9/10/2011

Pioneer AVIC-X930BT 6.1" In-Dash Navigation AV Receiver with iPod/iPhone Control, Bluetooth, Pandora Review

Pioneer AVIC-X930BT 6.1 In-Dash Navigation AV Receiver with iPod/iPhone Control, Bluetooth, Pandora
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I installed this in a car recently, and while its easy to be impressed with with what Pioneer has done in terms of interface, and look, the things they left out and what they want to charge extra for leave you scratching your head.
First of all, the screen is tremendous. It looks beautiful, it has nice touches, even to the point that when you turn your lights on, not only does the map turn dark, it puts stars in the sky of the map in 3-D view. As someone else previously mentioned, the iPod interface is superior. Just spectacular in terms of presentation, and ability to choose songs, artists, playlists, etc.
The functionality of the UI is rich and deep. The core of it was clearly designed by experts. But the details of this unit really let you down. Everything beyond base functionality is an option and a costly one at that. For example, HD Radio is an almost $100 dollar option. iPod? Yep, they deliberately crippled the unit so you need to pay $50 for a special cable (maddeningly, the iPod can be controlled with a generic ipod Cable, but no sound comes out unless you spring for the cable). Traffic information? Yep, you guessed it, another expensive option. This is not an inexpensive unit, most of this should be built in for the price.
The Bluetooth pairing process is the most unintuitive I've seen in any piece of electronics. But my biggest complaint is that for some reason, if you are moving, much of the options, including the ability to input a new destination disappear. I've heard of some older Ford and GM doing this, but every factory navigation unit made within the past 5 years doesn't limit this functionality (and yes, I've heard there are bypasses, but why should you have to bypass to get to functionality that is available in the stock head unit?).
The navigation is well designed for these types of head units. It gives you a fair amount of options, lets you import & edit POI's. It's not feature rich, but what it does have is good, solid fundamentals, and its directions in general are no worse than a Garmin's or other stand-along GPS.
The ECO system is gimmicky. If you like it, great, otherwise, you'll never really use it. The anti-theft feature is that 3 buttons on the lower left come off. I don't think it has any special circuitry and it appears likely the buttons can get lost. They do give you a screw to attach it more-or-less permanently.
My pro/con list:
PROS:
1) Beautiful screen
2) Well thought-out interface
3) Intuitive iPod controls
4) Bluetooth audio built-in
5) Good sound
6) Customizable
CONS:
1) Nav system that makes you pull over to add a new destination. Even if you have a passenger in the car.
2) Much of the options should be built in
3) I have to buy a special iPod cable?
4) Time zone must be set manually. This is so ridiculous that I called Pioneer to verify
5) The anti-theft feature seems silly. I don't think it will prevent any thefts
6) Frustrating BT pairing process

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Pioneer's double-DIN AVIC-X930BT features built-in navigation with maps of the US, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Get there fast with spoken street names, lane guidance, and a wealth of GPS features, and stay in touch on the way with built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling. A 6.1-inch WVGA touch screen display is great for GPS and for navigating your entertainment, whether it's DVDs or CDs, your digital media from USB drives or microSD cards, or content from your iPhone. Speaking of iPhones, the AVIC-X930BT features enhanced integration with Pandora and Aha Radio apps, along with GPS features through the free AVIC FEEDS app.
Pioneer's in-dash navigation systems allow drivers to stay connected to social networks, local searches and traffic services while keeping their focus on the road.

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