Factory installed DVD vs. Dealer installed DVD

It depends on the ability to get the dealer installed option serviced. Is it a name brand that has convenient places you can go to have it worked on if there is a problem? If you have the factory installed one, you can go to any Toyota dealer for service. If you have the dealer installed one, you have to go back to the dealer who installed it if there is a problem with the installation.

Thanks this makes sense we have a list of questions including yours for the dealer about the brand they use and service. It would be nice to have the option of the kids being able to watch two different things but not at the expense of reliability so we'll have to investigate. appreciate the reply Nancy

For much less money and portability, we just bought portable DVD players. They are as low as $200 and you can take them with you to the airport. They are really handy when you have a 3 hour layover. If they break in a year, you can buy the next generation DVD play for $150. How much is the dealer charging these days for a "built in" DV player?

P.S. For the really "wired" generation, buy a $600 laptop instead! You can watch DVDs, play MP3 music from the hard drive, play computer games and hook up a GPS to the USB port and make the device really useful. A

- plus it will work with the vehicle mov> >

A little clarification - Toyota factory GPS systems do work while the vehicle is moving but you cannot enter addresses or query other information.

nancy wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Compare prices, you might find that the dealer installed ones are a better value. When we bought our Sienna, the dealer installed DVD player was about $100 cheaper, included a TV Tuner (which gets pretty crappy reception but at least it's there), and had a 3" bigger screen.

Sure.

If I have to come to a complete stop (put it in Park?) before I can query my GPS, it is not "working". I know the purpose of this design, to keep the driver's attention focused on the road. If you have a second adult or teenager, they could act as the "navigator" and query the information while you drive - but not in the Avalon with the factory spec GPS. This could be useful in a road trip where the back seat crew says "I gotta go! NOW!". You would have to stop completely to use the GPS to locate a suitable facility - not good in heavy traffic. The typical reply of "Why did you go at the last stop?" does you no good . . .

The GPS is working whether the vehicle is moving or not. It is recording the vehicle's position, direction, speed, etc.

Since the driver and occupants can't get POI, addresses, etc. while moving, it's the driver and occupants who can't work the GPS

I know the purpose of this design,

I agree that there are many times when it would be very convenient to have the passenger query addresses, POI, etc. while I'm driving. I have read of hacks to override the safety feature although I do not know of anyone who has been successful. IMO, it would be easy enough to detect the presence of a properly belted front seat adult passenger and then allow input under those circumstances only.

Absolutely. Yet another of _many_ reasons to _never_ buy a factory GPS.