Installed a Kenwood DNX-7200 Double-Din

[jayjay99]

Installed this this afternoon, took a good 5 hours to do, I got the head unit plus a few extras, Bluetooth unit, digital tv tuner, and ipod control lead. Works lovely, it's a very cool gadget but all in all it cost alot of money! Alot more than I should be spending on a stereo!

The Mess!
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A friend lending a hand!
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You can see one of the aerials on the right for the TV, I hadn't taken the backing off so that's why it's all yellow.
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Installing the other aerial
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The finished product.....
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[WildCards]

Sweet. 5 hours though? I think the dummy would have gone out of the pram waaay before then.

[Beastlee]

I just love the way you can have access like that behind the centre console when you remove the panel. I don't know any other car that lts you find and organise the cabling so easily.

Looks great, I have my Clarion 6-DVD Changer set-up to finish but want a better screen/s before I do. The 2 Sony's are excellent but the wrong type for what I want to do.

[White Lightning]

Looks great :thumbsup:

Two questions though ...

1. What colour is your dash? ... it looks very smart ... :afro:

2. What is that trim around the stereo covering the gaps?

[Gly]

Looks great :thumbsup:

Two questions though ...

1. What colour is your dash? ... it looks very smart ... :afro:



its gunmetal... it comes on the 2000 and newer vr4s.

[White Lightning]

its gunmetal... it comes on the 2000 and newer vr4s.

Looks good ... I think I prefer that to the carbon fibre look ...

[BraindG]

awesome, i love that unit, if only i had the spare pennies /rally /GJ

[jayjay99]

Yeah, I was really surprised when I took off the surround how open it was! Yeah, my dash is a silvery blue gunmetal colour. The trim around the stereo came with the headunit, was just a clip on plate, it isn't the most amazing finish as the plate is straight and the dash curves. I'll take a few pictures today in better light.

[jayjay99]

I also love the bluetooth unit, just pair you phone to it then whenever you get in the car it automatically connects to the stereo and if you recieve a call the music stops and your phone starts ringing through the speakers and then you can just push answer on the screen! And if you want to make a call you can just hit Tel on the screen and dial a number or flick through the address book all done without taking the phone out of your pocket, I love it! Plus I can watch home and away now while I'm shooting down the M3! :-)

[Brunty]

That looks great Jay - but I knew this as my headunit has been in for a couple of weeks now, and Nutter_John is installing the remainder of the kit this weekend. No TV for me though - is the fact that the TV works in drive a potential MOT issue?


The trim around the stereo came with the headunit, was just a clip on plate, it isn't the most amazing finish as the plate is straight and the dash curves.

I think it looks better with out the surround, although I also think it makes it look easier to get at for scrotes looking to steal car stereos.

Bear with me though I'm working on a plan - details to follow.

[jayjay99]

Ah cool, yeah, I'm thinking of taking it off, clips in well though! I don't think they check that, even if they did I can just unplug the cable from the tuner before I go in.

[djwarden]

Having worked as a stereo installer for halfrauds I know the wiring of the stereo isnt usually checked come MOT time but if the police stop you they can ask to see that the unit stops tv/dvd playback once the handbrake is released. and if it still works its on the owners head or IF they can prove it (not likely) then the company that fitted it get hit for a MASSIVE bill! /pan

[Brunty]

Thanks dj that's useful to know.

[Nutter_John]

so do you want me to wire up the disable function or not ? :D

[Brunty]

so do you want me to wire up the disable function or not ? :D

Funnily enough I was just doing a PM for you but deleted it as I imagine that 'cos mine is DVD only it shouldn't be necessary, provided I don't have a DVD disk in the headunit when I'm pulled over.

Be interesting if someone could confirm whether my thinking is correct?

[Nutter_John]

Tell ya what I will wire it up , show you where it connects and you can unplug it as you please

[Brunty]

Tell ya what I will wire it up , show you where it connects and you can unplug it as you please

As long as you do it somewhere easy to get to - as you know I don't have the right spanners to keep taking the car apart!

:D

[Nutter_John]

ok will put it to a big switch on the dash labelled - TURN OFF SCREEN WHEN POLICE STOP ME -

:D /lol

Will put a descrete little switch somewhere for you

[djwarden]

Will put a descrete little switch somewhere for you

Exactly how I have mine wired up...
Small toggle switch under the steering column to disable the screen when pulled over :afro:

[jayjay99]

I've never really been bothered by that, I always just straight wire it to the earth! Here's some more pics of it installed, you can see the stereo sticks out a bit.

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[Beastlee]

A discrete toggle switch that is either permanent earth or handrbrake would be a good plan, just not so discrete that you can't switch it over if the officer stops you.

[Brunty]

Jay - good pictures, looks like you've done a really good job of the install. It does clearly show that the Kenwood surround ain't fit for purpose in the Galant - I'm on to it, watch this space.

[Nutter_John]

please tell what you have in mind given in just over 3 hrs i start installing it

[Brunty]

please tell what you have in mind given in just over 3 hrs i start installing it

Nothing that will affect what you're doing. BTW 3 hours - hurry up and finish your bacon sarnie and get to work!

[jayjay99]

Jay - good pictures, looks like you've done a really good job of the install. It does clearly show that the Kenwood surround ain't fit for purpose in the Galant - I'm on to it, watch this space.


Watching with bated breath! :thumbsup:

[d i c k i e s]

looks really nice.

[snickells]

A nice clean install, Love the colour of the surround too. I might have to file that one away as a potential mod in its self.

[HMG1K]

Loving the install - and now have my thoughts on the 8220BT version of this model.

JayJay, the install is fab - but can the unit and it's surround facia sit flat with the dash or does it stick out a few millimeters because the opening on the dash isn't big enough?

Earlier this year I fitted my two individual Kenwood single DIN models in and had to cut and trim one of the stereo's surround panels to accomadate the two.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[Nick Mann]

The outer square surround part is a trim panel. Because that panel is not contoured the same way as the Galants dash, the panl sticks forward at the edges. You don't have to fit this trim, but then there is a gap all around the stereo and it looks unfinished.

Either way is not perfect - but then if that is your biggest worry about buying a stereo, then you'll never get one!

[Atik]

Yep, wot Nick said.

I have a DNX7200 now, and it sits in the double din space ok, but there is a small gap all around. maybe 0.75-1.0mm all around the head unit. But its a flaw I can accept. Dont think I'd have fitted the trim piece even if the Nutter supplied when I got the stereo :D

Only thing I dont like is the damn rattling behind the stereo when moving off. So many bits and pieces in the back that they flap around and vibrate! I've already had the stereo out 3 times to try to rectify; first to push wires around, second to tape them to the back and third to cable tie them but it still rattles!

[HMG1K]

Nice one :happy: - thanks Nick and Atikali2000!:scholar:

[Atik]

Might be able to post up a picture of it soon... bear with me