Well after lots of discussions on the forums and doing research online searching for the right DVD/NAV unit for my Jeep, I decided on the Raxiom Navigation unit. I ordered this unit for Extreme Terrain.com, and mainly after talking to XTRyan, because it had the features I was looking for. And Ryan gave me a 10% off code to order it as well......with the head unit, the harness needed for the Premium Audio (if you have that option), and the high camera mount, it was $829.00 shipped. I did have to buy the Sirius XM Tuner, but it was like $40.00. no big deal.
Opening the box, this is a well built unit. Everything is there and semi labeled as to what it is. The Premium Harness is not in the box, they shipped that seperate. But all of the connections are pretty straight forward. The plugs can only plug in to one spot, so it's dummy proof.
First thing you want to do, is remove the window controls in the dash. It just pops out and you have to unplug the harness. Then pull the dash pad out of your center dash console. There is a 7MM screw under that pad, and a 7MM screw where the window controls were. Remove the lower dash panel under the steering wheel, and remove the (2) 7MM screws on either side of the steering wheel. At this point, you are ready to remove the dash. Just give it a good PULL! it's in their pretty tight so you might have to tug kind of hard.
Once that is done, remove the (4) 7MM screws holding the factory radio in place. Pull the radio out and disconnect evertything. There will be a wire with a gold clip that is clipped on the top right hand side of the back of the radio, looking from the front. That is the factory Sirius XM antenna. Shove that thing back behind something and hide it. There is also a 6 PIN plug that was removed, hide that one too, you wont need it.
Now pull your GPS antenna in. As you can see in the picture, I put mine right in the middle of the dash. There was a little flat spot there perfect for it, then roll up the wires and shove them under the dash panel. the one on the right is the GPS antenna wires, the bundle of wires on the left is the new Sirius XM antenna wires. I ran that antenna on top of my drivers side roll bar, down the A-pillar, and behind the dash. Then roll up the excess and cram them under the dash panel. Leave the end long enough to reach to plug in.
Now that that is done, take your backup camera cables and run up to the radio housing from behind the glovebox. Just leave that end hanging for now. IMPORTANT: RIGHT NOW, GET THE RADIO HARNESS. On the backup camera cable, there are open ended black and red wires. Find the Ground wire and the RED ACC wire on the main wiring housing, they will have quick connects already on them.
Get some blue male quick connects and install on the backup camera wires, then plug these together!!! (I FORGOT TO DO THIS AND HAD TO REMOVE EVERYTHING)
Now, if you have a USB cord that you want to run for an Ipod, pull that in from behind the glovebox as well.
If you have a Sirius XM tuner, now is the time to install that. After you pull the antenna wire in as mentioned above, run the antenna connector back behind the dash display. This is were I mounted my Tuner module. Then plug the Sirius XM cable that came with the Raxiom radio in to the XM tuner cable and run to the radio housing.
Now get the other cables, the AV-2 out, etc and sort of run them where you can, leaving the plugs hanging in the radio housing. Take the Raxiom wiring harness (NOTE: IF YOU ORDERED THE PREMIUM HARNESS, REMOVE THE CAN BUS MODULE FROM THE HARNESS IN THE BOX. IT WILL BE TIE-WRAPPED TO THE OTHER HARNESS. INSTALL THIS ON THE PREMIUM HARNESS). Then plug the factory harness in to the Raxiom Harness.
Take out your radio, and install the two small mounting brackets. Test fit them first before screwing them in. Each one will have a pointed tab on it that needs to be towards the top, not the bottom.
Now, hold the radio up and begin plugging in all of the harnesses, and the USB. Don't forget the FM antenna (the white factory weird looking plug) and the Blue GPS antenna.
You're gonna have to maneuver all of that wiring in and behind somewhere to get the radio to fit, but it's doable. Once the radio is flush with the mounts, TEST EVERYTHING.
Once you've verified everything works, start putting it all back together!!!
Here are some screen shots:
The back up camera finally installed. Not sure I like it here because I can't see my trailer hitch, but it has a very clean picture. You'll have to go to camera settings on the head unit to make sure it comes on when you put it in REVERSE.
The Sirius XM screen. It says no signal because I was in the garage, it was sprinkling! But it's working now
The FM screen. There are 3 FM selections for a total of 18 FM presets, and 2 AM selections for 12 AM presets.
The Ipod screen. As you can see the background is different. There are a few options for changing the background. I don't think you can put custom backgrounds on here though
As you can see, it has a clean factory look.
I forgot to get a screenshot of the GPS, but the GPS is very cool on here. Several custom preset vehicles(mine is now a Jeep). It says it as off-road mapping but I haven't tried that yet. Guess a trip to Barnwell should try that!
Overall I'm pleased with this unit. Lots of good features and it fits exactly what I was looking for. On a side note, i upgraded my speakers earlier this week. This head unit WOKE MY SPEAKERS UP!!!! It jams now and sounds 150% better than it did with the factory 130 unit with the Alpine system. As of now, i would highly recommend this Nav unit. It does have a REAR ZONE, but I'm not sure if that will work with the DVD, being that to play the DVD on the head unit, you have to have the E-brake set. My rear screens should be here Monday so I'm going to try that out and see if it works!!
