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You think so? I don't see it. The button and lighting style doesn't really match the rest of the Jeep. Maybe it's just because I'm accustomed to looking at the stock head unit, but that one looks aftermarket to me, and cheap generic aftermarket at that. It's kind of ironic how cheap it looks, considering how much you end up paying for it.
I'm saying it looks like "A factory radio" and not specifically the original Jeep radio. I guess it's a matter of opinion because I think the 1.0 DIN head units look cheesy.
Anyway, I'm familar with Crutchfield. That's where I've been looking and that's where I first found the Retrosound Newport radio.
When I use the filter and put in my requirements, only two decks come up. They're both Alpine and one is out of stock. The other is $249. So, I'd save $40 and the Alpine has only 18 watts RMS per channel where the Retrosound has 25.
So, I'm thinking is seems like the Retrosound unit is very expensive until you price comparible units. The Alpine unit does have a CD player, which is nice.
The requirements I'm putting into the Crutchfield filter are:
- Front Aux input
- Rear USB input
- Blue Tooth/iPhone compatible
- 1.0 DIN
I have two extra stock head units that I pulled out of the junk yard to mess with. If I can find the right rootable "phablet" sized Android device for a reasonable price, I'm thinking of removing the faceplate from one of those stock head units, cutting out the CD and tape openings and most of the buttons, and permanently mounting the tablet in that faceplate so that it looks like it belongs there.
Then I'd like to get one of those single DIN head units that can be controlled by an Android app and mount it in a hidden location. That way I could use the android device to control the radio and also have the ability to run apps like Torque, Google Maps and Radar Now. I use all three of those extensively in my other vehicle, and I miss them in the Jeep. I would ultimately like to wire up the stock volume control in the faceplate to control system volume in the stereo.
Since there won't be anything behind the faceplate, I might try to rig a way to hinge that faceplate so that I can get to that space behind it for extra storage, like a hidden glove box.
I'm saying it looks like "A factory radio" and not specifically the original Jeep radio. I guess it's a matter of opinion because I think the 1.0 DIN head units look cheesy.
Anyway, I'm familar with Crutchfield. That's where I've been looking and that's where I first found the Retrosound Newport radio.
When I use the filter and put in my requirements, only two decks come up. They're both Alpine and one is out of stock. The other is $249. So, I'd save $40 and the Alpine has only 18 watts RMS per channel where the Retrosound has 25.
So, I'm thinking is seems like the Retrosound unit is very expensive until you price comparible units. The Alpine unit does have a CD player, which is nice.
The requirements I'm putting into the Crutchfield filter are:
- Front Aux input
- Rear USB input
- Blue Tooth/iPhone compatible
- 1.0 DIN
Check onlinecarstereo and woofersetc also. Crutchfield doesn't have the stock that onlinecarstereo does so I just b everything there. The Crutchfield what fits your car is a crock of **** too.
If you have a rear USB, you can hide a thumb drive so that it just seems to be part of the unit and not sticking out. You can also use it to dress a cable behind the dash to give you an input somewhere else, like in the glove box.
Originally Posted by mschi772
You could also do a double din conversion if you or someone you know/find can do a little cabbing.
Double DIN conversion requires hacking into the heater ducts. The ducts block the installation of a double DIN unit, so you either have to remove them altogether or cut into them and patch over the chopped area, leaving the ducts with less air flow. Personally, that's not an acceptable compromise.
If you have a rear USB, you can hide a thumb drive so that it just seems to be part of the unit and not sticking out. You can also use it to dress a cable behind the dash to give you an input somewhere else, like in the glove box.
Double DIN conversion requires hacking into the heater ducts. The ducts block the installation of a double DIN unit, so you either have to remove them altogether or cut into them and patch over the chopped area, leaving the ducts with less air flow. Personally, that's not an acceptable compromise.
Exactly. I was thinking of running a USB cable from the back of the unit to the inside of my console cubby. That way I could plug in my iPhone or a thumb drive and keep them out of sight.
I did a chat session with Crutchfield. The rep found a lot more decks that meet my requirements, but they're all about $250. I'm now taking a hard look at the Kenwood Excelon and the Alpine CDE-HD148BT. I was under the impression Alpine wasn't a very good brand. The Crutchfield rep insisted they are pretty good and those two units would have very good sound. I don't mind paying that much as long as it has what I want and has good quality sound.
A friend of mine put a 2.0 DIN unit in his 2001 XJ. He had to do a lot of cutting, including into the heater vents. I could do this, but I'd rather not.
Thanks again for your help, everyone. It's been a long time since I looked at buying car stereo stuff.
I have a Patriot flash drive that is quite short, so it doesn't stick out much--not really noticeable nor is it ever in any danger of being damaged. Sandisk makes extremely small (physical size) ones--Cruzer Fit and Ultra Fit. The front USB also charges my phone which is very nice especially since I often play/stream music from my phone, so I can play and charge at the same time.
Alpine is a very good brand if maybe a little overrated and overpriced.
Here are a couple examples of the Sandisk flash drives I was talking about. I've seen them as big as 64 GB
03-11-2015, 11:25 AM
