Sony head unit trouble

Naich · 01-22-2007, 09:51 AM

Ok, so I have a crappy ~3 year old sony xplod deck in my car. It looked pretty, with a fancy oled display that was cool looking 3 years ago. I probably did a crappy job installing it, because I suck at wiring... so keep that in mind when answering my question...

Anyhow, over the last few weeks, I've noticed some static from the HU. I never had this before. However, being lazy and in the middle of moving and renovating our new place, I havn't had time to take it out and fix the wiring. I am guessing that I have a bad ground or something.

Anyway, that isn't really the problem any more. The head unit has a display that flips down when the car turns on, and flips up when the car shuts off. The other day, the display died on the radio when the face was flipped down. However, the radio still worked with my sirius radio (plugged in via AUX in), and the volume still worked. However, it didn't display anything on the lcd screen like it used to so I couldn't see anything I was controlling. When I pushed the close button, the face would flip up and then the OLED display would show graphics of ppl surfing and snowboarding and whatnot.

Then last night, I turned down the volume to take a call. When I went to turn the volume back up, nothing happened. So now I have no audio at all. The face still flips up and down when I turn on and off the car. But now none of the displays work, and I have no audio.

Does this sound like a fuse issue? Or did I kill the head unit?

If I killed it, can you reccomend a decent cheap replacement? I have a fosgate amp and 3 10" subs hooked up, but I honestly don't listen to loud music any more so I just want a cheap decent sounding HU that has AUX in so I can plug in my Sirius radio.

Silentalero · 01-22-2007, 10:11 AM

its sony car audio dood, i think u have the same head unit i use to have...its a flip out with the audio controls on the bottom and a pure led face right? Took mine 3 years and the face went out. The volume went out 2 weeks later...i slapped circuit city and had them replace it (god bless warranty)

p1mptress · 01-22-2007, 10:39 AM

yea i had a lot of problems when i bought a sony hu. The ATT would come on for no reason and keep switching on and off. I did everything best buy told me to do, which includes replacing my factory speakers. But at the end I got pissed and ripped it out and returned it and picked on a pioneer that i love. So I say go w/pioneer!!!!

HazMatt24 · 01-22-2007, 10:48 AM

Alpine FTW

Naich · 01-22-2007, 10:51 AM

I am leaning towards pioneer 6800 and just getting the sirius thing for it so I don't have to do any other stuff to my interior to make a separate sirius receiver look nice.

Silentalero · 01-22-2007, 10:52 AM

definatly pioneer or alpine. I got one of each. Pioneer in the acura has a few problems with the screen coming out though so not to fond of teir motors.

alpine ive never had any issues with.

HazMatt24 · 01-22-2007, 11:07 AM

I don't know if you make actual cd's of Mp3's but I know my Alpine head unit will play a lot of Mp3's that other head units can't because of the bit rate

Naich · 01-22-2007, 11:28 AM

No, actually, I just pretty much listen to sirius radio.

And I just discovered the PNR2 will allow pioneer units to display NFL scores just like my xact replay sirius unit.... so I think I am leaning that way. CC has free installation too, so I don't think I will let them deal with it. 6th ave has the HU on sale for $185 and it is right next door, so I'll see if they will price match that price. Their in-store price is $229.

sound_xtreme · 01-22-2007, 11:47 AM

itll be free install for the deck, but not the sirius.

Naich · 01-22-2007, 11:50 AM

Well I already have the antenna installed. All they'd need to do is run the power to the sirius unit right? I'm not exactly sure how those units hook up. It might be something I can just do.

sound_xtreme · 01-22-2007, 12:00 PM

i believe the pioneers use a data cable, you have to "run" your own 12v, ACC, and Ground. Which can all be used right from the radio harness. Plug your antenna into the pioneer sirius reciever.(it may be different from the current antenna)

racin4JC · 01-22-2007, 12:10 PM

I know kenwood makes a good deck, I've had mine for 4 years and no issues (did have one bad non-fading rca when I got it but just split off of the one good one). And they are sirius compatible so you just have to plug in your data cable right in the back and obviously the rest of your stuff is already ready to go. Although Pioneers do make good decks I really like the functionality of my kenwood, and alpines are amazing too but they all look to much alike to me!

In the end you choose, I just didn't want you to overlook kenwood!

Naich · 01-22-2007, 12:16 PM

Do any brands fit particularly better into our bezels? I'm probably going to go back to the stock black bezel too, and I'd rather not hack it up. Also, are any units particularly longer than others?

sound_xtreme · 01-22-2007, 01:27 PM

pioneers and my jvc fit fine. new kenwoods suck. whoever thought up that knob on the right needs to be shot.

higher end units are longer usually. but you should have no problem fitting any of them if you're willing to cut the plastic behind it, as long as you tuck your wires good. JVCs tend to be a bit shorter than the rest, but get larger the higher up you go.

p1mptress · 01-22-2007, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naich

I am leaning towards pioneer 6800 and just getting the sirius thing for it so I don't have to do any other stuff to my interior to make a separate sirius receiver look nice.

Yeah thats the poineer i have now.

It's great and the only problem I've had was a blown fuse but it wasn't on the hu so it went in great w/no fitting problems or having it work problems. and the sound is amazing. Also the hu i had before was a pioneer that i had for 4 yrs and it still works. I just wanted to upgrade it.

SweetNLow · 01-22-2007, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sound_xtreme

whoever thought up that knob on the right needs to be shot.

hahaha........

im a jvc fan though myself

Gr1m · 01-22-2007, 05:58 PM

i had to shave off some of the plastic faceplate that comes with the head unit to get my kenwood to fit, other then that the head unit has been great to me.

Naich · 01-22-2007, 06:38 PM

guys, what jvc is a good mid-range choice?

Ryan from Ohio · 01-22-2007, 07:55 PM

Im going to third the JVC reccomendation. Ive been a fan since my digifine 2.2 I had (SH-55). Ive also owned the AR7000 which kicked ass.

I would stick to the Arsenal series. Its a tad bit better, giving you more pre out voltage and a longer warranty

It all depends on your price range really. There always that thing in the back of your head "hell for another $30 I can get XXX"...lol

I would check E bay for some deals also. Since JVC is widely available to many dealers, you will find a fair amount of them on E bay that are bought through distributors and are not "grey market or b stock" like other brands on E bay may be...

SweetNLow · 01-22-2007, 08:27 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/JVC-KD-SH1000-In...QQcmdZViewItem