[mikeythemini]

Lots of you out there with the HK system have expressed a desire to change the stereo, but we all know of the problems that stop this.
Also those with factory nav, keep asking for a way to play DVD, Playstation etc through their screens without paying silly money.
This also applies to people thinking of HK or Nav
I keep asking the manufacturers that I deal with for adaptors for the above, but they say there is no demand, despite me telling them about you lot
This is the latest reply I have had
"I mentioned the Mini A/V input to our Veba team, they said they'd heard of something similar but I don't think it's top of their list at the moment. If you can provide evidence of the demand for this part it may spur them into action... (they're all as bad as me here!). I think triggering the HK amp will be harder; I think it uses a VAN-BUS signal to switch it so we'd have to decode the signal and make something that replicated the signal for an aftermarket unit. Again, if you can convince us this is something we need to make we'll look into it. Our biggest hurdle would be getting hold of a car to test."

So I need you to E mail them (not telling them I have sent you) requesting the HK interface for aftermarket stereos & sat nav Av input adaptors for your Mini.
To; info@autoleads.co.uk
Post replies here;
Mike
Could you also send them to
sales@icd-ltd.com
&
info@soundlinx.co.uk

[ALD0]

Have done Mate

They will probably get bombarded with tons of emails now!

[kazmire]

mikeythemini, I have emailed them!

If they bring out an AV lead, will it be possible to just plug a portable ariel into it, and watch TV on the move?

I once had a portable TV, and a booster ariel (£20 from argos), which I used to take on the journey to my dad's house when I used to travel back and fore every 2 weeks (8 hour round trip). Would this work with the A/V lead? If so, it would be a cheap option, depending on the cost of the A/V lead! Only trouble is re-tuning all the time!!

Cheers

Kaz

[kazmire]

Quote:

watch TV on the move?

I obviously didn't mean ON THE MOVE literaly, as this would be very dangerous!!

Kaz

[cooperstan]

I've done it too. Currently debating whether Sat Nav is worth it to me and this is a BIG factor...

[GBMINI]

Mikey,
I am still working (occassionally) on a permanent "gadget" to run the HK amp (at the moment I still have the guts of a stock HU tucked in the trunk).
The problem is that the HK amp does the volume/bass/treble/balance/fade stuff (as well as the MODE); obviously you can set the HK amp to flat bass/treble/balance - but you lose the fade control ... the biggest issue is the volume. Theoretically you just tell the HK amp to run at max volume, and vary the speaker levels out of the aftermarket amp (which does work) - the problem with this is that at full volume, the HK amp generates noticeable audible noise, which you hear when the aftermarket HU is *not* running at maximum volume.
If you set the HK amp to a lower volume (so that the noise is inaudible) then the maximum you can ever get out of the system is not as loud as people might want.
Finally, replacing the HU will not give you (much) more overall volume, since the speaker levels into the HK amp are limited to somewhere between 3-5V (not bothered measuring exactly what it is) ...

[Kurtster]

I wrote in as well and they asked me what I did for a living, how I foundout about them and how many I would potentially buy (one in my case).

The NAV-TV guys ignored my email and never answered my questions. If they think people are just going to throw out $1295 by clicking BUY NOW on their web site without knowing any details, they're smoking something.

[mikeythemini]

NavTv won't even reply to my e mails about becoming a dealer???

[Perm]

Done also.

(Mike the Nokia car kit you fitted works very well....... even the BMW breakdown engineer was
impressed how neat the job was and how you had managed to wire it up as to take so little
drain from the battery when the engine was off).

Cheers

Perm (indi blue MCS)

[Perm]

Mike,
Looks like the campain is working .......

see response below.........

Hello Perm

Not at the moment I am afraid, but as we have had such a demand (4 emails
today alone) we are looking at bringing one in, so watch this space.

Regards


Dee Keenan
Technical Advisor
Dir: 01420 470618
Autoleads Ltd
Tel: 01420 476767
Fax: 01420 477137
www.autoleads.co.uk

[kazmire]

I got a reply too:

Hello Ben

We havent at the moment, but as I have had such interest in this product I
am looking into the feasability and costs of getting this in, so watch this
space.

Regards


Dee Keenan
Technical Advisor
Dir: 01420 470618
Autoleads Ltd
Tel: 01420 476767
Fax: 01420 477137
www.autoleads.co.uk


-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Wheeler [mailto:kazmire2000@hotmail.com]
Sent: 19 January 2004 11:15
To: info@autoleads.co.uk
Subject: MINI factory NAV system upgrades.


I am about to order a MINI Cooper S with Sat Nav, and have heard that it is
possible to watch TV DVD's and playstation through the nav screen. Is this
true, and if so, do you have the equipment that will allow this to happen?

Thanks and regards

Ben Wheeler

[mikeythemini]

Keep it up, we need more, Come on guys I have been asked by loads of people.....

[jasonfields007]

Hello Jason

I am afraid that at the moment the new Harmon Kardon system is still under investigation, test so far have only been able to maintain partial amplification, however, our R & D team are hoping for a solution soon.

Kind regards

Dee

[ALD0]

I did not get any reply!!!!!!!!!

[jasonfields007]

probably been bombarded!!

[Kurtster]

I heard from an installer that they saw someone add TV/video in on their NAV system in a BMW a few years ago and the colors had all been boosted and were so saturated that it was unwatchable.

I can see where this might be a problem. The ideal situation would be a progressive scan DVD player into the RGB input of the NAV display. The NAV screen is an RGB source, not compsite or S-Video so once you start converting non-interlaced video to RGB, you get artifacts that need a processor to correct or compensate for. If you run compsite or S-Video into it, you'll need a scan convertor to really make it right.

The NAV-TV guys won't answer any questions about this so I can't tell you what their solution does, but it sure would be great to get this available for us. Even at half the cost of NAV-TV i'd consider adding this. It seems such a waste to have that lovely little 16x9 aspect ratio screen in my dash without a way to put video to it.

[mini_mad1]

ok mikey i e-mailed them about the nav-tv. As you may remember i asked you about it not too long ago. Also if i want my phone kit fitting at the start of march when would i need to book it in with you?

[mikeythemini]

Need about 3 days notice

[mini_mad1]

cool i will let you know! oh one other thing, will you be able to fit me a dension ice link and if so can you get it in or do i have to buy it?

[mikeythemini]

Will have ice link back in next week