2000 Honda Odyssey

Also found beneath the monitor is the main body of Clarion's DVS9755z DVD unit, the 5.1 audio processor. This unit is the heart and soul of the rear entertainment system as well as the master controller. Although the display piece is up front in the dash, DVDs are loaded here. A center channel speaker is mounted below the processor, and the front left and right surround speakers are mounted in handmade fiberglass pods on each side. "Because of less than optimal speaker positioning, these front stage speakers are angled upwards and towards the center to increase staging characteristics during playback," says Uyeda. "The best angles for each speaker were determined by temporarily connecting them to a test bench CD player."

There are Clarion midbass drivers located under each of the middle seats. Their enclosures are made from MDF with fiberglass bottoms to save height. At the top of the middle seats, Clarion 7-inch LCD monitors are installed in the back of each headrest to entertain those in the Odyssey's rear seats.

All passengers have the ability to choose their favorite mode of entertainment thanks to Clarion's MSS7100 video switching unit. By plugging their headphones into the nearest controller, they can choose between a variety of sources including DVD, TV, VCR, or Playstation 2 (regardless of what the person next to them chooses!). "Playstation 2 and Midnight Racer occupies even the worst backseat driver," jokes Uyeda. "And if they really want a thrill, we put in Independence Day on DVD. We crank it up and let them feel what 2000 watts and six 12-inch woofers feels like when the White House blows."

The very back of the Odyssey is the centerpiece of the installation, according to Uyeda. "Being that we intentionally designed the vehicle to display as much product as possible, it would not have been relative to design a modest subwoofer system," he says. "We chose to use a battery of six 12-inch subs not only to make a chest-caving impact, but also to create a menacing look of multiple drivers."

A large, six-cubic-foot tub, built from MDF, fleece, grill cloth, body filler, and lots of fiberglass, houses six Clarion SRM3008 subwoofers. The strong, flex-free enclosure is divided into two sections, with three woofers in each half. The actual baffle consists of molding fabric stretched over six rings made of MDF, positioned at different angles for effect and to eliminate standing waves within the enclosure. Care was taken throughout the construction of the enclosure to keep it from encountering flexing of any sort under high pressure situations. Strips of MDF and even Plexiglas were utilized within layers of fiberglass to keep the unorthodox shape of the baffle as flex-free as possible. The tedious yet necessary attention to detail made for an incredible sounding enclosure (whether for listening to music or watching a movie). South Bay Body Shop in San Pedro, California, painted the enclosure to match the truck's exterior. They also performed all of the other necessary paint work needed throughout the installation.

To the left of the sub enclosure is one of the Odyssey's two 750U deep cycle batteries, and above the battery is the main system's fusing. Both are concealed with blue protective covers. A quick glance above the tub reveals Clarion's CC425E color camera, which provides a clear view of everything behind the van.