DVD Headrest

Well I went ahead and pulled the trigger.

I just picked up the Mz5 right now.
Mica Copper Red GT

Last night I ordered the DVD 907 and one USB 907 on ebay and got out with $265 shipped.

Hopefully I can take a crack at it next week to drop them in. Canadian shipping to CA, no way it'll get here for the weekend.

very interested in your review once you get it all wired up.
 
Sure....

I also have an Moto Android phone with the sliding keyboard.
I'm trying to figure out a nice stalk mount and can't stand glass mounts.
I doubt I'd ever take it off and it's begging someone to smash a window looking for a GPS unit.

Things I'm looking to do to my Mz5 so far after 1 day of ownership

  • deadpedal foot rest
  • 2 9" LCD TV headrests
  • phone mount for Moto Droid phone for use as Nav
  • perm wired power cable for phone
  • spare tire sub enclosure
  • clear 3M door edge guards
  • rear bumper cover
 
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If you don't need the phone up at eye level you can do what I did (I found it in a post a while back here) which is to mount a rare earth magnet behind the panel around the shifter. You can just put your phone down on the panel and it sticks in place.
 
If you don't need the phone up at eye level you can do what I did (I found it in a post a while back here) which is to mount a rare earth magnet behind the panel around the shifter. You can just put your phone down on the panel and it sticks in place.
Good idea. But how will this affect phones with memory card?..
 
Good idea. But how will this affect phones with memory card?..

I'm actually considering doing something with the space behind where the factory tape deck would go.

Someone here on the forum posted pictures of the inside of the OE CD stereo after removing it, and apparently if you don't have a tape deck, that's just a faceplate covering a tape-deck-sized cavity. If we remove that cavity, there should be room to insert a little fold-out-phone holder (similar to those pull to pop out cup holders I recall on other vehicles).

Currently in my other car (nissan Sentra), I have a pop open storage space on the top of my dash board, over the stereo. I bought a $5 plastic cell phone hip holster for my smartphone off of ebay, and instead of attaching it to my belt I attached it to a little bar that sits inside the storage bin there. When I want to use my phone for music/navigation, I open the "secret door" (as my wife calls it), and fold out the clip.
The trick is to find a belt holster that allows your phone to sit face out. So far, I've been able to do this for my last 4 smartphones (been doing this for years, before smartphones were considered "cool"), and every clip was some cheap $5 plastic. Perfect for the task at hand.

I'm hoping to do something similar on our new 5... I'm guessing the tape deck cavity is the most promising, but not sure how much work would be involved.
 
Does anyone know if the grey version of these headrests look better with the "sand" interior than the beige?

I have another car (not a M5) that is grey and was thinking of putting one of these in each car.
 
Safety?

Those headrests look really good, but I wonder about the safety. What happens if I get into an accident and my head is thrown into the DVD headrest? Are they just as good/strong as the OEM headrest?
 
Those headrests look really good, but I wonder about the safety. What happens if I get into an accident and my head is thrown into the DVD headrest? Are they just as good/strong as the OEM headrest?

Ideally, I think the seatbelt is supposed to prevent that kind of thing from happening. If you do end up being thrust forward. I'd be far more concerned about the front seats and the windsheild glass than the DVD headrest. I don't really see this as an added safety concern at all.
 
Grounding

I am trying to install 2 DVD headrests. I am trouble with the grounding wire in the fusebox area - what is the best way to do this? Right now, I am using packing tape and taping it to a metal bolt. I don't think this is right!

I also want to install 2 DVD headrests.
Shall I use 2 add-a-circuit adapters?
What are the best 2 fuses to connect to?
What fuse rating (5amp?) should I use for the DVD player (12V/1.5A)?
 
Is this a joke?


...I am using packing tape and taping it to a metal bolt.

This statement makes me aware that you are outside the realm of help or direction.

Please, stop what you are doing and take your car to someone who has some common sense before you burn it to the ground.
 
What about safety?

Ideally, I think the seatbelt is supposed to prevent that kind of thing from happening. If you do end up being thrust forward. I'd be far more concerned about the front seats and the windsheild glass than the DVD headrest. I don't really see this as an added safety concern at all.
My concern is not about the passenger in the backseat, I guess the headrest doesn't change his safety. My concern is about the front passenger and driver. If someone hits you from behind, your head is smacked into the headrest.
 
