kenwood dvd and navigation

I'm looking for a nice little setup for my new truck. I'm leaning towards a touchscreen setup, and the way my dash is designed, I might need to buy a kenwood head unit, because of the way the screen can extend so far.

I'm not able to try any out, though, since all of the stores around here don't carry it.

Has anybody tried the kenwood DVD players? How are they? Do you have to push down on the screen to push a "button", like the pioneers, or is it easier, like an alpine or clarion, with a light touch necessary? How good is the screen and SQ? Menus?

How about the Kenwood Navigation pack? How is that? Garmin makes it, but I don't know if I should expect something along the lines of a NUVI interface, or something different. Let me know!

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~WAYLAND

We have only been selling/installing kenwood for about 5 months in which only 2 touch screens from kenwood, so my experience is not gospel. I felt pic quality was pretty good, sound quality was decent. Both were installed with stock speakers and such. The sales rep that is covering my area was commenting that this years model were "gonna be spectacular", I have not received any of the new stuff yet so I can't comment on it. Hopefully someone with years of expereince will chime in as I am curious about long term longevity of them.

We've been selling the Kenwoods for a few years, work great, no problems.  Picture and sound get better as you go up the line.  We've reinstall 5-6 year old units numerous times.  You don't need much pressure to make the touch screen work.  Nav is easy to use.  Definitly some of the better sounding units out there, exspecially with music.  (no processed bass)

Can you guys compare Kenwood with the ranks of Alpine?

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~WAYLAND

Very simmilar in touch screen, but different in navigation from Alpine. Alpine has puse-touch screen. Kenwood has user friendly Garmin nav.

Love my Kenwood KVT-617DVD.  It's one of the lower end units and it still works great.  I got it because my buddy has the 817 and I really liked it.  Interface is simple, picture quality is really nice and I think the overall look of the unit is the best of any of the major brands by far.  The Alpines, Pioneer, and to a lesser extend the Clarions all just seem too bulky with the frame around the screen being way too big as far as I'm concerned.  Doesn't take much pressure at all to activate the touch screen and I haven't had a single problem, though i've only had it for about 9 months.  Install went smooth and the sound quality is very good.  Don't have Nav so I can't comment on that.

I have the Alpine iva-d310 w/blackbird navigation and Ipod interface.
I don't think after this purchase I will ever buy alpine again. This unit has been one gigantic disappointment after another... I think the biggest joke is the Ipod interface... If I could do it again I would purchase Kenwood or Save up for Clarion... Just my 2 sence.