Question on In-car Entertainment

Hello Golfers...

I know there is a lot of golfers here that are also car enthusiast especially in In-car-entertainment...aka ICE. I am kinda a dummy in ICE, hope you dont mind me asking your advice on budgeting. Am thinking of putting the following:
- HU with LCD screen (for reverse camera) (1 din type if possible) (can play DVD, MP3, DVDR/RW, AVI, DIVX)
- 9in LCD on the center row
- Reverse Camera
- 2 pairs of 6x9 speakers
- Cables/wiring

Question:
- How much should I at least budget for without breaking my piggy bank?
- Not looking for elaborate surround system but sound quality should just sufficient for the 3 row to hear without blowing ear drum in front, hence, does the above setup need an amp?
- Is the above setup look reasonable, did I over cooked it?

Thanks for your inputs...

Hahaha! When I saw your thread title, I thought you were going to write about SKIN ICE....

See... that how i attract attention from people to reply....... after they read... they will say what the fish!!!

Folks,

I have not much experience in ICE stuff. Hence, need advice from all the forum car experts. I receive a rough quote for a car entertainment setup my mpv costing 1.1K, wondering if it is worth price

- Taiwan brand 2-din touch screen DVD player (can play virtually all new types of files)
- Rear Camera
- LCD on headset 6in
- Another LCD on center - 7in

Note: No Amps, use existing speakers.

Can someone kind enough to tell me if it is worth price. Need it for my kids...

1.1k not enough to buy a good tweeter...lol

Damn.... that much huh. I am getting poorer by the minute... sigh.. Need one when we travel few hrs up north. No ICE, kids will drive me nuts before i drive them to the destination...

bro swerve might be able to help.... i think he got side line with his own workshop.

there are of cos cheap options...but if you wanna ask ice experts, your option is not an option

bro JL Chong, need yr advice here....

From what I've been told, bro Swerve can make your car as fast as an airplane but I don't know if he can turn your dashboard into a cockpit.

ha ha ha.... mine is MPV, its a safe car. dun need to be fast

Paging JL Chong, Swerve... Need yr expertise...

Khorkar wrote:

Hello Golfers...

I know there is a lot of golfers here that are also car enthusiast especially in In-car-entertainment...aka ICE. I am kinda a dummy in ICE, hope you dont mind me asking your advice on budgeting. Am thinking of putting the following:
- HU with LCD screen (for reverse camera) (1 din type if possible) (can play DVD, MP3, DVDR/RW, AVI, DIVX)
- 9in LCD on the center row
- Reverse Camera
- 2 pairs of 6x9 speakers
- Cables/wiring

Question:
- How much should I at least budget for without breaking my piggy bank?
- Not looking for elaborate surround system but sound quality should just sufficient for the 3 row to hear without blowing ear drum in front, hence, does the above setup need an amp?
- Is the above setup look reasonable, did I over cooked it?

Thanks for your inputs...

Hi bro Khorkar,

ICE is something that can be as cheap as a mere $100+ to as much as $20k, 30k, 50k etc... Hence setting yourself a budget is important so that you won't over spend and also to get the best out of your budget.

Base on your initial quote of $1.1k by the installer, it seems very basic. Without amp for a MPV is definitely not the way to go... My recommendation are as follows:

- 1 x 4-channel amp for your front and rear speakers <I recommend FOCAL Amp> http://www.focal-fr.com/
- 2 x pair of component speakers <I recommed FOCAL Speakers>
- HU can go with Alpine http://www.alpine-asia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=23&Itemid=578
- 9" LCD can just go with any China/Taiwan brand
- Reverse camera <any brand with night capability will do>
- Cables and wiring will be included during installation.

From my experience, a decent sounding and good workmanship for the above mentioned will easily cost you about $3k+. If u noticed what I've recommended you consist of branded stuff and china stuffs... That's simply because a good set of speakers such as FOCAL and a good HU such as Alpine will follow you very far... even when u change your car, they can still be transfered. FOCAL are famous for their excellent speakers whether its in Home or car audio. As for HU, nothing beats the sound quality of Alpine. Hence its important that you should invest on the right items and be more relax for the rest.

You can always call me up at 97410261 or even audit my setup so that I can give you more info. From auditing, you can also have a rough guide of how "good" a car audio system can be, so that u can manage your expectation for the amount of money u spend. I'm also using FOCAL setup n Alpine HU.

Lastly my car was done up at Audioedge. Excellent workmanship, excellent product, excellent aftersales, and best of all very reasonable pricing (not tat kind chop carrot head type). Both bro Mojojojo & bro eiji ICE were done at Audioedge too. Their new address is 170, Yio Chu Kang rd (near serangoon garden)

my suggestion is probably to pick other's ppl castaway when they upgrade....

sunny wrote:

my suggestion is probably to pick other's ppl castaway when they upgrade....

There's good and bad for this option

- first u will have to pay for an installer for installation of the old stuff such as pulling of cables, fuse, wires etc
- Live with no technical support and warranty, not so advisable for newbie in ICE...
- If u r a newbie, do u know wat u buy is worth it? Especially if its 2nd hand stuff... hence no peace of mind...

If one is experience in ICE and have a regular ICE installer, 2nd hand shopping is worth considering. If not it will become a "Buy and Throw away" experience in the end... Just my 2cent worth.

