Early Mk4 Mondeo Head Unit advice & Sat NAV+DAB

Early Mk4 Mondeo Head Unit advice & Sat NAV+DAB

Author
Discussion

rgv250ads

Original Poster:

434 posts

115 months

Monday 13th April 2015
quotequote all
Hi, one for the ford experts please!
Looking at getting into a circa 2008/2009 Mk4 Mondeo. Titanium X spec (seats and toys!). Been toying with Mondeos, Citroen C5 and mazda 6 but now firmly fixed onto a Mk4 Mondeo 2008/2009.

However, we are seeing a fair bit of variation in the ford factory head units and especially ones with "factory Sat Nav".

This one seems to be the common Sony unit on TitX spec with DAB, obviously no factory nav:


Now then, i've seen two types that are offering Factory Sat Nav. Here is the first variation, seems to be shared with the Focus of similar vinatge and seems a smaller screen. For the benefit of simplcity we'll call this type 1:




Then there is this variation. Lets call this Type 2. This seems to be much larger/more modern:



So, can someone clear up the differences between 'type1' and 'type2'.
Do both Type 1 and Type 2 have DAB? I've seen one car with Type2 but it also had an Alpine Easy-DAB unit fitted aswell, so i'm really unsure what comes with what, DAB included etc.
The selling dealers and traders have been useless and dont know what is what. so..........

Can someone kindly list out the features, pros, cons, etc etc of both Type1 and Type2 i have here.
Thanks in advance!
Future Mondeo owner.

Edited by rgv250ads on Monday 13th April 16:22

Zad

12,704 posts

237 months

Monday 13th April 2015
quotequote all
No idea, I'm sure someone here will know though biggrin

http://www.talkford.com/community/forum/134-in-car...


rgv250ads

Original Poster:

434 posts

115 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
Cheers for that link, but my Laptop will not allow that site for some reason. Anyone else care to chip in with advice pls. thanks!

rgv250ads

Original Poster:

434 posts

115 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
Scrap that, managed to get the site to work on laptop, so posted on the Talkford Forum.

Howard-

4,952 posts

203 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
Neither of the nav units (Blaupunkt FX is the smaller one, Blaupunkt NX is the larger touch screen one) have DAB unfortunately. The FX unit uses an SD card for the maps, the NX unit (in prefacelift guise which is what you're looking at) uses a DVD. The FX unit is quite good for what it is but the NX unit is much better - much larger display, touch-screen, better maps, integrates all the infotainment and climate control functionality nicely.

rgv250ads

Original Poster:

434 posts

115 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
Cheers Howard, just what i wanted to know. Shame the DAB is lost what a pain.

Still, easily sorted with a retrofit DAB module.

So it's the larger one to go for then, not only does it look nicer but also does things better....

Howard-

4,952 posts

203 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
Yep, no brainer IMHO smile You can retrofit a newer Bluetooth module for A2DP streaming as well as USB too if you buy an older one (before late 2009 IIRC) without these smile


rgv250ads

Original Poster:

434 posts

115 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
Cheers howard.

is the Balupunk 'larger screen' unit a decent one in terms of sound quality and overall performance?
The Sony one although without NAV, has that got a decent DAB or is it naff? Some factory headunits with DAB are truely awful and drop reception badly.

What i'm debating is do i go with the Sony one and just use the Garmin when required. If the DAB is good this might be worth considering.

or.....
Do I do with Large Balupunk version and retrofit a DAB module.

I dont want to do down the Sony route if the DAB is rubbish. Mayaswell get the Large Nav unit and use a DAB module.

Optinions please all!

Howard-

4,952 posts

203 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
The NX unit, with the "premium" speakers in my Titanium X Sport, probably is one of the better if not the best standard system I've heard in terms of audio quality. It has a lovely rich detailed sound with no boxiness and the speakers give plenty of low-end heft.

Sony stuff is pretty pap IMHO, I'd rather sacrifice DAB and gain additional functionality and audio quality, but then I never listen to the radio. If I was that fussed about listening to BBC 6 Music or something then I could stream it from my phone using 3G and Bluetooth. Depends on your priorities really!

rgv250ads

Original Poster:

434 posts

115 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
Howard- said:
The NX unit, with the "premium" speakers in my Titanium X Sport, probably is one of the better if not the best standard system I've heard in terms of audio quality. It has a lovely rich detailed sound with no boxiness and the speakers give plenty of low-end heft.

Sony stuff is pretty pap IMHO, I'd rather sacrifice DAB and gain additional functionality and audio quality
Great advice thanks for this !

NX it is then, and add a DAB module. Cheers :-)

thebigmacmoomin

2,800 posts

170 months

Tuesday 14th April 2015
quotequote all
I have that NX larger sat-nav in my Focus (2010 ST) & I have found it performs fine, only used it twice in nearly a year. The audio instructions are easy to follow. Helps on the Focus that the screen inbetween the rev counter & speedo have a mini-sat-nav directions & distance count down.

harryface

2 posts

65 months

Tuesday 15th January 2019
quotequote all
rgv250ads said:
Cheers Howard, just what i wanted to know. Shame the DAB is lost what a pain.

Still, easily sorted with a retrofit DAB module.

So it's the larger one to go for then, not only does it look nicer but also does things better....
Sorry to resurface this, i have just got one of these. Do you know the spec of the retrofit DAB module? how does it install? And how will it come up in the system?

rgv250ads

Original Poster:

434 posts

115 months

Tuesday 15th January 2019
quotequote all
I've wired in a few 'DAB Motion" units, they are great.
can keep OEM headunit, as the DAB motion receives DAB, pumps out an FM signal that you then tune your head unit into.
works very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmgkeAlK2J4