Hello everyone,

I'm willing to buy the Pioneer AVIC-F900BT from US ebay.

If you want to know why it's really simple, it costs less than the half actual price in Europe!! So I think it's worth to try annoying stuff on hacking it!

My questions:

- Is there technical problems for voltage and connectors for European cars?

- Is there incompatibility problems with US bluetooth and EU phones and GSM technology?

- Is it simple to add EU maps on it?

- Are there problems with voice recognition (I'm Italian)?

I've read some posts about similar problems but I don't really get everything. If someone is willing to help me I would really appreciate!

thank you everyone and have a nice day!

- Is there technical problems for voltage and connectors for European cars?

- Is there incompatibility problems with US bluetooth and EU phones and GSM technology?

- Is it simple to add EU maps on it?

- Are there problems with voice recognition (I'm Italian)?

1. Connections should be the same.

2. I believe people have bluetooth working. Parrot in the AVIC does not really care if you are using GSM, CDMA, or any other phone.

3. Adding EU maps is reasonably easy, but you'll have to download a hacked iGO executable, a license file, and maps.

4. There's no Italian voice recognition on US units, so you'll have to talk to it in English...

Thank you BorisM!

But I really need to know if it works!

I read many posts but I need to know if it's just plug and play or you need a converter or things like that even if the connections are the same I guess voltage isn't...

The only "problem" according to what you said it's the voice recognition but it doesn't really bother me to talk to it in english.

You said it's relatively easy to change the maps. Is there a step by step guide made by someone here?

thank you

Thank you BorisM!

 

But I really need to know if it works!

I read many posts but I need to know if it's just plug and play or you need a converter or things like that even if the connections are the same I guess voltage isn't...

 

The only "problem" according to what you said it's the voice recognition but it doesn't really bother me to talk to it in english.

 

You said it's relatively easy to change the maps. Is there a step by step guide made by someone here?

 

thank you

You're welcome.

There's a thread here about adding newer/different maps (basically, replace existing iGO executable with a hacked one, drop in a worldwide license file, and load your maps).

Connections and voltage should be the same (I think most cars run on 12V even in Europe and at worst you might need a harness adapter.

The only problems would be radio (US FM is different so you'll lose some stations) and traffic. I believe all of European models come with TMC receivers, but in US only 90 and 900 have MSN Direct receivers instead, which will not work in Europe...

One last thing, US radio settings are different than European (I´m Spanish). You can´t tune for example 97.0 , you only can tune 96.9, 97.1, 89.9, and so on.

Hi again,

didn't know about this difference about FM radio. In Europe FM goes from 88.00Mhz to 107.00Mhz i think. Is't it like that in the US?

Diego, I don't understant why you can tune 96.9 and 97.1 but not 97.0. How can I know what I can tune in EU?

By the way, that makes me think that maybe it's better to buy it in Europe, BUT IT COSTS 1000€!!!!

In the US all FM frequencies are on odd numbers, ie. 97.1, 97.3, 97.5 etc. 97.0, 97.2, 97.4 cannot be tuned to.

Why am I getting double posts when I try to post?

In addition you'll probably also have problems with the DVD region coding...

Ok guys,

I think you convinced me, I'll buy it in Italy ... Too many problems with the US version.

It's surelly much more cheaper but I lose a lot too!!

Thanks to all of you!

I've been thinking just the same thing to buy a US unit to be used in here in Northern Europe.

I'm aware of the FM-tuner step related problem.

For most of the units (as in my Jag's original radio) it's just a matter of changing the set continent through a key combination. The hardware FM-tuner is the same for all the units I would imagine and it's just set in sw-side to use continent based tuning steps. Right?

I would imagine this to be so in Pioneer's case as well? Does anyone know what would be the key combination / root setup or such where you can change the continent value?

If this can't be done directly from any menus/hacks, would it be possible to do a clean install with a new European firmware?

Thanks for your help! The price difference is around $1000 in Europe and US so it might be worth the hassle.

It's just what I'm saying to myself! The price is soooo attractive!

I would change my mind if we can solve the tuner problem as you're saying plehto.

Can anyone sell me the whole thing with cracked maps and modified Tuner?

