Hello all. As part of my attempt to "build" myself a Premium as I was not able to find one with the Black/Bourbon combo, my step 2 after the power rear sunshade was to do a Headrest Monitor install. The factory "Premium" would have come with an overhead monitor. When test driving one (different color), I felt the overhead monitor was a bit close to the rear passengers. The other downside was only one monitor for currently 2 kids I have.

I therefore started to think through what I wanted. Factory headrest monitors were a given. However, because I have the Advanced Tech, I already have a DVD player in the center console. I first did the DVD/Nav Hack and installed the switch in the cupholder (I'll take some pics next time.).

Fundamentally, I wanted as close to the factory setup as possible. So I wanted to keep the Dolby Digital 5.1 sound (which is amazing by the way).

Next, I checked that there were a few companies that offered factory matched headrest DVD/monitors for the M35. Vizualogic, Myron and Davis, Invision Industries, and Savv. Because I have the Bourbon interior, Vizualogic was not an option as they did not offer the color. Myron and Davis have the Bourbon with DVD players built-in, but unfortunately only offer the RF modulation as a sound option, not quite up to snuff for me. Plus, they only offer one input other than the DVD on the front of the screen.

Invision Industries has some nice units, check it out at http://www.invisionindustries.com , but they can only be installed through dealers and similar to M&D only one input and need to use RF modulation for sound.

So I've settled for Savv with monitors only. I got them from http://www.qualitymobilevideo.com which was an authorized dealer and very knowledgable. I had a color matching issue in the first set I got back and they worked with me to re-upholster after I sent them one of the headrests from the backseat. They worked well with Savv. It just took a bit too long for my liking. But they were always very friendly about it.

I then am working with an installer to tap into the video and audio out of the DVD player and pipe that to the screens. I'll let you know if we're successful. The plan is to do it this Saturday.

Anyway, below are some pics. The whole setup comes with factory matched headrests (very close match), remotes, headphones (the screens send the sound to the headphones if desired). It has a control box and will allow me to have one additional input such as the iphone or Wii/PS3, etc.

Savv headrests compared with factory headrest. Notice the covers (great for security).







Contents in the box:

Control box:

Driver's seat with factory headrest:

With Savv headrest monitor:



From the back comparing the two headrests:



With the cover:



From the front (looks factory)



Showing the tilt mechanism (it has a 3-step tilt). THe headrest is actually more upright and more comfortable than the factory. THe most tilted setting is similar to the factory tilt.



Will keep you posted as we install it on Saturday.

Modified by pangpang77 at 4:51 AM 10/22/2009
Modified by pangpang77 at 5:16 AM 10/22/2009

Love what you are doing with your car and the headrest dvd's look pretty good overall. Maybe it's just the lighting but the color looks quite a bit lighter on the new headrests and covers...are these pics after they fixed the color? Where does the control box get mounted?

AtlM wrote:Love what you are doing with your car and the headrest dvd's look pretty good overall. Maybe it's just the lighting but the color looks quite a bit lighter on the new headrests and covers...are these pics after they fixed the color? Where does the control box get mounted?

This was after the fix. It's definitely the lighting and the flash on the camera. Because the materials are not identical they reflect light a bit differently, there's a slight more sheen/reflection on the Savv headrest/covers, that's why. I'll take some pics during the day. But the color matches very well in person. Someone would have to look really hard to tell. But unsurprisingly even the factory headrests, if looking carefully is a bit different from the factory seats. The factory headrests are vinyl while the seats are leather of course.

Very good!

I have a 06 w/ tech package and I've done the nav/dvd hack as well. I want have three kids and I want to get some headrest monitors in the back too. I really want to know how to tap into the factory DVD player's output, so document that step thoroughly!

The headrest covers are a GREAT touch for security.
Modified by OmegaRoach at 10:56 AM 10/23/2009

I have no kids, none that i know of, but still want this.

Please document the install, how you going to snake wires through the seat, where will the controller go, and how would you tap into the DVD player. Will it be able to play just to back, back and front? How will you control the sound ( car plays radio etc , kids on headphones?)

Dotsad

dotsad wrote:I have no kids, none that i know of, but still want this.

Please document the install, how you going to snake wires through the seat, where will the controller go, and how would you tap into the DVD player. Will it be able to play just to back, back and front? How will you control the sound ( car plays radio etc , kids on headphones?)

Dotsad

I'm bringing it to an installer tomorrow. I'll try to take pics along the way. The monitors come with the wires already in the post, so I think it's just threading it through the back of the seat (that comes off).

