You mentioned something about "restore my iPod from iTunes". What do you mean by that? Like completely removing everything from my iPhone and trying again?

 

I'll post more as I learn more.

First I was thinking you had an iPod, not an iPhone. I have an iTouch, but I'm not sure if there are differences.that matter here.

When you connect your iPhone to your PC, it starts iTunes (if so configured, otherwise start it up manually).

In iTunes is a menu to manage your device (IPod/Phone). You can update the OS and/or restore it, which reloads all your music and videos.

Well I updated the unit with the latest firmware, and was crossing my fingers, but still same issue. All the commands that are shipped with the unit work, but anything related to my catalog simply won't get recognized in the slightest. It just fails fails fails. I'll try doing a restore on the device, but in the meantime I'm on the phone with support to see if another agent can help out.

More later . . .

Thanks!

Okay, so I spoke to the rep. at Pioneer who recommended I try out a different iPod / iPhone with the unit just to see if it was the unit or the iPod software. So, I borrowed my wife's iPhone, plugged it in, the unit cataloged all the songs from her iPhone, and the voice commands were recognized! So, I thought maybe if I connected my own iPhone it would work since the VR catalog got "reset" in a way. Sure enough it worked!! So, I suppose the iPod app was in a bad state or something. Who knows! All I know, is I'm glad I can finally control my songs and calls with voice commands once again.

I assume if I had done a restore that it would have worked, but since this solution worked I'm good to go. Thanks for all the help!

Okay, so I spoke to the rep. at Pioneer who recommended I try out a different iPod / iPhone with the unit just to see if it was the unit or the iPod software. So, I borrowed my wife's iPhone, plugged it in, the unit cataloged all the songs from her iPhone, and the voice commands were recognized! So, I thought maybe if I connected my own iPhone it would work since the VR catalog got "reset" in a way. Sure enough it worked!! So, I suppose the iPod app was in a bad state or something. Who knows! All I know, is I'm glad I can finally control my songs and calls with voice commands once again.

 

I assume if I had done a restore that it would have worked, but since this solution worked I'm good to go. Thanks for all the help!

I have a feeling that switching iPod/iPhones accomplished what I was trying to do by turning OFF & ON VR Cataloging. Unfortuantely, that doesn't seem to force it to rebuild the catalog. I tried it yesterday on mine and it just used the old catalog (which, in my case, was still good). This may only apply to my particular installation, but I accidently found a reliable way. With the car stopped, I insert the key to ACC. I let the aVIC boot and listen to iPod. A few minutes later I start the engine - which causes the AVIC to reboot. After the reboot, and after pressing OK, it takes several minutes for the VR catalog to completely rebuild.

My only theory as to why it rebuilds in this scenario it that the car cuts the constant +12 power when I crank the starter, so the AVIC looses it's memory and has to rebuild. If this is true, then all you needed to do was disconnect your battery for a few seconds. Or pull the fuse that feeds the constalant +12v if that is easier.

So, if it happens again, give that a try first. It isn't as cumbersome as a full reset of the AVIC since other settings are retained.

Anyway, glad you're in business again.

I had the exact same problem. Thanks for figuring it out to the point were all I had to do was read.

I was having this same problems - all VR commands except my phone would work. Kept saying it didn't understand etc. I tried the repairing, the turning cataloging on and off etc. and it didn't work. Finally I went into the phone menu and deleted all - all calls and contacts. Next time I turned the unit on - all my contacts downloaded and VR worked fine.

Is there any way to make the voice recognition faster - particularly when trying to call someone? It always pauses for a few seconds before determining the name you said and it's quite annoying.

I also noticed that some have said the VR startup routine has been adjusted, but I still have problems with it understanding what I'm saying when trying to call someone. I have the Z130BT, so are you all sure the software bug was removed?

P.S. On a side note relating to other people's comments, for a head unit this expensive Pioneer should have put voice recognition for any USB or SD Card source. Only allowing it to work with Apple products is a sham! The same goes for displaying album art.