I have a Kenwood DNN-770HD, the flagship head unit from Kenwood.

It's a piece of junk. Buggy software, slow to turn on, you name it.

So I am thinking of switching to a Pioneer AVH-X8500BHS. But I have a very basic question.

On the Kenwood, when you plug in the iPhone 5 via the USB on the unit to 30 pin cable to the 30 pin to Lightning adapter, it will play any audio you can play on the iPhone digitally via the USB cable. You don't have to use Bluetooth to hear the iPhone's audio output. You won't see any album art, nor any on screen information at all, but it will play the audio digitally via the USB.

It will also play Pandora via the cable and will put the Pandora information on screen. And of course, if you use the iPod features of the iPhone, it will play the music with full information onscreen.

Of course, it won't take ANY video from the iPhone, which is what is attracting me to the Pioneer units.

The question. Can I assume that if I purchase the Pioneer unit that I will not lose any of the features I have mentioned above which are on the Kenwood. I understand there is currently an issue with Pandora so that may be a problem. But will I be able to hear Spotify, my podcasts via Downcast, etc. on the radio directly via the USB/HDMI arrangement and not have to use Bluetooth audio to hear the audio.

I ask, because when I read these forums, there is a confusing discussion regarding digital audio and various settings which seem to affect the ability to hear audio when you are using the USB/HDMI combination arrangement, vs just the simpler USB only cable (where you lose video). Something about using Advance App Mode, which seems to affect what the receiver can and cannot do. I don't want to be forced to only use the few apps Pioneer has provided via their iPhone app. Ideally, I would like to use those apps (like Waze for on screen nav) but still be able to listen to whatever else I want via USB from the iPhone. Could someone explain Advanced App Mode and what it does and does not do?

If someone could explain the issue, if any, to me, I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks

I can answer your question in reference to the AppRadio but not necessarily the AVH units. Yes, you get all the functions you would expect if you have the proper Apple adapter cable. The AVH units should function similarly but there have been issues reported with the consistency of app mode with the AVH units. Honestly unless you need the extra disc features of the AVH series you should look into the APP Radio 3 especially sense the SPH-210 AR3 model has a CD/DVD slot. And with the addition of a jailbroken i5 and App radio extensions the possibilities are nearly endless. Hope this helps. Search this forum for more details of everything Ive mentioned.

Problem is: I have Sirius and I want to keep it. Yes, I could use it as an app via the iPhone I suppose, but then I have to pay for the 4G data and am at the mercy of the cellular network's speed and reliability. So I think that eliminates AppRadio 3 from the mix.

When you say there are issues regarding the consistency of app mode with AVH, could you elaborate?

I think I get what the Advanced App Mode, which I think is called AppRadio, is and that it differs form the standard app mode. My understanding is that Advanced App Mode, or AppRadio, requires the Pioneer iPhone app to work, and that it places the app information and control onscreen with a great deal of control.  This is contrasted to standard app mode, which I understand to be that all digital audio (not sure about screen video) will play via USB onto the radio, but that the on screen display and the ability to control the app is much more limited, to non existent at times.

If so, then this would be very similar to the Kenwood app mode, which plays all iPhone 5 audio from every app, but all  you can really do is pause and play and sometimes skip tracks, if the app supports it like  Audible for example. On the Kenwood, there is NO on screen display of what you're listening to.

Finally, I can't jailbreak my iPhone. Jailbreaking was ... broken with the latest OS.

Browse over the threads in the AVH forums for pertaining to any issues reported about App Mode.

Forget the wording in reference to App Mode vs Advanced App Mode. All App Mode references referrer to Advanced App Mode which allows you to control supported apps from the head unit. But yeah, you've got the gist of it from you understand.

So for unsupported apps,like Audible for example, what happens when you use app mode? Will it play? Do you have any control on screen or do you use the iPhone to do all the control?

Once I understand that, I'll get it all. I just don't want to use bluetooth audio, which is inferior in quality to USB digital.

The unit will output audio from any app that has audio and will do so over the cable. However when it comes to unsupported apps there will be no control from the head unit. That is unless.........you have a jailbroken i5 and App Radio Extension.

Read the first page below if you are interested in AppEx.

http://avic411.com/index.php?/topic/34188-appradio-extensions-20-beta-full-iphone-control/

As well as some of my demo vids to get an idea of what can be done.

http://avic411.com/index.php?/topic/36694-favorite-app-radio-apps-demo-vid/

I have this specific radio and have played quite a bit with my wife's iPhone 5 (I have a 4s).

You'll get everything you want plus app mode.

First off, for simple sound/iPod output you can use JUST a lightning cable to get that to happen. You'll be able to control from the head unit (and get artwork on the head unit from your phone).

To do Apps (ie Waze) you'll need the HDMI/Lightning connection (simple, non-proprietary cables) and a Bluetooth connection (the bluetooth as far as we can figure is control only, it's not transporting audio.)

While having Waze open you can have audio from any app (that backgrounds on the iPhone, such as Audible) though control will be from the phone. You can even listen to Sirus Radio at the same time (requires a bit of setup on the deck).

Thanks to all. I can live without on screen control (I have a Pebble watch, so I can pause/play apps from my watch!). It's a feature lost as compared to the Pioneer, but the pluses of the Pioneer far exceed the Kenwood 990/770 twins. 

But one last question: I understand that you can mix audio with an app mode app. So I suppose you could hear FM radio or Sirius while running Waze onsceen in app mode.

But ... can you run an unsupported app like Audible's sound and still have Waze, a supported app on screen, too. Does this mix work in this case? I hope so. 

But ... can you run an unsupported app like Audible's sound and still have Waze, a supported app on screen, too. Does this mix work in this case? I hope so. 

Yes.