:helpI didin't figure i'd waste my time asking my friends this question, as only two of them own bmw's...
I've had an aftermarket, double-din kenwood deck installed in my 7 for over a year now...It's got tv, dvd, ipod....all the bells and whistles....I have to be honest tho, i miss the use of the steering wheel controls and the nav...I'm considering selling/trading my kenwood and going with the widescreen nav (had the 4:3 oem before)..I know there is tv/ipod/bluetooth available for the oem units, but i'm not sure if its worth the trouble...what do you guys think???

My dad has the same unit in both his E46 M3, and his FJ Cruiser, both with original wheel controls connected. Go to a good custom audio shop, they can hook you up.

Stock sucks! haha. Just buy the aftermarket module which allows you to still use your steering wheel controls. Problem solved!!

That things looks weird... off centered like that. the 16:9 looks spiffy. But aftermarket stuff is always better. BMW doesn't have entertainment down.

I say take it to a custom audio shop and have them hook you up like burn said.

Yeah i hate the fact that you can't center it (without cutting behind the dash)...This was my only option...I had my amp/subs hooked up to the 4:3 oem ..i just couldn't stand not being able to watch movies and figured if i was gonna install a dvd player, i might as well just swap the head unit...i'm bored with it tho even though i love the touch screen

I like the stock look better, it flows with the car's interior.

Your install is clean but honestly, I am not diggin it...

And dont get me wrong. Before I did a nav retro fit I considered aftermarket. I even have a Pioneer 7" flip out in my garage with DVD and nav and touch screen. I just like the stock look alot better. And there are ways to modify the stock widescreen to get TV, DVD, bluetooth, and pretty much everything else that you can get in aftermarket radios.

I love the Pioneer flip screens. You can color adjust the backlights.

Colin, are you selling the 7" flip any time soon?

I love the Pioneer flip screens. You can color adjust the backlights.

Colin, are you selling the 7" flip any time soon?

I wasn't planning on selling it, I have the DVH-6500P DVD with the seperate Navi drive. You can watch DVD while driving and you can still use the Navi. The new units require you to remove the DVD, insert the Nav disk, then re insert the DVD. I think I will just end up keeping it for another car down the road.

I have a Pioneer AVIC-N1 that I'm waiting to install this summer. I'm going to set it a little further back in the bracket so that the wood door will be able to conceal it. I'll have the stock look until you flip up the door :)

If you set it back that far the screen won't flip out...

the nc1 is not a flip out..it's a double din like mine....I think i'm going to go ahead and go back to the factory head unit..i've already got aftermarket amp/highs anyway...Thanks guys..i'm going to hold on to the kenwood for a while, probably put it in my whatever car i buy this summer..if someone is intersted or has a widescreen nav for sale, pm me.

I did vote for OEM, but I didn't factor in the "Pain in the ass" factor. I wouldn't blame you a bit for keeping the aftermarket unit based on that factor alone.

I have seen some bad looking aftermarket screens, that one isn't. At least yours integrates into the dash and doesn't pop out and cover other OEM dash controls.

If you set it back that far the screen won't flip out...
Well it wont need to be set back much anyways, theres actually a good amount of room behind that door when it's down. Plus, the AVIC sticks out a little bit in the normal mounting possition possition anyways.

I have the same trim panel in wood trim, but the black looks more stock...i hate not being able to get any computer info on my dash (other than miles till empty)



I did vote for OEM, but I didn't factor in the "Pain in the ass" factor. I wouldn't blame you a bit for keeping the aftermarket unit based on that factor alone.

I have seen some bad looking aftermarket screens, that one isn't. At least yours integrates into the dash and doesn't pop out and cover other OEM dash controls.

Thankfully the flipout lets me keep my OBC.

Personally, I would have never accepted that install with that gap around the edge of the screen. Any self respecting installer would have made sure to have the H.U. and edge bezel match better. Look at that right edge the gap is 3 times larger at the top than the bottom.
It makes it look CHEAP.

I think a good solution for you would be to go with an OEM widescreen.
And MK III or MKIV for the trunk.

Then you use a Navtool or similar Video on Nav solution.
This will give you a source for video input into the Stock nav. screen.

Then use a Blitzsafe or similar adapter to get Aux. Sound into the stock system.

Then install a Single Din or Half Din DVD player somewhere......
glovebox/rear cupholder....into the Navtool adapter.
Some DVD players even have built in tv tuners.

This is what I'm doing in mine.
Well sort of. I'm using a portable Mpeg 4 Player W' a laptop H.D. with all my movies and tv shows and MP3's on it. to input into the system thru the navtool adapter.

IMHO it's the best of both worlds.

You have a OEM widescreen display, OEM Nav. steering wheel controls still retained.

Then you Press Both track buttons on the steering wheel at the same time and that activates the Aux. Audio feed from the Blitzsafe adapter. Flip a small switch for the NavTool on the dash or where ever you put it and that overrides your Nav display and outputs your video source onto your factory wide screen display.

