Replacing a head unit & keeping the dash information display

seamus

Right so I just bought a 2007 scenic. When I first saw it, it appeared to have the crappiest of crappy CD players without even an LCD screen. Grand I thought, I'll just swop it out with this. I had a similar one in the old car, and I loved being able to use USB with it. And bluetooth would be awesome.

But then I got the car and it turns out that radio information display is actually part of the dashboard and it has full stereo controls on the steering wheel. So that's pretty cool and I'd like to keep these and replace the head unit with something that has USB. Bluetooth would be nice, but I can always get a normal speaker yoke.

I'm assuming that the LIDL one won't cut it, can anyone confirm? Anyone know if it is possible to buy an aftermarket head unit and keep the dash display and the steering controls?

Cheers

Tigger

seamus wrote: »

Right so I just bought a 2007 scenic. When I first saw it, it appeared to have the crappiest of crappy CD players without even an LCD screen. Grand I thought, I'll just swop it out with this. I had a similar one in the old car, and I loved being able to use USB with it. And bluetooth would be awesome.

But then I got the car and it turns out that radio information display is actually part of the dashboard and it has full stereo controls on the steering wheel. So that's pretty cool and I'd like to keep these and replace the head unit with something that has USB. Bluetooth would be nice, but I can always get a normal speaker yoke.

I'm assuming that the LIDL one won't cut it, can anyone confirm? Anyone know if it is possible to buy an aftermarket head unit and keep the dash display and the steering controls?

Cheers

yes

i use these guys

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=steering+wheel+controls

this one is good value and ready to go

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/clarion-cz509e.html

you'll need the spefic adapter

cheap steros are cheap

Redsoxfan

Keeping the steering controls generally isn't a problem-adaptors will exist for most makes of stereo and car, but I haven't seen anything that would suit the LIDL stereo.

I'm not sure about keeping the dash display with an aftermarket stereo-certainly not possible with any Alfa Romeo, even if using a Blaupunkt (who make the OEM stereos).

Tigger

Redsoxfan wrote: »

Keeping the steering controls generally isn't a problem-adaptors will exist for most makes of stereo and car, but I haven't seen anything that would suit the LIDL stereo.

I'm not sure about keeping the dash display with an aftermarket stereo-certainly not possible with any Alfa Romeo, even if using a Blaupunkt (who make the OEM stereos).

tis possaible onm nearly every thing except the alfa, he dosen't have an alfa

unfortunately, the Vehicle Display Interface is not compatible with alfa's. regardless of brand of car (alfa vs audi vs other), you still need an interface adaptor to plug between the headunit and the car's multifunction display. and no such adaptor exists for an alfa at this stage (but they do for some other brands of car).

not for the lidil tho needs to be set up that way

as an aside i have to say i never cease to be amazed at the groundless contradictions that posters make of other posters and hope that if the technical motors forum comes to pass that mods will put something to the effect of "please don't just say things " in the charter

Ush1

seamus wrote: »

Right so I just bought a 2007 scenic. When I first saw it, it appeared to have the crappiest of crappy CD players without even an LCD screen. Grand I thought, I'll just swop it out with this. I had a similar one in the old car, and I loved being able to use USB with it. And bluetooth would be awesome.

But then I got the car and it turns out that radio information display is actually part of the dashboard and it has full stereo controls on the steering wheel. So that's pretty cool and I'd like to keep these and replace the head unit with something that has USB. Bluetooth would be nice, but I can always get a normal speaker yoke.

I'm assuming that the LIDL one won't cut it, can anyone confirm? Anyone know if it is possible to buy an aftermarket head unit and keep the dash display and the steering controls?

Cheers

Yeah, well if your existing radio is not single din you'll need a fascia for your model car to make it fit correctly. As others have said, most radio units can use the existing steering wheel controls with an adaptor.

