I was at my local car audio/video shop today, and I told them about the Navi Conversion that TypeSDragoon has done. I also showed the guy a copy of the directions for him to get a better idea. Since I know nothing about electronics, I asked if they could do the installation. The guy said he most probably wouldn't do it, because it would be too risky. He said he would have me sign a waiver or something like that just in case something goes wrong, considering he's never done it before. He also said it would cost 300-500 in labor. My question is for people that have done the conversion. Is it safe? Any problems at all? Also, if someone were to install it for me, with me providing all the equipment, how much do you think they should charge. $500 seems like too much.

 

i want that shit dne to mine too! The place around here (SOUNDWAVES, in NJ) told me it can't be done, and there are no kits to do the conversion...WTF ??? I wanna hook up the PS2 at least....That's all i want

 

It can be done. That's for sure.

 

guys, i think it would help us 'newbie's' to understand what type of conversion you're referring to if you made a quick note of it. in short, what are you trying to do? i want to convert my navi myself and maybe this thread will help me do it. but i'm not EXACTLY sure what you guys are talking about. i want to learn as you learn and not have to be the idiot who asks the entire group about something that has been discussed. [by the way, i'm sure the PS2 option would be cool as well]. thx.

 

The conversion I'm talking about is the one which allows anything with a video output to be played on the stock Navi screen, be it another DVD player or a Playstation 2. Again, this is the one that TypeSDragoon has successfully done. So can anyone answer the original questions?

 

if anybody wants me to do it for them, i will

i've done a few around the bay area already.

somebody from Socal emailed me the other day about driving up here so i can do the conversion for him.

so talk to me if you want me to do it for you.... note, it takes me ALL day to do it, plus YOU need to purchase the AVC-RGB1 unit first which is discontinued. good luck finding a place that has it in stock. please don't ask me because i don't know

check out these threads FIRST before you get too far


http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...threadid=61218

http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=33272

apparently, ONE person found a place to get them from. BETTER call quick!!!!!!!!!!!!

as far as the NEW method, i'm still waiting for the unit to come in. read the threads

AND please read the notes at the TOP of the instructions BEFORE you go PMing or emailing me with questions. all questions SHOULD have already been covered somewhere. http://www.angelfire.com/super/types...onversion.html

 

as far as pricing goes, you can see a list of prices for things/parts that you need.

and as far as shops/labor goes, the average is $75 an hour for 6-9 hours!! but the thing is, is that these shops that you guys are going to have NO CLUE on how the hell to do this, so they will spend countless hours trying, not to mention that they will probably screw it up, and won't take the blame.

go with somebody you trust tho. the guys around the bay area will tell you that i'm very reliable and trustworth on this. like i said, i've done a few so far with no problems and it's SOOOOO easy for me. plus i'm very anal and do it totally pro

but i cannot get you guys the main RGB converter. you have to get that on your own. the rest of the parts we can purchase together.

*note* this stuff is only for video, NOT for sound. again, please read the stuff at the top of my instructions before asking certain questions

 

TypeSDragoon: How reliable is this? Any danger of anything malfunctioning? (Cause Acura will most probably not fix the NAVI system if something goes wrong). Also, do you charge anything? If so, how much? If I wanted to get this setup done somewhere here in LA, what would be a reasonable price to pay for this installation?

 

if i do it for you, then it's reliable. not bragging, but i DO know how to do it correctly.

acura WILL void your warranty on the nav system. modding things on your car comes at that price.

i don't have to change anything in the car, just cut a bunch of wires off the nav rom, and butt connect all the wires off the lil converter box, plus the lil switch too for it.

a good price to pay is quite a few hundred bucks, for labor ONLY.

i've heard people being quoted 500-1000 bucks

like i said, $75 dollars an hour adds up.

people here in the bay area were gonna pay me $150 ish because it takes me all day. many hours on end. yes, that does save you hundreds of dollars AND i'm very reliable and know HOW to do this thing.

