I doubt that there is an X-Series coming to replace the F-Series for several reasons:

 

a) The F-Series is a good platform, just the software is sucks

 

Pioneer would loose an estimated 90% of F-Series buyers as future customers for their whole product range

 

c) They are just lauching the F-910bt as an Volkswagen option

 

I'm expecting 2 packages:

 

1) Cost free firmware update with further bug fixes. Optional Tele Atlas Map update at a cost

 

2) "Upgrade" firmware update with new Navteq Maps, IGO 8.3 and further bug fixes at a quite significant cost.

 

If they negotiate clever with IGO and Navteq they should be able to fund their development costs.

 

Everything else is a no go

 

Jörg

Well I just called one of my local dealers yesterday and tried to order an f90bt and the dealer said and I qoute "I don't mind taking your money butni know for a fact that a brand new line is being released in 2 weeks with significant chngea so you might want to wait". I'm pretty sure if there wasn't a good chance that at least SOMETHING wasn't compmg out soon, the sales guy would been content taking my money.

Take it for what it's worth.

That sounds bad...for allexisting F-Series Owners and good for you!

I hope for you that the new product is not as faulty as the F-Series still is.. Think about it and check the competition carefully.

Jörg

I asked about this new series from my contact in Pioneer Headquarters in Belgium and he said that Pioneer will release F9110 and F-300 players in june-july. He didn't say anything about new series.

And why would Pioneer release X-Series when they already have that (at least in Europe there is AVIC-X players).

New F310BT info here

http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/content/press ... 310bt.html

That sounds bad...for allexisting F-Series Owners and good for you!

 

I hope for you that the new product is not as faulty as the F-Series still is.. Think about it and check the competition carefully.

 

Jörg

Any competition that you would recommend? I'm looking for something with subperb iPod support and album art etc... as well as a good Nav and a pretty interface. Suggestions?

I asked about this new series from my contact in Pioneer Headquarters in Belgium and he said that Pioneer will release F9110 and F-300 players in june-july. He didn't say anything about new series.

 

And why would Pioneer release X-Series when they already have that (at least in Europe there is AVIC-X players).

Any link to F9110 info?

Also I'm not saying I know what the future is, all I'm saying is that the guy I called here in the states said that a new series is coming in 2 weeks and I quote "If I recall correctly the Pioneer distributor said it would be the X Series".

On the pioneer website there is already some information on the new F9110BT.

It seems like it is a model specific for VW cars:

http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/content/press/news/avicf9110bt_vw_skoda_seat.html

More pictures (but the text is in dutch)

http://www.pioneerpers.nl/persberichten/view2.cfm?PersberichtenID=e7676785-23aa-4900-bafa-7fb7008ca95c

Man this SUCKS LOL... I have no idea what head unit to get... the Alpine w505 looks good as far as music goes and iPod integration and ease of navigation etc... but the GPS sucks... I don't know what trade offs I'm willing to take.

I want a good sleek interface, great iPod control AND a good robust GPS including voice turn by turn... I also want good BT and 'voice command' options although voice command is a feature I could live without I guess... Why I can't I find a unit that is good at all of these things? It's like searching for a mythical unicorn that doesn't exist lol.

i just bought the f90bt for $519... i figured when the new unit comes out it's going to be pricey. i remember when the f90bt came out it was $1000+. For $519 you can't get better (IMO).

i just bought the f90bt for $519... i figured when the new unit comes out it's going to be pricey. i remember when the f90bt came out it was $1000+. For $519 you can't get better (IMO).

Yep....I agree.

I do not know if Pioneer will also be providing a software update to the F-series; I certainly hope so, for the sake of those customers (and Pioneer's reputation). But it is my understanding that the reason for a new series designation is to escape the poor publicity of the F-series and to create a "fresh start."

I asked about this new series from my contact in Pioneer Headquarters in Belgium and he said that Pioneer will release F9110 and F-300 players in june-july. He didn't say anything about new series.

 

And why would Pioneer release X-Series when they already have that (at least in Europe there is AVIC-X players).

I also contact Pioneer Headquarters in Belgium. They told me a firmware update for F-series is comming but they don't know when.

Looking at the 9110 pics it is definately not the current IGO version they use. Everything else looks the same as the F 900bt.

I stick to my expectations, if not, I'm sure the hackers will create an upgrade lol

Jörg

Man this SUCKS LOL... I have no idea what head unit to get... the Alpine w505 looks good as far as music goes and iPod integration and ease of navigation etc... but the GPS sucks... I don't know what trade offs I'm willing to take.

