Has anyone checked out the spec's of Kenwood's new HU? It's scheduled to come out in May '09. The spec's makes me salivate I currently have the F90BT, but I'm very disappointed in it. It has everything the F90BT has but more (e.g Dolby 5.1) and unlike the F90BT I bet it will work out the box without the need for tremendous hacking. Not saying I don't enjoy hacking, I just don't enjoy hacking to make advertised features work The MSRP is a bit on the pricey side ($2000), but so was the F90BT when it was first announced.

General Features

• 2DIN 6.98†Wide VGA TFT Active Matrix Display with Reverse Tilt™ Mechanism

• Built-in Advanced Garmin® Navigation With USA, Canada, PR, Alaska, Hawaii Mapping

• Built-In Bluetooth by Parrot®

• Advanced Speech Recognition

• MSN Direct / TMC Traffic Ready

• Built-In 5.1 DSP With Digital Time Alignment & 13-Band Parametric EQ

• 24-Bit Digital-To-Analog Converter

• DVD-Video / DiVX Playback

• iPhone/iPod Audio Video USB Direct Control With Alphabet Search

• Multi-Language GUI Menu

• Variable Colour Illumination

• Selectable Wallpapers & Customizable Backgrounds

• SAT Ready (Requires CA-SR20V + Sirius SC-C1 Tuner or KCA-XM100V + XM Mini Tuner)

• HD Radio Ready

• Triple 5.0 Volt Pre-outs

• 2 x USB Inputs, 2 x AV Inputs, 1 x Rear Camera Input, 1 x AV Output,

• 2 x External Switches For Relay Control Outputs for garage doors, lighting, trunk, etc.

• Firmware upgradeable for latest firmware versions)

• 2-Year Warranty

Wide VGA Monitor

The flagship DNX9140 features a high-quality touchscreen Wide VGA monitor featuring over 1.152 million pixels. With outstanding brightness, response time and improved viewing angle, this monitor is sure to impress any viewer! Features include:

• Three Selectable Wallpapers

• Customizable Backgrounds (Up to three by USB upload)

• Multi-Language GUI Menu

Built-In Advanced Navigation - Guidance by Garmin®

This integrated advanced navi system guides you everywhere with ease and is beautifully displayed on a large 6.98†screen. All functions are intuitively controlled by touchscreen menus and voice guidance works over the vehicle’s speaker system. There is no need to swap map discs since it comes with a built-in full-memory Garmin Navigation board that features maps of Canada, continental USA, Hawaii and Alaska. New navigation functions include:

• Roadside Assistance

• Phone Number Search / Call (Using BT)

• Brand Icon

• Gas Mileage Analysis

• Vehicle Maintenance

• Mileage Tracker

Built-In Bluetooth - Powered by Parrot®

The built-in Bluetooth hands-free system enables easy, safe cellular phone communications from the car. Features include:

• High-quality noise cancelling microphone

• Register Up To 5 Bluetooth phones

• Holds up to 1000 phone numbers per registered phone

• Supports Auto Phonebook Download

• Supports A2DP Wireless Music Streaming

• Supports Voice Recognition Dialing

• Supports incoming/outgoing short-message service (SMS)

• Not all features work on all phones

• Bluetooth firmware upgradeable (go to www.kenwood.com/cs/ce for latest firmware version)

iPhone/iPod Audio Video USB Direct Control

Kenwood Multimedia receivers connect seamlessly with most iPods and the new iPhone 3G featuring audio video playback via a KCA-iP301V iPod Audio Video USB Direct Cable. Features include:

• Alphabet Search

• Supports Album Art

• Supports Audio & Video Content Including Content Purchased From iTunes With DRM

• Supports Up To 12Mbps transfer speeds

• Powers and Charges Compatible iPhone/iPods

• Compatible models include:

• iPhone 3G

• Touch

• iPod Classic

• iPod Video (5th/6th Gen)

• iPod Nano (1st/2nd/3rd Gen)

• Must update iPhone/iPod using iTunes for the latest Apple firmware

Advanced Speech Recognition (Voice Control)

