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| NEW VR3 IN DASH CAR STEREO DVD CD MP3 TOUCHSCREEN GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM | 
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| Brand: VR3
Category: Automotive Parts And Accessories
Buy New: $399.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  (2 reviews)
Sales Rank: 13845
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5.1
Dimensions (in): 11 x 9 x 4.5
MPN: VRVD640G
Model: VRVD640G
ASIN: B000Z0ALBI
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | * Turn you car into a home theater & a complete GPS navigation system | | • | * Plays DVD's, VCD's, DIVX, CD's, CDRW's, CDR's & WMA's | | • | * Large 4" color touchscreen | | • | * USB Flash Drive, SD Card, aux inputs for iPods | | • | * New Touchscreen capability |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
* Turn you car into a home theater & a complete GPS navigation system* Plays DVD's, VCD's, DIVX, CD's, CDRW's, CDR's & WMA's * Region FREE * Large 4" color touchscreen * No monthly subscription service needed * USB Flash Drive, SD Card, aux inputs for iPods * Fully functional remote* Fully loaded 3D GPS Maps * Includes US, Canada, PR maps * Detachable Face Plate * 180 Watts* Over 11 million points of interest* New Touchscreen capability* Can program in different languages; English, French, Spanish, & more * Electronic tilt screen feature* FM & AM frequencies* Includes 1 DIN universal fitting kit and wiring harness* Compares with systems well over $1,500 (Save Hundreds)
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| Customer Reviews:
 It died shortly after purchase July 2, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
It worked! and it was "fair" for it's features/size/etc... but that's PAST TENSE! only a few months later -- and the unit is DEAD!
The store (Walmart) #1) doesn't sell extended warranties (which I try to get on things with moving parts) #2) told me it had 1 year (lied) #3) factory only has 30 day warranty. (get a clue !!!)
Only after installing it and it's death did I see it has 30 day factory warranty.
MY SUGGESTION: AVOID THIS COMPANY (Road Master USA) and it's products!
RoadMaster USA's 800 number... on hold for over 1 hour! EMAIL TECH SUPPORT, a week later, NO REPLY! I mean I am interested if I can pay to get it repaired but if it's too much then I'll use it as a paperweight I guess.
I now have a ~$400 hunk of junk.
Get something from a more well known company that has at least ONE YEAR warranty (and if it has many moving parts, get extended)... I **SHOULD** have done more research as I try not to break these rules -- and ended up getting burned!
This is a piece of garbage product -- do not purchase!
--Doug
 A mixed bag......... April 28, 2008
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
Let me start by saying that my first experience with an in-car gps was the Garmin Streetpilot III. I later switched to the Garmin 2620 and still use it in my work truck. These two units provide my background for comparison of the VRVD640G. I bought this unit to install in a 2004 Jeep Rubicon and the installation went quite smoothly. The only hiccup was that this radio is considerably longer than the stock unit which necessitated removal of the factory rear radio mount. Once removed this unit fit in comfortably. On first startup there are a myriad of things to set, but fortunately if you miss any you can go back at a later time. The controls for the gps portion of this unit are so different from what I am used to that I am still trying to learn my way around it, so I will need to return several more times to add observations as I master this thing. The display is nice and the brightness is adjustable which makes it easy to customize. One really nice feature is being able to select voice only navigation from the radio display so that you can listen to the radio and use the gps at the same time. Of course, you don't have the screen to look at when you do that, but the voice directions are remarkably clear and the display is not at all necessary. I took a 350-mile trip yesterday and found the voice prompts refreshingly different from the Garmin prompts. You can choose from among several English-speaking voices as well as other languages I'll never understand. I am currently using a British-sounding female voice. Getting back to the prompts, while driving along a highway you are told to "prepare to exit freeway" rather than just "turn right". Different from the Garmin prompts, but not necessarily better. This unit does NOT speak street names and I have no idea if that capability will be introduced via download. One gripe I have with this unit is this: every time you select the navigation screen, and I mean EVERY time, you are required to agree to a copyright notice or safety notice (I can't recall which it is since I'm not reading it while i'm driving!) by touching the screen. After three or four times I found it to be annoying. If you decide to cancel voice-only navigation from the radio screen and decide later to re-enable it...yep, you have to go to the navigation screen to get it done. I really, really, really hope they issue a firmware update to make using this unit less circuitous. I used a usb flashkey loaded with mp3 files, some encoded at 44100 and others at 48000, and all played without a hitch. So far it looks like the only way to play mp3's from the flashkey is to go to the dvd screen. There is no way to navigate from that screen, so listening to mp3's apparently must be done with no navigation. The unit plays dvd's very well; and, though small, the screen is very clear. I haven't gotten around to using poi's yet, so that will have to be the subject of another visit. The remote control is quite large for an automotive unit and feels good in the hand. This unit has so many functions they couldn't possibly have fit them on your typical mini-remote. A word about playing dvd's: you are cautioned strongly about playing them while driving and a wire is provided for connecting to your parking brake switch to make that impossible. However, the wire is marked -12v which makes it very intuitive to hook up even if your parking brake doesn't have a switch. Overall, the unit has a rugged feel to it and the motorized front moves positively with no slop. The gps antenna is a magnet mount affair and has a long cord so it will reach just about anywhere. I laid it on the dash and it worked fine, but I assume that on top of the hood would be even better (my jeep has the canvas top.) Once after a rest stop I forgot the antenna was on the floorboard and drove half an hour before I noticed. The unit never missed a beat...something my Garmins could not do. Well, once I have used it a bit longer I will come back and add to this review.