I want a good sleek interface, great iPod control AND a good robust GPS including voice turn by turn... I also want good BT and 'voice command' options although voice command is a feature I could live without I guess... Why I can't I find a unit that is good at all of these things? It's like searching for a mythical unicorn that doesn't exist lol.

Alpine by far is the better headunit as far as music and iPod integration than any other brand hands down. Pioneer's F-series has a nice iPod interface but lack some features in this area. For instance if you select a playlist and want to view the current list and where you are in the playlist it cannot be done. This is standard feature in iTunes which what Pioneer is trying to emulate with they're iPod, control panel interface.

As for the navigation part Alpine is struggling in with it navigation and bluetooth. For a while they recalled the docking unit that gives the w505 navigation and bluetooth capabilities, but have been fixed. I haven't heard anything on how they work now.

See for a while I was planning on getting the Alpine w505 but then I saw this forum (avic411) and I saw all the awesome hacks/mods that could be done with the F-Series in particular and I was amazed. I'm a hack and mod guy by nature (computer engineer by trade). I'm unaware of any Alpine modding/hacking community. The only thing is, I don't want to sacrifice functionality just because of the possibility of modding. At the same hand I don't want to sacrifice a good nav just for better iPod integration... why I can I find a unit that's like the best of both worlds? LOL

From the reviews I've read, the P1 nav unit for the W505 is garbage and the BT capabilities are laughable.

Now I'm stuck... do I go with better Nav and modding or better visual UI quality and iPod interface??? I'm going to try my best to wait for Pioneers fabled new product that is supposedly coming in a couple of weeks... All I know is I can't wait any longer than the 23rd of June... I'm getting an Head Unit by then one way or another. LOL

i want that update!

Looking at the 9110 pics it is definately not the current IGO version they use. Everything else looks the same as the F 900bt.

 

I stick to my expectations, if not, I'm sure the hackers will create an upgrade lol

 

 

Jörg

sadly :

Tal van hardware en software verbeteringen werden uitgevoerd aan de reeds performante systemen. Zo werd de behuizing en de draaitoets aangepast zodat het toestel bij ongevallen het risico op verwondingen minimaal maakt. Tevens werd de microfoon van de Bluetooth®-car kit verbeterd zodat hij discreet en tegelijk optimaal gemonteerd kan worden. Ook werd de geluidskwaliteit van de micro geoptimaliseerd.

Translates into (roughly):

Hardware (!) and Software improvements have been made to this already performing unit. Both casing and buttons have been inproved to reduce the risk at injuries during montage. Also a better Bluetooth carkit has been added with better microphone properties.

This unit also has the ability to interface (Radio and CD playback info)with the car's own info display, that's cool actually.

See for a while I was planning on getting the Alpine w505 but then I saw this forum (avic411) and I saw all the awesome hacks/mods that could be done with the F-Series in particular and I was amazed. I'm a hack and mod guy by nature (computer engineer by trade). I'm unaware of any Alpine modding/hacking community. The only thing is, I don't want to sacrifice functionality just because of the possibility of modding. At the same hand I don't want to sacrifice a good nav just for better iPod integration... why I can I find a unit that's like the best of both worlds? LOL

From the reviews I've read, the P1 nav unit for the W505 is garbage and the BT capabilities are laughable.

Now I'm stuck... do I go with better Nav and modding or better visual UI quality and iPod interface??? I'm going to try my best to wait for Pioneers fabled new product that is supposedly coming in a couple of weeks... All I know is I can't wait any longer than the 23rd of June... I'm getting an Head Unit by then one way or another. LOL

I don't think Pioneer is coming out with a new line... F9110 is only for VW as an option. The F700BT, F900BT and F90BT are the unit lineup for this year, they didn't even come out with any news during CES this year for a possible upgrade or replacement. I believe they might add to the line up and for all us that own a F-Series an update will be released. It doesn't make sense to RnD a new product line when their current line is not without issues that can be fixed with a firmware update. I could be wrong but from what I read about the D-Series they are rock solid but that wasn't the case when they were first introduced. The F-Series was a direct replacement of the D-Series so you can see Pioneer has some sort of plans to continue developing the F-Series... again I am sure next year they will come out with new F-Series. My F90BT has issues true, but for the money and features that it provides I can deal with most of them until the update is release this June-July.

... It doesn't make sense to RnD a new product line when their current line is not without issues that can be fixed with a firmware update. ...

