Passat 05

Yes and Yes.

Thanks Garrettoomey for your quick reply and all the work you're doing here!!

Re: your second YES, does it tell me that I can use the USB adapter.... OR does it tell me that I need to connect to the mobo?

I'm sure it's been discussed somewhere but I can't find it.

I have previously installed a 60gig HDD with the Z3 image, upgrading my Z2 to a Z3.

Now to upgrade the upgraded Z3 with the new 2009 maps I believe that all I have to do is hook up that 60gig Toshiba to my PC and use the Recovery function in TrueImage to update LData and SData.

Is it that simple or am I missing something here

Oh, and can I use an USB 2.5" hard drive adapter for this or do I still have to connect that hard drive as the master drive on my secondary IDE channel

Ipod is not important to me. Drop me a note if you want to sell it for half!!!

I've always owned some sort of Pioneer unit in all my vehicles but in 2005 I put a D-3 in the F150, worked great except for the map disc and the horrible ipod interface which lead to the constant editing on my ipod just to work with the D-3 and not spend hours cycling through artist. I sold the 05 and bought a 08, putting a F90bt in there. Slow startup but the ipod feature worked great! No more messing with my catalog just drag, drop and go! So then I purchased a 2nd vehicle in the form of a 01 Mustang Cobra which is my baby to say the least. I bought a Kenwood DNX6140 and thought the Garmin interface would be cool and figured everyone should have ipod functionality like the F90bt so I got it. BIG MISTAKE! iPod crap takes me back to the D3 and the Garmin interface isn't any better than the Teleatlus system concerning routes and the features are less with the Garmin, sure it's dummy proof but I'm no soccer mom. Thing was I did a ton of research and everyone failed to mention anything about the ipod other than it works. So visiting various websites you might find my reviews but I've formally emailed Kenwood to tell them how their R&D department has failed miserably and that I would rather buy a $600 F90bt than a $1K DNX6140 any damn day of the week and have it take 10min to boot up. I have half a mind to sell the 6140 at half price and buy on of the new Pioneer X series! I've learned my expensive lesson and will now and always be a Pioneer loyalist.

It could very well be the antenna getting infrequent fixes and the unit guessing, based on speed and motion sensor, which way you're going. It's like going through a loooong tunnel, when you come out the other end the unit will make a correction based on the new satellite determined position.

If you have the antenna inside the car, temporarely put it through the window on the roof to see if that takes care of the problem. Mine is under the dash and workes perfectly since slightly moving it a couple of times.

I guess no one is able to find any info on Europe Maps..I was looking for some websites like avic411.com (Europe Version) but looks like Europe is not much interested in tweaking their AVIC's. If someone has any links where can I get these maps please let me know. I am very desperate to get these maps. I called Pioneer and they told me we do not support and sell these maps.

Thanks

I just returned from driving a rental in Europe. Took my Garmin 760 with me and was absolutely thrilled how well it worked over there. I have the Garmin in addition to my Z3 because the Garmin has more detailed maps and far better routing.

My suggestion therefore: Get a 700 series Garmin, you'll have no problem finding European maps for it.

You may have compatability problems with the pioneer in Europe anyway. As I remember the fm tuner is calibrated different for frequency stepping.

Kenwood has the KNA-G510 Garmin GPS adapter that works on certain Kenwood DVD units and is identical to their latest in-dash Garmin GPS.

This Garmin GPS is far better than the GPS in the Pioneer for routing and map detail. (I'm using a Garmin 760 for all my routing ... with the Z3 just displaying a nice 7" map).

I travel daily and am not too happy about having to use two units and wonder if there's a way to hack the KNA-G510 into the Z-series?

Any thoughts - other than negative ones?

djhuab I'm looking forward to your review!!!

Although I have the Z3 in my car, I'm using a Garmin 760 for all my routing.

Garmin is infinately better in that department and I understand that the GPS section of the Kenwood unit is in fact supplied by Garmin.

Another thing that I like about the Garmin is that "free" maps can be downloaded and installed. It would be interesting to find out if that also works with the Kenwood.

If this Kenwood is as good as the Garmin 760 then I'll be trading my Z3.

If you rely on your GPS the way I do, you need to have a Garmin along for accuracy. Garmin uses the same mapping that Google Maps use which is Navteq instead of the cheaper TeleAtlas mapping used by Pioneer.

You can read much more about it at: http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2006/07/navteq_vs_teleatlas_which_one.php

I'm on the road every day and have saved a lot of time by using my latest Garmin 780 (Garmin 250W before that). The big map on the Z3 is nice but for detail and getting there the fastest Garmin is the way to go. I just wish Garmin would finally come out with an in-dash unit so I can retire the Z3 altogether.

Yep, and equally easy to check is that, if you f.i. dispay a perfect circle, it will be slightly oval at 500 x 240, and perfectly round at 480 x 234.

 

However, everybody should just use what they want...

JWG you crack me up You mean to tell me that you can see an oval instead of a circle when you use what Pinoneer uses: 500x240

I have modified all by background screens with the full circle VW logo over the full height of the Carbon, Wood and Steel images and it always shows up round.

The question earlier was: What should the image size be and the correct and short answer is 500x240 because that is what Pioneer uses. Yes you can use just about any other resolution and as long as you stick to the 2 to 1 ratio they will all display circles rather than ovals.

Possibly, the difference is not that much as it automatically scales anyway. However, 480 x 234 is the true native resolution....

When the Z* hard drive is hooked up to your PC, you can right click on any of the screen images to be found on the 17.5 gig partition under "BG" and select "Open with". From the drop down list chose your photo editing software (Photo shop). Here you will see that the images are indeed all 500X240. All Z1, Z2, and Z3 images have always been 500x240.

