Quality of Navigation?

[troymdaniels]

Can anyone confirm if there is still an option to find a location by telephone number in the X920BT? I loved this feature of the D3 and used it 90% of the time when trying to locate a place.

[VBLUE42]

None of the 2010 Pioneer units have phone number search.

[Vibe2.0]

One thing you can do is using the AViC feeds software and Google maps is enter locations on google map and send them to the avic feeds software. The software then saves the locations as contacts ( phone numbers). Once transferred to the Avic920 you can simply select the contact from the phone book and it will route you to that location.

 

Not exactly searching by phone number but a quick way to navigate to a location using the phonebook / contacts.

[VBLUE42]

Of course this will only work if you have one of the only two phones that AVIC FEEDS supports so this is hardly a solution for everyone.

[jerryc41]

I have used several Garmin units over the years, and when I started using this X910BT, I was amazed at how inferior is it. It's not that it doesn't work or give accurate directions. It's just too un-intuitive to use. I never had to read a Garmin manual. With this Pioneer, even after I read the directions, I'm in the dark. For any serious traveling, I put the Garmin in its bracket on the dash.

 

Jerry

[troymdaniels]

I tried the AVIC feeds for the first time a little while ago, also gave the ECO graph a try, seemed interesting to me but not all that practical on both. The phone number search was a really great idea and was a quick way to navigate on my old unit. The AVIC feeds has an option to take a picture and then add a geo location tag...but that would mean i've already been to the spot, just a way to get back. It's really not practical IMO. I find myself using the navigon app on my phone more and more instead of the X920BT. The ECO graph was a fun distraction as all the little animals started popping up, but when you come to a stop, you are apparently not being very ECO friendly. My full time 4 wheel drive FJ is not exactly a "green" vehicle to begin with, again, this funciton is a fun thing to look at, but just doesnt seem to truly be doing all that much.

[vpkb]

I took a Vegas trip last weekend and the GPS kept trying to take me on unpaved and unmarked roads. I could not fin the option to avoid these roads anywhere. All in all Garmin GPS is more user friendly and accurate. I wish some buttons, i.e. the OK buttons for route planning were much larger (at least 4x).

[cpkdude]

I took a Vegas trip last weekend and the GPS kept trying to take me on unpaved and unmarked roads. I could not fin the option to avoid these roads anywhere. All in all Garmin GPS is more user friendly and accurate. I wish some buttons, i.e. the OK buttons for route planning were much larger (at least 4x).

 

That's the kind of thing I would likely complain to Pioneer about, both by telephone and in print (email).

That's the only way these things will ever get rectified.

 

and you never know when it will be too late:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101006/od_afp/canadatransportpoliceoffbeat_20101006163413

[vpkb]

That's the kind of thing I would likely complain to Pioneer about, both by telephone and in print (email).

That's the only way these things will ever get rectified.

 

and you never know when it will be too late:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101006/od_afp/canadatransportpoliceoffbeat_20101006163413

 

..lol, I wouldn't rely on GPS alone. Do you think these engineers are using their own products?

[Azzurri]

and you never know when it will be too late:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101006/od_afp/canadatransportpoliceoffbeat_20101006163413

 

I sincerely hope your comment was made in jest, otherwise... yikes. I'm actually continually stunned at people's inability to function without GPS in their vehicle, but that's a whole other rant all together...

 

Moving along though, as I install for a living, I thought I'd chime in here. In regards to oochr1soo's original question, I know everyone's answers have been straying to different tangents, but I think the point most people are trying to make is that they're not going to endorse one particular brand based solely on its GPS. And personally, if I'm buying an aftermarket head unit, GPS is not the determining factor in which one I buy. So without getting too far off-topic...

