chicagoandy

Quick thanks for this fix.   I've ignored my spouse's pleas to fix this way too long and finally did it today, works great.    Thanks!

I'm looking to upgrade my Avic Z130BT to CarPlay compatible headunit.

I'm confused by the number of NEX units.    There seem to be three different nex units with 7 inch screens.

As far as I can tell, only the 8201 comes with its own set of maps and nav.     Is there any point to this?   Isn't the point of CarPlay/Android Auto just to use the phone navigation?

So, here are my questions.

The biggest frustration I have right now with my Z130 is the poor BlueTooth connectivity.    How well does BlueTooth work on the NEX devices?

Does the Android Auto / CarPlay functions work well?   Or is it just an exercise in frustration?

I don't mind buying the high-end unit, but I do want to to make sure it works well.   Is the 8201 recommended?

Lastly, any other manufacturers I should be looking at?

Thank you,

Andy

I am thinking of upgrading my AVIC Z130 to a NEX8100.    I'm particularly excited about the Google integration as I'm a big Android fan.

My complaints with the AVIC are:  

Buggy Bluetooth to my Nexus Phones.

Infrequent Map updates

Voice Control is very poor

No Email/SMS integration

Kludgy Interface

I'm particular excited over the Android Auto implementation in the 8100NEX, which would let me run my favorite Google apps.   But I haven't seen any good reviews about how this works.    All the techie blogs reviewed pre-release units, and I haven't seen many post-release reviews.

So.... How well are these working?   

Any Regrets or Recommendations?

If you are in North America you need to wait until the 2013 maps are released. 

It's almost 2014.   How long do we wait before we bail?

I just installed a z140 and my razr does not want to connect. My phone says "Pioneer Navi rejected the pairing." Anyone else have or hear of this issue? I'm pretty new to the whole nav system thing, so any help would be appreciated. I did a lot of searching and couldn't seem to find much...One person just said it fixed itself overnight...lol

I have a Droid Razr with ICS, the phone will pair bluetooth, but the phone displays "No Media" in the bluetooth settings. I can stream over Bluetooth, but can not use the builtin Pandora or Aha app.

Did you set the connection mode to bluetooth for apps on the Z140? I don't remember what the exact setting is called, but I can look at it tomorrow if needed. It was a toggle between bluetooth and direct connection (the android phones have to use bluetooth and iphones use direct connection as I understand it).

Setting connection mode to bluetooth does enable Pandora and Aha Radio - but it does not enable AppRadio. I can't find any way to run something like WAZE. The only options under android are Pandora and AhaRadio.

I'm confused over AppRadio on the Z140.

I've installed the latest upgrade to my Z130BT - ie, it's now a Z140BH. Does this mean I can run appradio on my Motorola Droid Razr? I can download the app on this phone, and connect over bluetooth - but appradio does not connect.

Do I need a wired connection like HDMI for Appradio?

Does Appradio work at all with Android devices on the Z140?

Thanks

I'd like to upgrade my z130 to a 140 - I'm looking for improved maps and better android interfacing. I don't see any upgrades listed on the pioneer website. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

_AM

A previous post made mention of "we don't need more radio station apps, get creative" or something similar to those words.

 

So that got me thinking.... what apps would you like to see on added to the AVIC line?

 

The first one on my list: Shazam. Perfect fit. It would be so much easier to activate it on the HU instead of unlocking my iPhone, finding the icon, launching the program, and hitting "listen", all while keeping my eyes on the road.

 

2nd on my list: Gas Buddy. Same thing as far as ease of use.

 

What would you guys like to see?

Android support.

_Am

Hi,

 

So I have a Z130BT installed in my 2011 Subaru WRX. Everything is connected correctly, and it works great. That being said, I get a very strange message that pops up on my display that reads "Drive Safely" when I am driving. It happens generally when I start from a stop, and usually after I shift from 2nd into 3rd. When it happens, I hear a notification sound and the "Drive Safely" message appears. Does the Z130BT have some acceleration meter or something, going off if one accelerates too fast? It's not like I am accelerating extremely fast, and sometimes when I try to get the message to pop up by actually accelerating fast it doesn't show up. It is strange. (At first I thought it only came up when I had a destination programmed in, but I have noticed it appear even without having a destination programmed in.)

 

Thanks

Check the ECO settings. There is a rapid start warning, it might be that.

_Am

Interesting...do you know where that setting is? I searched but without luck.

Page 166 in the manual.

System Settings / Back Camera Settings / Camera / Polarity

Set to Battery or GND as appropriate.

_Am

There's also a setting burried in there where you indicate the Backup signal is +12V or neutral. That setting may be set wrong.

_Am

So I've learned a bit since this last past.

Many (all?) Toyota and Lexus radios have two things you need to keep in mind.

1. There's an amplifier on the antenna already. This amplifier needs power, and there's a lead in the antenna harness that needs to be connected. This goes to the "remote control" blue/white lead coming off the head unit. This will add 12V, which will power the amplifier, which will improve your reception.

