QL-RAV520 / Custron T1070RAV

[iRAV]

I installed new head unit last weekend. I want to share my opinion about this. This is on 2010 RAV4 Base 4WD w/o JBL.

I bought the new unit from Amazon, sold by company in China, KULETONG Inc. I paid $509 shipped. The Sales rep, Emma, was very helpfull she replied all my 6 question emails promptly. Shipping is also fast, only took 3 days arrived at my door.

Anyway, back to the unit...

The head unit comes with
- 1 Instruction manual (only contains operation manual, nothing technical)
- 1 IR Remote
- 1 wiring harness which fits perfectly to RAV4 harness
- 1 GPS antenna
- 1 tablet pen
- 1 iPOD cable
- 1 mini USB adapter cable
- 1 4GB SD Card loaded with iGO GPS map for U.S

Installation:
Pretty much installation is straight forward, the same with other model already discussed in this forum (QL-RAV501, QL-RAV977). All plug and play except I also installed e-Bay RAV4 specific CCD camera (also from China), where I need to cut the bulb housing to fit it. From T1070RAV there is orange wire labeled Camera Control which I assumed that is the reverse gear signal so I connected it to (+) wire of the backup light. In addition, backup light power also supply the backup camera.

Fitment:
Not bad, but not perfect.

Notice little gaps below

It does not bother me though.

Operation:
The first time T1070RAV starts in about 2 mins to boot and aqcuire GPS signal for the first time then after that it starts about 10 secs every time I turn on the car.

Start up image is configurable so I can pick Toyota logo, but I'm not sure if I can override this with my on pic.


GPS is pretty good, it calculates route very quickly with 2D and 3D map. Voice is configurable with many languages Male/Female. Volume is also adjustable, separate from other sources (Radio, DVD, etc). I don't have any complaint in this function.


Radio, I think reception is little better than stock stereo. I can select radio setting based on USA/Europe/Asia. RDS works on some stations without problem, It can display Program Type, Station Name, Artist, Song Tittle. On other station those information are mixed up, part of station name concatenated with artist or with song title. I'm not sure it is the problem with the unit or with the station or with signal. I can have 6 presets each for FM1, FM2, FM3, AM1, and AM2.


DVD/CD player
DVD player is region free. I can play non reqion 1 DVD on this unit. So far I have tried mp3 and movies burned on CD-R, DVD-R. Picture quality is good, it claims produce 5.1 surround sound, but I don't have subwoofer so I cannot confirm this but I can hear surround sound.


SD Card/Music Player
Beside from CD slot, I can play movies and music from SD/SDHC card. The navigation in this function is just OK. You can browse into folder and select files you want to play. But I'm having hard time to figure out a quick way to adjust Bass/Treble/Mid, I have to go to home menu, scroll to setting then adjust from Amplifier menu every time. It is not accessible from the right button like normally on stock stereo.

iPOD control
Well I don't have an iPOD/iPhone but at work a friend has one so I tried to connect the cable to his iPhone. It works, but I didn't try much.

Bluetooth, A2DP
It works really good. Voice on the call is clear both ways using built in mic. This unit is not capable for voice dialing however. Streaming music from my phone is also good. I can control it from the unit to select next/prev song, pause, play, or stop.

Backup Camera
Quality on the image I guess depends on the camera, mine is $28 from china, so I don't expect much, but it works for me. With connection to backup light the rear camera works every time I'm in reverse gear, even when the unit is OFF. If I played anything it will pause when I'm in reverse then continue when I'm not in reverse.


Steering Wheel control
Before I installed this I added Audio control+Bluetooth on my steering wheel. All buttons are programmable from the unit so I can have them all working. Note: Voice Dial button from steering wheel is assigned to other function, in my case as MUTE. The connector from the unit to steering wheel harness on the car only has 3 wires for Audio/Bluetooth (black,white,red), which means it does not recognize VSS (purple wire).

Other Connections:
On the back of the unit I have 1 plug that I don't know what it is for (bottom right). Looks like external mic plug. Other than that it has AV in Aux 1 and Aux 2, AV out, Camera IN, DVD-C In, Digital TV in, Subwoofer Out, GPS plug, Radio plug


So far I'm happy with this. I think I got what I paid for.

[buratbutu]

Hi! Im interested in your HU. Can you give me the link in Amazon? I cant seem to find this particular model. How are you liking it so far?

[JuneBug]

Originally Posted by buratbutu

Hi! Im interested in your HU. Can you give me the link in Amazon? I cant seem to find this particular model. How are you liking it so far?

Looks like it's currently unavailable from Amazon, but do a Google search for that model number--other sites are selling it:

Amazon.com: Custron® T1070RAV Factory Style Indash Radio DVD GPS Navi Headunit Update + Bluetooth Phonebook For Toyota RAV4: Electronics

Amazon.com: Custron® T1070RAV Factory Style Indash Radio DVD GPS Navi Headunit Update + Bluetooth Phonebook For Toyota RAV4: Electronics

[buratbutu]

Yeah it seems like its out of stock in Amazon junebug. I wanted to purchase it thru amazon just because its cheaper than autodvdgps. Still looking out for other alternative HU.

[iRAV]

I'll try to post better fitment picture later.

Amazon is out of stock, but I think you can get it from eBay if you search Custron+RaV4.

After few weeks with the unit here is my update:
- GPS is good, I tested with re-routing, made wrong turn etc. Recalculating is quick. Once I had a problem when I tried to enter an address and the language switch to something else than English. I turn it off and on then back to English. You can toggle GPS screen with other source by pressing NAVI button, I like this. Now I always do this every time I'm driving. Music in the background and GPS map on the screen.

- I used the virtual CD function, where it copies your CD audio to internal memory (up to 6 discs). The copy process is slow, you can listen to the CD when it was copied though. If you turn the unit off it continues from where it left of next time.

- When playing MP3 from USB with multiple folders, the current folder reset to the first folder even after I browse and play another file from different folder. Inconvenient for me. Few times after I turn on the car the SD card was not detected but after I pull it out and turn it back, it works fine, even continue with the last song I played (btw, the song is restarted from beginning every time you switch the unit is off->on)

- I played some music video in .mpg format. Sound quality is almost the same as you hear it from PC, video is not stretched in full screen but in smaller box on the side of control panel. Maybe it is possible I just don't know how yet.

[nobettername]

Can't wait for pictures

[iRAV]

Few more pics to see the fitment:

[nulasvk]

looks good
please update your experience with this unit from time to time
im going to buy it

[Toast]

Looks very nice - like a refined Rav977 unit. I like that mic on the radio actually works. The one on my Rav977 didnt.

Did you wire the camera or plug into existing wire?
Does nav call out the street name or just turn right 200 ft?

[Truck57]

Great info and pics. Thanks!