Does anyone have this JVC head unit?

It's the JVC KW-XR810. I don't know much about JVC but this one seems good from looking around

 

I have had it in the truck now for about 5 days. What would you like to know? There are so many features that to just try to blab at length would take writing a novelette.

I have only come across one annoying quirk: If you set the song title info to "scroll"...you can't read it worth a darn while its scrolling. So it is pointless to scroll title/info and then you sometimes can't read the full title. [edit]You have the option to set the display to colored text on black (+) or black text on colored background (-). When set to "-", the scrolling text is clearly legible.

In general, I like it. I have a Pioneer double din P8000BT in my car and was thinking about getting the same thing for the truck. There are a couple things I like about the JVC over the Pioneer but I'm happy with them both.

 

Does the Bluetooth work well with your phone? And does the head unit work well with an iPod?

 

My call clarity seems fine. I haven't used it a whole lot since putting in and not at all since getting the mic into position. Even with the mic just resting on the steering column, my wife told me she could hear me very well. On my last phone call, I learned that the "earpiece volume" on my handset controlled the ouput volume for the bluetooth system so make sure your's is turned up. Phone call volume on the head unit is set independently of the music volume. [edit] There is one level of echo/noise cancellation and 3 mic sensitivity levels. I have the mic on 3 (max) and the nc/ec off. I think the mic sensitivity (my output) is not as good as the Pioneer's. I have it set on the steering column and that may be just too far.

Pairing my phone was VERY easy. I have a pretty basic motorola flip phone with BT. When I get in the vehicle, the phone automatically connects with the head unit (assuming the head unit is on) and the phone's signal strength and battery power show on the JVC's display. You have the choice if you want your phone to ring during an incoming call or if you want the JVC to ring...or both. Nice.

Ipod interface is superb. Better than the Pioneer P8000BT in my VW. The Pioneer tried to incorporate a central button/click wheel to mirror Ipod functionality but the JVC's interface is much easier to navigate in my opinion.

You get to the iPod menu by pressing the MENU button which will always bring you to the "music" menu (e.g. playlists, artists, albums, genre, etc.) so it's easy to get to your song vault. Rotate the big knob to highlight which sub-menu you want then press it to select. I really like the separate "back" button. You'll learn to appreciate this dedicated button.

Advancing songs during playback is done with the left/right arrows at the bottom left of the HU.

You can delete just about any "source" from the source list. Since I never listen to AM radio, I was able to remove it so that when stepping thru the available sources, I just have CD - IPOD - FM. Of course, if no CD is inserted...it skips that, too.

I had no problem getting the color to match the truck's orange dashlights and you can set a different color/brightness for night driving. You can set the "night" theme to either come on with the headlights or at a preset time. You can also select if you want the unit to flash blue during an incoming call and if you want the whole unit to switch to white when you access the MENU. Very customizable display.

 

awesome, and did you use the scosche mount? does it fit well in your mount, and does the mount replace the stock mount very well?

 

Metra...textured black. Uses metal mounts and looks great. Rock solid. Need to get pics up.

 

Well I might just get it then, thanks for responding

 

One more note: Many of the reviews I've read on crutchfield and Amazon say that the unit is "like" having a 9-band equalizer. This is bullshit. You get bass, mid, and treble. But for each of those, you can adjust the center frequency and Q (width around the center freq).

My setup, like the one in my VW, uses the head unit to run the main spkrs with RCAs going to a separate amp and single sealed sub...10". This works quite well for the majority of people out there who aren't rapper wannabes or competition installers BUT ONLY if your HU has a high-pass filter....and the JVC does. It starts at 62hz (too low for most 6.5" coax's) and then 95hz. I set mine to 95hz. On my Pioneer, I had the option to set the HPF at 80 which I think is better.

For those not audio savvy: using a HPF to keep low freq's from going to your door speakers lets them put out a generally clearer reproduction of the music and allows you to run them louder before they start to break up and distort. Of course, you need a powered subwoofer to pick up what the mains aren't.

I also found that buying and using the wiring adapter made the installation so much easier. I had never used one before always twisting and soldering the wires directly off the HU leads. I was able to do all the connections at the kitchen table...then just plugged it in at the dash. Yes I used the stock spkr wires...this time.

 

We have that in our '01 Camry, its really nice.