*if you have emailed me recently and i haven't replied yet, give me time. people ask me so many questions about this thing all the time, and some people need to READ first*

the guy in so cal that emailed me the other day wants to drive up here to have me do it for him. IF YOU READ THIS, that would be cool with me. let me know what you want to do...*

if anybody in the bay area needs my help and or wants me to do it for them, again, let me know

i really love doing this kinda stuff. so it makes me happy to help you guys out with it

 

I honestly don't think you will be able to find to many places that will do this conversion for you. I too tried to find a shop that would do it for me and kinda understood their fear of being held accountable for any possible screw ups of the factory system. You would probably do best trying to do it yourself, or getting with a member that has done it already. As TypeSDragon stated, look at the links already established on this subject to understand what is going on. Read the entire posts and you will understand what the real deal is, and all of your questions should be answered. Honestly, if you read everything in the forum, you will have ample knowledge to do it yourself. Once again, the HARDEST PART FOR YOU WILL BE TO FIND AN AVC-RGB1. Once you find one of those, you will be set.

 

Off the subject...TypeSDragoon...how do you put the grill on the bottom, i've been trying to figure out how to do it all weekend, and tomorrow morning is the lastchance i'll have all week to do this untill next seturday, can u give me a few tips on how to put the fencing on the bottomgrill, i did the top and have a lot of fence left over...thanks a lot if u can help, i'll check this tread tomorrow morning, i'm getting sleepy, thanks again if u can help!

 

I have it done on my TL.....thanks to the instructions from typesdragon and steve...

but anyways....GOOSE
Which shop did you go to in L.A? I live in L.A.....if you want it done let me know ..i know how to do it~ but getting the rgb unit is the hard part tho~

 

Maybe you missed the 5,000,000 posts, but Ron (StreetEffectz) can do it for you. I don't think anyone in NJ/PA/NY should be complaining about finding an installer when Ron is right in your backyard.

 

Where can I find this Ron, I'm in the northern NJ area...

 

email him at ron@streeteffectz.com
he'll help you out..hes a nice guy
but i think he only has like 2 more decoders left....so hurry~

check out his web
streeteffectz

 

I'm also interested in Navi conversion.

Hey Veilstulez maybe you help me out, as I'm also in So Cali.

 

hmmmm how about if i just take a trip down there, get all the guys together that want to do this, and we can all do each others conversions at once. i'll watch you guys and tell you what to do and everything. how's that sound?

 

That sounds like a good idea TypeSDragoon, cause it looks like there are a lot of people in the LA area that want this done.

Also, VeilStylez, I'm in the SF Valley, and the store I went to is called Mobile Fantasy.

I'd do the conversion in a heartbeat, but I'm concerned about the voiding of the NAVI warranty.

 

As far as void the Navi warranty, yes it probably will based on the alteration that you are doing. But you never really have to touch the Navi parts. They remain unaltered, unchanged, and unmoved. All you have to do is connect a few wires to the existing Navi wire harness. If need be, you can remove these wires and perhaps there will be minor trace evidence but not enough to raise questions. Beside, after living with the Navi for nearly 2 years, I honestly don't think that device is going to fail. If it does, it would have early on like it has with a few folks here.

BTW, I have the conversion done also and it is awesome, you won't regret it; it's the best. I did about half of the wiring myself and it was pretty easy; if I can do it, so can you.

But I'm with the Dragoon. It's an all-day event (or all week as in my case) and it ain't gonna be easy. He doing the directing because he knows....well let's just say if someone in the Midwest would like to see my setup or what not, I can provide some direction and coaching, too.

 

gabo3k....check your PM~~
goose you dont have PM

hey if you guys in the so cali area wanna see my conversion, your welcome too. just hit me up at dmxstylez@aol.com

and as far as warranty issues...kensteele is rite...you dont alter anything but cut a few wires....I think if you can hide all the evidence(like cut the wires way back and hide them) then you can go back for warranty, if it ever goes wrong. but nothing should go wrong... steve told me that signal level that goes the the navi screen from the navi unit is the same signal level of the pioneer to the screen. and steves had is for over a year now. i was hesitant about this too at first but i got over it and just did it because i thought it would be worth it in the end..and it was well worth it. my friends see is and they are like "SHlT~ dats dope" the navigation is dope enuff but being able to play dvd's and games on factory screen...thats hella crazy.
but like i said...get the pioneer decoder first~ cuz without it you cant even do it anyways.

