Martinex

That last part is important, only USB Port 1 (the bottom one) can apply a firmware update. I bought an extra blue USB cable to hook in there and put the included black cable into the top slot for USB thumb drives. Thanks for the tip Jason about setting the App connection to Digital, I'll try that today.

Hi again, sorry for the week delay, I had to order a pair of factory brackets for my Toyota Celica. Just got it installed today. I connected my iPhone 5 using only the included male/female USB cable and a Lightning to USB cable that I bought. I can navigate the songs/albums/genres fine just like I could on my previous Pioneer touchscreen stereo. I haven't tried to use the AppRadio mode since it's been said that the firmware patch isn't out yet. I did have the installer plug in a HDMI cable and I've purchased the Lightning to HDMI adapter.

Tyrenta, I agree the manual is confusing. In the section "iPod control", it says for users with Lightning connectors, use the Lightning to USB cable (supplied with your iPod/iPhone) when you use this function. So that says you can get direct control just using the Lightning cable, which is what ccajay said in this thread on March 25. It says "Functions related to iPod movie files are not available", so no video. That is one thing that both the 30-pin adapter cables CD-IU201V and CD-IU201S provide. The only other thing the manual says is "If AppRadio Mode is used, the functions in this section

OK, I may have answered my own question. There are two other cable models that support the AVH-X8500BHS (the Pioneer website says they don't support that model, but the model's manual says they do). The CD-IU201V cable plugs into the head unit's USB port and the AUX input. This gives direct control via the head unit and USB charging. The CD-IU201S cable plugs into the head unit's USB port and the RGB input. This gives direct control, AppRadio functionality, and USB charging. It's about $15 more expensive than the other one. What a confusing mess. Thanks for helping to explain it al

VBLUE, thanks for that post, and I'm sorry that I added to the confusion. I just looked at my manual for the older model unit I have, and the CD-IU205V cable plugs into a funny-looking connector on the stereo with eleven pins. This cable then ends in the 30-pin iPhone adapter. This explains why I'm able to get the native iPod interface on my AVH-P5100DVD player. The only data ports for the AVH-X8500BHS are HDMI and what is labeled as "USB/iPod input 1" on the device, since the manual says on page 41 that only this USB port can be used for updating the firmware. I don't understand what you

I just ordered one and I'll post my experience with it this weekend. I have a prior model, the AVH-P5100DVD, and there are two modes for using an iPod/iPhone: one where you navigate the songs using the head unit, the other where you control the iOS device directly and the sound plays through the speakers. I think it's this second mode that requires the CD-IH202 cable and the Lightning to Digital AV adapter. On my AVH-P5100DVD, I can navigate songs using the head unit just fine, and that cable is the old 30-pin to Lightning adapter (I have an iPhone 5), so I don't see why the newer model wouldn