How a simple task can spiral!!!

Associate
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Hey fellow overclockers.

Having got my new car (seat ibiza tdi 130 Sport) which was fitted with a hands free kit that had been professionally installed I embarked on my simple mission to get the cradle changed over so it would fit my current phone.

I pull up expecting to be there a matter of minutes to then be told that what I require is not possible.

This has brought me onto looking at getting a bluetooth hands free kit installed. This has now gone into me looking at getting a new head unit that incorporates the bluetooth hands free (are these any good?).

This has now got me thinking whether I should get a super dooper one that is a hands free/gps/mp3 player.

Now what do I want from you guys???

Well what is the best combination to get? I want gps and hands free for sure. So should I get a Tomtom that does not of those and stick with the existing head unit? How good is the hands free side of things on these?

Do I get seperates of each?

Do I get a new headunit that has bluetooth and buy a seperate gps unit?

Or do I get an all in one unit? I don't have an unlimited budget but can probably stretch to enough to get something semi-decent.

What ya think?

Edit: this is the headunit I have been offered for £200 that has bluetooth. http://digitalsounddirect.co.uk/shop/product/products_id/2900.html

Does it blow? WHat is the best online place for such items?
 
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Caporegime
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Personally i'd go for the model down, the DEH-P55BT. Its got exactly the same functions, but doesn't have a gash display and huge knob. The other bonus with the 55 is that the display backlight and button backlight can be cycled through lots of colours, thus finding one that is a match for your dash rather than just the very VERY bright (annoys you in the dark) blue.

My mate has the DEH-P75BT and he now wants to sell it and get my HU.

Whichever you go for however, the sound quality of the phone calls is spot on, and the mic seems able to pick up voice from anywhere in the car clearly :) The echo cancellation is superb too! The ability to store your phonebook on the HU means that you can instantly see who is calling you, and it also means you can dial from the HU itself meaning your phone can be in your pocket/breifcase/glovebox etc etc.

 
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Associate
OP
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Oh I can't decide now. I was just about to go and buy the DEH-P75BT but I am worried it may look a bit silly compared to the dash colours.

What does the DEH-P55BT lack compared to the DEH-P75BT? I don't know much about head units so I was going on the basis of the more expensive the better.
 
Caporegime
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The DEH-P55BT is only really lacking a few features, definately not enough to make up the price difference (IMO), and as already stated I didn't like the layout or colour scheme of the P75BT.

The 55 lacks:

Motorised front panel
More graphical display
A few equiliser functions

I wouldn't have wanted nor needed any of those features, so wouldn't miss them.
 
Soldato
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paradigm said:
Personally i'd go for the model down, the DEH-P55BT. Its got exactly the same functions, but doesn't have a gash display and huge knob. The other bonus with the 55 is that the display backlight and button backlight can be cycled through lots of colours, thus finding one that is a match for your dash rather than just the very VERY bright (annoys you in the dark) blue.

My mate has the DEH-P75BT and he now wants to sell it and get my HU.

Whichever you go for however, the sound quality of the phone calls is spot on, and the mic seems able to pick up voice from anywhere in the car clearly :) The echo cancellation is superb too! The ability to store your phonebook on the HU means that you can instantly see who is calling you, and it also means you can dial from the HU itself meaning your phone can be in your pocket/breifcase/glovebox etc etc.
I agree with that... which is why I bought one too. For me the obvious without looking call answer and call end buttons were a decider too.
 
Soldato
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paradigm,

i see you have a leon/toledo dash. :)

same here, toledo 53 110TDi

your HU looks like what i need re the bluetooth connection and MP3 as i can then get rid of the multi changer in the glove compartment...

did you have to get upreated speakers/amp etc?
did you need to get a specific fascia to fit around the HU?

how much was the total outlay?

where from?

........i'm excited :D

i
 
Caporegime
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I bought the headunit and fascia adaptor from caraudiodirect. The only outlay I had was the headunit, the ipod controller box, a VW loom to ISO cable, and the fascia adaptor (of course you don't need the ipod controller if your don't want).

Standard speakers in the Leon Cupra R seem decent enough as they are, so as of yet they are still standard :)

Only thing you'll have to do is a bit of changing of the power lines to the back of the headunit (they are the wrong way round as standard).

Think when I got mine (April '06), it cost me about £220 all in, but it will odds on be cheaper now!
 
Soldato
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sorry for the thread hijack, last questions honest...:)


VW loom to ISO cable - i assume this nis to convert the power adapters?
seatcupra.net should have some guides on taking out the stereo, so should be ok ( i hope!)

Thanks for the info...:)
 
Caporegime
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The cable just converts the plugs used in the back of the factory fit stereo into the industry standard ISO plug as used by 99% of aftermarket stereos. It contains the lines for speakers and power.

As for taking the original headunit out, I found it incredibly simple to do :)
 
Caporegime
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