Single DIN, 7" CAPACITIVE popup screen for under $500?

[cmayo]

I'm in the middle of shopping for a new head unit for my 99 Pontiac and thought I wanted the Pioneer AVH-X7700BT until I noticed that it has a resistive touchscreen. Unless resistive tech has drastically improved in the last 5 years, I really don't think I want a resistive screen.

On the other hand, I do want a lot of connectivity (Android support, BT streaming and hands-free, iPod, AUX, USB, 4+1 preamp outputs) and I love the look of the unit, so maybe I'll have to live with the resistive screen. I hate the lack of front-panel USB/AUX/SD inputs on the AVH-X7700BT and am pretty unimpressed with the 14 watt/channel output, but I know I can't have everything at my price point.

And maybe my reason for wanting a capacitive screen are flawed. I'm primarily concerned with scrolling through a large USB/iPod/Android music collection. I love how I can lightly zoom my finger up my phone's display and very quickly spin/scroll through a long list. If the head unit's UI don't support that kind of action, then a (decent) resistive screen will probably work about as well as a capacitive.

Can anyone who knows more about this stuff (which is probably everyone - grin) give me a bit of direction here?

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[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

Your options for a flip-out head unit are very limited, and a resistive touch screen is the industry standard. The only capacitive touch screen head unit I've seen and used is Pioneer AVIC-8000NEX, and that won't fit your car and it blows away your budget. Putting a glass screen in a dash isn't all that glamorous, as it reflects like a mirror.

You might like the voice control of AVH-X7700BT or the on-screen music browsing over Bluetooth. The speaker output power limitation is universal. Until someone puts a real amplifier inside a head unit we're stuck with less than 20W per channel. You can add Pioneer GM-D1004.

 

[cmayo]

Your options for a flip-out head unit are very limited, and a resistive touch screen is the industry standard. The only capacitive touch screen head unit I've seen and used is Pioneer AVIC-8000NEX, and that won't fit your car and it blows away your budget. Putting a glass screen in a dash isn't all that glamorous, as it reflects like a mirror.
You might like the voice control of AVH-X7700BT or the on-screen music browsing over Bluetooth. The speaker output power limitation is universal. Until someone puts a real amplifier inside a head unit we're stuck with less than 20W per channel. You can add Pioneer GM-D1004.

Exactly the info I needed, thank you Trumpet! Unless I get another recommendation to consider, I'm going to go with the AVH-X7700BT.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

Exactly the info I needed, thank you Trumpet! Unless I get another recommendation to consider, I'm going to go with the AVH-X7700BT.

Keep us in mind as we can sell you that head unit.

 

[cmayo]

Keep us in mind as we can sell you that head unit.

I did check your site after posting my reply this afternoon but didn't see that unit. I'm a poor man and gotta go cheap (I drive a '99 Pontiac, for crying out loud). The AVH-X7700BT is available online at $376 with no sales tax and free shipping. If want the business and can offer me a deal in that neighborhood, I'd love to throw you the sale, but I completely understand if you guys don't want to compete with these lowballing online discount houses. I've been in value-added retail before and I know it absolutely bites to have to compete on price alone. I was planning to pick up a dash kit, wiring harness and antenna adapter at Crutchfield (~$35, I think) so you could have that too if you wanted.

Let me know if you want it - I'll hold off on ordering it for a little while.