Stereo base 4.3" head unit upgrade: Ideas? Plans?***

[Tweezy7]

I am waiting for the March release of the Pioneer AVIC-8001NEX. It is supposed be fully ANdroid compatible AND have data access to car functions that were supposed to come with the 2014 AVIC-8000, but did not. This does require an iData Maestro kit, but is supposed to give access to Sync, steering wheel controls, tire pressure and other 'car' data.

I sure hope that Metra, Scosche or other aftermarket bezel kit makers are able to create a solution that lets us keep our control knobs.

I won't have my car until March 23ish, so I can't see directly what the center stack looks like real closely (just pics).

Zack, do you think there is room for a big box just smaller than it's 7" diag. screen to slide into the space 'right' above the knobs and going maybe 6" back?

Even with open center stack pics (from ecosnake), I am confused what would/could be deleted with a new 7" touchscreen installation (like an 8001). When I spoke with a tech at Scosche, they said they have to figure out how to incorporate an adapter that included climate controls. So that implies that the 7" screen would be in the area where the Vol & Tune knobs are as well as the climate controls below that. Does the 4.3" display need to stay? If so what would it do differently than stock??

The last picture is of the OEM MyTouch 7" screen. "IT" gets to be in place of the 4.3" screen. Why wouldn't an aftermarket unit go in the same place? I know I am missing something here. :headbonk:

Wait am I reading this post right??
The pictures it looks like a 300A swap to a 401A touch screen ?
Is this possible... or am I just looking at the pictures too much and over analyzing

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[SSLByron]

Wait am I reading this post right??
The pictures it looks like a 300A swap to a 401A touch screen ?
Is this possible... or am I just looking at the pictures too much and over analyzing

The last photo is from a different car altogether. No swap.

 

[davekro]

Wait am I reading this post right??
The pictures it looks like a 300A swap to a 401A touch screen ?
Is this possible... or am I just looking at the pictures too much and over analyzing

As mentioned in my post that last picture is just for reference to show the non Base stereo head unit. So yes, the last picture is a whole different car with the 7 inch touch screen.

 

[Gmacguyver]

I actually just installed an 8000NEX with a maestro set up in a 14 f150 the had a base sync system last week. The advantage in doing the maestro was to keep the sync system, steering wheel controls and factory aux/usb. You do get extra stuff like TPMS monitoring, selectable gauge display, reading check engine lights, door monitoring etc... , but you will need to install the 2nd mic that it comes with for the voice activation on carplay and android auto. Since the bluetooth is connected through sync, it is a little redundant to use sync with carplay or android auto because most of the phone features are through sync, not the stereo, carplay or android auto itself.

 

[Gmacguyver]

Does anyone have any pics of the backside of a/c controls and dash bezel? That may give some ideas of how they may design an aftermarket dash kit. For most new cars I've installed in the aftermarket dash kit is just bezel and the climate controls with other switches simply get swapped from the factory bezel to the aftermarket or the aftermarket kit is a fully integrated kit with it own A/C controls which can get expensive.

 

[davekro]

Does anyone have any pics of the backside of a/c controls and dash bezel? That may give some ideas of how they may design an aftermarket dash kit. For most new cars I've installed in the aftermarket dash kit is just bezel and the climate controls with other switches simply get swapped from the factory bezel to the aftermarket or the aftermarket kit is a fully integrated kit with it own A/C controls which can get expensive.

If you mean pictures of behind the AC control in a Mustang with a base 4.3 inch screen head unit, see post number 16. There are pictures of the dash pulled apart.

I don't even know if you're F 150 is anywhere near similar to the Mustang stack, but could you post before and after pictures of your F150 pioneer install? with your 8000 NEX did car data features actually work for you? They are listed as features but on Amazon a number of people in reviews were saying they did not work and were not expected to work until the new 8001 NEX comes out sometime this month. Plus the 8001 NEX is supposed to be fully Android compatible as well., which I need.

with the overlap of the two systems for phone use, can you expand on that a bit.? Do you choose one over the other or does 1 get used by default? How are you liking the system all together? I am very interested in the dual camera feature. Were you able to hook up your OEM back up camera to the 8000 NEX's RCA camera input? I'd love to Hook my OEM backup camera to screen one and use the second camera screen on the 8001 NEX for a front curb camera. Do you have plans to use the second camera screen?

 

[Gmacguyver]

If you mean pictures of behind the AC control in a Mustang with a base 4.3 inch screen head unit, see post number 16. There are pictures of the dash pulled apart.

