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Single DIN Radio Options

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supersnoop

Tesla Roadster #334
Mar 24, 2014
1,111
222
Pflugerville
My Roadster has the JVC KD-NX5000 single-DIN navigation head unit installed. The hard drive has died, causing the unit to click incessantly and restart twice when I start the car. My first inclination was to purchase a used replacement and clone a good hard drive for future repairs, and I made progress, but cloning has become more complicated that I'm willing to undertake; I disposed of all my 2.5" PATA adapters long ago and haven't found a good low-level copy program.

All that leads to my question; what's the best single-DIN replacement radio currently available? Is there a good navigation option? Should I look for something that integrates with my iPhone? or should I just get a basic head unit and a good mount to use my phone for navigation and music streaming? What have you all installed?
 
I’m not sure it’s the best, but this is what I did for mine:
But this Nakamichi head unit. Decent power, and Bluetooth from my iPhone For music and phone, a USB port for charging Or a thumb drive if you want to play MP3s. Display is blue, which plays pretty well with the interior. $75.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083C4R4P3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Bought this harness. $12
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QY631RF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and installed per instructions on my thread from a month or so ago:
1.5 owners: How to ditch your JVC HU for one with ISO connections.

This, along with some previously installed new speakers has made a world of difference in ease of use and versatility.
 

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Those alpine halo are 9"-11" floating screen's they look cool; looks like they block your AC vents a little and not retractable, someone has one installed in theirs.

Alpine | Products

Pioneer looks like they have a flip out screen

Pioneer AVH-3500NEX DVD receiver at Crutchfield ; This looks amazing as it's a 7" screen and would retain your factory look once car is off.

Also has rear-view camera input so you can add a rear view camera!!

Bluetooth will display album art and channel lists from Spotify with touchscreen devoted app. This is what I would do if I had a single Din; or I would convert to the double din conversion kit some people still have or I have seen; I think Medlock still does it. Then you can add a 7" touch screen directly into the double din.

g130AV3500-o_other1.jpg
g130AV3500-o_other0.jpg

 
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I installed the Pioneer DMH-WT7800 NEX recently. It’s similar to the Alpine Halo unit but has wireless car play, higher resolution, and I personally prefer the cleaner look.

Only downside is the lack of a physical volume control. I’m working on adding a knob underneath - stay tuned.

I believe the older 3500 unit you linked will collide with the wiper stalk when it folds out. And it has a lower resolution resistive touch screen (think copy machine rather than iPad)
 

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I went with the Pioneer 3500 and am very pleased with it. I used my Dreml cutoff wheel to take 1/8" off the wiper stalk and the screen clears with no problem. On very hot days I'll retract the screen so the a/c vents are not obstructed. The sound is awesome.
 
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So, cloning a hard drive is pretty trivial. I expect you can find the PATA adapters for next to nothing on eBay, and any Linux distro can do a 'dd' from one media to another, even if the file system isn't a standard one. One might even be able to rescue the old media with a utility such as SpinRite, if it's just a flaky sector that is the problem.

Failing that, I wonder if the (ever so slightly) newer NXD-505 used in the Roadster 2.0 would be compatible with the wiring and string of accessory dongles (Bluetooth, Sirius, iPod) of the original unit? Might be easier to find than the original.

That is, unless you're really desiring something modern...
 
I went with the Pioneer 3500 and am very pleased with it. I used my Dreml cutoff wheel to take 1/8" off the wiper stalk and the screen clears with no problem. On very hot days I'll retract the screen so the a/c vents are not obstructed. The sound is awesome.

Thank you for the correction! I looked at it pretty hard and in the end figured it would collide by more than that. Great to hear it worked out for you.

How do you like the the screen?

Btw - as you can see in my photo, the 7800 doesn’t block the AC vents either. I do like the iPad like screen clarity and responsiveness, it’s easy to read even on a bright sunny day with the top off.
 
