5000/6000/7000 Pioneer ZIP file is here: http://tinyurl.com/kqlqkqf

Good luck and download until the bandwidth is gone or Dropbox shuts me down!

5000/6000/7000 Pioneer ZIP file is here: http://tinyurl.com/kqlqkqf

 

Good luck and download until the bandwidth is gone or Dropbox shuts me down!

Woohoo, Thanks!

4000NEX mirror

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2p2Y83AwMI4UjJXMG5kV2lnMGM/view?usp=sharing

Anybody else having trouble with the Spotify app? It just doesn't work for me at all.

Anybody else having trouble with the Spotify app? It just doesn't work for me at all.

Yeah. In my review posted on the previous page in this thread you'll see the issues. Later in my video it starts working. I think a bug fix from Spotify will resolve it.

Spotify on both my 6+ & 5 (which I plan on using as a tethered iPod) has a huge lag. 

Ive noticed that if you have the apps already opened on your phone, they launch faster in CarPlay.

Conversely, launching any app from CarPlay, on a freshly rebooted or no apps running phone, exhibits lag even on my 6+ .

Its not disappointing to me at though. It is MUCH faster, and more responsive than AppRadio ever was.

The only things that feel slow are the Siri Voice related functions, and that has more to do with my cellular connection and the Siri service than it does with CarPlay.

Just updated my device (pretty smooth updating procedure in less than 10 minutes) and after half an hour of playing around with it I must admit: I am not entirely convinced of that CarPlay thing. I would not call it bad or something, but the benefits (for me) are fairly limited:

1) I personally see no advantage in the Car Play music player and prefer the built in from Pioneer. More features, smoother interface

2) Same applies to 3rd party stuff: Pioneer shows how integration of webradio could look like - "Aha Radio" works better than the crappy Spotify integration. Ok, obviously it's a quick first shot and Spotify will work on it but I prefer an integration like "Aha Radio" does

3) The entire interface looks okayish but it seems to me like Apple's most talented interface designer have been working on other projects: very limited responsiveness of the UI, much black and plain grey and also the resolution of the icons and fonts look to me not perfect - the menu of the native Pioneer menues is much sharper

4) Siri integration is nice but the advantage to the former HandsFree mode seems somehow limited to me - tell Siri whom to call, what song to play. Nothing new

The Pro's

1) Access to messages with text2speech works great. Hopefully 3rd party apps for e.g. Whatsapp will follow

2) Maps can be a good complement to the built in navigation when it comes to find special places

3) I see some potential for 3rd party apps (especially a WORKING Spotify app).

All in all it's a nice gimmick but CarPlay is no "game changer" of Must-Have feature from my perspective. But no bad feelings - I've bought my Pioneer for other reasons and of course are happy to have CarPlay as additional feature on board.

Great review!

I like the part he's trying "Hey Siri" - didn't work for him  but Siri started on my iPhone while I was watching the Video

First impressions...

Very quick and responsive. Especially with playlists.

Album art is way too dim. My unit tilts back a bit making this worse.

Spotify does not work.

Maps are a good alternative but I prefer Pioneer Nav.

Have to physically unlock phone before connecting.

Music does not resume after restarting car.

Good actually outweighs bad but it needs work.

I agree with at of you that the song graphics needs to be brighter. That is my only real complaint right now.

On the plus side, I love the maps. I never eally used the navigation in my 8000NEX because, like every other car nav system, entering in destinations is a royal pain. I always used my iPhone instead. With CarPlay, that part is super easy. All of my destinations are on my phone, and I can use them with the 8000, and it's real easy to use Siri for new ones.

I also love the messages. I used it four times on the way home to reply to incoming texts, very clean and easy.

I was very impressed with how CarPlan interfaced with the rest of the system.. Very slick and seamless. The promise of AppRadio has been delivered with Car Play, IMO. The way I can be using CarPlay at the same time I am using the other 8000 functionality is super cool. In fact, it was the one thing I was most worried about. I was afraid there would be one of those, this or that situations where I would have to make a choice as to what system I was going to use, CarPlay or the built-in stuff. Both work togther very well

Most of all I love what it does not try and do. It does not try and duplicate the functions of my 8000 that I love. sirius, HD radio, my cameras etc.. But, it brings in all of my phone stuff with me. In and out of the car. That's really the point, right? We can have our mail, music, messages and navigation with us all the time.

