Advice on Rosen
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Mobile Video, GPS, and Navigation
Forum Discription: Mobile Video Head Units, DVD Players, LCD and TFT Monitors, Navigation, GPS, PS2, PS3, XBox, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=25812
Printed Date: May 17, 2024 at 6:55 AM
Topic: Advice on Rosen
Posted By: samgoods
Subject: Advice on Rosen
Date Posted: February 03, 2004 at 11:47 PM
Hello Friends I am still researching a video system for my 1998 Dodge Caravan. I was looking at the Rosen ClearVue A9, an all-in-one unit with a (supposed) lifetime warranty. This unit looked superb in the store playing my favorite DVD, BUT the big question.. is it worth the huge price tag? Could I do better quality wise for the same money staying with seperate DVD and LCD monitor units? Also are these all in one unit portable? meaning in 2-3 years could I switch to another van?? Thank you in advance for advice
Replies:
Posted By: NowYaKnow
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 6:21 AM
I only have experience with the Rosen A7 tv's, but with that said I'm not a fan. Basically every one that we installed has come back 2 or 3 times and most have been swapped out. Look wise, it's a nice tv. Feature wise, it's a nice tv. Install wise, it's a nice tv. Picture wise, it's a nice tv. Functionality wise, it's an expensive paperweight. They just don't work..We send them back for upgrades and whatever else is wrong, they come back, and still don't work..
As mentioned I've never used the A9 this is only from my A7 experience. Is the A9 a portable type or an overhead type? The portable type obviously you can just take from any car/truck/van as you please. The overhead can be installed in anything as well just if you switch vans in a few years it will leave a hole in your headliner.. Of course, that also assumes the Rosen unit will still work in a few years ;) Good luck,
Mike
Posted By: DanDan
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 7:06 AM
The A9 is a great unit, as is the A7. Unlike Nowyaknow, I have never had a return on either one. What problems are you having with the A7's NowyaKnow? I have sold a ton of both and absolutely no problems. The A9 has a lifetime warranty and the A7 has a 5 year. I really like the A9, great picture and a quality piece. What are they asking for it price wise Sam?
DanDan
Posted By: samgoods
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 8:45 AM
Rut Rho!! Mike thanks for the input.. "they just don't work" & "expensive paperweight" is pretty strong advice to steer me away. I see that you have installed these units and have experience.. so I valuable your input. DanDan, The "best" price I was quoted was $1400 installed with is double most other units. And based on what Mike has just shared it seems like the "quality" is just not there. Any other comments?
Posted By: NowYaKnow
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 6:20 PM
"What problems are you having with the A7's NowyaKnow"
Basically one problem a bunch have complained about are that the unit keeps making noise when driving. This is when they are NOT watching a movie. The unit keeps cycling on and off repeatedly like it's looking for a disc. After a few phone calls a Rosen tech informed me that they needed to be sent back for a software upgrade. Something about the voltage rise when driving made the unit think it was being turned on/off or something like that.
Another problem is the units just seem to randomly lock up. You put a disc in and start to play and the thing basically dies..Won't eject or do anything. Haven't talked to a tech but everytime I see this I have to pull the unit back down and unplug the power harness, then plug it back in.
Next is the red diagnostic light. Someone had the bright idea to build in a RED diagnostic light into the unit. Well the light is right above the domelight so when something goes wrong this thing blinks red all the time..Have had several complaints about this.. Apparently customers don't like a blinking red light.. Why is it setting diagnostic codes? Who knows.. All the techs could tell me on this one is to put a piece of electrical tape over the light. Meaning it still blinks, just noone can see it. It works, but not really a true fix in my opinion.
Also they seem to be pretty picky on what dvds they want to play and which ones they don't like. Also I've seen something with the fm modulator not turning off so we had to install a switch inline.
Obviously every manufacturer is gonna get some bad ones here and there, but I really have no faith left in Rosen from my experience. Glad to hear somebody is having good luck with these! We only put them in when we run out of Audiovox products. I would agree though the picture on them is very nice! If it has a lifetime warranty as stated, then I guess give it a go see what happens.
