My Alpine head unit is coming up 6 years old and has started an annoying habit of freezing the controls to the point that turning the ignition off doesn't turn the head unit off, which means I need to reset it. It's also started a new trick of doing this while displaying some weird frequency number (368 MHz anyone?). Before it was rare, but now its almost every day. In short, I think it's shagged.

At the moment I'm running a cadence Q4000 amp to cadence splits at the front and 2x 10" CWs in the boot. Stock parcel shelf speakers are run off the HU. The HU feeds the amp thru its RCA outs and power-on line.

I've always thought about going for a TV, but don't know if I can justify $2k for a decent TV with tuner.

Requirements are:
- Budget of around $500 preferably, $1k max
- Ipod input carefactor 0.
- look funky/classy/flashy/wanky.
- has to feed my amp happily as well as the parcel shelf speakers.
- bluetooth so I can talk handsfree on my mobile while driving.
- prefer alpine, pioneer, other solid brands.

Hit me with suggestions :)

Hi Anon,

Why not try a Pioneer AVH-P6850DVD. They are hugely upgradable and come with a 7" Touch Panel with few buttons so they dont look tacky. I hear they can be had for less than 1k now (i paid $2100) and will do everything except the bluetooth (additional box) as is and feature highly adjustable outputs for any amp.

JVC KD-BT22 - RRP:$499
http://www.jvc-australia.com/JVCstores/PRODUCTS/364/ATTRFILE_LRG/kd-bt22l.jpg

- MOS-FET 50W x 4
- TI/Burr-Brown 24-bit DAC
- Built-in Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
- USB Audio for iPod etc.
- USB Port (MP3/WMA/AAC*/WAV/WMA-DRM 10/ iPod Audio)
- MP3/WMA/AAC* Compatible (CD)
- CD Changer Ready
- HS-IV Tuner
- 5-Band Parametric iEQ
- Loudness Control
- 2.5V Line Output Level
- Line Output Terminals (Front/Rear/Subwoofer)
- Front AUX Input
- Full Dot LCD
- Variable-Color Display

Sold!

Or, if you wanna spend a bit more and get flashy/cool/wanky features

JVC KD-AVX44 - RRP:$899
http://www.jvc-australia.com/JVCstores/PRODUCTS/369/ATTRFILE_LRG/KD-AVX44l.jpg
- MOS-FET 50W x 4
- Built-in Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
- Built-in 3.5-Inch Wide Monitor
- USB Audio and Video for iPod etc. *1
- GIGA MP3 MULTI
- AAC*2/WAV/MP3/WMA Compatible (DVD/CD/USB)
- DivX®/JPEG/MPEG1,2 Compatible (DVD/CD/
USB*3)
- 5.1-Channel DTS/5.1-Channel Dolby Digital/MPEG
Audio
- 7-Band iEQ
- Headphone Surround
- 5V Line/Subwoofer Output Level
- Gold-Plated Output Terminals (Front/Rear/
Subwoofer/Center Channel/Second Audio/Composite
Video)
- Gold-Plated AV Input Terminals
- Motion Sensor
- Touch Pad
- TFT ON/OFF
- Multilingual Display (English/Spanish/French/
German/Italian/Dutch/Swedish/Danish/ Russian)
- Dual Zone Function
- CD Changer Ready
- High-Pass Filter (ON/Through)
- Detachable Control Panel
- Rear View Camera Ready

My vote is for rightys 2nd option!

Has all the tricks of a fine, well aged prostitute but looks like fresh meat

My vote is for rightys 2nd option!

Has all the tricks of a fine, well aged prostitute but looks like fresh meat

Now that's an analogy!

I'm personally a huge fan of Kenwood, they have plenty of kit for their money, if u buy a decent one, they are future proof, and well u can pretty much attach what ever the hell you feel like to one!!! HAHAHA! Also i have one and it is brilliant, perfect, a solid performer!

For $899 you'd get better than a 3.5" screen, should be able to get a good brand 7" touchscreen for that price.

I'm a fan of a 7" touchscreen in the dash :P

yeah but touchscreens dont bluetooth to your phone, power your speakers, or play music do they :) need to do attached to a head unit to do that

yeah but touchscreens dont bluetooth to your phone, power your speakers, or play music do they :) need to do attached to a head unit to do that

Snaps for woob... however most decent ones these days (cough) KENWOOD (cough) in fact will, and for 100-200 u can get a fully intergrated bluetooth set up... wicked aye?

Now now children, I seen strathfield selling a brand new JVC 7inch double din DVD player that should be similar in spec to the others mentioned. All up, $899. It might be on their website but it was definately in the catelogue I just seen.