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Worth it upgrading from Z series?


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I just bought the Z150BH last year and I HATE how app radio mode works... Car play seems to be the answer... I'm considering selling it and getting the NEX8000... I just wish it had a flip screen since the placement is awkward in my prius. Has anyone here upgraded from the last generation and found it worth it?

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App Radio will work the same way with the NEX8000. But the 8000 will have CarPlay, if you have an iPhone and the 150 won't. Also, the 8000 has better navigation, a better touchscreen, and many UI improvements. I have a 150 and intend on selling it when the CarPlay firmware upgrade comes out this summer.

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App Radio will work the same way with the NEX8000. But the 8000 will have CarPlay, if you have an iPhone and the 150 won't. Also, the 8000 has better navigation, a better touchscreen, and many UI improvements. I have a 150 and intend on selling it when the CarPlay firmware upgrade comes out this summer.

 

I completely agree with what Bob said. Dual cameras too...

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I completely agree with what Bob said. Dual cameras too...

I agree too. Love this unit. I was in the market for a z150 or kenwood dnn990hd. Then the consumer show came out and I said to myself let me see what these two companies will release this year. And the rest is history. I decided to go with the 8000nex because it looks crisp, sharp, beautiful, and the UI is insanely fast. Hasn't lagged one bit. Love the navigation. Works great. Love the fact that you set profiles. It's an amazing unit. Everyone has mixed feelings on the USB and Bluetooth connectivity.

 

AppRadio isn't great. I thought I would be WOW'D but I'm not. Don't see myself using it. I think it's a waste unless you jailbreak your iphone or root your android.

 

Can't forget the CAPACITIVE TOUCH SCREEN

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I do have an iPhone but the AppMode experience sucks with it... I'm wondering if the reason why some developers dropped AppMode support was to develop CarPlay support instead... I'm wondering if CarPlay will be easier to use than AppMode... AppMode requires too much interaction with the phone and if you ask me is more likely to cause an accident.. I guess we won't know until the Carplay Firmware update is out..

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I just bought the Z150BH last year and I HATE how app radio mode works... Car play seems to be the answer... I'm considering selling it and getting the NEX8000... I just wish it had a flip screen since the placement is awkward in my prius. Has anyone here upgraded from the last generation and found it worth it?

 

Depending on how wonky you are, a much better approach might be to work with a new Nexus 7. You'll have a far superior screen and a wider range of choices for navigation and audio playback

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I had a Z2 for a long time, I so glad I got the nex 8000, major upgrade. Yes there are a few faults, yes pioneer seemed to have rushed the unit out the door, but for the most part it's very functional and I love it.

 

Excited for car play

Disappointed the connected services aren't ready but will be in summer when the AVICSync app is released " per my conversation with pioneer"

 

Wish USB 1 and 2 had separate options for connection type in the settings.

Navigation is pretty good.

Great sounding tunes and lots of options in my opinion.

The screen is absolutely gorgeous

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Depending on how wonky you are, a much better approach might be to work with a new Nexus 7. You'll have a far superior screen and a wider range of choices for navigation and audio playback

What about Sirius/XM? HD Radio? Maybe it's just me but I'm not a fan of putting Tablets into a vehicle. Much easier for a thief to grab and snatch....

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Off topic but a dash integrated tablet of any type is far superior to any head unit.

I agree, I would have loved an iPad mini custom installed into my dash with a side slide kit, but when I priced it out, I just couldn't afford it. Maybe one day I will do it, but not right now

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What about Sirius/XM? HD Radio? Maybe it's just me but I'm not a fan of putting Tablets into a vehicle. Much easier for a thief to grab and snatch....

 

I use the Z150 for its radio and amplifier. I use the Nexus for its music player and nav. I can now hook up a SSD drive and a USB DAC and play my music files in the .flac format I have most of them saved as, with no file size or number limitations like I do with the Z150. 

 

If I had considered using a tablet in a car, I would have never bought the Z150. I had an AVIC P2400 before, which would have been the amp, radios, Bluetooth phone, and backup camera I'm using the Z150 for now, and I could have saved $800. My tablet setup, including the Nexus, is less than $300 and I will never have to pay for a map update.

 

A fixed installation, like the one in my link, wouldn't be any more inviting to thieves than any other head unit. I don't have mine permanently mounted anyway.

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I agree, I would have loved an iPad mini custom installed into my dash with a side slide kit, but when I priced it out, I just couldn't afford it. Maybe one day I will do it, but not right now

 

The new Nexus is about $200 and will do just about anything an iPad will do. Just sayin'.

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I replaced my Z150 with the NEX8000 and I am not looking back. To me, the x950/z150 series was a black sheep of Pioneers AVIC's in the last 6 years. I have owned different units from the f700 up, and the x950 and z150 I owned both felt backwards in too many areas (maps, speedcam, traffic,updatability) compared to the older models it replaced. True it was the first to integrate Appradio with the GPS from Pioneer, but it was cobbled together in comparison to the slickness of the NEX series. The new core OS in the NEX series is a huge leap over the WinCE cores from before. Smooth, elegant (in places) and most importantly FAST. AppRadio has become less important to me other than when I am using DashCommander at the track, so I dont judge it by that alone. Though I will say AR seems to work better in the NEX (screen isnt constantly resizing between app switches) than either of my last gen units. The maps may have fewer POI's (that will be remedied when the Networked features come online) but the map images, responsiveness, smooth scrolling as you drive (my z150 was jerky down the interstate) and weather/traffic integration are all so much better thought out, and far more detailed than before. Add to all of this that I am currently an iPhone user and CarPlay will probably replace AR for me entirely when the firmware update comes. And if I switch to Android or Windows phone 8.1 this fall, it has mirrorlink support as well.  AR, to me, is dead once CarPlay and Mirrorlink gains 3rd party app support in the way that AR never did.

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