Pioneer F930BT

[Freeley]

Had it installed yesterday for a very reasonable £87 including a couple of leads.
Slightly disappointed that it's not quite the flush fit "factory" look i thought it would be ie it sticks out a bit!
Does anyone know if it can be pushed in any further, i assume not? Will ring the installer tomorrow to check i think.

Have spent a bit of time fiddling around with it, had a bit of trouble getting the audio streaming from my phone to work (had to change a setting on my phone to get it to work) and transferring my phone contacts over, think i've got it sorted now.

Have taken a couple of pics, it looks a bit dusty though!

Can't wait for our hols next month so i can use it properly.

 

[calikev]

Looks good mate don't think it sticks out too much nice to see something different

 

[KernowLad]

Heard good things about these units. Enjoy!

 

[kasl]

I'd have a look at this thread

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=163030

There is a ton of info there. I bought an AVIC-F40BT from Swiss Vans, to replace the RCD310 that the Cali came with. It's an excellent piece of kit. When I get home I'll pop some photos up.

 

[Freeley]

Cheers chaps for the comments.
One other thing i didn't realise is that the unit turns on and off with the ignition - in fact i don't think it even has a power switch though i must stress that i haven't read the instructions yet!
So it seems that I'll have to leave the ignition on to listen to the radio while on site which is a shame.
And while I'm moaning i hate it when the instruction manual is on a disc - not very helpful when you're sat in the van trying to work out how it works.

 

[kasl]

I worked on the maxim that the dealer in Bristol gave me. EVERYTHING from the front seats forward works from the ignition (overhead central control unit??). So knew what to expect.

Agree about disc based instructions. Have spent a few hours in the drive with a laptop working it out, but i'd rather have a manual in the glovebox.

 

[Freeley]

I worked on the maxim that the dealer in Bristol gave me. EVERYTHING from the front seats forward works from the ignition (overhead central control unit??). So knew what to expect.

Agree about disc based instructions. Have spent a few hours in the drive with a laptop working it out, but i'd rather have a manual in the glovebox.

Yes but the oem stereo could be turned on without ignition and ran for an hour before turning off - just assumed this unit would be the same.
After reading through the thread that you posted it seems that i could power the unit from the leisure battery when parked up via the installation of a switch & 5 pin relay.
Might ring my installer tomorrow about it and see if he could do it.

Ta

 

[pingpal6]

Youtube is great for visual instructions on most electronic gadgets, a quick way of finding how they work. There is a number of references to the Pioneer F930BT

 

[Freeley]

I've booked Cali in to have a switch put on the dash connected to the leisure battery next week.
Bought the switch yesterday from my local stealer - they don't do a blank one so have bought a heated rear window switch! That'll confuse the next owner if we ever get rid of it :?
I didn't want our lovely cali disfigured with a horrible switch that wan't in keeping, cost was £18.60 so not bad actually.

Forgot to mention that the installer connected a usb/aux twin lead and ran it out through the fusebox in the dash which is handy as i can push it back in there when not being used.

Dying for my hols now!

Think i might get an ipod as well seeing the unit is designed to be fully compatible with it - anyone got any views as to which is best, is it classic or touch? Touch has less memory for more money but maybe it's better?
The missus is going to go mad with me, i've got totally carried away with the whole thing

 

[Freeley]

This is proving very frustrating :headwall
Took cali in this week to have switch fitted and wired to leisure battery, they rang me later to say they couldn't do it as they didn't have a wiring diagram. So they booked me into another auto electrician today, when i got there and explained what i wanted he said he couldn't do it today as he didn't have enough time or the required parts!
I'm starting to think i should just leave it as it is having to leave the ignition on all the time. Will have to wait until after my hols now.
And they broke the trim surround when taking it off. :censor

What they did do today was fit an aerial splitter as the MW radio wasn't working. It's still not great now, certainly not as good as my old 210.Is there anything else that can be done to improve the MW signal? (FM is fine).

 

[Stu]

The antenna issue could be to do with the amplification required to power the OEM antenna.

VW normally use a 2 antenna system these days called diversity and it can be a little difficult to grasp at times, especially if they throw an amplifier into the mix. How many antenna inputs are there on the Pioneer?

Don't take this the wrong way but it's a classic example of why I prefer the OEM solutions over aftermarket as have been recently discussed in another thread.

 

[KernowLad]

The antenna issue could be to do with the amplification required to power the OEM antenna.

VW normally use a 2 antenna system these days called diversity and it can be a little difficult to grasp at times, especially if they throw an amplifier into the mix. How many antenna inputs are there on the Pioneer?

Don't take this the wrong way but it's a classic example of why I prefer the OEM solutions over aftermarket as have been recently discussed in another thread.

We know you like our RNS510 but others may prefer different options...

Been told the Pioneer is a pretty good unit as is the Alpine equivalent. I keep an open mind; mates who have just bought a Cali similar to ours absolutely INSISTED on the DNS520VBT having been blown away by another mates one. Mind you that is semi OEM as it's a brochure option.

 

[Stu]

We know you like our RNS510 but others may prefer different options...

Indeed and if we didn't we'd all have the same colour and same spec vans.

Not sure why it's suddenly become 'our' RNS510 though, is this some sort of takeover bid? :rofl

 

[KernowLad]

We know you like Your RNS510 but others may prefer different options...

Indeed and if we didn't we'd all have the same colour and same spec vans.

Not sure why it's suddenly become 'our' RNS510 though, is this some sort of takeover bid? :rofl

Oops, typo. Us non RNS510 owners are a bit thick you see... :laugh2

 

[James]

I have the Kenwood and it is a good unit - the bluetooth and hands free is great - but if I could I would have an OEM 510 VW unit..

