Well, the Pioneer AVIC-D3 is installed, complete with integrated Sirius Satellite Radio module and iPod module for the new iPod "Touch" that the wife got me for Christmas.

I haven't been able to play with it too much yet, but so far I like it. It's a real clean look in the F150 and the touchscreen functions operate pretty smoothly. I'll use the Navigation some next week and get a feel for it.

I've been trying to upload some backgrounds that I Photochopped, but it's acting real finicky. I'm doing everything correct, as far as I know, but getting "Data Read Error" when trying to upload a CD-R of image files. A couple of the files on the disk got read, so I was able to install one. (Anybody got any tips?)

Pictures aren't that great, but for your viewing pleasure:

 

that is a nice clean fit. did the dash trim kit come with it or if not what brand did you use?

 

Very nice! The Pioneers can be a little picky about the CDs. I have an N3 and haven't done it in a while but here's what I remember caught me up:

1) You need to have at least 100MB of data on the disc (must be data, if there are audio files it will not work - I used a large zip file)
2) Make sure the pictures are in .jpg format, and in a folder titled "BG", which can contain up to, but no more than, 20 picture files.
3) The pictures you use cannot be larger than 2048x1536 in size
4) Progressive format JPEGs cannot be used

These are the "rules" i always followed with my N3, both units use the same software so these should work for you!

Let us know how it goes!

 

The surround did not come with it...has to be picked up seperately...they're fairly cheap. Don't quote me on this, because I can't quite remember, but I think it's a Metra brand. I know my wiring harness was a Metra, but I'm thinking that the surround was too.

 

Well, I've been messing with this and ran through about 10 CD-Rs trying to figure it out.

I think...not 100% positive...but I think it has to do with the way Photoshop was saving my JPGs. You can't use a Progressive Scan format, which I wasn't really thinking about, and I noticed by chance that the only backgrounds the D3 were reading on the disk were ones I had stolen from AVIC-411 and just right clicked "save as" to my hard drive. Anything that I made from scratch in Photoshop wasn't showing up. SO, I noticed that when saving things I made from scratch it was automatically selecting the Progressive Scan format. Selecting standard JPG instead of Progressive Scan seems to make it work. I'm not a graphic designer by a long shot, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

SO, now I can rock stuff like this as my background...if I wanted to...

 

That looks awesome! How easy was the install? I'm wanting to start my sound system mods soon, but have never installed a stereo before. I also don't know much about wiring so anything much more than plug and play is beyond me. I see pictures of theses systems with all the wires sticking out the back and it really gets me intimidated. :o

 

it is very easy....yes there is a bunch of wires, but for the most part you take the new radio harness and just color match the wires to the aftermarket harness(they are vehicle specific and are like $20)...plug the aftermarket harness into the ford harness and you are good to go...almost all of the wiring can be done inside your house, there will be a couple wires that need to be done in the vehicle....yes there are extra wires for nav systems but they are all easy to find and easy to tap into.

once you see how easy everything is you will never ever pay those crappy install shops to put an aftermarket head unit in for you.

 

Thanks for the info. I just watched a video of how to install on aftermarket stereo over on Crutchfield's website and they make it look just exactly as you described, very easy. I'm just trying to decide which system to really get and I think once I do I'm going to do the install myself.

Thanks again.

 

That is a nice looking install....the trim looks especially nice....this makes you want one more after seeing the clean install

 

Where did you get the radio and the kit?

thanks

 

I just got the d3 also, I love this thing!! Best head unit imo for the money.

 

I got it at:
The Street Source
1088 East New Circle Rd.
Lexington, KY 40505

 

For the install kit I used Metra part # 99-5807 and I got it at Circuit City. It fits 2004-2007 F150's.
Wiring kit was Scosche FD23 (Wally world has them).

 

Nice clean install
Well done
iPod integration is what I miss with my factory navigation unit

 

looks real nice