I am picking up an '09 F-250 Lariat, CC with factory sunroof next week. I found out during my research that if you got a factory sunroof you could not get a factory DVD as well. It was one or the other.

Has anyone added an aftermarket DVD roof mounted player to a 2008-2010 SuperDuty CC that has the sunroof or am I SOL or should I say my kids are SOL but then I have to hear them whine on long trips. tks

 

Forget the roof and go with the seat backs a la my 2010 F250 below. The DVD player/game console input is in the center console. Still plenty of center console left.

 

That's an option. Can I ask what something like that costs (unit + labor). tks

 

If you look at the headliner you can see that there is no place to mount one. The sliding window needs to be able to come back in order to open. So there is no place to mount it. The headrest screens look pretty good. That is really your only option, unless you want to get the portable ones that sit in your lap. They are pretty cheap now. You can always use a laptop computer as well.

 

Not sure why this design in any different than my '03 Expedition that has a factory sunroof and factory DVD player. There is not much difference in roof length between the 2 nor difference in thickness so not sure why one can not be added. The newer factory DVD players from Ford are very long vs. the older ones(like mine) that is much smaller but thick.

 

Well, if that is the case, what I would do is go to one of the local stereo shops and see if they would put one in for you. I don't know what that would do to a warranty. I guess it would also depend on the unit. You wouldn't want it back to far. If there is a cross beam up there then I would think it could be done. I looked at that pic again, and it really isn't the best.

 

Here is a headliner pic of an 01 F250 that I found on Ebay. You can see how the headliner is molded around the cross beams. If there isn't a cross beam, then there won't be anything to mount the dvd player to.

 

It was mixed in with the price of the new truck. However, on the contract it is $999. That's one DVD player with game console input, FM repeater (to hear the DVD/game console through the truck's speakers), remote for the player, one remote each for each screen and two wireless headphones. And here's the kicker for me FULLY WARRANTED by FORD!

 

Thanks for the reply. Did you want the system this way or did Ford say there was no way to mount a rooftop DVD since you had the sunroof? My third option is a hardwired power inverter hooked up to a laptop that I place on the center armrest I guess. Not as pretty but not as expensive either.

 

I actually wanted it this way, but yes Ford told me about the either or option. When you build a vehicle on Ford's web site you can actually see where the system deletes the sunroof when adding a roof DVD and vice versa. I've been on trips in vehciles with the roof mounted system as well as my own seat back system. The roof mounted system has the viewer looking up at a very unnatural 30 degree angle. Over the course of a normal movie length the viewer ends up with a neck ache. You can liken it to watching a movie in the very front row at a theater. There's a reason why nobody goes down there!

 

Interesting. So Ford deletes the DVD if you get the sunroof or deletes the sunroof if you get the DVD but you had the ability(or the dealer) did to override this and get both? I assume your comment meant the dealer gave you an option of roof or headrest(both factory install) with your sunroof but you chose headrest for viewing angle but roof was available. I wonder if the factory would have built the roof differently(bracket) had you gone roof and since you didn't there is no bracket there now.

 

No, it was and is my understanding (and I did order my truck, not off a lot!) that from the factory you can have one or the other, but not both. In other words if you want a factory electric moon roof you can't have a roof mount DVD. And if you want a roof mount DVD you can't have an electric moon roof. Since there was a dealer option for a seat back DVD I prefered the factory electric moon roof. Not to mention that because of the viewing angle I already knew I did not want a factory roof mount DVD. Notice that I did not call my system "head rest", but instead "seat back". In the traditional sense the 2010 and below F250 does not have a headrest like the F150. The dealer has to cut into the factory leather and mount the DVD screen to the chair's frame. I almost passed on it because of that, but they ended up doing a decent job. Unlike other setups I've seen those DVD screens will not become flying projectiles in the case of an accident.

 

Thanks F250nube. I guess I have to resort to the expensive seat back install as the option. Not ideal but what about a hardwired inverter and just sticking a laptop on the front center console between the buckets and getting a wireless transmitter to use wireless headphones. I don't get my truck until next week and not sure of the exact layout of the console and what not but since you have it do you think this would work based on the layout. My geuss is an aftermarket seat back install will be $1k+ and don't think it is worth this and my needs.

 

Sure, that'll work. Or even just a high capactity battery for the laptop. However, just remember that when you're doing 60 mph so is the laptop. When the vehcile stops suddeenly the laptop is still going 60 until it hits something that'll slow it down. Stay safe and try to fabricate something that will affix the laptop to the truck.

 

Great point on the battery and the affixing. Nothing a rubber bungee couldn't fix.