james2266

Z120BT has much better preouts than the X920BT (4v versus 2v). This will make a large difference if you are hooking up aftermarket amps to this HU. Also, the Z120BT has dual zone capabilities while the X920BT does not. The last one difference that my installer told me about was the x920BT does not have 3d building representation unlike the Z120BT which does. He told me he actually had a customer swap out the 920 for the 120 because of this so it might be a big deal for you. I personally love that and it is a real attention grabber for anyone riding with you in the car (if that matters). I don't think there are any other diffs but wanted you to know there are most definitely some differences between the units and to some people they could be huge (deal breakers for some). Either way I think they are both fine units just for different reasons.

I agree 100% with everything you just stated in that last post. Here is my hope as to what Pioneer is planning with this Z110BT chain. Year one, release the unit without any major issues. I think success there pretty much compared to what was available on the market then. Year two, upgrade the av section into a very user friendly and safe to use unit and make it an upgrade for the previous model. Year 3 (this is my hope anyway) Pioneer focuses their attention on the shortcomings of the navi on this unit. Once again making it into another upgrade for the 2 preceding year's models. If they do indeed do this, this thing will be by far the best unit on the market IMO. It is just wishful thinking at the moment but Pioneer did this on their last Z series. Mind you the upgrades were not near as large as what is already coming this year. I sure hope I am right. It would be awesome to have that new interface and a nav section that is first rate to go along with it. It is the only thing lacking right now IMO.

Unfortunately, you just have to live with it. I, personally, don't use the Bluetooth for calls too often and when I do they are short calls. Sometimes I do just hit back track once or twice to replay what was missed when I was on the call. You can have it play through at a lower volume if you like too while on your call. Unfortunately, that could interfere with the call quality and I have not tried it personally.

Yep, totally agreed there. Take a better look around. It is all laid out on this site for you very well...

I feel it will. I believe you and everyone else I have heard it from. I just want to make sure it has everything tho. There is alot to upgrade there it seems. He did indicate possible price tho as you said and it was a little on the steep side even if it still would be a great deal. I will be a most definite adopter there. I can't wait!

Are there any nav upgrades at all on the Z120BT. I mean in functionality not maps. I have been told there will be no updates to the nav at all. Huge disappointment there if that is the case. It really could use more functionality that's for sure.

I can wait. None of the main players appear to offer traffic in my Canadian city yet so maybe by then whatever service they do go with might actually have something of use to me.

From the demo video, the radio sceen looks exactly the same from an information point. ie. no true RDS. Is there a button to activate more info? The 3d graphics are awesome on that unit. I really do hope that there will indeed be an update for the 110 into a 120 like was mentioned on this site a thousand times and at the end of that video. I am really thinking more all the time about XM Radio too. Really liking the looks of that unit thus far.

Yet another one, what are they planning for traffic updates after MSN Direct is done in a little over a year.

From what I heard, an iPhone app may be in the distant future to provide free traffic.

Oh, boy, I sure hope so. That would be killer and be the deciding factor on me getting an iPhone. Even the possibility of that would likely be enough as I have just been looking for a reason if ya know what I mean.

You say the Z120BT is going to have RDS. Is this FULL RDS functionality? ie. will it be able to display radio text or just station name like the Z110BT? Is this also going to be a part of the Z120BT map update for the Z110BT? I can't wait to check out that video on the Z120BT later on. I am stoked now. lol It will be interesting to see if it turns on any quicker than the 110 does not that it is slow at all really. I guess I am just an impatient kind of guy.

While I'm at it...

How about a 5.1 surround processor in a nav system or at least an add-on that cn be controlled by a few nav units without an external controller which most of us don't have room for in their dash without serious modification(= expensive).

Will Pioneer ever consider allowing custom TTS voices?

Yes, that would be awesome too. How about POI alert notice too - like for traffic cameras...

Yet another one, what are they planning for traffic updates after MSN Direct is done in a little over a year. Will it be any good in Canada unlike MSN Direct is too?... How about Total Traffic HD Plus like the new to be released JVC product coming soon? That one sounds awesome if it works and it's free to use!! It would be really cool if you could answers to even half of these questions. Really appreciate you trying.

