DVD - Built in or portable?

[Steve]

Just curious who's got a built-in DVD system and who has one that's removable and portable? And, who's not got one at all?

We're going to have to get one for our planned road trip later this summer. Just curious what folks have.

[TrailLeadr]

We actually don't have one. We just took a trip to VA for the week of the 4th. We borrowed my mother-in-laws van that had a drop down screen w/dvd player.
Wasn't too impressed. The screen was in the way of the rear view mirror the whole trip.

If I ever consider DVD for either the Avalanche, or burb, I will get the head-rest screens instead of center ceiling mount.

[Steve]

We actually don't have one. We just took a trip to VA for the week of the 4th. We borrowed my mother-in-laws van that had a drop down screen w/dvd player.
Wasn't too impressed. The screen was in the way of the rear view mirror the whole trip.

If I ever consider DVD for either the Avalanche, or burb, I will get the head-rest screens instead of center ceiling mount.


... Speaking of which, how was your trip?

[MrShorty]

Earlier this year we bought a two screen DVD player that mounts to head rests. It worked ok on our trip to NM 6 weeks ago. The unit performed almost flawlessly, except the DVD liked to skip when we were driving through a construction zone. The main issue we had was trying to figure out where to put the screens so all four could watch comfortably. When attaching the second screen to the 2nd row head rest, one child could see the screen easily, and one child had to strain a little bit to see it. Need to revisit the arrangement a little to see if we can figure out a little better arrangement for our trip next week to the Or coast.

[dwill3015]

We bought a portable with duel screens that hang from the headrests for the suburban. The kids like it because one can play Playstation, while the other watches a movie. We stayed in a hotel that did not have DVD and we were able to hook up the portable to the TV and use it there as well.

[terry0341]

My 07 Burb has the built it drop down screen and it does block the rearview miror view. I would also prefer the headrest screens. My buddies wife has a Ford edge and it came with headrest screens. In my case with three kids and the occasional kid next door riding with us, I really need four screens because with the head rest screens in the second row and the third row passengers riding directly behind them, the third row can not see the screens. So mirror blocking or not the most economical way to go with three rows and sometimes four cookie crunchers in tow is the center mount screen. In your case Steve only having one to please, I would go the portable dvd route with hedphones. Jr will be quite and happy and you do not have to hear barney for hours!

[Davandy]

I have this one build in dvd, TV, mp3, divx, USB

http://users.telenet.be/davandy/100_0928.jpg

[Cableguy]

I've seen the head rest ones that come in the travel bag so you can take it in house Steve...since everbody in town has broken into your truck.

[TrailLeadr]

I've seen the head rest ones that come in the travel bag so you can take it in house Steve...since everbody in town has broken into your truck.

Good thinking:great:

[Steve]

I've seen the head rest ones that come in the travel bag so you can take it in house Steve...since everbody in town has broken into your truck.

Hahaha

Hey, I actually live in a good part of town. They just had a neighborhood watch meeting in here and called in an "upscale" neighboorhood. Just have section 8 govnt housing allowances so the government will pay up to $1800 for someone to move into a rental house ... shoot, I can't afford an $1800 mortgage.

[terry0341]

The Gov is just making someone elses mort. pyment with it!:lol:

[Rumpamuro]

my moms minivan 03 Venture has the drop down screen stock, doesnt get it in my rearview way at all when we go on trips with the family. i like it i can hook up my cousins gamestations and they stay quiet (factory stock wireless headphones/ came with two and then dealer threw two more in as a deal). It really makes a difference in the road trip when you got little kids in the back.

[TrailLeadr]

I have to admit that the built in DVD system in that van kept the kids quieter that normal for a 10 hour trip. So I was thankful for that.

[campinhappy]

I'm in the market for an overhead and here's the issues I'm finding:
This is for a 2000 Suburban LT with rear AC

1. They (installers) want to remove the 2nd row AC control (it's in the right place for the dvd screeen) and put the unit there....BUT (and it's a big one). The rear AC control "Must" stay connected in order for the rear ac to work (yes, even though I have a front panel control for the rear air). The installer said he usually just hides the control down in a empty part of the door post.

