Installed the new AVN5495 two weeks ago and I wanted to pass along my thoughts.

Man, if you can afford it, it's got to be the best thing going. It's pricey but full of features. Nav (runnning on a hard drive) is the fastest thing I've seen and the CD juke box is very nice (holds over 200 CDs). Install was relatively easy with just minor mods to the hole in the dash. The hu seems to be true double DIN where the F250 hole is not quite. Haven't used or tried all the features yet, like rear monitor (I have to recover from purchasing the hu) but so far no complaints.

If anyone wants any specific information, I'll be around.

Larry

 

I didn't realize they released the 5495, I have the 5435 and love it so far.

 

Yeah, it's just out. It was pretty tough not going ahead with the 5435.

 

I'm torn between the AVN5495 & AVN5435, I've been waiting for 5495 to come out because I was told that the reason for the release delay was because they were making the 5495 Sirius satellite compatible but now I have found out that it's not. Eclipse probably won't have it out with Sirius til next year under a different model.

So I'm trying to decide do I want the 5495 with the hard drive for faster navigation access & the ability to rip CD's but cost $400 more than the 5435 or do I want the 5435 with satellite radio and save a couple bucks?

How much did ya'll pay for your headunits? I've got a price of $1,600 for the 5435 & $2000 for the 5495.

Have you had any glitches so far with the hard drive in the 5495?

Got any pictures of it installed?

Thanks

 

200Proof,

I thought the AVN5495 IS compatible with Sirius satellite... This is the radio I've been kind of looking at, but I would be hard pressed to spend that kind of cash if it's NOT able to have everything I want. I thought the SIR-ECL1 was the compatible unit...

Irhill, please post pics if you have them... Are you hooking up satellite???

 

If the link works, should be a few "after" pictures. The 5495 may be "Sirius ready" but the Sat receiver is not out yet. Supposed to be out in August but I'm not holding my breath. Sirius was not the deciding factor for purchasing this unit. I wanted a nav unit, and the CD juke box sold me. Also complete nav while watching movies (which, of course, I don't do while driving, but I could...) or listening to CDs.

Absolutely no problems so far. Went on a 3500 mile trip the day after installing it so I had a lot of time to play with it. As far as cost, looks to me like $2000 or less is the going price. Like just about every toy, I couldn't justify the cost and didn't try, I just wanted it.


https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=17201

 

Does the DVD work while driving? I thouht they had that feature disabled and it would only work while stopped? Maybe just on another model ?

Looks great in the pics. Even have a map up of my old stomping grounds.

Makes me think about getting one even more (my wife is not going to be happy)....

 

Irhill,

Thanks for the pics!!! Now as far as you or your "PASSENGER" watching movies while your DRIVING, (which is still illegal in Calif.) this can be done with the 5495? Do you have the added DVD player installed? Or does the nav just go off the hard drive? I'm still a little confused on this, any info would be greatly appreciated. I've got a Pioneer system in the mini-van. The DVD's are played from the HU, while the Navigation is a seperate component. (AVIC-80?). I have to ask the same question CobraXP asked: Is the Navigation "functional" while driving? not just viewable, but can changes be made while moving? As most have already read, the new Pioneer systems have a gyro, so any speed over 5 (10?) MPH, you cannot use the navigation (or watch any DVD's)...

Also, did you install it? How was that??? Any MAJOR hurdles? Thanks again for the pics and any more info you can provide.

Oh yeah, anything negative on the 5495? Something it doesn't have but you wish it did????

Thanks!

 

i beleive this head unit has the inbedded gyroscope so that you canot drive and watch movies... but i could be wrong

Matt

 

No, this unit (5495) doesn't have the gyro. It relys on a connection to the parking brake sense. If it's hooked up correctly, the only time you can watch DVDs or do much with the nav system is if you're stopped and the parking brake is on.

