DVD Installation on a X5 2005 4.8is

[LABALAI]

Hello friends:

I will receive next month my new X5 2005 4.8is and I want to add a complete DVD solution. The best possible on the market (considering video quality and options)
I want to have the monitors in both headrest (Walknappa Schwarz=Black) and also have the option to see the same image in the front panel TV.

So, two questions:

1) what is the best option for DVD player (I want MP3 option) : manufacturer, prices?
2) It is possible to install the DVD and get the same image in the front panel, or it is only possible to get video for rear seat passengers?

What other things I need to consider.

Thanks a lot.

[UCrewX5]

Here was my installation. Displaying video on both the front and back is an easy thing to accomplish.

http://www.xoutpost.com/articles.php?...ticle&artid=30

:welcome: to X5world !!!

[el_duderino]

Congrats on the new car.

I just spent the last 4 years in product development consulting for a car video manufacturer. Forgive a long answer, please.

1) There are 2 basic classes of auto DVD player on the market.

- Japanese head-unit-made units, very high quality and reliability. Alpine, Sony, Eclipse (no MP3 though) each have these. Usually slot-load. Alpine's single-disc and DVD changer are both this type. Sony has one unit that looks like it's from the same OEM as the Alpine, then has a DVD changer that you shouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole (terrrible audio performance). The good ones in this class go for $300-600.

- Made in Korea/China/Taiwan units relabeled. MUCH cheaper, some have OK relialibility, often tray-load but some slot-load. Some have cruddy audio performance. Some have TV Tuners onboard (not a reason to buy one, TV tuner proformance in a moving car is not good). You can see these out there for as low as $99, but they tend to cluster around $150-250.

Not all the DVD players in the latter group are bad. It's just hard to predict, because the Chinese and Korean makers sell these to anyone with a PO book, and really don't do any of the custom production that we expect from a supplier. Their approach is "these are cheap, do you want one? Oh, you want a change? Screw off, we got plenty who will take this as is!" Trust me, I'm paraphrasing for brevity, but that'sthe conversation in a nutshell. Their QC varies a lot.

So the Myron and Davis, the Audiovox, the Rosen, the IconTV, the Directed, the Pyle, Boss Audio, Blaupunkt, some Clarion, all of these are straight off the shelf from one of several makers, and it's impossible for you to predict the quality - of the HW or of the audio (whichis often awful). They often have more than one unit, which have zero design commonality. Why? because they are worried about their supply chain.

For instance:

The Alpine 5210 has a suggested retail of $550. Blaupunkt is selling one with a price of $79 on Crutchfield.

How come there is such a disparity? Part of it is multiple layers of distribution - the product does get stepped on a couple more times. But a lot of it is the cost of being made in Japan or by a Japanese company - the QC, the actual PAYING of Dolby and the DVD consortioum for a license, stuff like that.

So you can buy a common DVD player and get OK performance and probably OK audio. But if you want the best (your words), I'd probably get the Alpine 5210 - even though it's a lot more money than other DVD players. Other choices I'd consider are the Sony DVX11A single-DIN, the Clarion VCZ625 changer, the Pioneer XDVP90 changer, and that's all I can think of right now. The Eclipse DV3101 is a great player, but lacks MP3 ability.

DO NOT BUY ANY OTHER SONY, OR ANY OTHER CLARION, and expect similar performance. You won't get it.

2) It is possible to install video off of the front panel. It's usually illegal, and it's also a bad idea, but it is possible. I have had good results with this:
http://www.tvandnav2go.com/index.html

3) Other things to consider:

- how to get audio from the DVD into the HU. Research that topic in this section, I've seen it answered. Also check http://www.janixworld.com/x5/AUX_Input/

- R seat IR headphone support. If you want the rear seat passengers to get infrared headphone audio WITHOUT installing a big black tumor in the back of your car, you better make sure that you get a headrest set with an IR *transmitter* built in. Many have an IR *receiver*, but you need a transmitter. I beleive that the SAVV preinstalled BMW headrest units have this, and I know the Directed MW units do. Contact me if you're looking for these.

- LCD video performance. Ironically, almost all 7" LCDs for cars available are 1/4 VGA resolution - Xenarc makes a 7 that is better, but most are right there at 234 x 400.

In the 7" size, I am not going to tell you that upgrading from 1/4 VGA will get you a drastically noticeable picture improvement. In the headrest, brightness and contrast are more important than resolution. When you get bigger than 7", the resolution will matter, because the pixels get farther apart - but in the 7" size, I'd be OK with the 1/4 VGA LCD's out there. the Xenarc that's 1/2 VGA doesn't have an IR transmitter, anyway.

- overall audio performance. If you are willing to install video, you may also decide to upgrade the audio system. We have just completed a high-end audio system in a 2005 X5. Please let me know if you have any questions about that. Hope I've made some sense, but please feel free to ask any questions that come up : )

[silkster]

i don't really know why alpine stopped making the s680 dvd changer but if i wanted to go with a a dvd changer what are my options..

do you know anything about the PANASONIC CX-DH801U...

[el_duderino]

Probably because they couldn't sell any.

Don't know anything about it. Mechanically it's probably pretty good. Audio wise, don't know. As far as standalone operation, also don't know (the Clarion changer will work standalone).

[el_duderino]

Looks like the Alpine is still out there in some barnds.

http://www.uscaraudio.com/cgi-bin/us...alogno=DHAS680

[LABALAI]

Hi again friends:

Just another question. If I ask to the dealer that I want to have a DVD Option, Could they install for me a DVD on my X5 4.8is before taking out the truck from the dealer ?
If the answer is yes, What OEM DVD, BMW offer to the customers?

Is there a BMW brand DVD ? Who is the Manufacturer in this case ?

I noticed that on the dealer, there was a sales department where I saw the headrest, but I dont know is they are Apline manufactured or not.

It is the installation easy for a dummy guy like me inside this new world. ; - )

Thanks to all of you.

I can not sleep waiting for my BMW

[el_duderino]

The installation in a BMW is not easy, so if you have a negative self-concept of yourself as an installer, you will start swearing heavily about 1/2 of the way through. I'd leave it for the pros.

Now, as far as who "BMW" uses, BMW doesn't offer this as an option. YOUR BMW DEALER might offer it, using a local "dealer expeditor" as a subcontractor for the work, but it's not officialy BMW sanctioned or anything. It's their local decision if they offer it and who they use, not BMW USA's decision.

The only trouble with dealer expeditors is that they operate with heavy cost pressures, and are used to finding the cheapest parts out there. Even if your BMW dealer doesn't pressure them the way the Chevy dealer does, they are used to being so pressured - and most of them carry pretty low-end products in order to hit a price point that allows the car dealer to mark it up again and make some profit on their end.

So I don't know where you are geographically, but if you are looking for the "best", you can usually find that at the right aftermarket specialty install shop, but not in the dealer sales add-ons. Those probably work OK, but they're not the best.

[LABALAI]

Hi friends:

Ok, I consider that I can make the installation, but only if I have a good instructions (manual).
I want to buy in the internet the DVD (also the headrest). Could you give me the site address on the internet where I can buy the Alpine DVD (or compare several options) before buying. It will be great for me if the delivery is included as a service.

Do I need some other spare parts as: special screws, nuts, supports, brackets, etc. or any additional parts for the installation, or it is enough with the parts included in the BOX ????

Best Regards and thank you very much for all.

[el_duderino]

Hint: asking a guy who owns a brick-and-mortar store and employs knowledgable staff, "Where do I buy this on the Internet?", is not a winning strategy.