Display Features
Built-In Navigation
Audio Section
Radio Functions
Disc Playback
USB/iPod Connectivity
AV Connections
Bluetooth/Remote Control

Display Features

Motorized/Retractable 7.0" Touch Panel TFT Display: The Clarion NZ500 has a motorized, retractable 7.0" TFT wide screen display with touch panel controls. The display provides a high-resolution video monitor for watching your DVD videos. The screen has a resolution of 1440 x 234 and 336,960 total pixels. The display features brightness (0-20) and aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9) adjustments. The unit's touch panel features interactive controls and video graphics, making menu navigation easy. An on-screen numeric keypad allows you to directly access music tracks and movie titles.

Display Angle and Position Adjustment: You can adjust the display's angle for better visibility. The display angle can be adjusted from 70° to 110°.

2nd Display: In addition to its main LCD screen, when the NZ500 is in the "closed" position, the informative 12-digit blue LCD offers maximum visibility in a space-saving package.

Front-Panel Controls: In addition to the unit's touch-panel display, the unit features hard-key controls, including two rotary dials, along the bottom front-panel and side of the unit.

Parking Brake Detection: To prevent the displaying of video while the vehicle is in motion, the bright green wire in the supplied 18-pin harness must be connected to the vehicle's parking brake detection circuit. While the vehicle is in motion (parking brake off), you can still view all of the other displays and menus.

Built-In Navigation

Built-In Navigation System: The Clarion NZ500 features a built-in car navigation system with simple destination input, turn-by-turn voice prompts, and selectable route guidance (everything you need to reach your destination quickly and efficiently). The NZ500 comes pre-loaded with 12 million Points of Interest; its database includes national parks, restaurants, gas stations, and much more.

GPS (Global Position System): The navigation software uses Global Position System (GPS) satellites, and a digital roadway map database to calculate and display travel direction.

GPS Antenna: The system's supplied GPS antenna receives signals from a constellation of 24 satellites orbiting the earth and uses the strongest of signals to determine your position to within meters. The GPS antenna features a magnetic base and a 16.5' attached cable.

Vehicle Positioning: The built-in navigation software's computer considers vehicle speed an heading changes, together with longitude and latitude information, to accurately determine vehicle heading and position on a digital map. Signal from GPS satellites are used to determine the vehicle location. Three (good) or four (best) satellites must be receive to accurately determine location.

Navigation Mapping Software: The integrated map database used by the built-in navigation software was created using high-resolution aerial and land based data collection. Navigation data is pre-stored on the unit's 4GB internal flash memory for quick access and response. The NZ500 provides map coverage of the United States and Canada. The Clarion NZ500's integrated navigation software provides turn-by-turn visual and voice assistance to direct you to your selected destination. The built-in software quickly calculates step-by-step directions to any destination available on the included navigation map.

Voice Guidance: In addition to graphic directions, the NZ500 provides voice guidance and turn-by-turn directions. You can select from English, French and Spanish audible languages. The volume of the voice prompts can be increased with increases in speed to overcome road noise. Voice guidance can be turned off if you prefer.

Destination Search: The Destination Entry Menu gives you many different ways to choose your destination or insert a waypoint in your current route. An on-screen keyboard appears to allow you to enter your destination from one of the following categories:

• Home: You can store one home location to allow you to calculate a route home from any current location.
• Office: You can store one work location to allow you to calculate a route to work from any current location.
• Address/Intersection: You can input your destination address by house number, street, and city. You can also enter one street name, then choose from a list of cross streets.
• POI (Point-of Interest): Select a destination or waypoint from a database of restaurants, gas stations, hotels, etc. A Point-of Interest may be searched by category, city, or name. This unit provides 12-million points-of-interests.
• My POI: My POI will allow you to create and save your own personal points of interests.
• Coordinates: You can route to a destination by directly inputting latitude and longitude values.
• Favorites: You can select your route to a destination by choosing on multiple preset favorite places.
• Address Book: The address book s a convenient place to store frequency visited destinations.
• Trail Book: The trail book allows you to create your own navigation routes.
• Trip Book: The trip book allows you to navigate multiple destination trips.
• History: Previous destination entered into the unit's built-in navigation software are automatically saved into its memory. This is helpful when you want to return to a recent destination.

2D Map: The on-screen map is 2 dimensional. 2D looks down from above at the map grid, just like looking at a paper map. You can choose to orient the map in one of two ways; show North at the top of the screen, or show the direction in which you are heading at the top.

Day/Night Settings: You can select one of three brightness modes for the on-screen map:

• Daytime: Has a lighter, brighter background for easier viewing during the day.
• Nighttime: Has a darker background, so it is easier to see at night.
• Auto: The brightness of the display automatically switches between daytime and nighttime at sunrise and sunset.

Route Priority: You can set the following conditions for route calculation; shortest distance or shortest time, avoid freeway, avoid tolls, or use ferries.

Route Simulation: You can preview all the route information and simulate travel along a projected route.

Automatic Route Recalculation: The unit will automatically recalculate your route if you stray from the navigation unit's previously calculated route.

Trip Computer: The Trip Computer displays current speed, max speed, average speed, compass reading, odometer reading, and clock reading.

