Long Name, Excellent GPS Solution - Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX First Impressions
Complaint: Previously looking for an in-dash head unit where I could have easy access to maps, camera functions, and audio.
Solution: Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX
For many years and through two Foretravels, my solution for GPS mapping has been a suction cup with a gooseneck to hold the iPhone. While effective, it was not optimal, especially clipping and unclipping the phone into the holder and Heaven forbid the suction cup fail and you end up with the whole setup on the floor next to your left foot while barreling down the Interstate at maximum Foretravel velocity. The gooseneck struggled to grasp the shaky iPhone which was never easy to reach or control while driving.
I have long been a fan of Alpine Electronics head units, and I was getting ready to pull the trigger on their Halo9 or Halo11 floating displays. For those unfamiliar, the floating display is a permanently fixed display in a single-din chassis that does not retract into the dash like many of the earlier OEM Foretravel head units. The benefit here is a screen size larger than the opening. My coach would have been built with the retractable display head unit, but the original owner opted for a cassette deck paired to a CD changer with the Silverleaf VMS 440 acting as the display for engine management and camera functions.
Instead of going the comfortable and familiar Alpine route to accomplish my goal, I did a little more digging and discovered the Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX. It had many features over the Alpine Halo series head units for roughly the same money. Both are available with very large displays; 10.1" in the case of the Pioneer. What won me over was the wireless Apple CarPlay and the ability to mount the display slightly to the right of the radio opening so I could still have a clear line of sight to the Silverleaf and access to the rocker switches under the head unit opening. Having the Pioneer mounted in this manner does slightly block a few fractions of an inch of the top of the driver's right dash vent, but it is only by a nearly non-noticeable amount.
Personally, I prefer mobile device maps as they are always up-to-date. I'm a Waze user so the CarPlay feature was a must for mapping, and not having to use a cable to get the benefits of the iPhone's features (or Android features if you are an Android user) was very attractive. The Pioneer has a higher resolution display than the Alpine and it also has the option for connecting via USB-C in addition to connecting wirelessly. I replaced one of the two 12V dash ports with a USB-C outlet connected behind the dash to the head unit to keep the iPhone juiced up. The charging times and data transfer rates with USB-C are superior to standard USB connections, which was another area where the Alpine was lacking.
Seth at Nacogdoches Motorhome Service installed the Pioneer during my last service visit. He connected the existing Total Vision camera and WOW!, what a difference! The camera output is a little grainy due to the high resolution display connected to a standard definition camera, but the huge size of the Pioneer display makes viewing much easier than the Silverleaf VMS 440. Maps (Waze, Google Maps, etc.) are a breeze to operate, and Seth connected the microphone to make voice commands available as well as hand-free calling, which is something I have never had in a coach before.
I have had lots of screen time out in the driveway setting up the DMH-WT8600NEX and familiarizing myself with it for our next adventure and I'm looking forward to road testing it soon. I would have already used it by now out in the real world, but with COVID subsiding, it seems every SOB owner under the sun is booking up our favorite nearby places we like visit, so we've been stuck at home. Luckily, we have some reservations coming up that we made last year and early this year so I'll get some real world experience soon enough! My final thoughts, for what it's worth, is that the Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX comes in highly recommended as an easily replaceable in-dash upgrade to many aging head units.
Q: Can it mirror the Silverleaf VMS 440?
A: Not that I am aware of. It does have an HDMI input for external sources but I believe you're going to have a hard time getting the VMS to "talk" to the Pioneer.
Q: What about side cameras?
A: There is a way to connect them but I did not connect mine since they are "cloudy" and almost useless anyway.
Q: Can you watch video going down the road?
A: You have a television three feet above it and I hope you're not watching it while driving either.
Q: Does the display dim with the headlights?
A: No, it must be dimmed manually for night driving.
Q: Does it have a physical volume knob?
A: No, buttons only for volume.
Q: How's the hands-free call quality?
A: Excellent from my driveway testing experiences. I don't image the experience to be diminished significantly going down the road. Foretravels are very quiet.
Q: What phone do I need?
A: Apple iPhone or Android phone. Jitterbug is not supported.
Q: Can I use GPS functions without a phone?
A: No, you must have your phone connected. The head unit does not have an on-board GPS processor.
Q: Does it have satellite radio?
A: Yes, but it can also play music from streaming services such as Pandora, Spotify, etc. or from your stored phone library. I'm canceling my Sirius/XM subscription.
Q: I just installed the Alpine in my coach. Why don't you like the Alpine Halo9 and Halo11?
A: It's not that I don't like them; they are both good units. I just perceived the Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX as a superior value given its specifications and functionality.
Q: Are you paid or sponsored or did you receive any free merchandise for your impressions?
A: Negative... not at all. I'm just a guy who loves Foretravels and could talk about them 24/7, but I'm stuck at home with nowhere to go until the kids are out of school. I like to help others by sharing knowledge to keep Foretravel owners from making avoidable mistakes.
Topic: Long Name, Excellent GPS Solution - Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX First Impressions (Read 1113 times)
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