Thumbz up for Focal!


My setup :

Kenwood DVD 7039 HU
Focal K2P (Front)
Focal 165A (Rear)
Rockford Prime 300-4 4 Channel
Rockford Prime 500-1 Monoblock
Rockford R1 Sub.

Customised display by ST Mobile Audio @ Balestier.

This December i'll be going active! Pioneer P90 already in the storeroom..

TheFocalPoint wrote:

Thumbz up for Focal!


My setup :

Kenwood DVD 7039 HU
Focal K2P (Front)
Focal 165A (Rear)
Rockford Prime 300-4 4 Channel
Rockford Prime 500-1 Monoblock
Rockford R1 Sub.

Customised display by ST Mobile Audio @ Balestier.

This December i'll be going active! Pioneer P90 already in the storeroom..

Thumbs up to your setup.

JL_chong wrote:

sunny wrote:

my suggestion is probably to pick other's ppl castaway when they upgrade....

There's good and bad for this option

- first u will have to pay for an installer for installation of the old stuff such as pulling of cables, fuse, wires etc
- Live with no technical support and warranty, not so advisable for newbie in ICE...
- If u r a newbie, do u know wat u buy is worth it? Especially if its 2nd hand stuff... hence no peace of mind...

If one is experience in ICE and have a regular ICE installer, 2nd hand shopping is worth considering. If not it will become a "Buy and Throw away" experience in the end... Just my 2cent worth.

yep. That is why never buy from most ppl as tgeir set up is already like crap. Go and join some car clubs and get to know those ice players. Pick their 'new' second hand when they upgrade. Normally gd price and you still get lots of support from the workshop

I'm so glad Shotah and me are back into golf now. Much cheaper....

Technospaz wrote:

From what I've been told, bro Swerve can make your car as fast as an airplane

Step 1. Take out the brakes. They only slow you down.

Bro my only advice when it comes to ICE is this - plan ahead.

Join one of the many ICE forums and go down to their meetups. There are plenty of different setups there that you can take a sound check from before you commit.

You can also take feedback from them about the various audio shops that they have been to and compare cost/quality.

If you want a cheap setup? Then buying from the audio shops itself is expensive and not the way to go.

Go down to Sim Lim Square/Tower with someone who knows about audio. You can EASILY pick up the same setup that was offered to you at the shop plus an amp and a sub as well.

For a budget set of component speakers - you cannot go wrong with CDT. Its an American brand that, for teh price, punches FAR above its weight.

Then simply go to an audio shop and have them install it for you and pay them for the wiring. Again bring a audio savvy friend with you so the guy does not try and rip you off by adding stuff in that you do not need (i.e. crazy expensive cables that your setup just does not need or is able to utilise fully).

Also I absolutely hate the cheapo taiwan/china head units. They offer crappy sound, have limited upgradability and just generally suck. The sound produced from the exact same setup, with just the head unit changed (i.e. Branded vs Taiwan/China), can be vastly different.

If you want me to recommend you an audio shop to do your installation - then just shoot me a PM.

Lastly if you need me to go down with you to Sim Lim, I could potentially make it this weekend. Just buzz me 9827 3621.

Merv

p.s...Now if you do want to make your ride go faster...then you have come to the right place Link to my workshop (shameless plug ) www.fujimotorsports.com.sg

TheFocalPoint wrote:

Thumbz up for Focal!


My setup :

Kenwood DVD 7039 HU
Focal K2P (Front)
Focal 165A (Rear)
Rockford Prime 300-4 4 Channel
Rockford Prime 500-1 Monoblock
Rockford R1 Sub.

Customised display by ST Mobile Audio @ Balestier.

This December i'll be going active! Pioneer P90 already in the storeroom..

Is that why yr nick is "TheFocalPoint" becos u r using Focal Spker? Thumps up to Focal. I am using Focal oso....

S70B wrote:

I'm so glad Shotah and me are back into golf now. Much cheaper....

You are right. It is cheaper to play golf. I shd realise it earlier but damage done.

mojojojo wrote:

S70B wrote:

I'm so glad Shotah and me are back into golf now. Much cheaper....

You are right. It is cheaper to play golf. I shd realise it earlier but damage done.

Its ok mojojojo. Playing and modding cars is like a 'do it once in your life' kind of thing.

I might be mistaken or forgotten wrongly but I believe Bro Shotah has actually won or done quite well in an IASCA comp before I think he realises that it is also a thing of the past to try and constantly keep up w the big boys.

I have also foolishly dabbled in having a full Pioneer and DLS setup at one of those controversial 'cut-throat' shops and although it runs into 5 figures, it is nowhere near where the other serious playing customers of his in terms of all the wizardry and money involved.

An ICE setup will also rob you of precious space for the golf bag so think twice before going all the way.

My small car can't even put a bag as amp makes it shallow and woofers rob precious space. And mine isn't even anywhere near my previous car

Sunny,

can la, but must remove the spare tyre.. then put everything 'underground' in the boot.. The golf bags can go 'aboveground'...

My small Honda Fit can put 4 golf bags, 4 sunday bags, water cooler box and sit 4 people, even with my ICE setup.. a bit squeezy behind though..