CLens

According to the Edmunds review, you can watch DVD's while you are in park.. Why did Acura not tell us this on the mini site? Do you think this is true? Is it possible to bypass that?

EmuMessenger

I can't imagine this being true, but if it is, it will be hacked pretty quickly!

Bobbydoedoe

lol, anyone tried it yet?

CLens

?? It's not out yet.

Raheel

I for one think its true, Acura might not have mentioned it because its that big of a deal, and maybe they want to hold that feature off until the unveiling

CincyR/T

You can do this in such vehicles as the Lexus GX470 so why not with the TL plus with a lil know how...there should be a easy fix to let you play it all the time

AcuraTLFan

the law in california, and probably all of the states. You can't have a screen infront of the driver for entertaninment purposed while driving. And in aftermarkets in-dash screens will tell you this and the instructions will wire the unit so that it is not activated while driving. but you can wire it to work.

So who obays the law anyways. the new TL probably will let u watch dvd in park, and the mod will probably be as simple as connecting a wire to a constant power source.

EmuMessenger

If this is really true, this car just went up a notch!

In-car, true Dolby Digital!?!?! WOW!

Raheel

And than mod it and add antenna's than I can watch local TV In Dolby Surround Sound..

And DVD in 5.1 Digital Audio? The cars gonna be better sounding than at home.. I might just go in the car to watch a movie instead of on my TV

doopstr

Is it going to be a Bose system again?

Raheel

I dont get what you are trying to say?

Do you mean the Bose System is good or BAD?

vicpai

........and while I woudn't go as far as to say the BOSE system sucks, it is very "average" in my opinon (at least as I've experienced it in my MDX. It does sound a tad bit better in the '03 TL however)

AFAIK, the new '04 TL sound system is made by PANASONIC (with input from Eliott Scheiner and therefore called ELS). I'm not sure if the speakers are Panasonic as well, but that's my understanding when they say it's a Panasonic sound system.

CLens

If I financed this car it would take 6 years to pay off.

CincyR/T

Anyone know if there Navigation is still Alpine based? Seems kind of odd that Honda would sway from Alpine to Panasonic and still keep an Alpine based Navi system.

gsron8teens

How r u gona git 5.1 DOLBY DIGITAL sound signal on a local channel off a T.V. antenna?

EmuMessenger

I still do not believe the DVD-A system will play movies while the car is in park.

I am keeping my fingers crossed, but it is too good to be true.

Raheel

I wont get dolby digital off local channels but I will thru DVD..

And its still surround sound so I will be hearing the local channels in a Surround Sound Environment.

vicpai

........yes, the Navigation system is still Apine-based and will always be alpine based. Alpine provides the HARDWARE (Nav drive unit consisting of the DVD-drive, 12-channel GPS receiver, gyro sensor and other speed sensor hardware which is then coupled to the Engine ECU by Honda/Acura)

However, THE SOFTWARE is written by Honda. They have a special division called Honda Navigation Technologies which does this and they have done ONE HELL OF AN AWESOME JOB!! . I'm not sure, but I think some of the low-level operating software might still come from Alpine, but the INTERFACE is completely done by Honda.

The second generation Acura Nav system is the WORLD'S BEST NAVIGATION SYSTEM Nobody can touch them! (taking into consideration the following: Map database accuracy, positional accuracy, comprehensiveness of the POI database, the search engine/functionality for the EXTENSIVE 7 million+ POI database giving you a multitude of different ways to search, and availability of different features eg. phone# search for POIs, different route calculating methods, address book memory etc. etc. etc.)

The Alpine AFTERMARKET Nav is the second best, and while it's the best aftermarket nav available, it's still not as good as the Acura system. Alpine has just released a new version of their software (see www.alpine1.com ) which has addressed some of the concerns, but the SEARCH ENGINE for the POI database is still not on par with the Honda/Acura software!! Another major drawback is that it's not TOUCH-SCREEN

The Kenwood AFTERMARKET Touchscreen Nav KNA-DV2100 (identical to the ones in Toyota/Lexus vehicles and made for Toyota and Kenwood by Denso Corp) comes third and while it's fairly good there are quite a numbe of flaws (inaccuracies in the map database, very limited POI database etc.)

