Electronics: Radio, DVD, TV...

and soon I Ebayed myself (from them) a

INNOVATEK 362 3.6 IN-DASH USB CAR DVD MP3 PLAYER LCD TV

(that's exactly what they called it). The unit is a single DIN size (standard radio) but has a 2.5" high front. For my dodge, I had to buy a radio install kit (Pep Boys) which had lots and lots of snap-off pieces to accommodate a large variety of vehicles. It's basically a big black plastic cover with a hole for your radio - as the stock radio in the Dodge is about 3" high. Of course some soldering is involved here, while attaching the radio harness (which I think came in the kit from Pep Boys).



Then came the interesting part. First, I wanted a rear view camera. Second, I wanted to be able to watch the rear view camera while driving, and not just in reverse. So I placed a toggle switch in the extra room I had on the dash install kit adapter (above the radio) - when switch is off, rear view camera works only in reverse... when on - it is on all the time (when radio is on). The rear view camera is powered from the switch, so it is off when not in use. The rear view camera I found on Ebay for something around $40, it has internal image reversal and it is wide angle (105° or so for NTSC), and while IR helps a little in the dark, the brake light washes it out completely so I can only see in the dark when I let go off the brake pedal. If I cared enough, I would make an IR illuminator to go into the hitch receiver.

I had trouble finding the backup lights wiring up front, so I ran a wire all the way from the rear wiring... to the front. And then back again, to power the camera ... I actually used a CAT3 4 pair solid wire so I would have some extra leads to do what I needed with (plus it's pretty tough), along side the RCA-jacked video cable. All in all, it worked out well - video quality is excellent, the display is clear even in sunlight, and now I have a pretty good warning system for kids and stuff behind the van. The camera shows me the area starting at the rear bumper and up to 2-3 stopped cars behind the van. It is not a rear-view mirror, it's a close-range warning tool.

Another RCA-tipped cable from the head unit to the existing TV (It's a 13" tube by the way), and I'm all set to watch DVD's. Interestingly, the innovatek unit does not display the rear view camera on the external TV - just on it's own front display, which can be handy - the driver can see the rear view while the passengers (if we had any chairs in the back) could continue watching their DVD.

If you want to know more about the head unit, check out my Full Review of the Innovatek 362 DTM

All in all (as the review will tell you), this unit is nothing great, but for our application it fit the bill (turned out that way anyway), because:

• We don't watch much TV. Probably would if it worked, so it's a good thing - we enjoy quietude in the mountains
  
• We don't listen to much music while driving. Probably would if it worked well, so it's a good thing - we get to talk to each other instead of attempting to drown out the road noise with music
  
• We don't listen to radio much. Way too much noise and emotional manipulation. Actually the radio probably works fine, I just don't use it.
  
• I do use the rear view camera a lot. That part works great, and I can see exactly when my bumper is about to hit something
  
• We do occasionally watch a DVD. Rarely. It works well for that. Of course the old tube TV is starting to go - becomes black and white sometimes