WilliamG

This process requires a certain skill set and level of proficiency - I don't have the time to walk you through every keypress. I will help you understand the general process. You're going to have to dig-out the details in existing threads. Beware - there are lots of ways to screw-up. Always avoid doing something you can't undo. Make working backups of any files you need to delete. I make a /BACKUP folder on my SD and move origian copies into there just incase I screw something up.

1. Learn how to copy, paste and delete files using Testmode. There is a Youtube vid that covers many of the nuances - but the Testmode user interface is a POS. Be aware that on the vidoe he incorrectly calls it HackMode - don't install hackmode - it's a disaster waiting to happen.   To run Testmode, put the file Testmode.key in the root of an SD and insert it into  the AVIC. You need to select "File Maintenence". It uses hard buttons to scroll, and select variou operations. It is very error - prone so be careful.

 

2. Now you need to get a copy of NAVI.exe on your PC. You can get it off the HU (in /USER/PRGn/APL) or from the 5.x files you downloaded to do the upgrade. Just to be safe, copy the file somewhere to edit - best not to touch the original.

 

3. You need a hex editor on your PC. I used (free) HxD. Learn how to use it - practice on something first. Then use it to patch the hex bytes into NAVI.exe as pionara (v5.1) or I (v5.0) describe elsewhere. The offest is the location in the file to begin the patch - replacing the 4 numbers already there.

 

4. Copy your patched NAVI.exe to the SD where you have TestMode.key and insert in the HU - should boot you directly into Testmode.

 

5. The HU has two sets of application files in /USER (PRG0 and PRG1). If a file called PRG.FLG is present, you need to modify /USER/PRG1/APL. Otherwise /USER/PRG0/APL.

 

6. Delete NAVI.exe from the directory above. It is best to make a copy of it somewhere on the SD in a different directory than your hacked one.  Note: Testmode will not overwrite a file of the same name.

 

7. Now copy your hacked NAVI.exe to the HU folder from above. It can take a while.

 

8 When finished, eject the SD and reboot the HU.

 

Good luck. Maybe someone with more time will write a full-blown checklist.

 

UPDATE: I just tried applying pionara's 5.1 patch and managed to bork it.  Go stuck in a reboot loop. Good thing I had a backup

Mate, thank you. Did the 2013 maps update to my Z110BT (which is now a ... I have no ideaBT, hah!). I lost my nag screen hack, but following this:

"At offset BEBFC, change 05 00 00 0A  ->  00 00 A0 E1"

Worked perfectly. Nag screen gone, and I'll stick at 5.0 since your experience with 5.1 was less than great, and I have a 160GB iPod Classic I'd rather keep working!

Thanks again!

Yes that doesn't work unless you do the bypass. It's by design (and not very intelligent).

Completely agreed. I complained about this on my F700BT, and now also on my Z130BT. Pioneer have dropped the ball horribly in this regard. My iPhone 4S with Tom Tom software outperforms the Z130 handily, and that's just a $50 piece of software and a tiny phone with a tiny GPS antenna, compared to my huge, beefy, in-car nav. Ridiculous. This will be the last Pioneer I buy.

I bought the Z120bt last week and just switched it out for the 130. It does the same thing. I was searching about this and found the thread.

Cannot believe Pioneer haven't addressed this issue....

I assume nobody has any info on how to fix this, yet? Or maybe I'm the only one having this issue?

Maybe the Z130BT is better? (doubtful...)

How about an iPod screen where you can hide the annoying list of sources on the left?

It's also pretty sad that long track names can be displayed on the Navi screen pretty easily, but the text is too big on the actual music/sources screen and doesn't fit.

How about the navi remembering that I've brought up the music bar on the navi screen at the bottom? Every time I start my car I have to touch that bar to see the artist/track name. Really annoying!

Heck, here's the thread I made on the Z120BT and its annoyances. I'd appreciate any of those being fixed. But we all know they won't...

http://avic411.com/index.php?/topic/28897-pioneer-seriously-needs-to-hire-some-usability-people/page__p__213751#entry213751

and...

http://avic411.com/index.php?/topic/28799-there-a-way-to-have-earlier-turn-notifications-navigation/page__p__212994#entry212994

That last one is a COMPLETE pain in the butt.

I apologize if I sound rant-y, but I paid a FORTUNE for my Z120BT, and it completely annoys me every single day.

Feel free to read about it here:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/pioneer-announces-aha-radio-partnership-plans-for-app-dominatio/

All I can say is the navigation interface still looks like it sucks, EXACTLY like on the Z110BT/Z120BT, and I'll never be buying another Pioneer in-dash unit after having to deal with the step backwards my Z120BT is even from my F700BT in terms of navigation.

Pathetic.

If I sound bitter, it's cause I am.

This is still REALLY cheesing me off, even more now since today I finally turned on the navigation voice. Nothing more annoying than being told "Right Turn Ahead" when I'm already MAKING THE TURN!

I'm beginning to really hate my Z120BT...

Like I said, if BT is on on my phone before I turn the car on, then the AVIC connects just fine. I just don't often remember to turn BT on on my phone until I'm driving along, and then it's a nuisance!

Heya,

If I have BT on on my iPhone 4 (iOS 4.1) and turn my car/Z120BT, the car auto-connects to the phone no issues.

However, if I turn the car on BEFORE turning BT on on my iPhone, it doesn't work.

