On the fence F90BT or DNX 8120

[clock109]

Yeah, the bluetooth in this unit is done by parrot and not through the Garmin interface. Check out the Navi portion of the user manual here: http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/Manuals/113/113DNX8120.PDF

 

The navi part is at the bottom portion of the PDF. As you can see, the Navtraffic/Weather is beautifully integrated to the Nav software with the ability to check the weather near the POI and much more.

 

Thanks Mike, everyday I am getting closer to a kenwood. I am still hoping a miracle comes through with the Pioneer though, I just need to make a decision before the al-eds deal goes away.

[dmann33]

This info is invaluable. The lack of BT dialling of POI's on the 8120 is a bummer, but like you said if the BT outgoing audio is so bad and the NAV won't shut up - it mine as well not be on the Pioneer.

 

There have been several posts that just showed up overnight Tuesday of new installs and most of them are pretty negative. In fact, the only good news has been the that bypass has been worked out, but otherwise, no on has refuted anything Mike has said, specifically:

 

-ultra slow booting

-poor outgoing BT audio

-poor touch screen performance (tiny buttons, having to double tap)

-Ipod crashing the unit

-poor display in daytime (still waiting for more, but I don't know why)

 

Has anybody even seen the swirlly yellow fairy dust coming out of the unit when you talk to it that was featured so promimantly on the Pioneer videos???

 

I swear, no fairy dust = NO f-series for me - that's the last straw.

[ATB]

I probably would have tried an 8120 months ago if it had a volume knob. That is my main reason for waiting for the 90.

 

mike, I assume you had the bluetooh add-on for your 5120? Frankly if you think the ipod control of the kenwood is acceptable (obviously lacking voice control) I will probably get a 5120 or 8120 instead. Remind me what else the 5120 is lacking in comparison to an 8120 (or 90 for that matter since this is the avic site)

 

Andrew

[rdkl]

If you like the 90 I'd go that route. The 8120 had issues when it first came out. I am sure there will be firmware soon that will resolve some of these minor issues.

 

The screen isnt much worse than the 8120. I had a chance to ride with a coworker today and noticed it wasnt a whole lot better.

[ATB]

I'd like the F90 if it worked as spec'd and didn't take 2 years to start up. the F90 units folks seem to be getting don't live up to that.

 

I don't see startup time being able to be sped up much with firmware and aren't there D3 users still waiting for new firmware to address issues?

 

If I was confident Pioneer continuously ship out updated firmware I would be much more comfortable.

[rdkl]

I am sticking the F90BTs over the Kenwoods because of personal choice. I like the Pioneer map and UI a lot better than the Kenwood. It is a risk because there is no guarantee that they will fix the firmware but working in a software company I can tell you if we put a product version out there and start getting this kind of feedback we fix it asap. I am hoping they will do so too.

 

The bypass took care of the parking brake issue. I don't know where the 3 minute startup times are coming from. I see more like 50-60 seconds which while it isn't great it is livable for me. I like the let my cars warm up for a minute or two before I get moving anyways.

[mikeinnj]

I probably would have tried an 8120 months ago if it had a volume knob. That is my main reason for waiting for the 90.

 

mike, I assume you had the bluetooh add-on for your 5120? Frankly if you think the ipod control of the kenwood is acceptable (obviously lacking voice control) I will probably get a 5120 or 8120 instead. Remind me what else the 5120 is lacking in comparison to an 8120 (or 90 for that matter since this is the avic site)

 

Andrew

 

Yes, I had the bluetooth addon to the 5120. The menus for the iPod on the kenwood are actually much faster than the Pioneer due to the fact that you can press anywhere along the scroll bar on the left side and it will zoom there, you don't have to keep pressing up and down to browse through the menu. The 8120 has 5v preouts, 7 channels of preouts for 5.1 (As opposed to the 5120 only having sub and front), XM Navtraffic compatibility, a bigger screen, 2 USB inputs, 3 different skins, bluetooth built right in, 2 AV inputs (Instead of one, big whoop tho), the ability to add POI/map upgrades via SD card slot, and a two year warranty.

 

Also to Rdkl, the screen may have looked dim due to the background/menu color choices. You can change the colors of the menus to match any of the illumination colors, and you can create a brighter custom background. I replaced the stock black one with my own bright blue VW background and that really helped day time visibility with the black button contrasting the blue.

