mikeinnj

Mr. Kent Patterson, RebateHQ.com’s Consumer Complaint Specialist at (972) 538-7277.

Call him and straighten it out. I hadn't gotten my first one. I sent in a second one about a month ago and it got denied since there is a one rebate per household limit. I bought a second unit for a friend, had it shipped directly to my friend the next town over and he was cool with me taking the rebate for it since I installed it for him.

I called this guy, left a voicemail expecting to never hear back and sure enough he called me back the next day. I explained to him how the second rebate got denied because the return address on the envelope was mine and not my friend's and the whole thing would be valid if I had only put my friend's address on the envelope. He told me he would take care of it and call me back. Sure enough 5min later he called me back and processed it. He said he pushed my other rebate through to shipping and sure enough a week later I got my first rebate back. Now I should be getting my next one back soon.

I had to dig a big on Google to find this number since there are NO numbers listed on RebateHQ's website and their online support is useless and basically told me they couldn't do anything for me. Hope this helps!

You can insert a POI and add multiple destinations. What I mean is when you have an active route, you can not look up POIs that are specifically only off exits that you will be passing. You only look up POIs that are near a destination or near your current position.

I had the 6960 for a few days. Hated it. The multimedia interface was very cumbersome, nav was quite nice, but the iPod lists scrolling only showing 5 lines at a time on top of a small screen was a real pain. I had the Z110 last year sold it, then got the 6960 hated it and went back to an X710, and now have a 920 and even tried the Kenwood 7160. I got a killer deal on the 920 and love it. The nav can be annoying with lack of POI along route, but overall it gets you where you need to be, even if it does suggest a non-sense route. The multimedia section however is tops bar none. The coverflow was SLOOOOOWW on my Kenwood 7160 and the interface was terribly laggy outside of the Garmin portion.

The 920 is quick to boot up, quick interface, and VERY slick multimedia interface with gesture commands, plays files from mSD, and the Voice control for iPod has not given me any issue and is about 95% accurate for me.

This version fixes the VR so that you no longer have to hit the "OK" button before bluetooth connects in order for VR to work for handsfree calling. You can now press "OK" well after BT connects and once the VR loads, you can voice dial contacts. Bout friggin' time! Haven't noticed any other changes as of yet. It's good to see Pioneer finally getting on the ball and fixing a few obvious bugs. Now if only they would fix the "navigation sucking horribly" bug. But for the $397 that I paid for this unit, I'm quite content!

Yep, the 920BT has all the new FW/map updates. And hello from SlickDeals! lol

Anyone has the link for EZrider? Link seem dead

Here you go, I just upped it to my rapidshare. Along with it are the License files you will need to get new maps to work.

http://rapidshare.com/files/361755651/EZRIDER.zip

Ok, just got my new X710, used to have the F700BT with the 2009.6 TA Maps that worked with the proper license file. I just copied these new maps over to my X710, deleted the License folder and copied over the one that I used with my 2009.6 TA Maps and now it doesn't work. I get a message in a WinCE alert box saying something like "Your license is not valid to open the maps present" or something like that during bootup. The files that are in my License folder are "GENERIC_iGO8_WorldWide@801Product.lic", "Pioneer_PNA_NA@0810_(PremPOI,_TMC,_LM)_2008-12-18_NN747.lic", and some other file called "DEVICE.NNG".

Not sure what I am doing wrong here. I'm leaving on a long road trip to FL tomorrow and don't really want to copy over the 2009.6 TA maps if I don't have to. Thanks.

EDIT: Ok, I'm an idiot. I forgot that the EZRIDER.EXE also needed to be copied over from my old mods. All works now. However, I did a flythrough route and highway signboards are not working on Garden State Parkway or Route 18, which do have signboards with the TA maps. So I will be going with the TA maps for now.

Actually, you're gaining a bit with the X for VR since I can never dial by voice unless I remember to hit the OK button for the navi right away upon bootup. Other than that the VR for multimedia is the same and all you really lose the VR for the nav which isn't that great. I'd much rather have VR for voice at all times. Also, the VR engine on the X doesn't fail if you try to use it too soon.

Well, then if that was not the official manual, then I guess there is still some hope for a few improvements to the nav functionality. *fingers crossed and expectations low*

From what it look's like, they just basically sent a testmode key file and script that will add a file into the Z's flash storage. Hopefully we can figure out a way to use that testmode file to crack into some kind of flash dump. Then who knows what craziness could ensue.

Thanks for taking the initiative of calling Pioneer and posting these files. Even if it doesn't turn into anything, it's still appreciated!

