D VADER
6/4/2007 6:54:13 AM
I added the OEM NAV to my CTS. It was plug and play with the exception you had to tap the VSS cable. I picked the used NAV unit up on eBay.
Has anyone done this with the H3? I love the big NAV screen. Is the NAV unit and the radio unit the same size?
CCMDoc
6/4/2007 9:34:37 AM
Yup. It fits perfectly in the space. you do need the seperate antenna which is a real PIA to install, but otherwise it is straightforward swap.
Couple of things - the internal amplifier for the basic radio/CD player has much greater output than that of the oem Nav unit. Both the nav unit and upgraded stereo system use the Monsoon amp. If you do not have the Monsoon system, the radio, nav and OnStar volume will be pretty low. You will need an aftermarket amp to bring it up.
In addition, though I know that there is someone else who added a back-up camera to their oem nav unit, the video adapter interface that PAC makes does not work with the H3 oem Nav unit (works with other GM oem Nav units that look nearly exactly yhe same, though). My H3 Nav unit is at PAC right now - they are using it to develop the video interface for our particular unit so that we can hook up a back-up camera or other external video input device.
Good luck, before i took it out to send to PAC, I thought it did a great job of getting me where i wanted to go.
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D VADER
6/4/2007 10:27:13 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: CCMDoc
Yup. It fits perfectly in the space. you do need the seperate antenna which is a real PIA to install, but otherwise it is straightforward swap.
Couple of things - the internal amplifier for the basic radio/CD player has much greater output than that of the oem Nav unit. Both the nav unit and upgraded stereo system use the Monsoon amp. If you do not have the Monsoon system, the radio, nav and OnStar volume will be pretty low. You will need an aftermarket amp to bring it up.
In addition, though I know that there is someone else who added a back-up camera to their oem nav unit, the video adapter interface that PAC makes does not work with the H3 oem Nav unit (works with other GM oem Nav units that look nearly exactly yhe same, though). My H3 Nav unit is at PAC right now - they are using it to develop the video interface for our particular unit so that we can hook up a back-up camera or other external video input device.
Good luck, before i took it out to send to PAC, I thought it did a great job of getting me where i wanted to go.
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That's a big help Doc. I have the Monsoon system! :) Now to track down a OEM NAV.
I'd like to have a full time rear camera since the H3 lux has terrible rear vision. Even if it was B/W with a small flat screen monitor...maybe in the visor??
CCMDoc
6/4/2007 11:49:11 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
That's a big help Doc. I have the Monsoon system! :) Now to track down a OEM NAV.
I'd like to have a full time rear camera since the H3 lux has terrible rear vision. Even if it was B/W with a small flat screen monitor...maybe in the visor??
The PAC thingamabob will have a two position switch so the camera can come on when you put it in revers, or switched to show the rear-view on the nav unit as long as you want. If you want to see both nav and rear-view, I guess you will need to go the seperate route as you said.
D VADER
6/4/2007 12:01:57 PM
quote:
ORIGINAL: CCMDoc
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
That's a big help Doc. I have the Monsoon system! :) Now to track down a OEM NAV.
I'd like to have a full time rear camera since the H3 lux has terrible rear vision. Even if it was B/W with a small flat screen monitor...maybe in the visor??
The PAC thingamabob will have a two position switch so the camera can come on when you put it in revers, or switched to show the rear-view on the nav unit as long as you want. If you want to see both nav and rear-view, I guess you will need to go the seperate route as you said.
I imagine you have to run co-ax for the camera? Can you pick up power or run a power wire with the co-ax? Has anyone done the camera mod? Where did you install the camera?
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
I added the OEM NAV to my CTS. It was plug and play with the exception you had to tap the VSS cable. I picked the used NAV unit up on eBay.
Has anyone done this with the H3? I love the big NAV screen. Is the NAV unit and the radio unit the same size?
Robert... Unlike the CTS the H3 radio has nothing to do with the car computer so why replace it with a basic oem navigation radio when you have enough space to go and get a better aftermarket navigation unit. I looked at the hummer navigation units and they are ugly in my opinion. If I buy a H3 which is very possible I will not go with the factory navigation.
GSXRnaut
6/4/2007 7:41:36 PM
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
That's a big help Doc. I have the Monsoon system! :) Now to track down a OEM NAV.
