Car stereo gurus...

[jtrux]

I want to upgrade my head unit with something a little fancier and keep it in the stock location. I want to mount a tablet on the dash or in a more reasonable location than my knee for controlling the music. Is there a head unit that will allow a tablet to be connected for remotely monitoring everything? I also want to use the tablet for a back up camera.

 

[Fastereddie]

I want to upgrade my head unit with something a little fancier and keep it in the stock location. I want to mount a tablet on the dash or in a more reasonable location than my knee for controlling the music. Is there a head unit that will allow a tablet to be connected for remotely monitoring everything? I also want to use the tablet for a back up camera.

@H20 Toie ?

 

[dyeager535]

I looked into the aftermarket options, you can get bluetooth equipped stereos now that will bolt in to the oem position without modification.

Fairly pricey, but if bluetooth gets it done for you, they would seem the easy button.

 

[Blue85]

Are you talking about the rare 1.5DIN size for 89-91 or a shaft-style radio for an earlier model? Or is the dash cut for a 1DIN?

I picked up a Kenwood KDC-BT368U for like $40 and it lets me play tunes off a thumb drive and can use the tablet I already had mounted as a remote. It also has a wireless remote and both options are kind of easier than fumbling with tiny buttons down in the stock square body radio location. Since it tethers with two bluetooth devices it will pause music on the tablet when a phone call comes in and goes handsfree. These features are pretty common on receivers these days, but you have to look carefully at which ones are actually compatible with what.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jvckenwood.jkts.kwdremoteapp.openlink&hl=en_US

 

[shady]

I'm not sure of what all pieces are needed, but there is a way to just use your tablet as your stereo. Lots of people that don't use discs are going that route now. Look up iPad dash kit and it'll get you started in the right direction...

This guy can probably answer questions pretty well

https://soundman.co/

 

[Blue85]

I ran with no head unit for a while and this is easier now with all the little bluetooth receiver gadgets out there. But, it's nice having the FM sometimes (you know, with a real antenna) and a real head unit gives the advantage of just playing and stopping with the car without fuss. And it's nice not having some crashing gadget to mess with.

I have a tablet IN the dash of another car with HW and apps to wake it up/put it to sleep with the car and it does bluetooth to that radio, but I still play tunes off a thumb drive in that one because a tablet isn't reliable enough (and bluetooth audio is worse). It won't always re-pair automatically, other apps can start up and make it all laggy, it can crash etc.

Plus, some bluetooth receivers sound like crap and it's hard to know until you actually hear it. Many seem oblivious to this...

 

[H20 Toie]

So i went with the Alpine Halo9 head unit in my pickup and liked it so much that i put one in my Suburban and van. they aren't the cheapest option but damn they work great. even thou the screen is partly blocked by the steering wheel it is still easy to use and see. the backup camera works great. plus if you want you can use it to control lights. winch. etc. Also has apple play, xm, all the normal stuff it is crazy solid and doesn't move at all. i'm 6'4" and have never had an issue with hitting it with my knee. Besides being easy to see the buttons are large so even with the super smooth ride of my one ton dually i don't have any issues with hitting the wrong buttons.

 

[jtrux]

That's slick. I really want a remotely mounted screen, however.

 

[frankin5]

single Din or Din and a half.

 

[jtrux]

I'm gonna convert to single din.

 

[muddybuddy]

Pretty slick. Hows visibility of the screen when driving? Wonder how hard it would be to re-arrange the vent and hvac controls, so the screen is higher up, and more visible while driving. I guess you shouldnt be distracted while driving.

 

[TJ1978]

Must be nice... i use a tiny OOntz speaker with bluetooth and my phone...

 

[fordsucks!]

wonder how hard it would be to re-arrange the vent and hvac controls, so the screen is higher up, and more visible while driving. I guess you shouldnt be distracted while driving.

You don't want to do it, destroy the HVAC controls

 

[Mastiff]

Yeesh. I remember the cuss-fest that was the replacement of the factory shaft style head on my '83. Laying on my head under the dash trying to trace wires and getting the mounting level. Both my front speakers have stopped working over the years, but with the line-X only interior and loud exhaust, the sound quality is so bad, I seldom even care to try listening to the radio anymore.

Somewhere along the line I ran a mini-plug cable out from behind the unit so I could plug in my phone and listen that way. Funny thing is, my 2011 Jeep has essentially the same setup, except the wire plugs into the front of the unit.

They have devices that listen on bluetooth and broadcast on FM, so you can just tune your radio to a particular channel and listen to your phone or tablet that way. Could be slick, but I haven't tried it.