THE TECH

iTrader: (154)

You can get the 300v cable and use it with all the ipods, but it won't do anything different unless you have the video ipod.

daverx7

iTrader: (2)

That's good news as most of the time it will have the click wheel iPod, but there are times where I might use my iPod Video... I had a feeling that would be the case, so I rolled the dice and got the 300v.

Big thanks!

-Dave

azula

iTrader: (12)

yea, i'ma need the 300v as well, thanks for the answers, i'm sure i'll have more....lol.

DavesZ#3

iTrader: (26)

Okay, I went to the Kenwood site and downloaded the manual for this puppy (DNX7100). I wanted to check out the features and capabilities, especially the Navigation system. The online manual has a whopping one page of info on the Nav. It tells you how to change modes to the Nav screen and that's it.

Anybody know the model # of the navigation system or something I can use to find a download for the operation manual for the nav part of the DNX7100?

vfranchetti

The dnx7100 comes with a seperate garmin nav manual. its about 1 and a half inches thick! Not got round to reading it yet tho!

DavesZ#3

iTrader: (26)

Does that Garmin manual have a model # associated with it. I'm thinking I can download something from their site.

Spike100

I believe that Kenwood KNA-G510 components are built into the Kenwood DNX-7100. This link should take you to the instruction manual for operating the navigation part, which is basically the same for both units.

http://inform2.kenwoodusa.com/manuals/KNAG510.PDF

The reference manual looks big, but that's because it is supplied in multiple languages.

--Spike

DavesZ#3

iTrader: (26)

Thanks Spike, I figured it had to be the same as one of their standalone units.

daverx7

iTrader: (2)

Will the USB hub need to be self powered or does the head unit provide enough juice to supply power to multiple USB devices, along providing a 60GB iPod Video?

If I need a self-powered USB hub, any suggestions on which one to get? I was thinking any USB that can have a AC/DC connection will do the trick, but would have to find a way to make sure I get the right amount of power to it.

I finally got all the parts in, so I will be doing the install this week, and if I can do the USB hub thing right out of the gate, that would be great!

Thanks,

-Dave

edchoy02

I've been comparing the 7100 Nav memory usage against other nav unites, i.e. Pioneer Z2. It looks like the 7100 uses 2Gb as opposed to the Z2 which uses 20Gb. Does anyone know why the big difference? Is it functionality? Quality? Is it Points of Interest (7100- 5 mil vs Z2 12 mil)? I worry that the 7100 Nav is not a good one.

THE TECH

iTrader: (154)

You should have zero issues with the Garmin nav in the 7100. It works identical to their standalone units.

Spike100

I can tell without any reservations what-so-ever that the Kenwood DNX-7100, the Kenwood KNA-G510, and the Garmin GVN 52 (all are basically the same navigation unit) store as much data (NAVTEQ maps and POI's) as you will ever need (and much more). I promise.

And, The Kenwood (OEM Garmin) units all use an SD slot (instead of a DVD player or HD used by some other manufacturers). Of course, a SD ( a ROM-based device with no moving parts) is considerably faster and more reliable than a DVD player or HD.

--Spike

edchoy02

Thanks. I think I will go with the 7100

DavesZ#3

iTrader: (26)

Is that how the data is updated, i.e. new maps, etc.

daverx7

iTrader: (2)

Quick Question:
How is the Ext.Amp.Cont (EXT. CONT-Pink/Black) used with the DNX-7100? ...Assuming Power Control Wire (P. CONT-Blue/White) is used to turn on the amps when the head unit is on....

Thanks,

-Dave

daverx7

iTrader: (2)

I decided to give Wicked C.A.S. a call, and was told that this wire is only used for Kenwood amps. So... this will be just taped up.

Thanks!

-Dave

EricTX

How do you update the SD and where do you get the equipment to hook it up to the internet?

Spike100

Yes. There is a download area on Garmin's website. This is the link:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/blosp.jsp

You can scroll through the update list here. Currently there are updates for the Garmin GVN 52 and the Kenwood KNA-G510 (newest ones are January2007). It's been 3 or 4 months since I did this, but as I remember you follow these steps:

1) Select your device from the list and download the update to your computer's HD.

2) Connect a SD reader (an inexpensive USB device) to your computer, insert a SD card into the reader, and copy the update file to a SD card.

3) Remove the SD card from the SD reader, and insert the SD card into the SD slot of the Kenwood or Garmin GPS in your car.

The update happens automatically, and you see its progress on your navigation screen. When the update is complete, your navigation screen tells you to remove the SD card.

It's that easy. It took me less than 10 minutes to do the entire process.

The January 2007 update contains a NAVTEQ map update (new streets in new subdivisions in several cities) and new application software (most significantly is sharper text on the maps).