 

As for the 8120, they recalled them a few months back for a firmware update within the first week they were released. All the bugs have been worked out from what I have read.

[psklenar]

I'm looking at these two units as well.

 

The F90BT/F900BT uses MSN Direct to get traffic info for $50/yr or $130 for a lifetime service (actually not guaranteed after 2012).

 

It looks like the DNX8120 has two options ... XM NavTraffic or Garmin FM.

 

From what I can tell, you have to buy an extra $120 antenna for the Garmin FM Traffic plus a $60/yr service.

 

The XM NavTraffic costs $10/mo by itself or $17/mo with XM Radio but you need a roughly $200 - 250 antenna (Kenwood GXM30).

 

So ... at $120/yr plus twice as expensive antenna, does the XM NavTraffic provide anything that the Garmin FM Traffic doesn't?

 

How does the F90BT/F900BT MSN Direct compare to either Garmin FM Traffic or XM NavTraffic?

 

Of course this is all humorous to me since I started looking for a head unit to play MP3s and navigation just sort of ended up on the plate as I started looking at DD HU's. I never started out looking for any sort of Nav.

 

 

Thanks,

pat----

[mikeinnj]

I'm looking at these two units as well.

 

The F90BT/F900BT uses MSN Direct to get traffic info for $50/yr or $130 for a lifetime service (actually not guaranteed after 2012).

 

It looks like the DNX8120 has two options ... XM NavTraffic or Garmin FM.

 

From what I can tell, you have to buy an extra $120 antenna for the Garmin FM Traffic plus a $60/yr service.

 

The XM NavTraffic costs $10/mo by itself or $17/mo with XM Radio but you need a roughly $200 - 250 antenna (Kenwood GXM30).

 

So ... at $120/yr plus twice as expensive antenna, does the XM NavTraffic provide anything that the Garmin FM Traffic doesn't?

 

How does the F90BT/F900BT MSN Direct compare to either Garmin FM Traffic or XM NavTraffic?

 

Of course this is all humorous to me since I started looking for a head unit to play MP3s and navigation just sort of ended up on the plate as I started looking at DD HU's. I never started out looking for any sort of Nav.

 

 

Thanks,

pat----

 

I have found the GXM30 antenna for about $160 online and the FM Traffic antenna for about $60 online. With the XM, You will get traffic and weather everyplace that you get satellite radio reception and not have to rely on the availability of the FM service.

 

Plus, it may help to see the coverage of MSN direct in your area.

 

http://www.msndirect.com/Coverage/Coverage.aspx

[ATB]

I see more like 50-60 seconds which while it isn't great it is livable for me.

 

How can this be acceptable to anyone? A minute before the "radio" in a car starts working? I have windows machines that boot more quckly.

[325BMWGUY]

I see more like 50-60 seconds which while it isn't great it is livable for me.

 

How can this be acceptable to anyone? A minute before the "radio" in a car starts working? I have windows machines that boot more quckly.

 

Unfortunately I think you may have just nailed it. I am wondering if this radio is a Windows CE device.

[po3po3]

Doesn't the 8120 have far better SQ? I read at another forum that the sound quality for the 8120 was much better. That right there and the better performing bluetooth and Garmin navi has steered in toward the 8120. I'm prolly gonna have the 8120 installed next week in my 09 Xb.

 

I could careless about searching gas prices and voice activated ipod controlls if the bluetooth and navi are inferior...or am I missing something here?

[rdkl]

I don't know that the navi is supperior on the Kenwood. I have been playing with the F90 nav and it is a lot better than my z2 ever was. I haven't seen a case yet where the garmin would be better. I like the Pioneer maps a lot better as well.

 

The bluetooth will hopefully get fixed.

[TODJA77]

I see more like 50-60 seconds which while it isn't great it is livable for me.

 

How can this be acceptable to anyone? A minute before the "radio" in a car starts working? I have windows machines that boot more quckly.

 

Just to compare, does anyone know how long it took the d3's to load up? Or any nav unit for that matter (never owned one until I get the f90). Sometimes my drives are only a couple minutes, the load time seems really ridiculous...

[HiFiSi]

Doesn't the 8120 have far better SQ? I read at another forum that the sound quality for the 8120 was much better.

Depends on which model, really. The 700BT and 900BT are probably about the same as the D3 as far as sound quality goes. But the 90BT should sound a lot better than the other two because of the high volt preouts they put in.