2018 Rear Entertainment Initial Feedback

[zarga]

In the 17 you fold the second row captains chairs down and the lift up on the back to flip the seat forward so you can access the third row. Doesn't the 18 do that?

Not that I have found. I would be THRILLED if it did. I think most companies are doing away with it in favor of the slide-with-a-car-seat-installed.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Not that I have found. I would be THRILLED if it did. I think most companies are doing away with it in favor of the slide-with-a-car-seat-installed.

It looks like the tilt forward according to this picture.

 

[zarga]

It looks like the tilt forward according to this picture.

Sorry, I didn't explain it well. Imagine the back of the seat folding flat on the seat (like it already does to make a flat cargo area), but then the back of the seat releases from the floor and the front of the seat hinges forward so that it flips up flat against the back of the driver seat. I'm having a hard time finding a picture.

 

[dlcorbett]

The previous gen 2nd row seats needed to be folded then the back bottom end released up from latches and forward, giving it a tumble effect. It was a multi step function that allowed access to the back. The seat then would need to be brought back down onto its original latches.The current gen trucks seats are on a track. Like in the picture, with a button press, the back end of the track releases, tilting the whole seat towards the front row seat back, then the seat can be pushed forward. The whole seat tilts but the back end never unlatches from the floor last it used to.

 

[gtnator]

In the 17 you fold the second row captains chairs down and the lift up on the back to flip the seat forward so you can access the third row. Doesn't the 18 do that?

Andy...the 18 does EVERYTHING...you know that ;-)

 

[dlcorbett]

I prefer the tilt seatbacks over the tumble fold seats. Its way easier to use and faster. Also no need to move the front seats as well to help the seat fold/ tumble or no need to fold down the headrest as well.

 

[wrc7732]

It still bewilders me that the big SUV’s like our Expy’s, and the GM equivalents don’t have well integrated, intuitive rear entertainment systems. My wife’s old ‘08 Honda Pilot came from the factory with a flip down widescreen monitor with the DVD player in the front dash, two IR headphones, 3 headphone jacks and auxiliary input in the rear, and could be controlled from the front or rear of the vehicle.

Then I got my ‘15 Expy with the dual screens on the headrests, granted each with its own DVD player, that you can’t control from the front at all, not even to turn them on and off. You can play what’s on one, on the other, and vice versa, but the audio is headphone jack, IR, or goodness me what were they thinking FM modulation through the front headunit Radio (and it sucks).

Ours use the physical headphones as I find the IR sets to fragile or poor fitting for my young kids. And the older has to unbuckle to help my little one change DVDs or turn on the screen, etc.

With what they charge for these RES’s it astonishes me that they haven’t made more significant strides. Hell just put one in out of a Honda Odyssey. I honestly feel the large SUV market would benefit greatly from a properly integrated system, as I think there are a fair number of minivan owners that would much prefer an SUV but can’t live without a well designed RES.

Hell, that’s my $.02 anyway. [emoji1]


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[gtnator]

It still bewilders me that the big SUV’s like our Expy’s, and the GM equivalents don’t have well integrated, intuitive rear entertainment systems. My wife’s old ‘08 Honda Pilot came from the factory with a flip down widescreen monitor with the DVD player in the front dash, two IR headphones, 3 headphone jacks and auxiliary input in the rear, and could be controlled from the front or rear of the vehicle.

Then I got my ‘15 Expy with the dual screens on the headrests, granted each with its own DVD player, that you can’t control from the front at all, not even to turn them on and off. You can play what’s on one, on the other, and vice versa, but the audio is headphone jack, IR, or goodness me what were they thinking FM modulation through the front headunit Radio (and it sucks).

Ours use the physical headphones as I find the IR sets to fragile or poor fitting for my young kids. And the older has to unbuckle to help my little one change DVDs or turn on the screen, etc.

With what they charge for these RES’s it astonishes me that they haven’t made more significant strides. Hell just put one in out of a Honda Odyssey. I honestly feel the large SUV market would benefit greatly from a properly integrated system, as I think there are a fair number of minivan owners that would much prefer an SUV but can’t live without a well designed RES.

