Possible to Replace Factory Videotape Player With DVD Player?

[[email protected]]

2003 Ford Windstar has a vhs tape player by Autovision that fits in and
quick connects to a floor mounted console. The video is displayed on an
overhead drop-down screen. This was Ford's factory instaled
entertainment system. We would like to move on to a DVD player, but
Autovision does not have an upgrade path to a DVD player for this
system.

Could an aftermarket DVD player be used instead? I realize that the
quick connect functionality would be lost, but could an installer at
least utilize the floor console to hold the aftermarket DVD player and
feed the video to the factory screen and audio output jacks?

[Matt Ion]

wrote:
> 2003 Ford Windstar has a vhs tape player by Autovision that fits in and
> quick connects to a floor mounted console. The video is displayed on an
> overhead drop-down screen. This was Ford's factory instaled
> entertainment system. We would like to move on to a DVD player, but
> Autovision does not have an upgrade path to a DVD player for this
> system.
>
> Could an aftermarket DVD player be used instead? I realize that the
> quick connect functionality would be lost, but could an installer at
> least utilize the floor console to hold the aftermarket DVD player and
> feed the video to the factory screen and audio output jacks?

Uh... "probably". :)


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[MOSFET]

> 2003 Ford Windstar has a vhs tape player by Autovision that fits in and
> quick connects to a floor mounted console. The video is displayed on an
> overhead drop-down screen. This was Ford's factory instaled
> entertainment system. We would like to move on to a DVD player, but
> Autovision does not have an upgrade path to a DVD player for this
> system.
>
> Could an aftermarket DVD player be used instead? I realize that the
> quick connect functionality would be lost, but could an installer at
> least utilize the floor console to hold the aftermarket DVD player and
> feed the video to the factory screen and audio output jacks?
>\
Absolutely, no problem. I did something kind of similar in a friend's car.
I actually used a small Cyberhome DVD player (the kind you can buy for $30
at Wal-Mart) and I opened it up and took the "sensor eye" (for the remote
control) out and lengthened that wire and ran it up into the dash. So the
user could use the remote control and just point it at the dash. The unit
was anchored firmly to the floor under the passenger seat and when you
wanted to change DVD's, you just pressed the "eject" button on the remote
and the tray came out and you could then switch disks (you never had to
operate any of the controls on the player itself). It worked GREAT!

MOSFET

[[email protected]]

Thanks for the advice. I'm glad there is an other option other than
plugging a portable dvd player into the videocassette player's line-in
jacks.