I don't even know if you're F 150 is anywhere near similar to the Mustang stack, but could you post before and after pictures of your F150 pioneer install? with your 8000 NEX did car data features actually work for you? They are listed as features but on Amazon a number of people in reviews were saying they did not work and were not expected to work until the new 8001 NEX comes out sometime this month. Plus the 8001 NEX is supposed to be fully Android compatible as well., which I need.

with the overlap of the two systems for phone use, can you expand on that a bit.? Do you choose one over the other or does 1 get used by default? How are you liking the system all together? I am very interested in the dual camera feature. Were you able to hook up your OEM back up camera to the 8000 NEX's RCA camera input? I'd love to Hook my OEM backup camera to screen one and use the second camera screen on the 8001 NEX for a front curb camera. Do you have plans to use the second camera screen?

The pics I've been trying to find are the backside of the faceplate and a/c bezel that has been taken off. It will have the a/c controls, push to start button, drive modes etc. All the pics I've seen have been the cavity opening or the front of the faceplate.

The f150 stack is nothing like the mustangs and unfortunately it was a customers car so I didn't take any pics. I install car audio/video/security professionally. The 8000nex has carplay for iphone and I honestly could not get the extra features to work either. The customer is bringing the truck back so I can contact I-datalink and get the specifics on what actually works. I'm only assuming but I believe the extra features will only work on the my ford touch systems. If I cant get the extra features to work then I would say the maestro setup is worthless.

The new 8100nex will have Android auto for android devices which is what your talking about and carplay for iphone​. One thing that could be of concern to you is I believe Android Auto will only work with phones running Lollipop 5.0 so I'd check that out if you haven't yet. Android Auto is basically the sync system but your phone interface instead. So its gonna be much more intuitive and have its own voice activation, but I still needed to install the NEX's aftermarket mic in order to get it to work. Thats the reason why it was redundant to me. The maestro system was mainly used to keep the sync system and it cost about $240 parts/labor. It did also keep the steering wheel controls and factory usb/aux, but you can get a steering control mod added for $100-$140 as well as use the NEX's usb/aux and run them into the center console or integrate into the factory spots.

Sync will be the default system for Bluetooth phone and streaming which then communicates to the maestro, then the maestro communicates to the stereo making it lil tricky and laggy when dialing from the stereo itself. I also did not see a connection for the backup cam on the maestro but since all Mustangs now come with a backup cam, they probably will make a harness for it that comes in the aftermarket kit. And yes the NEX does have a 1 backup cam input and an A/V input that can be programmed to a 2nd backup cam input

 

[davekro]

The pics I've been trying to find are the backside of the faceplate and a/c bezel that has been taken off. It will have the a/c controls, push to start button, drive modes etc. All the pics I've seen have been the cavity opening or the front of the faceplate.

The f150 stack is nothing like the mustangs and unfortunately it was a customers car so I didn't take any pics. I install car audio/video/security professionally. The 8000nex has carplay for iphone and I honestly could not get the extra features to work either. The customer is bringing the truck back so I can contact I-datalink and get the specifics on what actually works. I'm only assuming but I believe the extra features will only work on the my ford touch systems. If I cant get the extra features to work then I would say the maestro setup is worthless.

The new 8100nex will have Android auto for android devices which is what your talking about and carplay for iphone​. One thing that could be of concern to you is I believe Android Auto will only work with phones running Lollipop 5.0 so I'd check that out if you haven't yet. Android Auto is basically the sync system but your phone interface instead. So its gonna be much more intuitive and have its own voice activation, but I still needed to install the NEX's aftermarket mic in order to get it to work. Thats the reason why it was redundant to me. The maestro system was mainly used to keep the sync system and it cost about $240 parts/labor. It did also keep the steering wheel controls and factory usb/aux, but you can get a steering control mod added for $100-$140 as well as use the NEX's usb/aux and run them into the center console or integrate into the factory spots.

Sync will be the default system for Bluetooth phone and streaming which then communicates to the maestro, then the maestro communicates to the stereo making it lil tricky and laggy when dialing from the stereo itself. I also did not see a connection for the backup cam on the maestro but since all Mustangs now come with a backup cam, they probably will make a harness for it that comes in the aftermarket kit. And yes the NEX does have a 1 backup cam input and an A/V input that can be programmed to a 2nd backup cam input

Gmacguyver,
Big thanks for the details you have provided. I never would have thought about what Android version the new 8100nex would support, so thanks. It seems AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S5 won't get Lollipo 5.0 until (hopefully) later this month. My wife's older Lg G3 got it in Feb. So I should be good on that front.

Now my big concern is if the 8100nex could (or be made to) work with the base 4.3" non MyFordTouch system that my car came with. Any ideas on how I might check into this?

Have you heard any more specific info, other than 'March', for the 8100nex to be available?

It would be great to hear back when you see your first 8100nex and Maestro on their connections/features etc.

Thanks for the very helpful info!!!

