Avin Navigation System......anyone?

[hunds02]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Fingers crossed for you. I skipped Avin and was going to go Dynavin until the Avant 2 came out, which is why I changed my mind. Kit Kat is great if you are used to an android phone.

Tommy's service is definitely top notch. I'm sure if you end up wanting the Avant 2 he will help you out somehow.

To the above saying the Avant will work with DSP... it was my understanding the only one that would do so is the Dynavin. Or maybe that was a typo by hunds02? Neither the 1 or 2 versions of the Avant work with DSP... or at least that has been my understanding.

I love my Avant 2 every time I drive the truck... hope you have the same experience with the Avant 1.

Crystalworks you are correct, the avant units won't work out of the box for dsp system. what I was trying to get at was that after extensive modification you may get it to work.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by m5james

Off topic, but after being a 16yr customer, Sprint cancelled my service w/o question, a second chance, etc because I was tethering as well. I rooted my phone as was running Trev E mod with a nice little WiFi widget, was doing it basically every evening for a better part of two years...then one day I got a letter. They said I was roaming and had gone over 500 min, but I blew it off. It wasn't until they cancelled me that they bundle roaming/tethering into the same thing. Took me about 3 weeks and changing my number before things were back to normal. I can get on my soapbox all day long about having an unlimited plan and yet they feel they can demand $30 extra a month for using the internet I already pay for (it's not like sharing it to other devices makes my signal any faster, uses more, etc) but just a heads-up...don't go over 500min a month and if you get the warning letter, don't ignore it like I did.

Back to the topic

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I was pissed when I found out they wanted $30 extra. This is the first time I have rooted my phone and it was for this one purpose. I want to switch to T-Mobile for better service (signal wise) but they make you purchase the phones at full retail and roll payments into the bill. At least Sprint gives you a hefty break on the phones (with 2 yr contract). Been a customer for over a decade as well...

I don't think I'll have a problem though since I only drive the X5 2-3 times a week and don't tether every time. What did you mean 500 mins? Should that be 500mb or something? I'll check my Sprint usage and see if I have any roaming minutes on there.

[Joshdub]

M5james, it sucks that they got you. There was actually a huge deal with Verizon not that long ago about teathering, data usage, and terminating accounts (as well as limiting apps but those are irrelevant in this case). Turns out Verizon could not limit your usage in anyway provided you pay for X amount of data a month unless you are on the unlimited plan. This is because of the wording in Verisons contract for the airwaves(right word?) they lease. Sucks for unlimited users, but they are a minority any more. I am sure that would also apply to Sprint since they share Verizon's network.

I recently switched from Verizon to AT&T. They also roll your phone cost into your plan. I was shocked that financing a phone was even thing, they just used to be discounted or free with a 2yr contract. But I buy my phones outright anyway and not from the service providers. I usually go through Google, Amazonwireless, or the manufacturer.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

But I buy my phones outright anyway and not from the service providers. I usually go through Google, Amazonwireless, or the manufacturer.

Can you elaborate on how that works Josh? I'd like to do that with T-mobile because they are the same price as Sprint for unlimited with our 2 lines and much better 4G service. Sprint sucks much of the time.

Is there a list of supported phones per carrier or something? I did ask the T-mobile rep about buying a new or used phone from another source and they said it was possible with a few exceptions.

LOL let's see how far off topic we can get this thread... though I guess tethering discussions pertain to the Avant... kind of.

[Joshdub]

Let me start by saying there are exceptions to everything, but this is a very basic run down. Some of my info may be out of date as the cellphone game is evolving rapidly. Verizon and Sprint run off of the CMDA network, AT&T and T-mobile run off of the GSM network. Because of this you typically have two versions of the same phone, CMDA or GSM. Typically the phones can be switched between sister services (AT&T-Tmobile, or Verizon-Sprint), but not across different networks. So if you switch to T-Mobile from Sprint, you will most likely need a new (to you at least) GSM phone. I believe most phones you buy form the network provider are locked to that provider. For example, an Iphone bought at the AT&T store is locked to the AT&T service, but can be unlocked at request to move over to T-Mobile or continued use at AT&T. An Unlocked GSM Iphone purchased online from retailers, or maybe the Apple store, can be used on either, and switched on the fly by swapping SIM cards. CDMA, Verizon and Sprint, are beginning to work similar to their GSM competitors. Recently Verizon has moved to SIM cards, allowing quick and easy swapping of phones. I think Sprint is as well or is not far behind. Some phones also are both GSM and CDMA capable, but I do not know how common those are yet.