2. Toyota and Lexus radios come with 'diversity antennas'. This means the car actually has two separate antennas, and the stock radio is smart enough to use the second antenna to cancel out interference from the first one. On the Toyota antenna harness there are TWO antenna cables. One has a standard sized antenna connector and one has a smaller version that looks similar. Only the bigger one will fit into the new radio.

As most aftermarket head units do not support diversity antennas, it is impossible to use this functionality. The impact of this limitation is that reception in downtown areas is poor, since there's a lot of interference from signals bouncing off all the buildings. This problem is impossible to overcome without replacing the vehicle antenna.

I have discovered that you can combine the two antennas using these parts.

1. Scosche Mda-B Micro/Delco Antenna Adapter Tip - converts the smaller antenna jack to a standard size

2. METRA Ltd 40-UV43 Motorola Antenna Y-adapter - combines the two antennas into one.

Using these did improve my downtown reception, but it is still not as good as I would expect and there are still long stretches of road where I can not receive reception where I previously could, but - for the price it was worth the improvement.

_Am

I have a Z130BT with the axxess aswc and it does not work as you describe. When you press and hold for the beep it seeks to the next broadcast frequency, NOT the next preset. This was confirmed by pioneer. See this post for details http://avic411.com/i...aswc-and-z130bt

This is true, and thanks for the correction. In my case, my presets happen to fall in frequency order, so I was confused.

_Am

My wife and I both drive the same car, but it seems like we have to manually connect our android phones every time we switch cars. Is this normal?

If I drive, I manually connect and it forgets my wifes. If she manually connects, it forgets my phone.

Is there a way to have two phones automatically connect?

Ahhh! The Z130 is available for a good price at the local Best Buy again. If someone can tell me with 100% confidence that they will A) Add Navteq maps with an upgrade, and Add android support with the upgrade as well, I will be all over this deal.

I can't do either. I will say that the Android interaction in the z130 is pretty good even without the additional features. You get full bluetooth controls with song titles (not with Pandora, but that's Pandoras fault). You also don't get any of the video features, like Netflix - but that's not a priority for me.

I learned a long time ago not to wait for new products, "vaporware". Evaluate your options based on what's available now, because there is always something "better" just around the corner.

In the past, Pioneer has sold upgrades to their units for around $200, I think. People in these forums have hacked the upgrades so you can sometimes find a free cracked version online, if that's your thing.

Hey all,

 

As you can see by my post count I'm new to the board. I'm thinking about getting the z130 but have a few questions based on all the posts and reviews I've seen while bouncing around the internet. The main draw for me is the Ipod interface, with NAV being somewhat important based on the fact that I'm still learning my way around Colorado.

 

1) The NAV seems to be a bone of contention. Is it really that bad, or are people so used to the Garmin layout that they struggle with the different format. Does it really get people lost, or could there really be an issue with where folks are placing the GPS antennae? In the store, it seemed pretty easy to deal with as far as entering POIs and addresses.

 

2) If I bite the bullet and have it installed for me, therefore not being able to do the bypass, what NAV functions will I still be able to do while the car is in motion?

 

3) Looks like the z140 coming out mainly has Android capabilities (I've got an Iphone, so don't care) and "advanced app mode". How is the advanced app mode different than the z130's current app mode? Should I care about that?

 

 

I'm hoping that being in an AVIC forum that it won't be filled with some of those haters I see online in the review section and I can get an solid opinion from some folks who've had the unit for a while.

1 - I'm very happy with the Nav. During the first few days of use, there were definitely some oddities - like when I was driving 80MPH down the highway, it showed me .5 miles to the east, tearing through subdivisions and graveyards. However, over time it has learned and become much more accurate. The POI database could be a bit more robust, but I'm hopeful the switch to NAVTEK maps will fix this. The accuracy and directions from the NAV is just fine to me.

2 - You really want to get the bypass done. Many installers will do it for you. If not, then pull the unit and do it yourself.

3- Don't know. As the Z140BH isn't released, and I haven't seen it.... Can't say for sure.

The one criticism I have of the Z130BT is that the usability is clearly "pre-iphone". There are some devices in the world (most made by apple or google) that when you first sit down and use it, you'll be amazed at how easy to use it is. The Pioneer is not like that. I don't know if any other manufacturers are, either. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's hard to use, or difficult, or awkward - it's just not as 'slick' as you'd hope. To me, all of the functions work well enough, it's just that the overall package could be integrated just a bit tighter.

 

I think the core problem is not the HU, but a very specific Toyota antenna design that assumes the second antenna is connected for interference cancelation. I think we'd have this problem with any HU upgrade.

 

 

If I'm right, then adding an amplifier will not solve the problem. For one, antenna design is some very complicated voodoo, and simple fixes rarely do what you'd expect. For me, I get the worst reception downtown where there signal is strongest. I do think maybe a new external antenna, maybe mounted on the rooftop might fix the problem. I'm guessing the Toyota antenna design is based on the assumption of the diversity antenna being present and connected.

 

YMMV, as the saying goes.