Redsoxfan

Tigger wrote: »

tis possaible onm nearly every thing except the alfa, he dosen't have an alfa





not for the lidil tho needs to be set up that way

as an aside i have to say i never cease to be amazed at the groundless contradictions that posters make of other posters and hope that if the technical motors forum comes to pass that mods will put something to the effect of "please don't just say things " in the charter

I never said or assumed he had an Alfa and didn't contradict anything anyone else said.

seamus

Cheers guys, pretty sure it's a standard DIN that doesn't need a fascia adaptor, picture here:


Tigger, cheers for your links. So if I was to get the Clarion stereo you link to and this adaptor it would work with both the steering wheel and the dash display, or just the steering wheel?

Tigger

here ghosty man follow up on this

Vehicle Sub Display interface for Renault

---

Alpine have released an interface called the KCE-940B and KCE-942E harness for use with certain Renault vehicles. Both items are required.

The vehicles are:

Post 2000 model year Renault's Clio, Kangoo, Scenic, Laguna 2 (post Sept 00). The connector is a Mini-Iso by the headunit, and usually have an original headunit called "Tuner List". This interface is not compatible with sat-nav equipped vehicles.

This allows "Vehicle display interface ready" Alpine headunits to connect with the audio controls by the steering wheel and the sub display on the dash.


Compatible Headunits:

CDA-9830R
CDA-9831R
CDA-9833R
CDA-9835R
CDA-9847R
CDA-9851R
CDA-9853R

IVA-D300R/RB

The cost of the interface and Harness: £60 RRP
Available from all Alpine Authorised Dealers.

Tigger

seamus wrote: »

Cheers guys, pretty sure it's a standard DIN that doesn't need a fascia adaptor, picture here:


Tigger, cheers for your links. So if I was to get the Clarion stereo you link to and this adaptor it would work with both the steering wheel and the dash display, or just the steering wheel?

nope
yer looking at about 20-50 quids worth of adapters to get full function control
or 80 odd to get the display up

its worth it but you need to buy a dearer hu as well

my setup (vaxhaul) is full usb highspeed bluetooth streaming and display connected and cost €650 (materials only; i'm an electrical instrumentation engineer) before speaker upgrades but its perfect.

question is how mush is the display worth to you

Tigger

Redsoxfan wrote: »

I never said or assumed he had an Alfa and didn't contradict anything anyone else said.

good me neither, lets just be helpful and stay on topic.

i just feel that on technical issues things are or are not possaible rather than on other topics like whether alfa are better than fords which are more ambigeous

Ush1

Tigger wrote: »

good me neither, lets just be helpful and stay on topic.

i just feel that on technical issues things are or are not possaible rather than on other topics like whether alfa are better than fords which are more ambigeous

Yes, you are the master of staying on topic.:rolleyes:

Tigger

Ush1 wrote: »

Yes, you are the master of staying on topic.:rolleyes:

i don't know what to say to that that wont get me banned

seamus

Tigger wrote: »

question is how mush is the display worth to you

Probably not €650 :eek: but no harm to spend a bit of extra cash.

I'm guessing that even if I could do without the display, the Lidl yoke can't do the steering controls, so I'll need to go for something a little more expensive anyway. No harm to get something which works right.

Might be best if I pop into an alpine dealer to get their advice, rather than bother everyone here - at least them I have some comeback if I don't get the right things. The CDA-9887R seems to be the man, if a little expensive. Can anyone recommend a shop who knows their stuff in Dublin (there's probably a sticky on it here somewhere isn't there? )

-Chris-

Enough handbags at dawn!

Sheesh!

seamus

Tigger, you've been a great help here. I've done some digging and it would seem that only Alpine do the appropriate interfaces for these.

So for anyone who finds this thread in a search:
This list on the second page shows the various Alpine headunits that are compatible with dash displays, and

This lists the various adapters required to get various vehicles' display screens to work with these Alpine headunits.

That's given me a lot more choice of head unit, but it still looks like it'll work out around £300 sterling including the adaptor.

Seems impossible to get the scenic's adaptor cheaply online, so I may just go to a shop to sort it all out.