Too many screens / cluster of chargers

[Retiredanglers]

Has anyone found the most convenient / cost effective product(s) to keep technology all in one place? I’m looking for a combination solution to have Navigation, Sat Radio, Bluetooth, cameras (Front and rear) and most other electronic tools all in one place / screen. My unit is 2008 E 450. Lexington 235 CD. No factory smarts. Please send me your ideas and product recommendations.

Thanks from the Great White North

 

[TitanMike]

Has anyone found the most convenient / cost effective product(s) to keep technology all in one place? I’m looking for a combination solution to have Navigation, Sat Radio, Bluetooth, cameras (Front and rear) and most other electronic tools all in one place / screen. My unit is 2008 E 450. Lexington 235 CD. No factory smarts. Please send me your ideas and product recommendations.

Thanks from the Great White North

Either trade up to a new(er) model with those features or look for apps for each that can allow control on a Smart phone.

When it comes to chargers which were mentioned in thread title, all of my charging devices can be monitored on a single screen. Converter, 2-solar controllers, and DC-DC charger that charges my "house" batteries while driving are all Victron and share data from BMV-712 monitor. Opening screen on my smartphone app shows every active device.

 

[Baker9713]

If you find your phone screen is too small, get a tablet like an iPad air. You can find various mounting solutions on Amazon.

 

[kenandterry]

Has anyone found the most convenient / cost effective product(s) to keep technology all in one place? I’m looking for a combination solution to have Navigation, Sat Radio, Bluetooth, cameras (Front and rear) and most other electronic tools all in one place / screen. My unit is 2008 E 450. Lexington 235 CD. No factory smarts. Please send me your ideas and product recommendations.

Thanks from the Great White North

You’re kind of asking for the infotainment system screens found on most of today’s vehicles to be retrofitted to a car from 2008. I’m not sure if it’s even possible, and if it is, it’s not going to be cheap.

Here’s the cockpit of my Ford E450 with my technology equipment. I’ve had the GPS for years……and it has quite a history file from previous vehicles. The rear view camera monitor is an aftermarket from TadiBrothers, and just clips onto the useless factory rear view mirror. The portable Sirius XM unit allows us to move our music between vehicles or the house so we can always enjoy it.

 

[lmiken]

I have a 2008 F350 that had no USB or navigation system. I replace my stereo system with a Kenwood dnx577s navigation system and I also added a rear backup camera (added a camera on the tailgate handle and fished wire along the frame). I used the upfitter switches and added 3 sets of USB ports. One port I drilled the top of the console. I fed another along the outer trim so I would have ports above the rear view mirror (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H6W1BZG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1). most of the work is fishing 12v lines through the trim.

 

[jimmoore13]

Retrofitting a 2008 rig suggests this may not fit your budget, but lmiken hinted at an excellent option.

A car stereo installer could install a "Double DIN" stereo head unit with a large popout screen and multiple USB inputs. Installation will cost more than the unit, but the installers might do a better job of routing cables from your remote devices to the head unit.

Note that, in many cases, the head unit might accept only one bluetooth connection at a time, but, while I haven't researched it, there may be units that allow multiple simultaneous bluetooth connections. Worth asking, because a TPMS is likely to operate on bluetooth, and a wireless backup camera might do the same.

This will be costly...easily $2000. But this would be a very slick installation.

One more possible fly in the ointment. If the rig's factory stereo is a "high power" unit, like the system in my truck, the interface between the new head unit and the proprietary high-power amp might also set you back a couple hundred bucks.

But this would be an excellent option.

 

[lmiken]

My system I bought from crutchfield and they provided a wiring harness that fit my vehicle. It was easy to replace my system with the new system (plenty of instructions and video). I previously tried a wireless backup system but it was not that great. No reason to go overboard (my TPMS is not bluetooth)