Hello all,

This is a work in progress, so please bare with me. I recently purchased the Avic-F500BT Dash mount unit. After much deliberation, I decided to mount the unit in the recess under the stereo. I would have ideally loved to dash mount it, but that would have involved alot of tricky modding to the interior of my car that I wasn't ready to do. I may end up going that route later, depending on the feedback i get, but for right now, it's in the recess as pictured below.

As you may already be thinking, the GPS reception down here is not good. So not doing much research, I went online and purchased the first external GPS i saw that said it was for this unit. What I ended up getting was a "Standard" GZXT-ACZ

Unfortunately, even with that gray cap removed and the rubber cover over the external GPS Anttena port on the back of the unit removed, this Antenna is just slightly too big. A big disappointment. My first question is...Does anyone else use an external Antenna for their F500 and which one did they get? I got this one off of Ebay and will try to get it returned and/or exchanged, but would like to have the info to know what I am asking for. I also sent an inquiry to Pioneer, but havn't heard anything back yet.

I picked up the Pioneer MIC specified for this unit and plan on putting it behind the steering wheel, right on the steering column. I was told that this is preffered over mounting it to the drivers side window frame as that type of install can pick up alot of outside noise especially if it's rainy or windy.

Here are some pictures of the rearview cam install. Im pretty happy with this as it is nearly flush with the bumper and the video quality is pretty good. I don't have the make/model of the cam in front of me, but will dig it up if anyone is interested.

All the power is done under the dash using cigerette light adapters that are tied in to the cars electrical. The XM antenna is using one of those direct to the FM antenna boxes, which was about $30 bucks from Best Buy. Everything powers on when the car is started and the power is cut when the car is turned off. Here are some other pictures of the install that you may find interesting.

When I do find the correct GPS receiver, I plan on running it through the dash and out the windshield opposite the XM receiver as shown in the last picture.

Please let me know if you have any questions or reccomendations.

Regards,

Keith

Hey there..so in reading about the "LINC" cable (someone correct me if that is not what it's called) I found that the MSN direct antenna needs to be plugged into the cradle just above the major "LINC" port.

Does anyone know if the LINC cable contains a wire that can be used for the External GPS Antenna? or does the External GPS Antenna absolutely have to be plugged into the back of the unit? Pioneer has very little in the way of diagrams and/or instructions detailing what all that stuff is.

Thanks in advance!

Keith

I was digging into the archives a bit and I have just purchased the following:

Gilsson MMCX1M09B090

The GPS receiver I had bought was MCX not MMCX. I read from the following forum post that the F500BT has an MMCX adapter.

viewtopic.php?f=31&p=164763

I'm hoping this is the last thing I'm going to need to buy to complete the installation. I have ordered the 3.0 upgrade, but it hasn't come in yet.

Nice install. I hardwired mine over the weekend. I added a circuit so that the big power adapter could be hidden behind the dash. SO far so good. I am working on a way to make it easier to disconnect the ipod cable since its a pain to do when you remove the unit.

Thanks ninbience for sharing your install, it does give some ideas.

About the external gps antenna, I am still struggling to understand which connector it is. The thread you mentioned saying its MMCX may be wrong, because I have one from a different gps unit made by mio, and its too small for the F500BT. Now we know from your experience that its not MCX either.

I also got in touch with pioneer and they seem clueless about it. In fact they say that they don't make an external antenna for the F500BT and they can't specify the connector type...the furthest I got from their contact was that an old panasonic made antenna model CA-GA60U "should be compatible"...

MIOTOO, it is MMCX.......... i am the poster of the MMCX info.... I tried using the MCX version of the Gilsson antenna. I had to add an adapter to change it to MMCX (my thread list the adapter - the link is already posted in this thread)..... I am using that setup right now and the Gilsson as absolutely amazing...... I get 12 green satellites at about 65-75% on the bars....... no drop outs and no "GPS SIGNAL LOST" from the AVIC. The previous performance was only a few greens, mostly yellows and a few reds..

I have sent back my second antenna and have ordered the Gilsson MMCX1M09B090.... (oredered 2 MCX originally for to in-car antenna setups...

This is not a guess..... It is in use.....

your setup looks nice.....

Thanks ninbience for sharing your install, it does give some ideas.

 

About the external gps antenna, I am still struggling to understand which connector it is. The thread you mentioned saying its MMCX may be wrong, because I have one from a different gps unit made by mio, and its too small for the F500BT. Now we know from your experience that its not MCX either.