Hope this helps you guys out! if you have questions or need help just let me know!
Opening the box, this is a well built unit. Everything is there and semi labeled as to what it is. The Premium Harness is not in the box, they shipped that seperate. But all of the connections are pretty straight forward. The plugs can only plug in to one spot, so it's dummy proof.
First thing you want to do, is remove the window controls in the dash. It just pops out and you have to unplug the harness. Then pull the dash pad out of your center dash console. There is a 7MM screw under that pad, and a 7MM screw where the window controls were. Remove the lower dash panel under the steering wheel, and remove the (2) 7MM screws on either side of the steering wheel. At this point, you are ready to remove the dash. Just give it a good PULL! it's in their pretty tight so you might have to tug kind of hard.
Once that is done, remove the (4) 7MM screws holding the factory radio in place. Pull the radio out and disconnect evertything. There will be a wire with a gold clip that is clipped on the top right hand side of the back of the radio, looking from the front. That is the factory Sirius XM antenna. Shove that thing back behind something and hide it. There is also a 6 PIN plug that was removed, hide that one too, you wont need it.
Now pull your GPS antenna in. As you can see in the picture, I put mine right in the middle of the dash. There was a little flat spot there perfect for it, then roll up the wires and shove them under the dash panel. the one on the right is the GPS antenna wires, the bundle of wires on the left is the new Sirius XM antenna wires. I ran that antenna on top of my drivers side roll bar, down the A-pillar, and behind the dash. Then roll up the excess and cram them under the dash panel. Leave the end long enough to reach to plug in.
Now that that is done, take your backup camera cables and run up to the radio housing from behind the glovebox. Just leave that end hanging for now. IMPORTANT: RIGHT NOW, GET THE RADIO HARNESS. On the backup camera cable, there are open ended black and red wires. Find the Ground wire and the RED ACC wire on the main wiring housing, they will have quick connects already on them.
Get some blue male quick connects and install on the backup camera wires, then plug these together!!! (I FORGOT TO DO THIS AND HAD TO REMOVE EVERYTHING)
Now, if you have a USB cord that you want to run for an Ipod, pull that in from behind the glovebox as well.
If you have a Sirius XM tuner, now is the time to install that. After you pull the antenna wire in as mentioned above, run the antenna connector back behind the dash display. This is were I mounted my Tuner module. Then plug the Sirius XM cable that came with the Raxiom radio in to the XM tuner cable and run to the radio housing.
Now get the other cables, the AV-2 out, etc and sort of run them where you can, leaving the plugs hanging in the radio housing. Take the Raxiom wiring harness (NOTE: IF YOU ORDERED THE PREMIUM HARNESS, REMOVE THE CAN BUS MODULE FROM THE HARNESS IN THE BOX. IT WILL BE TIE-WRAPPED TO THE OTHER HARNESS. INSTALL THIS ON THE PREMIUM HARNESS). Then plug the factory harness in to the Raxiom Harness.
Take out your radio, and install the two small mounting brackets. Test fit them first before screwing them in. Each one will have a pointed tab on it that needs to be towards the top, not the bottom.
Now, hold the radio up and begin plugging in all of the harnesses, and the USB. Don't forget the FM antenna (the white factory weird looking plug) and the Blue GPS antenna.
You're gonna have to maneuver all of that wiring in and behind somewhere to get the radio to fit, but it's doable. Once the radio is flush with the mounts, TEST EVERYTHING.
Once you've verified everything works, start putting it all back together!!!
Here are some screen shots:
The back up camera finally installed. Not sure I like it here because I can't see my trailer hitch, but it has a very clean picture. You'll have to go to camera settings on the head unit to make sure it comes on when you put it in REVERSE.
The Sirius XM screen. It says no signal because I was in the garage, it was sprinkling! But it's working now
The FM screen. There are 3 FM selections for a total of 18 FM presets, and 2 AM selections for 12 AM presets.
The Ipod screen. As you can see the background is different. There are a few options for changing the background. I don't think you can put custom backgrounds on here though
As you can see, it has a clean factory look.
I forgot to get a screenshot of the GPS, but the GPS is very cool on here. Several custom preset vehicles(mine is now a Jeep). It says it as off-road mapping but I haven't tried that yet. Guess a trip to Barnwell should try that!
Overall I'm pleased with this unit. Lots of good features and it fits exactly what I was looking for. On a side note, i upgraded my speakers earlier this week. This head unit WOKE MY SPEAKERS UP!!!! It jams now and sounds 150% better than it did with the factory 130 unit with the Alpine system. As of now, i would highly recommend this Nav unit. It does have a REAR ZONE, but I'm not sure if that will work with the DVD, being that to play the DVD on the head unit, you have to have the E-brake set. My rear screens should be here Monday so I'm going to try that out and see if it works!!
Hope this helps you guys out! if you have questions or need help just let me know!