 

That said, if you do try the amplifier - please let me know how it goes!

 

_Am

Also - my Toyota (with JBL audio) DOES have a powered amplifier wire - and this was not included on any of the purchased harnesses. You may find you need to connect this wire to the HU. On my Toyota, this wire came on the same harness as the two antenna wires.

_Am

 

Interesting. I'm wondering if this is a Pioneer specific issue or do other HU's also exhibit a similar problem. You are right, my car also has dual antennas. I spoke to the guy who installed my audio system and he mentioned that adding a FM booster will improve the overall reception. I'm gonna try this anyways and see how much of a difference does it really make. I'm hoping that its a simple power problem as Jason mentioned above, if not then its certainly a deal breaker. One of the main reasons I bought this unit was because of built in HD radio and unfortunately never read about any reception issues before getting the unit.

 

I haven't tried playing radio in suburbs, but the reception in the metropolitan area is pretty bad, sometimes it tends to fluctuate and does get better, but by no means is HD quality. There is a constant distortion like in AM.

I think the core problem is not the HU, but a very specific Toyota antenna design that assumes the second antenna is connected for interference cancelation. I think we'd have this problem with any HU upgrade.

If I'm right, then adding an amplifier will not solve the problem. For one, antenna design is some very complicated voodoo, and simple fixes rarely do what you'd expect. For me, I get the worst reception downtown where there signal is strongest. I do think maybe a new external antenna, maybe mounted on the rooftop might fix the problem. I'm guessing the Toyota antenna design is based on the assumption of the diversity antenna being present and connected.

YMMV, as the saying goes.

That said, if you do try the amplifier - please let me know how it goes!

_Am

I have recently installed a z130BT on my Lexus ES330 (2005 model) and the FM radio has a poor reception. The factory head unit had a great FM reception, even though it didn't support HD, the quality was quite good. I live in greater LA area and there are plenty of HD and regular FM channels that are broadcasted here. Has anyone had a similar issue? The connections seem ok and the antenna hasn't changed since I swapped out the factory HU. I spoke to Pioneer and they asked me to send the unit for examination, if I cannot fix it. I also heard that adding a FM booster will improve the reception, but is that really necessary?

 

thanks.

I'm also not impressed with the tuner on the Z-130. My problem is different - I get great reception out in the suburbs, but I get TERRIBLE reception downtown where the signal is strongest. My Toyota (and likely your Lexus) has a 'diversity antenna', which is a second antenna connected to the original radio. The radio had circuitry to use the second antenna to cancel out interference. Since the Pioneer doesn't support this, they can't cancel out interference... and I get crappy reception downtown.

And to be clear, I mean *exceptionally* crappy reception downtown.

I haven't found a solution to this.

_Am

I'm using an iPhone 4s that is netflix enabled but only get audio out of my avic -z120bt? What in pray tell do I need to do?

Make sure you have an authentic Pioneer iPhone interface cable. Most of the ones sold on eBay will not work.

_Am

I just updated my Z110BT to Z120BT in a 2010 Tundra and the Steering wheel function changed.

When it was a Z110bt the up and down buttons would change the fm presets,106.9-104.7- etc... but after the upgrade the same buttons only change the frequency 100.1-100.3-100.5 etc...

Do I need to change a setting to make it change the presets? or what ?

 

Thanks,

The newer models use a slightly different button setup - you press quick for frequency change, press and hold until the beep for preset change. This may be what you're seeing.

_Am

I got my z130bt installed yesterday, my LG G2x android phone syncs via bluetooth fine. I can even play pandora & spotify through bluetooth. I cant see the titles on the HU, but I can still change tracks/volume via the HU.

The Android support is pretty good over bluetooth. On my hacked G2, I even see titles on the HU, but only when playing songs directly off the phone (mp3's). I do not see titles in Pandora - I think this is a problem with Pandora, not Android or Pioneer.

I use the navigon app on my iPhone and must say its better than the z120 nav. The app does cache maps and I think the recent update allows you to download maps for specific states you want ahead of time, where before it stored all the data on your phone and took up alot of space. I took a trip from Pittsburgh to Lynchburg TN last summer (Jack Daniels fan) and the navigon app never missed a beat. That included a sightseeing trip through the smoky mountains with scattered cell service. I guess my original point was that it seemed crazy to pay an extra $700 for the z140bh if one of the only feature gains over the avhp8400bh is the onboard nav when advanced app mode allows you to still have a nav option.

That is a big premium. But, the street price of the Z130 is currently about $800, making the incremental cost closer to $400, about the cost of a good standalone GPS. For something that works pretty much anywhere, including in tunnels and the top of mountains in Montana - that's good value for me. YMMV, as they say.

lol, I have thought about that!!

 

I would like to put a second camera on the back and have it hooked into a rear view mirror video screen to simulate having an actual rear view mirror. It's annoying that I cannot get a view out back with the z110bt without putting it in reverse.

In the Z130 there's an option in Home / Settings / Maps / Display where you can turn on the rear camera. Is that not available on the older version?

_Am