Okay, so we're hearing about all these different issues with the initial release of the F700/F900/F90 and I'm seriously considering going with the Kenwood DNX8120. But ...

One of the reasons the F series is attractive to me is the MSN Direct traffic with the built-in antenna ... in order to get live traffic on the DNX8120, I'd have to add the Garmin FM Traffic antenna ($130-ish) or their XM Traffic antenna ($250-ish) ... so the F90 for $1200 plus MSN service or the DNX8120 & antenna for $1730/1850 plus Garmin or XM service. That's a big price premium. The MSN Direct site and the Garmin FM Traffic site show identical coverage for my area (around Hartford, CT), I suspect they use the same radio sources. I'm not particuarly interested in satellite radio.

So, I started thinking about it ... what are my priorities? What am I looking for with one of these units? So, with that in mind ...

• 
  + How is the F series' AM/FM reception and sound quality?
  + How is the HD radio reception and sound quality?
  + How is the audio CD and DVD (audio of DVD, not "audio DVD's) sound quality?
  + When playing MP3s from disk, SD or USB HDD/Flash, how easy is the navigation? How do the ID3 tags work, okay? Will the F series show embedded album art?
  + How good is NAV routing? How easy is it to program a destination? Can you program a series of destinations fora single trip?
  + Can you program, & save for later use, your own POI's (i.e.; "Home", "Mom & Dad's", "Work", etc)?
  + Has anyone tried the MSN Direct features yet (beyond Jason's video demo)? Any issues or concerns?
  

Personally ... I don't have an IPod and don't forsee buying one any time soon. Nor do I envision using the handsfree BT (I like to drive withr my windows and sunroof open and the wind noise would make that useless).

I'm wondering if the problems with this early run of units really would be an issue for me or not?

Thanks,

pat----

Hold up on the DNX8120.Read this first.

http://reviews.cnet.com/car-gps-navigat ... ID=2587291

+ How is the F series' AM/FM reception and sound quality?

Awsome!!! I replaced my alpine with this and its 100 times better. get reception on channels that the alpine never picked up

+ How is the HD radio reception and sound quality?

Once again same as above!! Even with my glass antennea everything is MINT!!

+ How is the audio CD and DVD (audio of DVD, not "audio DVD's) sound quality?

The overall sound quality of this unit is through the roof. As an audiophile I am very particular about sound, and understand that in a car quality can only be soo good, but this for all the onboard processing it does the sound really is stellar.

+ When playing MP3s from disk, SD or USB HDD/Flash, how easy is the navigation? How do the ID3 tags work, okay? Will the F series show embedded album art?

Navigation is easy. browses through a file system. Album art if embedded in the id tag will be available

+ How good is NAV routing? How easy is it to program a destination? Can you program a series of destinations fora single trip?

Nav planning is easy and intuitive. you can plan routes

+ Can you program, & save for later use, your own POI's (i.e.; "Home", "Mom & Dad's", "Work", etc)?

Yes

+ Has anyone tried the MSN Direct features yet (beyond Jason's video demo)? Any issues or concerns?

Have the 700

flinkazoid,

Thank you so VERY much! I really appreciate your taking the time to address each of my quesitons.

If the MSN Direct actually works, it sounds like the many issues being reported with the F series may not affect me. hmmm ....

Julius,

Yes, I've read that review. I've also seen mixed reviews on Amazon and Crutchfield, although the positive reviews seem to outnumber the negative ones on those sites. I've also read some good reviews of the DNX8120 on CarAudio.com (I think that's the site) and on a few vehicle specific sites that I found via Google.

pat----

+ How is the F series' AM/FM reception and sound quality?

 

Awsome!!! I replaced my alpine with this and its 100 times better. get reception on channels that the alpine never picked up

 

 

+ How is the HD radio reception and sound quality?

 

Once again same as above!! Even with my glass antennea everything is MINT!!

 

 

+ How is the audio CD and DVD (audio of DVD, not "audio DVD's) sound quality?

 

The overall sound quality of this unit is through the roof. As an audiophile I am very particular about sound, and understand that in a car quality can only be soo good, but this for all the onboard processing it does the sound really is stellar.

 

 

 

+ When playing MP3s from disk, SD or USB HDD/Flash, how easy is the navigation? How do the ID3 tags work, okay? Will the F series show embedded album art?

 

Navigation is easy. browses through a file system. Album art if embedded in the id tag will be available

 

 

+ How good is NAV routing? How easy is it to program a destination? Can you program a series of destinations fora single trip?

 

Nav planning is easy and intuitive. you can plan routes

 

 

+ Can you program, & save for later use, your own POI's (i.e.; "Home", "Mom & Dad's", "Work", etc)?

 

Yes

 

+ Has anyone tried the MSN Direct features yet (beyond Jason's video demo)? Any issues or concerns?

 

Have the 700

What about the bluetooth phone quality?

What about the bluetooth phone quality?

Reading through the rest of the threads in this "Releasing in June" section, the general concensus seems to be that it's flakey as all get out. I didn't ask about it because I won't be using it. A speaker phone in a car at speed with the windows down and the sunroof open ... simply isn't going to work. I use a headset and feel no need to change.

pat----

Bluetooth phone quality is terrible, the person on the other end just hears static and an extremely bad echo. Inside the car you can hear your own voice echoing through the speakers also.