DVD with roof mount screen install on 08 sportswagon

[wazza675]

I picked up some cheap DVD players (Majestic 2100) and screens off ebay and I'm looking at doing an install on both our family cars.

I've searched but no one seems to have answered the questions raised.

Wife has a series 1 Omega Sportswagon, in which she generally takes the kids, so it's the first to be done.

I'm trying to decide where to mount the DVD player as a start. I'm not sure if it must be horizontal or can be mounted on an angle. The glove box would be a great location (security & easy access) but it's on a slight angle (maybe 15 degrees), however under the passenger seat might work as well. One issue with mounting the player under the seat is the remote control receiver was missing from the box. I don't want to remove the factory stereo, so wont be using the DIN cage, rather the brackets instead.

Secondly, I need to work out how to brace the roof lining some how, as I'll screw the base plate into the lining. The screen unit should fit on the centre bulge but it will need to be mounted closer to the front than the interior light.

The system is pretty basic with the DVD player requiring accessory pos/neg and constant 12v (fused). Then there are RCA cables to connect to the screen unit, which itself only has pos/neg wires to attach. No matter where I mount the DVD player, I'll likely run the RCA cables through the 'B' pillar into the roof lining.

Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[UFO]

You're going to have to remove the roof lining, a) so you can find the right mounting position without damaging wires underneath, and b) to set up the wiring properly and trail it down one of the pillars.

I've never done it, but I will be genuinely interested in how you go on this as I've considered it myself for my wagon (the same reason being kids!).
I've seen the headlining removed in a different VE, and its a pain in the arse job mate .

The wiring for the lighting also goes in directions you wouldnt expect... for instance I'm pretty sure the spot you are describing on mounting the screen is where some of the wiring is.

To remove the lining it'll definitely need two people so you dont bend/break it. It also needs disconnecting (the main wiring goes down the passenger front side A pillar to the dash, and this needs to be unplugged at the dash to actually remove the headlining without it still being tethered to the car itself).

Big job mate.

 

[wazza675]

Really...?

What I was hoping to do was:
Create a small gap between roof and lining and slide a piece of 3 ply/MDF (or maybe aluminium sheet) in that spans the roof lining between each B pillar.
Cut/drill a hole for the wiring.
Snake the wires through B pillar into roof cavity.
Screw base plate into ply and sandwich the lining in between.
Connect RCA wires to unit.
Connect power/earth to interior light with extra wire length snaked through.
Screw unit into base plate.

 

[SnowDoggyDogg]

And for the reasons above I went with dual 9' headrest screens for $649 installed and with a paor of infared headphones from Autobarn.
Took the bloke an hour to install, the kids can wstch the same or different DVDs and I can swap it out easily into my next ride.
Roof mount DVD = arse pain.

 

[wazza675]

Considering I paid about $120 for two sets (although one is missing parts), it's far cheaper, especially if I put it in both cars. And I was hoping the self install would reduce costs as well.

One set is missing the remote receiver - conceivably making it difficult to mount under the front passenger seat - however everything else is there except the RCA cable to link the two units and any extra wire required to lengthen the power looms. The other set only includes the units themselves. I'm pushing the ebay vendor to pay for their inclusion as the package was marked complete.

I just had another look...
I was hoping to remove both interior lights, the grab handles and the B pillar trims to get enough room to slide the brace in. The exposed holes should give me enough visibility (hopefully) to see any wiring etc that's up there - I have one of those telescopic mirror thingy's to help!! If I'm using alloy sheet, it would need to be shaped prior to insertion.

 

[Major Herbie]

Considering I paid about $120 for two sets (although one is missing parts), it's far cheaper, especially if I put it in both cars. And I was hoping the self install would reduce costs as well.

One set is missing the remote receiver - conceivably making it difficult to mount under the front passenger seat - however everything else is there except the RCA cable to link the two units and any extra wire required to lengthen the power looms. The other set only includes the units themselves. I'm pushing the ebay vendor to pay for their inclusion as the package was marked complete.

I just had another look...
I was hoping to remove both interior lights, the grab handles and the B pillar trims to get enough room to slide the brace in. The exposed holes should give me enough visibility (hopefully) to see any wiring etc that's up there - I have one of those telescopic mirror thingy's to help!! If I'm using alloy sheet, it would need to be shaped prior to insertion.

That sounds like a bad idea man, best remove all the roof lining and do it where the supports are meant to be.

 

[UFO]

Really...?

What I was hoping to do was:
Create a small gap between roof and lining and slide a piece of 3 ply/MDF (or maybe aluminium sheet) in that spans the roof lining between each B pillar.
Cut/drill a hole for the wiring.
Snake the wires through B pillar into roof cavity.
Screw base plate into ply and sandwich the lining in between.
Connect RCA wires to unit.
Connect power/earth to interior light with extra wire length snaked through.
Screw unit into base plate.

