Eclipse Intros All-Digital Car Video

By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, December 1, 2008

TORRANCE, CALIF. — Eclipse will introduce at International CES a new top-of-the-line A/V-navigation unit with a digital screen that can process the signal for digital media without analog circuitry for a clearer picture.

The AVN726E, however, does not offer HDTV reception.

The unit is also one of the first car radios to offer iTunes tagging on HD Radio (joining models from Dual and Alpine). When used with an optional HD Radio tuner, the radios lets users press a button to bookmark a song heard on the radio for purchase later through iTunes.

The in-dash, double-DIN unit has a 7-inch QVGA TFT and plays DVD and iPod video as well as DivX files. It offers SD-card-based navigation and optional Sirius Traffic updates. It controls both iPod music and video via USB cable and has built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling. It is satellite-radio-ready and has a 5-volt preamp output and will ship in March at a price to be announced.

Eclipse will also show an updated version of its in-dash DVD/receiver that docks with a TomTom portable GPS device. The new AVN4430 now docks with a larger TomTom portable using a 4.3-inch screen and the screen can now double as a video screen for DVD playback or for a rear vision back up camera.