Only available on the flagship Excelon DNX9140 receiver, Voice Control gives you hands-free control over most your system by using only your voice! Voice Control supports six languages (English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish & Italian) and can perform the following detailed functions:

• Source Selection

• Basic Operation For Each Source

• Volume Adjustment

• iPod / USB / DVD Source Content Selection

• Sirius / XM Source Channel Search

Reverse Tiltâ„¢ Mechanism

Depending on the vehicle, in-car monitors are installed in a variety of heights and angles, and this sometimes results in reduced visibility due to reflected glare from sunlight. Kenwood’s solution is the exclusive Reverse Tiltâ„¢ mechanism: in addition to the traditional tilt mechanism that allows the bottom of the monitor to be tilted forward over 5 positions, Reverse Tiltâ„¢ also allows the top of the monitor to tilt forward to eliminate reflected glare.

Built-In Sirius Satellite Protocol

Kenwood Multimedia products offer more value by including a Sirius SSP interface. By simply adding a Kenwood CA-SR20V adapter cable, you can connect a Sirius SC-C1C tuner or a SC-VDOC1 car dock cradle for your portable Sirius tuner.

This is not a fair comparison at all, apples to apples please!!!

This is not a fair comparison at all, apples to apples please!!!

lol !!

Well do you think that Pioneer will have something out this spring to rival the new Kenwood?

Let's see... Dual USB, A2DP, killer parametric, and more. If Pioneer doesn't pull their heads out, game over.

Ummm yeah... I have been wanting this since it was announced. When it comes out, hello Kenwood and adios F90!!!

Are the Kenwood safety features easily hacked to allow full operation while moving? If so, I might be game.

Ummm yeah... I have been wanting this since it was announced. When it comes out, hello Kenwood and adios F90!!!

X2. 9140 FTW

Are the Kenwood safety features easily hacked to allow full operation while moving? If so, I might be game.

just the parking brake wire grounded

fuck the f90bt im getting the kenwood.

Thats awesome!!

Hmmm... Navigation is crap but other features look very inviting...

Hmmm... Navigation is crap but other features look very inviting...

Garmin is pretty good at getting you there.. 9140 if I can get it for $429 new the same price as my f90bt... otherwise sticking with what I got

Hmmm... Navigation is crap but other features look very inviting...

 

 

Garmin is pretty good at getting you there.. 9140 if I can get it for $429 new the same price as my f90bt... otherwise sticking with what I got

Garmin's OK, but they are like McDonalds of the navigation. Will get you there, and probably won't give you food poisoning, but totally bland, and what the HQ said is what you get...

Assuming the features work is advertised, the unit looks like a better deal than AVIC...

Well just ordered my DNX9140. Probably wont arrive until sometime in June. I got it for 1400 bucks through a forum. They basically give you a 400 dollar discount for signing up to there forums. The offer ends tonight at midnight so if anyone is interested you better act quick. They only take a deposit of 100 dollars for now until the item ships. Go to the links below for details.

http://forums.evolutionm.net/evox-sale- ... oupon.html

http://my350z.com/forum/audio-and-video ... oupon.html

Hmmm... Navigation is crap but other features look very inviting...

 

 

Garmin is pretty good at getting you there.. 9140 if I can get it for $429 new the same price as my f90bt... otherwise sticking with what I got

how did you get your f90bt for 429?

Kenwoods are nice, just can be dfficult to operate at first. There is definetly a learning curve. Most options features are buried, often hitting many buttons menus. They also have there fair share of bugs, like last years models rollout they were recalled a month later. They also don't have a kickass forum like the AVIC's (and a place to go crying too), so usually issues go unnoticed.

Still, very nice decks, and quick response time. Garmin is a big plus also. Of course, expect to pay more, right now more than double compared to the F90.

I am going to wait to see what Pioneer has to offer in June

Kenwoods are nice, just can be dfficult to operate at first. There is definetly a learning curve.

