Thumbs Up:

Armstrong features such as Bluetooth audio streaming, hands-free calling, DVD/multimedia playback, and GPS navigation. The secondary feature set includes ability to integrate MSN Direct, voice control, and automatic import of contacts.

Thumbs Down:

Long waiting time to index and create voice tags of iPhone/iPod data. Need additional equipments for iPod as well as for MSN Direct.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT is a portable GPS navigation device that also features multimedia/DVD player, audio/video playback, hands-free calling and Bluetooth audio streaming.

7-inch touch screen display sits on the front. It has 800×400 pixels resolution and 16:9 image aspect ratio.

It has 32 channel receiver and external antenna. The voice features include Voice command recognition, and Navigation instructions. Connectivity options are Bluetooth and USB.

The trip computer navigation feature set includes Street address search, Fast/short route, Avoid toll roads, Avoid highways, Avoid freeways, Avoid U-turns, and Avoid ferrys.

Razzle Dazzle:

Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT is 3.9 inches tall, 7 inches wide and 6.5 inches deep and weighs 5.3 lbs. Its dimension and weight is just double of a normal portable GPS navigation device.

Inside Dope:

Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT is one of the best car audio receivers as well as GPS navigation devices. Its stereo quality plays every whizbang, whistle and bells that are played back during a video or audio. In addition, it can integrate with your iPod and provides completely indexed voice commands. It has a conventional design with 7 inches touch-screen. The Z110BT has only one major drawback that you have to additionally purchase MSN Direct service with its ND-MDT10 Direct Tuner for getting real time fuel price and traffic information. It might be so for cutting down the cost.

7-inches touch-screen LCD display has 800×400 pixels resolution and 16:9 image aspect ratio. The illuminated ribbon located beneath the display consists of open/eject, forward and back, mode, home, volume up and down, voice command buttons from right to left. You change the illumination color of these buttons with eight default colors of customized RGB value or scan mode that fades the color spectrum.

Surprise – You can press the eject button that will reveal SD card slot as well as CD/DVD slot. In addition, touch-screen controls for closing faceplate, adjusting screen tilt, ejecting SD card and optical media will appear only when the unit is open.

The back panel of Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT has aux/USB inputs, FM/AM antenna input, external microphone, external GPS antenna, additional AV output/input, and standard wiring ports. You can use less used common external accessories at an included IP Bus input. However, you have to additionally purchase these external accessories including port for steering wheel control adapter, and power connection for MSN Direct ND-MD10 antenna.

The numerous functions of Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT can be divided into three major categories: GPS navigation, video/audio playback, hands-free calling.

Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT provides text-to-speech turn-by-turn directions that read out the street names loudly. The map will show the visual representation while taking a turn to major road. It also shows visuals of lane data for highways or major inter-state roads. You can add multiple waypoints and destinations for a trip. For adding customized POIs (points of interest) you have to use Pioneer AVIC Feeds software. The voice command function works very well for GPS navigation and allows it for address entry and POI search. You can pair the MSN Direct antenna to get real time incident, traffic, fuel price and local POI search.

You can pair the Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT with Bluetooth of the mobile handset for audio streaming and hands-free calling. It will download and index the address book of your phone. It will automatically create voice tags for each contact entry, which you can access via voice command system. You can initiate a call either through dialing at onscreen 10-keypad or by speaking the phone number.

Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT is capable to play Red Book audio and MP3 encoded audio discs, DivX or normal DVDs. It can also plays back audio files at SD card. In addition, you can play audio and video files from connected iPod/iPhone, USB storage devices and MP3 players via analog auxiliary and USB inputs. The Z110BT supports H.264, MP4, and WMV videos as well as AAC, WMA and MP3 audio formats. We do not like that it does not support iPod video playback onboard. However, you can additionally purchase CD-IU50V iPod cable that can be connected on aux and USB using 30-pin dock connector. This connection will provide fast data transfer rates and enable video playback from iPod.

The AVIC-Z110BT device will scan all the files at connected USB device, MP3 player, iPod or inserted SD card, and then it will crate metadata of voice tags. After completing the scan, you can use the voice tags to play song, album or artist by speaking its name. Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT recognizes every all voice commands and executes them. Its voice recognition feature is the best, simple and accurate like that of Microsoft and Ford sync system.

However, there is a weakness as well in Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT. It takes few seconds to few minutes to scan, index and create voice tags. This waiting time is more noticeable on connecting a 16GB iPod Touch than that on 2GB USB drive or SD card. While testing, it configured our iPod Touch in 30 minutes and took 8 minutes for 4GB SD card. We hope that the manufacture will release an update to fix this waiting time problem.

For audio playback, the Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT has several options including four EQ presets, two seven-band customized curves, and advanced settings for subwoofer control, virtual staging, and crossover filters. The two 22watt RMS per channel are good for most of the OEM speakers, whereas you can also use upgraded speakers. We like that rear channel could be bridged for creating 70-watt subwoofer channel.

You can tap the Home key to get home menu screen of three-icons. In addition, it will show user menu on tapping twice and display 15 quick shortcuts on holding up. You can press the customize button at user menu and then drag and drop available shortcuts from scrolling list at right side.

The installation of Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT may be trickier than simple portable GPS navigation device. You have to install external microphone near driver’s head and stay connected for using Bluetooth hands-free calling and voice commands. The standard speaker and power connections are also to be connected. You must tap the parking brake sensor for using video playback feature. Moreover, the reverse power light lead should be tapped also if you install any reverse camera. For getting turn-by-turn directions, magnetic GPS antenna should be mounted.

You must have to tap the speed pulse sensor that may require disassembly of instrument cluster and tapping inside speedometer wire. If you leave this portion, the GPS navigation will give errors. If you plan to buy MSN Direct antenna, then you have to plug in power harness to the Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT and wiring to FM antenna and tuner-in line.

Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT located our position within 5 minutes, but took some time to lock down satellite options. It also held down the moving positions of our car. In addition, the AVIC-Z110BT produced impressive audio quality.

Only Eclipse AVN726E will give tough competition to Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT in terms of all-in-one features of Bluetooth audio streaming, hands-free calling, multimedia and DVD playback, and GPS navigation. The Pioneer device only succeeds due to its easy-to-use interface.

Nitty Gritty:

The AVIC-Z110BT has all the features and their simple/quick access in one device which we need in our vehicles while driving. If you need an all-in-one portable GPS-cum-media player and can purchase additional MSN Direct service with its antenna, then you can buy new – Pioneer AVIC-Z110BT.

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