VideoNavi,

I'm a new member and new Lexus owner. Your posts in this section are very knowledgable. Way to know your stuff!

I just got an '02 LX470 with NAV DVD player. As you probably know, you can play DVDs on the front screen but only if the car is in Park. As soon as you put it in gear, it won't give you a picture. Is there an easy way to disable this?

Also, I am looking into entertainment systems so we can have DVD/Video and XBox capability for the kids in the back. Can you recommend equipment/setup? Pls include IR headsets so I can keep my sanity on long trips.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Tbone.

 

Tbone,

If your LX470 is the same navigation computer as my LS430 look for a light green wire in pin position 13 on the back of the 14 pin plug of the display. This plug might be marked as M4 and has two rows of pins. The light green wire is the parking brake wire and as a test can be shorted to ground. That is what happens when the parking brake is set. This is from my Electrical Wiring Diagram book on the LS430. You would think the Navigation ECU (DVD drive) would be where this is controlled, but apparently not.

Do be careful as watching video while in motion is against the law for the driver (most if not all states).

As for doing video in the back the 1st question is do you want headrest monitors or single flip down monitor from the ceiling. My favorite flip down monitor is Pioneer 8" widescreen AVD-W8000 with AD-RM8000 (see http://www.etronics.com/search1.ASP?...x=4&image1.y=8). For headrests consider Pioneer AVD-W6000's, Alpine or any good 7" widescreen display. There is even a company that sells complete new headrests with monitor installed (www.savv.com). If you end up doing headrest monitors consider a 3x3 video switcher, such as Pioneer CD-VS33 and 2 channel wireless headsets www.unwiredtech.com).

Hope this helps,
VideoNavi a.k.a. Steve

 

Thanks. I'll test the M4 wire. Not sure that is the same on the LS since the DVD picture is only disabled on the LX when you put the gear selector in any position other than Park. We'll see.

Regarding a seat-back vs. flip down display, I'm torn. I've seen both. The flip down seems cleaner but I can't tell if the viewing angles/distances will be reasonable. I noticed in one of your posts you were talking about screen size vs viewing distance. I know it makes a difference (in putting in my home theater, for instance). Due to the position of the sunroof and where the current overhead light assembly is (assuming this display unit would replace that), it might be too close to the kids eyes.

Thanks for the recommendations on equipment. I'll check those out.

tbone aka Tom

 

Is your LS an '01 or '02? Where did you get wiring manuals?
(<picking up an '01 ultra ls430 tomorrow.

-jim-

 

My LS430 is a 02 UL. I have LS430 Electrical Wiring Diagram (EWD) book for 01 and the Repair Manual for the 02. Intesting enough the Repair Manual has basic stereo/navigation system wiring diagram, but the EWD has all the connectors and pin numbers. These can be purchased at your Lexus parts department, but cost big $. You can find a couple discount dealers on the internet that will sell them cheaper.

 

Hello guys the LX470 is very differnt than the LS400 system. I have done about 6 of these cars and it take 1 relay an a on/off switch to do it and about 2 hrs time! It's the purple wire and red w/ white stripe!

 

Drmusic,

Sorry to open up a old message, but can you tell me the functions of the purple and red w/white stripe wires in the LX470?
I'm looking for these same wires in my LS430. Is the relay SPDT - do you use both NO and NC contacts. How is the relay energized, a switch?

 

Any luck on getting this overidden for the LX-470?