Well it stopped raining and wasnt freezing today so I finally installed my DVD player using the nav screen for the monitor. Hey, monitor sounds kind of like MINITOR. Anyways, here was my shopping list:

NavTV unit with plug and play harness for MINI - $160 on ebay!
(this is an interface that gives you a video input to use the nav screen as a monitor)
Pyle DVD player - PLTVD-133 - $100 on internet (chosen because it was small, packed with features and cheap)
Aux input cable - $40 (for audio input into stock head unit)
Ground loop isolator - $20
Friend with wiring and know-how at my disposal - FREE

total cost = $320!

Install was pretty simple. I tapped into the cigarette lighter wiring for power for both units, installed the NavTV unit in the Nav compartment and ran the video cable under the door trim, and the audio plugged into the aux input cable. There is already a little hole in the glove box to fish in the cables. A tiny toggle controls whether the still functioning nav or dvd is selected. Here are the pics.

Center console (watching Team America World Police):

Note the remote eye mounted amongst the toggles so unit can be operated wirelessly when glove box is shut.

Screen in the dark (sorry blurry pic):

The screen image quality is actually better than I expected.

DVD player in glove box at night (another blurry pic):

I still have much storage thanks to the glove box organizer that fit perfect with one cut.

This is a huge bonus. My 03 stock head unit doesnt play MP3s but the new DVD player does, and check out the onscreen display, makes finding songs real easy:


Finally, I ran an aux cable from the DVD player back to the center console so I can still use my Ipod.

I kept it all stealth as to not have to worry extra about theft, and also so if I get pulled over I can flip the toggle and the nav is back on.

All of this for only $300, probably my favorite mod yet! Bling on a budget!!!

Oh yeah, and movies sound killer with the custom JL Audio system, better than in my condo:


Alright, done showing off now.

 

Nice setup. Thats what I need to do. For the price its golden

 

Looks awesome man! I'm amazed you still have the stock HU with all that other stuff you have in there though.
-G

 

It was a hard choice, I looked at in-dash DVD players, but the glove mount was 1/4 of the price and I really didnt want to get broken into. Any more shiny things and the car thieves will come knocking. The area I live in has the highest rate of car theft in Washington, I hear.

Maybe when I move I will step up the head unit.

 

I can totally understand that. If I had a nav I'd run it the same way you did. I'd just have a different HU for regular music and what not. Especialy with the amount of audio upgrades your car has. :D
-G

 

Yeah it sounds great but I know that is the last step that I need to make it sound even better, but not until I move out of this high theft area. My wifes car got stolen last year and there is a lot of prowling around here. You cant tell that I have a dvd player now, and anything else visable around here is asking for trouble.

 

I hear that. Be safe. Your car probably draws enough attention.
-G

 

Dirka Dirka Dirka, Muhammed, Jihad, Allah!

 

God I love that movie. I laughed all the way to work today thanks to Team America World Police.

 

Update - I have decided that this may be my favorite mod. In Seattle traffic I often don't get to use my other mods, but time flies by now that I can half-watch movies on my commute. Last few days it has been Ghost in the Shell. The only problem is when I get to work or get home I don't want to go inside. I'm glad I finally got to put the nav to good use.

 

right now MINITOR, your my hero. I cannot waitttt to do this

 

This is an awesome mod. I am considering installing a PC where I can play divx movies on my nav screen. Is the video input a standard RCA or is it another type of connector?

 

Intresting mod. The NavTV unit you bought, was that just the screen. So since I have NAV from factory I won't need this, correct? I'd only need the "plug and play harness for MINI" (this is an interface that gives you a video input to use the nav screen as a monitor) Where would I get one of those?

 

The NavTV unit is the interface that goes between the oem nav unit and the oem nav screen that provides this input.

The video input on the NavTV unit is a standard RCA, but you can get different kinds I believe with different inputs.

Here are some of the options for this interface:
1. http://www.nav-tv.com/mini.htm (sounds like it costs the most but I found it cheap on ebay)
2. http://www.tvandnav2go.com/bmw-tv-navigation.html (no price listed, cheesy backgroud music is great)
3. http://www.gnetcanada.com/navvideo-m...t=GNET_RGB_BMW ($350)
4. http://www.avelectronic.com/products.htm (budget model is $250)
5. http://www.soundgate.com/index.php?request=product.details&categoryid=12&pr oductid=379&usereferrer=1 ($350)
6. OEM rearview camera interface