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or I would convert to the double din conversion kit some people still have or I have seen; I think Medlock still does it. Then you can add a 7" touch screen directly into the double din.

Carl is indeed still doing them. He has new vents manufactured. I had it done. I am fairly happy with the work with on exception. My radio reception died after the upgrade and have not been able to get it fixed yet. I'm still hoping they can solve the problem since we've tried different head units. Clearly it's a short in the antenna cable, but the solution keeps eluding Carl and his sons.
 
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Thank you for the correction! I looked at it pretty hard and in the end figured it would collide by more than that. Great to hear it worked out for you.

How do you like the the screen?

Btw - as you can see in my photo, the 7800 doesn’t block the AC vents either. I do like the iPad like screen clarity and responsiveness, it’s easy to read even on a bright sunny day with the top off.
I'm happy with the screen -- except in bright sunlight. But very happy with the sound. I chose the fold away screen because I keep the top down most of the time, and think a ever-present screen would be an invitation to vandals.
 
I also installed the Pioneer AVX3500, the sound over the old radio is fantastic. I closed the center vents and found even in the heat here in Tucson in the Summer the car stays very comfortable just using the vents on the sides.
 
I installed the Pioneer DMH-WT7800 NEX recently. It’s similar to the Alpine Halo unit but has wireless car play, higher resolution, and I personally prefer the cleaner look.

Only downside is the lack of a physical volume control. I’m working on adding a knob underneath - stay tuned.

I believe the older 3500 unit you linked will collide with the wiper stalk when it folds out. And it has a lower resolution resistive touch screen (think copy machine rather than iPad)
Hello

were you able to get the volume button integrated? Was installation difficult and did you have it professionally installed or did you install yourself? The touch screen has volume control right and does iPhone with carplay
 
Carl is indeed still doing them. He has new vents manufactured. I had it done. I am fairly happy with the work with on exception. My radio reception died after the upgrade and have not been able to get it fixed yet. I'm still hoping they can solve the problem since we've tried different head units. Clearly it's a short in the antenna cable, but the solution keeps eluding Carl and his sons.

Realize I never provided an update to this. While I do think the antenna we had or the antenna wire may have been a problem (antenna was replaced by Carl), Carl’s sun diagnosed that some of the static and reception problem was due to the LED headlights we installed. I prchased some ferrite blocks to see if that eliminated the noise, but did not get a chance to install them prior to selling #609.

It was probably the fans in the lights rather than the LEDs themselves. Hood info to know if changing out the lights.
 
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Hello

were you able to get the volume button integrated? Was installation difficult and did you have it professionally installed or did you install yourself? The touch screen has volume control right and does iPhone with carplay

Yes, the screen has up/down buttons on the left side, but no rotating knob. I was quite close to installing a solution when my roadster was wrecked in an accident so I never finished the project.

I did the install myself, it took me a full weekend, including installing a backup camera and OVMS (while I had the dash open). It requires disassembling most of the dash.
 
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Yes, the screen has up/down buttons on the left side, but no rotating knob. I was quite close to installing a solution when my roadster was wrecked in an accident so I never finished the project.

I did the install myself, it took me a full weekend, including installing a backup camera and OVMS (while I had the dash open). It requires disassembling most of the dash.
Do you think T E S L A would install for me? I live in Chicago and have a vacation home in Orchard Lake 20 minutes from Detroit. I was thinking of purchasing the unit for my roadster but I am really nervous that someone is going to screw it up. What’s the level of difficulty for a professional auto radio installer?
 
Yes, the screen has up/down buttons on the left side, but no rotating knob. I was quite close to installing a solution when my roadster was wrecked in an accident so I never finished the project.

I did the install myself, it took me a full weekend, including installing a backup camera and OVMS (while I had the dash open). It requires disassembling most of the dash.
I'm sorry for your loss Peter. Glad you're ok. Are you getting another roadster?