The plan is to tap into the center console DVD player leveraging three of the outputs. According to page AV-81 on the Factory Service Manual av.pdf the video out is pin 20, audio left out is 27, and audio right out is 28. So in theory these can hook directly into the inputs of the controller box. I suspect the controller box will go under the passenger seat. That's where I had it a few years back when I did a video install in my 2002 Acura MDX.

So the same video out will feed the front screen (factory) as well as the headrest monitors. We'll need to see if the video signal might need to be amplified. The audio left and right will then also go into the controller box. Factory sound for Dolby Digital 5.1 will be untouched, but the hooking the 2 channel audio left and audio right into the box will allow me (the kids) to use the headphones. The video screen has an IR transmitter than will send the sound coming from the controller box to the headphones.

The AUX input behind the console also goes through the DVD player. So in theory, I can hook up a Wii there and the video will also go to all 3 screens.

Since I have the Nav/DVD hack, I can turn it on or off on the front screen. So most likely, I'll set it up for the kids and then shut it off in the front. They are still young, so I'd rather them not use headphones. If have adult friends in the back, I can show Ironman and blast the Dolby Digital 5.1. That's the benefit of this setup.

Will keep you posted after the install tomorrow.

Awesome idea, just to tap into the DVD player. But i still don’t see how you would have ( radio and dvd ) play at the same time. Your head unit will not be aware of the "fake" rear monitor, so it will not let you control separate outputs from the head display. Even if you have "nav hack" it will only allow you to play same source while you are driving.

How’s this for an idea?

Or maybe its just enought to connect 60 <---> 10 to fake headphone unit?

Again, i have no clue what i am talking about , so please free to shrug me off any time

dotsad,

I won't be able to play the radio up front while the DVD is playing or AUX is used. I'm not that concerned as I mentioned that my kids are still a bit young (4 and 1) to use headphones responsibly. In the future, because I have a separate set of inputs in the controller box, I can pipe the video to Input2 using an iPhone for example and then the sound will ONLY come through the headphones. THEN, I will be able to listen to the radio/CD changer up front while they use the headphones.

The diagram you have is for cars with Mobile Entertainment Center. The Adv. Tech. one does not have a Video Distributor I don't think. The DVD video out goes directly to the front screen.

Ok, I finally took my car to the installer today. They're in Union, NJ and their website is http://www.installations-unlimited.com. The main installer Tom was great to work with. He's the lead Tech Engineer for the company that has over 30 installation sites for car dealers.

I printed a bunch of pages from the FSM which he told me helped him out tremendously. Long story short, it worked! He tapped into pin 20 of the factory DVD for video and pins 27 and 28 for audio left and audio right. He installed the controller box under the rear passenger seat and wired everything from there to/through the center console.

I can now use the factory controls to control video into all three screens. With the DVD/Nav hack, I can turn off the front screen once I've set it up for the kids in the back (mostly before I leave my driveway). There is some slight distortion given that the video signal needs to drive three screens now, for which I may take it back to add a video amplifier, but it's not unbearable. We tested the headphones and they worked. He also pulled an RCA cable into the glove compartment so I can hook up an iPhone to input2 on the controller box so that each headrest can play from its own source or the iPhone can play video on both monitors through the headphones while I listen to a CD in the front or my wife can watch a different DVD up front.

I may also add a power inverter with USB charging in the bottom of the center console: http://www.invertersrus.com/powerbrightcw-150.html and have two 3-RCA input jacks to hook into the factory AUX as well as the Savv controller box. This will allow me to charge the iPhone as well as choose which input to go in. But this is all something I may or may not add in the future.

Anyway, here are the pics of the install. Sorry there weren't as many in the beginning as I was not allowed into the shop floor for insurance reasons.































Shop floor with a wicked orange Challenger SRT-8 6.1 there having the "winter" 20-inch factory tires being put in. The lady who owns it spent 6-7K on these black 22s with custom orange stripes painted on the rims!

Excellent job Pangpang. Thanks for sharing pics. Your car looks great. I like your headrest monitors a lot.

CONGRATS!

Great job with the research, documentation, and final delivery!

I wonder if the distroration you are getting is from noise in the system. You may be able to resolve it with a ground loop isolater. I would probably also try to run the aux input from your glove box and see if there is distortion from there as well.

How is your power on/off for the screens set up? Do they automatically cut on/off with the dvd player? Or do you manually turn them on/off?