But lets stick to GSM as you are looking at T-Mobile. Having an "unlocked" phone will give you more freedom to switch between GSM providers. Here is just an example of non-contract unlocked GSM phones.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=lp_24077...nid=4039087011

Typically any phone you buy from the manufacturer is unlocked. Here is Google's offering straight from the horses mouth.

https://play.google.com/store/device...us_6_blue_32gb

And this is what I use.

https://oneplus.net/


You can buy used phones, but you do need to make sure that;
1) They aren't stolen
2) They are unlocked (as usually the original owner has to unlocked the phone prior to selling to cut down on thefts)
3) They are on the network you wish to use (GSM or CDMA)

You can insure your unlocked-elsewhere purchased-phone through the carrier like in the past, but warranty claims are done through where you purchased or the manufacturer just like your other electronic devices. Sprint has taken to attempting to repair the phones in house rather than sending them back to the manufacturer, so it may be better in the long run anyway. Hope this has helped some.

[crystalworks]

Great information. Thanks a bunch Josh. We are out of contract already after our last phone purchases (LG Optimus G) and won't get new ones through Sprint in case we want to switch to T-mobile and buy outright. They offer LG phones as well (we prefer those).

[Joshdub]

Glad to help. Yeah there are a ton of LG offerings. I hear the G3 is all the rage right now but haven't played with one yet myself.

[m5james]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I was pissed when I found out they wanted $30 extra. This is the first time I have rooted my phone and it was for this one purpose. I want to switch to T-Mobile for better service (signal wise) but they make you purchase the phones at full retail and roll payments into the bill. At least Sprint gives you a hefty break on the phones (with 2 yr contract). Been a customer for over a decade as well...

I don't think I'll have a problem though since I only drive the X5 2-3 times a week and don't tether every time. What did you mean 500 mins? Should that be 500mb or something? I'll check my Sprint usage and see if I have any roaming minutes on there.

I honestly don't remember the exact verbage she said just because I was still caught up on the whole thing of how they were saying I was roaming for over 500 min...I was like "I'm NOT roaming at all, let alone that much, but even if I was, that sounds like a network issue for you to address" but then after getting passed around to mutiple operators, even in different countries, someone clarified that it was due to tethering. They send the letter, if it doesn't stop after X date, they shut off...no questions asked. I tested them and found out the hardway.

[m5james]

Originally Posted by Joshdub

M5james, it sucks that they got you. There was actually a huge deal with Verizon not that long ago about teathering, data usage, and terminating accounts (as well as limiting apps but those are irrelevant in this case). Turns out Verizon could not limit your usage in anyway provided you pay for X amount of data a month unless you are on the unlimited plan. This is because of the wording in Verisons contract for the airwaves(right word?) they lease. Sucks for unlimited users, but they are a minority any more. I am sure that would also apply to Sprint since they share Verizon's network.

I recently switched from Verizon to AT&T. They also roll your phone cost into your plan. I was shocked that financing a phone was even thing, they just used to be discounted or free with a 2yr contract. But I buy my phones outright anyway and not from the service providers. I usually go through Google, Amazonwireless, or the manufacturer.

Yeah, I'm by no means a Sprint fanboy...I signed up with them after the military, I DEFINITELY had my growing pains with them (dropped a call to 911 after a car accident one time, been charged $3000+ for a billing misunderstanding that they took out on autopay, etc) but I've stuck with them for the simple fact of my signal for the most part has been good but ultimately I NEED unlimited data because I stream music at work for upwards of 12hrs a day, the drive home is bluetooth paired to my stereo (my X5 and Harley F150 have Erisin car stereos that are Android based), running Waze, watching online movies while on roadtrips, etc etc so I'm a heavy user. I get a 25% Boeing discount, so for what I pay a month, there's no real comparison.

[latenightflyby]

The photo may not be as nice as most on this site but for the first time since buying my x5 the radio works. I bought the German audio solution crossover and 5.1 amp only thing left factory is the speaker wires and speakers.