Dab Radio

[orbs]

Hi all,

I am researching getting one of these all singing dancing Chinese head units for my 4.3. Does anyone have any experience of owning one, and or know whether or not there is a model out yet which also offers DAB radio?

Cheers,

Orbs

[Big Kev]

Hoovie has been down that road with a top flight Kenwood in his now gone 4.2, but I'm not sure if it was DAB radio.

Seem to remember it was about £700.00 unit then....ah would expect women thrown in at that price !!!!

He sold it on eBay at a good price too....I may be wrong, but are these Chinese impot things not a bit quality dodgy...?

bIG kEV

[jedi134]

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=111779

If mine did not already have sat nav built in, I would not hessitate to try the chineese all singing and dancing unit, at around £300 its well worth a try.

http://www.rav4world.com/forums/87-4-2-accessories/77220-2001-2005-rav4-gps-head-unit.html

I doubt this is a Toyota main dealer supplier unit at 325 Euros? If it is we are getting our pants pulled down here in the UK, Looks very like a chineese unit to me, the menus and the fact it plays DVD`s.

[CharlieFarlie]

I believe You can fit a DAB module to almost any stereo system. Not cheap though and if doing longer journeys the need to keep retuning can be irritating.... Those Chinese E bay things can actually be very good BUT they can be a pile of cr"p as well....

[El Bee]

I am researching getting one of these all singing dancing Chinese head units for my 4.3. Does anyone have any experience of owning one, and or know whether or not there is a model out yet which also offers DAB radio?

Orbs

Dunno if it's any help but current RAV4s here have radios with an AM-DAB button, photo of mine here, would one of those fit?

It has a model number 53831 on the facia, doesn't work like coz we don't have DAB radio here

Lee

[CharlieFarlie]

Does the T180 with the navigation system ( Is this standard on the T180 ??) have DAB ?? I cant say Ive seen it ?? The radio munu is unfathomable for someone like Me ..

[jedi134]

I believe You can fit a DAB module to almost any stereo system. Not cheap though and if doing longer journeys the need to keep retuning can be irritating.... Those Chinese E bay things can actually be very good BUT they can be a pile of cr"p as well....

Yes they can be problematic but what I like about them is they run on windows CE, so you can add virtually any bit of software you want, edit menu`s to your liking, install any sat nav with cameras you want, this list goes on. Just like a windows PC.

I find its the stock software they come with that causes all the problems.

[El Bee]

The radio munu is unfathomable for someone like Me ..

You're right Charlie, they're getting too clever for their own good

One day I was sat there trying to figure out how it worked and randomly pushing buttons on the radio and steering wheel and it displayed the last telephone number that called me, now, call me old fashioned if you like but what business does the wireless have knowing who phoned me?

It went on to ask if I wanted to add phone numbers and names, then it played back a recording of me saying "stupid bl**dy thing" - I don't mess around with it now :!Removed!:

Lee

[orbs]

Does the unit in the T180 have DAB and hands free phone bluetooth?

[El Bee]

Does the unit in the T180 have DAB and hands free phone bluetooth?

Dunno about a T180, mine's an ordinary 150bhp 2.2 diesel, 6 speed manual, the unit has hands free bluetooth and seems to be able to store names and phone numbers, display texts (it might even read them too) it has a hugely complex menu and I can't work it

It does hold 6CDs and my iPod plugs in via the little console with the mirror controls on - which is nice

I did try googling the model number but found nothing useful....

Lee

[bothwell_buyer]

I bought and fitted a JVC unit for number 2 RAV and also fitted the DAB module - best buy I've ever done. The unit syncs with my mobile phone via bluetooth and can plug in the ipod; and any USB stuff -great!

[blue monster]

Does the unit in the T180 have DAB and hands free phone bluetooth?

The T180 has the hands free phone bluetooth which is very good and easy to use once you have read the manual to figure it out.

It doesn't have DAB radio which is a pity as I really like a lot of the stations on our home DAB stereo.

[orbs]

Thanks Bluemonster,as we are allegedly going over to digital in the near future I'm amazed there are so few units out there offering this option. (I know Mr T does one at a silly price!).

[shcm]

It doesn't have DAB radio which is a pity as I really like a lot of the stations on our home DAB stereo.

As BM says, none of the standard Toyota NAV systems or radios have DAB by default. It requires the fitting of a separate DAB module on the AVCLAN:

Instuctions here:

http://www.toyota-tech.eu/aimuploads/{BC4AD906-9E41-DD03-B11A-078BDCFC9E41}/DAB_RAV%204_RHD_PZ473_X2210_0_AIM_000_419_2.pdf

......the need to keep retuning can be irritating....

