Pioneer AVIC-X910BT 5.8-Inch In-Dash Navigation A/V Receiver with DVD Playback and Bluetooth Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bought the X910BT for my car, we enjoy traveling the back roads of Arizona and the southwest. Having the Nav system installed in the car makes things very easy - no hassle connecting the various devices, cables running all over, taking it down and putting it back up when making stops, and little "suction circles" on the windshield that thieves look for. Now I only have to fuss with the radar detector. Startup time on the unit is really not a problem, my Garmin would often take several minutes to startup, the AVIC is typically ready to go in about 1 minute. The bluetooth connection takes a little longer and the unit is very sluggish until the bluetooth connects. After the bluetooth is connected, the X910BT is very responsive.
It's a very easy unit to operate after you get used to it. My previous GPS was a Garmin unit, and I really got spoiled by their features. A few things I can complain about with the X910BT:
- Voice recognition on bluetooth - just doesn't seem to understand what I'm saying, either by name or number. I usually end up selecting the contact off the screen instead of telling it who to call. After the call has started, it works great, incoming sound is loud and clear. One person told me I sounded kind of muffled on their end, but they did not have any problem understanding me.
- Route planning is a bit of a pain if you're like me and like to take the back roads. When we travel, we like to stay off the interstate as much as possible. Disabling the Highway option makes for some very long trips as it will try to route you way out of the way to avoid highways. The AVICFeeds software is ok and I have used it to generate POIs for route planning, but it is tedious and not as easy to use as Garmin's MapSource. AVICFeeds also has a 300 item limit on POIs it can import, which means getting creative if your have a file with a large number of locations, such as those found on POI-Factory.com.
- The volume knob is really small and hard to grasp. I picked up a press on knob from a guy on AVIC411.com and it works great, easy to grasp and works the way it should have from the factory.
- The maps are very limited in the speed limit data they have. One a recent trip Southern California, we were being tailed by a CHP on one of the backroads. We were doing a reasonable speed, but the AVIC did not have any speed information for the road we were on. Additionally, many of the major surface streets in the Phoenix metro area also do not have any speed limit info available. It was very rare for the Garmin to not have speed limit data available.
I have the Sirius option installed, it works great and I listen to it more often than FM or my SD Card. I used the factory installed Sirius antenna lead to connect to the X910BT with no problem. I was able to transfer my new car subscription over and they even waived the $15 transfer fee. I also found a nice flat spot under the dash to put the GPS antenna where it is hidden and out of sight. I do not have any extra objects laying on my dash or on my roof as giveaways to what I have in my car. I ran the microphone up inside the front pillar, under the roof liner and used velcro strips to attach it to the rear view mirror. It's almost completely out of sight unless you know what to look for.
I really like he X910BT and would not go back to the portable Garmin GPS, though we still have it for use in our other vehicles and when we are hanging around planning a trip. It's great having the GPS built-in, many times we are out running around and decide to go someplace, we can enter whatever we want to find right in the GPS and it tells us where it's at.


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Pioneer's AVIC-X910BT is an in-dash navigation receiver with DVD Player and Bluetooth. Get fast, easy-to-use in-dash navigation, talk hands-free with built-in Bluetooth, and control your iPod or iPhone directly. Voice control allows you to play music from your iPod and make hands-free Bluetooth phone calls just using your voice.

Key reasons to upgrade from AVIC-U310BT:
DVD Video, DVD-R/RW Playback
MSN Direct built-in
3D Hybrid Sensor (Gyro & G-Force) for enhanced positioning
DivX video playback on CD/DVD


Navigation Beyond Expectation The AVIC-X series of receivers are ideal for those looking for a refined navigation experience with the latest in media and connectivity options. Out of the box, this system comes with 12 million points of interest and an extensive map database to help you find your next destination.
On the Map The easy-to-operate Pioneer Navigation system has built-in maps that put the world at your fingertips. This includes major points of interest, such as restaurants, ATMs, gas stations, entertainment venues and more. The built-in Text-to-Speech engine clearly pronounces turn-by-turn direction and street names to ensure smooth travels. The AVIC-X710BT also offers high-resolution 2D and 3D maps with renderings of nearby landmarks and terrain to help navigate the world around you.
AVIC Feeds The system's database is fully expandable with AVIC feeds, Pioneer's PC application, which lets you create custom trips and your own points of interest.
Voice Control The Z-Series offers convenient voice-activated navigation, which allows you to simply say an address or find nearby points of interest.

