Blaupunkt DXR-52B

[mannyo]

Description

Main Features:

* Combined satellite navigation system and RDS radio receiver in one box - no additional equipment to hide away

* Integral CD drive can play audio CDs when navigation not in use

* Optional CD changer and/or remote controller can be added

* Route guidance by means of clear symbols, informative map display and pleasant voice to front speakers. Includes UK & major European roads CD-ROMs

* TMC route option (where available), quick/short route, avoid motorway/ferry/toll)

* Easy installation. Some vehicles require wheel sensor kit

Navigation features:

* Destinations can be entered as place, road, road intersection, special (railway station, public buildings, petrol stations etc) and position markers that have been manually stored

* House numbers and postcodes can be entered for some destinations

* Frequent destinations can be stored in four memory banks each containing six destinations

* Route options can exclude any combination of motorway, ferry, toll roads

* Route followed can be selected from quickest or shortest calculated route

* Traffic announcements will interrupt radio / CD at a preset volume level

* Visual conformation of instruction is shown on display

* Navigation instructions can be in any of 10 languages: English (metric or imperial), German, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, Finnish

Other features:

* Removable front panel (case provided) together with optional code protection for total security

* 8x oversampling CD drive with fast search, random play and track repeat

* CD scan will play 10 second introduction for all tracks on disc

* RDS-EON-PTY DigiCeiver tuner with 30 station presets, FM / LW / MW wavebands

* SHARX system ensures that even radio station signals that are extremely close together are separated cleanly. SHARX is part of the DigiCeiver concept

* TA (traffic announcement) will switch stations for the duration of a traffic report. The original station is restored at the end of the report. Tone and volume of traffic announcements can be independently set.

* RDS-AF (alternate frequency) feature inaudibly retunes the receiver to the best available signal for the station that is currently set

* Travelstore automatically stores the six most powerful radio stations transmitting locally in a special memory bank

* Switchable hi-cut filter improves reception of weak FM stations by reducing treble automatically when interference occurs

* Digital sound adjustment provides five equalisers. The gain/cut of each equaliser can be independently adjusted

* 4 x 25W RMS, 4 x 45W max. power amplifier with 4 channel (3.0V) preamp output

* Source-specific sound adjustment. Bass & treble settings can be different for each sound input source.

* Loudness sound enhancement for low level listening. Programmable in stages to achieve the effect most suited to the vehicle acoustics and audio system components used

* Telephone audio can be fed through radio's amplifier and listened to via vehicle speaker system (requires lead)

* Timer allows one hour of listening with ignition switched off, to protect vehicle's battery

* Display brightness and night-brightness can be set

* Clock time automatically set by GPS signal

* Two year manufacturer's warranty

* Complete with current UK map disc, major roads of Europe disc, GPS antenna and full fitting & operating guide

[mannyo]

Original Review : Quinten

What about installation?

Dead easy really. Remove the old headunit (in my case the Symphony unit), insert the metal bracket and fold the metal thingies to keep it secured in place, run the GPS aerial behind the glove compartment (you might want to remove the glove compartment first ) and connect it and the VW wiring adapter to the existing wiring loom and the headunit and slide it in the bracket until it 'clicks'. Job done! Or so I thought... It turns out that the VW wiring adapter doesn't connect up the GALA wire (which is kind of essential for the navigation to work), but I got around this problem by taking out a wire from the speaker connector part (as you can still use the car wiring loom connector) and insert that into the wiring adapter connecting pin 1 to pin 1 on the HU. Job done! And this time for real

Does it actually work?

Yes, and remarkably well too. It allows you to enter a location like City or Special Destination (like Tourist attraction, Railway, Motorway, etc ) and then narrowing it down to Street, Crossroads or Special Destination (like Postoffice, Hospital, Hotel, etc in a city). Then it spends a few seconds (say 30 or so) calculating the shortest, quickest or dynamic route (these are options that can be used to determine if you're avoiding/preferring things like Ferry's, Tolls and Motorways). All this can be done whilst you are driving and it will adjust the route accordingly. The voice who guides you to your destination is a friendly sounding woman and gives you plenty time in advance warning of a change in direction or upcoming turn. If two turns are following each other rapidly she will read it out as one instruction (which sounds very natural).

But what if you come accross traffic?

This is where the TMC (Traffic Message Channel)/TA (Traffic Announcements) function jumps in. When set it will 'listen' for traffic announcements in a 62 mile radius around your route and adjust your route accordingly so you can avoid it. Now, how clever is that? If you happen to come accross a closed road, or hit traffic which has just formed you can also manually tell the headunit that you are stuck and it will then reroute you around the block. And I can tell you it works too!

So what's wrong with it?

Very little if you ask me. One thing it doesn't do is let you enter post codes. Although the manual says that it is possible for London area's I have yet to test that. It would have been nicer if it was nationally possible. Another thing which would have been nice is the ability to use the existing Skoda cd-changer, but as all manufacturers are using their own standard I didn't really expected this to work, and it did live up to that expectation.

Thumbs up then?

Yup, I can certainly recommend buying this headunit if you're looking for a simple, easy to use, no thrills solution for electronic navigation.

Can I see some pictures?

Sure you can, just look at the pictures over here. And if you have any questions, you know where to find me...

Q.