VIDEO AND SECURITY
Icon-TV MT-800W
By Paul Sonoda
Posted on Thursday, Apr 8, 2004

Video is one of the fastest growing markets in car audio. In our current marketplace, we’ve seen both entry-level and premium products. While the entry-level product offers entry in to the mobile video market at a very attractive price, the picture quality and functionality can sometimes leave something to be desired. On the other end of the scale, we have premium (read expensive) products that offer the latest technology and highest quality available, not only to the car audio market, but available anywhere. The MT-800W from Icon-TV is an example of what the best has to offer.

First Look
The MT-800W is an 8-inch (measured diagonally), 16 x 9 aspect ratio head rest monitor. Included with the monitor is an outboard control box that allows connections for two AV (audio visual) inputs and one AV output. The MT-800W also includes a flush mount ring and spacer ring for head rest mounting. A handy credit card remote, along with small buttons at the bottom of the screen, control all of the basic functions.

A Closer Look
The sleek black monitor of the MT-800W connects to the control box via a single din cable. This makes routing wires to the monitor very easy. The combination of the flush mount and trim ring will ensure a proper fit with most head rests. It’s also important to note that this unit could also be mounted in other locations, like a center console for rear seat viewing.

The compact control unit is about the size of a pack of cards and is designed to be easily hidden under the seat or behind the dashboard.

The MT-800 has an infrared output for wireless headphones (sold separately) and also has an infrared receiver for a wireless remote control. Both the controls of the remote and buttons on the monitor are easy to use. One of the best features of the MT-800W is its ability to accept two different sources. With this functionality, you can use one source input for a DVD player and the second input for a gaming device, such as a Game Cube, Xbox, or Sony PlayStation. The control unit also has an AV output so that you can easily daisy chain multiple units to the same source.

Installation
The wiring of the MT-800W is simple and well laid out. All of the necessary information is actually written on the control unit. However, installing this unit is not just wiring the unit but also installing it into the head rest. Depending on your vehicle, this could get quite complicated and is best left to the trained professionals at your local authorized Icon-TV retailer.

Manuals/Web Support
On Icon-TV’s Web site ( www.Icon-tv.org ), I learned that Icon-TV has won numerous awards for its monitors. While there was basic information about the MT-800W, I was unable to locate the owner’s manual or other detailed specifications on the product.

The manual was simple and easy to understand. It included basic instructions and illustrations that made the set-up and installation easy. What it didn’t cover was the installation of the monitor in the headrest. This is the most challenging part of the installation. Since there are no previsions for the installation in a headrest, each installation is a custom fit. An installation such as this is best left to the experts at your local authorized Icon-TV dealer.

Performance
To check the quality of the MT-800W, I used two sources: a DVD player and a Sony PlayStation. The DVD picture quality was excellent. Movements were smooth and clear. Using the optional set of wireless headphones provided good sound quality. The practical range of the headphones was about 5 feet. Distances beyond this resulted in static. High-end monitors typically run warm due to the high intensity lighting of the LCD panel. Switching to the Sony PlayStation was easy through the remote or the onboard controls. Here, the picture quality was also quite good.

Summary
Icon-TV’s MT-800W is an excellent monitor with great flexibility. Using the dual AV inputs to the fullest, you could have the ability to play the same thing or play something different on every monitor in the vehicle. If you’re looking for the best quality in mobile video, the MT-800W will not disappoint. If you’re looking for a crystal clear, cost-no-object monitor with a brilliant screen resolution, the MT-800W is the perfect choice. It may be expensive, but you’ll definitely get what you pay for.