Touch Screen Radio

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I've had good luck with Kenwood. I helped my brother install the older version of this unit in his 07 Taco. Install took one afternoon. It was easy to defeat the safety mechanism that prevents you from watching DVD's while the vehicle is moving. The Garmin navigation integration was seamless and you can have the navi running in the background while a movie is playing (good for road trips, but illegal in most states, so do at your on risk). Also, it looks like the new version supports bluetooth integration.

http://tinyurl.com/2bkyz3
 
Just a radio, or a radio with navigation? I absolutely love my Eclipse 6620. It has built-in navigation and also allows DVD playback with a separate slot for movies and the DVD map data disc. It is also about as "plug-n-play" as you'll find in an aftermarket unit because it is made by the same manufacurer that makes the Toyota navigation headunit. Even the steering wheel controls plug right in without the need to add another harness.

Another nice thing about it is if you ground the parking break wire, it allows full functionality of EVERYTHING at all times.
 
I currently have the Kenwood 5120 (check my signature to make sure its right) and as mentioned above it has the Garmin built in Navi. the audio equalizer is not as detailed as others. It's not bad, but i liked my Pioneer AVIC D3 better for usability and navigation detail. Whatever you do, i'd recommend buying from a electronic wholesaler on the internet; i saved big bucks this way versus buying from Best Buy or Crutchfield. Do a google search and you'll see the savings on the units.
 
Rolltide10 said:
i like the look of the eclipse 6620. has anyone had problems or things i should be aware of before i buy
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My installation was easy and everything worked perfectly. I also purchased a Parrot Bluetooth module to use with the Eclipse and it allows me to hear callers through both front speakers. It sounds incredibly clear and callers always say that they can hear me fine. In fact, sometimes people are surprised when I tell them I'm talking to them from my 4Runner.
 
I run the 6620 in the 4R...works good. had some issues with the steering wheel controls but a call to Eclipse fixed that. I pod is easy to do. If you have the time and money wait for the 726E Built in BT and Ipod video.
 
For what it's worth, the Kenwood 8120 has two main advantages over the Eclipse:

1. Nav system is superior. First of all, in the Kenwood it's a flash memory-based drive (think SD card), which means stuff loads faster (vs. the DVD-based drive of the Eclipse) and it's not subject to the mechanical wear-and-tear of a DVD drive in constant use. Also, the Garmin software is just fantastic and has the benefit of being able to load Garmin map updates (in my opinion, best in the business).

2. iPod integration is fantastic. Full on screen controls and VERY responsive touch input. The Kenwood has generally gotten reviews as the best iPod integrated head unit going.

In terms of steering wheel controls, the SWI-JACK unit gives me full control over the Kenwood... I'm not sure how it would be different/better with an eclipse. However, one fewer bit of electronics is one less point of failure.
 
what is the price difference? also there seems to be two units that are 8120 only one is $800 more than the other? and what is the SWI-JACK?
 
Loki_4Runner said:
For what it's worth, the Kenwood 8120 has two main advantages over the Eclipse:

1. Nav system is superior. First of all, in the Kenwood it's a flash memory-based drive (think SD card), which means stuff loads faster (vs. the DVD-based drive of the Eclipse) and it's not subject to the mechanical wear-and-tear of a DVD drive in constant use. Also, the Garmin software is just fantastic and has the benefit of being able to load Garmin map updates (in my opinion, best in the business).


In terms of steering wheel controls, the SWI-JACK unit gives me full control over the Kenwood... I'm not sure how it would be different/better with an eclipse. However, one fewer bit of electronics is one less point of failure.
Click to expand...

I used to think that a flash-based memory drive was better than a DVD-based drive for navigation systems. Then my buddy bought the Kenwood 8120 and he started to have some complaints. So we ended up comparing my unit against his unit and after we were finished, he returned the Kenwood and purchased the Eclipse.

So what were the differences?

1- His Kenwood took way too long to boot up after starting his vehicle. My Eclipse boots up in 3 or 4 seconds, whereas his Kenwood took anywhere from 45 seconds to a full minute. It didn't seem like a big deal to me, but he said that he hated sitting still until his system booted up. Supposedly there's a fix for the problem, but after going back and forth with his Kenwood dealer, they could not get it to boot any faster.

2- Although a flash memory drive should be faster in loading routes and maps, it actually isn't any faster than the DVD-based system in the Eclipse. We timed both units after inputting identical routes and the times were within two seconds of each other.

3- Route logic. We accidentally discovered this after trying to determine if one unit was faster than the other. It turns out that the logic used by the Eclipse unit seems to be superior than the Kenwood's route logic. Since were were comparing local routes, we wondered why his Kenwood would come up with routes that seemed to be a longer route, even when asking for the most direct route possible.

Overall, I thought the Kenwood was a nice unit. But in our tests it just didn't compare to the Eclipse in terms of functionality. Take this for what it's worth....just some unscientific tests and comparisons.
 
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Rolltide10 said:
...and what is the SWI-JACK?
Click to expand...

It's a module that allows you to use the steering wheel audio controls.

The nice thing about the Eclipse is that it doens't require any module for the steering wheel controls. They just plug right in to the back of the unit. The reason it is so easy is because the Eclipse is made by Fujitsu, which is the same company that makes the OEM Toyota navigation system. Actually, my Eclipse unit is about 99% identical to the OEM Toyota system in functionality. Anyone who is used to the OEM system will know how to use the 6620 (and vice versa) because they are basically the same exact things.
 
Does anyone know for the UrbanRunner, if they wanted to change out the TomTom head unit and install the Eclipse 6620. What wiring harness would they need to purchase since the Tom Tom really isnt considered the navigation radio or the JBL unit. I remember someone saying that the eclipse is virtually plug and play. Does that mean that the factory harnesses just plug into the back of the eclipse without the need to purchase and additional wiring harness?
 
I might be doing the same install on a buddy's Urban Runner. I don't have an answer to your question, but you might want to call Crutchfield to see if they have a plug-n-play harness.

Or if I can find the wiring schematics, I can make one myself.

Either way, it should be pretty straightfoward to swap out a Tom Tom for a 6620.
 
Thanks, if you find out any further can you please keep me posted and I will do the same. Thanks....My wife hates the Tom Tom radio....
 
GREENMONSTER said:
Does anyone know for the UrbanRunner, if they wanted to change out the TomTom head unit and install the Eclipse 6620. What wiring harness would they need to purchase since the Tom Tom really isnt considered the navigation radio or the JBL unit. I remember someone saying that the eclipse is virtually plug and play. Does that mean that the factory harnesses just plug into the back of the eclipse without the need to purchase and additional wiring harness?
Click to expand...


Does anyone have an update on this? I have had nothing but problems with the TomTom system, and my dealership has been unable to figure out what the problem is. Their next step is to replace the TomTom unit. At this point, I'm ready to move on and get something different.
 
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