Car Stereo / Radio Head Unit

What does Double DIN mean?

When buying a car stereo, you'll come across the term "DIN size" early on. A concept that might be something you've never heard of before. Don't worry, most people haven't.

In layman's terms, ‘Double DIN’ or ‘2 DIN’ is a term coined to specify a measurement. A standardized size for a car stereo, radio, or head unit.  

DIN size refers to the size of the stereo's chassis, and car stereos come in two standard sizes:

• Single-DIN refers to stereos that are two inches tall (and seven inches wide)

• Double-DIN refers to stereos that are four inches tall (and seven inches wide)

Nowadays, the vehicles can accommodate either size, both sizes, or both.

Why won't a double-DIN stereo fit in my car? 

These days, your factory radio might have a double-DIN screen or control panel, but the chassis might be much smaller. More importantly, the opening in the dash might be designed to only accommodate that smaller chassis. A double-DIN replacement won't fit.

There are some aftermarket stereos that have a similar design. Once you tell us about your vehicle, we'll be able to show you all the stereos that will work in your car. 

Why was Double DIN introduced?

German car manufacturers set a standard size of 178mm x 100mm for car stereos. This standard size was established to simplify the production process for car stereos. The goal was to make it easier to create stereos that could fit into different car models worldwide.

This standard includes both single DIN and double DIN units, with double DIN units being twice the height of single DIN units. The larger size accommodates enhanced power, performance, and additional features like digital displays. While the width and height were standardized, the depth was left unspecified, allowing for design flexibility.

What features come with a Double DIN stereo?

With advanced technology, most of the double DIN Car stereos sold on the market come with all the fancy features. Other than solely having HD and touchscreen display. You are able to discover more of the latest features from these wireless head units, which are CarPlay enabled.

These CarPlay units allow you to seamlessly connect to your iPhone and navigate with Apple Maps. Keep your road trip peace of mind. Although Apple CarPlay units are digital displays now, you can still listen to radio stations without internet access.

What's even better, all the CarPlay screens we sell here are also head units for android auto. That means all your family members can use this wireless CarPlay head unit, even if some are using Android phones. Everyone can enjoy it.

One of the most highlighted features that improved safety visibility is reverse camera READY. These Android head units and Apple car play head units work perfectly with your factory rear camera. If you don't have one and are looking to buy one, you can buy one from us here.

Besides that, you can control your car screen CarPlay with your steering wheel controls using our double DIN CarPlay. Stay focused on the road and keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times. With voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant, you can send and receive SMS messages through voice commands, enhancing both convenience and safety while driving.

Get the installation gear you need

At Gtzone, we prioritize two things:

• Make sure all our customers know which car stereos will fit (and work in) your car, and

• Once you choose a new stereo, make sure that you get all the right things you need for installation.

Most of the time, you'll also need a wiring harness to help with all the connections. Many vehicles also need CanBus adapters to make the stereo work safely with your car's electronics.

When you shop with GTzone, we'll send you all the installation gear you need. If there are multiple options available, we'll tell you and also tell you the differences between them. In most cases, our head unit upgrade kit packages are extremely easy to install, simply a straight swap and plug and play.

You can also visit our YouTube channel, How to install an Apple CarPlay Android Auto Head Unit Playlist to learn how to install it by DIY. If you don't have time and prefer letting others do it for you, you can contact us and drop your car with us for an hour. We will get it done for you.