If listening to national stations, you shouldn't need to keep retuning. That's one of the many clever things about the DAB system. The transmitter network for a national setup can use a "single frequency network". i.e. many transmitter all on the same freq. The BBC national DAB has one frequency 225.648 MHz, but many transmitters using it. Try this with FM with transmitters that are too close to one another and they will just interfere with one another (very simplified explanation).

In fact, if you are listening to a national station on FM with RDS available on your headunit, you shouldn't need to be retuning. That's what the RDS "AF" flag/setting is for and that's been with us for probably at least 20 years now.

Dunno if it's any help but current RAV4s here have radios with an AM-DAB button, photo of mine here, would one of those fit?

It has a model number 53831 on the facia, doesn't work like coz we don't have DAB radio here

There's no DAB in the unit. You need the additional module. Toyota just label up the buttons ready for anybody that installs the DAB module. My nav unit (B9017) is the same.

Thanks Bluemonster,as we are allegedly going over to digital in the near future I'm amazed there are so few units out there offering this option. (I know Mr T does one at a silly price!).

Although it has been talked about, there is no fixed date to switch off FM, in fact they have back-tracked a bit. I expect FM will be with us for sometime yet.

You would hope they would go for something like DAB+ too, as the codec used by the standard DAB spec doesn't sound the greatest at lower bit rates.

[El Bee]

Dunno if it's any help but current RAV4s here have radios with an AM-DAB button, photo of mine here, would one of those fit?

It has a model number 53831 on the facia, doesn't work like coz we don't have DAB radio here

There's no DAB in the unit. You need the additional module. Toyota just label up the buttons ready for anybody that installs the DAB module. My nav unit (B9017) is the same.

Thanks for that, I did try the DAB when I was back in the UK but it didn't seem to work, I just put it down to my not knowing how to work it, I did also wonder if Toyota were really daft enough to send a DAB equiped car to a market where there's no DAB.

Lee

[orbs]

Shcm, I am looking for a reliable head unit that offers DAB, hands free, and ideally an ipod facility. Any other bells and whistles would be a bonus. If I were to look for a unit such one the one El Bee has on fleabay (and get the DAB plug in module), do you know if it would tick all those boxes?

Cheers,

Orbs

[blue monster]

As BM says, none of the standard Toyota NAV systems or radios have DAB by default. It requires the fitting of a separate DAB module on the AVCLAN:

Instuctions here:

http://www.toyota-te...M_000_419_2.pdf

Can this module be fitted fo the T180 satnav/stereo unit and if so does any one know how much it costs? Or is this the one that I have previously read about that costs around £400?

[shcm]

Can this module be fitted fo the T180 satnav/stereo unit and if so does any one know how much it costs? Or is this the one that I have previously read about that costs around £400?

It is almost certainly the "£400" one. I suspect it is not relevant though. If you work your way through this site:

http://newata.toyota-europe.com

and find the adapter, it shows it is not compatible with earlier OE nav systems (b9004 in your T180).

I can't easily give you a direct link, but I've attached a pdf copy.

If you look in the pdf under "Applicabilities" for 2005/11 (and on) models (that includes the T180 and the b9004 head unit), it says "incompatible with OE full map". It will work with standard radios and the later sat nav (B9017).

Shcm, I am looking for a reliable head unit that offers DAB, hands free, and ideally an ipod facility. Any other bells and whistles would be a bonus. If I were to look for a unit such one the one El Bee has on fleabay (and get the DAB plug in module), do you know if it would tick all those boxes?

That module is Toyota only. How can I put this simply? It only "talks" Toyota. i.e. it will only work with a Toyota OEM unit (and clearly from above not all of them!). It needs to talk on the Toyota audio control bus system called "AVCLAN".

The Chinese ones don't look bad on paper, but I have to say I don't keep up with such things, only research it when I have to. When ordering my current RAV, I considered fitting a Kenwood unit (double DIN). All the plastic surrounds etc are available for the RAV to make a double DIN a neat fit. The functionality is far better than anything Mr T offers. In the end I went the lazy route and just let Mr T. fit his @ factory.

If you find anything you think looks suitable to meet all your requirments, just chuck up a link on here and I'm sure me or a few other will chew it over for you :D

RAVDABCompat.pdf

[orbs]

Will do, thanks shcm!

[Steve lapper]

Hi all my wife has a 2005 rav4 three door and wants to upgrade to a DAB stereo is this possible and what is a good make cheers 

 

steve