Kind of a pseudo update and correction: the product is actually shipping from Hong Kong. I've received a UPS tracking # from the seller, though it's not yet within the UPS system. For some reason, both of those factors have me feeling somewhat more comfortable with the prospects on this one.

 

Many of my orders went from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, where the stayed for a couple weeks. I did finally receive most of them.

 

I just got an email from one of the distributors on Ali Express and the lowest (1G 16GB Wooden) is on sale for $670 plus $48 for shipping from the US and guaranteed to arrive before 12/25

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001445894635.html?ug_edm_item_id=1005001445894 635&tracelog=rowan&rowan_id1=user_product_price_re duce_remind_1_1_en_US_2020-11-23&rowan_msg_id=4548biz_price_reduce_edm:7001:8e14 e37978414b86becbd9b90e4fa4aa_688365$68760605aa4044 428ccb9c642084ff6f&ck=in_edm_other

 

I wouldn't buy 1gb internal memory will make it slow, you need at least 2gb with today's Android. I bought the 4gb as apps get bigger and need more and more memory.

 

I will second what the poster above said: Do NOT under any circumstance buy any Android stereo headunit with less than 2GB of ram. Anything running an OS newer than Android 4, will be slow with 1GB of RAM, especially when multitasking(i.e. when running a nav program and a music app at the same time). That vendor should be ashamed to even be offering a 1GB unit as an option. Pay the extra $130 and get the 2GB option. Personally, I would go with the 4GB option and pay the $900.

 

Just pointing out a sale fellas, not advocating anything. Also FWIW - they note only 10 left. Guessing this is a clearance sale.

 

Alright, lads (and lassies). The device arrived just a few moments ago, so pre-installation effort here's what I'm looking at:

The packaging (which was excellent, BTW):


First layer (screen frame & wiring components):



Installer's note (that'd be me): This is a "walnut burl" and I have the "honey burl". I've ordered a wrap from RVinyl in the aforementioned "honey burl" and I'll wrap the trim piece before attempting the installation process. It's "in transit", but due for delivery tomorrow.)

Back side of the screen frame (only one connection):



Second layer, consisting of a backup camera (included at no cost), back side of the screen, and a wiring loom (I presume for the backup camera):



Unwrapped screen (from the front):

 

You have until tomorrow to have it installed and operating correctly. Oh, and you have to document and photograph every step of the entire procedure.

 

Yours came quickly!
Mine is still in transit, supposed to be delivered 7-10 days, bought it 11/11!
Will be interesting to see your install.

 

That was actually my plan, but the "honey burl" wrap seems to be trapped in St. Louis and without it, I'm not moving forward.

Honestly, I don't think the install on this thing is going to be that big of a deal. With that said, I'm sure I'll inadvertently drain all of the taillight fluid as part of the install procedure and naturally, I'm all out of it. I checked earlier today as I keep it in the same cabinet with the striped paint, and Amazon seems to be sold through on it. I'm toast.

 

The "honey burl" frame is the last piece to install so that's no excuse not to install the unit today!
Also noted the backside of yours doesn't look the same as Luke's!? It seems there is more then one manufacturer, I was pretty sure only one manufacturer made these units for the Jaguar as the market is small.Where did you buy yours?
Will be interesting to see how mine looks and works compared to yours, bought mine on Ali Express from ZWNAV.

 

Mine was purchased through Alibaba, and the vendor was "ASVEGEN". Good communications throughout the process and the transaction itself was pretty smooth.

You got me on delaying the installation until the "honey burl" wrap arrives - I thought about that yesterday afternoon as well. I can always pop it back off and re-wrap once it arrives.

I decided to do the complete component unboxing this morning to see how truly "plug & play" this thing is, and I only have one question: Is it too early in the day to start drinking? (for the 1st time since 2001). There are ZERO instructions or diagrams on what all of these wiring looms and connectivity ports on the unit are for. I can infer some of them and recognize a couple of the major ones from pulling my head unit a couple of times for the Audio Control Module (ACM) installation I did last year.

Here's the current rat's nest, which also includes a new-to-me backup camera option (vs. the wireless one I've been using from Costco and can no longer use as the ashtray is now occupied by @Cabrio Bob's magnificent ADU unit:



I reached back to the vendor a few moments ago to see if they can provide any insight as to what these various looms and connection ports are for to help narrow down the options for my quasi-technical mind, but as of now I'm on hold due to family plans for the day. My daughter is in town for the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, my son is swinging by reap the benefits of my grilling prowess later today. I've got some big, fat rib eyes marinating right now and I'm looking forward to a nice family dinner and a little college football on TV this afternoon.

@Cee Jay will probably excoriate me for the delay, but I'm going to enjoy the family and the day and deal with this at a later date.