I don't see the SAVV system in the link you provided. Is there a direct link that system? How much did it run?
Modified by OmegaRoach at 12:32 AM 10/25/2009

CONGRATS!

Great job with the research, documentation, and final delivery!

I wonder if the distroration you are getting is from noise in the system. You may be able to resolve it with a ground loop isolater. I would probably also try to run the aux input from your glove box and see if there is distortion from there as well.

How is your power on/off for the screens set up? Do they automatically cut on/off with the dvd player? Or do you manually turn them on/off?

OmegaRoach wrote:CONGRATS!

Great job with the research, documentation, and final delivery!

I wonder if the distroration you are getting is from noise in the system. You may be able to resolve it with a ground loop isolater. I would probably also try to run the aux input from your glove box and see if there is distortion from there as well.

How is your power on/off for the screens set up? Do they automatically cut on/off with the dvd player? Or do you manually turn them on/off?

I don't see the SAVV system in the link you provided. Is there a direct link that system? How much did it run?

Modified by OmegaRoach at 12:32 AM 10/25/2009

I need to buy a cable for the iPhone first, but I'll try. However, when I don't turn on the back screens there is no distortion on the main screen. Once I turn it on it causes the distortion on all three screens including the factory.

Power is controlled by pushing Power directly on the screen or by using the supplied remote. It shuts off when I shut off the car as well of course.

The link to the headrests system I got is here:

http://www.savv.com/viewItem.a...ory=2

It's the Savv HRP-X7090R.

It's not on the http://www.qualitymobilevideo.com site, but you can call them and they can order it for you. The cost was $750 shipped. Tell them Dan with the Bourbon Infiniti M35 referred you.

The install from http://www.installations-unlimited was $200, so I was able to do the whole system for under $1,000 for 2 headrests integrated to the headrest. I think the setup is bit better than the MES from Infiniti with one drop-down screen. It's also cheaper than getting the Myron & Davis, Vizualogic, or Infineon with built-in DVD players, which all are around $1,600 - $2,000 installed.

The only thing I don't have now compared with the Premium is rear heated seats and power recline (not practical at this point for me as I have two car seats back there.) Maybe one day, as http://www.installations-unlimited.com also does aftermarket heated seats!

Hope this helps.

1 word. Awesome!

I took back my car to address/add a few things to my setup:

1) As I was getting video distortion on both the factory screen and headrest monitors, I purchased a Pyle Video Amplifier and had it installed

2) I wanted a more seamless integration of playing music/videos through the iPhone/iPod. So I: a. Purchased a Pro-Clip mount specific for the M and iPhone holster, b. Purchased an A/V cable by i.Sound that works with the latest 3.0 firmware for the iPhone, c. Had two RCA jacks installed inside the armrest, where the top one taps into the factory AUX jacks, so I don't need to have wires exposed and hooked up to the back of the armrest, and where the bottom jack taps into A/V input 2 on the headrest monitor control box. This allows me to play the factory DVD on one input into the headrest monitors and the iPhone onto a second input to the headrest monitors, so the two headrests can have two different video sources.

3) I added 3000k yellow fog HIDs which I'll share some pics in a separate thread

Here are some pics:

The RCA jacks, the video amp, the HID Kit, and a 12 Volt jack I decided not to put in and decided to just hard-wire the power from the iPhone.



The Pro-Clip mount and holster, and my wife's old 2G iPhone (which has now become my kids dedicated iPod Touch with no phone service)



The iPhone mounted and my Blackberry Storm (for those with a storm, Arkon makes a great dash mounted holster, had to get it since in NJ it's illegal to use the windshield suction cup).



The Pyle Video Amp added. It was around $20. The installer at Installations-Unlimited.com applied the amp only to the additional signal line he pulled for the rear monitors and left the factory line as is. This solved the video distortion problem on all three screens.



The two RCA jacks installed in the center armrest. The top is tapped into the factory AUX, and the bottom is tapped to AV2 of the Headrest Monitor control box. This allows two video sources for the headrest monitors. (Eventually I'd like to install Flo TV, http://www.flotv.com, Sirius Mobile TV, or an HDTV mobile tuner.)



The great thing about the i.Sound Cable Works iPhone A/V cable purchased here:

http://www.amazon.com/i-Sound-...r=8-1

is that it also works with any other mobile device. Reason being, both the USB power and the A/V cable are plugged into a main iPhone style plug. So I'm able to remove the A/V plug and connect it to my Blackberry Storm, and I can play MP3s in my phone as well as use the iPhone.



iPhone connected to the i.Sound cable (pretty neat blue LED comes on)



You can clearly see two sources, one from the Factory DVD and one from the iPhone:



Another pic showing two sources.