Audio Section

24-bit D/A Converter: The unit's 24-bit D/A converter re-quantizes the 16-bit audio signals from CDs and DVDs as 24-bit data while maintaining the low distortion and high linearity of a 1-bit D/A converter. This allows an expanded dynamic range and clearer reproduction of subtle nuances, for a richer sound when viewing DVDs or listening to CDs.

CEA2006 Compliant: The power specifications for the NZ500 are compliant with the CEA2006 Mobile Amplifier Power Testing and Measurement standards from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). These standards were developed as a way to equitably compare power specs from model to model and between manufacturers. The power output specs for the NZ500 are as follows:

• CEA2006 Specs: 18 watts RMS x 4 channels (at 4 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, 1% THD-N)
• Maximum Power Output: 40 watts x 4 channels (160 watts total)

Audio Settings: The Clarion NZ500 offers the following audio adjustments:

• Preset EQ: Jazz, Pop, Classical, Rock, Urban, Rave, Movie, Techno, News, User, Flat.
• Bass and Treble: Independent and variable bass (60, 80, 100, or 200Hz) and treble (10, 12.5, 15, or 17.5kHz) control (+/- 7 dB); you can also adjust the Bass Q-Factor to 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, or 2.0.
• Loudness: Compensates for low and high tones during low volume.

6-Channel Preamp Output: With 3 sets of RCA outputs, you are free to add external power amplifiers to create a more powerful, sophisticated audio system. Also, independent volume control is enabled for the subwoofer so you can adjust the level of bass output to your liking at any time, regardless of the output level of the other channels. The multimedia headunit is equipped with stereo front, rear and subwoofer preamp outputs for connecting the unit to an external amplifier. The subwoofer preamp output's level can be adjusted independently from -7 to +7 dB. The NZ500 also features a low pass filter for the subwoofer preamp output. You can select between 80Hz, 120Hz or 160Hz.

Beep: The in-dash headunit provides an audible beep to confirm button operation. This function can be turned On or Off.

Radio Functions

AM/FM Tuner: The Clarion NZ500 is equipped with a built-in AM/FM tuner. The NZ500 offers Seek, Scan, Manual, and Preset tuning.

Preset Tuning: The NZ500's built-in AM/FM tuner features 3 FM bands and 1 AM band. You can store up to 12 presets in each bands, allowing you to store 36 FM and 12 AM preset stations. You can manually store your favorite presets or have the NZ500 automatically store the strongest stations for you.

Preset Scan: The Preset Scan receives the stations stored in the units' preset memory in order. The unit scans each station for 10 seconds sequentially. This function is useful when searching for the desired station in memory.

Local Seeking: When Local seeking is turned "On", only those radio stations with strong radio signal can be received.

HD Radio Ready: Connecting the optional Clarion THD400 HD Radio tuner (020THD400, sold separately) lets you enjoy listening to digitally broadcast radio programs with superior sound quality and text information (such as artist name and song titles or traffic news; viewable on the headunit's display). The add-on HD Radio tuner includes iTunes Tagging capability, so if you hear a song on the radio that you like, you can tag it to download later from the iTunes Store.

Sirius Direct: You can connect the Clarion NZ500 to the SiriusConnect SC-C1 Sirius Satellite Radio Receiver (607SCC1, sold separately) without any need for a interface box and enjoy over 130 channels of music, news, talk shows, sports and traffic information with digital quality sound throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Disc Playback

Electronic Skip Protection: The Clarion NZ500 provides electronic skip protection for your CD-Audio discs (10-seconds), as well as your discs containing MP3 (45-seconds) and WMA (90-seconds) audio files.

Disc Compatibility: The NZ500 can play back the following types of discs.

• CD: CD-Audio, CD-Text, CD-R, CD-RW
• DVD:DVD-Video, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW

MP3/WMA Playback: This unit can play MP3/WMA (32-320 kbps) files recorded on CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW discs in Joliet, Romeo, or ISO 9660 Level 1 or 2 format. The player can recognize up to 8 hierarchical levels, 200 folders, 1500 files per folder, and 1500 total files. The headunit also supports ID3 Tag information (Ver. 1.0, 1.1, 2.3, 2.4) which will display the title, artist, and album information when recorded on the disc.

Parental Lock: You can set and change the level of parental lock. This function allows cutting scenes that are unfavorable for children or replacing them automatically with other scenes prepared in advance. There are 5 levels of parental lock that are protected by a custom user 4-digit password.

Mounting: For proper disc playback you must install the unit within 30-degrees of horizontal.

USB/iPod Connectivity

USB Port: The headunit features a rear panel USB port that allows you to connect and play USB Mass Storage devices loaded with MP3 and WMA audio files. This unit supports USB 2.0/1.1 Full-Speed and FAT12/16/32 file systems. The multimedia headunit will support MP3 files with a bit rate of 32-320 kbps and WMA files with a bit rate of 32-192 kbps. The NZ500 can recognize up to 200 folders with a maximum of 1500 files in each folder (maximum total number of files: 1500). The NZ500 offers the following playback operation of your USB Mass Storage device - Play, Pause, Track selection, Fast-forward/backward, Scan play, Repeat play, Random play and Folder selection.

iPod/iPhone Connectivity: The optional Clarion CCA-748 iPod/iPhone connector cable (020CCA748, sold separately) allows the NZ500 to connect to your iPod via the headunit's rear-panel USB port and A/V input. Using the optional iPod/iPhone connector cable, the NZ500 supports audio/video playback, control, information display, and charging of select iPods and iPhones. If you only need audio playback, you can simply use the USB/Dock cable supplied with your iPod.