And if any of you knowledgeable cats have experience with hardwired backup camera installations, please PM me. I have questions about a couple of the wiring options I've been presented with in my "camera kit". It may or may not be apples & oranges with what you have, but any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kurt - Check flyc2c’s thread about his HKS Camp2 install. I followed his lead, and also added a backup camera. I might have described my connections. I don’t recall if the camera was powered all the time, or if the power, along with the reverse trigger, was driven off the relay added for powering the LED tail lights I had installed (George Kale method).

 

For switched power in general, you can see this attached from Flyc2c. You only need to focus on the power source.

For reverse, you can tap into CA023 (orange/ yellow) in the aux panel which only gets power when in reverse:

 

hmm for some reason it won't let me upload - so here's the link Kurt

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...camera-179570/

 

Thanks, Sean ( and @kj07xk ) for redirecting me to that thread. I did download and read the .pdf before cracking the trunk to continue with the rear camera install this morning. Here's where I'm at (and my one remaining question):

Camera mount (with crummy McGyver drill-bit dremel for wire access)



I didn't mind it being "offset" to the driver's/LH side as my wire runs and power were going to be on that side.

The wiring loom setup that was attached to the main camera cable had two "plugs" associated with it: There is a black one that appears to be associated with the power source, and a yellow one that connects to the camera lead, along with a trailing red wire (see below):



I used a cable puller to pull the long leads through the trunk and rubber wire sheath found in my convertible (yep - they're different than the coupe's), so now I have the power wires close to that trunk area auxiliary power source that WhiteXKR alerted us to and called out again in the pdf install document you referenced:



So I've got the basic wiring looms run through the trunk and now it's time to hook them up to power. I feel like the bomb squad guy right about now, as I want to do a quick tap into one of the power wires on the reversing bulb itself vs. the CA023 lead you referenced earlier ITT (I'll keep it in reserve in case I screw the pooch on the reversing bulb approach) and it's either the blue wire or the grey/white wire (side rant: WTF is wrong with using red for power and black for ground universally?). At this point, I'm going to take my chance with the blue.

Also, I've learned already this morning to tape the crap out of the "plugs" as I had to re-pull one of them when the end detached and fell inside the trunk lid, so the trailing pics will show lotsa electrical tape and no more colored plugs for the 'reader':




Here are the wires, but I'm going at them further back in the loom.



And finally, here's the auxiliary power plug in the convertible. It's on the back underneath the taillight assembly, and points away from me, so it should be fun to access and work with. Terrific.



Finally, apologies for the gruesome thumb pics. I was moving some flower pots into the house a while back, and when to yank back on one of them as part of tilting it back onto the two wheel dollie, and the entire back of the ceramic planter came loose and smashed it between the flower pot and the two wheeler. Hurt like crazy at the time, and I'm kinda stunned I didn't lose the nail, but here we are ... on the mend.

My goal for the morning is to get the camera work in the trunk completed and the cord pulled through the vehicle and up near the dashboard. As rear seat removal is pretty well documented, I don't think any additional pics of that process will serve the board so I'm going to pass on that part of the documentation.

Also, if anyone wants to "wave me off" of tapping into the blue power wire on the reverse light bulb instead of the gray/white one, speak now or forever hold your peace!

 

Might have to ‘wave you off’ on that. The power to your reverse lights is not constant, it pulses.
You don’t see it with regular light bulbs, as the filament continues to glow during the ‘off’ cycle.
That’s why I (per George Kale) I needed a relay to provide clean voltage to my LED taillight upgrade.
Not sure if that pulsing will be handled by your camera.

 

Well ... shoot. I already did the attachment to the blue wire, but haven't completed the main camera line pull through the convertible top assembly & into the back seat ... yet. I will pull an extra wire with it for insurance in case I need to need to tap into the CA023 orange wire power source ... which means I'm on hold as I don't have another decent length section of wire to pull through, sans solid copper ROMEX (house wire). No project is complete without at least one trip to the hardware store, amIright?



Also, my fingers were unable to remove the cap for the auxiliary power source, so ... I TapIt'd it. ZFG.


Had to do a wire splice to add extra line as the original stuff supplied by the manufacturer were about 12" short. Finally, something I know how to do! Green for ground (like real electricians) and then the brown wire became the "hot" wire. Hot diggity! (an homage to Robert Parker's legendary character "Spenser", kind of the quips).

 

Why would they send pulsing power to the rear lights? I have the led rear lights and have no problem.

 

Alright. Fine. I disconnected the previous light bulb approached, joined the red power wire from the yellow plug (still hoping that's what it's for) and pulled a wire through to the rear seat area. I'll be attaching it to the CA023 orange power wire, as advised, As us Philip Crosby and Associates "Quality" school grads used to opine, "DIRTFT" (Do It Right The First Time). This way, I'll take any mystery out of it at the trunk section and hope/pray that it works at the head unit level.

As always, I appreciate the guidance of the Forum members on these matters