Pioneer In-Dash DVD Multimedia A/V Navigation Receiver (AVICN3)

Does anyone know anything about this thing?

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Pioneer-In-Dash-DVD-Multimedia-A-V-Navigation-Receiver-AVICN3/sem/rpsm/oid/147318/catOid/-13099/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

I'm looking for a navigation system for my car. On one hand, I'd be happy with the functionality of the TomTom One. OTOH, The clutter of it floating around on my windsheild would kind of bother me.

Add that to the fact that my stock Z828 head unit is dying, and you can see why I'm looking into a single din nav unit/head unit.

However, I'm not sure if it's worth it. It seems that the nav features of this unit aren't the best. It also looks like you need to insert a DVD anytime you want to do NAV funtions. That sounds like a pain in the dick. Can't they just keep that in memory?

Also, what if I lose the DVD?

Is the DVD copy-able?

If you're knowledgable about the navigation stuff, I'm all ears.

It also looks like you need to insert a DVD anytime you want to do NAV funtions. That sounds like a pain in the dick. Can't they just keep that in memory?

Click to expand...

My understanding is it needs it in there to do the initial route-setting. Once it knows where you're going, you should be able to put in a regular DVD/CD.

The nice thing about TomTom is that it'll redirect if you miss a turn. Not so sure how adept the Pioneer system is to changes like that.

Try www.Crutchfield.com for reviews.

Thanks to Rogue for this link:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-cOmlVDTLORu/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=182350&tab=detailed_info&i=130AVICN3#Tab

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Memory Navi Mode: While the map disc is inserted, you can store the data on the map disc into the memory of the navigation unit. If the map disc is removed from the navigation unit after the data is stored, navigation is performed using the data in the memory (Memory Navi mode). During the Memory Navi mode, navigation is performed only using the data read into the memory. Therefore, some functions are restricted compared with navigation using the map disc (DVD navi mode). In the Memory Navi mode, you can play a music CD or DVD[/FONT]

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edit: 10K posts! wooooooooooooooooo!

1) Its a really good unit

2) You can purchase replacement Navi DVD's from Pioneer directly. I think I may have even seen them on ebay... If I remember correctly, Pioneer Navi DVD's are more expensive than Alpine and other Navi systems

3) The biggest problem (for me anyway) is that there is no simple bypass to have movies playing while you are driving. I have the AVH-P5700DVD, and I have to toggle a switch once and I can view DVD's while driving. The AVICN3 has some kind of crazy gryoscore/sensor that can tell if the car is moving. If it, you cant play DVD's..... My unit however, does not function as a Navi unit, but I can purchase an external brain, and have navi if i want

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Telephone Search: if you know the telephone number of your destination, you can quickly search for your destination by specifying the telephone number[/FONT]

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That's hot.

yashart@work said:

1) Its a really good unit

2) You can purchase replacement Navi DVD's from Pioneer directly. I think I may have even seen them on ebay... If I remember correctly, Pioneer Navi DVD's are more expensive than Alpine and other Navi systems

Click to expand...

Looks like $100 each?

Is this the only way to update the nav? No free updates?

3) The biggest problem (for me anyway) is that there is no simple bypass to have movies playing while you are driving. I have the AVH-P5700DVD, and I have to toggle a switch once and I can view DVD's while driving. The AVICN3 has some kind of crazy gryoscore/sensor that can tell if the car is moving. If it, you cant play DVD's..... My unit however, does not function as a Navi unit, but I can purchase an external brain, and have navi if i want

Click to expand...

How much is the external brain for your model?

As for playing DVDs while driving, I could care less either way. I don't see myself watching DVDs on it.

However, can it play a DVD disc containing MP3 files?

A single bay makes this thing a PITA. Also the only way to even see the screen while in motion is to do some internal soldering and totaly void the warrenty.

If you dont want the DVD/TV stuff then just get something like the Clarion NICE to supliment your current system

1sty said:

A single bay makes this thing a PITA.

Click to expand...

Why so?

Also the only way to even see the screen while in motion is to do some internal soldering and totaly void the warrenty.

Click to expand...

You mean to play DVDs while in motion?

If you dont want the DVD/TV stuff then just get something like the Clarion NICE to supliment your current system

Click to expand...

http://www.cardomain.com/item/CLANICE

Doesn't solve my problem of my head unit dying. If I'm spending more than $500, I want an all in one.

Plus, something with a 7" screen is way too cluttery to be floating around in my car. If it's that big, I want it as a head unit.

are you only doing single DIN?

Yeah, I'd rather not do double din, or I lose my wideband and crap.

However, I don't think I'll be going with this unit. I went to look at it in Circuit City today, and I can't say I was too impressed.

Some of the controls on these things are just plain stupid.

For instance, I put it on RANDOM/SHUFFLE mode, and I put a CD in. When the track was done playing, it would randomly pick the next track and play it. However, if (while STILL in RANDOM mode) I hit the "next" button, it would go to the next track instead of picking another random track.

That's just retarded. So to hear another random track, I'd have to fast forward through the song, but stop just before the end.

