So I had the AVH-X8500BHS installed last week along with the CD-IU202S cable for the iPhone 4S. I also have iGo Primo installed for the Navigation on the iPhone.

The problem I ran into is that when you are listening to the iPod and switch over to AppRadio mode, the Track Forward/Backward buttons do not work, even though the music continues to play, so I have no way of skipping to the next track/song while I am in iGo Primo. In fact, I can't skip tracks at all once I enter in the AppRadio mode. I tried launching CarMediaPlay and can skip forward and backward within the CarMediaPlay app but I can't skip tracks as soon as I exit that app and switch back to iGo Primo or any other app.

Is this a known bug for AppRadio or do I have a defective AVH-X8500BHS?

I think thats just the way it is... Same way with my galaxy s3. I think of it as there is no hard track button on the phone itself, so how could it work in AppMode ya know? If you wanted to switch tracks on your phone (not in the car) you have to open itunes and switch tracks, same way in appmode.

It certainly can work when in App Mode because it does on the App Radio without issue. Clearly this is another software bug with App Mode on this series of units.

i can confirm this happens with my 8500 and iphone 5, so annoying

i can confirm this happens with my 8500 and iphone 5, so annoying

Wow, another step back for Pioneer... Hopefully an update fixes this since all of their navi units lets you skip tracks while still in the Map/Navi mode.

I jailbroke my 4S, I wonder if there are any Cydia extensions/apps that can fix this issue.

Just to confirm, your SPH-DA100 lets you skip tracks while in the AppRadio menu/app and in iGo Primo?

Yes as long as you have steering wheel controls. There are no controls on the face of the unit..

Yes as long as you have steering wheel controls. There are no controls on the face of the unit..

Thanks, def sounds like a bug then with the AVH-X8500BHS since I cant change tracks on the physical buttons on the stereo or the steering wheel.

I sent an email out to Pioneer, let's see what they say.

I am having the same problem.  Current setup = IPhone 5, AVH-X8500BHS, Waze.  I have noticed that the remote control does work.  Still it is very annoying.   I have also sent an e-mail to Pioneer to see their response.  

Well this is the response I received from Pioneer:

 

Thank you for contacting Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.
I'm sorry, this is normal operation for the unit.
You would need to press the mode button to return to the iPod, change your song and then press the mode button to return to the navigation application.

I will forward your concern to our product planners, hopefully they can make it better in the future.

Pretty lame and a huge step backwards for their AppRadio line.

Thanks for the tip on the remote, I'll give that a try.

I would email them back and ask them why is this not a problem on the App Radio 2.

UPDATE:

I was messing around with the settings on the radio tonight and ran into the "App Sound Mixing" option in the System Settings.To my surprise, setting it to "HIGH" allowed me to use the TRACK buttons for the iPod while in AppRadio!!!

The TRACK buttons now work to FF/RW tracks while listening to the iPod in AppRadio mode! The only downside I see is that it doesn't show the track info on the bottom of the screen while in AppRadio but I guess I could live with that for now. The TRACK buttons also work now  while listening to HD Radio AND it shows the HD Radio info for the station.

As for Pioneer tech support, I'm going to have to write up a response back to their so called tech about this!!!

FYI no track info displays other then radio info on App Radio so this is actually the way it works so no issue here.

As for Pioneer tech support, I'm going to have to write up a response back to their so called tech about this!!!

Nothing new here. Been writing about their dismal support on this forum for years. I have even on several occasions educated them on their own products.

FYI no track info displays other then radio info on App Radio so this is actually the way it works so no issue here.

 

 

Nothing new here. Been writing about their dismal support on this forum for years. I have even on several occasions educated them on their own products.

Thanks, hopefully an AppRadio update will fix that issue with the track info one day.

In re: to support, that's why I've always come to Avic411 first before even attempting to contact Pioneer or the local shops!

Now time to start customizing the radio and AppRadio a little bit more now that it's actually usable for me.

This is the response I got from Pioneer (pretty much the same as FourDoor:

Thank you for contacting Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.
Thanks for taking the time to provide the comment/feedback on the Pioneer product.
Unfortunately, this is normal operation for the unit.

I will forward your comment to our product planners.

Good News!

Installed a Maestro SW for the steering wheel controls today.  I now can get track skip and folder skip functions with playing a source in the background with Waze being viewed on the screen.

Setup:

2013 WRX (used 2012 WRX to program Maestro SW)

IPhone 5 running Waze

AVH-X8500BHS

Confirmed source mode behavior using up down keys on steering wheel (with Waze running in foreground):

Radio = press -> tune station, press and hold -> cycles through presets

USB2 = press -> skip track, press and hold -> cycles to next folder

CD = press -> skip track, press and hold -> cycles to next folder

Now I can live with the Stereo.  My only complaint now is the lack of brightness of the display.  Next to impossible to view in bright sunlight with sunglasses on.

Good News!

