STR, best model year, interior changes etc..
#22
12-31-2011, 06:01 AM
Veteran Member
#23
12-31-2011, 06:20 AM
Veteran Member
I believe you can fit the Parrot system to use the AUX-in of the ACM. That's what I WAS intending to do. But I've changed my mind now and am going with a portable bluetooth phone solution instead. Tagging onto the speakers is OK for the pne but not for audion.
But why did you spend the gobs of money for that now ancient Jag system or did you get it all for cheap?
I have as yet to hear of a credible story of a backup copy being made that works to upgrade another car's DVD Nav unless it's the upgrade DVD. I believe the that copying the original DVD that came with your car (which is what most of the DVDs on Ebay are) will NOT upgrade an earlier car.
I agree with you on the ACM being the only way to get good quality sound into the system.
The point with buying a car without the Nav unit is that you can simply change out the head unit and open up a whole new world of possibilities.
If I had one of those cars that's what I would be doing.
If you're worried about resale then you've already made a huge error buying an S-type. A lot of us own these now because they are such a great deal due to poor resale.
I think the bottom line for a newbie coming to the jag world after seeing much more technically sophisticated stuff elsewhere is that they're probably going to be frustrated and think how backward this all is. Basically, they're correct. But as many like you have pointed out there are are some decent work arounds for all of this but not for cheap money and it won't be simple.
Most likely he's going to end up with a Nav system.
But why did you spend the gobs of money for that now ancient Jag system or did you get it all for cheap?
I have as yet to hear of a credible story of a backup copy being made that works to upgrade another car's DVD Nav unless it's the upgrade DVD. I believe the that copying the original DVD that came with your car (which is what most of the DVDs on Ebay are) will NOT upgrade an earlier car.
I agree with you on the ACM being the only way to get good quality sound into the system.
The point with buying a car without the Nav unit is that you can simply change out the head unit and open up a whole new world of possibilities.
If I had one of those cars that's what I would be doing.
If you're worried about resale then you've already made a huge error buying an S-type. A lot of us own these now because they are such a great deal due to poor resale.
I think the bottom line for a newbie coming to the jag world after seeing much more technically sophisticated stuff elsewhere is that they're probably going to be frustrated and think how backward this all is. Basically, they're correct. But as many like you have pointed out there are are some decent work arounds for all of this but not for cheap money and it won't be simple.
Most likely he's going to end up with a Nav system.
The Nav is the same as in the X-Type & X350 XJ. I for one don't really have any issues with it. It works great for me.
Yes the originals aren't cheap, but many people have made backup copies of thier discs, which work fine.
I sure hope you meant to say "greatly limited but not completely horrible"
Again, the Premium Sound in the S-Type is basically the same as the X-Type. I recently retrofitted the OEM Premium Sound Amp, and put in all new speakers; Focal splits & Kicker subs. The sound is brilliant (for the money). You won't win any SPL competitions, but it's not bad at all. The factory speakers do leave much to be desired. But the factory amp is great for only 40W per channel (320W total). And you get full control over the sub level, and there's DSP, which is pretty cool. The integration into the factory touchscreen is very nice.
There is a V2.1 firmware for the ACM which unlocks the controls on the iPod, so that problem is bypassed. Yes the controls through the touchscreen & steering wheel are limited (it emulates the CD changer) but then you can select tracks on the iPod itself. No problem. The ACM is the only means of getting digital quality audio into the factory head unit.
I retrofitted the factory Bluetooth into my X-Type. Yes it was an expensive excercise, but that's because I was impatient & didn't wait for good deals on the parts secondhand. IMHO if you stick with the factory SatNav, then the OEM bluetooth is the way to go, because the phone button is always there on the dash. If you don't have the OEM kit, then pressing the phone button brings up the very frustrating message "NO PHONE, This system does not have a phone connected" and you can't get rid of it.
The Parrot's bypass the head-unit completely & go straight to the speakers. Very problematic for the premium setups. And IMHO if you use them for audio as well, defeat the purpose of even having a stereo in the car (they use a built in amp).
Neither does the non-nav OEM system.
As you can see from my sig, my car has the factory SatNav / Touchscreen, and I have retrofitted the OEM Bluetooth, ACM, and OEM Premium Sound. This is one way to go about it.
The other is to rip out the lot and put in an aftermarket double-din with all the fruit; Nav, Video, Bluetooth, etc. get yourself a couple of amps in the trunk, and new speakers.
Depends on if you want to keep the car "original" or not.