Hell, that’s my $.02 anyway. [emoji1]


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Sounds like the 2018's are not that much better from what others are saying here. I'll be curious to hear from more people as they start using those 2018s.

 

[twernst]

Sounds like the 2018's are not that much better from what others are saying here. I'll be curious to hear from more people as they start using those 2018s.

Yeah I am scared about the post regarding Bluetooth connectivity to the speakers, why? I know weight saving was a premium but really how much does 15’ of audio cable weigh?

 

[Garrett]

Bump for this thread. Curious if others are experiencing audio lag, system latency and clunkiness, etc.

 

[zarga]

Bump for this thread. Curious if others are experiencing audio lag, system latency and clunkiness, etc.

I've tried that streaming thing that all the cool kids do, and yes, I've experienced moments of dropped sound. At first I thought my kids were messing with something. Thank goodness for the CD player. ;-) The whole audio setup on the truck is a giant disappointment. I'd go so far as to call it a failure considering the price.

 

[gtnator]

I've tried that streaming thing that all the cool kids do, and yes, I've experienced moments of dropped sound. At first I thought my kids were messing with something. Thank goodness for the CD player. ;-) The whole audio setup on the truck is a giant disappointment. I'd go so far as to call it a failure considering the price.

Man, that’s not good. Hopefully Ford will offer a fix for this.


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[Garrett]

Pretty much seals my fate for a Navigator here. One of the things keeping the Expy on the list was the loads of extras in the Platinum like RSE. If it sucks, which it sounds like it does, I'm fine forfeiting it for the more expensive Gator...

 

[Artie]

Pretty much seals my fate for a Navigator here. One of the things keeping the Expy on the list was the loads of extras in the Platinum like RSE. If it sucks, which it sounds like it does, I'm fine forfeiting it for the more expensive Gator...

Get the Gator, you’ll be glad you spent the extra cash. It’s easy to see where the extra money goes each time I get into mine.

 

[gtnator]

Pretty much seals my fate for a Navigator here. One of the things keeping the Expy on the list was the loads of extras in the Platinum like RSE. If it sucks, which it sounds like it does, I'm fine forfeiting it for the more expensive Gator...

I wouldn’t be too sure that it works better in the Gator without testing it. We’re talking about the rear seat entertainment, right? I want to hear from someone who has this option in the Navigator.


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[Artie]

I wouldn’t be too sure that it works better in the Gator without testing it. We’re talking about the rear seat entertainment, right? I want to hear from someone who has this option in the Navigator.


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I think he means ditching the RSE and applying that money towards the more expensive Navigator.

 

[Garrett]

I think he means ditching the RSE and applying that money towards the more expensive Navigator.

Yep. I won't be missing it as much, especially if I am paying a premium for the Gator.

 

[rcompart]

Something that I've grown rather upset with in addition to the sync issues between the BT audio and the video is the inability to control anything from the driver seat and getting everything playing on both screens is an ordeal when the little ones are anxious. Yes, I know I can use an app to control the menus on the screen with my phone but without seeing the screens to know what menu I'm on, it's worthless and if I’m in the back looking at the screen, I might as well be controlling it from one of the remote controls. I think I'm going to start tearing into everything and try to figure out a way to build an interface that will be plug and play to route the audio through discrete wiring to the radio and view the screens on the front display so you can see the on-screen menus and then control them as well. Kinda sad how poorly everything is implemented given how much this system cost.

 

[wrc7732]

So can you not have your phone connected via Bluetooth when you have the TV’s playing their sound through it? Or is it multi source Bluetooth capable?


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[gtnator]

Something that I've grown rather upset with in addition to the sync issues between the BT audio and the video is the inability to control anything from the driver seat and getting everything playing on both screens is an ordeal when the little ones are anxious. Yes, I know I can use an app to control the menus on the screen with my phone but without seeing the screens to know what menu I'm on, it's worthless and if I’m in the back looking at the screen, I might as well be controlling it from one of the remote controls. I think I'm going to start tearing into everything and try to figure out a way to build an interface that will be plug and play to route the audio through discrete wiring to the radio and view the screens on the front display so you can see the on-screen menus and then control them as well. Kinda sad how poorly everything is implemented given how much this system cost.

That sounds horrible.


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