AVIC FEEDS for iPhone now available Unleash the power of your Pioneer navigation system with the AVIC FEEDS for iPhone application. Find a destination, then transfer it to your Pioneer navigation system for turn-by-turn routing.
Bridge the Gap Start Planning your route before you even step into your car with the free AVIC FEEDS app. Now you can seamlessly use your iPhone with your Pioneer navigation receiver. Simply find your destination with the built-in Google Maps interface and transfer it via Bluetooth for easy, turn-by-turn directions.
Picture Yourself There The AVIC FEEDS app also allows you to use the geo-tag data in your photos to be routed directly to places you've visited. The built-in GPS feature of iPhone 3G and 3GS has the ability to embed geo-tag information in the photos you take with its camera. AVIC FEEDS allows you to save destinations by reading these geo-tags. You can also use AVIC FEEDS to create destinations from geo-tagged photos that are sent to your iPhone.

Your iPod (and iPhone) Will Thank You On top of being an exceptional navigator, the AVIC-X series delivers an iPod experience that blows away FM transmitters or cassette adaptors. Even at the first glance, you will fall in love with the easy-to-use touch screen controls for your music and brilliant 5.8-inch display for your videos. Album art is also beautifully displayed.
With the optional cable (CD-IU230V) connected to your iPod, you will notice how easily you can find songs, videos, artists, or playlists with a few simple taps of your finger. The AVIC-X710BT also features voice-activated control of your iPod. Simply say the name of an artist, album, playlist, or genre to bring up the next song.

Ditch the Headset with Built-in Bluetooth Take incoming calls through the AVIC-X910BT, and be heard clearly without a headset courtesy of Bluetooth technology. Connecting your compatible phone is easy and gives you instant touch screen access to your contacts. You can also dial a contact with the sound of your voice by simply saying "Call Jack Smith."

Get Connected with MSN Direct Access up-to-date information with the built-in MSN Direct tuner on your AVIC-X910BT. MSN Direct is the ultimate in-car convenience, offering news, traffic, stock quotes, weather, movie times, and gas prices. Because MSN Direct can work seamlessly with system�s navigation, you can be routed directly to a theater after finding the right show time, or have traffic flow overlayed on your route.
Enjoy MSN Direct free for the first three months when you purchase the AVIC-X910BT.

The Freedom of Speech Your iPod audio functions and hands-free Bluetooth dialing can all be controlled with the sound of your voice. Voice-activated control over your navigation system not only performs in-car tasks with greater speed, but helps you keep your eyes (and attention) on the road ahead.

Media Mogul Built to navigate, but born to entertain, the AVIC-X910BT offers audio and video playback from the most popular formats. Whether you're watching DivX files on DVD, MP3 audio on SD card or iTunes AAC files on CD, there are dozens of playback options for your favorite media.
From Disc Play back DVDs and DVD-R/RWs, CDs and CD-R/RWs, and burn discs with all your digital media, since the AVIC-U310BT also plays back MP3/WMA/AAC/WAV and DivX files from CD or DVD.
From USB Device If you don't feel like burning CDs just throw the MP3/WMA/AAC/WAV files you want on a USB device and enjoy.

Sound Minded Just because the AVIC-X710BT features a robust navigation platform, doesn't mean it holds back on sound quality. With 3 sets of RCA pre-outs, MOSFET50 power and a 3-band parametric equalizer, you can build a massive system with massive sound.