Of course a couple more just popped in my head lol When is the Z120BT update for the Z110BT going to be available? What exactly will it actually have in it? ie. will it make it EXACTLY like the Z120BT as everyone seems to think. Another one that really ticks me off that I have seen others complain about too. Let's have the damned ipod pause when you are on vc or even better (longer time) on a call... Nothing worse than rocking out to a nice song and then you get a call that lasts five mins and your song is over when the call is done and you have to hit previous song to get it back or really start searching if it was one of those long calls. Ok, that's it for sure this time. Hope you can get us some answers on at least some of these things. Thanks for offering to do that too.

Oh, where to start?... First, I will reiterate what was stated above. Where the heck are the musicsphere and pandora functionality? Why would they release a new unit that has these two features as main features and then the buyer can't even use them? A big piss off I'm sure even if it doesn't affect me really - have a Z110BT. Next up, how about some better functionality/useability from the nav part of the unit. They really appear to have worked on the av end of it which I think is the best there is. They have a ways to go on the nav end tho. Maps are decent at best and could definitely use an update. The POI database is kinda crappy (at least for me). I am in Canada and that could have a bearing on that. Proximity alert feature is one thing I would really like added. The usual complaint (even if I don't know if I would use it much personally) of being able to plot a destination while you are on a route. While we're at it, how about what is going to happen when MSN Direct packs it in in a little over a year? What will be the replacement? One thing I was thinking would be cool on the 3D screen would be for the system to access the weather and make the 'sky' of the nav follow suit. ie. if it is raining and overcast not have a sunny sky lol. More POI icons that can be overlayed on the unit. Both - more selection to choose from (brand icons) and the ability to post more than the very limiting 10 (I think). AVic Feeds could really use some updates as well. You should be able to load in your POIs like you can and be able to actually plot a route to one of them! IMO the way it is setup right now is kinda pointless. It is obviously just for show but it would be nice if it had that functionality too. In addition to the nav now.... I have been screaming for this from the day I bought my new car - why can't we have an RDS tuner!?!? iTunes tagging would be cool too. Supposedly the new AVH units have that although I don't see how it can work the way Pioneer is trying to do it as every demo I have seen has no info in the song and artist category displays. NEWS FLASH PIONEER - radio stations do not use that function of RDS to get their info out.... Most stations put that info into the radio text subcategory (take a look at any Kenwood unit -one of the few things I like about Kenwood as of now). Some stations even put it into their PS station name (those are the ones that show on my Z110BT - I have only one station in my area ) While we are at it, how about a full function 5.1 Dolby setup included like the flagship Kenwood's have had for a number of years? I think that's about it right now. I know this sounds like I have a hate on for Pioneer - I honestly do not. Far from it. I just think they could be so much better with only a few of these many things i have listed here. I really think their sales would increase too. Improving the nav immensely could put Kenwood out of business...

Well, this thing is out now, is anyone going to do a video or two on it's operation? I can't even find a review on its operation off any internet site. Maybe it isn't doing as well in the market as everyone thought it would? Everyone waiting for the new Z120BT? Maybe everyone is in my boat. You know... Buy a Z110BT at half the cost and wait for the expected update to come. If someone actually has one of these things and can do up a video or two (like VBlue does) that would be great. I know I would be appreciated,

I am unfamiliar with Alpine HUs unfortunately. I have the X920BT's big brother the Z110BT and I have an external processor on mine and it sounds amazing. My processor is the Audison Bit One.1 which fro what I hear is comparable to the 360.2 you mention if not better (interface is definitely better). The answer to your 2nd question is yes these nav units can be easily hooked up to an external processor. The only area where the Z is better than the new X is with preout voltage and eq. The external processor does that so much better and will bump or lower the preout voltage to match the processor output (at least that's the way the Audi works). ie. you get 3 v output regardless of what is coming into the processor. I hope this helps.

thanks man, I will check it out. Don't recall that page when I read it cover to cover. There is a ton of info in there tho.

I saw that the Z110BT is suppoed to have a security code system according to crutchfield.com. I have hunted around for this feature that my old Kenwood had (one of the few things I liked about it ). I can find no where that I can set this up. Is crutchfield just wrong on this? It wouldn't be the first. If this thing does have that feature can someone let me know how/where to go to set it up on the unit. Much appreciated.

