Out to the street I walked, knowing that if Jennifer couldn't make it work there wasn't much of a chance I could either. This
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| First and foremost, the DVD disc should get slotted into the changer up front where the parents have control. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
is where I can't help but say that every automaker should take a lesson from Chrysler Group before installing their DVD entertainment system. First and foremost, the DVD disc should get slotted into the changer up front where the parents have control. Secondly, the remote should work when pointed at the dash from the front seats too, where the parents are seated, instead of only in back where the kids, often too young to make any sense of it, are waiting to be entertained, or there really isn't much use in having a remote at all. To Subaru's credit, while nothing happened when pointing the device at the dash, flicking it backwards at the monitor worked just fine, once we resolved the next problem. Yes, thirdly the remote should have a working battery in it when sold as new, so that those same kids aren't completely upset that they won't be enjoying a movie on that slick widescreen that Subaru provides. Next, automakers should make sure and include fixed controls for playing movies, in addition to those on the remote. Again, dead batteries can ruin a road trip and/or the remote could
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| Subaru's DVD system will only allow one DVD disc to be slotted into its player at a time, and that process requiring a bit of contortionism if done from the front seat. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
become lost in the mayhem that usually accompanies any sort of family outing. Once again I refer to the Pacifica, which borrows its DVD entertainment system from Chrysler's class-leading minivans. What a superb system. It's idiot proof, which is ideal for parents that may not have grown up with as many electronic gizmos as their kids, plus it features those fixed buttons that I was referring to a minute ago, on the side of the monitor and up on the centre stack where the six-disc DVD changer is located - another major convenience benefiting the Chrysler setup as Subaru's will only allow one DVD disc to be slotted into its player at a time, and that process requiring a bit of contortionism if done from the front seat, or the need to get outside the vehicle, open a rear door and stretch across one of the rear seat passengers to do so.