Expanded Listening The AVIC-X710BT gives you plenty of room to expand your broadcast options. With optional tuners, experience the vast channel selection of XM Sirius Satellite Radio and HD Radio.
What's in the Box AVIC-X710BT Main Unit, Power Cord, Extension Lead, RCA Connector, GPS Antenna, Microphone, User's Manual, Installation Manual

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Alpine INA-W900 - Navigation system with DVD player, LCD monitor, digital player and radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I would rate this unit an 8.8/10. I own a 2009 Honda Accord Ex-L w/o Nav because Honda charges a ridiculously high price for their navigation package and I knew I could do better for cheaper with aftermarket. This unit does an ok job with its navigation, but not as good as other units. The alpine has about 6 million points of interest compared to 12 million of other units so if you are searching for a location without its address, it could pose potential problems. As far as map updates, I doubt it. I have heard from Alpine owners of past and they still haven't released a map update for previous models. A feature I would have liked to seen is the ability to send an address to your headunit from googlemaps which would have negated the need for map updates in my opinion. The turn by turn navigation is nice, the voice is not annoying and it has an adjustable setting that controls how loud the voice comes in over your music. Another feature I like is being able to see your next turn even if you are on the audio screen.
Where this unit shines, in my opinion, is its ipod integration.
**Disclaimer: Be forewarned if you have an ipod touch you will have issues with it because it is not completely compatible with the ipod touches. There will be occasional disconnects and the only solution is to unplug and then plug back in your ipod, even on the latest firmware, 3.1 as of this message. I have confirmed this with Alpine support (which is sub par at best). This would have been a deal breaker for me, but luckily I have a classic also that works very well with it even though there are some minor quirks though (not a dealbreaker in my book), but that could be because of the ipod, it is rather old and has been run over.**
The way you access your ipod is pretty much mimicked through the Alpine. You have access to everything you would normally have when using your ipod (music, movies, podcasts, playlists...). The sound quality using the ipod to the headunit is nice!!! I am no audiophile but music sounds great from this headunit with the settings I currently have. I have heard from others that the IMPRINT module makes it sound even better if you don't know how to properly configure your settings by yourself (which I know I don't). Album artwork shows up nicely in the corner if you have artwork for the song or if you prefer, your next turn if using navigation. One thing I would have liked to have seen with the ipod integration is a search function so you don't have to scroll through all of your music. I have 4,000+ songs and even though you can scroll by alphabet, it would make things a lot faster in some cases if I could just use a search function that narrowed down all the available listings every time you clicked another letter to the song/artist/album name like you would do with your ipod. Speaking of the alphabet search function, it can be a little hairy at times. You would think that since one of the selling points of this head unit is its ipod integration, it would sort songs like iTunes does seeing as how iTunes is the only way to put songs on your ipod. For example, lets say I have the following list of songs:
Almost Easy
American Idiot
...And Justice for All
Arterial Black
Baba O'Riley
If I am currently on a screen that shows these 5 songs and I hit the Alphabet > button you would think it would put the 'B' listings at the top, but it doesnt. It sees the ... and puts that at the top of the screen since it is different from 'A'. So now we have ...And Justice for All at the top of the screen and if I were to hit the Alphabet > button again, Arterial Black would show at the top because 'A' is different from .... iTunes ignores these just like it does the word 'The' in song titles when sorting by alphabet but this headunit does not. Minor quirk, I know.
Video looks great on the 7 inch screen and the sound quality is great as well when using a DVD. If you use a converter to change a video to ipod format (instead of DVD format) from say .flv (YouTube's format) or .avi there is some sound/video quality loss but it is still convenient to be able to store all of your movies on your ipod and have them accessible at any time.
I also bought an Alpine backup camera to go along with the headunit and it is a dream to have. I am very surprised it came with toggable cones to help you measure distance. Along the same lines, this headunit is an awesome all in one system. There are connections for another AUX input so if you wanted to put in say a front camera or PS2, this system is accomodating. Be prepared to pony out the money for extras though (backup camera, Imprint, HD radio, SIRIUS, Bluetooth). These are all seperate modules that you must pay for. I was a little disheartened to see you had to pay out extra for Imprint and Bluetooth. Maybe not so much the Imprint, but definately the Bluetooth I felt should have been included.
The touchscreen user interface is responsive and user friendly, not to mention eye candy. Be prepared to hear people say "I want that" for any passengers you might have. Menus are easy to navigate and provide adequate system options. I cannot speak on audio options such as HPF or LPF, for people with aftermarket audio systems, as I don't have one and I have never dealt with options like that before.
All in all, this unit is a definate + in my book. I am very happy with my purchase and am glad I didn't buy a different head unit, I would just like to see some map updates and I will be a very happy man.
Summary:
+++Definate headturner
++Audio Sound Quality
+Touchscreen interface
+Ipod Integration...
-Assuming you don't have a iTouch
+Built to be an all in one device...
-If you shell out extra money for the modules
+- Navigation package has its moments. Map updates hold this unit back from being competitive with other units.
--Alpine Support