May 24, 2008
Well, today I spent some more 'quality time' with this unit and am able now to give more details concerning its operation. First off I want to reiterate just how annoying it is to have to agree to the safety notice EVERY time I access the navigation screen! It's even worse than I at first thought: when the unit is turned off by any means, be it the power switch or the ignition switch, it does not automatically power up to the navigation screen (even though it was there at power-down), rather it starts up on some other screen (mostly the radio) and FORCES you to go through the safety notice routine!!! This means, ladies and gents, that every time you make a rest stop...or an eating stop...or a motel stop you have to go through that rigamarole in order to view the navigation screen. Ironically, the message is about paying attention to your driving rather than the gps display and it's in tiny lettering that requires some of us to put on glasses and look really close in order to read it. Personally, I think this is a safety HAZARD since it requires you to take your eyes off the road in order to push the touchscreen or else find the 'func' button on the remote. If you're like me you'll find yourself faced with this numerous times during your trip.
Since my earlier review I have found that the radio can be played while viewing the navigation screen...but you can't adjust the radio volume or change stations there. That can only be done from the radio screen. A bit more integration of the various functions would help this device a great deal.
I have begun using the search and POI functions and can now comment on them. First off...this device comes with one of the best remotes you will find for any in-car appliance...but for some strange reason the remote doesn't work for inputting addresses or searching for places. That must be done via the touchscreen. The touchscreen is functional, but sometimes requires extra effort...and occasionally is not 100% accurate. My Garmin 2620 has a much less elaborate remote and yet that remote can be used for every available function. The Garmin remote has a 'joystick' type button that provides navigation around the screen as well as an 'enter' function for selecting items. Addresses can be entered manually or via remote with the Garmin...it would be nice if the folks at VR3 would wake up and give us that same functionality.
Finally, something to cheer about: the gps accuracy is superb! When hurtling along an interstate at 70 mph and missing your exit, in less than 200 feet the unit is aware of the miss and is in the process of recalculating the route! This is while you are still running parallel to the off-ramp!!! My Garmin can't even come close to that level of sensitivity. The 2620 doesn't know I've missed my exit until after I have crossed the plane of the road I would have been on. This wonderful level of accuracy is dampened only slightly by the unit's inability to tell you whether your destination is on the right or the left. I have become a bit spoiled by my Garmin announcing "arriving at destination on left"...even if it is occasionally wrong.
All-in-all, I like the 3-D cockpit view and the accuracy. Route recalculation is done quickly, although you may find yourself taking a non-preferred route if you obey the voice. Some units learn your preferences, but honestly...if you already know which roads you are going to take you probably don't need the gps on anyway. The nag safety screen is totally irritating...grrrrrr!!! The unit could use better integration of its various components so that each one wouldn't seem so divorced from the rest. Hey, VR3...make better use of the marvelous remote! I can't comment on the audio quality since I installed this in a Jeep. The speakers are tiny and road noise is a real factor. For the money I don't see how you can go wrong! The maps are pre-installed at the factory along with some eleven million points of interest and you can add more POI's if you wish. It plays DVD's extremely well and accepts USB devices as well as memory cards. The issues I have with this unit are mainly due to my starting with Garmin and them doing things differently. The display is a bit smallish, but then so is the display on my Garmin 2620.
I hope this arms you with sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision.
July 25, 2008 update:
I have had my VR3 now for over three months and have not had the first problem with it. Just last Saturday (July 19,2008) I took a trip downtown Nashville, Tennessee, and used the VR3 to locate a business I go to on a regular basis. The results pointed out why you should not rely solely on the directions that are spoken by a gps, but should also consult the displayed map. The business I was headed to is located on 8th Avenue South and has an 8th Avenue South address, but is actually facing an alley which must be turned down for a few yards before entering the parking lot. As I approached the business the voice prompted me to "turn back in a quarter of a mile" which had me puzzled since I knew the place was just ahead on the left. My first thought was the maps are incorrect, but as I turned left into the alley and then left again into the parking lot the unit announced "arrived at destination". After parking I checked the displayed map and saw that it was absolutely on the money. This is not a malfunction of the unit since entering the parking lot could certainly be interpreted as "turning back", but it is a reminder that a visual map gives better, or at least more intuitive, guidance in some instances. Functionally, this unit is a real workhorse and has survived some dusty top-off rides in my Rubicon without complaining at all. I can't comment on customer support since I haven't needed it.
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