MSN Direct is NOT integrated with Z110

[Doctor K]

EDIT: The 110 does not have the MSN tuner integrated.

 

Guys,

 

I just got off the phone with Pioneer Support to confirm whether or not the Z110 comes integrated with the MSN Direct tuner because I bought the ND-MDT10 thinking it was needed given that the product page for the 110 says it's needed.

 

But, when I went to get the product key for MSN Direct off my HU and activated it, I only was given the three-month trial as opposed to the 12-month trial. You get the 12-month when you purchase the tuner separate from your HU per the MSN Direct Pricing webpage.

 

Pioneer Support confirmed that the Z110 comes with the tuner integrated, so all of you guys who are buying the ND-MDT10 need should return it!

 

Correct me if I'm missing something.

[Matt -- HB Cali]

From: customer.support@pioneerservice.com

Subject: RE:Hook up and Operation|B00002|******** [#1265276]

To: *******@yahoo.com

Date: Thursday, August 27, 2009, 10:17 AM

 

 

 

Thank you for contacting Pioneer Electronics, Inc.

If you would like the MSN service, you would have to have the add-on tuner.

 

 

 

Thank You,

 

Rocky

Customer Service Representative

 

--Original Message--

From: *******@yahoo.com

Date: 08/25/09

To: customer.support@pioneerservice.com

Subject: Hook up and Operation|B00002|7142695280[#1265276]

 

FirstName:Matt

LastName:******

Email:*******@yahoo.com

Address:***************************

City:Huntington Beach

State:CA

Zip:92646

Phone:**********

Inquiry Type:Hook up and Operation

lstPublishers:0002

lstTitles:B00002-Car Products-Navigation

Inquiry:I want to know if the ND-MDT10 MSN tuner is required for the AVIC-Z110BT deck. I was told it is not and that the tuner is built in, but I do not think that is the case. Please verify this for me.

Thanks,

-Matt

[Doctor K]

Thanks for confirming. It's very confusing what I was told, etc. I had another talk with my stereo guy and he told me that the MSN tuner is proprietary to the 110.

[Matt -- HB Cali]

Yeah, The guy at RVFunProducts told me the same thing, that it was built in, after I was told otherwise by several other people. So I figured I'd go straight to the source and shot that e-mail out a couple of days ago. I just got the response from Pioneer this morning, then saw your thread, so figured I'd post the response I received from "Rocky" at Pioneer.

 

I ordered one from Amazon a couple of days ago for $90 shipped which isn't too bad I guess.

[Doctor K]

You should write Rocky back and ask him if the ND-MDT10 comes with the 12-month trial as stated on the MSN Direct website because I sure did not get the 12-month and I plan on calling Pioneer to see if they would give me one somehow because part of the reason I got it was to get that 12-month trial.

 

Sorry for run-on sentence.

[Matt -- HB Cali]

I just asked him. MSN's webite is somewhat vague when it comes down to the actual device, however. And it doesn't even list the AVIC-Z110BT when you click on the specific devices link:

 

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

 

I'll see what he says about it.

[Matt -- HB Cali]

I called MSN direct customer support and the guy said yes, the tuner does come with a free 12 month subscription if you buy it separately. He said you need to enter the 20-digit alphanumeric code that comes with the tuner to activate it. Mine won't be here until Tuesday next week so I guess I'll find out then. If you activated yours and did not get a free 12 month trial I would call MSN since I think they're the ones that handle the subscription portion of it.

[Doctor K]

Yeah, I'm not sure who needs to fix this. MSN goes off the product key that is provided. I think it probably falls on Pioneer's shoulders to provide a product key that gives the 12 month trial. Here's what I wrote to Pioneer earlier today.

 

I recently purchased the AVIC-Z110BT along with the ND-MDT10 (MSN

Direct Tuner). I was disappointed to find out that the product key

supplied from the MSN Direct Tuner provided only a 3-month trial

subscription instead of the advertised 12-month trial subscription per

the MSN Direct Pricing page (http://www.msndirect.com/pricing.aspx).

It states that "MSN Direct receivers bought separately include

12-month free trial." Also, on the Devices page

(http://www.msndirect.com/devices.aspx), the AVIC-Z110BT is not listed

as a "Navigation Device with MSN Direct Receiver" which lead me to

believe that buying the separate tuner would grant me the 12-month

trial subscription.

 

I called MSN Direct's customer support and they advised me that I

would need to speak to Pioneer. Therefore, I am asking you. I have

been mislead a bit and would simply like the 12-month trial. If there

is any sort of confusion, it is between MSN Direct and Pioneer.