--Spike

Spike100

Eric, I think my response to Dave (above) answers your question. Here is some additional information (the laundry list of whatyou need to update Garmin OEM devices):

1) An internet connection (which you obviously already have since you are posting here )

2) SanDisk reader This is a $50 device that uses a USB connector to attach to your home computer. Most (but not all) SanDisk readers come with 4 different sized slots. Kenwood and Garmin use the slot labelled "SD." The other slots (if they are there) are labelled "CF," "CM," and "MS." You don't use these slots with Garmin or Kenwood GPS devices.

3) SD card This is a tiny card. If you have a digital camera, you may already have a SD card. Although the ROM (Read Only Memory) chip in the Kenwood and Garmin GPS devices is 2 GB, the updates are much smaller than this. A 1 GB SD card is plenty to do an update.

When you download an update from Garmin's website, the download includes step-by-step instructions (which are easy to follow). Basically you download the update and its instructions using the link I posted in my above response to Dave. The download is sent to the HD on your home computer. Then you connect your SanDisk reader to your computer, insert an SD disk into the SanDisk reader, copy the file to the SD disk, insert the SD disk into the SD slot of your Kenwood/Garmin GPS device, and the disk automatically updates the ROM chip in your GPS.

I believe the software update feature you get with Kenwood (and Garmin which is the OEM supplier for Kenwood) provides significant advantages:

1) Co$t The update on my Garmin GVN 52 (same as the Kenwood KNA-G510 and Kenwood DNX-7100 GPS) was free. That is not the case when updating Pioneer, Eclipse, and other DVD based GPS devices. Maunfacturers of DVD based GPS devices sell the updates for a fee.

2) Timeline Updating maps and application software using a website is instantaneous (ok... maybe 10 minutes at the most), and you do this on line. Updating DVD based GPS devices requires ordering a new DVD and waiting for physical delivery of a disk. That is slowww.

And something else to consider. Which arrangement sounds better?

1) A totally digital GPS device (with no moving parts) that has its maps and application software loaded on a ROM chip where they are always instantly available. Example is Kenwood GPS devices.

2) A mechanical device (i.e., DVD player or HD) with lots of moving parts requiring disk reads to load pertinent data and application software into RAM. Yes, once the data and application software is read from disk and placed into RAM, performance is good. But the disadvantage is the initial read from the disk and the time it takes doing this. Examples are Pioneer and Eclipse.

--Spike

qtn2x

A lot of people have written reviews on the Kenwood DNX7100 and have given many pros and cons. I'm surprised that no one has ever mentioned anything about the speed the unit lists mp3s files off of a DVD or CD media. I personally own this unit and love everything about the unit, except for one thing, which I think is a dumb design. Going through a list of songs on a CD/DVD media is very painful and slow especially when you have more than 50 songs in a folder. Keep in mind that I only filled up 1/5 the capacity of the DVD media. When you press "FOLD" to tell the unit to display a list of folders and songs, the unit would display the first 5 songs (songs 1-5) on the screen (which is perfectly fine), and if you want to see the next 5 songs (songs 6-10) you would have to press the scroll down (downward triangular shape) button, BUT here's the catch. Instead of displaying the next 5 songs instantly all at once (like all other units I've tested), it displays ONE by ONE and the lag time between each is about 0.2 to 1 sec. In other words, it would display song 6..lag..song 7...lag...8...9...10 etc. Imagine you have to go through a list of 100 songs or more, it could be frustrating. What frustrated me the most is that a big name like Kenwood would design a bad feature like this, a very frequently used feature to those who listens to mp3s off of a burned media. I know there're ways around of not having to use this feature, like breaking down the list of songs into folders, use ipods, or usb drive (list of songs is much faster, btw), but I still want to be able to quickly navigate through a list of songs on a burned media since this is what I use a lot, and I'm sure other people too. I had to make sure this is not a faulty unit therefore I called up Kenwood and crutchfield and they confirmed that this is the nature of the unit. I still didn't believe that because I still gave Kenwood the benefit of a doubt. So, I went to an electronic store called Audiotronics to test out the DNX7100 display unit they had there and only to find out that it did the same thing. I put the same mp3 disc into other displayed units (such as Alpine, Pioneer, even Jensen) at Audiotronics and I was able to navigate through the list of songs quicly and easily, and I was wondering to myself..why not Kenwood? I still love this unit as a whole, especially the navigation and usb read, therefore I'm going to keep it and will play most mp3s off of an ipod or a usb drive instead. I know I might be a little too picky and some people might find this to be normal, but to me being able to navigate through a list of songs on a media quickly is important, especially when u fill up the DVD+/-R with 4gb worth of mp3s.