[aah78]

I recently bought a Panasonic Portable DVD Player DVD-LS90.

It has a car-adapter which plugs into a 12V outlet: and has the following AV connections:

The AUX (i/p) port provided with the car's stereo system is used for audio output from this DVD player / any MP3 player.

A Pioneer DVD Navigation System AVIC-88DVD is fixed in the rear trunk / boot area:


Output of the Pioneer AVIC-88DVD is displayed (and heard) on this Pioneer 16:9 Touch Panel Display AVIC-W6210, mounted in the space provided in the dash-board just above the stereo system:



Now, what I want to know is, how to connect the Video output of the Panasonic DVD-LS90 to the Pioneer AVIC-W6210 display unit. There isn't any input on the Pioneer AVIC-88DVD unit, and unfortunately, I can't get a picture of the rear-side of the unit as it is fixed (though I do believe there is a block diagram present in the user-manual).

The user-manual of the Pioneer AVIC-W6210 display unit mentions that there is a hide-away unit that comes along-with it but I'm unable to locate it (either it has been well-hidden by the installer, or the display was directly connected to the Pioneer AVIC-88DVD without using this hide-away unit). From what I've read, this hide-away unit has RCA plugs which should make the connection a breeze.

Any inputs from the big bosses of the ICE section / Any workarounds in case the hide-away unit is absent?

The perfect thing would be to go to the installer (or call him up) and ask him specific details but that isn't an option at this point, so any help would be appreciated.

I'm planning on taking apart the covering below the display monitor to get a clearer idea regarding this installation (this weekend).

Thanks.

[Sam Kapasi]

I definitely think that there is a hide away unit. Pioneer will be using proprietory video data cables from the Nav unit. The Hide away unit is your only solution. In all probability, you are unable to locate it as it is (surprise) hidden away
Once you do find it (look behind the screen, inside the dashboard, taped up to the dashboard on the inner side, OR behind the deck console OR under the carpet that leads to the firewall, these are common locations) it will be a piece of cake as the pioneer will have an auxilliary video in.

That will take care of the picture. What about the Audio? Does your HU have an Aux audio in?

[esteem_lover]

The AUX (i/p) port provided with the car's stereo system is used for audio output from this DVD player / any MP3 player.

yes, sam. i think his set has.

[aah78]

the AUX port is present. only issue is - when a plug is plugged into the 12V socket there is disturbance (electrical noise) from time-to-time, which can be rectified by momentarily changing the Source.

thanks for your inputs. will check locations this week (weekend, probably).

yes, i believe the hide-away unit has been properly "hidden", as i also have a back-up camera connected to the display unit.

[aah78]

finally located the hide-away unit which wasn't really "hidden" away so as to be totally indiscoverable.

popped-open the outer plastic surround for the stereo system - including the air-vents - notice the gaping holes besides the display-unit:

followed the wire behind the display-unit - which gave a better sense as to where the thing could be until i found the sucker hidden right under here:

it should be somewhat under the area marked by the red circle.
tried to take a picture of the fellow. it was an awkard angle but i did manage to capture some part of it:


haven't really checked whether my imaginative set-up will work. will post that up as soon as i progress a little.

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by aah78

the sucker hidden right under here:

it should be somewhat under the area marked by the red circle.

As I suspected...

Originally Posted by aah78

I see an audio and video in. You should be pretty much set. Let us know how it went.

[aah78]

scenario completed:
it was a little difficult connecting the wires to the other side of the hide-away unit as the side easier to access (in the picture above) turned out to be the O/P side. it was pretty narrow and when i tried guiding my hand through. at one point i thought i'd probably get stuck under the steering wheel forever, which probably wouldn't be the nicest place to spend the rest of my life. it took a couple of trial-and-error shots to get the cables in and a picture.
here's a view of the I/P side with cables plugged-in:
there are 2 rows of I/P RCA sockets so this picture is before i got all cables plugged into their correct sockets.

here's a couple of pictures showing video on two screen simultaneously:


this is just a newbie set-up as i'm running loose wires currently.
for a permanent install i'm going to need longer wires and will have to route them to where my portable player will be mounted. i won't be mounting the player permanently as i carry it around whenever i'm taking alternative means of transportation, so i guess one of those pouches which hang around the back of the seat headrests should be OK for me.

next project will be trying to get the navigation screen to switch to back-up camera automatically on engaging reverse gear.........