Since we had an aftermarket to OEM post....

[ROZ]

I thought I'd add this into the mix... I posted it on Kwicherbichen.com yesterday....
February 25, 2004 -- Indianapolis, Ind. -- The Mobile Enhancement Retailers Association (MERA) has released a position statement on how the aftermarket is being locked out of vehicle dashboards by technical roadblocks, which prevent consumers from upgrading their original equipment in many new vehicles.
Entitled "A Raw Deal for Car Owners," the statement is a summary of how the symbiotic relationship that has existed for the past 50 years between the aftermarket and OEM is changing and is now in serious jeopardy. This will hurt consumers in many different ways, but mostly right in the wallet, says the association.
The integration of vehicle functions such as dome light, power locks, airbag, and vehicle diagnostics have been engineered into the radio / CD player. Some manufacturers have developed odd shaped and sized radio / CD units integrated into the dashboard in such a manner that they cannot be replaced with a different unit. Some have "closed" digital and control protocols that transmit audio and controls signals on a universal digital bus that are only open to car dealers.
"Consumers have a right to repair their automobiles at a reasonable price and to shop around for a better price," said Rick Mathies, executive director of MERA. "We also have a right to upgrade our automobiles as we see fit without having to worry about affecting unrelated vehicle functions. Just like replacing the wheels shouldn't render the horn inoperable, replacing a radio / CD player unit shouldn't make the door locks or airbags stop working."
The statement can be read in its entirety at the association's Website (www.merausa.org).
Prety soon the only modifications you'll be able to make in future vehicles will be speakers and amplification after the D/A conversion...

[mbrown2]

Originally posted by ROZ
Prety soon the only modifications you'll be able to make in future vehicles will be speakers and amplification after the D/A conversion...
Roz, that sucks and I get the jist, but what do you mean by D/A in your last comment?
Also, what the Aftermarket's feeling on intergrated steering wheel controls? These are a nice to have, but if you kick the factory deck out, you might lose them....someone needs to think of a standard for the integration of these devices like USB, so even if they are there, they can be plugged into a headunit that has that bus....Dome lights and Door locks should not be integrated into the head unit from my perspective.
I hate the fact the car makers just don't stick with DIN based head units...

[ROZ]

Chances are there won't be much in the dash at all... My guess is that there will be a few secondary control modules and a main brain control module for the car as the hub... At that point all you need is button or voice recognition to control it... LCD and a few button to control the whole system... A music archiving center in one of the brains with a usb port on your dash to download your favorite music...
Bluetooth will be in cars as well...
Maybe we'll have holloraphic with smellovision video imaging for the back seat entertainment... I can smell the porn already

[ROZ]

Originally posted by mbrown2
Roz, that sucks and I get the jist, but what do you mean by D/A in your last comment?
Digital to Analog converter...
At somepoint the signal has to go from digital to analog... The digital signal can be encripted to work in a proprietary manner, but at somepoint it has to become a sin wave to go to the speaker for sound output. The signal can then be amplified and played through speakers... Retailers will hope that the amps and speakers they can provide will be better than OEM...
Originally posted by mbrown2
.someone needs to think of a standard for the integration of these devices like USB, so even if they are there, they can be plugged into a headunit that has that bus....Dome lights and Door locks should not be integrated into the head unit from my perspective.
I too like the USB idea, but it won't work if the product has some type of incription....
Were basically talking about a network driving the car's systems...
Originally posted by mbrown2
I hate the fact the car makers just don't stick with DIN based head units...
I hate that the MFG's are making you either buy it from them or not at all... That's what it amounts to...

[1stepcloser]

Originally posted by ROZ
Chances are there won't be much in the dash at all...
LCD and a few button to control the whole system...
A music archiving center in one of the brains with a usb port on your dash to download your favorite music...
Indeed....soon, very soon.
[i]Origiginally posted by ROZ[i]
Bluetooth will be in cars as well...
Already is.

[Havasu Hangin']

Soon we will need a dozen or so PAC modules just to change your mind...

[ROZ]

Them be the PAC201-213/214....

[Havasu Hangin']

Originally posted by ROZ
Them be the PAC201-213/214....
We've installed many of those with many happy customers...

[77charger]

My new truck(chevy 2004)i cant stand the phucken ring when you shut off and the key is in the ignition to listen to the radio(if you open the damn door)My neighbor owns a stereo shop and told me that the dome light that phucken noise is all connected to the radio if i want to get rid of it i need another radio but i will have to install a module.I asked what if i disconnect the wire to the speaker reply was that he was pretty sure that that wire also does like 2 or more functions besides that annoying noise.

[GlastronGuy]

Originally posted by 77charger
My new truck(chevy 2004)i cant stand the phucken ring when you shut off and the key is in the ignition to listen to the radio(if you open the damn door)My neighbor owns a stereo shop and told me that the dome light that phucken noise is all connected to the radio if i want to get rid of it i need another radio but i will have to install a module.I asked what if i disconnect the wire to the speaker reply was that he was pretty sure that that wire also does like 2 or more functions besides that annoying noise.