Mike
Posted By: DanDan
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 7:51 PM
Never had any of those problems that you had. I have had more problems with Audiovox than anything else. I wonder if you got the first Rosens ever made? I dropped Audiovox pretty much because of the weak warranty and I am tired of all the returns, there defect rate for the Dvd's going bad was high. And $1400 for the A9 is a good price. I don't know of any quality 9 inch all in one with a tuner for half that price. I pay just over a $1000 for the A9 wholesale. So $1400 installed is a very fair price including labor. I pay just as much for the Audiovox 9 inch with built in DVD also. And it's warranty is only 1 year.
DanDan
Posted By: RufNUSD
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 8:18 PM
A lifetime warranty with Rosen is like having a lifetime Sirius membership. Rosen is going thru some financial difficulties. Their product was installation friendly but was very tempermental. Good forbid you hook the modulator up after having power connected.
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Someone pass me that bottle.
Posted By: NowYaKnow
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 8:21 PM
First rosens ever made? LOL don't know about that, but I guess a bad batch is always possible. We do pretty good with Audiovox I have a lot of faith in their products..Comebacks now and then, but when you look at the volume we do it's not a high percentage at all. And majority of the comebacks are usually because the customer sticks an extra thick DVD in and it gets stuck.
As far as price I'd agree $1400 installed for a 9" overhead definately isn't bad especially if the tv has a lifetime warranty.
It's great to be able to get a couple different opionions/experiences with the products if anybody else has any feel free to chime in! I'm interested to know how others are doing with these. Good luck,
Mike
Posted By: samgoods
Date Posted: February 04, 2004 at 9:35 PM
Wow Now I am really confuded!! yes please please someone else chime in here to break the tie.. DanDan thanks for the price input, I was not sure if that was good or bad. Where I live (outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey) the video guys here are worse than car salesman!!
Posted By: DanDan
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 10:02 PM
I would not call rosen easy to install. I find them very challenging. The Audiovox is very easy to install. I just have not had the problems with a single Rosen yet. The problem with the Audiovox now is the weak warranty. I use to get a three year and now it's a one year unless you buy there pro line which I won't buy since I have to be direct. I do most of my work for car dealers and they require a better warranty. Rosen had money problems and now are mated up with Necvox and doing quite well. And who would hook up there fm mod while the power is on? I still like the Rosen, have had no problems down here in Florida. If you want to save money go with the Power Acoustic 10 inch with the tv tuner. I think it is wholesaling for $700 complete and some of my friends love it. I just did not like it. Seemed cheap.
DanDan
Posted By: samgoods
Date Posted: February 05, 2004 at 10:08 PM
I dont know Dan now I am confused? looking at clarion V735 still but might get a different monitor, like an 8 inches Power Asocuitic or Xo xide I am confused between the all in one unit and the separte components still. wife wants control of changing the DVD while driving. suggestions?
Posted By: robmir
Date Posted: February 15, 2004 at 12:57 PM
Hi Dan: I got perhaps one of the first Rosen car displays on my wife´s van, purchased from them when they were a little unknowed company which outsourced some of their cheap models. Last year something went wrong with it, contacted them, they didn´t have any info on this set since it was discontinued long ago, but a nice guy on tech dept. sent me to south america some old stuff (touch panel and motherboards with missing components) he found on shelf plus blueprints and I could repair the display right away. Any way did you have bad experience with Audiovox headrest and non DVD roof TV tuner/monitors units ? I ask you this because I had a good experience for the last 4 years with my Audiovox 6.8 rooftop display on my SUV which is used on a harsh enviroment, but now is time to replace it with a wide display version. I am looking for a model that has a good picture when watched from the sides, something that the old 6.8 is not good. I have not idea if the new wide Audiovox units with RF headphones instead of the IR old ones have better displays. When I compare my old Audiovox picture quality with my Sony XAV-7W head unit , the Audiovox is garbage !!! Can´t put something too big because of rear mirror blocking but want to keep the kids happy. And to Samgoods just one note: I installed on the dash a Sony DVX11A DVD player because of it´s capability to play DVD-RW since I record them on my home and when kids get tired just erase old picture and record a new movie. Is perhaps one the best players I have seen but price is a little step (can be mounted remotely if you don´t have a free din slot on your dashboard) !!!! Wife´s is happy because she can change discs and control them quite easy.
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