All the rest of them (BMW, Mercedes, etc.) are SUB-PAR in my opinion. Save the money and don't buy the Nav!

Ken1997TL

Don't forget the Honda navi is considered one of the easiest to use and that is VERY important, especially to the driver.

CincyR/T

Yeah...the Alpine Nav is great...I've had mine for over 3 years now--- NVE-N851a (first gen DVD navi) and in my new car hunt I won't consider a car unless I can get a DVD nav unit. I would have to argue though that the software is not done by either Honda or Alpine but isn't NAVtech the one who provides the basis for the DVD rom while Alpine/Honda may overlay their own "operating" system. One question I have....the new nav systems are touch screen correct? That seems like one advantage when it comes to aftermarket that Kenwood had cornered..although Pioneer now has their touchscreen unit. The one thing that still bothers me is the cost of software upgrades ($300) for the latest 2 disc set from Alpine...which I really need to get since I'm running on a three year old disc as we speak
Chris.

btw---heres pics of the navi when it was in my Neon (since installed in the wifes 02 Mitsu spyder)
http://members.cardomain.com/cincyrt

Airdog

I spoke to my dealership yeaterday about it - they had not heard such a thing and stated that "the nav system is very similar to the one in the TSX, and the TSX navi system does not play DVDs while in park".

Comments?:wow:

CincyR/T

you've gotta remember you have the DVD navi...but also the indash unit that plays DVD-A so I don't think it would be to far fetched for the dash unit to play dvd video discs....although someone posted a link to a hondanews site and it stated that the in dash unit would not play DVDs, Mp3 and the like. I have an in dash DVD player in my wifes 02 Mitsu Spyder and honestly we hardly ever use it----only time we ever do is on long trips and in that case I have the Navigation displayed on the Alpine CVA-1005 while the DVD movie plays on a Visor monitor I put in for the front passenger.... It would be nice if the TL will play dvd video..but honestly I think it would just be a lil' toy that would never really be used---although it would be a sweet "cool" factor feature. But how ofter are you gonna just sit in a parking lot somewhere and watch a DVD. Or better yet if it is capable and you mod it to watch while you drive...its honestly quite a distraction watching a movie while trying to drive.

golf2liv

I have the new 7" touch screen Pioneer DVD/MP3/CD/TV deck in my car and love it. Watching movies you've already seen (therefore you don't have to watch will your full attention) makes road trips fly by. My dealer tells me that since the new deck in the TL plays DVD-A, that the technology is already there, and that it shouldn't be a reach for it to also play DVD-video. About the "in park" feature...the same feature also exists on my new pioneer deck. However, it is a simple fix for any installer that doesn't require a constant power source, but rather don't run the wire from the deck to the parking brake. Hopefully it will be that easy to fix in the new TL. I got mine ordered...Blue navi with quartz interior! Get em while they last!

lovemyTL

I was thinking ... that since the desk plays DVD-A, it means it can read DVD's as videos. But what if the deck does not have a video out? I'm just putting an idea out there...if the deck was built in NOT to have a video out, would it be difficult to get the deck to display a DVD on the navi?

Raheel

Most DVD Players can play MP3 CD's, why can't this one!

amdmaxx

on 8 inch screen!!!

amdmaxx

U saying Alpine IVA-900 is still inferior to Acura unit??
I always thought that unit is TOPS in aftermarket and anywhere..

CincyR/T

The thing you are always going to run into when it comes to Aftermarket equipment is that it will never be as simple to use as a factory unit. The Alpine IVA-D900 is one hell of a deck---wish I could afford one to replace my CVA-1006 and DVA-5205. The major downfall to any of the Alpine Multimedia decks when it comes to the NVE-N852a is that you have to use the remote for 90% of the functions...the Acura unit is touch screen and alot more intuitive. I will say one thing though when it comes to Multimedia decks I think the Alpines are by far the easiest to use and navigate through (i.e.--setting features, selecting sources, etc, etc) Also a factory deck is going to be intergrated into the vehicle and looks like it should be there...can't say that about an aftermarket deck----and lastly you're covered by a 4 year 50,000 mile warranty

amdmaxx

good points...