Pioneer AVIC-N2 In-Dash DVD Multimedia AV Navigation Receiver Read more... External iPod adapter ready (optional accessory required) High quality audio system with MOSFET50 (50 watts x 4 amplifier), three pre-amp outputs and three band parametric equalizer A state-of-the art audio/video entertainment system provides full dual zone capabilities XM NavTraffic, a subscription service of XM Satellite Radio powered by NAVTEQ Traffic, provides the Pioneer 6.5 Motorized Touch screen
Practically Perfect! I recently moved to the northeast and decided that I would pay a little more for this system with the hope that it would do at least half of the things that it said it would.And I was very pleased as it does everything it is supposed to.I didn't install my system but it didn't take long for it to get done and now it is perched next to me as my ticket anywhere.So far I have had flawless directions to places in Providence RI a city filled with confusing one way streets Boston New York and all points in between.I no longer am afraid to take the plunge and find a new restaurant or whatever because I just get the address and my little friend tells me where to go.I have never had a problem with the screen or working the unit or anything. I don't think that I could ever get lost again.Yes this is much more than many GPS systems BUT I truly believe that you will be happy with your decision if you decide to fork over the extra dough.
Good Unit if you know the limitations For all those that complain about not being able to watch dvds or put in an address while driving you can with a trick. Type solder avic n2 in google and you'll figure it out. Keep in mind they did this because it is illegal in the U.S. to watch dvds while driving.Pioneer does not update this map that often so if you are a realtor and need house addresses updated a lot STAY AWAY! When you registor the product pioneer will send you the updated software free.Yes you do need the DVD software in the unit to route to a destination. If you want to listen to music other than the radio it is best to either get XM Sirius or hook up an MP3 player if you have an ipod you can control it through the touch screen. If you do not like this part about it either buy the Pioneer Avic D1 or the type with a hard drive cost a lot more ~$4000+ for the Avic Z1 coming out summer '06.Pioneer will release the Avic N3 early summer '06 the only difference is the GUI for XM and IPOD functions and placement of the physical buttons. If you can live with that difference you can save at least $300 bucks by buying the N2.
Nearly perfect all in one solution Well after reading all the reviews I could find I decided to take the leap and pay the extra $ for this leading edge unit. Nothing is perfect but this unit comes very very close to fulfilling all of its promise.After having saved a good amount of $ on my new SUV I decided to have the best allinone entertainment and navigation solution I could find.I purchased the Pioneer AVICN2 based on quite a review of existing products. My needs Satelite Radio reliable navigation integration with backup camera DVD entertainment and support for IPod.I think several of the other reviews are so negative simply because people had not done their homework and had expectations which were unatainable.In any case this unit delivers everything I needed though I could wish for better IPod integration not same experience as Apple's interface. DVD entertainment can be enjoyed by everyone behind the driver and copilot. Given that it's illegal in most states to have a DVD visible to the driver it's simply foolish to expect first row viewing. I can listen to XM or IPod and utilize a very well integrated traffic / navigation solution. I believe one of the other viewers complained about incessant messages being displayed on the Navigation screen. That's because they didn't have the unit setup correctly with the traffic option. Assuming that you are going to use the navigation to its best capabilty you have to make use of the traffic subscription $4 addition to the standard XM subscription. This is well worth the money let me tell you. The backup camera displays when in reverse or in a slightly smaller screen in 'fulltime' mode.Overall I'm very happy and am not disappointed one bit with my choice. If you need an allinone solution then consider the Pioneer AVICN2 as a top contender. This unit delivers everything Pioneer says it can.
XM Radio INterface is unusable The AVICN2 is an excellent radio and GPS tracking system but the price that they charge for the XM interface you would at least expect to get the functionality of a standalone $49 XM radio. There is no channel guide no channel description no channel groupings. If you do not already know he channel numbers the unit is unusable. They have since come out with the N3 which fixes the issue but they have no plans to help the thoudands of people that paid lots of money for the N2.