Some nice reviews so far ...I'm curious when we will begin seeing additional apps added to the lineup.  I suppose as more factory new vehicles begin to roll out we will also begin to see more apps.  I like using my Escort app on long road trips ... will have to switch to App radio to do that. 

Spotify is virtually unusable through Carplay. 

As for the album art, I really had to crank my Brightness to see it. Have to mess around with Contrast and Brightness and will have to try again during the daytime, but it is there. That said, I'm preferring the look of the Pioneer screen art. I think Apple went a long way to trying to make Carplay something you don't look at while driving. Otherwise, the album art should pop more. 

I don't have Beats Radio or iHeart Radio showing up either. I guess those apps are not ready for primetime either.

This still feels like Beta software with some ways to go. 

A Special thanks to Robmac1966 for the download site.  It was infinitely faster than the Pioneer site.  I managed to download and install the firmware upgrade with no problems at all.  

Overall Impressions:  

1.  I like it a lot.  A nice clean, easy to use interface.  

2.  Access to all of the full features of my music is nice, particularly being able to "Wish List" and "Thumbs Up" songs on iTunes Radio.  

3.  Siri phone and messenger features work well and are very convenient.  

4.  Apple Maps, though, is an "also ran".  Not too impressed.  The biggest drawback is not being able to input text for destination addresses that are not already in my contacts.  Using Siri to input an address is a real pain in the ass.  She rarely ever gets it right.  No way to pan or zoom within the map by using gestures.  "Arrows" and "+-" aren't easy to use at all.  For now, Pioneer's Navigation is far better.  

5.  Otherwise, it looks as if Pioneer used it's extra time to publish the update well.  No bugs or glitches at all.  

Big thanks to everyone that posted the firmware updates today to help out when Pioneer's site slowed to a crawl. A few notes:

1 - I agree with most people about what's been said so far - it feels a little Beta-ish, but still clean enough to make work on a regular basis.

2 - Spotify is not quite ready for primetime. And if what has been said about the delay regarding CarPlay is true, the second party apps are still trying to find their footing. A big reason why they were likely not included on the home screen initially.

3 - iTunes Radio seems to work really well, as did playing the local music on my phone. So I feel like Apple's core apps got it right.

4 - Siri has been refreshingly easy to use, I haven't had a simple problem dialing or sending texts. Not sure I want my texts read through the stereo when others are in the car however, but I can wait. I don't usually check messages when driving anyway.

5 - Maps. I haven't tried inputting an address by voice, but so far, maps has been pretty solid. It's basic, I wish it felt bigger on the screen, but I the layout is clean and information is easily read. Kentinportland is right, it would be really nice to be able to move around the maps, but that feature is not yet available.

6 - Really liked how contacts are displayed just like on your phone. Favorites, Recents, etc - with photos.

7 - Apple has said this is all about listening and speaking. So on the display side, yes it's a little disappointing contact photos are not large or full screen, album art is minuscule, podcast art is the same - would have been nice to have big photos to select from instead of a list. But maybe it's safer?

8 - I feel like the left section of the screen that houses the virtual home button, time, and network strength is a waste. Does that info really need to be displayed? Could a gesture take the place of the home button? Feels like sacrificing that screen real estate just makes everything else a bit smaller - like maps. 

All in all, even with it feeling a bit unpolished, this is why I have this head unit, so I am glad the software has finally been updated. I think there is a world of potential with this platform, and I have little doubt that Apple will get it right and consistently improve as the software and apps are updated.

I did the update, and for the most part I am pleased.Things I wish this solution allowed:

• The phone to be set for Bluetooth and USB connection. So I could use Bluetooth for short trips, and plug in for long trips. Car play activate automatically when plugged in, but Bluetooth if not plugged in.
• I wish there was a button on the screen near the home button to activate SIRI. I have an older truck (2003) and have no steering wheel button to map to activate SIRI. Hey SIRI works great, but since the music isn't muted with a button press, sometimes I have to turn the radio down to get the phone to respond to the Hey SIRI command. Not sure many would have this issue.
• Finally, I mope many more apps become CarPlay aware.   (Waze, Slacker, Pandora, etc.)

I'm sure it will get better with time, but i'm impatient.

Overall Satisfied.

