Part 3/4 - 1988 Nissan R31 Skyline: A study of light.

You know a vintage head unit is gonna be good when it has "999" in the name (see also: Kenwood KRC-999). This Carrozzeria (an Italian) sounding Japanese portmanteau for "car stereo" and manufactured by Pioneer) FH-P999MDR was the top model retailing for over $900 in 2001 and is like nothing ever sold in the US.

In addition to several useful audio effects and DSP settings to make nearly any speakers sound amazing, its big feature was the ability to record MiniDiscs from either the radio or your CDs, effectively letting you create your own mixtapes on-the-go. In addition, it was one of the earliest aftermarket iterations of speed-dependent volume, which Pioneer called Automatic Sound Levelizer.

Using a sensor to detect cabin noise, the music volume is automatically compensated.

The large screen is actually 3 separate OLED displays each with their own color and purpose.

Thanks to Apple's foresight when developing the original iPod, the original Pioneer iPod adapter still works with brand new iPhones over 20 years later to control music and display song titles directly on the head unit.

Although not quite period correct, the design philosophy and color selection just feel so at home in this car. https://video.nostr.build/7169068b16b57bf1945abd04521ac103b8386d3140c2701b4f9880c06c47cafe.mp4