Nav System/Backup Camera Question

[H2bill]

First off, Greetings! I'm a nOOb to this forum but look forward to a long friendly relationship with you all. I have belonged to a motorcycle forum (ADVrider) for years and and know about the invaluable info sharing that take place in these forums. After years of putting it off, I finally pulled the trigger last Friday and bought a new ('06) H2. I love it (like I knew I would).

Now to my question... I am planning on putting in a Pioneer AVIC Z1 navigation sysyem. Does anyone have any experience with an install in an H2 of this unit? I have done a quick search here and have read about the data bus and VIN lock issues. I am planning on having it installed at Car Toys in Portland (OR). Are they going to have problems in getting everything to work as it should? Are there specific questions I should be asking the installer before I let them touch my new ride?

Also, where are folks putting their backup camera on the H2? I have seen them installed high (in the center marker light spot) which look cool, but it seems to me all you would see here is the top of the spare. Is there another spot that is protected and works well lower down?

Thanks.

[tbuckley]

H2bill -- welcome! I should be able to help some... I had my Pioneer installed at Car Toys in Beaverton, OR (Canyon Rd.). This is the shop that does all of the aftermarket installs for the local Hummer dealership, so they are all too familiar with the Pioneer unit. If you are able, I suggest taking it to this location.

Two things to consider...

IF you are running DVDs in your rear headrests I suggest getting rid of the FM modulator. I did not do this originally and was very disappointed in the sound. I suggested to Car Toys that they run it through the AUX -- they did and it works MUCH better -- sounds the way it should.
The rear camera; I have a 4" lift on my H2 and had originally installed my camera above my rear window. I had great vision side-to-side but could not see what was dirctly behind me -- i.e. cars or little kids. So I decided to move my camera and I attached it to the top of my trailer hitch. If you have a stock ride and no rear tire carrier the marker light position may work well. It just depends on the spare location, lift (if any) and what what need to 'see'. Hope this helps some.As you visit this site daily, you will find that the experts on this site are just that... the information many of these guys and gals have is tremendous.

Cheers!

[lasvegash2]

i am doing the same set up(camera,pioneer unit). i do have a spare tire carrier but its stock height. will i have a decent view whats behind me with the camera mounted in the middle light marker spot?

[Doug]

I had the AVID NI in my 03 and hated it. The screen is virtually unreadable in daylight. Probably due mostly to how it mounts in the existing double din area. I actually had it removed and went with a seperate screen model which I mounted on the ceiling light console. The fold out screen limits your veiwing angle greatly. Just a bad design, Don't get me wrong it had great features but they are ng if you can't read them.
My RV Camera was mounted just above the hitch (No Rear tire mount).

I know have an 06 with a rear tire carrier and wondering were to mount the RV camera as well. Might move the spare inside.

[MattRoberts123]

I personally installed the AVIC Z1 in my H2 by myself. It was quite a hard install to do, and I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you have lots of experience installing it. I had to use a dremmel and remove much of the back interior side of the dash just to get the unit to fit... it is acutally bigger and shaped differently than the stock delco unit.

It works great and I love it.. I do agree that the screen is VERY hard to see in the daytime/bright sunlight. I had limo tint done on all windows.. and that makes it great.. aside from making the car feel like you are in a cave during the daytime.

You can go to www.avic411.com and view lots of into on the Z1 unit. There is a user there by the name of Ducati Boy. He makes a circuit that you can wire in to the Z1 to allow you to bypass the security measures and watch dvds/use all stereo functions while in motion. It works great!

I haven't done a camera yet.. but I am told to get one off ebay.. just like a keyhole size IR night camera.. they go for about 50 bucks... hope this helps, feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
:beerchug:

[f5fstop]

Haven't done an H2, but did a H3. Installation was not bad, rear camera view is good for the H3. I mounted the rear camera (ND1 Pioneer) on the top of the hitch (probably about the same clearance as on an H2 to the bottom of the tire). You can just see the bottom of the spare at the top of the screen.
http://images1.snapfish.com/347959%3A%3C%3B%7Ffp354%3Enu%3D3262%3E738%3E7%3B%3 B%3EWSNRCG%3D3233%3A438%3B568%3Anu0mrj
During bright sunlight, with the sunroof open, wearing polarized sunglasses, I have no problems seeing the screen. It is washed out, but still readable. You can tilt the screen to five different positions, and depending on where the sun is situated, this does help.
Nice thing about the Z1 is the ability to customize the screens:
http://images1.snapfish.com/347959%3A%3C%3B%7Ffp348%3Enu%3D3262%3E738%3E7%3B%3 B%3EWSNRCG%3D3233%3A438%3B5693nu0mrj

