Home > Consumer Reviews > JVC KD-AVX44 El Kameleon Vehicle Multimedia Receiver w/ 3.5" Monitor

I was searching around trying to find something that I could use as my central "media" center without having to install a mac mini in my Pt Cruiser.

My needs were/are: Ipod integration (including video playback), Dvd Playback, CDs, Bluetooth and of course am/fm. After a long hard search of single-din units I choose this model.

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What I liked about this unit is you have a video out. You can hook up your headrest monitors and if you have a game system (Xbox, PS, Wii...what have you) you can hook it up to the video in that it has to offer as well (with full playback to your headrests). This just allows you to have direct connection to your cars speakers.

Dvd Playback. It is very good. Turn the car off, it'll start right back up where it left off.

Bluetooth. My boyfriend has a Pioneer DEH-P9800BT which I installed as well (A great unit if you don't require Dvd play back). Unlike the pioneer unit there is no mic to install anywhere and the quality still sounds pretty good on both ends. Doesn't matter what source you are using Bluetooth will alert you when someone is calling by pausing your music/video and showing the caller Id. You can accept or decline.

AM/FM. I was a bit disappointed that the unit didn't have RDS. I have been using a factory unit that had it and kind of miss that feature. Seemed like a feature they could have added.

Ipod. Heres where I am on the fence. I had been using a fm transmitter for my ipod and finally wanted direct connect because I could not take the quality anymore. I purchased an Apple Composite AV Cable (THIS WORKS JUST AS GOOD AS A JVC KSU20 CABLE) Of course, The quality was 300% better than before. However, The Interface is a bit slow. I really hope that JVC comes out with a firmware upgrade that speeds it up a bit. When I go to play "The Killers" it takes me approx. 1 minute to get to the letter "K". But for the most part I keep it on shuffle. The unit charges the Ipod as well.

Ipod Video. This is a cool feature. With either the JVC KSU20 or the Ipod Composite AV cable. You can watch any video off your ipod and direct the signal to the headrest monitors as well.

Pros: Great Bluetooth, DVD, Ipod Video integration with a sleek (no button look). Love the 4 setting tilt screen (great for stereo units closer to the ground)And Love the Proximity motion light as well.

Cons: For a single din unit JVC did a decent job, Ipod interface is really my only complaint. I had looked at the JVC KD NX5000. But didn't like the look of the unit or felt the need for crappy navagation. The menu interface feels like it should be more user friendly (getting to the ipod artists list has to be done by hitting about 5 buttons)

I have not used satellite or the back-up camera (which I plan to install soon).

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Good luck and have fun with this great little unit.


*UPDATE*

A few new things.

Satellite Radio - Bought the Sirius Adapter through ebay. Though it's not as fast as a stand-alone unit, It sounds great and it's nice to have it integrated into the radio.

Iphone Compatibility - I was a little disappointed to see that, unfortunately, the Iphone does not seem to be compatible with the unit. Maybe with either an update from Apple or JVC this will change in the future. For now, I use my usable Ipod touch just as a music jukebox in the car and Iphone for everything else (gym, work, etc...). It's actually not a bad setup.

HD Radio - Buying the HD Adapter fixed my RDS problem. Any stations that send out artist info is now displayed. Without excellent reception, those extra HD stations are hit or miss. It's a nice feature to have. Quality can be exceptional at times.

I will keep those interested up-to-date if I come across any new info on the unit.

Have Fun,
Mary

I have my 3G Nano plugged into the JVC AVX44 unit and it plays music and video very well. Video quality is excellent. JVC did a decent job building in the necessary controls to playback all of the content on your iPod. I keep mine safely locked in my glove box and never have to touch it. The Nano is the perfect size for this, and the JVC unit keeps it charged for me too.

Everyone seemed to be out of stock for the KS-U20 A/V cable required for video playback. I substituted Apple Composite AV Cable- MB129LL/A and it works fine (although $10 more).

Cover art is a disappointment. JVC advertises that they display iPod cover art, but there are three caveats. One, no cover art unless the parking brake is on (there's ways around that... Google is your friend). Two, cannot display cover art full screen (its only postage stamp size). Three, the tiny cover art display is so blurry that you can't even make out the image. This is completely contradictory to the video displays which are sharp and crisp. I'm hoping for a firmware update in the future to fix these flaws.

The touch display on the head unit is a cool feature but not really practical while you're driving. Your finger slides all over the place swirling around the dial to increase/decrease the volume. Fortunately it comes with a nice remote which I use instead.

I hooked up Sirius satellite and am pleased with the way the unit handles that as well. Let's you navigate channels by category, or just one-by-one.

This unit replaces an Alpine popup display unit that I had for 5 years. I'm definitely impressed by the size of the AVX44 display for a single DIN unit. I'd recommend this unit for the coolness factor, and good iPod integration.

After a month with this unit, I have to say that it really does do everything that it advertises, and that's great! the Bluetooth cell phone integration is fantastic (and the primary reason I bought it)

The ipod integration? another key feature, but could be better, it works ok with my 5th gen, but refuses to see my iphone.

Menu integration on the ipod is fair at best, but thats the fault of the user interface, the same interface with a cool ipod-like volume swirl motion that unfortunately as others have said does everything but adjust the volume, if you're listening to the radio, and you aren't perfect in the 'volume swirl motion' it'll change your channel. While you use a swirl motion like an ipod click wheel, it *only* works for volume, you can't use it to help navigate the menus when you have an ipod full of music. Imagine trying to reach an artist whose name starts with M when it starts at A or Z, and you have to go up and down one page at a time, and only by holding your finger on the touch screen because the remote? it doesn't let you navigate menus.

The interface is the downfall here, if the interface was better, or the remote could replace touching the panel, this would head unit would get solid 5 stars from me, as it is, the hardware gets 5 stars, the software gets 1, and that averages 3.

I'd really like to see updated firmware to fix the dreadful interface, or even a new front panel that has a volume control that doesn't make you take your eyes off the road and risk accidents.

Just bought this radio to replace a Alpine in my Jeep, can't install a radio with a popup video screen due to placement of radio, so this 3.5 screen is the largest you can install. One problem with the touch screen is the volume control, you end up changing everything but the volume. They should have implemented a soft button to bring up the volume icon then you swish your finger around the screen to raise or lower the volume, (as it is now, its like the volume control on your iPod, you swirl around your finger to raise or lower. but just try and bring up the volume and not every other control).

iPod compatablity - the attached usb cable works when I attach a usb thumb drive and plays music fine, I tried my 2nd gen iPod nano 8GB it would not work, I then tried my iPhone also did not work. However my iTouch worked fine.

Super cool radio..looks awesome.. video is great.. functions very well.. not user friendly though. You really have to dig into the menu screen to get the most out of the bluetooth features. I don't mind it. getting use to it over time but it does take some work. People crack me up about the cover art.. who really wants to see an album cover for a song while driving?.. I don't get it. The phone bluetooth works very well it you turn down the mic level or the other person can hear their own echo. You can even change the background color to match your cars interior lighting.
I really like this stereo.