Hello-

I ordered an AVIC-Z2 to install in my 2004 Tacoma Dbl Cab, and I have a couple of questions that I haven't been able to find answers on.

Loading music on the drive: I was thinking about loading my music on the drive, as I have read that the iPod interface is kind of slow. Music collection is relatively small (about 2200 songs), so I was thinking about loading the music on the drive via CDs. Does the album art get displayed on the Z2 if you are playing music stored on the HDD?

GPS antenna mount: I've read a few installs where people put the antenna on the inside of the vehicle. I have also seen them install it on the outside. Any thoughts?

GPS Navigation: From reading info on this board, it looks like I will need to do the bluetooth update and the wire mod in order to get the navigation module to work while the vehicle is in motion. Is that correct?

Looking forward to receiving the unit and going through the install.

Thanks.

1) i havent ever seen any album art

2) I mounted mine in the factory toyota location (inside the dash, totally hidden) and i get 100% of the satellites

3) depends on manufacture date, but i just did the 2 wire mod and thats all i needed, bluetooth update was already applied.

Abe

1) i havent ever seen any album art

 

2) I mounted mine in the factory toyota location (inside the dash, totally hidden) and i get 100% of the satellites

 

3) depends on manufacture date, but i just did the 2 wire mod and thats all i needed, bluetooth update was already applied.

 

Abe

Abe-

Thanks for the reply. If I understand #2, you mounted the GPS receiver in your dash? I have a hand held Garmin iQue 3600 and I lose reception unless the antenna is close to the window.

Two follow up questions: 1) What kind of vehicle do you have? 2) Can you be a little more specific on where you mounted the antenna?

Thanks

David

Hey David,

I have a 2008 4runner. If your car is similar, DIRECTLY behind where the avic mounts, youll see a little "shelf" where you can mount the gps antenna. Make sure that whatever you do, only the plastic of the dash is above the antenna, no metal.

This little shelf in my 4runner was the perfect spot to mount the little pad that the antenna sits on, and then stick the antenna on the pad. youll see what i mean.

But yes its 100% inside the dash, direclty in the center of the dash (where the center speaker is also) and it works at 90-100% strength. when i see other people with a avic in their 4runner and the antenna is mounted outside it makes me sad wasted effort!

Abe

Abe-

Thanks for the info. I was wondering if you were using the iPod interface, and if you could comment on the "speed" of the interface/graphics.

Also, from what I've been reading on the two wire mod, it sounds like if I do the mod, I will be able to use the GPS while the vehicle is in motion. Is this correct? Does that also apply to viewing DVDs?

Thanks, sorry for the noob questions.

David

as much as i like steve jobs for what he as accomplished, i refuse to buy into the ipod franchise!

i dont use ipods!! but yes, supposedly the interface is terribly slow.

The 2 wire mod will let you input destinations while moving and watch dvds. Its really just a 1 wire mod on a fresh install, you can just simply ground the parking brake wire coming out of the avic to the system ground wire on the same harness. then relocate the other wire and youre done!

if i could redo my installation, i would have put a switch on the CELL MUTE wire (instead of using that wire to do my 2wire mod, use a different wire). This is because the avic doesnt have a mute button and it would be nice to have a switch for mute (thats what switching the cell mute button does).

I used a PAC-SWIPS to retain my steering wheel buttons, and programmed a button on the steering wheel for ATT (kinda like a mute) so it works out for me i guess..

Abe

Abe

I hear ya on the ipod franchise. I've been assimilated, so I figured that I would try to find a head unit that had some sort of interface. I guess that I'll look at how long it would take me to load my music collection on CDs into the Z2 when I get it.

Thanks for the info on the two wire mod. I will take your advice, and see about putting a switch on the cell mute wire. I didn't know that the Z2 didn't come with a MUTE button....I kind of figured that would be a no-brainer.

I wish that my truck had the controls built into the steering wheel. I ended up ordering the Pioneer remote that mounts to the steering wheel (CD-SR1), so hopefully, that will work out.

David

contrary to what people on here comment, i LOVE my CD SR1

Ive had it a week now and i has missed zero commands (people say it misses commands all the time)..

Abe

Good to hear. I'll be sure to post reviews on how things go when I do my install.

Abe-

I forgot to ask...how has the GPS navigation been working? I have read a lot of posts here where people are complaining about POI, the unit not locating them correctly, etc. I was wondering what your experiences have been.

Do you have a back up camera connected to the unit? If so, your thoughts on that.

Thanks for the info.

David

I have found that the nav is only as smart as you are. its not as great as other navs ive used, but it has other strengths that make up the difference. i understand what its trying to do. Mainly ive seen that it makes every attempt to keep you on the MAIN road, even though taking the smaller roads would have been MUCH better. but i have learning mode on, and it seemed to learn my preferred route. other times, in los angeles anyway, it works just fine (picks the way i would assume makes sense).

others have much more dismal reviews of the nav...but in comparison, i think the kenwood nav looks like its designed for pre-schoolers so i dont like the way that works either!

i love my backup camera. its a little high on my 4runner, but for towing something behind, its great! i opted for the VLT400 from boyo...i did a write up on its install here a month or so ago!