I will be sticking with this one for a while I think. There is nothing I absolutely hate and can't live with unlike the 814 I had. The only reason to swap this out is because of the nav and to be honest I just don't make that much use of it to worry about it's shortcomings too much. The maps are more bang on than not for me. It actually got me out of a jam today and it impressed me by this. I was going the wrong way on a main street and needed to turn around so I just took the first right I could and got into an area I didn't know. I just plugged the address I needed to get to in and it plotted me the shortest path and in minutes I was going the right way. If only I could get the poi's to work better. Maybe the new maps will have better poi selection for me too. It is the a/v interface I got this for and it is the bomb in my opinion. I just don't see a better option in that regard. Yes, I do think I would miss voice activation and I did know the JVCs didn't have it and smaller screens too. Thanks for your opinion on the graphics tho. That would be a big factor for me likely. As I said before, I am probably with this unit for quite a while. Always good to check out what else is out there tho - even when it comes down to just updates too.

Well, it's nice to hear they fixed that issue at least. I really didn't like reading the huge complaint section just a minute ago on kenwoodforums.com about slow responses on the 9960 tho. I will just have to take a look at it in person. Good thing I have all the time in the world. I am just going to enjoy my Z110BT to the best of my ability in the mean time. It does have a ton to offer. I can't wait for the new update in a month or two too. That 3d interface is just sick. If I can ever get pandora to work up here too - bonus!

I will be playing with that 9960 whenever my installer gets it in. I absolutely will not be paying anywhere near the $2k asking price however so I am in no hurry to switch units anytime soon. The good thing is that I can probably get back what I paid for this unit if I were to sell it. I am not anywhere near there yet. It would have to be for something that I consider pretty much perfect. The one unit I really want to play with other than that one is the soon to be released JVC NT3 I mentioned earlier to you. Price point is a big reason for that too. The 9960 looks sweet on paper but I don't think I will get past that price point and the fact I was so turned off by my last Kenwood. You mentioned it is much faster than your old 9140. Did they cure the other main problem you had? A lackluster bass output without external processor help that is (only way I could get output from my 814 it seemed).

I was using googleearth to see where all of the many poi's were in each of the large files at a quick glance. So many of them would say all of Canada but only appear to have Ontario and/or Quebec. Then again, I think they did have all of them but only east ones would show up... What program should I use to break these large files down into groups of 100. Also, when I load all of the new poi's in with their new logos they show up awesome on the map but when I do a poi search for them the system won't bring any of them up?... Only the crappy Pioneer ones show up it seems. I even went directly into them with the avic feeds logo on the unit and I can see all the poi's but they are in no order and there is no way of telling which one is which until you select one and prepare to go there (ie. scroll on map). I think you mentioned a way to scroll on the map after selecting a poi from the list and then go back to the list but I can't remember (or figure it out) for the life of me. Only way I can see to re-bring up the list is to start the search over again. There has to be a better way. So, far I have mixed reviews on avic feeds. Me like the custom logos you can put in. - I hate that you can only do 100 at a time and hate that it will only display up to ten of them at a time (at least that is what it seems to be). I guess I did buy this thing for the AV interface after all which I am ecstatic with. Too bad the navi appears to be a little behind. I guess you guys did warn me on that. I can live with it I guess being I don't use it too often. Someday maybe someone will build a nav with both ends of the equation working

Ok, first, I have spent almost a solid day on this now. I am trying to download all of my bank's atm's for my city into my new nav and am having issues. Is there a way to get the POI's you need from POIFriend.com when the file is supposed to have over 1500 poi's in it. The problem I am having is 1. the 100 poi limit per upload via avic feeds. 2. when I download the link into googleearth (I downloaded this) it looks like the poi's for my city are not even there. 3. I go back to poifriend.com and search the poi's in the list by my city name they all show up. I am confused as to why I can't see them in googleearth. I have used googleearth a few times to narrow the amount of poi's to my area (although it is very time consuming unchecking each separate poi). Is there something I am missing here? Is there an easier way to get what I want into my Z110BT? Thanks to anyone that has any ideas. Also, if there are any other poi internet sites other than this one that are COMPLETELY free and compatible with the Z110BT I would love to know of them.

Food for thought: You said you have an ipod touch 3G... I take it that it has 3G network capability then? If this is set to active and you leave the car it could be roaming the whole time you are away from it and killing the battery. I didn't even know the touch came with 3G ability actually. I thought you had to go iPhone for that. Anyway, hope it helps.