In recent years with car radios being built in as an integral part of the dash there probably are few if any current models that still use the single DIN radio size. The net result is that such radios are almost exclusively purchased as replacements for older vehicles.

The Planet Audio not only represents a dying breed of radios but literally an almost forgotten technology in which the faceplate can be removed and taken with you for security which makes it an ancient design indeed. But despite that, this radio represents some of the most up-to-date technologies available. What that means to you is that if you are replacing a single DIN size radio in an older vehicle you don’t have to settle for less than what comes standard in some of the newest vehicles on the road. And that makes this an interesting and exciting product.

In my case we happen to have a couple of older classic vehicles that we kept for utility and sentimental reasons. Both of them have aftermarket radios of the AM/FM/cassette era that barely work. By replacing the one in my old Toyota van with a radio like the Planet Audio I gain not only CD but DVD playback, MP3, Bluetooth, an external audio input jack and wireless remote control. All for well under $100. Right there that makes this a great value. It’s the ideal choice for my van with its huge power output and having a remote control, not to mention that video screen for camping trips.

Back when single DIN radios were popular I spent many hours replacing stock radios in vehicles I used to own. It’s not a simple plug and play job but unlike today’s radios you don’t have to tear the entire dash apart. As expected the Planet Audio installed fairly easily. Of any radio I’ve ever owned this is the first that is Chinese-made and all things considered it is make surprisingly well, and doesn’t look quite as “weird” as some of the Japanese radios have recently. And the amplifier is as new-school as it gets, with 80w per each of 4 channels it sounds clean. Both the AM and FM tuners are strong and the radio offers the unusual (and unlikely) feature that it can be used both in Europe and the U.S. The chances of anyone actually doing that are slim, but it’s really just a cost-cutting move by the manufacturer so they don’t have to make multiple models. But hey, it doesn’t hurt.

As the manufacturer makes abundantly clear, the front panel input is NOT a video input so the tiny elongated video screen is really there as a radio status screen (a function it performs perfectly with a bright, clear, easy-to-read display) and as a bonus it will also play video from the DVD player.

When you consider all you’re getting for the price and the surprisingly good performance, this radio is easily recommended to replace that aging stock radio in your older vehicle and it earns a 5-star rating.