Ok... so you've put a lot of thought into this already .
Sounds like a possible way to tackle it without removing the entire lining, but a few questions though-

a) Using that 3 ply or MDF as an anchor for the screens, what holds all that weight (the wood, plus the screens and wiring)? You'll sandwich the lining inbetween I get that, but those little plastic clips that hold the lining in place arent designed to hold all that extra weight wobbling about on top of the lining.

b) Sliding that mdf into place, what's going to stop it from rattling against the roof when you close everything up?

c) Check out the attachment of a VE roof lining. You can see the wiring snakes around quite a bit. You'd have to be very careful to not snag any of it pushing metal or wood along the top of it.

d) Also, bad idea to draw the power from the light circuit for both those screens. A fused direct power source might be a better idea? That light circuit is not designed for too much draw.

I think some help from people who've done extensive audio upgrades on the VE could contribute more to this, as I'm not experienced in the VE specifically.

I still reckon your best bet is to remove the lining and wire up the displays properly. Run the wiring down the front passenger A pillar (with the rest of the wiring for the headlining) so its nice and neat. You could then also dynomat the roof while its all open . You could run it down the B pillar I guess, but you also need to consider how/where the airbags deploy. Again not sure on specifics, but best to keep wiring where there already is wiring to be sure.

Happy to keep spit-balling here... like I said this is something I'd really like to do on my wagon too!

 

[Major Herbie]

^He said what I was thinking.

 

[wazza675]

Finally, something constructive.

The ply/MDF/aluminium bracing would span the width of the lining board and be held in place by the B pillar covers, rather than be a piece only a foot square. It would also be long enough so that it would have to flex up (or be bent in a curve if I were to use aluminium sheet) so that it rested against the roof, rather than the lining board. That would also force more weight to the outer edge, where it should be supported by the pillar fascia.

Looking at your attached diagram (and thanks btw), it seems most of the wiring is on the driver's side which can be distinguished by the missing grab handle (I assume). I was aiming to tackle this from the passenger side anyway, simply because the DVD player would either be mounted in the glove box (if it can be set on an incline) or under the front passenger seat.

The VE has airbags in the A and C pillars (as denoted by the little decal stamped into the trim), which is why I was avoiding those pillars. The X-Trail (the other car to be fitted) has them in the B pillar. In that car, I've already had the A pillar cover off and routed wires for a reversing camera.

The DVD player requires constant 12v plus pos/neg from an accessory. The screen only requires pos/neg. I could easily wire the DVD pos/neg accessory to the cigarette lighter in the storage bin between the seats, the screen pos and the DVD constant 12v direct from the battery, with an inline fuse (although the DVD already has one), and then earth the screen almost anywhere.

Removing the two lights should give enough visibility to dodge the existing wiring. And with the curve of the brace designed to sit against the roof, rather than the lining (until it's screwed together), it should help.

I had to google Dynomat - I assume you don't mean the definition I found in the urban dictionary...??!!
To be honest, I'm not really concerned by it, and if anything, it adds extra weight and I've found the X-Trail is louder than the VE at speed (but it does have a bull bar and sits higher off the ground).

Thanks for the constructive criticism.
I'll see how I go sourcing the missing parts before I tackle this. And I have a friend who owes me plenty of shed time after I've worked on his car and bikes over the years... it's time to call in that favor!!

I did find the directions on this forum for how to remove the roof lining, however it refers to a whole heap of sub-directions for each part which is rather annoying. I would leave the front seats in the car as well - being a wagon, it would go straight out the back!!

 

[UFO]

Hey Wazza,

Just with that picture I attached above, you're looking at it from the wrong side.
Most of the wiring IS on the passenger side... left side of image is rear, right side is front... looking up at the roof.
So that tether wire you see to the bottom right corner is the tether going down the front passenger A pillar.

And that's why I was thinking using that pillar for the wiring. Also perfect if you are mounting DVD player in glovebox (which is where I'd mount it, for ease of changing while on a road trip- unless you went for a stacker in the boot somewhere).

I've looked at a couple of vids online, and its surprising to see so many people just mounting the screens into the lining only and not supporting them with bracing underneath.
You'd think they'd wobble a lot and be difficult to watch (or make you car sick?).

I hear what you are saying with planning to support the bracing at the b pillar, but I still reckon removing the headlining is the way to go. You got some nice metal bracing in the roof cavity that'll be perfect to hang a frame or brace off to secure the screens properly. If it was just one screen in the middle, I'd probably just hang it on the lining like so many people seem to have done online... but with two of them? Nup. Mount those suckers direct to the roof frame!

Those sub directions for removing the lining mostly relate to plastic trim that you'll have to remove at some stage anyway for the wiring (at least most of it). I think I might have bits of the manual that refer to those if you need them. Seats dont have to be removed though... just the headrests, and then recline them. At least that's how I saw that VE being worked on at the time.