The car stereo has come a long way in the last few years. Vehicle manufacturers started adding vehicle functions to their head units to make interfacing the vehicle safer. If all the functions are in one area, a person can get comfortable with the onboard electronics more quickly. It also reduces the learning curve needed to understand the interface itself.
The problem is that most of these stock units are not designed or manufactured for the high-quality entertainment some people are addicted to. Pioneer has an answer to the problem in the form of its Premier AVIC-N1. This unit offers navigation, vehicle dynamic input, audio, and video. Yet the most incredible part is that it 's all squeezed into a single-DIN head unit. You'd think the AVIC's interface must be a nightmare with all these abilities. The software in the AVIC is a multilayered system, and the 6-1/2-inch touchscreen gives plenty of work area to interact with. The naming conventions assigned to the digital buttons make the software user-friendly and the multilayered software a breeze to go through.
The single-DIN head unit is equipped with a multipurpose disk reader. This player can play CD, DVD, MP3, some data, and so on. As gearheads, we think the greatest function on the AVIC is its vehicle dynamics capability. The AVIC-N1 uses a hide-away breakout box that helps the single-DIN head unit provide a multitude of functionality. This hide-away box has connections for most of the optional components, but it has one feature that just draws us to it: an accelerometer built into it. Yes, that's right, it measures g-force. It also connects to the Reverse signal from the vehicle, so the navigational system knows which end of the truck is facing the direction of forward movement, thus the backup camera can be activated when the vehicle is put in Reverse. Additionally, it taps into the vehicle's speed pulse wire. With the GPS and the speed pulse signal, the AVIC-N1 can calibrate the true speed. Plus, the head unit can estimate your global position in areas where a GPS signal is not obtainable.
Pioneer's AVIC-N1 is truly the cutting-edge of performance in the automotive entertainment department. We installed the unit on an '01 GMC truck. Here's how it went in and how we got the AVIC-N1 to recognize the truck's input nodes. Keep your eyes peeled for the AVIC-N2, which will give you live updated traffic conditions, and the AVG-VDPI, which is a performance model that will figure horsepower and torque for the performance tuner.
1.The only tool necessary...
1.The only tool necessary to remove the stock radio in a late-model GM truck is the ignition key. After pulling off the dash bezel, the radio uses plastic clips to hold it in place. Simply squeezing the plastic fasteners allows the radio to be pulled right out. You don't have to cut your stock wire loom. We used an adapter that plugs into the stock stereo harness. The insulation on the adapter wires tells you what each wire is used for, making installation a snap.
2.Pioneer's AVIC-N1 uses a...
2.Pioneer's AVIC-N1 uses a remote breakout box to provide input nodes for other options. Plus, it has a built-in accelerometer, which measure the g-force produced by vehicle movement. We mounted the break-out box under the seat and ran the wire under the carpet, up inside the dash, and out to the back of the head unit.
3.The AVIC-N1 uses the Reverse...
3.The AVIC-N1 uses the Reverse signal, so the unit knows which end of the truck is the front side. We found the signal wire under the dash on the driver side. There is a black-plastic cover that has a green wire that will get 12 volts when the truck is put into Reverse.
4.Carefully, we used a scribe...
4.Carefully, we used a scribe to depress the tang that holds the wire fittings in the connector. We then removed a small amount of the insulation exposing the wire. Then we soldered the Reverse wire to the trigger from the AVIC.
5.The speed pulse wire is...
5.The speed pulse wire is in the instrument cluster wiring loom. We removed the four screws to pull the instrument cluster out so we could unplug its wiring harness.
6.If you were sitting in the...
6.If you were sitting in the driver seat, looking straight at the cluster, the speed-pulse signal wire would be on the far right-hand side of the cluster plug. Our wire is white and green. This is where you tie into the speed pulse trigger for the AVIC.
7.The AVIC has a safety feature...
7.The AVIC has a safety feature built into the unit. It ties into the emergency-brake system, which only lets you view movies through the built-in monitor when the e-brake is engaged.
8.The navigation system is...
8.The navigation system is fairly easy to use. We didn't even read the manual to figure how to enter a destination address to navigate to. It would take more than one DIN of area to keep all the maps in memory, so make sure the map DVD that has your desired location is in the disk player before you start. After you make the selection from the given list of search results, the AVIC will pinpoint your desired area of interest. From there, you can choose from assorted viewing options on how the AVIC shows you your routing directions.
9.Here's the AVIC's vehicle...
9.Here's the AVIC's vehicle dynamic interface. It shows the vehicle speed and a number of other gauge monitors that can be changed by simply pressing on the gauge and changing to another input node. Here you can see what g-force the accelerometer is subjected to, or many other input nodes.
10.You can create your own...
10.You can create your own background image for your AVIC. If you have a copy of Photoshop on your home computer, the image size should be equal to these settings. This will ensure the image fits the screen size perfectly.