If i'm not mistaken, most STR's will already have factory nav & premium sound. If so, then I don't see the point of ripping it all out. If you find one without Nav, or with Nav but no Premium Sound, then the double-din is the way forward.
Retrofitting the OEM nav into a non-nav car is possible (complicated) but I for one don't really see the value in it.
Last thing to consider is re-sale. A car without built-in Nav (factory or aftermarket) should be easier to sell. Flip side of this is ones without should be easier to buy for a good price.
Yes the originals aren't cheap, but many people have made backup copies of thier discs, which work fine.
I sure hope you meant to say "greatly limited but not completely horrible"
Again, the Premium Sound in the S-Type is basically the same as the X-Type. I recently retrofitted the OEM Premium Sound Amp, and put in all new speakers; Focal splits & Kicker subs. The sound is brilliant (for the money). You won't win any SPL competitions, but it's not bad at all. The factory speakers do leave much to be desired. But the factory amp is great for only 40W per channel (320W total). And you get full control over the sub level, and there's DSP, which is pretty cool. The integration into the factory touchscreen is very nice.
There is a V2.1 firmware for the ACM which unlocks the controls on the iPod, so that problem is bypassed. Yes the controls through the touchscreen & steering wheel are limited (it emulates the CD changer) but then you can select tracks on the iPod itself. No problem. The ACM is the only means of getting digital quality audio into the factory head unit.
I retrofitted the factory Bluetooth into my X-Type. Yes it was an expensive excercise, but that's because I was impatient & didn't wait for good deals on the parts secondhand. IMHO if you stick with the factory SatNav, then the OEM bluetooth is the way to go, because the phone button is always there on the dash. If you don't have the OEM kit, then pressing the phone button brings up the very frustrating message "NO PHONE, This system does not have a phone connected" and you can't get rid of it.
The Parrot's bypass the head-unit completely & go straight to the speakers. Very problematic for the premium setups. And IMHO if you use them for audio as well, defeat the purpose of even having a stereo in the car (they use a built in amp).
Neither does the non-nav OEM system.
As you can see from my sig, my car has the factory SatNav / Touchscreen, and I have retrofitted the OEM Bluetooth, ACM, and OEM Premium Sound. This is one way to go about it.
The other is to rip out the lot and put in an aftermarket double-din with all the fruit; Nav, Video, Bluetooth, etc. get yourself a couple of amps in the trunk, and new speakers.
Depends on if you want to keep the car "original" or not.
If i'm not mistaken, most STR's will already have factory nav & premium sound. If so, then I don't see the point of ripping it all out. If you find one without Nav, or with Nav but no Premium Sound, then the double-din is the way forward.
Retrofitting the OEM nav into a non-nav car is possible (complicated) but I for one don't really see the value in it.
Last thing to consider is re-sale. A car without built-in Nav (factory or aftermarket) should be easier to sell. Flip side of this is ones without should be easier to buy for a good price.
#24
12-31-2011, 06:54 AM
I have as yet to hear of a credible story of a backup copy being made that works to upgrade another car's DVD Nav unless it's the upgrade DVD. I believe the that copying the original DVD that came with your car (which is what most of the DVDs on Ebay are) will NOT upgrade an earlier car.
I was naïve at the time & shelled out for the ACM without thinking too much about it. I'd only just bought the car. My wife wanted to plug in her iPod. Now we don't even use the iPod because all the music is on a USB stick, with voice tags. voice tags The price in the US of ~$230 isn't that bad really. I paid more because of where I live.
The phone install could have been done cheaper, but as I said I was impatient & didn't wait for the best price on 2nd hand parts. And I had decided to keep the factory nav because I prefer the look of the dash with it in, compared to aftermarket double-dins. I just don't like how they have to be installed so low down, and the climate control panel doesn't do anything for me either.
The Premium Sound retrofit didn't cost much in the end. You pay for speakers no matter which route you take, and that was the highest cost ($500). The amp cost me $150.
The install was a lot cheaper than a complete new install because I could re-use most of the factory wiring.
Also, doing all the work myself saved a lot of money, compared to getting it all done by a professional installer. And I learned a lot about these cars. In the end I get a great sense of pride and satisfaction, that I did it all myself.
Now regarding the look, I think this looks better than the aftermarket option. Personal preference of course.
And there's no clutter from extra equipment scattered all over the cabin.
#25
12-31-2011, 08:42 AM
Veteran Member
A bit off topic here. Hope it still helps the OP
Where did your 2010 DVD Nav disk originate from?
Sounds like an update since all of the models covered stopped being manufactured well before 2010.