[VBLUE42]

I called MSN direct customer support and the guy said yes, the tuner does come with a free 12 month subscription if you buy it separately. He said you need to enter the 20-digit alphanumeric code that comes with the tuner to activate it. Mine won't be here until Tuesday next week so I guess I'll find out then. If you activated yours and did not get a free 12 month trial I would call MSN since I think they're the ones that handle the subscription portion of it.

 

 

First of all to clear the confusion with Pioneer up right now-what you were told from Pioneer is flat out wrong. Their is certainly no tuner built into the Z series. You can check this by hitting to the MSN soft button under destination. Click status and it will tell you to enter the following product key below. Only there is no product key to enter unit you install the separate tuner. This does not surprise me about Pioneer support as they regularly tell consumers inaccurate info about their own products.

 

Now, the MSN trial issue. When you activate your trial you will only get three months. I spent almost an hour on the phone with them about the conflicting info on their web site on Friday but to no avail. It actually listed on their web site that the tuner came with three months of free service but then just below that it has a green button as one of the features you get that said twelve month free trial. I explained to them that I understood that there was a mistake with the wording on their site but that I felt I should get the benefit of the doubt as the consumer. They disagreed and refused to make an adjustment. They have sense corrected the green twelve month button to reflect three months free service. It still says on their web site however that any separately purchased tuner comes with twelve months of free service. I dont know what legal options we may have in this case but if someone does know for sure if we have a legal case then please let us know. Pioneer on the other hand is not going to do anything for you as far as the length of free service we get. It is probably a waste of time to even try with them.

[Doctor K]

I called MSN direct customer support and the guy said yes, the tuner does come with a free 12 month subscription if you buy it separately. He said you need to enter the 20-digit alphanumeric code that comes with the tuner to activate it. Mine won't be here until Tuesday next week so I guess I'll find out then. If you activated yours and did not get a free 12 month trial I would call MSN since I think they're the ones that handle the subscription portion of it.

 

 

First of all to clear the confusion with Pioneer up right now-what you were told from Pioneer is flat out wrong. Their is certainly no tuner built into the Z series. You can check this by hitting to the MSN soft button under destination. Click status and it will tell you to enter the following product key below. Only there is no product key to enter unit you install the separate tuner. This does not surprise me about Pioneer support as they regularly tell consumers inaccurate info about their own products.

 

Now, the MSN trial issue. When you activate your trial you will only get three months. I spent almost an hour on the phone with them about the conflicting info on their web site on Friday but to no avail. It actually listed on their web site that the tuner came with three months of free service but then just below that it has a green button as one of the features you get that said twelve month free trial. I explained to them that I understood that there was a mistake with the wording on their site but that I felt I should get the benefit of the doubt as the consumer. They disagreed and refused to make an adjustment. They have sense corrected the green twelve month button to reflect three months free service. It still says on their web site however that any separately purchased tuner comes with twelve months of free service. I dont know what legal options we may have in this case but if someone does know for sure if we have a legal case then please let us know. Pioneer on the other hand is not going to do anything for you as far as the length of free service we get. It is probably a waste of time to even try with them.

 

Yeah, well, given that it's a savings of 50 bucks (1 year), it's probably not worth a lot of effort in trying to haggle. My email above is basically my effort. We'll see if it works. Sounds like it won't, but you never know.

[VBLUE42]

If it does let us know. I will be glad to reignite my argument with them.

[aleicgrant]

I agree this is all very confusing and quite frankly MSN should honor the 12 month free.

 

BUT

 

when speaking to MSN they lead me to this page (screen shot) which clearly states.... 3 months with the Z110

 

 

[Doctor K]

I agree this is all very confusing and quite frankly MSN should honor the 12 month free.

 

BUT

 

when speaking to MSN they lead me to this page (screen shot) which clearly states.... 3 months with the Z110

 

 

 

Yeah, that's pretty clear right there LOL

 

It took a while for me to find it though. The page format isn't the most user friendly, but I guess they have their bases covered. At the very least, they will get the hint that they need to change the format around a bit so you will see that page without clicking so much.

[aleicgrant]

quite frankly its misleading to me and I let them know when I called.

[VBLUE42]

Last Friday when I contacted to protest the confusion that green square that says free trial said 12 months. They quickly changed it after I hung up the phone. It still says elsewhere on their site that a separately purchased tuner will include 12 months free service.