The Pro-Clip in case someone wants to know what it looks like. With this mount, and plus I need the video capability as well, it didn't make sense for me to get one of those integrated kits from Peripheral/PAC as none of those kits do video as of now:



The Arkon mount for the Blackberry Storm in case anyone is interested:





All in all, a pretty clean install like I wanted. Other than the bit of wire near the Pro-Clip mount, everything else is pretty much hidden. I can easy access the iPhone screen with the mount and play music/videos as needed.

Nice!

Can you tell me where you got the rear shade? Thanks.

excellent excellent addition to the car!

i too am curious about the rear sunshade.

xerexabante wrote:Nice!

Can you tell me where you got the rear shade? Thanks.

Thanks!

Just send a note to:

[email protected]

Just mention Dan referred you.

WOW! That is fantastic and exactly what I want to do...could not find the premium in black/bourbon either, but I've created a monster in my son as he loves to watch dvds in the back seat...you did an incredible job, thank you for the detailed information

karlchilders wrote:WOW! That is fantastic and exactly what I want to do...could not find the premium in black/bourbon either, but I've created a monster in my son as he loves to watch dvds in the back seat...you did an incredible job, thank you for the detailed information

Tell me about little monsters... My 1 1/2 year old points to the screen everytime he gets into the car. Sometimes I wonder if it's good. Of course, during the trips it's wonderful as it keeps it quiet back there with my 4 and 1 1/2 year-olds. But with checking my wife's iPhone and watching videos in the car, I wonder what we're turning them into...

Can you tell me what type of rca cables are in the pics. Can't find ones with the mounting plate you have in your pic

Adding this to the FAQ thread.

very nice job. Does that mount for the iPhone get in the wway for passengers? like it and thinking of getting it for my Nexus One

Do u know what color the wires are for the audio and video I have a wiring diagram but not in color and how do u remove te cover @the DVD player and where did the installer get draw the power for the screens

I too want to know about the rear autoshade, I saw an automatic Done up in japan , so I'm curious to see your setup

I bought 2 universal dbTech mounts from Amazon, and going to mount a BlackBerry PlayBook behind each headrest using them.
With 16GB I can upload about at least 10 movies in AVI format (700-800MB size each), plus all the games, maps, built in GPS, WiFi and later I can upgrade to 3G versions, with 10 hours of battery life, touch screen, I just can't see any reason to install headrest monitors.

And I can move all of that to my wife's truck in less than 10 minutes.

fooitm35x wrote:I bought 2 universal dbTech mounts from Amazon, and going to mount a BlackBerry PlayBook behind each headrest using them.
With 16GB I can upload about at least 10 movies in AVI format (700-800MB size each), plus all the games, maps, built in GPS, WiFi and later I can upgrade to 3G versions, with 10 hours of battery life, touch screen, I just can't see any reason to install headrest monitors.

And I can move all of that to my wife's truck in less than 10 minutes.

This sounds like a great idea. How has it worked for you?

Hey i know its been a while since you hooked up your car but i have some questions.

i purchased the headrest tv's already for my m35x cause my daughter sitting back there until she falls asleep; has been getting to me. now on impulse i bought the tv's. but i have no idea what exactly i need to make sure they work flawless. can you help me please?

I want to install the whole set up i read on your post. iphone, video amp, and also i have an inverter in my car thats taking up space in my center console; that i so want to get rid of.

Really nice Infiniti headrest. But what I got is a Ford. When my family planing for a self-driving travel, I am worried about my two naughty boys. Then I plan to install two headrest car dvd. But I know nothing about the dvd thing. Also need you advice about the invision headrest dvd I plan to buy. 7 inch Digital Car Headrest DVD Player with USB/SD/GAME/IR/FM transmitter. http://www.justcardvd.com/products/7-in ... itter.html
7 inch TFT LCD 16:9,Resolution800*RGB*480,Digital panel
Use is Sony lens,Sunplus chip,mabuchi motor
SD/MS/MMC ports and USB ports
Built-in FM Transmitter Function and Dual IR transmitter
Built-in Speakers
Compatible with MP4,DVD,VCD,SVCD,CD,CD-G,MP3,JPED,WMA,CD-R,CD-RW,and DVCD formats.
Video/ Audio Input & Output (PAL / NTSC)
Built-in 32 Bits Games Function
Is that OK to buy?

That is a nice set up, like the write up