Kenwood DNX 8220BT , GPS Question

18pcs

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I guess users of any of the DNX series would also be able to help me with my query.
I have bought the above radio and have the installtion fixed for Monday. The installer is suggesting that I place the GPS antenna affixed to the top of the dashboard for a better reception. Can someone please suggest and advice if it is possible to mount the GPS antenna out of sight, inside the dashboard and if it would be able to get a lock on the satellites from there ? Thanks for all advice. The unit is to be installed in a Honda CR-V 2006 model.
 
You can but reception is generally better with direct line of sight. My TomTom for example works just fine in the glove compartment, but trying to get the initial lock is a lengthy process that way. Then again our Murano built-in one is inside the dashboard and we never had any problems.

The main issue will be that if you installer wants to put it on top of the dash and you don't, what comeback do you have when it doesn't work right!? He could rightfully turn around and say I told you so and you might have to pay again to have it moved...

PS. Didn't realise the 8220BT is out yet. You don't have an iPhone so you can try its compatibility do you :)
 
I guess you are right. Better is to have it on top, in direct line of sight. The 8220 is out in Europe. I got mine from Germany. I have the Iphone and will certainly check to see if it works with the unit. WIll keep you posted. Please do let me know what all you need me to check.
 
Cool!

Basically the older unit (7200) whilst compatible with the hand-free profile was not compatible with exchanging the contacts with the iPhone. So far only my TomTom 910 seems to be able to exchange address book information with the iPhone.

As an alternative I then though I could sync my address book with my wife's Nokia, then exchange the address book information from her phone with the unit. This works great if it wasn't that the address book stored on the 7200 was only available to the phone it was sync with. So the moment you link another phone via the headset profile it won't be available.

Then the last resort was to type them in manually which is not a big deal as in the car I mainly make outgoing calls to the same people. But those daft people at Kenwood obviously don't have a lot of friends/colleaques as you can only enter 3 manually entered presets. Which is pretty useless.

The 8220 is supposed to be totally different and based upon Parrott technology, so I wondered whether;
a) Can it exchange phone book data with the iPhone
b) Is the address book shareable with multiple phones?
c) If having to enter is manually can you enter more than 3 numbers?

Much appreciated....
 
The GPS Reciever is quite small, I had mine tucked right down the bottom of the windscreen in my Golf Mk4. you could barely see it.

If you have a few magpies, perhaps look at hiding it with some form of dash coloured fabric that will still allow the satellites to be picked up.

Or there may be tax disc holders out there that can work as a GPS Antenna.

I'm getting my DNX 8220BT Tomorrow. Can't sleep i'm that excited.
 
And don't keep us in suspense! :) What is it like! And being selfish, how does it interoperate with the iPhone....

Hope all is well!
 
Sorry for not replying earlier, the installation is fixed for tomorrow, so hopefully will be able to report in a day or so after checking everything out.


And don't keep us in suspense! :) What is it like! And being selfish, how does it interoperate with the iPhone....

Hope all is well!
 
Was wondering if it would be alright to use the original GPS antenna that came fitted with the car as my car had a factory fitted navigation system ? If the pins match or could be cut and modifie easily, i guess it would be best ?
 
suggesting that I place the GPS antenna affixed to the top of the dashboard for a better reception. Can someone please suggest and advice if it is possible to mount the GPS antenna out of sight, inside the dashboard and if it would be able to get a lock on the satellites from there ? Thanks for all advice. The unit is to be installed in a Honda CR-V 2006 model.


Behind the radio in the crv's there is loads of space, also the heater pipes run back there. I have mounted the gps aerials on top of these before and they work fine. The only thing between them and the sky is the top of the dashboard and the windscreen, neither of which effect it.
 
Have got the installation done. Managed to use the original Honda GPS antenna whicha has the same connectors. The Nokia N95-8GB mated well to the system as far as address book importing was concerned. But the SMS function does not seems to work, any ideas anyone ? The IPhone was found by the 8220, but it refused to pair with it continuosly. Will try again using search from the phone as well the 8220. I have the 1.13 version software in my Iphone. Rest will check and revert.
 
