[Strobe]

The original Monsoon Head Unit was...OK...maybe...NOT!

Replaced mine and kept the Monsoon Amp. This install covers the Saturn Sky Redline.
GO WITH "CRUTCHFIELD"!! or you may need Post Traumatic Installation Counselling.
I went with ALL the additional recommended items. The only exception was the Wiring Service. Still had enough brain cells left to manage that myself.
The attached PDF contains the Tips, Notes and pictures of my installation.
I do not 'actually' cover the Install Instructions. All instructions were provided by Crutchfield and are more than adequate!

 

[mikeyt]

Does the brightness of your Alpine unit overcome the glare on that screen ?

 

[Strobe]

Does the brightness of your Alpine unit overcome the glare on that screen ?

Yes. Screen is very visible even in bright sunshine.

 

[Strobe]

BTW, forgot to mention a good tip. Get a 36-in Nylon Cable Tie (had to buy a pack). Works great for fishing wires around the dash insides!

 

[Ceeray]

Would you trust Best Buy to to the installation? Or maybe more of a small stereo shop installer. I really don’t want to try to tackle it myself.

 

[Strobe]

Would you trust Best Buy to to the installation? Or maybe more of a small steep shop installer. I really don’t want to try to tackle it myself.

Compare guarantees on installations. It really comes down to them standing behind their work.

 

[Ceeray]

Compare guarantees on installations. It really comes down to them standing behind their work.

Yeah that’s true.

 

[sahein]

Would you trust Best Buy to to the installation? Or maybe more of a small stereo shop installer. I really don’t want to try to tackle it myself.

I paid Best Buy $200.00 to install a Kenwood and accessories. The agreement was to install anything that I purchased for a year. Then Covid hit and they closed the install shop. The year expired so I installed it myself after I retired. No refund.

 

[Ceeray]

I paid Best Buy $200.00 to install a Kenwood and accessories. The agreement was to install anything that I purchased for a year. Then Covid hit and they closed the install shop. The year expired so I installed it myself after I retired. No refund.

Sounds like a bunch of bs. They should have given you another year.

 

[rjgramps]

I am gun-shy replacing head units. Between the directional signal being pumped through the sound system, and the steering wheel buttons, there is just too much opportunity for something not integrated properly.

What intrigues me is a stock head unit with a USB port. There are a few out there. I would want to plug-in and leave-in my stubby memory stick full of my music for plug-and-play operation , but I am not sure it would work that way. The radio would need a special display for song selection and I don't think it has that. I fear I would be limited to using my smart phone with a cable which is a complete turn-off to me.

 

[TomatoSoup]

What intrigues me is a stock head unit with a USB port. There are a few out there. I would want to plug-in and leave-in my stubby memory stick full of my music for plug-and-play operation , but I am not sure it would work that way. The radio would need a special display for song selection and I don't think it has that.

I have a 2009 Sky USB radio in my Solstice. It DOES have the ability to display a list of folders (albums) or songs on the standard display, and also uses the small knob to scroll through as well as the station buttons to jump blocks of folders/songs (one button will jump 5 (-ish - from memory), the next will jump more & so on. Actually very easy and much better than the Kenwood 7" in my wife's car.

CORRECTION: Just looked up the USB radio manual, and the station keys work as follows - note, it doesn't say this, but if you re-press a key, it jumps the same amount again:

To skip through large lists, the five softkeys can be used
to navigate in the following order:
• First softkey, first item in the list.
• Second softkey, 20% through the list.
• Third softkey, 40% through the list.
• Fourth softkey, 60% through the list.
• Fifth softkey, 80% through the list

 

[Matthew Huffman]

I've got an Atoto A6 to install this spring when Minnesota thaws out. I've been meaning to look up John's posts and pick his brain on how he built his harness to integrate the monsoon system.

As much as I do like the factory units look for the time frame, I really like having connectivity to my phone in my other vehicles.

 

[rjgramps]

I have a 2009 Sky USB radio in my Solstice. It DOES have the ability to display a list of folders (albums) or songs on the standard display, and also uses the small knob to scroll through as well as the station buttons to jump blocks of folders/songs (one button will jump 5 (-ish - from memory), the next will jump more & so on. Actually very easy and much better than the Kenwood 7" in my wife's car.

CORRECTION: Just looked up the USB radio manual, and the station keys work as follows - note, it doesn't say this, but if you re-press a key, it jumps the same amount again:

This is excellent information!!!

Thank You TomatoSoup!