Anyone have a Pioneer Nex, Idatalink Maestro RR with Rear Seat Entertainment (Controls not working)?

[Jagsta]

I just bought and installed a W4400NEX Pioneer receiver, using the Idatalink Maestro RR and GM5+ & AVGM5 harnesses. My issue is the rear seat entertainment system does not go dual zone and the controls won't change the rear source only like they did with the factory radio. I called Idatalink and their head engineer is saying that functionality only works with Kenwood and that Pioneer won't give them access to the code to control and separate the front and rear source.

I've never heard anyone complain so I am wondering if this is true. Does anyone here have a Pioneer NEX model that works properly with the rear seat entertainment, meaning when the rear seat entertainment panel is on and you press the "SRC" button on the rear console it only changes the rear source and not the main. Also, does the audio for the headphone jacks stay the same as the main source or switch with the rear source?

This is really disappointing if true. have been waiting a long time to get a Carplay radio and now I might have to return it for a Kenwood.

This is on my 2007 Yukon XL Denali.

 

[13yukon]

I did a lot of research on the idatalink and ended at the same conclusion. If I wanted full functionality I would have to purchase a Kenwood

 

[Doubeleive]

I ran the demo and got the manual for my specific 2012 Yukon xl denali and a pioneer wnex-8400 and it say's it will do these functions, I did call ads when I was gathering things to prepare for my upgrade from the nex-8200 and asked about the back of the pioneer not having a specific port on the back like the kenwoods and they said the aux input jack would be taken over by the idata so there would be no option to plug in a video game system, etc but that's all they said regarding functionality. they just said they have been asking pioneer for a dedicated port but nothing about rsa not working.

 

[Doubeleive]

I just bought and installed a W4400NEX Pioneer receiver, using the Idatalink Maestro RR and GM5+ & AVGM5 harnesses. My issue is the rear seat entertainment system does not go dual zone and the controls won't change the rear source only like they did with the factory radio. I called Idatalink and their head engineer is saying that functionality only works with Kenwood and that Pioneer won't give them access to the code to control and separate the front and rear source.

I've never heard anyone complain so I am wondering if this is true. Does anyone here have a Pioneer NEX model that works properly with the rear seat entertainment, meaning when the rear seat entertainment panel is on and you press the "SRC" button on the rear console it only changes the rear source and not the main. Also, does the audio for the headphone jacks stay the same as the main source or switch with the rear source?

This is really disappointing if true. have been waiting a long time to get a Carplay radio and now I might have to return it for a Kenwood.

This is on my 2007 Yukon XL Denali.

did you go into the maestro settings and turn on rsa?

 

[Meccanoble]

Interesting, I have Pioneer with PAC setup and definitely have dual zone technology. There was an extra harness I had to buy but if the rear can show something, I dont understand why the dual zone wouldnt work as its an option on the main HU. I never heard anyone have any limitations with Maestro, in fact, it was always considered the better option since you can view things engine related.

 

[Jagsta]

I got it all setup - hats of to Idatalink they are very responsive and knowledgeable. Pioneer just won't work with them to fix the rear seat entertainment controls (and some other items that could improve the pairing of the two), so the controls only work to change the main source of the head unit and not the rear independently. Also, the headphone jacks on the back of the of the rear console only output the sound that the front is set to, so if you have the rear playing say a DVD the jacks will still be outputting whatever the front source, thus defeating the purpose of the jacks. After I raised issue, Idatalink is updating their documentation to be accurate regarding the rear entertainment system control functionality.

HOWEVER, the Maestro does work really well otherwise - and rear zone video does work (with rear audio via another connection method). I actually overcame all of this by running an aux out flush mounted in the rear of the center console interior. The aux is hooked up to the rear zone output of the Pioneer, then I have a an aux splitter 1 to 5 outlet running into that and I hooked up a Bluetooth transmitter that can pair to two Bluetooth headphones at the same time. So theoretically I can could have up to 10 Bluetooth headphones connected if I wanted to add more transmitters. This solves, and actually improves, my rear zone audio issue as my kiddos prefer their Bluetooth headsets to the crappy infrared ones that came with the vehicle (and volume can be control on the Bluetooth headphone itself).

You can tell Pioneer is the long pole in the problem tent, as there is a functional parking sensor distance screen that works with the factory sensors. But Pioneer won't allow Idatalink to combine the screens on the same screen so it can't be used overlaid on the same screen when in reverse if using the factory rear camera, but apparently it can with Kenwood stereos. It's a shame because the Pioneer is a fantastic radio otherwise!

 

[Meccanoble]

Yea, I just realized since having this setup, I have never actually used dual zone besides for testing. I never tested those rear jacks but definitely will try in the near future and update this thread on my findings with PAC. My audio guru strongly recommends kenwood over pioneer HU's but price point/sales made me run to pioneer. I do have the reverse problem you mentioned too. The distance color lines show up but they dont work right with camera. Its like they are just there.

If I knew I didnt really need dual zone like that, I would have tried an ipad or something special, just needed the main source to mirror to a second screen.

 

[Smrtss1]

Damn. Of course I find all of this out the week after I got a Pioneer 7200nex and all the idatalink gear.

Got any tips for installing?

 

[Doubeleive]

Damn. Of course I find all of this out the week after I got a Pioneer 7200nex and all the idatalink gear.

Got any tips for installing?

I recently put in the wnex-8400 with the maestro rr and it does mirror video to the back while playing the radio or whatever up front, the only catch is the rear controls on the rear console do not control that function which like the tech said you probably don't want your kids pressing a bunch of buttons back there anyway (mine are still young) and I agree, I was under the impression it wasn't going to separate them at all but it does.

 

[ELEVEN17]

Do the steering wheel controls and factory mic work with the pioneer 4400nex? Curious about this before I pick one up.