Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Dice i-Mazda/Mazda 3 & 5 /Protege/Tribute/ IPod Adapter w/ Aux Audio Input Review

Dice i-Mazda/Mazda 3 and 5 /Protege/Tribute/ IPod Adapter w/ Aux Audio Input
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this unit for my '07 Camry with Navigation after DICE Electronics assured me that it was compatible. While I guess you could say that it works with my stereo/nav unit, it's so unreliable that it is almost useless. I go on long drives and listen to a lot of audiobooks on my iPod. If I make a quick stop, upon restarting my car, I often find that the book (or podcast, or song, or whatever) has been reset back to the beginning. If I didn't happen to notice the exact hours and minutes of the audiobook, I have to search through it to find my place. Very annoying and a real time waster. It also randomly pauses my iPod without me touching it, then restarts it again a few seconds later. It is capable of displaying the title and track name from the iPod, but then inexplicably blanks this information out. If I switch to map view and then back, the info reappears. If I disconnect and then reconnect the iPod (and who wouldn't, as that's kind of the whole point of having one), the DICE unit makes the iPod "forget" my place in the playlist. Upon reconnecting, it will always play the same track, out of the 10,000 or so on the iPod. I mean, I like "...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead," but I'm damn sick of hearing the opening of that one song. Finally, I should mention that when I sent this complaint via their online system, it took 6 weeks before anyone even posted a "say, did anyone ever help you with this?" When I answered in the negative, I never heard another word. Apparently, they don't care if they have unhappy customers. Do yourself a favor, buy a VAISTech unit instead. It does the same thing, and while the reviews have been mixed, they have been far better than the DICE's.

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The DICE i-Mazda-R2-5v iPod Integration Kit for Mazda SAT Systems is a factory iPod intergration kit that gives CD quality sound. It can be controlled from the ipod, radio and steering wheel. Supports text on text-capable systems and includes an extra auxiliary input. Connect your iPod to your Mazda's factory entertainment system and hear what your iPod should sound like in your car. Always keeps your iPod charged and ready to go. Radios with a SAT button will also display text from your iPod allowing you to view song title and artist name right on your radio's display. (Factory SAT will need to be disconnected.) Features:\' Charges the iPod\' Direct audio from your iPod to your car radio.\' Controls the iPod from the radio controls.\' Will work with in-dash CD changers that are part of the main radio.\' Gives you an extra audio input as well as the iPod interface.\' Compatible with factory navigation systems.

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Metra 99-8218 Toyota Camry 2007-UP Dash kit Review

Metra 99-8218 Toyota Camry 2007-UP Dash kit
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This was a pretty nice unit out of the packaging. Metra are champs and provide the ability to install any configuration you like: single din, double din, or two stacked single din units. My install consisted of a single din head unit and a single din equalizer which was mounted under the head unit. In the past, other install kits haven't always accommodated double stacked single din units very well so I was happy these did nicely.
If installing a double stacked single-din unit with a flip down face, this kit may be a problem as it doesn't provide much room between the two units so the flip down face's bottom edge may bottom out on your bottom unit as it folds. Not really an issue for me, I don't use CD's and wanted a flip-down face so I didn't have to stare at a CD slot that I'll never use.
Overall, the quality of this kit of on the strong side of mediocre. The plastic is flimsy and cheap, but the unit mounts well so you won't notice much after the install. The color does match up perfectly with the Camry's original console. My biggest complaint though, is that the texture of the paint is not the same as the original console. The paint on this unit feels a bit coarse and grainy, whereas the original console's finish is somewhat coarse, but more smooth than grainy. You will feel the difference between the two when you run your hand across both surfaces. This may not matter to some, and it's not a huge deal, but I'm pretty picky and things like that tend to get under my skin. Though the paint does match perfectly, the quality of the material and quality of the paint is such that it feels like it will rub off or scuff/scratch easily leaving the nasty black underneath. Time will tell if this will be an issue.
All in all, it's a good unit. From what I've seen you won't find better on the market yet; and it's better than the Scosche version which DOES NOT perfectly match the Camry's original paint. This is more important to me than the texture issue. The instructions for installing this unit were also sufficient for just about anybody to perform the install.
I hope it holds up, but if not the plus side is that at its price point, it will be easy enough to replace in the future.

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For 2007 Toyota Camry Double-DINSingle-DIN with Pocket or Stacked DIN

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