dodgeboy

I use 2D, but verified that it exists in 3D post update as well. Actually, pre-update, I was unable to make the turn box appear most of the time while IN a route! The top street name box appeared, but not the left turn box. I could occasionally make it appear by moving the map or going to 3D and back to 2D. Now I can't get them to go away in any mode... Dave

My impressions of the update after playing with the interface for about 20 minutes: Pros - Screen is definitely brighter (and dimmer with headlights on) - Voice prompts and beeps seem to be of better quality (less hiss/digitization), and can definitely be turned to a lower volume - Interface might be slightly snappier after bootup - Time is finally correct! (for now... sometimes it would be correct for days at a time and then lose its mind, pre update) Cons/no change - Bootup time is the same - Damn gas stations are still all over the map, even when turned off in the menu - Str

so what does this mean for hacks? that someone with enough knowledge and experience can basically do anything to the unit?? This problem started for me AFTER the update. I never had both of those boxes on the screen without a route before the upgrade. They were on the screen both trips since the update. Everything else about the update seems like an improvement. Dave

In a way it's disappointing because you have to give the unit up for a while. However, maybe it means they're making a significant upgrade to the unit (faster cpu, more ram, etc...). Who knows what they have to do to fix the performance issues. The rest of the issues should absolutely be fixable via a SD card firmware update. I wonder if the US will be the same way? I can't imagine it would be any different for us... Dave

Just forget it guys... I can't believe what a ridiculous discussion this turned into. I thought this would be something helpful that everyone would benefit from. I've seen that method of notification on many other forums that I belong to, and it's usually used to keep the "when is it going to be released?" threads to a minimum. That way everyone that wants to know when it is going to be released can just subscribe to that thread and shut up about it. And yes, it is much easier for me to access email (from my phone) than the web. Not that it should have any bearing on this. Dave

Exactly! That's what I'm hoping for... The "official announcement" thread would have been a good candidate for this, if it was locked from the beginning. Dave

Thanks for your help...

I don't think you understand what I'm asking for... The difference is exactly as I stated above. You can't subscribe to a topic that doesn't exist yet. The purpose of subscribing (or "watching", as this forum software calls it) is that you will be notified via email when there is an update to the thread. That can't happen if you don't know a thread exists without visiting the board. Dave

Specifically so that we can subscribe to it, and no other updates will be made to the thread.

Would it be possible to start a thread that says something like "This thread will be updated when new firmware is released" and lock it? That way we could all subscribe to it, and a mod could update it when the firmware is actually released. I'd like to get the firmware as soon as possible after the release, and I'm only able to check the board a couple times a week. This would let us know as soon as it hits... Thoughts? Dave

Agreed. Except for the screen and iPod controls (when they work), the Z series is superior to the F series in just about every way. I have less experience with the D3, but I know the iPod controls are as good as the F series (and they consistently work). The D3 is fast, too. Dave

LOL! That should be the title of this section. Well done! Actually, based on my experience, it would read, "I detect driver is disacommaed." The more I use the unit, the more I fear the update won't even fix half of the stuff that's wrong with it. I mean the list of serious bugs is unbelievably long. Some of them are a bit more obscure or random, but just as serious. I'm pretty much banking on those not getting fixed. It'd be nice to have a reliable clock, sub-minute bootup, responsive menus, reliable ipod connection, non-retarded routing, and be able to disable the damn beep

I wish I had waited to install mine. If I were you, I'd leave it in the box for as long as you can, and return it before the deadline. Then just order another one if/when they release an update. The unit is not worth having in the car. Not one piece of it works entirely correctly. There's at least one issue with every part of it (mine, at least), and some of them are very significant. Hell, I can't even turn it off and use it as a clock, because it doesn't keep time! Dave

My clock issues have now expanded to include an 11 hour difference that is not correctable to the correct time. Nice! So at night, my map is in the day mode, and during the day, it's in the night mode. And my clock is 1 hour off on the display. Turning off auto-correction and trying to manually adjust the time doesn't work (it won't let me go far enough in either direction to get it to the correct time). Wow. Just wow. Dave

I'm also having this problem. It's usually either 1 hour ahead, or 1 hour and 12 minutes ahead. Seems to correct itself after several hours of use, and then break itself again. Sometimes it allows me to correct it by changing the timezone or turning off the auto correction feature. Sometimes it doesn't. Good times. Way to go with messing up even the simplest things beyond my wildest expectations, Pioneer. My patience for this unit is really wearing thin. I hope an update to resolve at least some of these issues comes out soon. Dave

Just thought I'd mention it's not a digital transfer. The iPod adapter for Z-series is 100% analog. I didn't realize that... I guess it makes sense, since it was IP-Bus. Either way, I like how it did not use an analog input on the unit for the audio transfer.

Right. I agree that sucks. I just wanted to make sure you knew you could have it dim...

FYI - You can dim the screen based on headlights. The dimming setting is independently set when the headlights are on and off. The screen colors, however, don't change until sunset. And the difference between full dim and full bright is minimal at best. Dave

If I had to guess, based on how it compares to the Z2 in turns, it doesn't have a gyro. My Z2 picks up on the slightest turn, and the arrow accurately follows the vehicle's direction through the turn. The 900 arrow doesn't even start turning until I've already completed the turn. In some cases, on a curved intersection, the arrow turns before the vehicle does... It doesn't make a huge difference either way... I was always impressed with how accurate the Z2 was through turns and tunnels. It won't bother me one way or the other if the 900 has a gyro. Dave

Regardless of whether it has a gyro or not, the vehicle dynamics screen is not available. The pictures on the link you provided are clearly from a Z series.

I read the manual, and it said to do exactly as described above. Manage POI and turn visibility to "off". I did that, and they still show. Please don't be so quick to assume that people haven't read the manual. Besised, as unintuitive as the interface and manual both are for this product, I wouldn't be surprised if people just didn't understand it. Dave

I was told they didn't. I could be wrong. It certainly doesn't turn as smoothly or accurately as my Z2 (with gyro)...

I have the same problem. They are turned off in the "Manage POI" menu, but continue to show on the map screen. Very annoying.

I've had a Z2 in my sedan for about a year, and recently purchased a F900BT for my Jeep... First of all, I know some of these issues have been discussed on here in various threads, so I'm sorry if this is a bit redundant. Before installing this unit I had considered it an "upgrade" from the Z2, due to its better screen and iPod controls. In my opinion, it is definitely not an upgrade from the Z2. Here's why: 1) The startup time is ridiculous. The unit is barely usable (if at all) for the first minute it is powered on. This gets worse with the iPod connected. There is a con

No... It doesn't have a gyro like the Z series, so that information is not available.