Carolinaboy

Ok, I've finally had enough money to get a screen after this summer...

and it all comes down to the Alpine IVA-D300 and the Pioneer Avic N1

Pros for Avic N1
-comes with Navigation
-can upload background images
-can get it for 1200 bucks from a friend of a friend's place
-interface looks easier to use

Pros for Alpine IVA
-pulse touch screen
-7 inch screen
-better resolution

Both have dvd/mp3/cd players....Both would be around the same price...I'm just not sure...it's such a hard choice...I was wondering if anyone had any input on these screens and if anyone has them installed in their cars....Thanks...

if anyone does have them installed in their car...can you post some pics please.. Thanks again

rgarjr

iTrader: (1)

I would go with the Pioneer N1 because that sucker has everything. Navigation is the key feature on that bad boy.

Carolinaboy

Ya I was leaning towards the Pioneer....

but...earlier today I got a 350 dollar speeding ticket in a work zone...so I mite not be able to get the screen just yet ....

cliffud

iTrader: (3)

I would suggest getting the avic- it has the navigation which is supposedly the best aftermarket one available and it does all the GPS/XM/DVD/mp3 stuff already. The only problem with the pioneer is that they only crank out a 50 disc changer (so it's either one MP3 cd in the dash or a 50 disc box in the trunk ).

After installing mine and after having an alpine cva-1000 and then a 1005 in my previous car, I did notice one slight thing. You can't have the display showing something that's different than the source of audio... like- it would be great if you could run a playstation2 game while listning to a cd. This was achievable with the previous alpine units because that's all they were- a display.

I dunno- it depends on what your needs are really. I personally like mine.

retrodrive

My vote goes to Pioneer. It is just a better bang for the buck.

RAristo

I have 2 questions with N1. Does the Nav DVD always have to stay inside the system in order to use Nav or I can play music CD or watch DVD while using the Nav? Can I use this unit with stock speaker set? Much appreciate if anyone could point me to a trustworthy shop @ So Cal.

cliffud

iTrader: (3)

2 Answers:

1) there are two ways you can use the navigation system.

one way is to just cruise around and do searches for nearby shopping/gas stations/restaurants- whatever you want. if you're just cruising- you have to keep the dvd cd in there otherwise it will zoom out and give you a general vicinity (whole city) of where you are located.

the other is to plot a course for some destination and once it plots the course you can pull the dvd out and there will be a 5 mile cushion of space on either side of the course that has been recorded just in case you need to take a detour. in this scenario, you cannot do searches for nearby shops/gas stations/restaurants. and yes... this thing is freakin accurate! i was just in San Diego and needed to go to a cost plus imports store. i did a search on the DVD and it mapped me over to one within seconds! it's better than a yellow pages because it'll actually plot a course to get where you need to go!

(not bad for $2200)

2) yes, i'm pretty sure you can use this unit with the stock speaker set however it may be hard to wire the unit to your factory speakers because the pioneer unit has a brain that also needs to be placed somewhere and i don't know if the power wires for the speakers come out of the deck or the brain. What i also don't know is whether or not there is a place to splice in the signal up front since the stock amplifier is in the trunk. I happened to put in 2 rockford fosgate amps when i had mine installed so i'm pretty sure the shop spliced in the signals to the amp in the trunk and the brain of the unit was placed in the dash where the stock cd changer used to live.

hope that helps- lemme know if you have any questions.


Clifford