 

Installed a Maestro SW for the steering wheel controls today.  I now can get track skip and folder skip functions with playing a source in the background with Waze being viewed on the screen.

 

Setup:

 

2013 WRX (used 2012 WRX to program Maestro SW)

IPhone 5 running Waze

AVH-X8500BHS

 

 

Confirmed source mode behavior using up down keys on steering wheel (with Waze running in foreground):

 

Radio = press -> tune station, press and hold -> cycles through presets

USB2 = press -> skip track, press and hold -> cycles to next folder

CD = press -> skip track, press and hold -> cycles to next folder

 

Now I can live with the Stereo.  My only complaint now is the lack of brightness of the display.  Next to impossible to view in bright sunlight with sunglasses on.

Wait, are you saying that you can cycle through your radio presets with your steering wheel?

If so, how?

My car has the following steering wheel buttons:

[Track +], [Track -], [Volume +], [Volume -], [source]

When I press [Track +] using the radio, it changes to the next frequency but NOT the next preset.  This was a deal-breaker for me, but if you have it working where the steering wheel skips through presets please let me know!

Discovered more info ---

I have discovered that the App Connection Settings was not set to iPhone (Digitial AV) needed for the IPhone 5 on my AVH-X8500BHS.  Once I got this set correctly (search my other post if you are having difficulty setting the App Connection Settings), the track buttons on the radio now function correctly when running a source in the background and appRadio running in the foreground (the app I am using is Waze).

Wait, are you saying that you can cycle through your radio presets with your steering wheel?

 

If so, how?

 

My car has the following steering wheel buttons:

 

[Track +], [Track -], [Volume +], [Volume -], [source]

 

When I press [Track +] using the radio, it changes to the next frequency but NOT the next preset.  This was a deal-breaker for me, but if you have it working where the steering wheel skips through presets please let me know!

Pioneer units have never worked properly in this respect. You can not have preset skip on the same button as track skip for media sources. (CD/DVD, iPod) If you have your steering wheel controls programed for track skip, it will correspond to station frequency skip only for the same button. I suggest Serevok look at it more closely and report back. It also appears he may be from outside the US so that may be a factor as well. But if this does work the way he says, it would be a first.

Current Setup:

1) CAR = 2013 Subaru WRX

2) Location = U.S.

3) H.U. = AVH-X8500BHS (purchased from Crutchfield)

4) Phone - IPhone 5

5) AppRadio Installed (app running = Waze)

6) Steering Wheel Adapter = Maestro SW (Used 2012 WRX firmware setup to program Maestro SW)

The Maestro SW allows you to program each steering wheel button with TWO functions.  To use the first function you press the steering wheel button quickly.  To activate the second function you press and hold the steering wheel button (for about a second).  This is confirmed functionality of my setup with Waze running in foreground and source (Radio, USB2, CD) running in the background or just the source running in the foreground:

Functionality:

Radio = press up or down button -> tune station, press and hold up or down button -> cycles through presets

USB2 = press up or down button -> skip track, press and hold up or down button-> cycles to next folder

CD = press up or down button -> skip track, press and hold up or down button -> cycles to next folder

Note on Radio:  the presets on the AVH-X8500BHS are grouped in three pages with 6 presets on each page.  Performing a press and hold of the up or down button will cycle through station presets for the current active page.  For example starting at preset 1 and performing a press and hold on the up button 6 times will do the following: preset 1 -> preset 2 -> preset 3 -> preset 4 -> preset 5 -> preset 6 -> preset 1 all on the SAME page.

Note on USB2: These are mp3 files grouped in different folders by artist.

Note on CD: These are mp3 files with various artists grouped into multiple folders.

Hopefully this is clear enough for everyone.

Ok so the difference here is the Maestro. The touch vs the press and hold acts as if you have two different buttons on your steering wheel. Very interesting.

Wow, that Meastro steering wheel adapter looks PERFECT, but according to their website it's not compatible with my car (2011 Toyota RAV4).

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation though!

Hey Sofakng, 

I checked on the Crutchfield site for compatibility of a Maestro SW with a Toyota 2011 Rav4 with Pioneer AVH-X8500BHS.  According to Crutchfield they say it is compatible.  You might want to call Crutchfield tech support and confirm.

Yeah, I noticed that too but on the iDatalink website it doesn't show it as being compatible.

I'll investigate it a bit though with Crutchfield...

Unfortunately I -just- ordered a Kenwood DDX770 before I saw your original post and the the preset issue was a big deal for me but now I'll have to think about exchanging it or thinking about what I want to do.

The only other thing I had problems with in the past (even with my short time with the X8500BHS) is the daytime visibility of the unit.  In my car the stereo is at the top of the dash angled towards the windshield so it's the worst possible location and receives lots of direct sunlight, but for some reason the Kenwood units are quite a bit brighter...

...but I MUCH, MUCH prefer the software/interface of the Pioneer units...

Sound mixing only works do th radio. What are you using to change tracks?