Useful tips
Some experienced car enthusiasts claim that the main part in the car is the radio tape recorder. After all, it is really important to enjoy traveling by car.
With the development of new technologies, the car radio industry has advanced far and is impressive in its variety of functions.
Tired of old electronics, do you want modern music in your car? Here are our tips.
Contents:
1. How to buy a radio
2. Standard radio
3. Radio recorders on android
4. 1 din or 2 din radio?
5. Replacing the radio
6. How to remove the radio
7. Connecting the radio
8. Chinese radio recorders
9. Radio recorders 2014
How to buy a radio
First, we need to choose where to buy the future gadget.
Buying a radio on the market
Some people shop at electronics markets, or they are also called radio markets. There are quite reasonable prices there, including for used goods.
However, there are several reasons why you should avoid such purchases. The main reason is that there are a lot of illegal and stolen goods in such markets, which is already a crime.
Also, in such places, there is a high probability that you will not receive an “adequate” guarantee. Such places are teeming with scammers (of course, not all are), so if you are a gambler, then you can try to buy a radio on the market.
Buying a radio in a store
A good electronics store is characterized by a comfortable purchase of goods. Here you will be prompted and told about all the features and functions of the product. You will also be able to immediately see the product you are interested in.
Stores must provide a guarantee and even (optional) insurance for the goods. All this action will take place in a pleasant atmosphere.
However, we should not forget about the markups on goods in electronics stores. Such margins are related to the rental of premises, staff salaries and many other factors, so this figure can range from 100% to 200%.
Buying a radio in an online store
Buying a radio in online stores is very convenient and, as a rule, the most profitable. When buying goods online, be sure that the markup is minimal and you are making the best purchase.
But! It should be remembered that prices may also vary significantly for virtual sellers. Therefore, you should carefully study and compare prices in different online stores.
The purchase principle is as follows:
We choose a product.
We make an order.
We pick up the goods at the postal service or the online store office.
Payment is made by bank transfer or upon receipt.
The biggest and only drawback of such a purchase is that you do not see the item you are buying visually.
Standard radio
In most modern foreign cars (especially economy class), an unpleasant problem is a standard radio (installed directly at the car factory). Taking into account modern requirements for multimedia systems, they are sometimes, to put it mildly, not sufficiently functional.
Therefore, modern technologies are pushing electronic equipment manufacturers to create high-tech devices and at the same time suitable for specific cars (native connectors, regular seats).
This trend is developing so rapidly that it is already being compared with the development of computer technology or mobile telephony.
Several times a year, new models of standard radios appear in the range of leading manufacturers. They have more functionality, run on new or improved operating systems, and use more powerful processors.
All this affects the speed of the programs, the usability of the radio and the increase in the functions of the device.
Often, in order to attract customers to their products, in addition to the standard set of options (GPS, DVD, USB, TV), manufacturers add additional features to the radio, such as 3G Internet, diagnostics car, intelligent parking systems.
For some European cars, a module is provided for connecting a radio to the main computer. In this case, the car's on-board computer perceives the standard radio as “native”, which allows the device to display parking sensors, climate control and other functions.
Read also: How to choose a navigator
The design of standard radio recorders is of no small importance. Such devices are constantly improving the quality of the front panel, monitor materials used and compliance with the car interior. A modern standard radio should fit into the car interior as much as possible.
Radio recorders on android
Android (Android) is by far the most popular operating system for mobile devices and this already applies to car radios.
The main advantage of devices running on Android is the huge number of applications. These applications are regularly updated with new developments that can turn the radio into an extensive entertainment center.
At the same time, these radio recorders are of high sound quality, which real car lovers should not be indifferent to.
It is also possible to seamlessly connect to a wireless WiFi network. Although it is certainly important to always be in the coverage area.
The advantage of radio tape recorders on Android is their widely deployed software, which means convenient menu transitions and playback of information in almost any format.
Now about the shortcomings that are often found on Android radios:
Bluetooth often does not find the phone.
To display the information you need on the screen, sometimes you need to try to click on it correctly.
The navigation system often only installs iGO software, which cannot be replaced by anything.
It is impossible to listen to music when the navigator is on.
The color reproduction of the matrix and the viewing angle do not make it possible to distinguish icons well in bright sunlight.
1 din or 2 din radio?
If you visit a car audio store and say that you want to buy a car radio, the seller will definitely ask you: “Which radio do you need — 1 din or 2 din?” What do these abbreviations mean?
Din (Deutsches Institut für Normung) is translated from German as the German Standards Institute. This standard was originally developed for German head units and became an international standard in 1984.
The standard defines the size of the mounting hole for the 1-DIN radio – 180×50 mm, 2 DIN – 180×100 mm. The landing depth is not standard, but is usually 160 mm.
1din radios are manufactured from 2-inch screens to 7-inch retractable screens, with a variety of functions.
2din radios are usually manufactured with 7-inch screens, as well as with various functions and the ability to adjust the screen angle.
In the modern world, manufacturers have learned to equip 1din and 2din radios with completely different functions, but this does not mean that everyone people use.
The most necessary thing a car enthusiast needs:
High-quality sound.
Reproduction of all media formats.
Receiving most radio stations.
Reading as many media as possible (flash cards, SD cards, etc.).
Bluetooth.
GPS navigator system.
Connecting to video cameras on the car.
Easy car radio control.
Modern, stylish and suitable for the car interior design.
Reasonable price.
Replacing the radio
If you decide to replace your old car stereo with a new one yourself, we suggest using our practical advice.
Make sure you can do it
If your car is higher than the economy class, you are likely to have a premium audio system. Take a closer look at the radio or door panel to see if there is any logo (for example, JBL, BOSE, Infinity, Harmon, etc.). This may also mean that your car is equipped with a premium audio system.
In this case, we strongly recommend that you do not skimp and contact a specialist to replace the car radio.
Buy a radio
Be sure to make sure when buying that your future car stereo is the right size. This can be clarified with the seller, and by studying the characteristics of the electronic device.
Buy additional wires
You should purchase a wiring harness and a car radio installation kit. For some brands of European cars, old Nisanov (1995-1996) and GM, you will need to buy an antenna adapter.
How to remove the radio
Buy the tools you need
Some European cars and some Ford brands will need special tools to remove the old radio. This purchase can be made at most auto parts stores.
Disconnect the terminal
Definitely! The negative battery terminal must be disconnected.
Remove the radio
Following the instructions in the mounting tool kit, remove the old radio.
Remember! Parts of the dashboard are very expensive, so be extremely careful not to scratch or break them when removing the radio.
It's important! You should carefully study the steps for disassembling the dashboard before you start working. After all, when disassembling, hidden screws can be installed, which, if removed incorrectly, will damage the panels. Online forums or other news publications can help with this.
Connecting the radio
Check the wires
It is necessary to make sure that the purchased wires fit the entrance of the old car radio. If the test result is positive, then you can start connecting.
The wires that are in the new radio and the car wires must have the same standard colors.
Next, clean the ends of the wires (only identical to the car ones) by about 1 cm.
Combine the same colors.
The standard distribution of wire colors is:
+Red – 12W ignition.
+Yellow – 12W battery.
-Black — Grounding.
+ Blue — Food.
+Blue/White – Remote activation.
Orange — Dimmer.
Orange/white — Dimmer.
Orange/black — Dimmer.
+White – Front left positive.
-White/Black – Front left negative.
+Gray – Front right positive.
-Grey/black – Front right negative.
+Green – Rear left positive.
-Green/Black – Rear left negative.
+Purple – Rear right positive.
-Purple/black – Rear right negative.
You may not need all the wires. In this case, it is necessary to isolate them (for example, with duct tape) without touching other parts.
Be careful with the dimmer wire (power regulator). If the new dimmer wire does not match the analogue on the car (for example, if the new wire is red and the old car wire is red/white), do not connect them. Otherwise, you could damage the vehicle's dimmer circuit.
Install the frame for the radio
Place the frame in the panel and fold the hinges so that they are securely installed in the connectors. Insert the radio into the frame correctly. Make sure it's locked.
Install all wires
Make sure that all wires are installed, including the radio jack, as well as the wires for the factory antenna and antenna adapter (if necessary).
Put everything back in place
We are completely completing the installation of the new radio. We fix it with screws in the right places.
Make sure you connect the antenna to the car stereo. Install the instrument panels that were removed when removing the old radio. Connect the battery terminal.
Chinese radio recorders
We often hear bad reviews about Chinese radio manufacturers. Let's try to figure out if this is really the case?
In China, producers are divided into two types: those that make products of very poor quality for low-income segments of the population and those who are quite careful about the quality of their products.
In addition, many additional options for minimal money act as a trap for second manufacturers.
The main problem is that there are many manufacturing companies in China and it is difficult for everyone to know the quality of their products in advance.
Read also: Car overview (model, features, photos)
What should we choose, an “honest Chinese” or a conservative Japanese?
You want to enjoy music without thinking about what format it was recorded in. For branded equipment, this is exotic, and for an “honest Chinese” it is the norm.
Radio recorders 2014
We present the top car radio models of 2014 from the best manufacturers.
PIONEER car radio
PIONEER AVIC-F960BT
According to the manufacturer, this is a smart navigation system with multimedia capabilities of the highest quality.
Also, this model will be very popular with active smartphone users, which it combines with.
With the help of the very useful AVICSYNC feature, you can get support for online navigation, including weather, traffic conditions, and much more.
The 6.1-inch screen is manufactured in accordance with the latest interface running on the Android operating system.
SONY car radio
SONY XAV-712BT
This is a car multimedia center with the ability to connect smartphones via MirrorLink™ and Bluetooth®. SONY's WVGA touchscreen is also pleasantly surprising.
JVC car radios
JVC KW-V50BTEE
Features of the multimedia car center:
DVD/CD/USB receiver.
7-inch monitor.
WVGA standard touch panel.
HDMI input.
Built-in Bluetooth® wireless technology.
Dual Zone Function.
Automatic adjustment of the backlight brightness.
Wireless remote control.
JVC KW-AV71BTEE
ALPINE car radio
ALPINE X800D-U
This multimedia center is a completely new car entertainment system. The large 8-inch screen size provides a huge amount of entertainment, even in split screen mode.
The ALPINE X800D-U has an amazing, detailed navigation map.
The radio's wide compatibility is complemented by excellent sound quality and built-in Bluetooth.
KENWOOD car radio
KENWOOD DDX7055BT
The main functional features of the multimedia center:
7" WVGA touch screen screen.
Built-in Bluetooth.
USB connector for connecting information media and iPod/iPhone.
Play all audio and video formats.
AV-in/ AV-out/ rear view camera input.