I'd like to have a full time rear camera since the H3 lux has terrible rear vision. Even if it was B/W with a small flat screen monitor...maybe in the visor??
i know this isn't exactly the same app, but may work for an idea- this is what i did in my avy for a fulltime cam.... HTH...
made this bracket from scratch for the cam...
before and after on cam location:
3.5" monitor in what used to be the dash opening (excuse poor pic quality):
and the switches, one for the cam, one for radar, couple of blanks for if i want to add more stuff:
i basically keep it on all the time. again, HTH for an idea at least.....
D VADER
6/5/2007 4:12:27 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tomm
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
I added the OEM NAV to my CTS. It was plug and play with the exception you had to tap the VSS cable. I picked the used NAV unit up on eBay.
Has anyone done this with the H3? I love the big NAV screen. Is the NAV unit and the radio unit the same size?
Robert... Unlike the CTS the H3 radio has nothing to do with the car computer so why replace it with a basic oem navigation radio when you have enough space to go and get a better aftermarket navigation unit. I looked at the hummer navigation units and they are ugly in my opinion. If I buy a H3 which is very possible I will not go with the factory navigation.
Good Morning Tomm. Good to see your interest in the H3. I've really been enjoying mine!
I don't want a Tom-Tom type on top of the dash. What NAV were you talking about. I can get a used OEM unit for $800, including maps and antenna.
GSX,
What camera did you buy? I think I would want mine mounted higher in order to see more traffic. I imagine you only see the car immediately behind you?
The hummer uses a standard double din radio. You can easily replace it with tons of aftermarket units that start around the same price as the oem navigation but add tons more features plus look much better.
The unit I would get would be around $1500 and it would be the Pioneer AVIC-Z2 - In-dash navigation/DVD receiver with 30 GB hard drive. The unit is awesome and it gives you the option for bluetooth, you can store 10GB of MP3's so you can store all your music on the hard drive, sirius and xm capable, etc.
D VADER
6/5/2007 4:58:13 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tomm
The hummer uses a standard double din radio. You can easily replace it with tons of aftermarket units that start around the same price as the oem navigation but add tons more features plus look much better.
The unit I would get would be around $1500 and it would be the Pioneer AVIC-Z2 - In-dash navigation/DVD receiver with 30 GB hard drive. The unit is awesome and it gives you the option for bluetooth, you can store 10GB of MP3's so you can store all your music on the hard drive, sirius and xm capable, etc.
Touch screen eh. This unit replaces the OEM radio and plugs perfectly in the radio slot? It comes with the maps?
You just need to get the proper wiring kit and double din adapter (Less than $40 for both) and once wired it will snap right into the factory wiring. If you want to spend less there are tons of units for less that would be much better in apearance and quality than the factory navigation.
Check out this one:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-WhjwJ3DUwuo/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=182350&I=099AVN5500 You can get it on Ebay for $800
Why get the ugly factory navigation for the same price?
Tom
D VADER
6/5/2007 6:35:08 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tomm
You just need to get the proper wiring kit and double din adapter (Less than $40 for both) and once wired it will snap right into the factory wiring. If you want to spend less there are tons of units for less that would be much better in apearance and quality than the factory navigation.
Check out this one: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-WhjwJ3DUwuo/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=182350&I=099AVN5500
You can get it on Ebay for $800
Why get the ugly factory navigation for the same price?
Tom
Actually I was looking at that one. Does the Pioneer show all the DIC information?
What do you mean DIC information... The DIC is in the instrument cluster is it not on the hummer? The radio should be completely independent from everything I have seen.
D VADER
6/5/2007 6:51:39 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tomm
What do you mean DIC information... The DIC is in the instrument cluster is it not on the hummer? The radio should be completely independent from everything I have seen.
Hummer's DIC is in the lower center of the cluster. Our Caddy DIC showed us things like doors ajar, trunk open, all radio functions, temp and time of day, greetings at start-up. The hummer screen is very tiny.
The DIC was embedded in the radio in the CTS... The hummer radio has nothing to do with the DIC and it will not display any info from everything that I was able to find out about the unit its just a radio.
GSXRnaut
6/5/2007 6:41:09 PM
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
GSX,
What camera did you buy? I think I would want mine mounted higher in order to see more traffic. I imagine you only see the car immediately behind you?
honestly i forget which cam it was. i put it in about 2 years ago when i still had my auto a/v biz, and we were experimenting with a few diff camera brands. it is decent at night, but there's better ones on the market for night now (maybe on the next truck)... as far as the angle, yeah, it is mostly what's close behind you, but the cam comes with angled adaptor rings that let you point it slightly down or up. i used one to angle it down (can post a pic of that if you'd like to see it)... with no adaptor, it points straight out the back so you get a wider view. if you do buy one, don't buy a cheapo one- they suck donkey balls at night, only work decent till dusk lol.