To make it work in this case, I turn the car on and the Pioneer Z120BT loads, I then turn BT on on my iPhone, and then I have to go into the BT settings and tap the Pioneer NAVI to get it to connect.

Is there a way to make it always connect automatically? I don't leave BT on on my iPhone, so it would be nice to be able to just have it connect when I turn BT on.

I recall it worked fine before I upgraded to iOS 4.1...., but I can't be sure..

just the way it's designed, dude. Don't let it get to you though.

Just causes me much difficulty downtown... *sigh*

Oh well, moving on with life.

Yeah it didn't help. I don't understand why I'm so much further ahead on the road than the navigation thinks I am. REALLY FRUSTRATING.

AVCRP is back with iOS 4.1, fyi. Talked about a lot on Macrumors, and here:

 

http://www.tipb.com/2010/07/15/ios-41-f ... -controls/

Isn't it Beta? as in not available for the general public?????

Correct, but likely available to the public the 1st September when Apple gives their media event (new iPods etc). I expect we'll see 4.1 next week, or soon thereafter.

AVCRP is back with iOS 4.1, fyi. Talked about a lot on Macrumors, and here:

http://www.tipb.com/2010/07/15/ios-41-f ... -controls/

Ok, stupid newbie question: I bought my Z110BT earlier this year. Shouldn't this upgrade be complimentary from Pioneer since it's essentially a "maps upgrade, plus" ? Most nav system manufacturers provide complimentary map updates for the first year.

Except it's a whole ui upgrade, too. The maps aren't offered separately. Thank Pioneer for that.

And why do my voice commands not work if I haven't hit "OK" on the navigation warning screen before my BT connects to my iPhone?

 

Ok there has been a solution to that one for over a year now.

There has? Well you could have posted it.

Doesn't really excuse Pioneer for their other missteps.

Let me add another.

Let's say I want to get home to my house in Seattle, but I want to avoid Interstate 5. Well, I can't say "get me home as fast as possible, but avoid this one road," like I could on the F-series. What's the deal with that?

And why do my voice commands not work if I haven't hit "OK" on the navigation warning screen before my BT connects to my iPhone?

Pioneer, are you even reading these forums?

I like my Z110BT (now a Z120BT), but seriously Pioneer, what is going on in your testing?

1.) When planning a route, why do I have to keep entering my home city (Seattle) EVERY time I want to go somewhere? I could set a "home town" on my F700BT, so why not with this 2010 model?

2.) Your new fancy iPhone-like music menu just sucks. It's actually MORE dangerous and clumsy to try and pick a new album than my F700BT, or Z110BT before the upgrade.

3.) Why on earth does the clock cover up the top right of the display, where it's showing me my previous iPod track? It just looks so amateurish!

4.) I understand the red line on the navigation screen showing me where my final destination is in relation to my current position, but no option to turn this off? So I have to see an ugly red line extending across my screen at ALL times.

5.) When picking a route, why do I have to tap all over the screen to start the trip? The OK button needs to be COMPLETELY prominent, in ONE place, preferably bang smack in the CENTER of the screen, not buried among a ton of other on-screen choices.

The more I think about it, the more the Z series infuriates me.

In this video below,

The guy talking about the AVIC says that Pioneer showed the other manufacturers what they had done, and the other manufacturers "couldn't believe" it. I'm sure they couldn't! No other, I hope, would make such a ridiculous UI decision.

Now, all is not terrible. I love the speedy boot-up times of my Z120BT, and the fact that my iPod nano actually connects every time now to the stereo when I turn the car on (unlike my 700BT), but seriously Pioneer, it's time to hire some real programmers.

Oh, and as an addendum, while the ui may not be great on the Z120BT software, how did any of you put up with the completely stretched iPod interface on the Z110BT??? Go look at an F700/F900BT etc, and you'll see how strrrrretched the Z110BT is by comparison.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

Well maybe you haven't used the navi enough to make that determination yet but the general consensus around this forum for a while now has been that Pioneer took a huge step backwards with the navi on the Z compared to the previous F/X series.

Well, it's still not perfect, but the other additions to the units make them infinitely more usable on a daily basis.

And I've not seen this consensus anywhere but in your post.

I certainly wouldn't call the F-series navi better, but there are a few tweaks I wish we could make. I sure as heck wouldn't go back to the F-series because of the sloooowness.

This was never an issue with my F700BT, but for some reason when driving along with a route calculated, I don't get notification of my next turn until only 0.5 miles away from the actual turn. This can prove to be an annoyance. It'd be nice to know a lot earlier which direction I'm supposed to turn...

Is there an option/setting/tweak for this I'm missing?

Thanks!

Is there a way to transfer my iPhone 4 contacts to the unit? I can see the contacts on my Z120BT, but it's slow since it's reading them off the iPhone, and I can't figure out how to transfer them across. The "transfer contacts" doesn't appear to work...

Thanks...

Looks I was wrong. The VSS wire was not hooked up, but it did still show the approximate speed on the 3D Calibration page. In any case, I wired it up and now the Pulse is starting to count up. The 3D bar is now growing and it says it's now in 3D Hybrid mode, which it wasn't before. I haven't driven much, but hopefully it will get more accurate now?

Thanks for the help...

it has a progressive bar which will fill up once it is done learning.

Thanks for the tip. I wuv you guys.