skyguy50's Full Review: Kenwood KNA-G510 Car GPS Receiver
Just installed Kenwood KNA-G510. In my Acura NSX.
I researched many units before deciding on the KNA-G510. There were issues with others in the critical "Nav" phase. Lost sats, bad directions, etc. Garmin got it right.
Oh I forgot to mention that this Kenwood is the first hard wired unit to use the Garmin technology. It even has "Garmin" on the anttenna. The Garmin sister unit is the Garmin 31. I don't believe it has the ability to use a touch screen whereas the Kenwood KNA-G510 does. Overall I am very pleased with this unit despite the fact there are not many reviews. I only found two others at Crutchfields.
Crutchfield user review:
Great maps and visuals, useless sound
Written by Oblivity, Orlando, FL on August 4, 2006
This unit works great with the DDX-7017 head unit. Maps are vivid; the interface is simple and robust. I would give it a 5 star rating except one fairly major flaw. The volume of the voice prompts are extreamly low and at this time, according to Kenwood technical support, there is no fix. Apparently they are aware of the issue and are possibly going to make an update or will fix it in the next model. I found their response to be very poor. So basicially I can't use the voice prompts that tell you when to turn because it is a whisper and just annoying. Just have to keep an eye on the map every now and then which I guess defeats the safety function of the voice prompts.
Pros: Simple install; good reception; accurate maps; easy interface; vivid graphics
Cons: Extreamly poor audio volume making audio practically useless unless windows are up and no other audio is playing.
Rating:
5 out of 5
Highly Recommended, Waiting for a few more bells and whistles
Written by Lawrence, South Florida on April 21, 2006
I own a Kenwood DDX8017 and patiently waited for the release of the unit. I was not disappointed and neither will you. Installation was a breeze, but understanding the interface to the head unit was by luck. On the Kenwood there is a Source SRC button allowing the user to select one or more functions (Tuner, DVD, AUX, Standby,Sirius etc). Upon hooking up the unit the Navagation Touch screen item is black, not allowing one to select Navagation. Navagation manual is complete, the interface to the head unit and its operation are missing since the head unit was manufactured before the new Garwin Nav system.
I called Crutchfield Tech support and we both figured the Nav unit was defective. WRONG ! by pure luck, I started driving and was greeted by a sexy voice. After discovering that I did not have a new passenger (rats), It was the Navagation unit asking setup questions.
Bottom line. The Navagation unit is always available on-line at all times. It can be brought up with the F-Function key or V-SEL depending on what you are listening to or watching. You can have the Navagation in the background and the Tuner in the foreground (for example). I really like having the 3D map running at all times while I listen to my favorite MP3's. Plenty of user controlled options on this unit. I would like to see a Sirius traffic interface available (Anyone know if Sirius traffic alerts are any good?) If your sitting on the fence get this unit. It plugs into its own NAV input so you do not have to Daisy Chain from the Exteral Satellite, Changer, or IPOD. Since the pass through from the Sirius to IPOD has issues.
End of Crutchfield user reviews.
*I have reviewed many others in this respect and found reviews that are not very user friendly/problems.
To see actual pix of screen interface see:
http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=74166
Bottom line. If you want the latest GPS Garmin based technology then the Kenwood KNA-G510 merits a closer look.
The good:
-Easy hookup. No vss, (speed wire) required. Uses 12 sats for speed display. Very acurate in this regard.
-Small unit. can be hidden most anywhere.
-Fairly short boot up time.
-Uses Garmin technology. The best IMHO.
-Very nice data log screen. *Current speed/avg. speed/time traveled, etc.
-12 sat wass enable. strong signal source with well placed ant.
-SD card updates. Unlike DVD based nav units, this can be downloaded to your computer to an sd card. No waiting for snail mail DVD's to arrive. Like all other nav units, this is a fee. Make sure it has the latest version. current as of this post is ver 7. Next version 8 due out 8/31/06.
-automatic switches back to map view if your viewing speed/time log nearing a turn point.
not so good:
-Support desk only avalible mon-fri.
-At startup, you must press the "I agree" icon on the screen to continue. (* I believe most other nav units have this also.)
-No ipod support.
-Somewhat weak voice voice prompt. I found this not to be such an issue. The KNA-G510 has the program function to increase voice audio as speed increases. *This should not be a deal breaker. The unit shines elsewhere.
-No voice reconigtion. I was concerned about this and talked some experienced audio installers and they commented that it is a weak technology and most users of other nav units don't use it because of it's poor interface.
KNA-G510 manual and complete specs:
ftp://inform.kenwoodusa.com/Manuals/knag510_Install.pdf
Update: 8/12/06
copy from Car Audio online:
Since in-dash navigation and multimedia are becoming must-haves for luxury and semi-luxury vehicles, Kenwood has put together an aftermarket nav package for those who don't want a new car payment attached to a new in-vehicle GPS setup.
Proudly emblazoned with both the Kenwood and Garmin logos, the KNA-G510 is compact at only 5.5" x 4.5" x 1.5" in size, so it can be mounted practically anywhere. The only considerations that need to be made when installing the unit is to make sure the unit is mounted horizontally and that the SD card reader slot and USB port are accessible in case maps or points of interests (POI) need to be upgraded.
There are only two connections that need to be made to the KNA-G510 unit: the DIN-cable/power harness and the GPS antenna. The DIN-cable simply connects between the rear of the radio and the KNA-G510 while the remaining four wires on the harness - constant, switched, ground, and parking brake - can be routed to their respective locations.
Most in-dash systems require a physical connection to the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) signal to calculate location and speed for proper navigation. The VSS wire usually requires installers to locate the vehicle on-board computer or cruise control module and test for proper signal while the vehicle is moving - a complicated and time-consuming step. With the Kenwood KNA-G10, the VSS wire is not needed, saving time while still offering accurate navigation.
Garmin's software has made the Kenwood KNA-G510 one of the simplest vehicle-installed navigation systems to use. Two large buttons appear in the middle of the screen: the "Where To?" button, which allows the user to select a destination, and the "View Map" button, which shows the users their current position. Inputting a destination is as simple as selecting an address, city or POI and following the onscreen menu until a route has been selected.
Once the destination has been selected, The KNA-G510 utilizes 2-D or 3-D map views that automatically zoom in and out depending on the complexity of the route. When traveling over long distances such as freeways, the route displayed is from a larger overview, and when traveling in the city, the map zooms in to show additional detail.
The KNA-G510 is also XM NavTraffic compatible. With an XM subscription and required antenna, you can get traffiic info for re-routing to avoid any undesired accidents or detours.The only shortcoming I could find with the KNA-G510 was the lack of volume output for voice prompts. Users will have to adjust volume via the source unit, as stated in the manual. Once I increased the volume on the DDX-6019, selecting which speakers I wanted used for voice guidance (F-Left, F-Right or Front All), directions came through loud and clear.
PROS
•Great widescreen with adjustable angles
• Touchscreen controls
•Multiple audio and video outputs/inputs
•No vehicle speed sensor (VSS) wire needed
•Embedded navigation software
• NavTraffic compatible
CONS
•Awkward in-line power filter on the DDX6019's harness *Not the KNA-G510
•Confusing navigation audio settings
Kenwood KNA-G510 (MSRP $800)
www.kenwoodusa.com
Key Points
KNA-G510 • User interface and mapping by Garmin
•Turn-by-turn mapping and voice guidance
• Over 5 million points of interest
•SD card slot for map updates
• XM NavTraffic compatible
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