Dim the screen on D3

[naplesbill]

I wonder how difficult it would be to connect the illumination to some sort of day/night sensor? That would be sweet.

 

Like the ones for the automatic headlights in newer vehicles?

 

Exactly like that. I can't imagine it would be that difficult. I wouldn't want to tap in to a factory sensor but add one. I was thinking about this after I posted. I might try to find one from an Explorer. I have one in my LS but I think an Explorer would be easier to find and cheaper. I have the D3 in my Mustang and it doesn't have that sensor anyway.

[installthis06]

Or you could add a switch and be done with it

[naplesbill]

Or you could add a switch and be done with it

 

By just adding a switch you will never be done with it. You will always have to turn the switch on and off. I would not bother with something like that personally. Having it "know" when to change is the best solution to me.

[installthis06]

Seems silly to me, Can't imagine it wasting half a second to flip a switch..Maybe I'm too laid back

[steve310]

Or you could add a switch and be done with it

 

If you hooked it up to your 'illumination' wire, or the headlight switch this is done already. I can see where he is coming from that it would be neat to have it switch on its own, but if you have to turn on the headlights anyway...why bother?

[installthis06]

Or you could add a switch and be done with it

 

If you hooked it up to your 'illumination' wire, or the headlight switch this is done already. I can see where he is coming from that it would be neat to have it switch on its own, but if you have to turn on the headlights anyway...why bother?

 

Yea it would already dim when the headlights were on and then if the headlights were on during the day and you didn't want the gray background...half a second later switch is flipped and everything is bright!

[naplesbill]

Or you could add a switch and be done with it

 

If you hooked it up to your 'illumination' wire, or the headlight switch this is done already. I can see where he is coming from that it would be neat to have it switch on its own, but if you have to turn on the headlights anyway...why bother?

 

Because in FL, and other states, you have to turn your headlights on during the day if it is raining or foggy. Most of the time the auto sensor would not determine it to be night so the screen would stay bright on it's own in that situation. Intelligence is always the best solution IMO.

[kore]

I"m curious? I have a D3 in my 07 Explorer and a JVC KD-ADV38 in my 06 Escape. The JVC has an option to set the time that it dims...so it dims at 6pm and undims at 7am. WHY wouldn't Pioneer do this? It's so simple. Functionality-wise, the JVC is leaps and bounds above the Pioneer. It doesn't have GPS, but if JVC did offer a 2-din GPS with the same functionality as the KD-ADV38, I'd be all over it. They only offer a single din unit. Anyway, my two cents. Pioneer WAYYY dropped the ball on this simple offering.

[HiFiSi]

he JVC has an option to set the time that it dims...so it dims at 6pm and undims at 7am. WHY wouldn't Pioneer do this?

 

Because it's much more user friendly to be able to dim it automatically when the lights are on. If your lights are on, it's probably because it's dark outside. Which is the only reason I can think of that you would need to dim the screen anyway. And if you are parked somewhere and watching a video (with your lights off), you can watch it at full brightness without having to go in and change any settings. Having it auto dim/undim at a certain time of day is kind of a "bling" feature. It's pretty neat, I guess. But it's completely unnecessary.

 

Functionality-wise, the JVC is leaps and bounds above the Pioneer. It doesn't have GPS, but if JVC did offer a 2-din GPS with the same functionality as the KD-ADV38, I'd be all over it. They only offer a single din unit. Anyway, my two cents. Pioneer WAYYY dropped the ball on this simple offering.

 

But that's exactly what it is. a simple offering. It's not meant to be the full-featured flagship model of their in-dash GPS lineup.

 

The D3 is under $1000. The KD-ADV38 is a single din DVD unit with a small LCD screen and no GPS and it retails for $600. If they were to make a double din unit with a full sized LCD screen with navigation, it wouldn't be under $1000. Hell... JVC makes a DVD/nav unit, but it's only a single din unit, yet it retails for the same price as the D3.

 

The D3 is about the lowest price name brand double din navigation unit on the market. Pioneer didn't drop the ball with the D3. They had to leave features out so they could sell it at that price. Basically, if you want something that's chock full of features, you're gonna have to spend $500+ more than what you can get the D3 for.

[04ctd]

to do this automatically,

 

GOOGLE "photo optic diodes" and learn how they work.

 

go to Radio Shack, buy a photo diode for $3 and a relay for $5.

 

hook the photo diode up to control +12v battery to the relay, and output the relay to the illumination input to the deck.

 

mount the diode just out of sight in a defrost vent, or base of A pillar, or speaker hole.

 

easy cheezy.

 

and of course, you could power the diode/relay off the headlight switch illumination, and then, it would ONLY dim if you had the LIGHTs ON and it was DARK.

 

hth?