aftermarket car stereo dash kit finally here

[nielsonp]

my local car stereo shop gave me the heads up about a conversion kit that allows the installation of a touch screen stereo that can control heating and air conditioning also.

Im not entirely crazy on the look of the buttons that control the heating / air but my desperation for iPhone integration and USB connectivity mean this isn't such a big deal.

[nielsonp]

might help if i posted the link hey,

Holden VE Commodore with an aftermarket dash kit and an Alpine GPS Naviagtion unit : Maroochy Car Sound

[SteveHatz]

agree with you on the buttons, they could do some wor to make it look a bit more presentable

iphone integration is a great thing, but is it really worth that much money if you have an aux cable anyways

another positive is that you now have a better head unit for audio

if it was me however i would be puting my money elsewhere, and believe me i have considered sooooooooooo many different mods to make to m car it's ridiculous

but each to their own, if yo choose to do it then you would definately have a major point of difference in your interior compared to everyone else with the benefits of iphone integration and better audio also

good luck with it!

[IceyAUS]

Tonkins car audio in SA has had that for about 6 months or so.
Very buggy, sometimes just dosent pick up the hvac

[acarmody]

Yuck, those buttons looks terrible. If I wanted a decent stereo, I would leave the factory unit in place and run a real H/U out of the glovebox or something.

[scouser king]

It looks ''Home brand'' cheap and nasty(don't know but the cheap part)like most of the VE interior as well.I dont like one bit and i would stay with stock unit and upgaded speakers and amps which i have done.

[davey g-force]

Why wouldn't you just get this?

VE Double DIN facia and Heater controls now available

[Gambel]

JHP vehicle enhancements do an ipod integration kit for the ve that uses steering wheel controls.

[UFO]

i'm almost 100% sure the developer/designer of this headunit replacement was on this forum asking for opinions on this product, and whether we would be interested if he started producing it. Same thing was suggested.... lots of interest in this type of product, but the looks of this unit really put people off. It "looks" home made from components from Dick Smith with all those buttons. Needs a massive facelift, but no question that there is a market for this type of customising in the VE. Holden really dropped the ball in my opinion with how 'non-customisable' the existing unit is. Car security tied into audio, which is also tied in to air con and ventilation options... with no way to separate the functions unless you replace the lot like this.

[HellSoldier]

Why wouldn't you just get this?

VE Double DIN facia and Heater controls now available

That's exactly what's being shown dude..

[TMM]

too bad the UI for the HVAC looks like it came from the 80s and the buttons look like they'd be more at home on a microwave.

Holden really dropped the ball in my opinion with how 'non-customisable' the existing unit is. Car security tied into audio, which is also tied in to air con and ventilation options... with no way to separate the functions unless you replace the lot like this.

99% of their customers wouldn't care . The germans have had in car systems like this for the last 10+ years and people still got by modifying them.

[Troy711]

The buttons remind me of a taxi metering system.. it looks cheaper than Maccas free upsize coupon.

[Pickle']

Yuck, those buttons looks terrible. If I wanted a decent stereo, I would leave the factory unit in place and run a real H/U out of the glovebox or something.

i agree, Sorry mate looks terrible, but i reckon a second head unit would look worse. Atleast this looks halfway like its meant to be there.

[acarmody]

i agree, Sorry mate looks terrible, but i reckon a second head unit would look worse. Atleast this looks halfway like its meant to be there.

That's why you chuck it in the glovebox, can't see it. And not hard to wire it up so that the remote works.

[Pickle']

That's why you chuck it in the glovebox, can't see it. And not hard to wire it up so that the remote works.

eh still not my thing, having to open and close the glove box for cd's Etc. I'd rather mod the stock.

[Dangerous Dave]

and ... if you have an early VE, you can always crack out the fibreglass, some bog and get one of these Folcik Engineering & Design, LLC.

[acarmody]

eh still not my thing, having to open and close the glove box for cd's Etc. I'd rather mod the stock.

Holy crap you still use CDs? How ol' fashion. LOL.

USB stick with every single one of my songs for me.

[Pickle']

Holy crap you still use CDs? How ol' fashion. LOL.

USB stick with every single one of my songs for me.

Lol yeah i had that, got sick of trying to find songs. CBF to sort. CD's work for me

[acarmody]

Lol yeah i had that, got sick of trying to find songs. CBF to sort. CD's work for me

Fair enough, see with me it isn't an issue because my H/U allows folders, and since I know where every folder is I can easily navigate. So I could go to folder 4 which would be Linkin Park for example, then go to Hybrid Theory and viola all the songs.

But yeah I could see it being an issue.

In all seriousness it couldn't be that hard to make your own custom button pad and wire it in to the crappy button fascia harness.

[TinSnips]

folder 4, in that case, is a good folder!

[Pickle']

Lol can't agree more. What dangerous Dave put up looked pretty good but.

[acarmody]

Really didn't know that many people still liked Linkin Park? Can't beat Meteora and Hybrid Therory. Thier latest album though makes me want to punch someone in the head, that ain't Linkin Park.

Anyway, yeah I just had a good look at that link DangerousDave put up, looks pretty damn good. I wonder how hard it would be to put a tablet running a Linux based system in the console instead of an iPad? Only because with Linux you can do anything and run basically any program, Windows or Linux based. And then wire it so the tablet can display the HVAC controls.

Can you imagine how damn cool it would be to have a 10" screen in the center console where with a touch of the button you have the cars controls, and then switch it too a full tuning/engine data program running off Windows?

[Lumps of cheese]

It looks horrid to be honest, the buttons in particular but the display is also pretty average.

[zac_sa]

Personally as with the majority here that Alpine unit looks crap.
That other one, I think llc looks real good.
I wonder how it goes intergrating all the controls though, ie forward and rear parking sensors as well.

To me having a H/U in the glovebox is a no go. Ive the Calais V and feature wise its ok, my VS with JVC H/U and Xplod speakers though sounded better.

My trade is Electronic Tech but im thinking of a way to integrate better visualisation on the LCD screen. Im wondering with the Nav button whether a small unit such as a small android device (is mob phone size) can be displayed on the screen.
The other issue is though its not touch screen so makes it hard to transfer functionality.

I was also considering how I could transfer Tom Tom or Navman data to the LCD screen.
I havent removed the VE H/U to workout what outputs/inputs I have to work with etc.

[Thesickness86]

Ugly, but at least someone is trying. Hopefully some1 can fix those buttons