JVC KW-NX7000 Review, Part II: Media & Expandability

Audio and Video Media Support
The JVC KW-NX7000 presents itself to be a versatile unit because not only does it have excellent navigation functionality that even the most novice users could enjoy, but it also offers full support for audio and video playback. Take advantage of the crystal clear 7" LCD screen and turn your vehicle into a home theater system.The KW-NX7000 is capable of playing all sorts of DVDs and even DivX/DivX Ultra, MPEG1, and MPEG2 file formats. In addition, you could even display your favorite photos to show your friends and family riding in your car because it is also capable of JPEG display. Besides full video playback, the KW-NX7000 features AAC, WAV, MP3, and WMA playback support as well.

The wide variety of supported media formats could be accessed via SD Card, USB, CD, or DVD, allowing consumers maximum flexibility in the way they play their favorite music or movie.

Expandability
JVC designed the KW-NX7000 with technology in mind. There are many current technologies that consumers would like to have today such as Satellite Radio, HD Radio, Bluetooth, and iPod connectivity. Fortunately, the KW-NX7000 is capable of all of these expansion options.

This double DIN in dash navigation unit is also fully capable of receiving both Sirius and XM Satellite radio as well as HD Radio. With additional accessories, the unit could also operate as a Bluetooth-capable receiver, allowing drivers to do hands-free calling. The Bluetooth connectivity could also sync phonebooks with many Bluetooth-capable phones. The unit will then display not only call status but also the caller ID. For iPod users, the unit fully supports direct iPod connection and access for most current dockable iPods through its built-in USB port.

As we mentioned before, the unit also features not only a USB port but also an SD Card reader-- a feature that could be used to transfer music, photos, and even video from other sources to the KW-NX7000. If you're looking to expand your car's audio system, the KW-NX7000 features gold-plated high-fidelity RCA preamp outputs that delivers high quality audio signals to amplifiers or equalizers.

Conclusion
From what we've seen, we liked the JVC KW-NX7000. It featured lots, and lots of options and functions. Its GPS navigation offers great user-friendly features as well as excellent driving tools. It is capable of playing virtually every audio and video file formats out there so consumers wouldn't have to worry much about compatibility. It also had lots of expandability options, ranging from Satellite Radio to Bluetooth capabilities.The only thing we didn't like was its really high price. Priced at around $1200, this feature packed unit doesn't even feature a built-in Bluetooth-- a feature that becoming increasingly standard.

Back to Part I: Navigation & Display

Jensen NVXM1000 (Rock N Road) Review

It is truly a pleasant surprise to see Jensen make it in the GPS navigation competition, but are their products worth the buzz? Debuting this quarter, the NVXM1000, AKA “Rock-N-Road” is a portable GPS navigation device with lots of rare features.
You’ll notice its screen is the standard portable GPS size, measuring at 4”. It is an LCD touchscreen display and it is capable of displaying both maps and digital media information. The colors and contrast depth is pretty average, and not enough to impress. There’s just something about the color. It’s not bad, but it has rather that dull look. From our experience, un-contrasting colors and less sharp images on portable navigation devices tend to be hard to see in direct sunlight. This may be quite problematic for those who travel often during rush hour when the sun is right in the line of sight of the navigation device.

However, with that put aside, the NVXM1000 does present itself well with several interesting and useful features. You’ll notice that on its left side it has two slots: one for an SD Card undoubtedly, but one for another similarly-shaped port that’s slightly bigger. This larger port is for an XM Radio mini tuner, which acts much like an SD Card. The mini-tuner is sold separately, but to have this feature means that you instantly have the option to having an XM radio in your vehicle, or wherever you go, thanks to this XM Satellite radio ingenuity. This means that users will have 170 XM channels as well as XM NavTraffic—a feature that allow drivers to check local real-time traffic reports.

The navigation unit is a NavTeq based system with over 11 million points of interest. It has maps of the United States as well as Canada. However, we are a little bit concerned of its processor. The Rock-N-Hard navigation unit only features a 300MHz Atlas II processor. In our experience anything slower than 400MHz tends to perform sluggishly and would frustrate drivers in busy locations such as metropolitan areas. In addition, for a unit that boasts 11 million POIs in 8GB of internal hard drive space, it only features a 64MB RAM. So now you have a slow processor, with a ton of things to do and display.

Another bad aspect of the NVXM1000 is its awkward shape. It’s not a great symmetrical design, and makes mounting a harder task, especially for those of us who wish to have a more integrated look in our vehicles.
The NVXM1000 Rock-N-Road has great concept ideas, but needs to implement these ideas with better components and features. It’s also a bit expensive for its bulkiness. Its design appear to have come from the 1990s and doesn’t present itself to be impressive.

