Strange request I know, but does anyone know of any products or an easy way to get a stereo with FM and media playback (probably USB stick) without actually having a head unit fitted?

Not actually for a rotor, but may be if it works, is for mt HiLux, radio for when in town obviously and USB playback for when out of range.
Need to be vibration and bump resistant for 4WD duties, I'm imagining something that will be plugged into amp(s) to power the speakers.

I understand it would be possible to plug a MP3 player of some kind directly into the amps and use it that way, but I want something that will be hardwired to the car and turn on and off with the ignition, preferably with a simple interface and display on the dash.

Due to the model of Hilux and the previously butchered dash, its going to be possible, but not easy to mount up a standard DIN size head unit securely, but I have already fitted a perspex panel where the standard radio used to live. If it comes to it I will make up brackets and mount a USB compatible head unit, but I wont like that as most of the units I have seen have the USB input on the front panel, and with the locals up here I dont want to have my USB in plain sight.

If I can get something with a dash mountable display for station or track, and simple buttons for controls, and be able to hide the USB/iPod/whatever in the glovebox away from prying eyes, I would be happy.

Mount the headunit in the glovebox? If you plug 2 rca with a headphone jack on it into the aux in you can leave it hidden and control everything with the mp3 player. I don't think your going to get around it any other way. Or just buy a kickass set of headphones and run music off your phone.

Not really interested in running music from my phone, I dont use it for music any other time, and its not worth my time to set it all up for the random occasions when I will use it. Yes I know I'm not all technological like most people, but I dont need to be

Just needs to turn on with the car, without me stuffing around every time I get in the car, with the flexibility to play music I feel like putting on my USB, or anyone elses MP3 player or iPod

If it comes to mounting a head unit, I'll just make it fit in the dash, but ideally I would like something maybe 1/2 or 1/4 DIN rather than a full DIN size. Something like the little UHF CB's that people use.

Failing anything else, is anyone aware of a head unit that is very lightweight and shallow depth?

If it doesnt weigh too much I will be able to just mount it directly to the perspex cover I have without it bouncing too much due to the leverage from being deep?

Sounds like you're after something like this

http://www.pioneer.com.au/au/products/2 ... index.html

I remember seeing something similar that actually opens up and you can put the iPod/iPhone and possibly a USB and it closes up so it's hidden inside the unit where the CD player would normally be. I'll have to see if I can track it down - but with the unit I posted you could possibly mount it in the glovebox or something and just unplug your USB when not in the car?

Try running "mechless head unit" through Google.

Hey man, I was looking into this kind of thing for my 808, Wanted a stock look (so no big new flashy headunit) but the ability to play everything...

The best solution i could think of was one of these!

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/D0009-Eonon- ... 43ae5ef3ff

Half din unit which you could mount anywhere (i was thinking under dash? be a bit hidden) and not have it stick out like a sore thumb. Reasonably priced, plays usb/ipod/sd cards etc! I think its what i will end up getting...

I had the same question for my wagon, I ended up getting a headunit that was on sale as it had a remote, which some of the other options did not.

Thanks for the responses, almost forgot I started this thread.

xxodaraP - I would like to fit something like this, but being a full DIN unit, there simply isnt the room to do it in the dash, and fitting it in the glovebox isnt really a possibility because I want to be able to see whats playing at a glance, and be able to change stations/tracks/sources from my seat, and I wouldnt be able to get to the glovebox without taking my eyes off the road for too long. Usually I dont have a passenger I could get to do it for me either unless of course I could get a remote control, with basic display.

808Wagon - the half DIN size would be ideal, and probably posible to mount where the stock unit was or under the dash, but the lack of an FM tuner at least probably rules it out, about the only time I catch any news or weather is on my way to work in the mroning, so I kinda want to keep that if at all possible.

I did almost find what I wanted, was designed for marine use, had the main mech of the unit mounted remotely with CD player, USB, iPod etc. with a control unit/display which mounted on top of the dash. But the display was obviously intended to be surface mounted on top of the cab or whatever and so was ugly, and being a marine unit it only came in white.

googling mechless head unit seems to be the go.

I dunno if I mentioned it before, but I would have thought someone would have made a 1/4 DIN media player similar to what all the UHF CBs are these days, or even better something with a remote 1/4DIN control panel like this http://www.uniden.com.au/australia/p_uh015sx_index.asp

Axis (audioXtra) make a whole bunch of different 'mechless' media head units - full din fitment but half iso chassis (1/2 depth) such as this one which looks like it would be one of their more expensive ones - the rest are pretty cheap.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AXIS-HEAD-UN ... 547wt_1177

other option would be one of the alpine IDA-X series head units, which are basically the same thing but of better quality and higher price. searching for 'Alpine IDA' on ebay will give some good results. any mechless head unit is incredibly lightweight so will be suitable for your perspex panel.

alternatively you can splash $1k or so on a dedicated processor such as the audison bitone, alpine pxa-h700 etc with remote control panels. these basically are only processor controls so wont show your song information or control your ipod like the mechless head units will.

some brands like Alpine make a "media only" head unit which are a single din in size but about half the depth of a standard unit and will play via ipod or usb only no cds or mp3s.

Why not just mount a amp under the seat wire up the speakers and the normal power and earth for the amp and wire the remote wire 2 a switch 2 turn the amp on and off and run the rca's under the seat with a adapter 2 a head phone jack and plug in a iPod or mp3 player should work like that but not sure how good the sound quality would be

I used to run an amp in the boot connected to all of the speakers and run the power on for the amp straight to the battery so when the car turns on it will turn on straight away and then run an RCA to 3.5mm headphone jack and plug it straight into an Ipod.

I ran mine under the carpet into my glove box so you cant see it at all.. worked a charm!

Thanks guys, but no I dont want an iPod running things.
I already have enough to do just jumping in and driving, that and I dont mind listening to the radio sometimes.