Valor Multimedia seems to adhere to specific business strategy-give consumers the biggest possible bang for their buck. The company's double-DIN source units pack in as many features as top-of-the-line offerings from more established manufacturers while maintaining much lower street prices. But when you can get a full-featured double-DIN multimedia navigation unit like the NVG-670W for hundreds of dollars less than a similarly featured product from Alpine, Kenwood, Eclipse, or Pioneer, you know something's gotta give. What exactly do you get when you purchase this wallet-friendlyhead unit?
Features
Crammed into the standard double-DIN chassis, the NVG-670W features an SD card reader, AM/FM tuner, CD/DVD player, backup camera input, Bluetooth for hands-free calling, and navigation via a 6.5-inch touchscreen monitor. The graphic user interface (GUI) also lets you control your iPod via the included cable or satellite radio if you opt to purchase a separate tuner. If you have headrest monitors, you can also feed video from the NVG-670W to the rear seat thanks to its dual zone capability. Besides the unit itself, necessary connectors, external GPS antenna, and manuals, the compact packaging contains three remotes: a standard one for front seat use, a rear zone remote, and a handy "Smart Dial," which lets you easily scroll through menus.
Installation
Since the NVG-670W is an all-in-one unit with no external navigation brain, installation is pretty standard for a do-it-yourselfer with basic knowledge of 12-volt wiring and an aftermarket wiring harness. Of course, hiring a pro generally makes for a quicker and safer installation. For those who want to give it a go on their own, Valor does include a wiring diagram, but that's all the help you'll get.
Navigation
Although Valor includes two separate booklets to cover the navigation functionality, the tech-savvy consumer won't need to consult them in order to get started. From the main menu, simply select the NAVI soft button to bring up the navigation software. Once you get by the plug for driving safely (an annoying necessity in today's litigious climate), you're ready to start mapping.
Maps are loaded onto the SD card, the first hiccup for anyone who hoped to listen to music on their own SD card while using the navigation. With the NVG-670W it has to be one or the other, so stick to CDs or an iPod for listening to your digital music. Provided by Navteq, the mapping compares to other products on the market, with no egregious errors or routing quirks.
The colorful GUI includes colorful soft buttons with easy-to-decipher graphics for different functions. To program your destination, simply tap the button that looks like a menu and then tap "Go To ...". You then can spell out your destination or scroll through a list of recent destinations. Here you can also program your home and office buttons for quicker routing.
Once you've inputted your destination you have to hop through a few more screens to actually approve and start your routing. This touches upon the main fault of the nav aspect of the system-the menus are deeper than they have to be. For instance, to navigate home, which on some navs is a one-click mechanism, you have to go through four different screens.
Selecting a point of interest (POI) also requires navigating through multiple screens, but the database is extensive and well ordered. Users may notice a lag time as the unit pulls up various POIs. This isn't that singular, as many products share this trait, but the NVG-670W's poor touchscreen operation makes it especially trying. The screen isn't very responsive and unfortunately there are no adjustment options for sensitivity. I often felt like I had to press the screen hard in order to input a command. Sometimes after touching a soft button it felt like the unit was doing nothing in response and I didn't know if it was the lag time, such as with the POIs, or whether the screen actually registered my touch.