I think the only unit that might offer you satisfaction is the 9960. The apparently changed the entire AV interface and it appears to have a lot better Garmin software this time. Who knows weather it will actually work as it suppose to though.

I actually have all the dealer literature for the 2010 Kenwoods given to me by one of the many shops I visited. The 9960 does look a LOT better and has coverflow, etc, but the street price of that unit is probably going to be somewhere around $1700 with an MSRP of $2000. A bit too much for me.

Just to update: I installed the Kenwood 6960 last night and brought it back today. The Garmin was great, but the multimedia and menu system were just as crappy and clunky as they were 2 years ago. Actually a bit worse in some ways. Just horrible actually. And all three "skins" look like ass. I would have gladly demoed the unit on a wall in a shop first but not one of 10 big car audio sellers in my area even had any Kenwood navs on their walls. Just a couple of X series from Pioneer and a bunch of DVD double din head units.

I'm sticking with the Z for the time being, but I would have no problem going back to an X or F series in a heartbeat. Still thinkin' about it.

EDIT: VBlue, how often has your iPod dropped? Also, what kind of iPod are you using. The iPod that I have that used to drop about 10-15% of the time is a 30GB iPod Video 5.5G. That's really what is holding me back at this point I think. The Z has never required me to have to open my glove box and fumble with wires while driving.

I have just picked up a DNX6960 from my local 6Ave Electronics for $798. 2 Year warranty intact. The guy said that they are offering that for the price of the old 6140 (Non Excelon) as a substitution since they put the 6140 on sale this week but were out of them. I'll get this thing installed around 11 tonight and put up some pics and impressions tomorrow on the KW forum.

I know that you're also very active on the KW forums and had a 9140. Did they ever fix the street name issues and what not with them? Did the 7140 (Non voice interface) have the same issues?

I'm looking into the DNX6160 which appears to have the same Garmin version as the 7140 and the same multimedia interface as the 7140. I used to have the 8120 Excelon with the old Garmin software on it and loved it but HATED the ugly low res multimedia interface. They seem to have upped the screen res/fonts/etc. Also, did the 9140 have lane assist? I don't care about Junction view, just lanes. Thanks! I wish there was someway we could rent these damn things to test them out in real world scenarios and not just play with them on a wall at BestBuy.

So VBlue, I almost did the same thing as you by switching back about a month ago. I bought a refurbed F700 off ebay, updated the software to 3.0 with the new maps and all my olds mods from when I had the F700 before I went to the Z110. However, the iPod would drop upon bootup about 15% of the time, the unit would reboot sometimes when placing a bluetooth call (Possible due to the No Nag warning mod I had or the fact that I had the X series 3.0 running with the F series bluetooth software, not sure which it may have been). Is the hardware of the X series much improved as far as iPod connectivity and BT? I'm aware that it has the new Apple chip in it for charging iPhones, etc.

Thanks for any input! I still love how fast the thing boots but I hate the navi more everytime I use it. I still don't understand how my F700 was more accurate on the map using only the antenna when the Z has the speed sense hooked up, gyroscopes, AND the antenna...

Yep, 07 Jetta Wolfsburg. Love it! I'm driving about 20,000 a year myself and drive 100 miles a day round trip on top of a lot of side roadtrips around the country. I've had the Z110 now since October of 09 and like it a lot for the most part. As far as multimedia goes, it's NEVER dropped the iPod, not once (unlike my old D3 and F700BT), the VR for the iPod works well about 98% of the time, and everything is all roses until I go to navigate. The "learning" function never seems to learn that I don't take two unnecessary highways to get on the Garden State Parkway that has an entrance that is a straight shot of 3 miles from my house; instead the Z insists on adding 15 unnecessary minutes.

The lack of POI on route is the worst. Also, when looking up POI the unit sorts them by name first instead of distance, requiring 3 presses to sort them by distance, and even then, there's no indication of direction of the POI, nor is there info listed with it, you have to go back and forth in the info screen to see the address of each POI; the F/X series displays the address of each POI with the list page. The navigation software seems like it was written about 10 years ago. The maps look like Windows 98 with 256 colors. I wish that Pioneer would just run iGo on these units. iGo on the F series was actually not bad. Smooth animations, highway signboards that came up outside of junction view, POI on route, route creation and planning, SMART ZOOM, easy zooming in and out of the map, the list goes on. Also, uploading POI from Avic Feeds sucks. I spent a while compiling a list of all the Petro/Flying J rest stops along my trips to Nashville and put the SD card into the unit. I go to import the POI only to find out that I can't view any actual info about the POIs, they all have the same name with "Petro" or "Flying J" and there is no way to sort them by distance or anything. It just shows a giant list with the names. You press the name and it just brings it up on the map.