Is this a joke?




This statement makes me aware that you are outside the realm of help or direction.

Please, stop what you are doing and take your car to someone who has some common sense before you burn it to the ground.

No. This is a serious question. I read here that I can ground the black wire by attaching it to a bolt near the fuse box. I am looking for some help doing that. Right now, the black wire is in contact with the bolt. I'd like to do this myself instead of spending $$$ and would like the help to do this safely. Thanks
 
I'm sorry, but seeing that as your first post made we wonder...

OK, so you have found a bolt that works for ground near the fuse panel, you have the wire TAPED to the bolt, but are looking for a better attachment method for the wire? Do you own any tools? Have you ever turned a wrench before? Have you worked with automotive electical before? Based on your question, I'd assume NO.

I'll try to help you...

The answer is:
1) Attach a terminal or spade connector to the end of the ground wire
2) Loosen or remove (based on which connector you've chosen) the bolt in question
3) Insert the connector onto the bolt
4) Tighten bolt

Now, to do this would assume the bolt in question is a 'body bolt' that is grounded to the vehicle & that you know how to use wire strippers/crimpers. Please respond back with your level of knowledge.
 
Flcruising. Yes I have tools and have turned a wrench before! But I am a newbie when it comes to car electrics and am by no means an electrician. But I am fairly intelligent! I'll go to auto zone for get a spade connector - correct?

There are 2 bolts in the fuse box of a Mazda 5, 2009. Quite difficult to get at, let alone loosen. I was hoping that someone would know which one would work.

Also, can you help with the other fuse related questions from my earlier post.

Btw - based on my current (crude) setting where I have one headset set up - it is working fine and my son was using yesterday. BUT I would really appreciate your help to ensure that this is set up safely, especially when I add the second player.

Thanks
 
Here's the various connectors that you will encounter -
attachment.php

The spade connector is the one with the open end which allows you to loosen a bolt and slip this behind the bolt head or washer and cinch back down. Get one that is for the wire gauge used for your player. Probably in the 18-22 AWG range.

There should be another bolt some where that's easier to reach, I'd look around under the dash and see what you can find. Just make sure it is bolted to metal so you get a good body ground.


As far as power (12v), the fuse piggyback
attachment.php
can be used. The best circuit to piggyback on would be where a 15amp fuse is located.

For this step you will need a test light
attachment.php
. Pull the fuse that you will piggyback with. Clip your test light onto something metal on the car (your ground location is a good choice). Probe the terminals where you just pulled the fuse from. If you get power from the left leg, have the piggyback wire coming off the right side or vice-versa. This will ensure the circuit is pulling power from the nonfused side for your circuit.

Let me know if you need any more clarification.
 

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Hey guys- has anyone ever considered putting these on the second row seats instead of the first?

On long trips, my kids like sitting all the way in the back, with another adult passenger and luggage in the middle row. Another advantage is I can turn the stereo audio on only the front, and they have more private headphone listening back there while we listen to our own tunes.

I would imagine that collapsing the middle row seats down would not work with an aftermarket headrest... not to mention all the bending/sliding we go through to get everyone in the back might make for a flimsy connection for the electrical under the seat. So, I guess now I'm picturing something more temporary, wired up externally (extension cord running to the rear 12v outlet, perhaps?) that can be removed when not needed rather than the more permanently wired-through-the-seat front headrest solution.

What do you guys think of this? I suppose most of the headrests I've seen require wiring threaded THROUGH the seat, which makes ad-hoc use of this rather difficult. Maybe I should just get one of those mounts that attach a screen to the current headrest instead?
 
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For this step you will need a test light

OK - another noobie question. If I get the test light to light - does that mean I have found a GOOD ground location? Will the test light also light if I have a bad ground connection?

Also what fuse should I use for the DVD player (it is 12V/1.5A)? Thanks
 
The way to test for a good ground location, is to clip the test light to 12v and then probe around for ground. Otherwise, YES, if you clip the light onto ground and then probe the fuse location and the light illuminates, you have good ground + power. You won't get it to light without both, and test lights are not polarized so you can clip and probe either direction (-) or (+).
 
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