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Hello all,

This is my first time on this site, I'm here, because I'm looking to put a DVD system in my 00' Ford Windstar. My wife has decided (hey its her ride) that she wants the screens in the headrests of the front seats. I want an in-dash DVD player. I went looking on EBAY, and have found several systems in the $250-$350 range. But when I go to Cruthcfield, or Circuti city, they charge close to $700 just for an In-dash player.

Now I understand you get what you pay for, but that is a huge difference! The EBAY brands are one's that I have never heard of. PYLE, Power Acoustic, Mobile Video USA......

Are these EBAY systems just a bad idea, or are they a good deal their own sort of way?

Here is one of the adds I am looking at

https://https://cgi.ebay.com/dll?ViewItem&item=3077005645&category=32826

Thanks for any advice.

Bill

Hey Bill, you get what you pay for. From my experience with the cheaper brands that customer's bring into our shop, the installation hardware and the quality is just not there. Not to mention that the player doesn't play all DVD's even if it's new out of the case. Just watch out and do some research before you buy and keep in mind that you still want some quality for your wife's ride even though it is just a minivan posted_image

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA

I kinda figured that would be the answer. :) Now what should I expect to pay for the equipment? From what I have read, Pyramid makes some good quality screens, and I can get those for about $200.00 How much should I expect to pay for a quality palyer and instilation. I can run the wires from the screens, but I want a PRO to install the player in the dash. I dont want to screw that up!

Does anyone have any sudgestions for what players to buy? I dont plan on putting in a game system, as my kid is only 2.

TIA

Bill

A decent DVD player ( stand alone ) would be about $ 500 + and monitor's for the headrest you shopuld be able to get away with TFT units for about $ 200-250 a peice. The rear quality of the image is not so important as long as the kids can see what's on the screen. Make sure you get TFT as opposed to STN screens ( here is the difference ). Installation will vary depending on where you live and the going rate for installations. We would charge abuot $ 250 Cdn to install 2 monitors ( one that clamp onto the headrest posts ) and the indash player. A good player would be a Pioneer , Kenwood or Sony.

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA

If you are skeptical about E-bay. Try this site for your mobile video components. www.partsexpress.com.

Y'all have been lots of help. I guess that I'm going to have to spend more than I was planning. Origionaly I was hoping to spend around 500$ for the whole set-up, and I was going to install it myself.

The wife and I are going out to look at some gear today. I'd realy like to buy Pioneer, or Kenwood for the Player.

Now are the Players that mount under seats any less expensive? Are they of good quality? My wife says she wants one under the Passanger seat, not in the dash.

What brands would you sudgest for Screens? Pioneer, Kenwood, JVC? Or are some of the off brand names good to go? Pyle, Pyramid (Same Company?)?

Thanks for all the hilp.

Bill

As long as the screens are TFT the quality of the screen for the kids will not be that crucial. Going with Pyle or Power Acoustik screens will suffice. As far as the DVD player goes, just make sure the player can play all region DVD's and also burned copies posted_image

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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA

Wahoo! Thanks for all the help Guys!.

hello thier i run a small business in san jose ca. i do buy a lot of products form ebay because of thie deals you can find what you are looking for for about half the price of a department store you should always check out the seller and always make sure you can get a warrenty on what you by i also do a web search for whatever i am looking for just to see if thier is a web site that will have what i am looking for if you need help fell free to email me and i will help you in any way i can good look

You know, you really do end up getting what you pay for. I bought a dvd player from ebay along with a screen and the dvd player burned 5 days later. About the screen... I made the wrong idea of going with a Pyramid. Those things suck. At that time I really did'nt know about screens, but now I know that if you want decent quality video then you'll NEED one with an active matrix display. You should take a look at a laptop's computer screen resolution (Screens of that quality are very expensive) and work your way down to give you some idea of what your video's will look like when you play them on the monitor you buy.

I ended up getting a Blaupunkt 7 inch screen. This thing is awsome.

https://images.cardomain.com/member_images/11/web/503000-503999/503416_19_full.jpg

I finaly know what player I want to get. A Blaupunkt DVD-ME3. It has a Built in TV Tuner, and is a dedicated 12V player (not a 120AC W/ an adapter). Everything I have ever seen about Blaupunkt products, is good. They seem to be high quality, and I dont know anyone who has ever had problems with thier products. ( I know it's happend, just not to anyone I know.)

As for the screens, I think I'm going to get a set of Pyramid 7.2" that mount to the headrest bars. From the research I have done, these use a generic SHARP monitor, The same as many other manufacturers.

Now is there any other gear I need to install this? The AV cables are included with the player and Monitors, I would like to install an FM modulator so we can hear the movie with out headphones. ( The kid is 2 1/2 he wont keep those things on) What does one of those cost?

Should I use a Relay to install this? I'm thinking a 30amp.

Thanks all

Bill

Make sure those Pyramid are TFT monitors (I doubt they are from what I see on ebay) or you will be dissapointed even if they are only $80/ea. The viewing angle will be limited and the picture quality isn't there. Add another $20-$40 to the cost of each and get something you'll want to watch. You picked a good DVD player but the picture will only be as good as the monitor.

The monitors you are thinking of getting are crap. They really suck, honestly. I bought the same thing about 3 months ago and I was really disappointed. In my opinion those things don't even have a viewing angle!

If you are really woried about how much money you can spend, then just go for a decent (name brand) roofmount active matrix lcd screen.

The monitors are TFT. I thought that all TFT's were good to go? Does anyone know of a store in the SanDiego Area that caries these monitors, so I can go see them in action? I dont want to make a 200$ mistake.

Bill

The monitors are TFT. I thought all TFT's are good to go? Does anyone know of a shop in SanDiego that sells these monitors, so I can go look at them?

Thanks

Bill

I really don't know where you can go and see this thing in action. I'll show you a picture of the one I had.

https://images.cardomain.com/member_images/11/web/503000-503999/503416_44_thumb.jpg

If this looks like the one you are planning on buying, then just forget it. These things are crap. There really is no way for me to descrive their resolution. As soon as I turned it on I saw how each pixel danced back and forth in its place while image colors abruptly changed to their pale counter-parts of what the center image was trying to represent. I'm sorry, but there really is no way to express this. You might want to try your local swap meet. You might find one there.

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