Head units, Navigation & Everything In Between

I wrote this a few months ago for my monthly article in RPM Motoring Monthly and I thought I would post it here as well. I wanted to talk about what’s new in the world of head units (radio’s, CD players, decks, just pic your terminology), but there really hasn’t been anything “new” for quite sometime, so lets talk about what has changed and what has improved.

OEM vs. Aftermarket
Almost every car sold today comes with a CD player as a factory feature, so why do people still want to remove and upgrade them? Because they want better sound quality and better features than what the OEM radio offers. A lot of people think stock sound systems are at a all time high as far as sound quality is concerned, but that simply isn’t true. In the 80’s and 90’s tape decks were the standard, and they sounded OK but nothing special. The fancier systems from companies like Bose and others sounded a little better, but really were nothing to write home about. Today the standard is CD, so all cars have CD players and most people think that because the CD player is standard, the car has a much better sound system.

 

But it’s not. It’s the same thing we've always had - marginal sound quality with a modern source unit. Now there are some cars out there, like the Acura TL and some new Lexus, that have really good sound systems, but not everybody can afford those kinds of cars....

In the modern car, is it worth replacing the factory CD player with an aftermarket one? Yes it is, and if you choose to go this route there are many options out there for you. With most of today's aftermarket head units you can expand their capabilities so far beyond just an AM/FM tuner and CD player it puts your OEM radio to shame.

It's A Digital World
We live in a  portable world, and the portable world is ruled by the Apple iPod. Every aftermarket head unit company out there has teamed up with Apple to allow you to control your iPod from your head unit just like a CD changer (remember those?). Radio is a ever changing world as well. There's standard AM/FM radio that we have always known, but now you have the world of digital quality satellite radio from Sirius and XM Radio as well. With hundreds of channels at your finger tips, you'll always be able to listen to something that you like, for less than the cost of a brand new CD. The owners of terrestrial radio stations are losing listeners left, right, and center to satellite radio because of its higher sound quality, censorship-free, commercial-free music, and endless entertainment and sports options. Terrestrial radio reacted by getting behind HD (High Definition) radio. Different radio formats have come and gone over the years all claiming better sound, but the radio stations never got behind it. Now that Clear Channel (the largest terrestrial radio company in the world) has gotten behind the format, it seems HD is here to stay.

Know Where You're At
Navigation has been around for years now, but it has only been in the last year or so that it has become affordable and portable. Headunits are now available with navigation built-in, or you can go with a portable standalone unit that mounts to your dash or windshield.

Navigation system capabilities have increased as well, with the ability to link to your cellphone via Bluetooth, provide millions of points of interest (POIs), and real-time traffic information displayed on the map. Soon we'll have features like street-level mapping and satellite imaging for an even more-enhanced and accurate experience.

Get Connected
Bluetooth is one of those formats that was finally agreed upon by the manufacturers as a standard of wireless communication between devices. While you can find Bluetooth in hundred of devices, the one place that has greatly benefited from its development is the automotive world. Bluetooth hands-free in-car mobile phone kits will make the roads and highways a much safer place. Back in the 80’s, in-car cellular phones where very clunky, but had hands-free features built-in.

When the world went portable, these were forgotten by most companies as consumer adapted truly mobile phones. Today, Bluetooth allows you to wirelessly connect your cellular phone to a hands-free kit so you can keep your hands on the wheel rather than holding your cell phone while trying to drive (yeah you know who you are). And now most aftermarket head units have this as a option as well. Not only do you have the safety of hands-free communication, it will also mute your stereo when a call comes in, and allows you to control your phone from your radio.

Users to make and take calls through the radio, with most displaying caller ID on the radio's display and transmitting the phone call through the car's speaker system.

If your radio is not Bluetooth capable, some companies, like Harman Kardon, have developed devices that incorporate iPod, Bluetooth hands-free capability, and Sirius Satellite Radio into one stand alone unit that can be added to any car. 

Overcoming the OEM Complications
The stock radios of today’s vehicles are actually getting to be more difficult to remove or upgrade and some radios simply cannot be removed from the vehicle. Auto manufacturers are adapting complicated databus networks that actually run many of the vehicle's safety and convenience functions through the radio. Systems like MOST, CANBus, GM-LAN, are added to more cars every year, and more features are added to the networks. However, all is not lost, and you still have options. In the case that the radio cannot be removed, it's still possible to upgrade your sound system; you can even add aftermarket options like iPod and video to non-removable factory radios. There are finally modules available to help make this possible. On the reverse of things, if you actually can remove the facotry radio, but want to retain your steering wheel controls, retain your Onstar system, retain your Bluetooth cellular system, or other factory options, modules are available.

Technology is moving along at an alarming pace and sometimes it can be difficult to keep up. However, any reputable car stereo shop can help you overcome these obstacles and recommend the best course of action to satisfy your technology craving. But it's very important to remember that as vehicles get more and more complicated, an educated and experienced shop is your best bet for a safe and reliable install.

Tim Baillie is owner of HzEmall Customs in Surrey, BC, Canada, a high-end custom shop that believes attention to detail, quality and integrity are the key ingredients to success and happy customers. "HzEmall" is a play on words "hurts them all". Hz is an abbriavation for Hertz (hurts) which is the unit of measurement for speaker frequency. Click on teh banner above to see more HzEmall's works, get details on their shop, and to check out the company blog.