2. Also the way the contours of the head liner are, most DVD players don't come with a trim kit that can be but to match the head liner, therefore leaving gaps around the player.

He recommended the headrest option to me, but I have 3 kids so I would have to install at least 3 screens at around $300 each.

So does anyone know of a solution that will work? Also anyone know of a "magic plug" that could be used to bypass the rear ac control?

Thanks,

[unplugged]

Ain't America grand? We get to have TV in our cars! It's a blessed life when you could have been born in a less fortunate country. Plasma tv's, central ac, two cars, a boat, vacations, In-N-Out (http://www.in-n-out.com/) ......a lot to be grateful for.:party:

[Rumpamuro]

Well yesterday my mom went and traded in her venture, and picked up an ACADIA:):), my sister wanted dvd in the back again, but that only came in the fully fully loaded option, and so that was a no considering the prices of these crossovers. so the deal was made, and my sister kept complaining so the sales man felt bad i guess, went to talk to the owner, and the owner happened to be like long time friends withthe family, so we got an even better deal, AWD, and he threw in a flip down DVD player, im not sure if itss considered aftermarket though but i know its getting installed about after a week.

[Islanti]

My 07 Tahoe has the factory flip-down screen. It definitely blocks the rear mirror. It's something I can live with given the large side mirrors. I'm considering a Lockpick install. That would let me turn on the rear-view camera while moving (although that's not the reason for the lockpick!).

[GaryL]

Don't have one.:sarcastic:

[omegafiler]

The rear-dvd was actually the only option that I didn't require when I was looking for my YD. Esp since I'm single and don't have any kids. The YD I really wanted just happened to have it though. Even the sales person was like, "oh hey, do you have kids?!" After I responded, "No," she was like... "oh... well... it has a rear DVD player!" :) But trust me... kids aren't the only ones to like to watch movies on a trips!

My friends/family love it when we go on any type of trip where we'll be in the truck for awhile. If I have the 3rd row in, they can see the screen just fine - even though a 7" LCD does seem a bit small. Also, the extra features that come with being integrated it nice; since it allows folks in the back to listen to it via the IR headphones, while the driver/passenger in the front can listen to something else - CD, FM, XM, etc. And you can add more IR headphones (it comes with 2).

It does pretty much block the entire rear-view mirror, so I only have them flip it down when we've gotten onto the highway and it won't be as important.

But now... for some reason, I just seem to get volunteered to drive anytime we go on long trips... interesting...

[chapablazer]

i installed the Jensen VM9312 DVD Receiver this year and let me tell you that we love it. It is IPOD ready, but you need to buy the cable. It is also Sat ready too and you can install a rear camera to it too. The really cool thing we do is play a DVD in it so it plays through the sound system and run it to a portable Dual Mon DVD player to its aux video input. When the kids get tired of that, they can connect their game system to it through the same connection and Mom & Dad can listen to the music.

[nowlaj]

We had the dealer install the GM headrest DVD system. It consists of 2 screens mounted to the Drivers and Passengers headrest. (The dealer gave me my 2 original headrests back after installation). Each screen has a dvd player in it. I can watch 2 movies or both screens can connect to each other to share a movie. It has the option of broadcasting the audio through a selectable FM station for vehicle wide entertainment. Screens do tilt independently of the headrests. Came with a remote which can separately control each dvd headrest and 2pairs of infrared headphones. The IR headphones have channel a and b on them so each can select which DVD player is being heard. It is a fantastic option. We didn't want the drop down standard player due to losing headroom and visibility. A great option. I understand that you can purchase it with 4 headrest players for those who really have a pack to entertain!

[Black LT3]

I had head rest monitos in my 02 Cadillac EXT wor great no problems what so ever and I plan to do the same to my 08 Avalanche