Bad thing, is the Bluetooth is terrible. Due to the feedback through the mic from the speakers, the person on the other end hears an echo that drives the nuts, and make me switch off bluetooth and use the phone directly. (I have been in discussion with Pioneer about why they don't make a highly directional mic.)

They make adapters to install these units, and will allow you to keep Onstar; I used Peripheral. So, if it fits into the double din opening okay, then it is not a hard device to install. I installed mine in about 4 hours, and a half hour was wasted routing the rear camera wire to a location I could not use.

I should add that the Ducati Boy bypass does not work on units manufactured after sometime in June (mine was May so I lucked out). It appears Pioneer read the forum and put a stop to the bypass with a redesign. At this time Ducati boy is working on a new unit to see if a bypass is possible. As of last night, no bypass is available for the newer units.

[H2bill]

Thanks for the info (exactly the kind I expected). I am definitely going to let a "professional" do the install. Matt: Does the bigger size of the Z1 and having to dremel away at the dash make for a "chopped" look? I want this install to look as factory as possible. After all, this isn't my BMW I'm putting this in!:D

f5fstop: the view/angle of the camera on your H3 is exactly what I'm looking for. Does the Pioneer camera reverse the image so that what you see on the left side of the screen is actually what is on the left side behind you?

[f5fstop]

f5fstop: the view/angle of the camera on your H3 is exactly what I'm looking for. Does the Pioneer camera reverse the image so that what you see on the left side of the screen is actually what is on the left side behind you?

Yes, that view is the same perspective as in the rear view mirror; the building is on my left.

[kodiakz]

No need to dremmel at all. I have done about 10 of these now in H2's, although it is atight fit, I have never had to modify anything. Not wure what you are referring to on the vin lock with the possible exception of installing an oem nav unit. Bluetooth is alomost worthless on this unit!! Camera (usually install on the license plate on H2) works great as does Ipod, SIrius and xm. Install is not overly difficult, but not to be done by the typical weekend warrior either. You will need adaptors to retain: door chimes, onstar, and possibly steering wheel controls. The hdd on this unit is pretty limited as you must rip cd's directly (no downloading any mp3's or wma) and play list organization is useless as well. The maps seem to be very old as well and several of our customers have complained of this.

All in all, a very nice unit in most aspects but very rudimentary in others. Were it not for the ipod interface and awesome screen, this unit would have been yanked right back out and an Eclipse put back in its place.:(

[H2bill]

Kodiakz,
So now you have me wondering..... how does the Eclipse compare to the Z1? Features, cost, user-friendly, etc.?

[Mstgvic]

So I now have 3 choices thanks to you guys....the AVIC Z1 the AVIC-D2 (probably the one I'll go with unless someone convinces me why I should pay the extra 400 for the Z1) and the Eclipse AVN-5495. On my H3 should I go with the hitch camera mount or the license plate? Thx:popcorn:

[gsmith9898]

I just got my o5 h2. How hard is it to install the factory navigation? I seen some on e-bay and thought it would be simple to add the factory system.

[WHOSNEXT]

I just got my o5 h2. How hard is it to install the factory navigation? I seen some on e-bay and thought it would be simple to add the factory system.

gsmith, fancy meeting u here......read this thread, it's similar to my setup.

http://elcova.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/6706011751/m/6711052941/p/1

[f5fstop]

Let me make a revision to my previous statement in regard to bypassing the system. Later model AVIC Z1s can be bypass by simply installing an extra wire in a connector and grounding it.

As for mounting the camera. I mounted mine on top of the hitch.

http://images1.snapfish.com/3485%3B7367%7Ffp347%3Enu%3D3262%3E738%3E7%3B%3B%3E WSNRCG%3D3233%3A438%3B6679nu0mrj