Not least - you get the Sat Nav directions on the DIS.

There is a highly recommended unit on some VAG forums (I forget the name) which seems popular, it's the price of the Kenwood. It allows you to have the Sat Nav directions on the DIS and the climate control on the colour screen.

The Kenwood is good though And what you have fitted here looks very smart.

James

 

[Stu]

Us non RNS510 owners are a bit thick you see... :laugh2

We should stick together :laugh2 :rofl

 

[Freeley]

We're off to Heligan Woods tomorrow so i've been out in the van tonight fiddling with the sat nav.
I have to say i'm not liking the address search function!
The only way i can enter the address for the campsite is by entering the postcode, and as we all know postcodes can be a bit vague sometimes. Once entered i can see on the map screen that it's more or less the right place but it's nowhere near as good as the google navigation on my phone - on that you can type the name of the campsite and it takes you right to their doorstep.

Quite unfriendly really. I tried city search but it wouldn't even let me type "st austell"!
Not impressed :censor

I know the way but i want to see it in action and see if the traffic avoidance works as it will probably be busy on the roads tomorrow.

I hope this isn't an expensive mistake.

 

[kasl]

I don't find the satnav a problem, although it does look like Google have withdrawn a service from maps that would've made building a library of destinations a breeze.

For iPod or iPhone users I recommend trying out the Music Sphere feature. It carries out an analysis of your music library and creates a set of playlists to match moods (I think has built 24 playlists containing about 800 songs in my library). You then get a pretty cool touch screen ball interface on the head unit to navigate and select which mood you want and it then plays the playlist. For us, it's great as our musical tastes differ a bit so it's a great way of sticking some music on and keeping everyone happy, without fiddling with the iPod every two minutes, or spending ages building playlists by hand.

 

[Freeley]

Well its been a pain in the backside getting it done via various misunderstandings and wasted trips to the auto engineers, but finally had a switch installed in the cali yesterday that enables me to power the sat nav off the leisure batteries.
So no longer have to have the ignition on all the time when parked up. They fitted the switch on the base of the passenger seat, a nice tidy job which seems to work fine.
Which means i have a heated rear window switch for the dash for sale if anyone wants one! I mistakenly thought this would work but it won't apparently.

Pic here:

 

[Freeley]

Well i have to say the sat nav performed pretty well when we went to france&switzerland recently.
We went through belgium to avoid the french tolls and it was faultless in getting us to our first site in kaysersberg and then onto grindelwald.

Coming back things were a little different unfortunately - it flagged up traffic ahead as we left our site to return home so let it reroute to avoid. For some reason this meant driving right through Thun which is a sizeable town/city and then some other lesser roads that avoided the motorway. Basically an hour wasted.

It also brought us back a slightly different route to luxembourg which involved going via saarbrucken in germany, felt like we were going all round the houses.

I've also decided that the traffic avoidance system is utterly hopeless, after the earlier mishap i ignored 2 later warnings about stationary traffic to find no problems at all. And much later after being gridlocked on the brussels ring road for about half an hour it suddenly piped up that there were jams ahead.

So overall reasonably happy with it but could do better. There were also a few occasions where the map was obviously not up to date with regards to new roads so have just looked at downloading the latest map update - £120
Think i'll make do without.

Would be interested to know if anyone had any trouble with mulhouse in france with their sat navs - ours got confused both times at the same motorway junction leading to a pointless exit, 1 mile detour and return back to the same junction to continue our journey.

 

[Andy]

I have found that quite a few of the traffic warnings are displayed too late to be able to avoid, ie not till you are in the traffic.

I have a Garmin 2820 sat nav with traffic on it which displays info much quicker. You also get an estimate of the delay in minutes & the option to divert around. This all seems to me a better way of dealing with traffic problems. I have found my RNS suddenly tells me my route has been altered due to traffic, but have no options to see what the delay is or not to divert.

The traffic info comes from Traffic Master & is interpreted in different ways by different sat nav manufacturers, so if the delay is not there when you arrive at its supposed location that is due to outdated TM info & not the sat nav unit at fault.

With all sat navs one has to use a bit of discretion & not 'blindly' follow it's directions. On long journeys I usually check the route it suggests against a map. Have to do this in the truck to check for low bridges.





With all sat navs one has to use a bit of

 

[KernowLad]

Agreed Andy.

We are losing the ability to navigate. Say Nav is a useful planning tool but relying solely on it is risky. And I love proper maps!

 

[Andy]

Yes a surprising amount of people can not map read.
It seems that more & more people rely on St Navs & don't have maps. At work we have to give drivers post codes & printed map & instructions on how to get to sites.
When I started driving for a living I started buying A to Zs & maps & now have quite a collection, all be it some are a little out of date.

 

[Stu]

I have found that quite a few of the traffic warnings are displayed too late to be able to avoid, ie not till you are in the traffic.

What about if you press the traffic button?

 

[KernowLad]

Yes a surprising amount of people can not map read.
It seems that more & more people rely on St Navs & don't have maps. At work we have to give drivers post codes & printed map & instructions on how to get to sites.
When I started driving for a living I started buying A to Zs & maps & now have quite a collection, all be it some are a little out of date.

Similar here - I love a good map. Phillips Navigator is huge but very detailed. We have a zillion OS maps too (mostly 1:25000). I can sit and look at a map for age. Rather odd...

I was a rep covering most of the UK a while back and never got lost - just a bit of planning and...this may be a bit shocking... asking locals for directions once you get near your destination