Looking for ideas here:

Replacing the factory stereo, speakers, sub, amp and cd changer with aftermarket gear. It will take time, as the boss (Mrs Cyberhh) frowns upon excessive spending, but over time I can use my play budget for it.

FWIW - if anyone wants the factory components they will be available very shortly. Make me an offer - it all works and the speaker cones all look great. The CD Changer works and has a single 6 disc caddy.

I already have a 7" DVD Head Unit that I will be installing for now while I work on a CarPC replacement.

The goal is to provide the following features through custom programming or off-the-shelf components (or a mix.)

In Dash: 7" Touchscreen w/Navigation, Music and OBD2 Diagnostic/LiveData

Addt'l Screens: 2x Headrest screens for rear seat entertainment, 1x Front Passenger screen for wife's entertainment and internet while under power.

Main system control will be a MAC Mini Intel.
- Media will be contained on 2 external hard drives (USB) that I will build or source a caddy for so I can quickly lock and load new data.
- System updates/software will be installed via WiFi/Internet

Features (Planned):

-4 independent video sources
-Front Pass/Rear seat entertainment with dedicated headphones / screen
-Driver (DIN) HU will be main control and the only screen with speaker control
-Navigation with Internet Updates & Traffic
-FM and TV Tuner
-Satellite Radio
-Internet Access (AT&T USB)
-Skype for Phone calls in car
-DVD/Divx Movie Playback
-MAME / NES / SNES / Genesis Emulators (Wireless Gamepads)
-OBD2 Live Data (Wireless OBD2 Interface)
-FuzzBuster with TrafficCam updates (seperate hardware)

I will be re-cabling the stereo in the car and have little interest in the dash controls, though I can use an i-PAQ to connect the buttons to the PC as any keyboard button.

Questions:
What size speakers do I need for the Front (Door & Column)? (looks like a 5.25" w/tweeter)
What size speakers do I need for the Rear? (6.5?)
What size subs do I need for the rear door? (6.5?)
Has anyone found a replacement amp for the subs that fits in the back door?
I will install 2 amps - one for the front and rears - installed under pass seat. and one for the subs - preference would be in the rear door in place of the existing one, but otherwise I will use the space under the driver seat.

 

any progress?

 

I have adapted the plan as I am going along. Not sure that it will not continue to adapt.

It is as follows:

I have a single DIN DVD/MP3/Stereo unit installed. This will be the main hub for ICE (in car entertainment.) The iPod interface plays audio and video from the iPod directly and with the 80 gb ipod attached I am okay with the video/audio I get from that. I will replace it with a 160gb when the 80 dies, or if I find a good deal on the 160. FWIW - the iPod is no longer a portable music player as I never use the ipod outside the car, I have an iPhone and other media players for outside the car.

I have a second single DIN DVD player w/7" screen that will be placed in the rear seat are of the car as well. This will mainly be used to run the rear seat entertainment to the seat headrests and headphones.

I have an OQO 01+ tablet that connects to the bluetooth OBD2 reader for real time data on the performance of the engine. This is a 5" device with an integrated keyboard and nice small form factor that can be easily detached from my LR and moved to a neighboring car for testing of another vehicle. If I find the screen too small I have a Samsung Q1 with a 7" touchscreen that can be used as well.

I will be mounting either an HP TC1100 or Itronix tablet in the car as well for data availability. Because both of these require a stylus the interactive usage will be kept to a minimum, however the 10" screen is about perfect for advanced routing, offroad mapping or any display data (wireless scanning and logging) and I have a bluetooth GPS to integrate here.

Finally - a Garmin GPS for road data. This may go the way of the Dodo depending on my satisfaction with the traffic portion of the GPS, but the interface and usability is excellent, so for now it stays.

I have not sourced replacement amps or speakers, nor the inverter that I will need to install. The above hardware is all sourced and in my possession and I am slowly working through the planning stage to development and finally into installation.

The issues I see are:

1. Space. The cabin is large enough to support most of the pieces, but the custom wiring and rear seat entertainment is going to be an issue. The usability of the gear shift ***** will be a major concern.

2. Power. The stock alternator is a 100 amp unit and will be insufficient. A P38 alt may be an option and the extra 20 amps will be great, but I am not sure that will be enough either, so a custom alternator may need to be sourced.

3. Rear seat headrest monitors: the headrests that I have are not good candidates for this, so I will have to figure something out, which may require some custom building

4. Gauges design - I do not care for the standard gauge design land rover ships with the Disco. I do not need a huge speedo or tach and would prefer small digital versions of those with more information and possibly the gps integrated in the gauge area. I do not know what I want to do about this, but it is food for thought.

5. Passenger seat area. I am thinking strongly about removing the passenger airbag and installing a replacement gauge shroud in place of it and then installing one or two additional screens in the pod. The design will be to provide all the pieces for a digital navigator system for off road expeditions.

6. Radios will need to be installed. CB / 2 meter at a minimum, and possibly others.

The whole project is bigger than I expected and is compounded by my lack of knowledge with the Disco when I started the project (the car was brand new to me at the time) so I also have the parts / work the car needs to consider as well. I do not expect this to be a quickly completed project, but as I get parts done I will update the topic.

Thanks

 

I am thinking about replacing my stock radio with an aftermarket. My concern id the factory RES that uses the vehicle speakers for the kids. Is it possible to install an aftermarket radio and still be able to use this feature? Thak you in advance, Matt MyersMy folks have a Sony Xplode model #cdx-ca650x would this work by chance?

 

Sorry Matt, but I have no idea.

Really car stereos are all the same. Power for the stereo and speaker connections, sometimes an aux input, sometimes the factory speakers use a factory amp. The fun part is figuring out what the signal is and intention is to custom wiring harnesses.

I am guessing that you have a disco II - as I do not see the factory offering rear seat entertainment in a Disco I. If that is the case I believe you have a double DIN head unit (I do not own, nor have I ever been in a Disco II so forgive me if I am wrong.) A double DIN gives you all kinds of options that a single does not, as most manufacturers went to double din in the last decade.

That being said, Sony and the Xplode line has never been very high on my list of quality components and if I had a double din head with factory RES I would not be too inclined to swap it out for a single din unit where the additional features would be small, but the effort would be large.

However, if it is a project you want to try you are welcome to pull the factory unit out enough to take pics of the back of it and email them to me. I will be happy to look at the pics and see if I can ID the various parts and what you would need to put it back together again. Alternatively if you are in the orange county are (or want to travel) I would be happy to help you out with the project as long as you buy lunch

EDIT: I just noticed your location - and since the chances are slim that you will be in OC with your car (the commute would be a B*tch) the picture option may be the best bet.

 

Matt,

Look here for reviews of your HU: http://www.carreview.com/cat/car-aud...4_2861crx.aspx

That model sony is an older model and a low end component. Were the shoe on the other foot, I would not use that HU (head unit) in your car. The build & sound quality of the stereo combined with the RES would keep the factory stuff in place. Now if you were talking about replacing the factory HU with a touchscreen double din ICE system with an intel atom running RoadRunner - that would be a different beast all together.....

 

What wire that I think is the tweeter wire? and Where would I look other than at the tweeters on the pillar by the windscreen? Now I am curious.....