Double DIN Head Unit that is USB Music Navigation Friendly

[Expedited]

Hi All- I've been checking a number of the threads here but none really addressed the issue I'm looking for. I'm looking for a Double DIN head unit that is very easy on the budget (the cheaper the better), and my primary use for audio is USB stored music. Bluetooth and Satellite radio are nice seconds.

The issue I'm having is that none of the units I've tried have a particularly user friendly navigation of both tracks AND folders (read, song AND Albums). My point of comparison was the factory head unit in my Kia, which allowed buttons up and down to navigate both track and album, or even use a scroll wheel to spin through them.

Today I looked at a Kenwood touch screen unit at Best Buy (just in to try it, wasn't going to buy it there), and it was slow to refresh display info from one track to another, and was miserable at trying to go from one album to another, due to the slow response and the tiny buttons.

It doesn't have to be a touch screen- I just prefer Double DIN as it will look better in the opening, and should help eliminate the small buttons and display of a single DIN unit.

SO... who has some feedback with USB navigation of their head units for scrolling through thousands of songs and a couple hundred albums?

 

[GAINMOB]

well i have a pioneer avic-d3...it has USB (cable)...ipod (cable)...navigation...bluetooth...later models have all PLUS pandora...kenwood is another good brand for this as well...check out Crutchfield: Car Stereo, Speakers, Home Theater, LCD TV, Digital Cameras and "outfit your car"..this will allow you to put in the specifics and will show you everything available on the market today...

keep in mind that this is just a tool to use to see whats on the market and pricing but i like buying from them due to them giving you lifetime service and everything needed to hook it up for free...free harness...free instruction manuals...but by all means you can pick one and go to ebay or other site and buy cheaper...any deals the manufacturer is giving...crutchfield is too

 

[Expedited]

Thanks- I'll check out that model; but can you describe a bit about how you can navigate between tracks versus albums or artists? Is it fairly easy/user friendly, or does it require a lot of visual attention?

I will most likely be dealing with Crutchfield, or with SonicElectronix, who I heard of because of a recommendation on this site.

The other issue is that the remote, if it comes with one, is potentially a key element in my navigation puzzle. It might be easy to use with well shaped buttons, but it seems that most just go with a solid round blister-pack look for economy, making it almost impossible to use in the dark. I'm just trying to avoid a lot of distraction while driving.

 

[GAINMOB]

i can choose albums...artist...playlist...playlist will play everything as it is loaded on my ipod...and thats however i have it set up...mine is setup by album so my playlist is in order by album name and plays everything in my library...then if i want a specific song i can choose that and same for artist...i have a remore and its touch screen so whichever you'd like to change it

 

[eddiemoney]

My Kenwood DNX5190 does what you speak of......

plus with the Idatalink maestro units it integrates with sync if you have it

 

[Expedited]

Thanks guys- I should have been a bit more specific- I guess I am wondering less about 'whether' it can be done (hopefully any MP3 capable unit is able to navigate by folders (album or artist) as well as file (track)), and more about HOW your units handle that navigation.

Are both functions handled by on-screen buttons, hard buttons/knobs, or a combination? If it IS 100% touch screen, is it easy to quickly scan across a couple of hundred albums, or is it a bunch of finger tapping on small buttons that require visual attention? My problem is that most manufacturers and retailers don't show that screen very often, or the buttons aren't clearly labeled.

Just trying to find something cheap (under $300- the further the better), and is user friendly. Doesn't need to have a monitor display (but a rear view connection would be great).

THANKS!

 

[GAINMOB]

both for mine...i can sroll through my albums pretty reasonably...but if i go by songs...i have over 4000 of them...it will take a while...i can also do it with my remote...it has a joystick that i use in pitch black darness...left/right skips tracks and up/dwn skips albums...its not backlit though

 

[Expedited]

Thanks Freeway! I found an image of what appears to be the MP3 or iPod Screen on that unit- it looks like there are forward/back buttons on both the side of the unit and on the screen itself- are they both used for track navigation, or is it dependent upon what selection is made in the menu tabs (instead of the next track, it will go to the next artist or album, if that tab is active)?

I thought I could go to Best Buy to try out a bunch of units but I ran into a dufus who didn't know jack squat about the units, and was uncooperative to even let me demo them (they were all basically powered down or not connected). Only tried one and it was very slow to respond to button presses.

 

[GAINMOB]

dependent on option...navigation will be all touch

 

[GAINMOB]

go to a local audio shop...you can play there

 

[eddiemoney]

go to a local audio shop...you can play there

Agreed, best thing to do - everyone has their own likes/dislikes...for example I wanted a volume knob...amazing how hard that is to find

 

[GAINMOB]

why not get it intergrated to your steering wheel controls

 

[Expedited]

Hoping to have time to check out an audio shop- just been traveling a ton over the last 2 weeks since I bought the thing- had no chance so i thought I'd get some user opinions.

And I'm actually with you, EddieMoney, I prefer a volume knob (and actually a tuning/navi knob). Why reinvent the wheel (pun intented) for something as simple to use as a knob while driving?! Heck, if I could pull the upgrade unit from a Kia and retain the features, that would be best!

As for the steering wheel controls, unfortunately my XLT doesn't have them- big bummer.

 

[GAINMOB]

huge bummer...best thing since slice bread and cheese

 

[Expedited]

Yeah, I'm missing some things I took for granted in my newer vehicles, even getting used to a few creeks and groans that come with a well aged vehicle, but in my quest for debt freedom, these are the concessions we make! However, as a music guy, I need a cheap head unit that can take care of my MP3 music in a user friendly way.