 

[Gmacguyver]

Gmacguyver,
Big thanks for the details you have provided. I never would have thought about what Android version the new 8100nex would support, so thanks. It seems AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S5 won't get Lollipo 5.0 until (hopefully) later this month. My wife's older Lg G3 got it in Feb. So I should be good on that front.

Now my big concern is if the 8100nex could (or be made to) work with the base 4.3" non MyFordTouch system that my car came with. Any ideas on how I might check into this?

Have you heard any more specific info, other than 'March', for the 8100nex to be available?

It would be great to hear back when you see your first 8100nex and Maestro on their connections/features etc.

Thanks for the very helpful info!!!

This car is to popular for Metra, Scosche, and I-Datalink not to make integration pieces for it. We just gotta give them some time unfortunately. I read responses by you and Zackmd1 and what you guys have been saying is basically dead on. If radio control circuit board is not apart of the a/c controls or lower buttons, the aftermarket kit will be inexpensive and straight foward. If its is, then the aftermarket kit may have things relocated with its own circuit board making the kit pricey. I wish we had so pics of that back side of the bezel to get a better idea.

All the info I've been hearing on the release date is mid-late March. It's baby brother 4100NEX is already out so the 8100NEX will be out soon.

And your very welcome on the advice, I haven't bought my car yet so all I'm doing is a bunch of research. I'm picking up base Ecoboost PP in the summer so if you got any advice for me I'd appreciate it as well

 

[E.jaba]

Had you seen any free connector from the car that could be of the driving modes?

 

[BULL1TT]

Here is the back of the radio faceplate. I did not remove the plastic cover that is over the circuitry however.

 

[Gmacguyver]

Super appreciate it, thats exactly what we were looking for. By looking at it, it seems the radio controls, A/C controls, push start, and epas modes are all on the same circuit board. Which means the aftermarket dash kit is going to be an probably a $200+ dash kit that has its own reproduced or relocated buttons and circuit board. The only way I see it being cheaper is if underneath the plastic cover the circuit boards are separate. Zackmd1's solution of custom modding the dash is possibly the only other solution.

 

[BULL1TT]

I started to take the plastic circuit board cover off but never got around to doing it. The car is back together now, sorry.

 

[davekro]

I am in visioning something close to stock with the climate controls. I think it would be nice if they added the toggles on the bottom like the premium. I am almost certain that they would remove the volume knob and tuning knob though.

My biggest problem with an aftermarket center stack is reliability. Unlike the 11-14 generation the 15 has to include the push button start. If you read some reviews on the aftermarket bezels for the 14 some have had issues with controls stop functioning. I for one would not like to get into my car and not be able to start it because the push button start does not work.

.


EDIT: Any other brave souls, ;o)


Any chance you can pull the cover on the PC board for the Vol/Tune and A/C controls to see if: 1) there are two separate PC brds 2) One PC brd but with no traces/circuits crossing between upper and lower sections of the PC brd 3) [dreaming] If no to #1, but yes to #2, is there a perforation between upper and lower circuits making it easy to cut the two apart?
4) is the push button start totally separate from the above PC brd or part of it (ie Zackmd1's concern).
.
.

Well remember a circuit board is just a collection of electrical circuits connected by "wire" if you will. Depending on how the control board is designed it might be possible to modify the stock center stack to accept a 2 din unit. If the electronics are partitioned like the buttons then it should theoretically be possible to cut the control board just above the volume/tuner knobs. From here all you would need to do is make a mount for your 2 din unit to slide into. The mount could screw into where the stock 4.3 display is mounted.

Like I said before, if the control board is partitioned nicely then everything south of your cut line should function as usual. The buttons work as resistors... Every button has a different resistance value that the computer reads as a specific command. The only real power going through this board is used to drive the backlighting. So cutting the board shouldn't be much of an issue at all.

I would buy a replacement board from Ford parts and then attempt to modify one. You can plug it in and test out its functionality before proceeding and if it doesn't work you still have a fully functional board to replace it with.

Super appreciate it, thats exactly what we were looking for. By looking at it, it seems the radio controls, A/C controls, push start, and epas modes are all on the same circuit board. Which means the aftermarket dash kit is going to be an probably a $200+ dash kit that has its own reproduced or relocated buttons and circuit board. The only way I see it being cheaper is if underneath the plastic cover the circuit boards are separate. Zackmd1's solution of custom modding the dash is possibly the only other solution.

.
Gmcguyver,
is there an aftermarket bezel company with a better reputation with including circuits and buttons?
.

 

[davekro]

I started to take the plastic circuit board cover off but never got around to doing it. The car is back together now, sorry.

Bull1tt,
No worries. But can you describe the process of removing the center stack? How much trouble time did it take? Thanks

A request to the next brave soul who pulls out his center stack... Can you tack more picks, especially with the PC board cover removed? If so, please take cose ups of the PC brd showing the circuits as best possible.
Tks

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