F30BT - accurate GPS location after start-up

[U-Poll]

Two weeks ago, a Pioneer Avic F30BT system was installed in my Saab 9-5 Estate (MY09). It is significantly better then Saab’s standard Denso system. Especially the fully integrated phone and huge audio possibilities are very nice. The ‘looks’ and performance of the navigation system are slightly less then the TomTom units, but hopefully this will become better with new upgrades of the software. … or when I understand what great things some of you are doing in ‘hack mode’!

 

However, I do have an issue with the responsiveness of the GPS positioning system. When the car (and therefore Pioneer) is started in the morning, it requires some time to find the right position on the map. Followed by an offset between the real- and chart position of approx 100 to 200 meters, during some minutes. After 10mins (or so) everything runs ok.

 

The installer located the GPS antenna initially underneath the dashboard, but the reception was very poor (it took several minutes to find the right location, each time the system started). Then we manoeuvred the antenna at different locations above the dash, resulting in a mildly better reception. The only time it really got a good (full strength) reception was when I stuck the antenna on the roof, so outside the car. Next, we will try to use Saab’s build-in GPS antenna inside the ‘shark fin’. Does anybody know whether this will work or not? Pioneers crappy helpdesk says that only Pioneer GPS antenna’s will work on Pioneers.

 

Besides the above GPS reception issues… I do get the impression that the system has difficulty plotting/calculating the car’s location on the map after boot up, nevertheless the strength of the GPS signal. Do others experience this as well? Does anybody has a work around or fix for this?

 

Lastly, a very annoying thing: the mandatory ‘warning’ screen (which you have to ‘ok’ away) at start up. This silly text screen, warning you for everything but Santa Claus, pops up every time the system starts. Argh! Does anybody know how to get rid of this permanently?

 

Theo

[VBLUE42]

The navi in these units is the worst of any in dash navi and its been the same sense the Z110/F10 so there are no signs it will ever get better. And although there is a hack effort for this series of units, it has been going on for over a year and has been stalled in development for at least six months so I wouldn't expect it to ever progress. As for your GPS signal or position issue these units need about 1 to 2 thousand miles to properly calibrate to the proper position but it will usually always be about two car spaces behind. And there is no way to get rid of the warning message.

[U-Poll]

Thanks - it looks like I should have looked better prior to deciding on the F30BT... Alas, the thing is in my car now and I hope to get it operational as optimal as possible.

 

In an other post THIS ONE, I read great progress in hacking the F series. It suggests that it works for the F30BT as well, however, no GPS functionality yet when running with other software. Is this correct, can I ‘hack’ my F30BT this way, but still run the original Pioneer software (and GPS) as if nothing has happened?

[VBLUE42]

Yes, but if you cant do anything with the unit once you hack it I hardly see the point. Especially when there is always a risk of bricking your unit when doing this.