As I mentioned in other posts I was replacing my OEM head unit. It was giving me problems for a while now. Since I already have my CarPC touchscreen I opted for a non screen double din solution. I decided to go aftermarket with the Pioneer FH-P800BT. The center knob as just like an Ipod control so it's very easy to learn. I lost the DVD-Audio function but I gain the following.

Full Ipod control Titles, playlists, songs, artist, etc
Aux 1 (CarPC)
Aux 2
Bluetooth Audio
Bluetooth Hands Free Phone
Phonebook Transfer
HD Ready
XM Ready
Sirius Ready
MP3, AAC, WMA, CD-RW Support on the disc player
3 Sets of High Voltage Pre-outs (F, R, SUB)
7 band EQ
Plus many more features

The best thing of all is a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT in the sound quality. No more stock head unit, stock amps, LOCs. SQ is more open. airy, bass is sharper, better imaging and sound stage across the front. The blue of the new unit goes well with the other interior colors. I paid less that $300.00 for the Pioneer unit.

Since I had the dash apart I decided to improve my touchscreen install in the top portion of the dash for a better fit. I found some paint that matchs the OEM color exactly. You can't even tell the bezel has been repainted


The install was harder than I thought but I finally finished it this afternoon. I was able to fab some trim peices for the knob cutouts which make cout-outs a little more acceptable to the eyes. The pieces are made from the same metal as the trim.

Anyway here are some pictures

 

is it me or did you lose the navigation buttons?... the set up looks nice

 

Looks great!

 

That's not an Acura navi screen. That's an 8 inch wide screen VGA Touchscreen connected to a CarPC in the trunk. This was orginally a non navi TL.

 

It's funny you say that you gained bluetooth hands free phone.. when the car came with one. Not really a lost or gain there [unless the new bluetooth is much better than the stock].
Also... what did you do with the HVAC display or whatever it is called? Looks like you don't have it anymore, or is it displayed through your carpc somehow?

 

wow, nice install!
Can you tell me what that is you use to fill up those two half circles in the trims.

 

Nice installs! I wish I had skills like that to do something like that for myself!

 

I was able to find some door trim pieces on ebay cheap. I cut out the half cicles from metal part of the door trim pieces. I glued them with epoxy. I figure it's better than leaving them blank

The LCD is tucked under the dash/center speaker area. Since the only thing that's being display now is the HVAC info. I eventually want to replace the clock on top with the navi clock that displays the HVAC info too.

 

Nice, thanks for sharing!!
Can you post link of the item?

 

That's a really clean install!

 

wow... thats insane...

 

Mike,

That is awesome! I'm definitely going to have to call you if I ever decide to do any sound system upgrades!

 

Very clean looking install. The cutouts for the knob came out pretty nice. You can't go wrong with Pioneer units, I've always used them and the EQ and features they have are great. I was a little disappointed after getting my TL when I realized there was no easy way to change the HU, but I've dealt with it. Looking good

 

Thanks for the comments everybody. This was the toughest install I have ever done. Now that I've done this one the next would be pretty easy. The only thing I want to add to the Pioneer unit is the PAC SWI-PS. This little device lets me use the steering wheel buttons to control the Pioneer just like the OEM head unit. The Pioneer HU has input the a wired remote

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Produ...Dps&i=127SWIPS

Here's the link to the ebay item. I still have three complete pieces left and I do not know what to do with them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...241611348&rd=1

 

as neat of an install as I expected when I saw the post Thats the cleanest aftermarket stereo install Ive seen yet in a TL.

Does this mean that once you do the navi cock upgrade that you will be done finally?

 

LOL

You know I'm never be done. Always something else to tweak, break, or play with.

 

^ I agree, best aftermarket install. Nice and clean.

 

That is the exact steering wheel interface I used on my AVIC Z3.

Wow, you made those half circles from those pieces....but why I am NOT surprised from the "King of Pain". So those half circles ARE the exact SAME material as the trims & are NOT painted at all? I am really impressed!!!!

If you could make another set, I am interested...pm me with a price.

 

Those half circles are the only thing missing in my setup.

I was at first thinking some kind of diffuser type plastic & add blue led behind it & led will only come on when the AVIC is on.

 

that looks absolutely great...

You are the man...

 

What kind of paint did you get to match the color of the factory bezel and where did you get it?

 

SEM 39853 Texture Coast

http://store.goferauto.com/sem-39853.html

SEM 17263 Classy Honda Grey

http://store.goferauto.com/semclcoae.html

 

Thanks, thats a tight setup you got there

 

Thanks.

I'm getting use to the Pioneer Bluetooth. Works pretty good

I had a 3 way phone conference on the way to the office this morning. Everybody could hear me very clearly.

 

Wow! That is the cleanest aftermarket headunit install on our car I've seen to date. As always, great work Mike! I gotta check it out the next time we meet.

Keep it up.

 

please start making those knob cutouts for everyone!

 

looks amazing

 

Do you think installing the aftermarket amplifiers led to the OEM head unit problem?

 

KOP, that looks excellent. No doubt that the Pioneer gives you a much, much better sound than the factory head unit. No doubt that I'll be switching mine out one day too. I have never left the factory head unit in any of my previous vehicles. The TL is the first one I bought that has the head unit built in such a way as to make swapping it out a real chore.

It would be nice if some after market place made adapters to plug-n-play in the TL. I would rip mine out in a heartbeat. I am a fan of Kenwood Excelon but that is just personal preference. The double DIN unit in my truck looks similar to your Pioneer. I have the bluetooth phone kit, Sirius as well as the iPod adapter in it. It beats the hell out of the TL's unit except for the HFL in the TL.

 

Not Sure. But there seems to be alot of stock HUs malfunctioning in here lately.

I installed all of my stuff after the stock amp so the Stock HU was not directly in the upgrade path.

 

I will be doing my project this weekend. For the knob (half circle) cut-outs, I plan on using cutouts from the factory console trim. I ordered a replacement passenger side trim piece since I broke one of the tabs off during my speaker replacement. I will post pics of the finished job.

 

Looks great!

 

Man you have skills!

 

What was cost for your Auto PC with screen?? Will you do this to my car.?

 

P.S. Will pay mucho denairo $$$$$. LOL

 

That is clean bro. I love that guys are actually replacing the factory unit.

 

no offense, but I really don't think it flows well, the lines aren't smooth and cutouts don't look right, I saw a guy one time cover all the other lines and cut outs with black vinyl and it looked really good, just a thought but other than that the concept was good and definitely see what you were going for

 

IMO, Kingof Pain did a great job. The only way to do better would take extensive work with putty, sanding and paint. It could probably be done with some type of Bondo or something.

I know how hard it is because I just di a similar install, trying to do what KoP did is hard as hell.

 

Very clean install......welcome to the Navi world.....

 

Thank you for the feedback Brandon. No offense taken. All feedback, positive or negative is greatly appreciated. It may not be visually pefect but sonically it is a major improvement. Not to mention the improved functions like ipod control, extra aux inputs, etc. I try to weigh what I lost versus what I gained and I think I gained more.


Besides as everybody know I'm never one to sit still and will probably change things again.