I checked the Iphone again today with the 8220 and yes all the contacts were exchanged with the unit. One profile the ADsomething was not connecting but the HDf profile connected . I dont think the address book is shareable with other phones as the minute you connect the second phone to the unit it automatically copies the contacts from that phone. I wonder if I disable auto syncing maybe then only one address book will remain, havent checked that but will do so.


Cool!

Basically the older unit (7200) whilst compatible with the hand-free profile was not compatible with exchanging the contacts with the iPhone. So far only my TomTom 910 seems to be able to exchange address book information with the iPhone.

As an alternative I then though I could sync my address book with my wife's Nokia, then exchange the address book information from her phone with the unit. This works great if it wasn't that the address book stored on the 7200 was only available to the phone it was sync with. So the moment you link another phone via the headset profile it won't be available.

Then the last resort was to type them in manually which is not a big deal as in the car I mainly make outgoing calls to the same people. But those daft people at Kenwood obviously don't have a lot of friends/colleaques as you can only enter 3 manually entered presets. Which is pretty useless.

The 8220 is supposed to be totally different and based upon Parrott technology, so I wondered whether;
a) Can it exchange phone book data with the iPhone
b) Is the address book shareable with multiple phones?
c) If having to enter is manually can you enter more than 3 numbers?

Much appreciated....
 
I checked the Iphone again today with the 8220 and yes all the contacts were exchanged with the unit. One profile the ADsomething was not connecting but the HDf profile connected . I dont think the address book is shareable with other phones as the minute you connect the second phone to the unit it automatically copies the contacts from that phone. I wonder if I disable auto syncing maybe then only one address book will remain, havent checked that but will do so.

Thanks, that will do the trick! Oh dear, might have to spend some more money now :smashin:
 
I tried two Nokia phones vizN95 8Gb and the Nokia 6500. In both these phones the 8220's SMS use in dimmed out and no SMS functions work.
I tried a friends Sony Ericcson and all the SMS functions worked on the 8220.
Can someone please advice. Just upgraded the Nokia N95's firmware and reset everything to factory settings and retried. Same problem. Do any of the 7200 users have problems with their Nokia phones, I guess the HF system there is different so that wont answer or solve my problem. Any suggestions anyone please.
 
OT, but has anyone got DIVX or any form of video working from a USB drive on the 8220BT?
 
Behind the radio in the crv's there is loads of space, also the heater pipes run back there. I have mounted the gps aerials on top of these before and they work fine. The only thing between them and the sky is the top of the dashboard and the windscreen, neither of which effect it.

As my 2003 CRV sat nav is starting to mis behave, could you enlighten me on the options available and what cables are there already?
I purchased a Honda - ISO lead from CPC which was recommended on ather thread but it would appear to cater for the audio side of things, as I assume there will be another lead for the aerial and one more cable, but unsure what for.

If is a simple swap, after removing the fascia and four retaining screws, then I would have a go, but not keen on cutting cables.
 
OT, but has anyone got DIVX or any form of video working from a USB drive on the 8220BT?

I have had limited success with movies files on USB stick. The system doesnt seem to be able to cope with the speed of the data transfer. Very jumpy, sound stuttering, video moving along a like 1 frame per second. Also, I could only get it to even attempt to play the files as long as only video files were found on the USB device. If I put songs on there too, it just plays the music and forgets about all the video/pic files.
 
I have had limited success with movies files on USB stick.

Movies from an ipod work fine. I know they are fed to the unit via a dedicated 3.5 jack and the audio likewise is via another one so maybe this makes the difference that the USB sticks on?
 
How are we all doing with our 8220's?

I still can't get any form of video working from a USB stick. Kenwood say that apparently unlike the 5220, there is only one mpeg video decoder in the 8220 and that is dedicated to the CD/DVD drive port, so it will never be possible.

I am interested in getting an iPhone though, but has anyone got the iPhone working with video/audio through the usb port like a video iPod? (ie not via bluetooth.)

I'm also waiting for a DVD/DIVX changer and a DAB Digital Radio Tuner to come out that has the new interface - Or indeed an adapter to convert this new interface to the old changer style, as I have a 9090DAB unit and a CD changer i'd like to connect.
 
Fitted a 5220BT into a CRV and the existing sat nav antenna (located centre front of the dash) had the same connections so I used that one with no problems at all. Appreciate this only works if you have the exec model with the rubbish Honda sat nav unit already.
 

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