How's it going everyone, just received a MKIIA today. I have been doing the car computer for about 4 years, then after all that time i realized that having all that stuff in my car was pointless and all i really wanted was hard drive mp3 playback. One thing i've noticed that i didn't like about the rio is how easy it is for it to get stolen. The thing slides right out.

Are there any mods to make it more secure, and if i take it out everytime i get out of the car will this damage the unit after a while?

You won't damage it by repeated removals. That's what it's designed to do. Paul Grzelak keeps his behind a panel at the bottom of his dashboard. Have a look at his site

One thing i've noticed that i didn't like about the rio is how easy it is for it to get stolen. The thing slides right out.

That feature is actually what makes it not get stolen. You take it with you.

There is a laptop security slot on the back of the player. You might be able to rig something so that it is locked in place while docked. But the best defense is to take it with you.

As Paul has mentioned, you could do something with the security slot, but that might just mean that the empeg gets trashed as someone tries to lever it out with a crowbar.

There are another couple of options;
Someone has recently made a display extender that could be used as a basis for a removeable display idea where the main unit is more securely fixed. However, there are significant technological details that would need to be worked out to make this work. Firstly the display would need to be physically modified/encapsulated into a docking case (and a corresponding dock designed), and secondly you'd need to do something electrically to ensure that there is no power to the empeg during docking and undocking.
Neither of these are insurmountable to someone with the skills, dedication, time and resources but it's not going to be a walk in the park. No one has felt inclined to do it yet.

The other option is to do a custom dash that completely encloses the empeg so that it cannot be removed without the dash being assembled. Someone has done this, there are pictures on riocar.org somewhere.

Both of these ideas have some drawbacks though. Firstly, it makes it difficult to add music to the empeg. It is possible to work around this with some thought, but again it is hassle.
More importantly though is that neither of these schemes prevent the empeg being stolen. Ask Loren about car theft sometime.

Welcome!

You don't want your empeg stuck in the dash. Take it out; play with it; have fun!

One of the reasons the empeg was made 'slide out' was because head units with removable face plates, etc get stolen even when their 'security features' are in use. IE, if it's in the car, it's a target.

Eventually you'll start really lovin' your empeg. Even the pull out-ness of it. I've used mine at home, work, and in the car. For MASSIVE music storage the empeg is better than anything else out there.

The biggest irritation about moving the empeg around for me is plugging in all those wires. I bought a dock and that prob went away (I don't have one for work, I should have bought another when I had the chance). I would suggest you find someone who who will sell you a home docking station. Get it. You'll love it.

If you really don't want to haul your empeg around (say you're goin' to a club) just put the darned thing in the trunk. It's not as safe as taking it with you, but who wants to pry a trunk open because there 'might be' a head unit of some type (remember, most pullouts are 5-10 years old now) buried in it?

Greetings!

Excellent install, pgrzelak.

Someone has recently made a display extender that could be used as a basis for a removeable display idea where the main unit is more securely fixed.

That could certainly be done, but seems a lot more complicated than necessary, and you still have to carry part of your car around when you leave it; I went the route of making it look like there's nothing to steal when the player isn't running. Serial VFDs are (compared to an Empeg) cheap and plentiful; if someone wants to steal an innocent looking cubby out of my car they can go ahead.. The good stuff is (relatively) safely stored in the trunk (which is where I'd usually leave the player anyway, only now nobody sees me moving something shiny out of the dash and into the trunk).

What are those funky looking buttons for?

Standard stuff.. heat-seeking missiles, oil slick, ejection seat, self-destruct.. oh, uh.. I mean.. VFD power, garage & gate openers, and 6 soft-buttons sent to the Empeg to do whatever.

You may remember me from previous threads such as "Project: External VFD" and "An Odd wish...; if not, the thing that looks like (and previously was) the cigarette lighter is a joystick that replicates the 7 actions on the Empeg's face.

Thanks! It was my first non-factory install, and it was done by a local shop.