I gritted my teeth and pulled apart the dash of my 7th Gen to install the XCarlink I've been quizzing this forum about. The hardest part was the satnav DVD surround. I really struggled to prise it off. Mercifully I got there in the end without damage. I hope that putting a little silicone lubricant on all the little trim catches will make a repeat rather easier. If you've a 7th Gen with satnav this is the best guide I've found for getting at the back of the head unit - ironically on a Civic forum!. http://www.civinfo.com/wiki/index.php?***le=Install_Xcarlink_in_2007_Accord
Connecting XCarlink was of course easy in itself. The connector does not seem to click into place though so I can understand stories of intermittent connections. So far so good, however. Opting for putting the XCarlink unit in the glovebox was really easy. There's just two bolts underneath holding it in place. Once it's dangling from the stay on the left it's easier to route the cable from the head unit. Putting everyback together was plain sailing.
In spite of all the varying reports, in my car I get access to 16 folders maximum. Not 10 or 16 or 99 - but 16. It's enough but 99 would have been nice!. For ease of use I prefer one virtual CD to hold the files for one real one. That means even with high quality mp3 files any storage card/stick larger than 2Gb is redundant. The only display you get is CD and Track number in the small upper display. It just says 'Extension' in big letters on the satnav screen so no 'touch' options at all. 'CD' up and down is controlled from the head unit buttons. Track +/- and volume from head unit and wheel. For me this does the job.
First impressions of sound quality is that's it's comparable with the CD but maybe a bit lower in volume for most albums - they do vary. USB stick or SD cards sound the same but maybe line in from my Sony mp3 player sounds a bit punchier. Early days yet but there's not much obvious difference CD;SD;USB;line in. I rip CD at max 320kps. by the way.
Connecting XCarlink was of course easy in itself. The connector does not seem to click into place though so I can understand stories of intermittent connections. So far so good, however. Opting for putting the XCarlink unit in the glovebox was really easy. There's just two bolts underneath holding it in place. Once it's dangling from the stay on the left it's easier to route the cable from the head unit. Putting everyback together was plain sailing.
In spite of all the varying reports, in my car I get access to 16 folders maximum. Not 10 or 16 or 99 - but 16. It's enough but 99 would have been nice!. For ease of use I prefer one virtual CD to hold the files for one real one. That means even with high quality mp3 files any storage card/stick larger than 2Gb is redundant. The only display you get is CD and Track number in the small upper display. It just says 'Extension' in big letters on the satnav screen so no 'touch' options at all. 'CD' up and down is controlled from the head unit buttons. Track +/- and volume from head unit and wheel. For me this does the job.
First impressions of sound quality is that's it's comparable with the CD but maybe a bit lower in volume for most albums - they do vary. USB stick or SD cards sound the same but maybe line in from my Sony mp3 player sounds a bit punchier. Early days yet but there's not much obvious difference CD;SD;USB;line in. I rip CD at max 320kps. by the way.