 

Pioneer - I had a D3 for about 3 years, and as a few others have been saying, it was hands down the best and most reliable head unit I've ever owned, and if I could have upgraded the GPS and Bluetooth functionality, I would have kept it in a heartbeat. I'm not a huge fan of Pioneer's Nav in their newer units, and basically for all of the reasons people have stated. I'm also not a fan of the cost to upgrade the maps. And in general, I find that a lot of the functions like Pandora and Music Sphere is just a lot of fluff that I'll never use and just slows the unit down.

 

Alpine - Alpine's GPS is pretty simple and straight forward, and based on customer feedback, I don't really hear many complaints about it. The major issue I've seen with Alpine, a lot of their double din and Sirius units seem to have a hiccup that causes the unit to freeze every now and then, which causes you to have to disconnect and re-connect power, or do a hard reset to get everything working correctly. Personally, I find the all-in-one Alpine units very clunky and obtrusive looking, and the user interface just seems very dated compared to what else is out there.

 

Kenwood - Yes I know he didn't ask, but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. I do agree that in terms of performance and features, Kenwood is currently one of the best out there, but yes, their retail prices are high. I must say though, the 9960 is pretty bad ass if you're willing to spend the money. However, I see 6160's go regularily on ebay for $700 and under, brand new, and not re-furbs. And while they're not "authorized" sellers, many of them do offer a warranty either through the seller or a third party company (just don't deal with Square Trade, they suck balls).

[Vibe2.0]

Of course this will only work if you have one of the only two phones that AVIC FEEDS supports so this is hardly a solution for everyone.

 

My phone is a Nokia E71. Is this one of the two phones you claim it would only work on? Also the Avic Feeds software for PC is what I used not the Avic feeds software for iphone or android or symbian. You sure do talk a lot of smack vblue.

 

Here is the avic feeds software for PC - no idea why you could not use this with any cell phone

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/CarAudioVideo/In-Dash/GPS-Navigation-Systems/Download+AVIC+FEEDS

 

 

I should also mention I took a 1200 mile round trip recently (FL to NC )and the 920 did pretty well. One real nice thing I noticed is where I was staying to the highway had two possible routes. For the sake of simplicity lets say the 920 wanted me to go left out the driveway and I preferred to go right. After going right the first two times it never suggested left again.

For complaints inputting a destination takes getting used to and two times it had me a few feet off the road on the map. In fairness these were winding back roads. Overall I was pleased with it.

[VBLUE42]

Ok how is what I wrote talking smack? if you look at what you wrote you state, "The software then saves the locations as contacts ( phone numbers). Once transferred to the Avic920 you can simply select the contact from the phone book and it will route you to that location." That is not how the PC software stores POI data. That only works with the iPhone app so I assumed you were referring to the iPhone app. So next time you offer a solution to people that may not know better, be sure you know what you are talking about. And I usually only talk smack in response to stupidity. Kinda like right now.

[VBLUE42]

Here is the avic feeds software for PC - no idea why you could not use this with any cell phone

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/CarAudioVideo/In-Dash/GPS-Navigation-Systems/Download+AVIC+FEEDS

 

Well, because it doesn't work with cell phones. It works with your PC.

[Vibe2.0]

Well, because it doesn't work with cell phones. It works with your PC.

 

 

you obviously have no idea how the software works. I shouldn't even enlighten you since you were so quick to nay say my initial post.

 

The Avic feeds for the PC allows you to use google maps ( the web site ) http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl Type in whatever address or place "yankee stadium" when the result comes up you can select more form the place marker and "Send" you then have a number of choices one of which is Pioneer navigation ( See image below )

 

 

This file will get imported into the running avic feeds program which will allow you to save the location as a contact that you can output to the sd card and transfer to your deck.

[VBLUE42]

Ok have you even used the PC software yourself? It does not save as a file that can be read by the phonebook app on the unit. I saves as a KML file that is read as a custom POI from the POI menu of the unit. That has nothing to do with the phonebook function of the unit or the iPhone app. Seriously sir, before you ever try and challenge my knowledge on these unit, you should really do your home work. You have just been seriously owned here. And I certainly know how the software works. I have only been using it sense it was first released for the F series.