Folks, since there aren't that many RDXs out there yet, I suspect most of these questions haven't been asked yet, but I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts. I bought a Carbon Gray Pearl/Ebony RDX a few weeks ago, and I'm loving it.

1. Has anyone attempted to play with the PC Card slot under the nav DVD drive? The manual says it's for technician use only, but I'm wondering if it has the capability to act as a flash drive like with the new Civic and CR-V.

2. When using the audio system, the nav voice uses only the front speakers - and the rear speakers continue to play music. Is there any way to get the voice to mute the audio system and use all speakers?

3. The handsfree link is nice...but I'm a little bummed about the voice recognition. I can't use 'home' because it's too close to 'call', and I can't use more than one person with the same last name because it says they're too close as well. Any thoughts on how to improve this?

4. I think we all got the '06 Nav DVD....and the new one will be out shortly. Has anyone asked if we'll get some level of a discount since we really bought an '07 car? Or is that wishful thinking?

Thanks!
Mike

 

Oh cool, Acura fixed the NAV so that it doesn't cut out all the speakers, that drives me crazy on my MDX (I want to rear speakers to continue). My FX35 works the same way as the RDX.

 

i believe u said u had a 03 mdx? well i think urs was the last yeat that does that, cutting off all the speakers... haha... my 04 tsx just cuts off the front haha... but sometimes im playing it so loud that i wish it cuts it all off haha

 

Actually the '01 CL and the '01 MDX don't cut off all speakers either, just the front driver's side.

 

Weird that the '01 MDX doesn't and the '03 does.

 

Can you use something like "Go Home" or "Call Home" or is the system not that clever?

 

If RDX's navi and handsfree systems work like our 05 TL (and so far everything has) the answer to your questions are yes to both if you have 1) loaded your home address into the navi and 2) loaded your home phone number into handsfree link system. Voice recognition works pretty well for the word "home".

 

I put in the name "Call Home" instead of just home and now when I command: "Call home" it asks me if I'd like to call, "Call home" and it works fine.

 

What is the Nav/DVD? Do you mean the navigation system in the technology package? I'm not sure what you mean by 2006 version. Are they changing it already? Why would you think they would give you a discount after you've already bought it? thanks

 

I believe catnippants is referring to the actual DVD (disk) that contains all of the road info for major metropolitan areas across the U.S. This disk is updated with new info every year and I'm guessing catnip is perturbed that new RDX owners aren't getting the '07 version since wer're so late into '06. It's pretty steep to buy the update - $185 + shipping through the Acura store. Anyone know if there's a place to get these cheaper?

 

Is it updated every calendar year or every model year? If model year, the RDX may already have the latest version. Does anyone know?

 

Well that doesn't help! I WANT them to all cut out.

Mike

 

Well, yeah. It will allow me to save 'Call Home', but not 'Home' - so in essence I have to say 'Call Call Home' if I want that to work. Are are you saying that I don't need to say 'Call' before the saved name when I want it to dial? What does having my home address loaded into the nav system have to do with it? (I do BTW). I've also had trouble saving names like 'Mike at Work' and 'Diane at Work' because the system says they're too close and won't let me save them. My RAZR works MUCH better in that respect. Am I missing something?

Thanks for all the responses,
Mike

 

Yes - this is exactly what I'm talking about. It's the actual DVD ROM - which is updated every year. The current version is 4.41, and it is dated 2006. The Owner Link website says that the new version will be out this fall - so I'm going to be a little peaved if I have to pay $185 bucks for an '07 version of a disk for an '07 car. I can understand paying for subsequent years, but I think we shouldn't lose out because we bought our RDXs early in the model year.

Mike

 

I'll add some other comments here because it sounds like some of you may not be real familiar with nav systems (built in or portable). I've been dinking with nav systems and software for many years now, and have dumped a bunch of money into them. Prior to my RDX, I was using a nav system on my iPAQ called Mapopolis, and a bluetooth GPS receiver. The following is my understanding of the whole mapping software world.

First of all, there are really two big street level map database companies out there - NavTeQ and TeleAtlas. The accuracy of each depends on where you are in the country and how much verification each company has done. I happen to find NavTeQ more accurate for where I tend to travel. Anyway, the different nav system/software mfgrs license the data from one or the other and then add to it and write their own software to use it. The exception is Delorme who appears to have created a hybrid a while back and have since started updating it themselves. Most built in car systems use NavTeQ - as does Microsoft Trips and Streets. The street level data is the same - the real difference appears to be in the points of interest. The built in car systems seem to have far more.

