Update: Still love the unit, but I have discovered there is about a 10 second delay from when I shift into reverse until the camera turns on and the image comes up. Under normal routine conditions, by the time the image displays on the screen I am done reversing. It works it you shift into reverse, wait 10 seconds. and then start moving. Still give the product a mythical 6 rating.
1 month update:
Still very happy with the unit. Now have installed a back up camera. Very very cool to see the unit come to life, flip up the screen, and display the scene behind the car when shifting into reverse. It was a bit of work to install the camera and run the cables to the head unit. It took a couple of hours, but well worth the effort.
Only 1 minor problem. I have upgraded from Droid to IPhone 5 since I installed the unit.. The Bluetooth connection isn't quite as smooth as it was with the Droid. The Acoustik tries unsuccessfully to download the IPhone phone book. It take the unit about a minute to go through its routine before it gives up. There might be a slight compatibility issue between the Acoustik and IPhone 5 (which is also very very cool). However, the Acoustik also works very well as the hand free speaker/microphone. Much better than the dedicated Jabra hands-free that I was using. So after a month I am upping the rating to a 6. Still an incredible value (I bought for $166).
The one feature that the Acoutik does not have is the radio information scroll some other radio have that provides the station name and often the name of the song. Too bad because it would seem such a simple feature to add. But still, the unit looks and sounds great none the less. This unit has far exceeded my expectations.
original review:
I was persuaded to try this unit by all of the great reviews, but was I highly skeptical. And then the box came in with graphics that I swear only a 16-year old kid could dream up (smoking skulls with wings!!??) and a broken-English instruction/installation manual that added to my reservations about the product. I almost decided to return it be fore putting it in. I am glad I didn't.
VERY NICE UNIT with GREAT sound (and I am very picky about sound systems). I am not sure how it is possible, but the sound from the radio is soooo much better than the premium Infinity system I replaced. Very intuitive controls, both manual and on-screen. Bluetooth paired up right away and continues to sync up every time I get in the car with my Droid. I haven't installed the back up camera yet because the installation manual was wrong, I later found a separate installation sheet tucked in with the warranty info.
I installed the unit myself in about 3 hours. I strongly suggest that you purchase a wiring adapter that will plug right into the existing wiring connector from Crutchfield ([...]) when you order the PTID unit. Note: I suggest using the 'chat' with the staff' option on the Crutchfield website to track down the correct adapter They were great. This adapter will allow you to keep the original wiring, which keeps things much cleaner, and make it much easier to wire. I wired the adapter to the head unit in my kitchen and then carried the whole ready-to-plug-in unit down to the garage and just plugged it in. Much, much easier than trying to connect the wires when in the dash board.
Like all flip-up screen units, the head unit does stick out about an inch from the dash board to accommodate the flip-up screen. It does look a little weird sticking out like that, but it doesn't look bad. In fact when on it looks pretty good.
I have seen similar units for anywhere from $300 to $600. So for $166 this product is an absolute bargain.With the self-installation ($200) I figure I just got an $800 unit for les than $200. It was a good day.
| Item Weight | 0.16 ounces |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 11.5 x 9 x 4.6 inches |
| Item model number | PTID-8920B/8920BT |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Chassis Size | single-din |
| Preamp Voltage | 2 Volts |
| Display Type | LCD |
| Display Resolution | 480 X 234 |
| Wireless Remote | Yes |
| Warranty | 1 year |
| Expansion | optional_mp3_cable, optional_hd_radio, built-in_bluetooth |
| Memory Card Slot | MP3, DVD-R, CD-R |
| Media Playback Supported | DVD/CD/MP3/MP4/DivX®/SD™ Card/USB and NTSC/PAL video playback |
| Height (inches) | 5 inches |
| Width (inches) | 9.5 inches |
| Weight | 6.2 Pounds |