 

like you said, I've read all the posts already.

still wonders how do we switch between from our Navi and videos. (Dose the Navi still works as it normally would ? w/sound ?)

besides, I want to have sound with the video input, so I can watch/listen to movies or concerts when I drive. (I'm sure I can enjoy the sounds from GT3 while I'm driving)

this is pretty much all the question I have, I'll be looking for the parts from now on.

so Draogn, r ya coming down here or we'll have to drive up dere eh ?

Goose, don't know if you'd like to get ours done at the same time ?

 

TypeSDragoon = great idea! Lets' set a meet down here! "Awsome idea". Let me know man!

We can kick it at my pad, got room, got garage, etc.

 

where are you socal guys getting the rgb-1? can you get me one too?

 

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...threadid=61218

i hope you guys read that thread.

the pioneer unit as we know is discontinued and next to impossible to find.

 

Yes, Navi continues to work as always. No changes. Use can use an external switch to change back and forth between the video and the maps.

Your Navi project will not include sound because the Navi and RGB1 doesn't support sound. Instead you'll need to use the Audio outputs from your DVD/CD device to a set of speakers. I personally ran these wires to an FM modulator that will play the audio portion of the videos thru my stock stereo.

 

and , as far as sound goes, (which has been beaten to death already in other threads) is that you can get the sony switch which is one of the best options. the RF modulator makes horrible sound and hisses alot. it's easy to install, granted, but not good quality at all.

http://crutchfield.com/S-uylBnPd4RY3...=158XA39II&s=0

http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=29995

 

Hey, i'm in so cal am am interested as well, especially with the new part that can play sound through the stock speakers easily.

I'm all up for adding myself to a marathon install if you come down here Dragoon.

-smak-

 

a couple of black zip ties, and very small holes in the plastic bumper

what i did was i took the stock fogs out, and i put one on the grill, folded the grill around the light ( to get the figure right ) then cut it out

 

so should i come down there?

is there a group interested?

let me know by posting or something...

 

I am def interested.

I am a newbie, don't know all that is involved, what do people use as the video source, something like a PS2, so you can PS2 and run dvd's, or one of those portable DVD players with no screen?

I read on another thread that you found a replacement for the discontinued cable, and were testing them soon, is that correct?

-smak-

ps. maybe make a new thread for so cal people interested?

 

I'm also definitely interested. A Navi Conversion Meet in SoCal would be off the hook. Dragoon, can you make it happen?

 

I'm game! PM me please, and I'll give you my phone numbers.

 

so where the hell are you guys getting your rgb1. if you find one, can you get one for me too. it don't want to pay any more than $120 for it. i'll send it down with jeff if he does go down.

 

not tryin to knock your enthusiasm but I 'm curious when would you actually play a PS2 game in your car? The wife/rents kick you outa the house?

 

All that know that they will do the converstion please PM )Private Message) me. I will gather a list and forward to TypeSdragoon so that he can see the interest and hopefully we can get him down here soon!

Let's get this done!

 

TypeSdragon... clicked on your Navi instructions link and got this:

"Angelfire does not allow direct linking
from offsite, non-Angelfire pages,
to files hosted on Angelfire.
This practice of 'remote linking' reduces
our ability to serve out the homepages
of our members quickly and efficiently. "

whata bunch of a$$munchers...Angelfire blows...I guess you might want to just change that link to point to the location of the file(s) instead of the file itself.

 

...

 

i signed up and paid just yesterday........i'm waiting for them to aknnowlege payment and put my stuff back online

but i will drive down there if people want me to help them do the conversions for them

as for the AVC-RGB1, i hope you guys find a place that sells them.

 

Even if once a month you have a time to play your PS2 in your car, it's still also a DVD player, so maybe a better deal than just getting a DVD player...

-smak-