Folks, I have never been able to make a more informed decision about a purchase and I'd like to thank everyone that posted info about these F Series units for that. I purchased the Kenwood DNX8120 and I'm real happy with it. It does however lack one HUGE thing and that is a Forum Site like this. It doesn't seem there is anywhere on the WEB that has a community of users for it like this. Wish there was.

I've been using the Kenwood Unit for about a week and it "Just Works". I have a whole bunch of questions about it though and nowhere really to ask them. Audio/Video is Great, NAV is Great, Bluetooth works as well as my Palm Treo will allow. The hack was easy and the XM features are fantastic. Have not tried an Ipod yet, don't have one - yet.

I would especially like to thank JasonH for having the knowledge and desire to start and keep a site like this going. I will say that if Pioneer gets their act together and makes a unit that works well, I would switch to them in a heartbeat just to be able to use THIS site for info about it.

Do you know if the 8120 has an XM memo feature. The pioneers have this and it is very useful. If you memo a song to it, it will tell you when the next time that song is playing.

Do you know if the 8120 has an XM memo feature. The pioneers have this and it is very useful. If you memo a song to it, it will tell you when the next time that song is playing.

thats pretty awesome

thought id just download it and upload it, thats a cool feature

This is exactly my point.................

There are only 3 pages in the "very lame" manual that are associated with XM control and it doesn't list that feature. If it does have it there's no way to find out until I stumble across it. The process for finding out any info from Kenwood is "clumsy" at best, non-existant at worst. If I manage to find it, I'll post the answer. Sounds like a cool feature.

If anyone out there has found a better way to find out any info, I sure would like to know about it.

how much did the 8120 cost you?

I am thinking about the same thing

$1174 including shipping for EBay/megacarstereo.com

Quick Shipping

If you get the Nav traffic GXM30 XM Radio tuner, the XM is done in a Garmin-like interface. You can do a memo like function with it. You can even compile your own list of favorite artists. When you go into your favorites list, then "Add favorites", and can scroll through the list of every song and artist currently on and just check them all off at once, or do just one at a time.

When one of your favorites comes on one of your preset channels, a little heart icon appears next to the number. If you hit the "Scan" button it will continue to play your current station until one of your list of favorites starts playing on another channel, it will then automatically switch to that channel.

Here's some pics:

you can get some kenwood info here http://www.avforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=291

I've been pondering setting up my own forum for Kenwoods. Just gotta find the time. DNXDomain anyone? I've been kicking the idea around. Just gotta figure out when and the best way to do it.

I've been pondering setting up my own forum for Kenwoods. Just gotta find the time. DNXDomain anyone? I've been kicking the idea around. Just gotta figure out when and the best way to do it.

mikeinnj

If you're having trouble figuring out the best way to do it, just ask JasonH. He and his buddy with the Apple 411 site have a good thing going here. Maybe it could be DNX411 or Kenwood411 and be tied to this one somehow.

The biggest challenge is to get the word out so that it gets used and if it were tied to this one, this group would get the word out. I heard about AVIC411 at an eastern PA Tweeter store. If I hadn't heard about it I would have ended up with something I wasn't happy with.

BTW, thanks for the info about the GXM30. Another great piece of info from this site........

mikeinnj

I do have a question about the GXM30. That appears to be just an antenna. What I purchaced to receive XM is a KCA-XM100V and an Audiovox XM Mini Tuner. Does the GMX30 just plug into the KCA as a different antenna or does it require a different tuner?

Thats the cool part about the GXM30 is that even though it appears to be just the antenna, the XM tuner is actually built right in to the thing. The GXM 30 is actually built by Garmin and plugs into the Mini USB port on the back of the Kenwood 7120/8120. Mind you, if you get the DNX5120, you can't use the GXM30 with it and you have to buy all sorts of adapters to get XM. Even then, the XM will go through the Kenwood interface, there will be no navtraffic, etc.

Don't get thrown off by the MSRP of the GXM30. I got mine from an ebay seller for about $155 shipped. Not too bad considering it does XM, traffic, and weather. It is very easy to add this to the setup too since there is no separate box that has to be hidden with power and ground leads that have to be wired. With this, just plug in the "antenna" to the back of the Kenwood and you're off to the races. Be warned though, its a bit large at about 3inches in diameter. It is best kept mounted inside of the vehicle.

interesting info, but the dnx5220 also has a mini usb connector on the back.

i had my laptop connected to it and i could see the internal memory with the maps etc of the unit or run the WebUpdater when choosing Garmin...

interesting info, but the dnx5220 also has a mini usb connector on the back.

 

i had my laptop connected to it and i could see the internal memory with the maps etc of the unit or run the WebUpdater when choosing Garmin...

bitman

I sure would like to hear a lot more about that. What did it update? I did notice that the Garmin maps already have an update available but there is a sizable charge for doing it, I believe $139. From Garmin that is......

I'll have to hook my laptop to it and see what I can see.

not to hijack this treat (we need a dnx411.com!) i updated the tmc firmware and some voices when i connected my laptop (with g3 wrieless internet) to the dnx5220. i used the garmin webupdater.

mikeinnj,

Looks like there's someone else that votes for dnx411.com

mikeinnj,

 

Looks like there's someone else that votes for dnx411.com

Me Too,,

dnx411.com,,

mikeinnj,

 

Looks like there's someone else that votes for dnx411.com

I would love to see it too!

it sounds good to me too got a dnx5220 / kca-bt200 in wifes car

mikeinnj and jasonh

So when does DNX411 start?

The mini USB on the back is for use with the TMC live traffic module. The part number is GTM10. It is the terrestrial version of live traffic. You can see the coverage area on Garmin's web site. The 5120 doesn't update using this jack the updates for mapping are done via disc. ( put in the disc and it rewrites the memory)

Does this unit have the AVIC "feature" where you need to be stopped to do certain things, or otherwise bypass this behavior.

ground the parking brake wire. Thats it! You dont have to move anything like the Pioneer.

Does this unit have the AVIC "feature" where you need to be stopped to do certain things, or otherwise bypass this behavior.

All Nav car systems have that feature where you can't perform certain functions while driving.They all have to be by-passed not just Avics.

Where exactly did you place the Garmin antenna in your vehicle?

I am purchasing the 8120 and a Garmin antenna...

(was going for an AVIC-F but no dual zone

Bob the Builder can be really annoying after a couple of episodes).

Also to the DNX users, how large (or is there a limit?) can the USB drive be?

Nathan