And one thing that really bugs me with the Z: the amount of confirmations that I have to press to go anywhere. I press the destination, ROUTE ME THERE! Don't bring up a map screen showing me the destination where I have to press OK or Scroll, then I have to hit OK, then press OK again when it makes all the routes, and then wait for it Calculate the route. PITA when I'm already driving.

Right now, I'm waiting for some reviews or hands on time with a new Kenwood DNX6160, which runs the newer generation Garmin software that the 9140 had, but hopefully without the bugs that the 9140 had. It has the higher res screen at 800x480 as opposed to the older KWs that had 480x234. The volume knob, less moving parts (no flip down) and more factory look are all a plus, too.

Oh, but an "Eco" function that zero people will use. Great. I can see my environmental impact while trying to filter through 25 restaurants I passed 2 hours ago and the Sirius screen still looks like it was programmed on a 1982 Apple II.

Lmao! Good one!

Also, how was the JVC unit? I've been getting sick of knowing that $100 GPS units are more feature filled in a lot of ways...

We are going to get all of that stuff with the upgrade as it is detailed in the manual. And yes, you can add map view mode as a shortcut with the new software.

What page do you see this on? I looked through the Z120 manual and P.160 is where all the shortcut options are. I don't see map view listed. I hope for all our sake that it IS an option. Though, I still can't get over the lack of finding POI on route or off exits.

I like the use of flicking for the menu scrolling. The refreshed XM interface is welcome too. However, how many years am I going to have to wait until I can locate a POI along route? Seriously, I used a $100 GPS in my rental car while on vaca in FL this past Christmas and that thing had a LOT of nice features that the Z doesn't have. Like finding POIs that are specifically right off of exits, in my direction, etc. I'm happy to hear that us Z110 owners will most likely get this new software, but their flagship NAVIGATION unit should be a bit more robust for the navi part.

Thanks for posting the info. I'm surprised we haven't heard anything out of Pioneer's competition for nav (besides the new Alpine INA-W900, which looks like crap. BT is an addon? REALLY? It's 2010 for Christ's sake, and that interface looks horrible) and no word yet from Kenwood/Garmin, JVC, Eclipse or anyone else on new stuff for in dash. Hopefully someone will get some videos of this new X920 interface in action.

Also, did any Pioneer reps comment on what they plan on using for traffic after 2012?

I wouldn't jump ship for that feature either. I just hope they update this thing to load the VR engine on bootup, regardless of whether the "OK" button is pressed on the warning screen. By setting the VR engine to load on boot, that fixes the voice dialing, the VR control of multimedia, etc. As a side note, I'm kind of surprized that Pioneer didn't use a rotary volume knob with the new X920. There's definitely room for it. Let's hope for the best tomorrow.

I have a feeling that we will be getting this update for the Z too. The X920 and the Z110 appear to run the same operating system, nav software, etc, and both have a 3D accelerator, so I would have reason to believe the Z110 should have no problem handling all of these enhancements with ease. If these features do come out in an update, I would have to consider getting an iPhone to use these services. Also, it would be interesting to see if they could allow us pull in traffic/weather data through the iPhone.

Got my check from Microsoftfor $129 today. Just in time for xmas!

I submitted 3 different offers for the z100bt and never got a reply back. Was my offer of $1050 too low?

If you use gmail, check your spam box. I thought that they were ignoring me until I checked my spam box on a whim and searched for '6ave' and up popped all their responses.

I feel they should run MSN Direct/Traffic/Weather services all through Bluetooth via tethering with a mobile phone. That way your coverage is limited to where you get service with your cell phone. I've thought about this before and there is no reason that Pioneer could not release a firmware update that adds a tethering profile so that phones that support tethering can be used as a modem for the headunit. Garmin has already done similar with the latest batch of Nuvis that support tethering and bring in Google maps traffic info, weather, etc. You can even do google searches via a built in web browser. I honestly don't know why this has not been done earlier. Clarion is doing similar with their MiND MMDs. I think it is definitely in the cards for Pioneer to look to using existing cellular data plans to work as the connection to the head unit.

It is this same reason why I do not see satellite radio (as it exists today) making it another 5-10 years. With cell phones becoming faster and more robust data connectors, whats to stop some company from making a headunit that has a built an internet radio app that tunnels through a cell phone? No more signal dropouts, no more having to buy umpteen million tuners, boxes, antennas every other year. I don't see Pioneer really updating the hardware on the Z too soon. Hopefully they will keep the Z hardware the same for a few more years and just update the software instead. The Z hardware is already very capable, add a bluetooth internet connection profile to the bluetooth software and enable MSN/Google/Whatever service they can work a deal with through that. My $0.02.