I would go so far as to say Kenwood has the worst user interface I've used on a consumer electronics product (at least of this complexity). The Pioneer F series (or any Pioneer Nav unit) simply blows it away. The Kenwood is extremely klunky and incredibly ugly. I own the DNX 8120 (and the DNX 9140 doesn't look much different as far as user-interface goes) and I grow to despise the user interface more and more every day.

Dialing a bluetooth contact is a good example. First, you need to locale the TEL button which may be in a number of different places depending on which source you're listening to. Once you find that, hit it and then hit the address book button. You're shown a screen of buttons, one for each letter in the alphabet. Tap 'S' and you go to the address list starting with the S's. Now, to dial John Smith, you need to tap that line to hi-light it, and then tap the DISP button to display that contact. Now you will see each number for the contact. Press it and, again it simply hi-lights it and you have to press another button to finally dial. By this time, you've taken your eyes of the road so many times you've probably wrecked. I finally gave up and I simply dial from my iPhone.

It's incredible that Kenwood has this touch-screen display and they treat it as if it's a typical car-stereo with hard-buttons. It's horribly organized and all the buttons are short abbreviations such as (ARDM, SCN, TEL etc) that keep you guessing as to what they do.

I previously owned AVIC-N1 through N3 and for a short time the F900BT. I gave up on the F900BT because of the following deal-killers:

1. Can't operate the unit (i.e. program a Nav destination) while on a bluetooth call.

2. Can't set the map to always up (rather than north-up).

3. Laughable start-up time.

I really hope Pioneer comes out with something new along the lines of the F series but with fixes for the above. I would love to dump this Kenwood.

I live the kenwood, in fact I am trying to sell my f700 now

I have the Kenwood 8120 and 6140 and actually like them very much--

Tru, the Pio GUI is much better and user friendly... WHEN and IF it works

I don't mind the idiot proof garmin navi -- basically, if the navigation's purpose is to get you somewhere -- why do you need it coddle you and call you Papa? I guess IMHO, the garmin does the job i need it to do.

As far as Kenwood BT/phone calls -- i just press and hold the FNC key > 1 seconds at any time at any screen and it'll put me to the telephone screen. I have six presets for my fab-"six" and i have voicetags for many others that works just fine -- i don't know why the other user is having so much difficulty using the BT on the kenwood -- but i agree with him that it's more complicated to use initially than the Pioneer.

At least the Kenwood BT is reliable (for my phones) and doesn't freeze the system like the F90bt...

Kenwood startup times SMOKE Pioneer -- I love how people people on this board compensate for the post-2.0 startup times ..LOL

The 9140 screen shots are fairly different than the 8120 -- higher resolution, better looking garmin with advanced lane guidance and information -- i'd say it's a significant improvement from the 8120

http://forums.evolutionm.net/evox-sale- ... oupon.html

check these pics out ...

Just picked up my unit today. Had a chance to play with it in the store and it is AWESOME. The voice recognition works very well. I will be posting a detailed review as soon as I get it installed and will also be posting videos as well. Stay tuned.

Just picked up my unit today. Had a chance to play with it in the store and it is AWESOME. The voice recognition works very well. I will be posting a detailed review as soon as I get it installed and will also be posting videos as well. Stay tuned.

Please share your pictures and installation experience as soon as you can. Thank you. Also can you tell us which store you were able to play around with it? I wouldn't mind checking it out as well.

It wasn't a chain. Empress Audio in Gulfport, MS. Will install over the next few hours and will post pics and vids tomorrow.

Uploading the demo vid to youtube now. Will post link as soon as its done.

The 9140 is the best DDin navi/multimedia headunit right now (not considering price).

can you plz post your youtube link and intsall pics and review? I been searching EVERYWHERE fora review :@

This thing is expensive.. $1799 USD.... thats like 2k CDN.. my god.

can you plz post your youtube link and intsall pics and review? I been searching EVERYWHERE fora review :@

 

This thing is expensive.. $1799 USD.... thats like 2k CDN.. my god.

Amazon.com currently has it listed for $1,447.

http://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-Excelon-D ... 260&sr=8-1