Another Tahoe, another 996T!

[CitationX]

Just got mine in, finally! Installed a Radio Shack speaker in the dash behind the nav screen and it sounds great! I'm still waiting for the black bezel from Uniden, so I'll post an update when I get it. I'm using a splitter and leaching off the AM/FM antenna, which isn't the greatest. I have serious clearance issues in my garage which effectively preclude anything that extends above the luggage rack (I'm talking a couple of inches of clearance at most). It works better with the engine off than running. I'm thinking that there's some sort of supression I can use to deal with this?

Next...perhaps a dual-band mobile.

 

[wise871]

Sweet Install. You have to love the Tahoe style dash design for making it perfect for installing the 996 or BCT15. I wish I would have gotten the onboard nav system. Are you able to tie it into the 996? Is that the DIN ring from Circuit City?

 

[CitationX]

To answer your last question first...yes, it is the Metra trim ring from Circuit City. Metra also makes an identical trim ring that's plastic instead of metal and is a little less expensive. You can find it online. I bought one, and broke it because I didn't know what I was doing. You have to remove the 996's outer case and slide the trim ring on from the back. Had I done so, it would have worked fine. So I said "oh darn" or something like that and got the metal one.
As for interfacing it with the nav system to display on the screen...I'm betting it's possible. I read about guys exploiting the OnStar signal to interface with the 996 and provide a GPS input, and I look at the front page of Icom's IC-7000 brochure where it's mounted in a vehicle (a right-hand drive Mercedes?) and the display is repeated on the vehicle's nav screen, and I think that someone could probably figure out how to do it.
The thing is, I'm already displaying my iPod information on the nav screen and I can see where it might get to the point where there's too much information being overlaid on the nav display. If you're curious, the iPod interface is a Neucleus NC-X2i and can be found at http://www.logjamelectronics.com. They have them for many vehicles, and it displays the iPod info on the screen (or display of your non-nav radio) and allows you to control song selection with the steering wheel controls. The mount for the iPod is a Brodit ProClip. You choose the holder for whichever device you have. They not only have them for iPods, but just about anything you might want to mount -- phone, PDA, video screen, whatever. Then you choose the mount based on the year, make and model of vehicle, and where exactly on your dash or console you want it mounted. The US distributor is http://www.proclipusa.com. Not cheap, but it looks nice and all works well. The smaller display behind is a RayTel TellPhone 4000 Bluetooth interface. The current model in that class is the 4200, and they go all the way up to a 5500vi, which uses a iDrive-style wireless pointing device and displays call information on -- you guessed it -- the vehicle's nav screen. You can look into those at http://www.tellphone.com.
Pretty soon we'll need a Garmin 1000-style instrument panel in our cars to manage all the information. Not that that would bother me!

 

[matthewtomek]

Nice install! With all the new model Tahoe installs popping up, I'm gonna be forced to have to buy a newer Tahoe so I can have the same set-up. Mine's a 2000 model.

 

[wvd1979]

I always said my next vehicle will be an Explorer...but all these sweet Tahoe pics might change my mind. Of course my parents will disown me for buying a GM product! ;-)

 

[N4JNW]

As far as noise suppression goes, it could be something easy, or difficult. Where is your power wires ran? If you can run direct to your battery, that would be your best bet. Also, try to get the power wires as far away from the alternator as you can.

If that's not practical for you, go back to RadioShack and grab you a ferrite choke. These are highly effective in reducing your noise. All you have to do is wind the power wire around in it and snap it together. I've used them before, and they remove most noise..

Before I spent any $$, I'd try running battery direct. Your battery actually acts as a capacitor of sorts, and will also filter some noise as well..

Using a different antenna may help. I know glass mounts aren't the best thing, but I think a glass mount scanner antenna would be about as good as mooching off your AM/FM antenna. Again, the farther away you can get the antenna, coax, and power wires from the engine area, the less noise you'll be dealing with.

 

[enine]

There is a direct battery pin in the connector box on the floor. Its running from the SEO B fuse under the hood but nothing else is on that circuit.

 

[CitationX]

Guys, thanks for the information! I'll check it out.

 

[N4JNW]

This might be a bit extreme, but would help you in deciding where your noice is coming from.. If you can, wire your scanner to an external 12V power source. Such as another car battery sitting in your floorboard, etc, and start your vehicle.

If you STILL hear noise, your noise is being recieved in the scanner through the antenna. Not much you can do about this, because, well, you gotta have an antenna!

But, hopefully, the noise will disappear when hooked to another 12V source, and if it does disappear, then you've got it made in the shade! Just find you a "clean" source of 12V to power your scanner, hook it up, and go!

Just a brain fart..

 

[74596]

Nice install!!!

 

[exkalibur]

Very clean. Good job!

 

[Uplink]

Great job, welcome to the GM truck/996 club!

 

[wise871]

CitationX
I noticed you have the Touch Screen system. Did that come factory or did you add it later. Reason for asking is, I'm looking at installing one in my Tahoe. One of the things mentioned was, you would need the 6 CD disk changer in order to listen to CD's and use the NAV system at the same time since the Nav CD must remain main Touch Screen CD player. Where you installed the 996, did you have a CD changer there before?

 

[kb9hgi]

sweet install! wish my Jeep grand Cherokee had places to install. No room for nothing!

 

[CitationX]

Wise871, my 'Hoe came equipped with the system from the factory. An acquaintance with an '05 Surburban with the non-nav radio wanted to do the same thing and priced having the Delco/Bose nav system put in at the dealer. It was over $2K to do, I think. They ended up going with a Pioneer system instead. Putting the Delco system in would have been the best choice insofar as resale value was concerned, but the aftermarket systems do so much more. Frankly, that's what I would have done as well. I can either listen to CDs or use the navigation DVD, but not both at the same time. My folks' '07 Tahoe's nav radio has two slots and can do both at the same time. That's my primary reason for adding the iPod interface to my vehicle. It didn't have a changer; the slot filled by the 996 was just a cubbyhole.

P.S. Does anyone know of a tri-band mobile out there that does 144, 220, and 440? A bunch of dual-banders to choose from, but there's a lot of activity in my area on 220 and I don't want to give up that capability.

 

[wise871]

CitationX
Today I picked up the Trim Ring for my BCT15. It took me awhile to figure out how to attach it. Then it came to me that I need to slide it over the Uniden DIN seleve also. I put it back together and it's nice and clean now. I like your setup with the Nav system and I've always wanted one so I went ahead and ordered me from JP Customs. They have the entire kit at way lower prices then if I bought it from the dealer. I will install mine on Thrusday.
Dan

 

[wise871]

CitationX
I got my Nav unit intoday. Me and a buddy hooked it all up and it works like a champ. Between the Nav system and the BCT15 my dash is complete. It was like the dash was designed for this setup. Now on too the next project.
Dan