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The INA-W900 All-in-one Navigation/DVD/Receiver is equipped with a 7 WVGA, 1.15 million pixel touch-control screen. Alpines exclusive GuideView Window gives you a picture-in-picture nav window while the unit is in audio display/mode. Alpine's OnPoint Advanced GPS Positioning ensures accurate positioning on the map in areas where it's difficult to receive GPS reception. The INA-W900 uses the latest Burr-Brown 24 Bit DAC for ultimate sound quality with all your digital media sources. With "Made for iPod" and "Works with iPhone" designations, the INA-W900 gives you fast access to all your iPod music and movies. 50W x 4, 3 - 2 volt RCA outputs, 1 A/V input, Rear Camera input, HD/Sat/Bluetooth ready.

GuideView Window for picture-in-picture navi. directions
"Made for iPod" and "Works with iPhone" iPod/iPhone Control
7 WVGA, 1.15 Million Pixel Touch-Control Screen
6 million Points of Interest (POIs)
HD/Sat/Bluetooth Ready
6 Second Boot-Up Time

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Clarion NX500 6.5" In-Dash Motorized Touchscreen DVD/CD/MP3/USB Receiver, Built-in Navigation and Bluetooth Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Since the 1st reviewer really captured a lot of my feelings on this unit, I'll try to concentrate on or add some additional thoughts...
When researching the higher end offerings from Kenwood and Pioneer, I finally decided on Clarion's NX500 after I saw all of the features that were included for a price tag that was *at least* half the cost of anything comparable. For reference, I picked mine up for $579 from another online retailer.
Installation was a breeze in my Mercedes Benz ML320 using a Metra harness. I was especially pleased with the modular wiring setup in the back of the headunit. As the other reviewer mentioned, you only plug in the connections you plan to use. This all means less clutter and mess behind the dash. At the time of installation, I also installed the Sirius Direct Connect adapter and a rear view camera. Connections were very straightforward.
The navi system seems to be a hybrid between a Garmin and Honda/Acura unit. You have the ability to view the mapping aerially, or slightly angled (quasi 1st person). The system is adequate for getting you to your destination, although I would've liked to have seen an option that lists turn-by-turn directions on the right side of the split screen for better clarification similar to the software found in my Acura TSX. Guidance voice options include 2 sets of male and female voices. One set utilizes text to speech (TTS) and phonetically pronounces street names and highways. These voices are robotic sounding, and will literally pronounce names as they are spelled. For example, U.S. Highway 9 would sound like "us nine" vs "u-s nine". The other set of more human sounding voices merely give generic turn by turn directions such as "Turn left at next intersection" vs "Turn left at Broadway". A neat feature of the split screen option is that the time and distance to the next turn/checkpoint is displayed on the left side while the total remaining distance and estimated time of arrival are displayed on the right side. I did not have any issues w/ the unit keeping extremely accurate time as the other reviewer. I believe setting the time to sync via the GPS will solve his problem. The POI database in the nav software was fairly extensive and very helpful when in an unfamiliar area looking for a place to eat, a place to get gas, etc. Entering addresses to get routing guidance was fairly easy; however, destinations on main streets sometimes became sources of frustration. When trying to enter an address on Rt 46, I finally realized that the road was also known as "Main St". Having a HD based system allows quick re-routing when you deviate from the directions. While my Acura TSX and MDX would take a few seconds to "recalculate" a new route, the NX500 does it almost instantaneously. Nav reception via the GPS antenna is very strong. I mounted mine under the dash, and have had no issues whatsoever with getting located as soon as I turn on the vehicle. The reception is so strong that viewing the speedometer screen yielded identical results to the actual speedometer in my instrument cluster.
Sound quality was very good considering I am not running an aftermarket amp. If you're an audiophile, the limited EQ adjustments will feel limiting. For the average person, there are "preset" EQ settings for various types of audio such as "Rock", "Urban", or "Techno".