It's really expensive in Europe and for that I'm watching for JVC systems which are "cheaper" and and also crap brands like Audiomedia. But even if I buy those brands they are still more expensive than the Avic-F900BT in US.

Just goes to prove exactly how bad it is for us in Europe, getting ripped off yet again...........

For most of the units (as in my Jag's original radio) it's just a matter of changing the set continent through a key combination. The hardware FM-tuner is the same for all the units I would imagine and it's just set in sw-side to use continent based tuning steps. Right?

That's possible but I would not bet on it. Euro-tuner has TMC receiver built in, and US version either has MSND or nothing. Depending on how it was implemented, tuner hardware might be different...

And BorisM is there a way to hack a US unit to recognise a local language. Altough copied rge voice and lang files into APL\IGO\CONTENT and setting the parameters in the USER/SAVE/system.ini file still the local language is not displayed as an option. But they work in my European Model.

Many thanks.

And BorisM is there a way to hack a US unit to recognise a local language. Altough copied rge voice and lang files into APL\IGO\CONTENT and setting the parameters in the USER/SAVE/system.ini file still the local language is not displayed as an option. But they work in my European Model.

 

Many thanks.

That I am not sure. It seems to me that AVIC is handling regional settings on a global level, outside of iGO itself, because it needs to change it not only for iGO but for the rest of the system. I imagine that the language setting screen updates something for iGO on the fly.

You could try entering something like this in system.ini:

[local]

language_lcid="1033"

language_key="english US"

lang_path_hint="lang\english_us.zip"

but I am not sure if AVIC shell won't override it...

I live in Spain, and bought a US model WHY? Bc in Spain I had to spend 1000-1200euros, and I finally paid 360 in eBay.com. It works perfectly(phone, speed cameras, maps...), but the radio. And I think that is a SW restriction. I hope some clever guy patch it, I trust on avic411...

Diego, did you hack everything by yourself? You just hacked for the maps I guess.

Do you use an iPod? I'm interested to know if a US unit has problems to recognize a EU iPod...

Thanks for the info, I'm reconsidering the US one !!!

If I lose some FM Stations I don't really care.

What's TMC by the way?

Thank you all guys..

I have not Ipod, but I´m sure it will work. I have a 8gb SDHC card and works fine. TMC is more or less an interactive service that tells you how the trafic is (accidents, alternative routes...). I hacked the maps, and added the cameras and five icons mods. It´s too much difference (price), and you loose a few FM stations, not all of them. Hope I helped you.

ok, thank you Diego.

Could you please tell me who's the ebay seller?

Didn't find it at 320€ on ebay.com

This would be the question that would make me decide what to buy.

What would you do in my place if you would have to choose between the US Pioneer AVIC-F900BT at a very attractive price but with region issues or buy a JVC KW-NX7000 in Italy at 600-700€?

always thank you all!

Hello Boris M.I am new here and I am european.You say I need A hacked iGo file so I can upload European maps.Can you please give me the link to downlaod aniGo file?I already have a licensed software.All I need is to upload it into my F900.Thanks

Hello Boris M.I am new here and I am european.You say I need A hacked iGo file so I can upload European maps.Can you please give me the link to downlaod aniGo file?I already have a licensed software.All I need is to upload it into my F900.Thanks

Search this forum for a thread on using updated maps. It has links to needed license and executable files...

Thanks BorisM.I live in Malta europe and the only maps availabel for my country are on Garmin software.I bought a licensed copy of that.Do you think I can install them on my F900?Thanks for ur help

Thanks BorisM.I live in Malta europe and the only maps availabel for my country are on Garmin software.I bought a licensed copy of that.Do you think I can install them on my F900?Thanks for ur help

There's no way to convert Garmin maps for use with iGO.

However...

http://depositfiles.com/files/zgadvwlis Malta_2008.07_080908.rar

Don't know how good it is, but better than nothing...

Still any ideas about getting the tuner converted to European steps?

The manual doesn't have anything about setting the continent nor have I found anything on the net. It seems that there isn't any config settings you can set regarding the tuner steps in use?

Any ideas has it been possible previously with any other Pioneer unit through a certain key combination or menu setting?

Sorry about going on about this but I'd like to have all the stations available.