USB + RCA-IN + Sat Radio = HARD to find!

[cwhiley]

Alright so I started out two days ago looking for a simple head unit to replace the stock radio in my 2005 Toyota Tacoma. Little did I know how difficult it would be to locate what I wanted. I had a few requirements that I thought wouldn't be that difficult.

1) Wanted rear auxilary input (RCA or mini stereo)
2) Wanted decent USB or memory card support
3) Later wanted satellite tuner add-on support
(more on this below)

So I started out looking and realized how monumentally difficult it is to find a head unit with simple RCA or mini jack auxilary in the rear. Suuuure a lot of them advertise auxilary in but FEW actually use standard connections. Most EVERY manufacturer wants to upsell you some funky adapter so that you can use their proprietary connector for all type of external sources. I settled on a really inexpensive ($115 from cardomain.com) Clarion - the DB365USB. It had all that and at the time I really didn't care about satellite radio support as I have a nice standalone Xact tuner. (incidentally I got it from ebay and someone is still paying for it so I'm getting service for free so that's an added incentive to keep using this tuner) However the Clarion has extremely limited USB file support limiting you to a maximum of 255 files/folders. So I got to looking some more and finally discovered the best receiver I can find that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and has every feature I want and nothing I dont. The JVC KD-AR770 ($169.00). It has built in RCA auxilary inputs, great USB file support (2500 files/250 folders), and supports Sirius tuners controlled thru the head unit. I may want to clean up the inside of my truck someday and I can get rid of my standalone tuner and go head unit control when I want to. Not only that but I can then use the auxilary input for a mp3 player or laptop. I also plan on using an external hard drive on that USB connection and carrying around a TON of music if I want.

So anyways - I thought I would tell yall of my experience and thought someone else might be looking for similar features. By the way the JVC KD-AR870 has the same great features but is $30 more for esentially a better screen with more colors and a glorified EQ.