Help me find this special car stereo

[Tommy]

I've been looking for a particular kind of car stereo without much luck. I'm hoping someone can point me toward one or help me find the magic combination of Google search terms that will yield one.

What I'd like is a hidden car stereo controlled by a remote touch screen. I'm envisioning an AM/FM stereo hidden in the trunk or elsewhere that is connected by a wire or wirelessly to a 6-7" touchscreen that can be mounted wherever I like. I'd like it to be GPS capable too, but that isn't essential.

I know there are hidden stereos with RF remote controls. And I've seen lots of stereos with touch screens that pop up. There are even touch screens that detach for security. But I haven't found one controlled by a remote touch screen. ... I'd like to hear from anyone who knows of such a device. Or perhaps there is something I haven't thought of that works in much the same way. Thanks.

[toddl]

Go to crutchfield.com and look at the marine receivers almost almost all of them have controls that can be mounted in the cabin while the receiver is hidden in the trunk. Lots of good brands just depends on what you want it to do(sat radio, pandora, cd , or just radio).

Todd

[lippy]

I wanted something hidden too, but something good. What I chose is a JL Audio HD600/4 amp, which has line-level attenuation, so you can plug an iPod or iPhone directly into it. All you see in the car is a cable exiting where the bulkhead meets the floor, and you plug the phone into that cable. I used a grommet and some nice fabric conduit from McMaster-Carr, so it looks clean.

The JL Audio HD amps have a feature where you can control the volume of the amp using an optional pot, so the install will be clean and doesn't require a head unit. I put the pot on a little aluminum bracket I made under the dash, so it is completely hidden but I can reach it easily from the driver's seat. The amp drives 4 JL Audio 5.25" speakers with external crossovers, two in the bulkhead and two in the footboxes. It is far better to use the line-level output on the phone's pin connector, and not the headphone jack, which adds another (very cheap) amp in the chain.

So it works as follows: iPod/iPhone line out (Lightning connector) > Lightning/30-pin adapter > 30-pin to RCA cable > RCA > amp (with line level volume attenuation) > crossovers > speakers.

Let me know if you want more details.

[Mark IV]

Look at

Secretaudio SST

[SPF1061]

If you get a stereo head with bluetooth input mounted in the truck and you are using an iPhone or latest generation iPod as your music source you don't even need to have wired input available in the cockpit. Sync your source and receiver one time. From then on, climb in the car, hit play on the iPod, enjoy.

[Tommy]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. Unfortunately, no one has yet hit the mark. The toughest part of the challenge is not the quality of the sound system nor the convenience of remote operation. The main challenge is the 6-7" touch screen remote monitor. ... I have this system in mind for my 1963 Corvette. The original radio is a very uncommon vertically mounted unit with knobs located away from the main unit. Readily available replacement units aren't very good IMHO, and I don't want to do surgery on my car to install something modern. A touch screen would be the right size to cover the face of my original radio while allowing me to control a much better quality unit hidden elsewhere. ... So the challenge remains - does anyone know of a stereo where the main amplifier/tuner unit can be hidden and controlled by a remotely located 6-7" touch screen monitor?

[mptech]

Do you want the remote touch-screen permanently mounted on the dash?
I'm installing an amp with a Fusion MS-BT100 Bluetooth Dongle connected to it so I can control all of my functions / music via my iPhone. Pandora, Tunein app (local radio), and downloaded / stored music and playlists.
You could probably permanently mount a small iPad or similar type device to connect via blue-tooth as well.

[lippy]

The problem with a Bluetooth link is that the sound quality is significantly compromised.

[Tommy]

The nearest thing I've seen so far is a stand-alone touch screen monitor that has GPS navigation and an FM tuner built in. But it has no amplifier. It communicates to a separate traditional stereo by broadcasting an FM signal that the traditional radio must be tuned to. It doesn't seem very HiFi to me. ... I'm still looking.

[mptech]

Originally Posted by lippy

The problem with a Bluetooth link is that the sound quality is significantly compromised.

Wait, we're talking about playing mp3's in a roadster with a v8 and sidepipes, correct?
I doubt anyone would be able to significantly discern sound quality when the car is running.

in your BMW sedan, sure, that would be an issue.

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by mptech

Wait, we're talking about playing mp3's in a roadster with a v8 and sidepipes, correct?
I doubt anyone would be able to significantly discern sound quality when the car is running.

in your BMW sedan, sure, that would be an issue.

Actually, we're talking about sounds in a 1963 Corvette coupe. No sidepipes.

[Cashburn]

Kenwood KOS-V500 system with touch screen. They don't make them anymore. I have an extra main unit on the shelf in the box I'll make you a steal of a deal on. I don't have a touch screen for it but I'm sure they are out there on eBay or ???

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

Kenwood KOS-V500 system with touch screen. They don't make them anymore. I have an extra main unit on the shelf in the box I'll make you a steal of a deal on. I don't have a touch screen for it but I'm sure they are out there on eBay or ???

Let me do a little research.