 

I also got in touch with pioneer and they seem clueless about it. In fact they say that they don't make an external antenna for the F500BT and they can't specify the connector type...the furthest I got from their contact was that an old panasonic made antenna model CA-GA60U "should be compatible"...

Nice install. I hardwired mine over the weekend. I added a circuit so that the big power adapter could be hidden behind the dash. SO far so good. I am working on a way to make it easier to disconnect the ipod cable since its a pain to do when you remove the unit.

I'd like to know what you end up doing for the ipod cable. Get some pictures posted if you can!

I have an iphone. it's from work and if anything were to ever happen to my job, I'd have to give it back. I was debating on running the iphone cable into the glovebox ( I do have one, but am not using it currently). this would be ideal, if my ipod were not also my phone. I had an ipod classic (xmas gift that was never used) back in the day, but sold it for some much needed cash. Now I'm thinking that it could actually be kind of helpful to get one permanantly to stick in the glove box so I don't have to worry about constantly plugging and unplugging it. I'm not anti apple (for the most part) but I do prefer my creative MP3 player over apples ipods. Still, the convenience outweighs my preference..and if it's only going to sit in my car..whos going to really care.

About the ipod cable...it kind of blemishes the cleanliness of the install with it poking out of the side like it does ( wouldn't it have been super awesome if the ipod cable could plug into the LINC cable? And the external GPS antenna too for that matter!). Currently, without the external GPS receiver or MIC...I can pop the F500 on and off without fussing with any cables...but now I'll be adding the GPS receiver and the MIC...and then the ipod cable...just more wires. Id also probably pull out the rubber tabs that cover the ports..again, not something i am keen on doing, but may do for aesthetics. They go back in easy enough..but I tend to lose those small caps, screws, plugs, thingies...etc etc or my cat hides them on me. decisions decisions.

Thanks for the feedback. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. im thinking the receiver and the mic should be installed by this weekend so I'll make sure to add an update.

regards,

Keith

My bad...its definitely MMCX as you say. I don't know how many beers I had before trying this one out

...and now that its confirmed to be MMCX, I don't get why pioneer is so oblivious to this simple standard fact and give me some c**p.

MIOTOO, it is MMCX.......... i am the poster of the MMCX info.... I tried using the MCX version of the Gilsson antenna. I had to add an adapter to change it to MMCX (my thread list the adapter - the link is already posted in this thread)..... I am using that setup right now and the Gilsson as absolutely amazing...... I get 12 green satellites at about 65-75% on the bars....... no drop outs and no "GPS SIGNAL LOST" from the AVIC. The previous performance was only a few greens, mostly yellows and a few reds..

 

I have sent back my second antenna and have ordered the Gilsson MMCX1M09B090.... (oredered 2 MCX originally for to in-car antenna setups...

 

This is not a guess..... It is in use.....

 

your setup looks nice.....

 

 

Thanks ninbience for sharing your install, it does give some ideas.

 

About the external gps antenna, I am still struggling to understand which connector it is. The thread you mentioned saying its MMCX may be wrong, because I have one from a different gps unit made by mio, and its too small for the F500BT. Now we know from your experience that its not MCX either.

 

I also got in touch with pioneer and they seem clueless about it. In fact they say that they don't make an external antenna for the F500BT and they can't specify the connector type...the furthest I got from their contact was that an old panasonic made antenna model CA-GA60U "should be compatible"...

I ran the iPod cable and the "Fat" cable in the channel by the windshield then down through the passenger side pillar and behind the glove box. The ipod cable I was able to pull through the back of the glove box. I have my old Video iPod in the glove box. You are correct about how ugly the cables are coming out of the side. That does not bother me as much as its a pain to keep unplugging and plugging them in every time I take it out of the car. My thought is very small extension cables. Once I find the correct ends I will make it so its easy to plug/unplug. I need to re-wire the power this weekend too as I tapped a fuse that only works with the ignition and not the accessories. I hope the the backup camera I ordered comes in by then.

I hope the the backup camera I ordered comes in by then.

What Backup Camera did you end up getting? I got the TKO BH-NVC18 Rear View Video. It's a cheap one ($28.99) but it was tube shaped and had threads along the outside to make a nice tight fit. It's also got the LED night vision built in, but im assuming almost all rear view cams have that now.

I got one from Amazon that mounts on the license plate. It was delivered today. The camera came with the video cable and a power cable look like I need a ground connection. Am I supposed to tap the reverse light to provide the power to the camera? I know I need to tap the light for the AVIC to turn the camera on but this thing came with no directions.

In one of the last pics, is that is that small antenna suction cupped to the passenger side windshield? Is that for MSN direct?