HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. – Voxx Electronics announced additional pricing and availability dates of new Audiovoxbranded car electronics products, including the brand’s first driving-event recorder and an accessory that adds Bluetooth streaming and USB playback to any OEM sound system.
Few new details were available for the brand’s $699-suggested eHub in-vehicle content router, which will stream content from connected USB devices, SD cards and a built-in DVD player to any tablet or smartphone in the car via Wi-Fi Direct. An optional 4G LTE modem will access web content for distribution to the hand-held devices. It ships in early summer.
The $199 DVR-700 HD driving-event recorder is among a series of new products in the company’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) selection, which the company plans to expand further in 2014 with its first products in such categories as lane-departure products, blind-spot detection and forward crash-warning systems.
The HD event recorder installs on the windshield behind the rearview mirror to constantly record a vehicle’s travels in case of an accident. It comes with built-in rechargeable battery, cigarette-lighter adapter, and power cable to connect to a vehicle’s power wires. It will be in stores in May.
The 1.5 by 2.5-inch DVR700 HD is always recording in 720p resolution, and via built in G sensors, it automatically locks video recorded from one minute before to three minutes after an accident occurs to prevent erasure or overwriting. The DVR700 features built-in rechargeable battery and supports 32GB MicroSD cards for 16 hours of continuous recording.
In other ADAS plans, the company plans late-March availability of two lower-cost four-sensor backup systems targeted to the entry-level market. They can also be used as two-sensor systems. The $99 PSB110 features a buzzer, and the $119 PSB120 features dual- color LED display. The new Multi-View Backup Camera system and an Import Style Backup Camera will be in stores in April. The $349 Multi-View system offers a 190-degree view, and the $199 Import Style system offers a 160-degree view. The Multi-View system is promoted as offering more capabilities at a lower price than competing products. It features selectable down, behind, wide, and split corner views.
The Import Style Backup Camera features nine selectable parking lines, waterproof housing, selectable normal or reverse image, low-profile OEM-style mount and built-in microphone.
For integration with factory sound systems, Voxx plans June in-store availability of the $149 UniStream 100, a universal module that adds stereo and hands-free Bluetooth to any factory sound system. It comes with USB input to play music from USB-connected iOS devices and mass-storage devices, and also adds Siri hands-free and Google Voice control of Bluetooth-connected smartphones.
It can be controlled from factory steering-wheel controls. An optional external speaker enables hands-free functionality no matter which source is selected.
In rear-seat entertainment, Voxx Electronics plans July availability of its first overhead DVD/ monitor and first two headrest DVD/monitors with HDMI/MHL inputs. The inputs turn MHL-enabled smartphones and tablets into audio and video sources for rear-seat entertainment systems, allowing for playback of stored and streamed video content.
The entertainment systems display audio and video content stored on a mobile device or streamed from the devices’ apps from the Cloud. The HDMI/ MHL connection also charges the mobile device. The headrest systems will retail for $499 each, and the overhead system will retail for $1,599.
In a related launch, the company’s first universal in-vehicle tablet-mounting system will ship in March at $99 to holds and charge Android tablets as well as iPads. The company already offers an iPadmounting system. The new model clamps onto any vehicle headrest with posts.
Also coming is the $299-suggested Seatback Android System, which now ships in April. The system consists of a Google-certified 8-inch Android tablet that docks into the back of an included universal headrest docking station, which also incorporates DVD player. The tablet charges when docked, and the dock transmits tablet audio to a car audio system via wireless FM. Audio can also be played through IR-enabled or Bluetooth headphones. A clamp secures the tablet to the docking station.
For the Jensen car electronics brand, Voxx plans May through June in-store availability of Jensen’s DUB Edition line of amps, speakers and subwoofers. Their cosmetics were designed by DUB magazine, which is extending its automotive lifestyle brand to car audio for the first time to join other DUB-branded vehicle accessories.
The products will drive Jensen awareness and sales in market segments in which the company lacks a presence, the company said. The products will be part of DUB magazine events, DUB magazine ads, DUB TV shows, and in DUB’s online and social-media channels.
Four DUB Edition amps are priced from a suggested $89 to $229 and will be in stores in June. Four two-way speakers and a three-way speaker are priced from a suggested $39 to $89 and will be in stores in May. And two subs priced at $49 and $69 will be in stores in May.