Pioneer AVIC-D3 Review

The need for in-dash navigation has increasingly surpassed all previous expectations. We see this in the way automobile manufacturers begin to integrate navigation components into factory configurations, allowing consumers to purchase brand new vehicles with GPS systems. But what about the majority of consumers who could not afford new vehicles? The answer is the Pioneer AVIC-D3.

Though it first came out in early 2007, the unit is still considered to be a current model because of its capabilities, performance, and design. The AVIC-D3 gives any dashboard of any vehicle an integrated look, similar to that of pre-installed navigation systems of newer car as users will be able to adjust the AVIC-D3’s color to match the button lighting in the interior of your car.

This double DIN receiver features a 6.1” wide LCD touchscreen display that could also be adjusted to match the color scheme of your choice. It is capable of course displaying its built-in navigation, DVD movies, and any audio information on any music file you’re playing. What’s nice about the AVIC-D3 is its ability to be expandable as it is capable of receiving Satellite Radio, Bluetooth Technology, iPod, and USB inputs with additional accessories. The price is set at its base cost, which is usually under $650. Expect to spend anywhere between $50-$100 per additional add-on accessory you want to add on to your system. With any additional accessory, the AVIC-D3 will be able to fully control and access devices like the iPod and even your mobile phone. You’ll be able to use the unit’s touchscreen to select songs from your iPod and make phone calls through its Bluetooth Ready interface.

The built-in navigation requires the use of the included DVD player and is capable of receiving XM NavTraffic. It has turn-by-turn directions, voice guidance, 3D navigation zoom, and over 12 million points of interest (POI). The GPS receiver is capable of locking on to 8 different orbital GPS satellites, giving the unit the ability to use the data from one satellite if a connection is dropped. It’s always nice to have the XM NavTraffic, especially if you live in any major metropolitan areas. It gives drivers LIVE updates of traffic congestion and incidents. Avoid traffic jams and navigate around the slow-moving traffic and get to where you want faster.

In essence, the Pioneer AVIC-D3 comes with a lot of features that has, since its release, become standard. Thus, it is to no one’s surprise that the AVIC-D3 is STILL one of the most popular in-dash navigation units. It is indeed an all-in-one multimedia receiver that is sure to impress for years to come.

Valor NVG-670W Review

You, like many other millions of consumers worldwide, want a product that features plenty of options and functions with the lowest cost possible. It’s completely understandable because it is the typical consumer mindset. Double DIN navigation with 6.5” LCD monitor typically sell at around $750 to more than $1000 per unit. But look take a look at the Valor NVG-670W, a feature packed in-dash navigation with plenty of “bang” and a lot less bucks than more popular navigation units.

The first thing you’ll notice is the 6.5” LCD touchscreen display on the front panel. It is centered but bordered by a row of buttons on each side of the screen. This configuration does not make the unit appear to have an off-center installation like the Pioneer AVIC-D3. In addition, the DVD slot input is actually hidden behind the screen which gives it an even cleaner installation look.

The navigation unit is built-in but requires the included DVD media for it to function but still leaves the SD Card port and the USB input completely free for your audio or video uses. It is also capable of navigating in 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional course-plotting and features over 11 million points of interests (POI) and instructs drivers with vocal guidance.

Its multimedia features include the capability for it to play DVD±R/RW, CD-DA, SVCD, VCD, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, AVI, XviD, JPEG, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, MP3, and WMA in NTSC or PAL color format. Evidently, the Valor NVG-670W does not leave anything out and could play virtually any media format the world has to offer. The in dash receiver is also capable of dual zone audio output, giving the rear seat passengers the ability to listen to a different media than the front seat passengers. It also features a 24-Bit 192 kHz DAC with high and low pass crossover filters, which gives significant enhancement to the sound quality it puts out. You’ll also be able to expand with its front, rear, center, and subwoofer 2.5V preamp outputs, optional Sirius or XM Satellite Radio, and iPod capabilities. It even includes an iPod adapter and also built-in Bluetooth that will allow you to speak wirelessly through your existing car audio system, providing you with a safer way to communicate while on the road.

It is with no doubt that the Valor NVG-670W is a product to be reckoned with, especially true with its plethora of features and multimedia functions, built-in Bluetooth technology, integrated navigation unit, and a large 6.5” LCD touchscreen display. All this can be yours for less than $700!