Dynavin Installed

[NextGen]

You really have to do your homework before purchasing one of these. They are not on the same level as a Pioneer, Kenwood, or Alpine. I have decided not to use the iPod feature because the unit does not resume on the last song when you turn the car off. I am using an sdcard instead. The unit will resume the song from the sdcard. The sdcard interface is not well executed and leaves a lot to be desired visually. I figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal since I am usually on the navigation screen. But then I found out that I can't forward to the next song unless I am on the sdcard screen. Another annoying limitation is that settings like random and repeat reset when you turn the car off. So I have to press them everytime if I want them on.

Yet another annoying limitation is that when I put my trunk in reverse and the camera screen turns on, then the sound turns off. This same limitation is there when streaming music from my iphone. If I navigate away from the bluetooth screen then the sounds turns off. So, I can't use navigation and stream Pandora or ESPN radio at the same time.

At the end of the day the Dynavin feels like a rushed job. Many features don't work the way you expect them to. Some screens have a different look and feel than others, so it looks like different applications instead of a single integrated one. Most of the problems can be fixed in a firmware upgrade but Dynavin is a little slow putting those out.

[sedate_driver]

Great writeup. Please keep us informed.

[Sundayjumper]

Originally Posted by NextGen

Most of the problems can be fixed in a firmware upgrade...

I'm sure they can be fixed, but I'm guessing they won't. The price point is very sensitive and is already borderline on the X5 so the extra R&D to get it working right will be very hard to recoup. How many people want to pay £500 for a radio to put in their £5000 car ? Not many so far. How many will pay £800, or £1000 ? Even fewer.

FWIW here's my story - I bought my X5 in Jan and it had a Dynavin already fitted. I lasted a week of driving it before I took it out and refitted the stock 4:3 screen and tuner. The Dynavin just sucked in so many ways I couldn't stand it. The only good thing was the nav, that worked well, but 99% of my driving I already know where I'm going so don't need it and it didn't integrate with the other functions anyway. Things like the RDS and iPod functions simply didn't work. It stops the OBC working properly and doesn't connect to the stock CD changer.

If someone had built the Dynavin in their shed as a DIY project I'd be impressed. As a supposedly retail-ready product it's a long way short of being acceptable IMO.