Giant Waste Of Money! Save your money. I invested over 2K to purchase and have this unit installed. After about a year the screen would go blank but the lights on the face plate would flash. It would come back on after a minute or 2 but I would usually have to take the disc out or do something else. I figured Id call Pioneer and see what theyd say. They told me Id have to ship the unit to Ohio problem is its an in dash system that cost me $500 to install! Not to mention they said it will cost $200 to fix unless they find its their fault. I would stay away from their stereo products. Way overpriced and unreliable.
Very good unit I love this unit. Its awesome in every way possible. the navigation is super the quality of the dvd player is good and is sounds good for cd play. I still have to figure out the sounds curves but it a real good unit.
Stop and Save your money I waited a while before submitting a review to give this unit a good try. I already had a portable unit Garmin but wanted an indash unit for my other car. At the time this unit was twice as much as the Garmin but it also played dvds. I was very disappointed once I got this unit which cost twice as much as the portable and more than most of the other units of the market. The biggest disappointment was that he does not guide you a fraction as well as any of the portable units on the market. The Garmin will take you right to the door of the address you put in. This unit if it can find the address gets you there and says you have arrived But where which side of the street which building etc.
Horrific user interface For a unit with a 250+ page user's manual you would expect something that is both sophisticated and ultimately USER FRIENDLY! This is neither the worse part is that it literally makes driving UNSAFE by forcing people to pull over put that car in park put the parking brake on just to access the navigation system!!! Very unsafe!!! Moronic 'solution' if this is done to respect some federal law I am not aware of it doesn't change a thing. It DOES make driving UNSAFE.ALso if you want to play a DVD while you are driving you can't! It will not play the VIDEO unless you are parked with the parking brake on! So if you take trips as I do with your wife or whomever in the passenger seat the passenger will not be able to do anything as far as accessing navigation or playing movies.I wasted over a $1000.
Could have been fantastic This unit could have been fantastic if not for one issue. Almost all the navigation fuctions cannot be used while the vehicle is moving over 10 miles an hour. What good is having all this power and information at your fingertips and not be able to use it when you need it. If you are going down the highway and you want the unit to find a restaurant or an address you have to pull over and stop to enter it into the unit. This is just plan wrong and there are many other units on the market that will let you imput information without stoping the car. I can understand not allowing DVD's to be viewed while driving but restricting the ability to imput address into the unit while in motion is just plain stupid. I highly recommend you do not buy this unit as you will be very disappointed.
97% of the way there! This is my first built in GPS unit. I have used Delorme and Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 on a laptop for years. I took the plunge and purchased the AVICN2 for my new 2006 Pathfinder.First let me say that having a built in GPS is so much better than getting the laptop out. However there are a few things that I was REALLY surprised that the AVICN2 does not do.First off I was surprised that I had to keep the MAP DVD in the unit to get detailed updates. While the unit does have the ability to read your route into memory if you change the route or want to search you have to reinsert the MAP DVD. With the cost of hard drives I'm not sure why the DVD is not read into the unit and stored.Next the selection of the route or the addition of waypoints by touching the screen is not as easy as it looks and there are errors in the data that I would love to see Pioneer open a way to allow users to update the maps and post that information back to the website for future releases ie roads that you can actually turn on and yet require you to go in the opposite direction for a half a mile only to make a U turn.Outside of the GPS I was REALLY disappointed that the Radio function does not scroll the station name artist and song title that most new radio's do. I see that in the XM function that you can repeatedly press the PGM button to get this information on XM but would love to see it scroll automatically and that same function available in FM. I also don't understand why in the N2 that XM radio stations are not LISTED and that when you save one to your preferences that the button does not change to the channel number and remains P1 P2 P3 where as the AM/FM radio buttons change to display the station name.Last as far as playing a DVD in the unit while driving. While I do not like NOT having this ability I do understand it's distraction and yet would like to see in the future that all FUNCTIONS be enabled as you can have a passenger perform these functions while driving.Is it worth the cost well not when you consider that a laptop program only costs 100.00 but at the same time it sure is nice having this built into the vehicle.
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