In-car entertainment company Pioneer Singapore has debuted the biggest aftermarket in-car screens available – one version even fits single-DIN spaces

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SINGAPORE

Japanese audio and entertainment systems giant Pioneer Corporation is still right on the leading edge with its newly-launched Z-Series head units, designed to give cars a complete suite of digital connectivity, smartphone integration, and excellent audio playback fidelity.

The aftermarket in-car entertainment system scene has shrunk by a fair bit over the last two decades thanks to many cars now offering fully integrated computer systems in the cabin. It’s far from a dying breed however, as that has made the aftermarket players dig deep and hit harder with more innovative technologies in recent years.

Touchscreen real estate is a big selling point these days, and while the Z-Series units are essentially double-DIN sized head units, they are also cleverly designed to fit into cars that may only have a single-DIN slot on the dashboard. 

The lineup is an excellent, fuss-free way to add internet connectivity to an older car that did not have such features included.

The Z-Series sold in Singapore begins with the Pioneer DMH-Z6350BT, featuring a 6.8-inch touchscreen panel and costing S$1,099 not inclusive of installation fees. For drivers that want a larger display screen, the DMH-ZS9350BT and DMH-ZF9350BT come with a 9-inch screen, and the cost S$1,699 and S$1,799 respectively.

Both 9-inch screen versions are technically identical, but the ZF version – with the ‘F’ meaning ‘floating’ we guess – works better on dashboards with less space or even a single-DIN accessory slot as shown below.

This is because the screen is fitted onto a floating mount that holds it above the surface of the dashboard, and it can be manually tilted for optimal visibility. The ZS version on the other hand, is designed to fit flush into a large double-DIN space.

The 9-inch display screens are the largest that you can find on an aftermarket head unit at the moment, and it was only last year that Pioneer was retailing 7-inch screens that were the size leaders in this segment. We’re guessing that they may get even larger for next year, if there is a consumer demand for them and there is a way to fit them into most cars. 

The 9-inch display screens are the largest that you can find on an aftermarket head unit at the moment, and it was only last year that Pioneer was retailing 7-inch screens that were the size leaders in this segment. We’re guessing that they may get even larger for next year, if there is a consumer demand for them and there is a way to fit them into most cars. 

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The bigger video display screens are very handy as you can connect front and rear view cameras directly to the head unit for easier parking and maneuvering in tight spaces. It goes without saying that the Z-Series plays back audio from a large variety of formats.

Other useful features include a very speedy built-in web browser, video playback including YouTube access, plus the ability to play nice with smartphones via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Both are still relatively new features that are not even always available in the current generation of cars, so the Z-Series does help your older car do a tech leapfrog over some of the new ones still in the showrooms. 

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