to M&D. The only delay is my schedule.

 

It's not really the start-up screen, that one is not easily changed, you can only choose between a Myron & Davis logo or a "Multimedia" logo.

The one I made is used for the DVD background. To make it just create a jpg image in photoshop (or download an existing image), burn the photos to a cd, insert cd in headunit, follow instruction manual on how to save it to the system. Instructions are in the photo cd section. Here are a few.

 

Wh

Where are you located?

 

In Murrieta. About 35 mins south of corona/riverside.

 

I'm out of town this weekend or I'd offer to help install it. There's nothing tricky about it. Remember to ground the blue/white wire to the chassis. Route the bluetooth microphone where you want it before you start putting everything back together. I shoo-goe'd mine to the steering column plastic cover.

 

evpv: thanks for the pointer towards the eBay seller for the 3 year warranty. I'm going to look for that and print it off in case something goes wrong with mine. It seems odd, but I think the eBay seller is somehow directly associated to the M&D plant and here's my reasoning. I called M&D about a connector issue and he took down my number but must have miswrote it. All of a sudden, I get an email associated to my eBay account with his explanation about the connector. So how did he get that address unless he called the eBay seller? I don't think I mentioned to him I bought it on eBay. At any rate, if that's the only way to deal with warranty issues, so be it. Hopefully, you get one of the last units and it works properly.

kennykagawa: evpv has already helped a member here with an installation - perhaps he can assist you too. This is not something to attempt without some experience. My only advice is to be sure to mount the GPS antenna on the metal square and the metal square should be mounted over the center of the defroster vents close to the windshield.

Another tip for the external mic for the Bluetooth: Take off the foam ball and collar clip. The mic has a small fine-threaded removable top with a screen that can be unscrewed. I took one of the blanks in the dash next to the mirror controls and drilled 9/32 hole dead-center in it. If you have this drill bit, experiment first on some thick plastic such as an old laundry detergent bottle to be sure the hole will be the correct size. It might need a bit of filing but not too much so that you can feed the base of the mic thru the backside of the OEM blank and then carefully screw the screened top on the protruding part thru the front for a nice OEM look. Then plug the blank with the mic back the dash hole and feed the mic cable over the steering wheel to the back of the M&D. Good luck.

 

Hi Phoenixgreg
What was your technique to remove blanks without scratching it. Thanks.

 

You have to remove the driver's lower side kick panel (find a black plastic nut towards the back) it pries off towards the center console. Then you will see a screw that holds the mirror control panel (lower corner) remove that. Then carefully pry away that section of dash as it is held in place with several plastic connectors. Once it is away, you can press from the back of it one of the blanks and it should pop out the front.

 

Thank you as always.

 

I contacted the seller on eBay and got a fast response: (bottom line - 30 days)

 

From the eBay listing.

 

You seem to be having some problems with the M&D units. Fortunately nothing with my Witson unit (cross my fingers). You might want to check that one also at almost the same price and 12 months warranty.
I think the specs are also almost the same and built-in Bluetooth mic works great, do not need to install external mic and DVD displays full screen. How does the M&D display DVD's?

For TOYOTA PRIUS
◆ 7" digital 800*480 screen resolution
◆ Built-in GPS system
◆ Dual zone function (Listen Radio/CD while watching GPS image)
◆ Built-in Bluetooth
◆ RDS receiver
◆ USB port
◆ SD card slots (Two SD card slots, one for GPS, one for Multimedia)(SDHC supported 2GB)
◆ iPod control
◆ Built-in TV tuner
◆ Built-in DVB-T tuner (optional)
◆ Built-in ISDB-T tuner (optional)
◆ Steering wheel control function
◆ Blue button backlight


Nikos

 

evpv: thanks for that picture. I checked my box and it looks very different than that picture you posted with no mention of a 3 year warranty. I'm tempted to contact M&D directly to ask them about it. I helped a friend, who also bought this same unit, install his last night. Between the 2 of us, we had it in and running in 3 hours. Some of that time was spent customizing the extended BT mic in one of the OEM blanks. His phone initially did not "pair" with his new system and we found out the problem: It seems if there are more than one BT connections set up on a phone, the M&D "hangs" on the pairing. Essentially, it needs to have just one BT setup for the intended phone. Have you tried this to resolve your issue? Anyway, if I find out more on the warranty (the eBay seller has stated 30 days), I will pass it on here. Sure wish I had that 3 year warranty somewhere in writing on my materials.

Nikos: thanks again for all your tips last week as it made for an easier installation on my unit. BTW - I now have the backup camera installed too. I may start a thread in the tech or audio section here on the pitfalls!

 

Just used the navi for first time. It's junk. Got me lost. My Android phone got me to correct location.
SPH-L900 ? 2

 

I just installed this unit and everything went great! I have one problem. When I punch in an address and start the route it freezes and goes to the start up nav screen with a small world icon. It then goes to a loading screen and starts up again asking if u want to resume with same address. I select yes and it recalculates and freezes all over again. Any suggestions? Has this happened to anyone?

 

Contact their tech support at 866-335-6789 M-F 8am to 5pm. Ask for Richard is he is very helpful.

xcuter: one thing I had to get used to on NAV is to start the street name with N S E or W depending. Then the actual address. Also, the voice might say turn on "east" Glendale avenue when you are actually going west. Most roads have a central point that defines E/W or N/S.

 

Yeah I had the the correct street address with S before the street. It actually got me lost twice now. I will stick to Note 2 for navi and use the MD for Bluetooth, music,dvd.

SPH-L900 ? 2