• USB Connection: The USB connection allows your iPod/iPhone's stored music to be loaded instantly to the headunit and sound quality to be maximized through the headunit's 24-bit D/A converter, allowing for a Signal-to-Noise ratio up to 87dB.
• Audio/Video Playback: The Clarion multimedia headunit supports both audio/video playback from compatible iPod or iPhone. Using your iPod or iPhone's USB/Dock cable you can enjoy audio playback of music stored on your iPod or iPhone. Using the optional Clarion iPod/iPhone connector cable (sold separately), you can also enjoy video playback of movies, TV shows, and music videos stored on your iPod or iPhone. Video can only be displayed while the vehicle is in park (the unit will display "Audio Only" when your vehicle is in motion).
• Media Navigation: You can control your iPod/iPhone from the multimedia headunit. You can browse your iPod/iPhone's music library by Artist, Album, Song, Genre, Playlist, or Composer. You can browse your iPod/iPhone's video content by Movie, Music Video, TV Show, Video Podcast, or Rented Movie. You can also select random and repeat functions for a certain song or specific folder. Your iPod/iPhone's controls will be locked while connected.
• Music Information: The multimedia headunit will display your iPod/iPhone's music file information, including - Track number, Elapsed playing time, Song Title, Artist Name, Album Title and Album Art.
• Charging: While connected and the ignition switch is set to ACC or ON, the multimedia headunit's USB connection will power and charge your connected iPod/iPhone.

iPod/iPhone Compatibility Chart: The Clarion NZ500 is "Made for iPod/iPhone" compatible and supports the following iPod/iPhone model features when connected to the optional Clarion iPod/iPhone connector cable (as of Dec. 2010):

AV Connections

Front and Rear AV Inputs: The Clarion NZ500 is equipped with AV input terminals on the front and rear of the unit to enable enjoyment of content from an external connected source. The rear composite video/stereo RCA inputs are ideal for permanent installations, while the front AV minijack (3.5mm) input will come in handy for quick connection of a portable audio/visual source.

Video Output: The NZ500 is equipped with a single composite video output for connecting a rear monitor.

Camera Input: The Camera Input consists of a Composite video RCA jack for connecting an optional rear-view back-up camera. This RCA input enables you to connect a rear-view camera to display the area behind your vehicle. The increased view encourages and facilitates safer driving. When an optional rearview camera is connected to this unit, the rear view image is displayed on the screen when your vehicle is placed in reverse gear (purple/white wire of harness must be connected to reverse light wire of vehicle).

Bluetooth/Remote Control

Built-In Bluetooth: The NZ500 features built-in Bluetooth Technology. Bluetooth wireless technology enables voice and data to be sent via a short-distant digital radio link (2.4GHz) up to approximately 33 feet. With Bluetooth built-in, you can wirelessly connect your Bluetooth capable mobile phone to listen to calls through your car's audio system. HFP/OPP/A2DP/AVRCP protocols are supported. You can pair up to 5 Bluetooth enabled devices (only one can be used at a time).

• HFP/OPP: The NZ500 supports wireless hands-free communication for your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone. The NZ500 allows you to carry on a phone conversation from your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone using the headunit's built-in microphone and your car audio speakers (the headunit also features a microphone input for connecting an external microphone: 020RCB199, sold separately). The NZ500 utilizes a Noise Canceller feature to reduce noise generated during hands-free conversation. The multimedia NZ500 allows you to answer the call manually from the headunit's controls or automatically. You can make a call from the NZ500 using the unit's on-screen ten-key pad, your transferred Phone Book, or a call history data log of dialed and received calls. The unit also feature a redial function.
• A2DP/AVRCP: The NZ500 supports wireless music streaming for transferring stereo music audio data that is processed as a steady and continuous audible stream from your Bluetooth enabled phone or audio player to the Clarion headunit and your car's audio system. You can listen to and control music stored on your Bluetooth enabled phone or audio player. The NZ500 lets you control the following playback functions from your Bluetooth compatible phone or audio player - Play, Pause, Stop, Track Search, Fast Forward and Rewind.

IR Wireless Remote Control: In addition to the unit's touch-panel and hard-key controls the NZ500 comes supplied with an IR wireless remote control for full function of the multimedia/navigation player.

OEM Steering Wheel Remote Compatibility: The unit also features an OEM steering wheel remote control input on the rear of the unit that lets you keep your vehicle's factory radio steering wheel remote controls when used with the optional PAC SWI-JACK Steering Wheel Control Interface Adapter (127SWIJACK, sold separately); or the optional Metra ASWC Steering Wheel Control Interface Adapter (120ASWC, sold separately).