I do appreciate and like the integrated nature of having it being all Jag it's just bloody expensive to do that now to a car with just Nav on it.
The ACM supports limited recording formats via USB but via AUX it's all up to the player. I decided on FLAC format so that what's in my house is the exact same thing that goes in my car. It's more compact than WAV but with no loss of quality like most of the other formats. That's why I got a nice Sansa player with 8BG. If you're happy with MP3 or don't mind the storage considerations for WAV then the USB fine.
Of course with my car for the ACM the USB has gone missing. I can't even find the darn ACM box. Bit it works as advertised?
Sounds like an update since all of the models covered stopped being manufactured well before 2010.
I do appreciate and like the integrated nature of having it being all Jag it's just bloody expensive to do that now to a car with just Nav on it.
The ACM supports limited recording formats via USB but via AUX it's all up to the player. I decided on FLAC format so that what's in my house is the exact same thing that goes in my car. It's more compact than WAV but with no loss of quality like most of the other formats. That's why I got a nice Sansa player with 8BG. If you're happy with MP3 or don't mind the storage considerations for WAV then the USB fine.
Of course with my car for the ACM the USB has gone missing. I can't even find the darn ACM box. Bit it works as advertised?
#26
12-31-2011, 09:02 AM
Compatible file formats
The Audio Connectivity Module can play
most of the popular file formats:
• AAC (up to 320 kbit/s).
• MP3 (up to 320 kbit/s).
• MP3 Variable Bit Rate (up to 320 kbit/s).
• WAV - Uncompressed files.
• OGG (up to 320 kbit/s).
• WMA - except DRM protected files (up to 320 kbit/s).
The Audio Connectivity Module can play
most of the popular file formats:
• AAC (up to 320 kbit/s).
• MP3 (up to 320 kbit/s).
• MP3 Variable Bit Rate (up to 320 kbit/s).
• WAV - Uncompressed files.
• OGG (up to 320 kbit/s).
• WMA - except DRM protected files (up to 320 kbit/s).
So i'm actually using MP3 at 320kbit/s, yes you can tell the difference compared to original CD's (which would be ~1200kbps) but only when you really crank it up. Uncompressed WAV would be the best option for quality, but as you say the files are huge.
Originally Posted by Staatsof
I do appreciate and like the integrated nature of having it being all Jag it's just bloody expensive to do that now to a car with just Nav on it.
#27
12-31-2011, 09:03 AM
Veteran Member
#28
12-31-2011, 09:30 AM
Veteran Member
#29
12-31-2011, 09:36 AM
I thought the video said it all?
I don’t remember who thought of this first, I’m not going to take credit for it.
Using an online text-to-voice website, e.g. VozMe, you can record short mp3’s which read out the Artist and Album name. Simply give this mp3 file a name so it is alphabetically at the start of the album, and when you select that album, it will read out the artist/name to you.
It’s brilliant!
I don’t remember who thought of this first, I’m not going to take credit for it.
Using an online text-to-voice website, e.g. VozMe, you can record short mp3’s which read out the Artist and Album name. Simply give this mp3 file a name so it is alphabetically at the start of the album, and when you select that album, it will read out the artist/name to you.
It’s brilliant!
#30
12-31-2011, 09:37 AM
Veteran Member
FWIW, I fitted a Parrot MKI9200 to the daughter's 03 S-Type, no-nav, non-premium audio. Then the wife happened along with the purchase of her 2005 S-type, also no-nav, non-premium sound, but factory-fitted with Jag's bluetooth system. Mother always said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.." so ends my discussion of Jag's factory-fitted BT module.
But let me say more about the Parrot! Love that thing....I'm no audiophile, (2500 hrs flying helo's has dulled the hearing in certain freq's) but the 19 yr. old daughter has no complaints as to sound quality, nor the 18 yr old son - as we just fitted another to the F150 for him over Christmas. To my (somewhat damaged) ears, the audio over the Parrot sounds better than that from either head unit (the Jag or the Ford). Haven't compared amp-specs between the Parrot and either head unit, but suspect the Parrot amp is equal/greater than either in pwr output. Outgoing voice over phone is superior coming from the 03 vs. the 05 as well.
True, you are not "getting audio into the head unit" but rather to the speakers, which is the true point of consumption... to each his own - but personally, I have little use for a head unit anymore...all my entertainment and nav and display/video comes from the phone. Perhaps those still stuck with the devil's alliance of AT&T and Apple still need/use headunits...I wouldn't know.....
