silence2-38554 Posted April 28, 2014 Report Share Posted April 28, 2014 Hey guys, sorry my first post is going to be somewhat of a rant but I'm seriously SO fed up with this stupid head unit. A little about me first, I used to install car stereos for a living & recently worked for Apple as a technician for around 4 years. I recently had my trusty old Pioneer HU stolen, which was one of the first iPod compatible models. It worked flawlessly with it's live-in-car iPod for about 7 years. Well, I decided I wanted to finally get a double-DIN unit to put in my '02 WRX. The 8500 really appealed to me because of the removable faceplate as a security feature, as well as the 4 volt preamp outs & a few other features. One of the main features being app radio mode. Well, I've had the stereo installed for about 5 days now and it's been nothing but a headache. AppRadio mode -barely- works, and I, for the life of me, can not figure out how to listen to music with simultaneous navigation when AppRadio mode does magically work. Here are the issues: -When the App connection is set to "Others" & the iPhone (5) is plugged directly in via USB (not HDMI), it is recognized as an iPhone & interacts with the head unit flawlessly. When the App connection is set to iPhone(Digital AV) and connected in the same manner, the head unit just says "Incompatible USB". Why should this setting have any effect at all if only connecting via USB?!? -AppRadio mode. Even when it does miraculously work, seriously, HOW MANY WARNING PROMPTS DO WE NEED TO GO THROUGH?? The e-brake up, down, up nonsense is just maddening. I ordered a bypass just to not have to deal with that, though I'm not sure I'll even still have this thing long enough to install it. -Even when App connection is set to iPhone(DigitalAV), 9/10 times, all I get is the iPhone screen mirrored to the 8500. Yes, this is with the Pioneer Appradio app launched. Lately, it seems that I'm lucky to even get that, if not a blank black screen. -App sound mixing. As far as I can tell, all this REALLY does is play your music incredibly loud with no way to turn it down when in AppRadio mode. Totally useless. -When connected via HDMI/USB, the iPhone is not recognized as anything in USB1. You'd think that it would at least come up as an iPhone there, right? Nope....Just an input wasted to the useless Appradio. -Very often, I get this message "CAUTION Now launching app. If it isn't launched in a few seconds please park your vehicle and make sure your iPhone's screen."........ THIS ISN'T EVEN A SENTENCE!!!! How rushed was this product?!?!?! Please, if you guys have ANY troubleshooting ideas for me, I'm all ears. I love the concept behind this thing but so far the execution is just a joke. Really, If I can't have simultaneous music and navigation via Appradio, it's a deal breaker & it's getting returned. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
silence2-38554 Posted May 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2014 Fixed it! Returned this awful HU & bought the AVH-4000NEX! So much better! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sebastian32 Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 AppRadio is garbage, I don't know anyone who actually uses it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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