Sanyo intros GPS unit with digital TV, DVR functions

Sanyo this morning launched a new in-dash GPS receiver for drivers who need their in-car system as their primary entertainment. The HD1700DT not only tunes 1Seg-formatted digital TV broadcasts on its 7-inch screen but includes measures to keep watching, according to the company. The tuner adjusts to improve reception as the car transitions from one broadcast tower to another; those who want to watch shows outside of the car can burn them to rewritable DVDs for use with a home DVD player or the car itself.

A 30GB hard drive onboard the unit both stores map data for navigation and serves as a music jukebox, Sanyo says. The inclusion of an optical drive lets drivers rip CDs to the hard disk at 14X and stores about 4,000 songs using the available free space. GPS routing is intelligent and not only factors in typical traffic delays but also environmentally sound driving: the system will warn the driver when acceleration or braking is hard and threatens fuel economy.

The double DIN-sized receiver also ships with an AM/FM tuner with RDS text support and should be available in its home country on July 20th for about $2,329. [via Impress]