Sirius radio reception sounded CD clear in my vehicle. I did not get any hissing or "white" noise on any channel like the other reviewer did, nor has my sat radio ever locked up.
I also purchased a bypass module on e bay. Unlike Pioneers and other aftermarket headunits, you cannot simply ground the parking brake wire to the chassis. It requires a pulsing signal to mimick the release and re-engagement of the parking brake in order to operate any stereo function that includes video. I do not condone, nor recommend watching any video while operating the vehicle. For my purposes, I wanted the ability to adjust my nav destination w/o pulling the car over.
Ipod integration is ok --- all pertinent menus/data are available such as playlists, artists, songs, albums, etc. Unfortunately, however, you do not have the ability to quickly scroll through entries. I have over 5,000 songs on my 5G 30GB Video. Trying to select an artist beginning with a 'G' requires the continuous pressing of the down arrow. You cannot hold the button to accelerate the process.
The DVD function works well. The picture is very good, although it seems a tad washed out. Of course, this is a minor point as I rarely watch movies in the vehicle. Playing a CD is standard fare, but I was VERY disappointed in what appears to be a poor oversight in basic design. I used to be a vinyl DJ, and have a large collection of "continuous" mix CDs that I have not yet been able to transfer to my iPod. When playing a mix, the player will insert a 2-3 second gap between tracks, regardless if the CD was recorded without them. This can get rather annoying during a DJ set or live band performance.
The built-in bluetooth system makes this unit such a big upgrade over its predecessor because an additional, external modular add-on is not required (less mess behind the dash). Calls come in loud and clear through the vehicle's speakers, and a mic is built directly into the face of the stereo. I also installed the supplementary external mic in the vehicle to give me the option of choosing which mic to use, but callers on the other end have not reported any problem hearing me clearly when using the built-in mic. Music/video will pause and mute when a call is placed or received. My Verizon Blackberry Storm can synch its address book and call log w/o an issue. You can switch off to your handset in a snap with a dedicated button on the bluetooth screen interface. The other GREAT feature of the built-in bluetooth system is the ability to listen to Bluetooth audio. I frequently run Pandora and Slacker in the vehicle now from my Blackberry. I have so many "entertainment" options now, it truly is ridiculous. One gripe about this feature is that you can't view the nav screen at the same time.
As the other reviewer touched on, the biggest problem with this unit has to do with its visibility in bright sunlight. Because the screen is very smooth and gloss like, it reflects a great deal of glare during the day. I will try to remedy this with an anti-glare film and update at a later time. With all that said, after a month and a half of solid use, I would purchase this unit again in a heartbeat. I almost feel like I stole it, and cannot say enough about what a great value it really is. While it is not a supreme standout in any one area, it does everything fairly well. If you are looking for a good "quiver killer", I would highly recommend it.
Pros (to echo some of the 1st reviewer's sentiments):
1 - Ease of installation w/ no mess.
2 - Fast navigation due to HD based software; STRONG GPS reception.
3 - Clean sound, even w/o an amp.
4 - Easy addition of additional AV sources.
5 - POI database is robust.
6 - Built in bluetooth, especially the ability to stream BT audio (Pandora and Slacker in the car!!!)
7 - Tangible, physical buttons for volume control and source selectionCons (more nitpicking than anything else):
1 - Excessive glare in bright sunlight... hopefully this will be remedied w/ a simple anti-glare film.
2 - Can't use voicedial feature for making calls.
3 - Entering addresses could be a little cumbersome if you don't know the alternative names.
4 - No quick scroll feature for navigating through the iPod.
5 - Mix CDs don't play continuously.
6 - Can't view the nav screen when playing BT audio.
I hope this helps others who are trying to decide on a new DD unit for their vehicle. Thanks to the 1st reviewer for helping me make my own decision.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Clarion NX500 6.5" In-Dash Motorized Touchscreen DVD/CD/MP3/USB Receiver, Built-in Navigation and Bluetooth