 

I actually cruised by a distributor today... He believed that there were NO limitations as far as moving and entering info into the nav system. Oh, and watching a DVD while moving wasn't a problem either... These units are hot off the manufacturer's line, so he didn't know all the limitations just yet. He did know the 5435 quite well though. Also, since being so new to the market, he said the one he had in stock was being recalled for an "update"... Irhill, you just may want to check with your dealer about this... He also said that the SIR-ECL1 was the compatible Sirius radio unit and it is out. He has two in stock.
Irhill, if you don't mind, what was the ball park figure you paid for your unit. This guy wanted $2399 and didn't seem like he was going to budge... Anyway, I'd still like to hear things first hand, so if you have the time, drop another couple of lines to let us know any more information...

 

Like I said, there are limitations to the nav and DVD use if the hu is installed correctly. If someone were to bypass the safetys during installation then everything works all the time.

The installation was pretty easy. I had to open up the dash hole just little (1/4"), I guess the factory radio is not true double DIN. I purchased a wiring kit and that made installation easier. The only problem I had was with the speed sense (VSS). My factory radio didn't have the speed/volume option so the speed sense wire was not in the radio plug. Just so happens there is a wire in the plug that's the almost the correct color though, and it took me awhile to figure that out. I had to remove the dash and find the VSS it on the back up by the tach. Altogether the installation wasn't too bad, but I've done a lot of that type stuff before.

As for cost, I got a really special deal, I don't think any more are available but I'll ask. It sounds to me like $2399 is a little steep but if that's the going price in your area, then that's the price. You can probably find it cheaper but then there are other issues, installation, warranty, etc...

I'll have to check on the Sirius receiver. I think he may be wrong but I don't know enough to say for sure. I knew about the Sirius SIR-ECL1 but I thought Eclipse was coming out with a direct link receiver especially for the 5495.

Haven't had time to hook up the rear monitor option yet but will soon. Not sure what the limitations are as far as dual zone for the DVD. The unit is all-in-one, no separate unit for the DVD. The nav is totally on hard drive and there's one disk slot and one Memory Stick slot. You either put in a CD or DVD in the disk slot. Even if you play music from the juke box, supposedly you can still output DVD to the rear, we'll see. The Memory Stick is for recorded music and/or a theft preventative system, not that that would stop anyone.

One cool thing is you can record music to the juke box off CD or radio. Not sure what I would ever record off the radio but it seems cool anyway.

I guess botom line is I've had it for two weeks, used it a lot, and would do it all over again.

 

Unit looks great! Have you downloaded any music to the hard drive yet? How easy is it to search for songs, can you group them by artist or genre?

 

Question.. while driving do you have any problems with sun glare?

 

When I stopped by today and talked about the Eclipse AVN5495, the owner gave me the Spring 2005 catelog for Eclipse. In the catelog, it mentions the Sirius SIR-ECL1 being used on the 5435. The catelog basically features the new 5495, but doesn't relate the satellite reciver with it. So Irhill, you are probably right... I've got a e-mail into their support and I'm hoping they respond with some info. The dude wasn't too sure about the dual zone either. Like I mentioned before, I have a Pioneer system in the mini van. It's actually a pretty nice setup. The Nav is a seperate from the HU (AVH6500). It has a dual zone feature where we stick a DVD in and it can be watched by all or with a press of the button, audio goes to the IR headphones while the upfront passengers can listen to their own seperate audio. VERY NICE feature with the kids... I also have a question into Eclipse abouth that feature. I'm curious if your looking at seperate monitors for rear video. Any special brand your considering? It's been awhile since I have looked... The ones in the vans are by Visualogic. 6.5" screens in the headrests. I actually purchased the complete headrests with the screens already in there. They are working quite well. They do have a dual input, so one brat can be watching a DVD while the other can do a video game OR another movie... I have to consider the same setup for the new truck. Since the Superduty DOESN'T have headrest, I'm looking for a rear monitor that would be adjustable within it's mounting bracket/frame... If anyone has any recommendations, please let me know...

Ducster, You can actually adjust/tilt the screen to possibly eliminate glare that you might have. It may not totally eliminate it, but it will help it...