[The Citrus Smoothie]

As most of you will know, my Insight came with a Japanese version of the double DIN Honda Navigation System with a dashboard LCD screen, Radio, CD & Tape Player.

When I bought my Insight, the car was not advertised with this system because unfortunately the navigation does not work in the UK. I have had this confirmed by the software manufacturer who compared the difference in Sat Nav operating systems to the difference between PC and Mac.

However I have been hopeful that the Television part of the system could work. There is currently a partial picture from the UK terrestrial TV channels. I was hoping that I would only have to attach an aerial to the system to have a full TV picture.

When I was out with my tools today (adding a temporary wingnut and bolt to one of my wheel skirts) I also detached the Sat Nav cradle to have a good look at the connections to the system box. In my naivety I was hoping for an empty connector for 'aerial'. No such luck; there are dozens of wires. :shock:

Please see pictures in photo album link below.

http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chr ... yahoo.com/

My questions for a electrical genius out there are:

Can I / How do I improve the TV picture?
What is that separate little metal box attached below the main Sat Nav box for?
What is that plastic connector on the bottom left hand side (from the front) for? Since that has the only empty ports could that be the TV aerial connector (although it looks more audio to me)?

I would be grateful for any help or advice people could give; even if you are reading this post months in the future, if you have something useful to add, please post! Thx

 

[Rick]

Well, for starters the large plug in the first two pictures is the same as the one on our Insight's in the US. The 20 wire one. I'd imagine the wires all go to the same places too.

 

[boogetyboogety]

How cool would a TV screen be in your Insight... !

If you're getting a signal on your monitor, that means there is some sort of connection between your monitor and an antenna that's able to pick up terrestrial signals. To me, it sounds like you're getting a distorted signal, since your television standard (PAL) is not compatible with the NTSC-M standard used in Japan (and in the USA). A brief description:

"NTSC - National Television Standards Committee. The oldest existing standard, developed in the USA. First used in 1954. Consists of 525 horizontal lines of display and 60 vertical lines [note: sometimes referred to as "Never Twice the Same Color."] Only one type, known as NTSC M.

"SECAM - Système Électronique pour Couleur avec Mémoire. Developed in France. First used in 1967. A 625-line vertical, 50-line horizontal display [sometimes referred to as "Something Essentially Contrary to the American Method" or SEcond Colour Always Magenta"] Different types use different video bandwidth and audio carrier specs. Types B and D usually used for VHF; types G, H, and K for UHF; types I, N, M, K1 and L for both VHF/UHF. Different types are generally not compatible. Used in France (natch) and a lot of the 'Stan countries.

"PAL - Phase Alternating Line. Developed in the United Kingdom & Germany. First used in 1967. Also a 625/50-line display [proponents call it "Perfection At Last," but due to the cost of the enormous circuit complexity, critics often refer to it as "Pay A Lot"]. Different types use different video bandwidth and audio carrier specs. Common types are B, G and H; less common types include D, I, K, N and M. The different types are generally not compatible."

Best advice I can give you, tear the whole mess out of your dash and send it to me, I'll put it in my Insight and see if it works... :wink: ...but seriously, folks, I have a feeling that's why your picture is "partial," like the old scrambled porn cable channels used to look like (not that I ever watched them... ever...).

Question: Is there a way to change the channels? You probably only have a monitor, not a tuner. A clever electronics person might be able to install a NTSC/PAL converter, attach that to a tuner (or a DVD player!), and provide you with a watchable picture (I'm assuming a full-color display).

Keep me/us posted on your quest, I am beyond intrigued...

 

[The Citrus Smoothie]

Thanks BoogetyBoogety. The NTSC/PAL issue makes a great deal of sense. Yes, it is a full colour LCD screen and does have a tuner (and unlike much of the rest of the Sat Nav software, fortunately there is no Japanese for 'auto-select'!!).
You can imagine how frustrating it is to have the hardware in the car but not working fully. Now I need to find someone locally who is electronically gifted, which may be harder than it sounds! Thx

 

[The Citrus Smoothie]

I went to a specialist car electronics shop today who deal with in-car navigation, TVs etc. They couldn't do anything, claiming that the Japanese system is completely different . I will try and contact Alpine technical services and see what they say. It is not looking very hopeful.

However, I did found out something new today - the Japanese do not have an obsession with demisting their car windows......the brown lines on both my triangular (quarterlight?) windows are actually TV aerials! An idea for you radio hams out there?

 

[boogetyboogety]

Well how about that...

I would still bet a dollar to a doughnut that a NTSC signal piped in to your receiver would result in a signal.

My Insight has no embedded wires in the triangular windows, but if yours has them, there must be a plug-in connection between your antennae (...that IS the plural for antenna, isn't it??) and the head unit, somewhere. THERE's where you feed in the appropriate TV signal, from whatever PAL-to-NTSC converter gadget you and/or your electronic buddies use. I would look for the cable leading from either window to your head unit. Keep us (me!) posted as to your investigation, I'll try and dig around a bit more on my end to see what I can discover...

 

[The Citrus Smoothie]

Update: Help from an electrical genius still needed! - I now have the NTSC / PAL converter (and a TV Tuner if I need to set up a stand alone system).

Last weekend I went to connect up the new parts and was hoping to figure out the wiring with a couple of clued up neighbours. I knew the wiring for the rear unit in the 'boot' was complicated and unlabelled. I was hoping that the head / dash unit might have been simpler or at least labelled. No such luck. Check out the latest photos on this link.

http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/chr ... ph&.view=t

The photos might help you guys who want a double din installation. As you can see there are an equivalent large number of wires going in to the head unit and I do not know which wires are the video feed. Doh. Help still needed! I am going to e-mail Alpine / Matsushita to request help but I am not hopeful.

In addition, out of curiosity, what is the purpose of the white plastic box sitting at the back of the dash which can be seen in the head unit photos?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[boogetyboogety]

Ahh, jeez, I feel so helpless...

Can't help you, neighbor.

But in the action films I've seen, you never cut the red wire (or the bomb goes off!) :roll: