Drivesoft Passmag Test Report

TEST REPORT
Drivesoft
In-Dash Media Management
PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND
D
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Text by
Frank Cook
Photos supplied by
Manufacturer
rivesoft is a new breed of head unit
that brings new life to source unit offerings. In one Double-DIN housing,
the Drivesoft AIO-15-DD offers consumers intuitive access to dozens of features (via a motorized
7-inch touch screen) including access to virtually
all radio, music, and video formats, navigation,
mobile internet and E-mail, real-time vehicle
maintenance reporting, security system integration, car-cam integration and the list goes on.
In addition to the impressive list of features,
Drivesoft has utilized an “open architecture” format, meaning you don’t have to buy a new head
unit to enjoy new features. You simply download
the update and your Drivesoft system is as cutting
edge as the day you purchased it.
There are other systems similar to Drivesoft,
but the AIO-15-DD has already received
endorsements from the likes of West Coast
Customs, Mobile Dynamics and even Intel. In
March of 2005, the CEO of Intel, Craig R. Barrett,
met with Mad Mike of West Coast Customs and
presented a WCC-customized Chrysler 300C
powered by the then-new Intel Mobile Centrino processor and Drivesoft’s Driver Friendly
Software (DFS).
For 2007, Drivesoft has decided to bring their
user-friendly offerings to the masses by developing a Double-DIN head unit featured with all of
the aforementioned, plus a few other neat features that will be released at the 2007 Consumer
Electronics Show in January. The unit is currently
known as the AIO-15-DD, however, Drivesoft
hinted at a possible name change.
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TEST REPORT
According to Drivesoft founder and CEO, Jack
Cali, “The biggest challenge was in developing the Human Interface component. We really
had to struggle to see the Drivesoft unit through
the eyes of our potential client. Ultimately, we
designed the Driver Friendly Software (DFS)
interface which allows absolutely anyone to
navigate and control our system without having to read as little as one page of the owner’s
manual. The flawless performance and intuitiveness of our menus has been at the absolute root
of our success.”
DRIVESOFT UNDER THE
MICROSCOPE
After chatting with Jack Cali, we were anxious
to spend some time with the Drivesoft AIO-15-DD.
Since this head unit is jam-packed with features,
we decided to cover only a few aspects we believe best showcase Drivesoft’s flexibility, expansiveness, and basic feature sets.
MAIN MENUS
The AIO-15-DD has two main menus. The
demo system provided was fully loaded, but we’ll
note anything that isn’t standard, as we go on.
The main menu screen provides access to 11
submenus, which in turn provide access to basic
and advanced controls. The menu displays the
most often used features, with access to additional features via the “More” icon.
The secondary menu provides access to additional features and allows users to easily jump
back and forth between menus. In total, the two
menus provide access to 22 key feature options.
DRIVESOFT IN-DASH MEDIA MANAGEMENT
MP3 PLAYER
Drivesoft preloaded our demo unit with over
10,000 music files. We expected them all to be
MP3 files, but soon discovered they were a mix of
WMA and MP3 songs, clearly reflecting its greater
capabilities. Drivesoft said we should expect to
see the addition of Ogg Vorbis and even MP4 AAC
as a free upgrade in due time.
We decided to load a few of our own songs.
The process was very simple and user friendly, as
we simply touched the “Load” icon and selected
the location of targeted songs. In our case, it was
the CD / DVD drive. A few brief minutes later, the
Drivesoft AIO-15-DD had converted our files from
PCM to MP3 and stored them on the internal 40gig hard drive.
PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND
NAVIGATION
A standard feature of the Drivesoft AIO-15-DD
is the navigation software package, complete
with GPS antenna. We took our unit for a ride
and activated the voice guidance feature. We
found the system to be of excellent quality, with
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accurate mapping and well-timed voice cues. We
activated the “Short Route” and “Quickest Time”
options and were surprised to find both were
quite useable. We tried the “Detour” option but it
was disabled in our unit.
The zoom features were lightning-fast and
the icons intuitively placed. We also discovered
during our usage of the navigation feature that
the screen toggles from “Control Screen” to
“Full Screen,” just by touching the center of the
map screen.
VIDEO & DVD PLAYER
Each of these features has their own screens;
however they’re virtually identical outside of the
“Load” icon. The video player easily accepts virtually every known video format to and from the
internal or optional external hard drive, plus USB
jump drives, CD-ROMs and DVDs and via a wired
or wireless network connection. The DVD player
allows traditional access to store-bought DVDs,
which can also be loaded onto the internal hard
drive. Both submenus are user-friendly; we never
pondered a thought for more than a moment
and discovered that all “Control Screens” toggle
to “Full Screen” by touching the middle of the
display screen. Nice feature indeed.
As for video quality, rendering and colour balance was on par with many of the best units currently available, load times were acceptable and
off-axis viewing was adequate enough for most
typical installations.
While running through the list of over
XM / SIRIUS RADIO
As we entered into the digital satellite menu,
Drivesoft offered access to either XM or Sirius
satellite radio. The menu opens with a general
screen to select the music category of choice.
We selected the “All Channels” feature, set up
our personal preferences and within seconds
were ready to surf stations. Access was fast and
control was intuitive.
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TEST REPORT
900 videos, we realized we could transfer
them to our office server via our wireless LAN,
which is very cool. Note the last screen shot
(Online WLAN).
THE EXPLORATION CONTINUES
As stated earlier, the Drivesoft AIO-15-DD has a
lengthy list of features, which is hard to sum up in
this review. However, before we wrap things up, we
feel there are a few more to share with you.
DRIVESOFT IN-DASH MEDIA MANAGEMENT
CELLULAR
As its name suggests, this allows you to use
the AIO-15-DD as an in-dash cellular phone. Currently, there are two connection options with an
existing cell phone: either directly via USB or by
Blue Tooth. In either case, you are able to dial
calls using the touch screen number pad, address
book and very soon, voice activation. (The software is standard, the hardware is optional.)
INTERNET & E-MAIL
It’s finally here! Wireless, mobile Internet, and
best of all, the service is free. More cities and
businesses all over North America are installing
Internet hotspots. Hopefully, one day all metropolitan centers will be following suit. Drivesoft
currently enables direct access to the Internet
via hotspots, cellular phone, or wired interconnection. Whether, you’re a leisurely surfer or
real-estate broker, this feature holds true value.
We connected while parked outside a local coffee shop and then we drove into the heart our
downtown city center, discovering dozens of
free connections. It was awesome and easy
to access, as the AIO-15-DD also has a touchscreen based keyboard.
DIGITAL REMOTE CONTROL
As the list goes on, we’ll mention just one
last cool feature. This one is for all those serious
installers out there. As an optional hardware accessory, Drivesoft offers a Digital I/O Module that
allows you to control almost anything from within
the Drivesoft system including OEM features like
headlights, windows, mirrors, air bags, HVAC, etc
PERFORMANCE AUTO & SOUND
SUMMARY
Drivesoft describes the AIO-15-DD as a Double-DIN in-dash PC-based head unit, with the
following basic features:
HARDWARE
WVGA LCD 800- x 600-pixel Touch Screen,
Pentium P4 CPU, 512MB RAM, 40GB Hard Drive,
GPS Receiver with Antenna, 4x 44-Watt Audio
Outputs (5.1 Ready), Front & Rear Preamp Outputs, 3x USB 2.0 Ports (1 Front, 2 Rear) AM / FM
Tuner (5,000 Presets), T-DMB, Internal DVD / CD
Read-Write Drive, Remote Control and a Lighted
USB Keyboard.
CAR-CAM
Car-Cam is a very cool feature allowing implementation of either IP-based or standard analog
cameras. When IP cameras are used, there is virtually no limit to how many can be managed by
the AIO-15-DD.
VEHICLE SECURITY MENU
Within the “Vehicle Security Settings” submenu, a user can create a connection between an
existing vehicle security system and the Drivesoft
AIO-15-DD, which automatically records video
and audio events (via the Car-Cams) during any
intrusion, and in real-time can send the files to an
entered e-mail address.
or even aftermarket features like neon lighting,
amplifiers, actuators, speakers, turbo boost…
you name it, it can control it.
SOFTWARE
Drivesoft Driver Friendly Software (DFS),
inclusive of at least the following players and
User Interfaces:
XM, FM, AM, CD, MP3, DVD, VCD, Navigation
(GPS), Car-Cam Ready, Picture Viewer, CD Burner,
Mobile Office, Media Organizer, Vehicle Maintenance Screen, Email / Internet Ready, Windows
XP and more. The AIO-15-DD also comes with
free software updates for one year from your purchase date and a one-year warranty.
FINAL WORD
Ultimately, we found the Drivesoft AIO-15-DD to
perform exceptionally well with each of its many
functions and features. We really like the fact that
Drivesoft continues to push limits and usher in an
era of open architecture head units and new possibilities. The AIO-15-DD scored top grades in coolness, build quality, user friendliness and value. We
never once reached for the owner’s manual. Kudos
to the team at Drivesoft for bringing us a computer
that thinks it’s a head unit. Oh yeah, we almost forgot, you can run PC games on it too.
// For more visit www.pasmag.com
Drivesoft
T H E
S O U R C E
A Driving Force In Car Computing Solutions
New Orleans, LA
[email protected]
www.drivesoft.net
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