I have had many Nav. units in my cars over the years. Eclipse/AVIC/Alpine...Flip out and double DIN...
And I have come to the conclusion that a totally customized install like the one I listed above is the best solution for someone who wants great functionality with an OEM appearance.

I had a Flip out Alpine touch screen unit in my last 7 it had tv tuner nav... the whole shabang and I could flip the wood trim over it when closed and it looked stock.
But it just wasn't as nice as a perfectly fitted OEM widescreen display.

Thats my .02 $

I can't afford to buy teh widescreen, but I've got the AVIC-N1 already, so I'm still going with that even if it might not look as nice. I think that the hidden look is a nice touch.

I completely agree on the suggested setup...I knew adding a all-in-one kenwood would save me the trouble of adding all that s#it, unfortunately when i bought it, I didn't know if would have to be mounted off center..As for the gaps, the faceplate is not permanently installed..i've got two of them, both fiberglass (one in black and one in woodgrain)...i just can't settle on which one i like more, so they are not bracketed in...they are tight enough to cradle the radio until i seat them permanently (which probably won't be happening)

dw


Personally, I would have never accepted that install with that gap around the edge of the screen. Any self respecting installer would have made sure to have the H.U. and edge bezel match better. Look at that right edge the gap is 3 times larger at the top than the bottom.
It makes it look CHEAP.

I think a good solution for you would be to go with an OEM widescreen.
And MK III or MKIV for the trunk.

Then you use a Navtool or similar Video on Nav solution.
This will give you a source for video input into the Stock nav. screen.

Then use a Blitzsafe or similar adapter to get Aux. Sound into the stock system.

Then install a Single Din or Half Din DVD player somewhere......
glovebox/rear cupholder....into the Navtool adapter.
Some DVD players even have built in tv tuners.

This is what I'm doing in mine.
Well sort of. I'm using a portable Mpeg 4 Player W' a laptop H.D. with all my movies and tv shows and MP3's on it. to input into the system thru the navtool adapter.

IMHO it's the best of both worlds.

You have a OEM widescreen display, OEM Nav. steering wheel controls still retained.

Then you Press Both track buttons on the steering wheel at the same time and that activates the Aux. Audio feed from the Blitzsafe adapter. Flip a small switch for the NavTool on the dash or where ever you put it and that overrides your Nav display and outputs your video source onto your factory wide screen display.

I have had many Nav. units in my cars over the years. Eclipse/AVIC/Alpine...Flip out and double DIN...
And I have come to the conclusion that a totally customized install like the one I listed above is the best solution for someone who wants great functionality with an OEM appearance.

I had a Flip out Alpine touch screen unit in my last 7 it had tv tuner nav... the whole shabang and I could flip the wood trim over it when closed and it looked stock.
But it just wasn't as nice as a perfectly fitted OEM widescreen display.

Thats my .02 $

i like the oem wide nav look better.
take a pic of your whole dash (door to door), and i will tell better how it looks.

Go for the oem 16/9 nav

:helpI didin't figure i'd waste my time asking my friends this question, as only two of them own bmw's...
I've had an aftermarket, double-din kenwood deck installed in my 7 for over a year now...It's got tv, dvd, ipod....all the bells and whistles....I have to be honest tho, i miss the use of the steering wheel controls and the nav...I'm considering selling/trading my kenwood and going with the widescreen nav (had the 4:3 oem before)..I know there is tv/ipod/bluetooth available for the oem units, but i'm not sure if its worth the trouble...what do you guys think???

I say its worth it, in the end, if your happy with your set up. Your set-up looks clean, but something aint right....can't quite put my finger on it. Perhaps its because it's off-centered. Surprised you don't have nav with the new setup.

That's going to be my summer upgrade, but I've also struggled with the potential of losing the steering wheel controls. I've gotten quite used to them.

Well i've finally decided to go back to the oem headunit...i'm going to buy a widescreen one ((probably off ebay today) ..i realize there are probably 1000 threads on this topic? but does anyone have a suggestion/location for the tv in motion and best ipod adapter? all that stuff was included with my kenwood :*(

It's too bad because you could've had a kenwood unit almost identical in function to yours if you had opted for the screen with seperate brain, then you could've had it centered. This picture of my dad's E46 should show what I mean.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj216/burn740i/DSC03285-1.jpg
If I can't make my AVIC fit, I'll be doing the same. Also, he has the same Kenwood unit that you have (I believe it's a 9100) in his FJ Cruiser. It's a great unit, I can see why you don't want to part with it.

I looked at one of those (hidaway brain) after the fact, but i got mine for an excellent price..I'll probably keep it and put it in whatever i buy this summer

Thanks to all that voted (i sound like ryan seacrest on american idol)..heheh..I uninstalled my kenwood head unit today and installed a widescreen oem nav unit!! Unfortunately i didn't have much music to listen to, since i normally burn my albums on cd's as mp3's..heheh..;next up, nav tv and bsw ipod adapter