H3X442
6/5/2007 6:52:59 PM
If you go Factory it is a easy install. It took me less than a hour to install the gps ant and the radio. You will have to unlock the radio after install. Mine read THEFTLOCK accross the screen when first installed. Once unlocked it worked fine. Keep checking ebay I paid $650 for mine. Steve
D VADER
6/6/2007 5:23:44 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: H3X442
If you go Factory it is a easy install. It took me less than a hour to install the gps ant and the radio. You will have to unlock the radio after install. Mine read THEFTLOCK accross the screen when first installed. Once unlocked it worked fine. Keep checking ebay I paid $650 for mine. Steve
Steve,
Does that mean you can't use the radio or navagation system and all else runs fine? What did it cost to get the system "Unlocked"?
$650 included the manual, disc and antenna?
H3X442
6/6/2007 9:52:50 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
quote:
ORIGINAL: H3X442
If you go Factory it is a easy install. It took me less than a hour to install the gps ant and the radio. You will have to unlock the radio after install. Mine read THEFTLOCK accross the screen when first installed. Once unlocked it worked fine. Keep checking ebay I paid $650 for mine. Steve
Steve,
Does that mean you can't use the radio or navagation system and all else runs fine? What did it cost to get the system "Unlocked"?
$650 included the manual, disc and antenna?
Yes you can't use anything until unlocked. I work at a hummer dealer so I did the unlock myself with a tech II. I would charge a 1/2 labor to do it. All I got was the nav unit for $650 and bought an ant they retail for around $50-60. The disc is $199 but I got one a different way.
D VADER
6/6/2007 10:31:45 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: H3X442
quote:
ORIGINAL: D VADER
quote:
ORIGINAL: H3X442
If you go Factory it is a easy install. It took me less than a hour to install the gps ant and the radio. You will have to unlock the radio after install. Mine read THEFTLOCK accross the screen when first installed. Once unlocked it worked fine. Keep checking ebay I paid $650 for mine. Steve
Steve,
Does that mean you can't use the radio or navagation system and all else runs fine? What did it cost to get the system "Unlocked"?
$650 included the manual, disc and antenna?
Yes you can't use anything until unlocked. I work at a hummer dealer so I did the unlock myself with a tech II. I would charge a 1/2 labor to do it. All I got was the nav unit for $650 and bought an ant they retail for around $50-60. The disc is $199 but I got one a different way.
UhHu..a bootleg disc like I had!!
I made a guy an offer of $699 for everything. He probably won't take it.
But the car is still driveable with the radio locked, right?
littlehummerboy
6/6/2007 1:05:12 PM
Yes the truck is still driveable with the deck locked out. I did the same as you are considering doing. I bought our H3 with the 6CD changer, and then got a great deal on an OEM NAV unit from another member here. It came with t he head unit and CD, but no gps antenna. The head unit just plugs straight in to the existing harness, took about 15 minutes to install. The new antenna was about $35, and we mounted it on the roof for better reception. The deck would not work until it was unlocked by the dealer. As I was having a new security system installed, they didn't charge me to unlock it, but was told it would take about 1/2 to do. The OEM NAV unit is not as fancy by any means as the after market units, but integrates seamlessly with the truck (onstar etc.) and works pretty good. When I was looking, I found I wold have spent around minumum $1400 to get a new head unit, another $200 for mounting and interface crap, and then the hassle of plugging it all in. While it would have resulted in a fancier system with more features, it would have cost me 4x as much by the time I was done. I decided to go the OEM router and spend my pennies on other goodies.
I would still go aftermarket because of the additional features and the more sleek look. If you are worried about saving money buy a last year model and you will find double din units for $800 or less. I would rather get a unit that plays dvd's, wma files, mp3s, etc.
D VADER
6/7/2007 8:08:04 AM
quote:
ORIGINAL: Tomm
I would still go aftermarket because of the additional features and the more sleek look. If you are worried about saving money buy a last year model and you will find double din units for $800 or less. I would rather get a unit that plays dvd's, wma files, mp3s, etc.
I need to talk to you more about that Tomm. The eBay deal fell thru.