No need to confuse anyone with some theoretical values.

Using the above method you can change the CPYCUSTOM.BMP to be found under BG/COPYRIGHT, by simply painting with the black background color over anything that you don't want to show up.

You can also add a logo, your License plate or your name so that it is always visible over any image that is displayed as your opening screen.

I just left the Tele Atlas info, moved it close to the bottom and added a small VW logo.

Guess it just depends where you live, cause it's 100% everywhere I've ever been with it.

 

Have you reported your communities growth?

http://mapinsight.teleatlas.com/mapfeedback/index.php

All that Teleatlas needs to do is buy a Garmin or Magellan and discover for themselves what's out there .

The mere fact that I need to have my Magellan on for routing alongside my 7" Pioneer screen for a better map overview (I do a lot of travelling) shows just how far behind Teleatlas really is.

The Avic will not have much of a future if it continues to use Teleatlas mapping.

you lie GTA maps are much better now

I don't lie you little idiot, show me one area that is improved.

I'll be happy to drop in my other HDD to show you that whatever you just discovered was already on the Z2 image.

And by the way, I drove 30 miles north of Toronto yesterday only to get a message that "Guidance was not available for this area". What good is guidance when 30 miles away from the core of a 3 million city, and while still being in a well populated area and on 80 year old roads there is no guidance.

Large lakes with a 25 mi shore line are still not on the map either.

Turning on my Magellan the guidance works everywhere and even much smaller lakes are on the map.

what is the size that fits the screen perfectly? like 1024x768 or whatever. what aspect does the zx need?

 

Abe

500x240.

Not sure how this became a double post but I see no option for deleting it.

Guys can you post Z3 screen shots, I would like to see hiw they look compared to the z2

I agree with smarsh, absolutely no visible difference in my area, Ontario, either. I feel sorry for those that pay money for the "upgrade".

Those that are loading the latest image onto the Z* hard dirve might want to consider removing the Pioneer banner while you have the HDD on the bench.

You don't need any special software, just search the LDATA partition for the files CPYCUSTOM.BMP and CPYDEFAULT.BMP and rename the BMP part with OLD.

You can then put in a new custom splash screen into that same location called CPYCUSTOM.BMP without getting the Pioneer banner over it.

I D/L the image from megapath and i have a Z1 that was upgraded last year to Z2 and now Z3 with this image and I can confirm that when hitting the voice command button my unit reboots.

 

I am currently D/L the image from the FTP and will try with that next.

The map update from megaupload is GOOD . You just have to redo the second partition (SData).

Has anyone noticed if the voice commands are better recognized by the system with the Z3 update applied? I know on the Z2, no matter where my mic is, it's sometimes a pain to get it to understand me. I hope this was somewhat improved (at the least) with the Z3.

 

And I would test this myself but I don't have a spare hdd lying around... yet.

Nothing appears to have improved. In a nutshell, the bitch understands the basic commands that are listed on the screen and as far as understanding anything else: Your chances of winning the lottery are better.

are the 19 megaupload files virgin or mishmash?

"Virgin"

You sure?

Supposed to be....

Did you guys know that this site has an excellent chat room?

Since a whole bunch of us seem to be doing this thread all at the same time, it would be a great place to discuss the issues without delays. Yes?

Keep downloading. Only z3_virgin1.tib is corrupt.

Any advise for those of us that wound up with the corrupt image on our HDD? I suppose following your excellent instructions in this thread a second time will take care of it?

I'm guessing that you're looking for instuctions for when you have the new file?

Here's what I did:

Downloaded Magaupload and HTTP overnight. (Experience told me that one or the other might have a problem )

I updated the Z2 drive in accordance with the great instructions provided here by garrettoomey using the HTTP download.

When I was done Trueimage told me that there were errors.

I then unzipped the megaupload file from septicdeath and went back to Trueimage - starting over.

This time I only did the "Recover" for the 17 gig map partition using the septicdeath image and called it quits.

Back in the car, everything is working fine. I have the 2008 maps and my music and data is still there. Voice command is working fine.

Now I just have to go back in and get rid of that opening screen banner again.

I have a new Toshiba MK8025GAS 80GB ATA. I assume this will be ok? The search function hates me. I can;t find a thread with how to utilize the extra space. Even if I can't, I'll just partition it to the stock size and load this image up. I'm stoked to try it!

That 80 gig drive will work fine. Be aware that the GAS drives, just like the Pioneer Z drives (also GAS) are at 4200rpm, slightly slower than the GAX drives (4200rpm vs 5400).

if you use a new drive and put it into the Z2 with the Z3 image it will try to lock the drive? if so how do u unlock it so it doesnt lockt he drive?

 

thanks

You need to do a little reading to avoid creating an anchor. Some people here have done a lot of work so that spoon feeding won't be necessary. Check the excellent Hard drive FAQ sticky.

My thanks to hyperite and septicdeath for all the work that went into this!

Ok well i know there is 6 pages on other thread, but half of that is all going back and forth with someone not knowing out to create a image on the z3. Wanting to use a HD duplicator. When is this z3 image coming? Is someone going to send it to someone for it to be hosted? Why is this so hard?

I don't get it?

1) Why start another thread when all this is already being discussed in another thread where anyone can easily catch up

2) What's the rush? If the last upgrade is any indication then you'll hardly notice a difference after upgrading.

Let's just stick to the original thread on this same subject to keep it all in one place.

http://avic411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14223&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=75

i love it how there is like 10 members with this HD and no 1 wants to share

Sooner or later someone will. There's no rush though, as I understand it, the difference is so small that the benefits will again be barely noticeable.