Advice On Sat Nav Screen Upgrade...

[sprinter2012]

This thread started off asking for advice, but having now completed the conversion I thought I'd put myself out there to answer questions if anyone else wants to do this.

I used THIS screen to replace the factory one. High resolution, touchscreen (via USB cable to pc of some sort), 2 composite video inputs, VGA input and provision for a reversing camera all built in. It's a perfect fit for the factory housing if you sit it on top of a strip of 6mm number plate fixing foam. B)

Once it arrives the input will for now, be a 1/2 DIN DVD player in the glovebox, and at a later date a reversing camera will be added too.

I'll get some pics uploaded once it's all fitted.

A couple of issues and the relevent solutions I came across are...

Problem: Operating the screen without the buttons once it is fitted in the housing

Solution: Un-solder the IR receiver from the circuit board with the buttons on, and solder in a length of cable between the board and the reciever. This way you can glue it in behind the little IR window built into the housing to save cutting holes in it.

Problem: Screen closes and then opens when you start the engine

Solution: Solder in a capacitor between the ACC/SWITCHED LIVE (bottom right of plug) and EARTH/NEGATIVE (bottom left of plug) terminals on the plug at the rear of the unit. This keeps the circuit live for a couple of seconds while the engine starts.

Problem: Getting the sound to play through the factory speaker system

Solution: I've already got the GROM iPod adapter fitted which has an AUX In socket that I don't use, so I've run the DVD player sound through that.

Overall not as hard as I thought it was going to be but there were a few moment during the inital disassembly where I thought...ooh god what have I let myself in for. Luckily most of what you take out doesn't need to go back in. :)

Anyway if anyone has any questions feel free to comment or PM me.

[sprinter2012]

p.s. OEM 7" screen is on eBay HERE