kmarlowe

I understand my MDT-X7000 is enroute, and it's the last thing I need to complete my install. I've downloaded the manual from Xenarc, and page 36 gives a nice wiring diagram - seems to have all of the wires, including connectors and functions listed.

However, there are some strange ones in there, and other posts on this forum indicate I'm not the only one trying to figure it out. So... any insight on what the leads marked "NC 1", "NC 2", "PC PWN -", and "PC PWN +" are for? Here's a clue - they all look like bare wires (no audio/data connectors on the drawing).

Otherwise, the possibilities look pretty amazing with this thing - multiple inputs and outputs for video and audio, DVI, USB ports on the front...

Thanks - KLM

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kmarlowe

OK, no sooner had I posted this than I figured part of it out. The motherboard manual for my Shuttle FX43G (see http://eu.shuttle.com/download/Downl...43G_readme.htm) notes a pair of PC power jumpers labelled "PWON;" there's no polarity noted. That's wired to the PC power switch, so I imagine connecting the Xenarc to these pins moves the PC power function to the head unit, which may or may not be a good idea since I'm using a smart power supply. I may try it. I wonder if it can be spliced in so the switch works on the PC as well as on the HU.

Still confused about NC 1 and NC 2, though. "NC" in my mobo manual means "no connection" and appears on unused pins in jumpers. I wonder why Xenarc included wires for these if they're not intended to be connected to anything. Ideas?

kmarlowe

And we have an answer, from Xenarc!

"The NC1 and NC2 wires do not have any function; they are there for the possible addition of another feature.

Leaving these wires disconnected will not affect the operation of the monitor.

Xenarc Technical Support
support@xenarc.com"

Hope this is useful to someone else.

wjc04wrx

Which wires correspond to the PC power button in the front of the unit?

terrygold

I'm sitting in my FJ now installing the Xenarc and was baffled by the NC1 and NC2. Thanks!

Terry

__________________
FJ Cruiser Car Computer Project
Infill T3 installed
Kyocera K1 and Verizon EVDO wireless internet
Sometimes On Webcam

kmarlowe

There are two PC PWR leads available - you route them to the jumper in your PC case on the power button pins.

LeroyR

Hello to all. I am a member from Greece and i am watching you a lot. I have a question about this monitor. I have allready buy it and plug a rear camera on it what can i do to make this monitor to switch automaticly to the camera without turn it manualy? Is it possible?

terrygold

Hi Leroy, and anyone else considering the Xenarc MDT-X7000.

I can't recommend it at all, and I'm now looking for an alternative myself. I thought it would be a great solution, making the install easy and access to the computer even easier. The installation was easy, thanks to the good folks here who helped make up for poor documentation, but the design and quality of the unit is very bad.

You can read my review here, and my documentation of the first install here.

The screen is ugly, looking like an old Commodore 64 computer, which is probably harsh on the Commodore 64. Usability is not great either.

If it were only ugly and difficult to use, I might keep it, but my second unit is failing already after less than a month. The first unit was replaced when I reported a bug that could only be fixed with a firmware update. I was amazed to find out that to get a firmware update, I had to remove the unit, send it to the factory and then wait about four weeks to get it back. It looks like they just swapped out the unit, and now this unit is having mechanical problems with the screen retraction mechanism. Every three or four times, the screen fails to retract, making an awful gear-stripping sound until I give it a little help by hand. Also I never got DVI to work, despite my computer working with other DVI monitors. I did get VGA to work.

It's served its purpose as the Denver Business Journal just wrote a nice article on how I'm using the car computer in my business, but it's time to look for another solution besides the Xenarc. Too bad, I had high hopes for it.

Terry

__________________
FJ Cruiser Car Computer Project
Infill T3 installed
Kyocera K1 and Verizon EVDO wireless internet
Sometimes On Webcam

MP3Car.com

 

LeroyR

Thanks for your anser but i'd like to tell me if your rear view camera turns on automaticly or you doing it manualy by selecting from the menu? from what i have seen to your installation you did plug the camera. Can your monitor turn to av2 by it self?
thanks in advance

terrygold

Hi Leroy,

The backup camera doesn't automatically switch for me at least. I can't say for sure that I haven't missed a connection. Because of all the other problems, it hasn't been high on my prioirty list.

I will say this though - the system takes a long time to boot and be usable. It takes 25 seconds from turning on the ignition to getting sound out of the radio. Even if I set the system to open up showing the backup camera, it's still 25 seconds before a picture appears, so I'm already out of the garage and into the street before the camera works. Just switching between the camera and the radio takes eight seconds even after the system is booted up, and going from radio to camera takes 3 seconds. That's not counting the time to press the menu softkey and make the selection.

Today while timing it, the screen stopped before retracting all the way, making a loud cheap-gear-grinding sound. If I hadn't given it a nudge, it probably would have remained half retracted until either the power shut off or it ran my battery down.

The next warm afternoon we get in Colorado, it's coming out of the dash. I bought the extended warrenty and I'll be testing that next. :-)

__________________
FJ Cruiser Car Computer Project
Infill T3 installed
Kyocera K1 and Verizon EVDO wireless internet
Sometimes On Webcam

LeroyR

Well, this monitor works for me right now, if you conceder that my car pc want at least 30 sec to boot. The delayes some times is annoying but is the only monitor that gives me all that i want in one solution, actually there is no 1 din motorized monitor with out delayes. I hoppe that you will find that makes you happy, becouse we all know that a carpc it isn't a easy going think but there are many monitors that you can use.

kmarlowe

It's been awhile since I started this thread, and I just stumbled upon it while surfing, so I thought I'd post an update. My MDT-X7000 is back for warranty replacement for the third time (that will be four units installed and tried, three broke so far). First failure was the LCD extension motor, the second was the screen going white (apparently caused by my "incorrect insertion of a CD," which popped a ribbon connector off - why is that even possible?), and this time when the CD ejection mechanism failed. Of note, I don't work this unit hard; I usually leave the LCD extended, and only change out the DVD when my toddler gets bored with watching the same one a dozen times. These monitors are a great idea - I love the idea of the CD mechanism in the HU, and use the front-side USB all the time, but the workmanship is awful. Don't even get me started about the user interface for the radio and settings - "Commodore 64" (noted above) is being nice.

This isn't small potatoes whining - the unit cost almost $800 new, shipping it back costs about $15 ground via UPS, uninstalling it takes about 30 min (reinstallation a little longer), and the turnaround time on the replacements is about one week each way in shipping, plus a week at Xenarc - a long time to go without a head unit if you drive a lot.

The good news is that Xenarc has been responsive with RMAs and that process, if slow to execute, has been problem-free. And the 18-mo warranty is unusually long and appreciated. Still, three failures in 18 mon. on a $800 piece of gear?

So I'm looking for an alternative. Screen size and visibility on the MDT-X7000 is fine, I have no pref on a single- or double-DIN for my Ridgeline, but I can't be pulling this thing out and sending it back all the time.

Hope this helps someone.

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