How do we know that these issues can be fixed with a firmware/software update?

How do we know that these issues can be fixed with a firmware/software update?

Because pretty much almost all complaints about F-series are for either bugs or design deficiencies in the software.

How do we know that these issues can be fixed with a firmware/software update?

 

Because pretty much almost all complaints about F-series are for either bugs or design deficiencies in the software.

I don't know if we can be certain slow boot times and sluggish interface can be blamed on software. I hope it is the software, but there is no proof. Same goes for the bluetooth problems. I know for sure my ipod problems (one channel sound) was hardware...

I don't know if we can be certain slow boot times and sluggish interface can be blamed on software. I hope it is the software, but there is no proof. Same goes for the bluetooth problems. I know for sure my ipod problems (one channel sound) was hardware...

Navigation software can run quite happily on a smartphone with a significantly slower processor and less memory (and my phone runs more in the background than AVIC does) , so I doubt that hardware itself is to blame. Of course things like channels burning out are hardware, but those things happen with any device...

Map opening when receiving a bluetooth call? Software.

No direction-up on map? Software (limited to iGo version though).

Seeking radio instead of preset up/down from steering wheel controls? Software.

Annoying tone (without hacks) on button press? Software

Not recognizing changes in iPod for VR automatically? Software. At LEAST give it a single "Update Now" button instead of turn on, wait, turn off.

Using 1/2 the artist/genre/album screen for three buttons to choose a letter? WTF? give us a phone-style "three presses or less" pad:

ABC DEF GHI

JKL MNO PQR

STU VWX YZ#

Instead of up-to-14:

< A >

While we're fixing the iPod screen, how about making it if I push the album/artist, jump to that as if I'd gone through the album/artist screen for it. - Software.

How about a FM radio screen that is worth something? List of presets instead of having half the screen with one line on it? At least throw some eye candy to fill that space. - Software.

I can accept that it may never be super-snappy response, but there's no excuse for any of these.

How do we know that these issues can be fixed with a firmware/software update?

 

Because pretty much almost all complaints about F-series are for either bugs or design deficiencies in the software.

 

I don't know if we can be certain slow boot times and sluggish interface can be blamed on software. I hope it is the software, but there is no proof. Same goes for the bluetooth problems. I know for sure my ipod problems (one channel sound) was hardware...

The proof is in the pudding... meaning that if you look a Leetloader it boots and runs about 4 time as fast as the firmware and that is a hack/mod running on a SD card... yeah we can narrow it down to firmware.

The F-Series is basically just a small PC or Smart phone without the phone. It use firmware like a PC uses a driver for a printer or network card. Leetloader was written by one person and he is taking the time to make his mod work for everyone, why can't Pioneer get it right with a fleet of programmers? My guess is they will... but when?

Looking at the 9110 pics it is definately not the current IGO version they use. Everything else looks the same as the F 900bt.

 

I stick to my expectations, if not, I'm sure the hackers will create an upgrade lol

 

 

Jörg

sadly :

 

Tal van hardware en software verbeteringen werden uitgevoerd aan de reeds performante systemen. Zo werd de behuizing en de draaitoets aangepast zodat het toestel bij ongevallen het risico op verwondingen minimaal maakt. Tevens werd de microfoon van de Bluetooth®-car kit verbeterd zodat hij discreet en tegelijk optimaal gemonteerd kan worden. Ook werd de geluidskwaliteit van de micro geoptimaliseerd.

 

Translates into (roughly):

Hardware (!) and Software improvements have been made to this already performing unit. Both casing and buttons have been inproved to reduce the risk at injuries during montage. Also a better Bluetooth carkit has been added with better microphone properties.

 

This unit also has the ability to interface (Radio and CD playback info)with the car's own info display, that's cool actually.

Forget it! We have all been trapped in Pioneers misleading way of advertising before. I am German and able to read a little bit of Dutch as I have spend a lot of holidays in that country and it is not too different to German.

They talk about hardware improvements and mention buttons and the housing of the unit, if they had anything significant to say like " we added memory" or "a faster processor" they would have done. They don't give any details about the software improvements, so nothing special there as well. My hope for IGO 8.3 is just fading away . With regards to the Bluetooth the do NOT talk about an all new plug in, they just have a newly designed and in their opinion "optimized" microphone.

That's it and the ability to display FM Station and song titles in the car display is nothing special. If they were able to display the turn by turn Navi instructions it would start to become interesting.

Just how I read it

Jörg