(Mods; please leave this in the tech section for a few days - and then I'll request to have it moved to the Audio area)

After living with the factory radio for 7 years... it was time to upgrade. But with my list of wants/needs/goals… it looked like it would never happen:

Goals (in no particular order)

1. retain factory speaker system without modification
2. No cut/splice of any factory wires or connectors
3. No modification of the factory dash bezel
4. Be able to reinstall factory radio with ease (which ties into #1,2, & 3)
5. non-retractable Touchscreen LCD AM/FM radio that plays CD's, MP3's, DVD's, and
computer video files; and has a backup camera input
6. Do not relocate the HVAC controls (ties in with #3)
7. Rear camera input
8. cheap… chEAP… CHEAP !!!

Goal #5. I know there's those retractable touchscreen radios… the type that kinda tongue-out the screen; and the screen may hang down covering part of the HVAC controls; I didn't want that type (personal preference). But with the DIN 1.5 sized opening, there was little choice for radios that weren't double DIN height. I discovered a couple of single DIN LCD touchscreen radios… that had a "droop" display. Sorry; I can't find a different word than "droop".
From this side-view you can see the single DIN chassis and a 1.5 DIN height screen:

The screen does not retract into the chassis; though it adjusts to differing viewing angles, and rotates flat to give access to the DVD drive.. The hard buttons are designed like the keys on a Motorola Razr phone. Stylish and non protruding; which keeps the face of the display flat and all on one plane.

This Power Acoustik PTID-5300 had the largest screen of them all…. 5.3"; so that was the one I purchased.


FEATURES
- ISO/1-DIN Size
- DVD/DVD-R/DVD-RW/VCD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW/MP3 Compatible
- 5.3" Wide-Screen TFT/LCD Display
- Car DVD Slot-in Mechanism
- Digital & Mechanical Anti-Shock with ESP Memory
- Built-In Dolby Digital Decoder
- Built-In MP4 Decoder
- Last Position Memory
- OSD (On Screen Display)
- Full Function Remote Control
- IR Repeater
- AM/FM PLL Synthesizer Tuner with 30 Memory Presets
- Preset EQ (POP CLASSIC ROCK JAZZ USER)
- Extending Amplifier Control
- Auto Antenna Control
- Telephone Mute Control
- Sanyo Compatible DVD/CD Changer Control
- Brake Reminder System
- Audio Power 50W x 4
- 4 RCA Audio Outputs
- 1 RCA Video Output
- 1 RCA Dual Sub-Woofer Outputs
- 1 RCA Audio Video Input
- 1 RCA Rear View Camera Input
- Mini USB / SD Card
- iPod Input Connection (cable optional)

Here's some YT videos that show the radios functions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkHNUxCodlA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd7tYJI-OAU

The PTID-5300 has a rear camera video input, along with a trigger wire that automatically selects the camera when the reverse lights come on (though you can manually select the rear camera view at any time). This met goal #7.

This radio will directly control an iPod through a rear connector on the radio using an optional direct-connect cable. You can play the iPod through this radio, you can control it via the touchscreen controls. Also has a front mounted mini USB port adn a SD memory card reader.
These were on my "must have" list; but it's nice they are there anyways.

I tried DVD's… CD's, MP3's (including display of the ID3 tags)… all played fine. I then tried MPG and WMV files burned onto a CDROM, and they played fine as well. I purchased this unit for $240 shipped.

Goal #3. Since I wanted to be able to return the factory radio at will, cutting the bezel for a double DIN touchscreen radio wasn't an option. Not only do I not have the skill to do this modification myself, I also am too cheap to spend the $400-$500 for an already modified piece. But even if I would spend the money, this negates the requirement to swap-back the factory radio with ease.

The factory bezels rectangle radio opening is exactly 3.25" in heigth. The PTID-5300 screen height is exactly 3.25". You may think this is perfect; well… it was too good to be true. Since the PTID-5300 display rotates to uncover the DVD player drive, it needs a small amount of clearance to stop any friction/resistance from hampering the movement of the screen. I removed 3/32" from the top inner edge lip of the bezel to add this needed clearance. I test fit the factory radio up to the bezel and you can not tell that it has had this amount removed.(which still meets goal #4).
I had to make a backing "filler" plate. Here's a drawing ot it:
http://mikemercury.home.att.net/radio/bezel1.JPG

Goals #1&2. I found three items that offer plug-n-play interfacing to the factory Bose speakers; Both are made by Peripheral:
* SVEN2 level converter
* SVHGM4 harness
* 40-gm10 antenna cab;e adapter
The SVHGM4 harness has mating plugs to the factory wiring harnesses that are removed from the rear of the factory radio; and the other end of this harness has flying leads that connect to the aftermarket radio. The SVEN2 takes care of interfacing the Bose amplified factory subwoofer system. Absolutely no cutting or splicing of any factory wires/connectors.
The cost of the three (shipped) was $80.

Goal #6. Since this all fit into the existing factory radio location, I did not need to relocate the HVAC controls. This was important to me since I already have a use for the ashtray area (ham radio installed).

some installation photos.
Chassis installed, pre filler-plate


with filler plate:


couldn't get a good pic of the finished install:


powered up:


the extra control head above the new radio - in the center air duct- is the controller for my Neo hard-drive based MP3 player that I had connected up to the factory radio. The Neo will be removed; and yes... I purchased an entire center air vent assembly when originally installing the Neo - and will be re-installing the original (non modified) vent

Goal #8. All totaled; I have $320 in this upgrade.

Results,
The LCD screen is surprisingly bright and easy to see. Although the onscreen menus are not all that fancy looking (not "bling" fancy), it is very easy to use the touchscreen controls and the hard buttons.

Sound? The overall sound seriously quality improved IMO due to the new radio being 40wrms per channel (and I believe the factory radio is 20-25w/ch). The real surprise was the improvement in the low frequency area. The mid bass and sub-woofers "woke up". Sounded soooo much better & accurate that many will find it difficult to believe I'm still using the factory speakers. High frequencies are still barely adequate. This speaker system needs some tweeters (that Bose never delivered on )

Playing MP3's via the DVD drive worked fine, but causes the usual slight delay when first inserting the disk - where it reads the disk and builds a directory. It's no different in the time it takes my wifes MP3 boombox to do the same task. I then copied all 900mb of MP3's over to a SD memory card, inserted it into the radios SD card slot and the access times were faster.

Although not quite as refined looking as a real double-DIN touchscreen installation, for the $320 total invested, I'm very pleased with the outcome.

About the only functions lacking are a built in GPS and cell-phone-control via bluetooth. But these weren't must-haves for me either.