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Want to replace stereo head unit but..

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by senectus, Mar 7, 2005.

  1. senectus

    senectus New Member

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    I'm considering changing out the head unit of the stereo in my 05 Prius.. Two major issue's I see here are that :
    1) the new unit needs to be controllable from the MFD and from the steering wheel just like the current one does.
    2) I don't want to lose the unbroken lines of the current dashboard..

    Is there something out there that will intergrate with the Prius?
    How hard is it to pop off the face plate on the Prius dash to see what is underneath ??
     
  2. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    You can deactivate the existing head unit and leave it in place.
    You can install a single DIN head unit in the pocket below the existing head unit. You can get an adapter like this

    http://www.audiooutfitter.com/store/SWI-X.html

    to keep steering wheel controls.

    (I haven't tried any of this, but it seems like a workable plan).

    You'll lose the touch screen integration, but I don't think you will lose anything vital to the system.

    Nate
     
  3. XravenX

    XravenX New Member

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    Why do you want to replace the head unit?
     
  4. senectus

    senectus New Member

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    I want a better unit.. one that plays mp3 and more importantly Vorbis Ogg.
    MAYBE even a DVD player.. :mrgreen:
     
  5. petteri

    petteri New Member

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    Consider grabbing an Empeg (Riocar) unit off of Ebay. It fits into the cubby below the radio. Can hold up 180GB of music and you can get OGG and FLAC support (with an alpha version of the player software). I'm holding off installing mine until Coastal Dave's input kit is finished. See empegbbs.com for an active comminuty that supports this way still ahead of its time player!
     
  6. skew

    skew Junior Member

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    Metra has an install kit for our Prius now :) And I also figured out how to unhook the factory radio and not freak out the car. Im planing on doing a really tricked out system whenever Kenwood ships thier new screens next month.

    My question why would you keep the factory system :pukeright: . lol
     
  7. bobc

    bobc New Member

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    Skew,

    I did a search looking for the Metra stuff for Prius but couldn't find it. Do you have a link?

    Does it allow you to keep the OEM face plate or does it replcase this?

    Does it have the same clean lines as the OEM faceplate? It think this is Senectus' (and my) concern. We don't want to replace the OEM head and lose the nice, clean, curved lines of the dash.

    Cheers,
    -bob
     
  8. skew

    skew Junior Member

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    The part number is 99-8213. I don't have any links it was introduced at CES and is in their new book. And its "contoured to match the factory dash" I have one ordered so Ill know when I receive it.
     
  9. senectus

    senectus New Member

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  10. skew

    skew Junior Member

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    its metra autosound but their web page has not been updated in a few years :cussing:
     
  11. senectus

    senectus New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skew\";p=\"71321)</div>
    Well it is now!!!

    (I can't find any Prius things though...
     
  12. kchan2752

    kchan2752 New Member

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    Well it is now!!!

    (I can't find any Prius things though...[/b][/quote]Nothing there for the 2004 prius
     
  13. skew

    skew Junior Member

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    here is a scan from Metra's book
     
  14. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    Sell me your old stereo when you are done with your upgrade! I want to downgrade my JBL head unit so I can Amplify without having the beeps!

    Nate
     
  15. bobc

    bobc New Member

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    Nate,

    You may have missed the posts but I'm still trying to figure out how to reduce or eliminate the beep volume with my base radio. The beep signal is the MFD thru the OEM head out to the speakers. The only way I can see to eliminate the beeps is to only use the rear channels (On the base model, the beeps are on the front channels only).

    Unless, you can devise a filter to block that freq. that correspond to the beeps.

    Sorry, don't want to hijack the thread but did want to give Nate a heads up...

    -bob
     
  16. DanMan32

    DanMan32 Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobc\";p=\"74661)</div>
    If you hadn't, I was about to.
     
  17. naterprius

    naterprius Senior Member

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    Yes, I was planning on using the rear channel into a four-channel amp, then back out to the four speakers, then adjust the gain on the amp to something that sounds balanced front to rear.

    I'll still have volume, bass, treble, and balance, so I'll be happy.

    Nate
     
  18. bobc

    bobc New Member

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    Skew or Senectus,

    Have either of you picked up and installed the new Metra faceplate yet? Does it fit the dash nicely? Curious how it worked out...

    Thanx,
    -bob
     
  19. politically corrupt

    politically corrupt New Member

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    Yo, don't buy another head unit if you want to play mp3's or OGG. Dude just buy an mp3 player and a radio transmitter.

    I use my laptop with radio transmitter ($25) and it broadcasts perfect.

    I'd rather know if there is a way to tweak the video screen so I could install a harddrive running linux and hard wire that to the radio. Now that would be cool!
     
  20. skew

    skew Junior Member

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    No I still haven't recieved the kit. But on the other hand Kenwood has not released their 25th anniversary head units. So Im not in too much of a hurry at this point maybe in another month the ball will be rolling I miss my navigation it will be nice to have it again. I broke down and installed my music keg via fm mod but it sounds like :pukeright: can't wait to have it back through the head unit and my steering wheel controls working it :D