 

• I wish there was a button on the screen near the home button to activate SIRI. I have an older truck (2003) and have no steering wheel button to map to activate SIRI. Hey SIRI works great, but since the music isn't muted with a button press, sometimes I have to turn the radio down to get the phone to respond to the Hey SIRI command. Not sure many would have this issue.

The Home button activates Siri. Hold it down and Siri will activate. No other button or "Hey Siri" needed.

5 - Maps. I haven't tried inputting an address by voice, but so far, maps has been pretty solid. It's basic, I wish it felt bigger on the screen, but I the layout is clean and information is easily read. Kentinportland is right, it would be really nice to be able to move around the maps, but that feature is not yet available.

I didn't have any problem panning around in maps. Pinch to zoom didn't work but I could drag the map to move around.

I have seen some glitches.

From HD Radio, cause Siri to appear or if someone calls, then back to not CarPlay and it doesn't consistently return to where I was. Usually lands on a source other than the radio.

Seems like I need to pause before speaking to Siri. A moment AFTER the bleep and animation on the screen.

I got an 8000NEX & iP6 on iOs 8.0.2 and well I've never really needed a navigation unit since I could just use my phone and it'll play in the background, but it's nice to see a larger map ya' know? But now that Carplay is out, does anyone else feel that you could've saved a lot more money by just buying a 4000NEX?

Even though a lot of good and bad has already been covered, here is my opinion on Carplay:

That GoodGood

-Sleek design

-Ease of use

-Smooth and almost seamless integration

-Ability to still play other music apps in the background

-Feels like a big 7" phone attached to my car

Not so good

-That annoying sidebar just for the home button

-Spotify needs to be polished, it doesn't behave very well

-Another annoying thing, apps on my phone load or switch to app when using the HU

-STILL NOT able to use BT Audio when plugged in.

Overall 6/10 for me. Hopefully there will be an update from pioneer to improve carplay

The Home button activates Siri. Hold it down and Siri will activate. No other button or "Hey Siri" needed.

Thanks!!!!!!!

This is excellent. I did not know this, but now one of my "gripes" is gone!

What happened to everything with the iPod playing and when you restart your car the music is paused already then you have to press play. They will need another firmware update ASAP for all the issues going on.

I am having a terribly annoying issue since the update..

The Audio resume doesnt work at all!!

I have the USB1 on the iphone, and carplay and all the other stuff mentioned works fine. Maps and all..

I have a Thumbdrive on USB2 with music and audiobooks, in separate folders...Before when I am listening to a multi-chaptered book, it would start where I left off when powering off and on, aside from when you unplug it or add remove content..

Now it seems that it re reads the drive everystart up, and starts at a random place on the drive. I have to navigate to the folder and remember where I left off and try to get back to where I was.....

This is a killer for me as I am always takig short trips, it will not work.......

Does anyone here know how to revert back to 1.05?

Also, I have tried multiple formatings of flash drives and SD card, and they all behave the same since the update.   Having resume, to me is worth more than all the bells and whistles of Carplay that is really meh, compared to the stuff that was allready on the unit..

the voice texting is cool, but I want audio resume back.......Has anyone else had this same problem?

Thanks in advance for any replies...

I am having a terribly annoying issue since the update..

 

The Audio resume doesnt work at all!!

 

I have the USB1 on the iphone, and carplay and all the other stuff mentioned works fine. Maps and all..

 

I have a Thumbdrive on USB2 with music and audiobooks, in separate folders...Before when I am listening to a multi-chaptered book, it would start where I left off when powering off and on, aside from when you unplug it or add remove content..

Now it seems that it re reads the drive everystart up, and starts at a random place on the drive. I have to navigate to the folder and remember where I left off and try to get back to where I was.....

 

This is a killer for me as I am always takig short trips, it will not work.......

 

Does anyone here know how to revert back to 1.05?

 

Also, I have tried multiple formatings of flash drives and SD card, and they all behave the same since the update.   Having resume, to me is worth more than all the bells and whistles of Carplay that is really meh, compared to the stuff that was allready on the unit..

 

the voice texting is cool, but I want audio resume back.......Has anyone else had this same problem?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies...

I agree that this is incredibly annoying. The only workaround I've discovered is to leave my music app open on my phone when I leave the car; then, if you start CarPlay up with the music app already open, it will go right back to where you left off. Of course, if you listen to music or audiobooks on your phone in between those times, you lose your place.