Abe

Abe-

Thanks for your input. I've been reading some of the depressing reviews of the nav on the Z2, and I am becoming worried that it isn't what I thought it was going to be. I hope that things work out, and I am overall pleased with the functionality of the unit.

Thanks for the info on the camera. I ended up going with one that came as part of the package deal. (Pioneer ND-BC2). I checked for your write up of the VLT400, but didn't have any luck finding anything. I'll keep looking.

(Found the write up, but it's not on this forum.)

Thanks.

David

snap me a pic of the install and the rear view image when u finish!

You got it. My plan is to document the install with my camera in case anyone else is doing a similar install.

David

Install finished.

I was able to finish the install of the new Z2 over this weekend. The only thing that I need to do is install the iPod adapter as that was on back-order. I'm going to take that time to clean up my wiring, and take some pics of the "finished" product.

On a related note, one of the members mentioned putting a switch on the MUTE wire so that you would have a switch to enable/disable the muting function, since the HU didn't come with a dedicated MUTE switch. I picked up a switch, and wired it in. I attached the MUTE line to the LOAD side of the switch, and wired in EARTH and SUPPLY as appropriate. The switch seems to function okay (the light does come on), but the HU doesn't seem to recognize the signal, as the audio is not muted when the switch is enabled.

Any ideas?

Here are some pics

Shot of the switch

Shot of the switch wired in (yellow wire is going to the yellow/black wire on the HU)

I was going to mount the back up camera under the trailer hitch that I have, but I thought that it would be too easy for thieves to swipe. Instead, I plan on constructing a box to house the camera, then I will bolt that on the receiver to hopefully defeat the thieves.

You mean the Yellow/Black wire, correct? I just looked through the install manual and the Yellow is a constant 12+ power source.

And, the Yellow/Black looks to be a mute signal output lead. Which mean it sends a signal to a attached peripheral to mute. I other words, it sends a signal rather than accepting one.

From the manual:

"If you use equipment with a mute function, connect that

equipment to the Audio Mute lead. If not, keep the Audio Mute

lead free of any connections."

Buy the available remote CD-R5, it has an attenuate button.

bridge4d-

Thanks for the reply, and the correction on the mute wire. I've edited my message. I thought that the wire would mute the audio, but you are correct. I re-read the instruction manual, and found my mistake.

I have a remote for the HU (CD-SR1). I don't think that it has the mute function, but I will have to check. I'll have to remember to disconnect my attempted mute wire tomorrow.

Thanks again.

Quick update....I'm opting to replace the Pioneer camera with a BOYO VTL-420. It is cheaper, and will be a lot easier to mount. I'll post some pics when I'm finished.

hey before you do, snap a pic of the pioneer camera's output will ya? if you have it mounted and such?

reason i ask is because the field of view on the vlt420 isnt as great as on my lexus, where i can "see" more. i guess its a wider angle or something.

wanted to see how the pioneer stock one was? does boyo make a wider angle camera than the 420? its my ONLY complaint. i love it it works/looks otherwise..

Abe

Abe-

I'll see if I can snap a pic. On the BOYO cam that you have, is the image reversed left to right? (If a car is behind you, and you look at the license plate on your Z2 display, are the letters on the plate backwards?)...just curious...

Any chance you could post a pic from the BOYO cam so that I can see how the field of view looks?

Thanks

David

yeah the image is reversed. see pic. as you can see, my field of view isnt THAT great. if i get the tow ball (rear most part of car) then i cant see that far behind, the camera is pointed DOWN. i also cant see the edges of the bumper.

I think i may change to one of those bubble camera...whatre they called...fish eye camera? if boyo even makes one?

Abe

compare my pic above to this link:

http://www.eclipse-web.com/rear/index.html

see how the eclipse camera gets the bumper AND can see 2 parking spaces behind? it feels like my boyo is "zoomed in" too much

i dunnno

Abe

I see what you mean. The Eclipse camera is quite a bit different (housing wise) compared to the BOYO cam. The Eclipse cam is similar to the one that I have from Pioneer. When I was testing the camera that I have, I noticed that it sat a little too low for my taste, but that was when I was going to mount it upside down under the tow hitch. Maybe I'll start looking for a fish eye lens if I don't like the BOYO cam.

David

(I almost forgot...what's the image from the cam look like at night?)

Abe-

Here are the pics from the Pioneer ND-BC2 backup camera.

Shot of my Wife's Camry viewed on the Z2

Shot of the Z2 display from the Driver's perspective

Distance between vehicles (about 2 feet, 8 inches)

Shot of temporary camera mount (think it's theft-proof?)

I may go back to the drawing board, and try to come up with a mount for this camera. Here is a shot of what I have come up with so far. The piece in tan is the housing for the camera that would bolt on the trailer hitch.

The place that I bought it from has a 15% restock fee, as well as a $25 non-defective part return fee. I am going to find out how much of my $$$ I am going to get back before I end up sending it back. I might end up selling it if I can't figure out a decent mounting scheme.

David

Here are some pics of the BOYO VTL420 that I recently installed. I had better luck finding a home for it than I did the Pioneer ND-BC2 (which is now for sale)