On my Kenwood Z828, If I'm track 6 in RANDOM mode, and I hit the "next" button, I'll end up on track 34 or something. NOT track 7. That's the way it should be done. On a side note, all of the head units I played with in CC did this same bad thing.

Anyway, besides that, there were a lot of other things that were just underwhelming on it. The controls were not very intuitive...I found myself constantly going back and forth between the touch screen controls and the on-unit buttons. The display wasn't very impressive. The touch screen wasn't very responsive. The volume knob SUCKED. Not only was it too small, and in a hard to access place (assuming the screen was up), but unless you turned it slowly, it wouldn't sense that it was being turned.

I know I sound like a picky bastard, but there were just too many things that let me down. For the absurd amount of money that these units cost, they should be marvels of technology.

OTOH, I went and checked out the TomTom one and the TomTom 510, along with some $900 Garmin GPS.

The Garmin Nuvi was the slickest...thin, sleek, good display, and feature rich. But $900 is a bit steep, and I wouldn't use half the features.

I liked the $400 TomTom One, but I had a little trouble navigating the small touch screen. I'd often fatfinger things and hit the wrong button. The slightly bigger TomTom 510 ($500) was big enough so that I was good at entering information into it, so I may go with that.

One feature that got me all hot in the pants that the TomTom 510, the TomTom One, and the Nuvi all had was that it could connect to your cellphone via Bluetooth and get traffic updates. However, the Garmin couldn't even discover my phone, and while both of the TomToms would discover my phone (the PalmOne Treo 650) and had it in it's compatibility list, they wouldn't work through my provider (Sprint). They did however, work with every other provider out there (AT&T, Cingular, etc). This effectively took my swollen cock out of my pants, licked it, and put it back. No one likes a dicktease.

So anyway, that's where I stand now. Not really sure what I want, but I'm definitely leaning towards the TomTom 510. The main thing that's keeping me from it at this point is the clutter. I know it sounds stupid, but I don't know where I could mount this thing where it wouldn't look stupid, nevermind the tacky ass cigarette lighter adapter (which I'll probably hard wire in and tuck away eventually).

And once I figure out this GPS nonsense, I get to go crazy looking for a new head unit. Joy.

Kooldino said:

Why so?



You mean to play DVDs while in motion?



http://www.cardomain.com/item/CLANICE

Doesn't solve my problem of my head unit dying. If I'm spending more than $500, I want an all in one.

Plus, something with a 7" screen is way too cluttery to be floating around in my car. If it's that big, I want it as a head unit.

Click to expand...

I mean everything. Last I knew the Nav output went blank once in motion aswell. Basicly the NAv brain senses if you exceed 10 mph and then shuts off the Nav/DVD screens.

The 7" screen like the nice could really be most everything you need. You can easily enough get an alpine or other makers DVD head unit and use the video input on the clarion. The clarion also can directly get Sirus radio. I was going to use the Nice in my mazda and mold it into the double din opening. Then just add on a playstation or whatever for the video. Or even go carputer.

1sty said:

I mean everything. Last I knew the Nav output went blank once in motion aswell. Basicly the NAv brain senses if you exceed 10 mph and then shuts off the Nav/DVD screens.

Click to expand...

That's hard to beleive...that doesn't even make sense. Why would a NAV system turn it's own display off while you were using it? The DVD player I can understand.

voice directions only as moving video is illegal in the field of view of the driver while in motion.

Call pioneer and check with them on it or try and get a road demo. I find this out on the AVIC D1 and the custom was PISSED!

Kooldino said:

The Garmin Nuvi was the slickest...thin, sleek, good display, and feature rich. But $900 is a bit steep, and I wouldn't use half the features.

I liked the $400 TomTom One, but I had a little trouble navigating the small touch screen. I'd often fatfinger things and hit the wrong button. The slightly bigger TomTom 510 ($500) was big enough so that I was good at entering information into it, so I may go with that.

Click to expand...

The Garmin Nuvi is $499.99 at BJ's and is much better than the Tom Tom 510 in my mind. I've tested all of them and ended up buying the nuvi 350 because it was by far the best (if you want bluetooth it's a little more money for the 360). What is amazing about it is that there is no lag when you press the buttons for it to think, I've never seen such a fast gps before. Also, it's much sleeker than the tomtom, and has an internal battery so you can use it even out of your car, and it remains on when you lose power in your car temporarily. I was going to get the TomTom 510 a year ago when nit was much more cheaper than the nuvi, but now that the nuvi has come way down in price the nuvi is much better, especially because garmin has better maps than TomTom.

-DaViper

The best part of a navigation system like TomTom is you can take it with you. You borrow someones car, you go on vacation and have a rental it can go with you. When you are doing your daily driving routine it can be left home, so you only have the clutter when you need it. I like the fact you can get out of the car with it. I was sitting on a cliff at the grand canyon programing the next few stops, simple.

Well, I ended up going with the TomTom 510.

It does have bluetooth, but like I said above, it's a cocktease for me since I have sprint. I'll try to post my thoughts on it once I use it more.

Now I just need to find a head unit that will make me happy.