Hey all! As I progress through the good times of audio researching one thing eluded me till now (as I assumed only the best)... What can one expect from SYNC once the factory radio is taken out and a custom deck is installed? I know that SYNC itself has its own hard drive/setup down by the USB plug in area if I have been reading correctly thus far on the forums. As an example I played around on crutchfield, the search options start out great catering to "do you have sync: yes/no" but then it just seems to evolve into DDIN style decks with no regard for SYNC. Here is a few I am pondering now w/ links:

Kenwood Excelon DNX6990HD
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113DNX6...D.html?tp=5684

Pioneer AVIC-X940BT
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130AVIC...T.html?tp=5684

Pioneer AVH-P8400BH
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1308400...H.html?tp=5684

Alpine IVE-W535HD
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500IVEW...D.html?tp=5684

I did notice w/ the Kenwoods that Crutchfield is offering "50% off" when you buy a KW receiver the iDatalink Maestro which maintains the Ford Sync interface w/ the aftermarket receiver:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_700ADSP...e.html?tp=3486

Honestly all of these can be bought on Amazon or Ebay half their listed pricing if not a tad over 50%. Wanted some fellow audiophile member inputs at this point.

Thanks in advance!

 

Hey Wrath,

I currently have a Kenwood DNX7180 that I was trying to install in my 2009 F150 Screw cab. I ordered the new bezel for the dash, the antenna adapter, and the PAC MS-FRD1 Radio Replacement Interface with SYNC Retention wiring harness adapter. I also bought an Axxess SWI kit to try to get everything to work. After three attempts to get it to work, I gave up. I did some research and found that the Kenwood DNX7190HD and the DNX6990HD units for 2012 will work with the iDataLink Maestro kit (supposedly flawlessly) and retain the SYNC system completely. Here is a link to check it out:

http://maestro.idatalink.com/

Also, check out this site:

http://www.liveconnecteddriveconnected.com/sync/

Lots of good information there. Looks like Kenwood worked with the company Ford and iDataLink to get this setup working right the first time. I'm still trying to let the newness settle in before I jump on it, but I think I will within the next year or so.

As for the discount from Crutchfield, the Kenwood head units are about $1000+ currently, and I did find a place locally that could get the Maestro unit for $250. Wait a year and the radio will be cheaper (or you can buy a newer model) and get the same benefits. The cheapest I found the DNX7190HD unit was $933 plus shipping. If you do buy from Crutchfield, read the small print...you buy the head unit (for $1200) and they sell you the Maestro unit for $195. If you have any experience with installing audio equipment, this can be done by a DIY'er. Shop around for best prices on all the parts.

Good luck and let me know how it works for you!!!

 

Thank you Griff for all of the input! Kenwood is easily winning me over and over more and more as the week goes on and I sit and read about them. I appreciate your insight.

 

I'm looking into this also. Am I to understand correctly that you can not use a satelite module with this setup because the Maestro uses the Satelite input to the head unit?

 

i think the problem is that the f150s had satellite built into the headunit. so there is no way to maestro to retain satellite.

 

Not only that, but i think the maestro connects to the kenwood via satellite input