Installed a new AVIC-F900BT into a Subaru...hooked up a Universal XM Tuner with Smart Direct Adaptor for Pioneer and the AVIC wouldn't recognize the XM Tuner. Tried 3 different Smart Adaptors and 3 different XM Tuners. All Cables were replaced each time...Power/Ground are confirmed...We've used Smart Directs & Universal Tuners on Pioneers forever...NO problems. This is the first use on a AVIC though. We installed a 900BT a month ago using a Pioneer XM Tuner with NavTraffic...NO problems.

SO...in short...anybody know about any known issues using Smart Digital Adaptors or XM Universal Tuners with AVIC's...specifically 900BT's?

ive run into this issue before as well. it seems that the standard pioneer radios will accept those smart tuners, but the video units will not. you have to use the pioneer branded one. its weird and sucks but they must code them differently in order for the vid units to recognize them.

Those Terk things never work right with Pioneer nav and A/V decks. Stick with the real Pioneer one

I ended up having to use the GEX-P920XM. I had an older P910XM but no luck getting it to show up.

920 is the only supported XM tuner for the F-Series.

Why why why...can't companies just keep things simple...so that parts will all work harmoniously with eachother from different companies? Can't all these companies just get along? World Peace will begin when all components will compatible with eachother! Until then...guess I'm buying a Pioneer XM unit! Thanks for the responses!

If it was a XMDirect 2 tuner, you need to flash them first with the USB.

Why why why...can't companies just keep things simple...so that parts will all work harmoniously with eachother from different companies? Can't all these companies just get along? World Peace will begin when all components will compatible with eachother! Until then...guess I'm buying a Pioneer XM unit! Thanks for the responses!

Because then they could not sell you a branded one.