Clarion's NX500 is a premium double-DIN audio/video navigation unit with built-in GPS navigation, built-in Bluetooth for hands-free control, and audio streaming and USB iPod and iPhone compatibility. iPod video playback is also available using an optional cable (CCA748). The unit is also Sirius Satellite Radio and HD Radio Ready (including the iTunes tagging feature) with additional hardware. With built-in GPS navigation, the flash memory allows for quick response and access to navigation maps and multimedia options.

Built-in Navigation System with 12 million POIs NX500 features a built-in car navigation system with simple destination input, turn-by-turn voice prompts, selectable route guidance--everything you need to reach your destination quickly and efficiently. Pre-loaded with 12 million Points of Interest, its database includes national parks, restaurants, gas stations, and much more.
Built-in Bluetooth Hands-free Calling With Bluetooth built-in, you can wirelessly connect your Bluetooth capable mobile phone to listen to calls through your car's audio system. HFP/OPP/A2DP/AVRCP protocols are supported.
Superior iPod and iPhone Connectivity USB connection enables complete control of your iPod including video playback. Also "Works with iPhone" certified to bring its communication and entertainment capabilities into your car.
HD Radio Ready with iTunes Tagging Connecting the THD400 lets you enjoy listening to digitally broadcast radio programs with all their superior quality and helpful information. This includes iTunes Tagging capability, so if you hear a song on the radio that you like, you can tag it to download later from the iTunes Store. Save time finding and accumulating the tunes you want.
Sirius Direct Connect Ready Connect to a Sirius Satellite Radio receiver without any need for a interface box--and enjoy over 130 channels of music, news, talk shows, sports and traffic information with digital quality sound throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Rear Vision Camera RCA Input This RCA input enables you to smoothly connect a rear camera to display the area behind your vehicle. The increased view encourages and facilitates safer driving.
Front/Rear AV Inputs NX500 is equipped with AV input terminals on the front and rear of the unit to enable enjoyment of content from an external connected source. The rear RCA inputs are ideal for permanent installations, while the front pin jack type input will come in handy for quick connection of portable audiovisual sources.
24-bit D/A Converter for Superb Sound Reproduction Fully enjoy the sonic impact of DVD movie soundtracks or music videos. 24-bit technology actually oversamples the digital signal, providing excellent results that just weren't possible with older 16-bit systems.
6ch/2V RCA Output with Subwoofer Control With 3 sets of RCA outputs, you are free to add external power amplifiers to create a more powerful, sophisticated audio system. Also, independent volume control is enabled for the subwoofer so you can adjust the level of bass output to your liking at any time, regardless of the output level of the other channels.
What's in the Box NX500 Receiver, Remote Control, Installation Hardware, User's Manual

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