(forgot to mention, the 18 yr old is a budding guitarist of sorts, and though I don't care for the sound coming from a vehicle once he's fiddled with it, I thought it worthy of mention the sound-quality passes-muster with the young-muscian set as well as the old-man-talk-radio bunch)
But let me say more about the Parrot! Love that thing....I'm no audiophile, (2500 hrs flying helo's has dulled the hearing in certain freq's) but the 19 yr. old daughter has no complaints as to sound quality, nor the 18 yr old son - as we just fitted another to the F150 for him over Christmas. To my (somewhat damaged) ears, the audio over the Parrot sounds better than that from either head unit (the Jag or the Ford). Haven't compared amp-specs between the Parrot and either head unit, but suspect the Parrot amp is equal/greater than either in pwr output. Outgoing voice over phone is superior coming from the 03 vs. the 05 as well.
True, you are not "getting audio into the head unit" but rather to the speakers, which is the true point of consumption... to each his own - but personally, I have little use for a head unit anymore...all my entertainment and nav and display/video comes from the phone. Perhaps those still stuck with the devil's alliance of AT&T and Apple still need/use headunits...I wouldn't know.....
(forgot to mention, the 18 yr old is a budding guitarist of sorts, and though I don't care for the sound coming from a vehicle once he's fiddled with it, I thought it worthy of mention the sound-quality passes-muster with the young-muscian set as well as the old-man-talk-radio bunch)
Last edited by aholbro1; 12-31-2011 at 09:41 AM.
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Staatsof (12-31-2011)
#31
12-31-2011, 01:50 PM
Veteran Member
I know but you leave out one piece of information when you mention this. If the DVD was an "update" version then I understand. That's what that DVD was intended to do, upgrade the firmware and provide a new set of maps. Any DVD for 2009=>2001 is going to be an update version since these cars were no longer made by then. But earlier ones could be an original issue that came with a 2008 or earlier car. Those are the ones that may be causing the "bricking" problem as they don't incorporate the firmware updater. Those are also the ones you see for sale on eBay the most. That's way it looks over here.
#32
12-31-2011, 05:29 PM
Veteran Member
I know but you leave out one piece of information when you mention this. If the DVD was an "update" version then I understand. That's what that DVD was intended to do, upgrade the firmware and provide a new set of maps. Any DVD for 2009=>2001 is going to be an update version since these cars were no longer made by then. But earlier ones could be an original issue that came with a 2008 or earlier car. Those are the ones that may be causing the "bricking" problem as they don't incorporate the firmware updater. Those are also the ones you see for sale on eBay the most. That's way it looks over here.
#33
12-31-2011, 08:06 PM
I have an 06 STR with Blue Tooth and that works fine with my Droid3. The phone book navigation isn't great but it works. Great improvement over trying to use a handset and drive!
I need to get an ACM so I can use my Sansa or iPod with it. Interesting to read the comments about upgrading the NAV. I'm wary of upgrades if they fail.
I'd be interested in the design of the whole system so I could better understand it.
I need to get an ACM so I can use my Sansa or iPod with it. Interesting to read the comments about upgrading the NAV. I'm wary of upgrades if they fail.
I'd be interested in the design of the whole system so I could better understand it.
#34
12-31-2011, 10:20 PM
Veteran Member
1X43-10E898-BJ is 2009-2010 update disc. I don't know the part number for the 2011-2012 version that's out now.
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Bacardi 151 (01-01-2012)
#35
01-01-2012, 09:51 AM
Veteran Member
Also, do you put this in once, it updates and then you remove it or does it need to remain in the dvd player?
#36
01-01-2012, 03:11 PM
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#37
01-01-2012, 03:13 PM
Veteran Member
I know but you leave out one piece of information when you mention this. If the DVD was an "update" version then I understand. That's what that DVD was intended to do, upgrade the firmware and provide a new set of maps. Any DVD for 2009=>2001 is going to be an update version since these cars were no longer made by then. But earlier ones could be an original issue that came with a 2008 or earlier car. Those are the ones that may be causing the "bricking" problem as they don't incorporate the firmware updater. Those are also the ones you see for sale on eBay the most. That's way it looks over here.
However, the bricking problem is well known and all the posts I've seen it has occurred when someone did not even have an update to try. It just happens, I guess a glitch of some kind. It's readily fixed at least most of the time as the posts on here say.
Last edited by JagV8; 01-01-2012 at 03:15 PM.
#38
01-01-2012, 03:21 PM
Veteran Member
I think I already know the answer, but I take it the average dealer will not generally update it as a curiosity?
#39
01-01-2012, 04:24 PM
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#40
01-01-2012, 08:44 PM
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