On my iPAQ, Mapopolis was free - but the updated map data (built from the NavTeQ db), cost about $100/yr. Here's the rub. Microsoft Trips and Streets is available at my local Costco every year for about $14. It's the same street data. Yes, our Acura db has more points of interest, the proprietary system software, Zagats, etc. - but I personally think $185/year is overkill. I'll pay it when I want to upgrade, but I just think '07 should be free in my '07 car.

Mike

 

First let me clarify that everything I'm posting is based on my experiences with the '05 TL. I assume the Navi, Handsfree Link and Voice Recognition systems work the same as on the RDX. My guess is that the RDX at least has the same capability, maybe better.

Given this caveat:

1) You should not have to say "call call home" but instead just "call home" using the Handsfree Link system. Be sure to just say the word "home" not "call home" when you record your home phone number in the system. Try to say it in the way you would normally verbalize the word "home" since it will try to match your voice print with your future commands. This works in my '05 TL where I only have to say "call home" to dial my home phone number.

2) You are right, the above has nothing to do with getting directions to your home address. Here you manually enter your home address into the navi system. Once you do this, you should be able to say "go home" and the navi will compute the best route to your home address. Note the button to activate voice recognition on the phone is different from the one to activate voice recognition on the navi system.

Hope this helps and is not too different from the '05 TL controls.

 

Ah...ok. So I'm back to square one. The first number I tried to store was 'Home' - and the system responded that 'Home' was too close to 'Call' and wouldn't let me store it. So that's actually why I made my first post. So now I'm thinking that the RDX system may be inferior to the TL...

We are in agreement on #2....

Thanks!
Mike

 

Hard to believe the RDX's system would be inferior. I would try re-recording but accentuate the "k" sound in "call" and lengthen the word "home" with an emphasis on the "m" sound. Other than that I'm stumped. Anyone else?

 

Wait - did I misunderstand? I thought you said NOT to record the word 'Call' - just 'Home'? During the save process, if I say simply 'Home', it immediately rejects saving it because it's too close to 'Call'. Saving 'Call Home' worked, but I had to dial by saying 'Call Call Home'...

Sorry for the confusion....
Mike

 

My bad. You're correct. You shouldn't have to say "call" at all when you record. So the only word you can work on enunciating better is "home".

 

Ok...I'll keep working on it. Either way, my RAZR is light years ahead. Bummer...
Mike

 

When I tried to record "Home" it said it was too close to "Zero"...go figure.
Anyway, yes, record "Call Home" but then when you say "Call Home" (not "call call home") it'll try to match as close as it can and that'll be the correct one.

Just try saying "Call Home" and it should work correctly. At least it does for me.

And I'm actually not very happy about the RDX's voice command features. It seems to be poor on the recognition side of things.

 

Do the voice control phone features work with any cell phone (I have a Blackberry) that pairs via Bluetooth or is it such certain ones?

 

The system does work with a Blackberry. I have a model 7290 and the TL's Bluetooth pairs just fine with it. Control through the VoiceLink system is independent of the cell phone you're pairing with. If you can pair with a cell phone all of RDX's voice command features should be available to you.

 

http://www.acura.com/models/handsfre...referrer=acura

Here is a link where you can see if your phone can be paired based on your carrier and phone type.

 

The handsfree voice recognition on my '04 TL is pretty bad. I also can't use "home" so I use "home phone". The recognition system in the Navi tends to be better, but that's probably because it doesn't have to learn new words like the handfree does. Adding a phone number with the handsfree, I have had to train myself on how to talk and I still get about a 50/50 chance of it working. Entering a phone number into the Navi system (ie, search by phone number), I can rattle the number off casually and it gets it right 100% of the time.

 

OK - got my RDX last night. Have the phone paired, works well. Questions:

1. I frequently dial right from my Blackberry as I have 1300 or so contacts. When I do so in the RDX, it seems like I have to always press the phone key on the steering wheel and say "Transfer" in order to use the RDX's handsfree system. This appears to be for every call. This is really a PITA as I always want to use my phone in Handsfree mode. On the Motorola Bluetooth I had installed into my FX, once paired (it was automatic), I was always in handsfree. Is there a way to get the RDX to do that? I read the manual and tried all kinds of things. This of course is not an issue on incoming calls or calls made using the RDX's built in 50 number directory.

2. Curiosity question - There are advanced settings if you have a Cingular or Sprint phone. It looks like it's for data from your phone. I have Verizon so this will not work, I think because Verizon cripples bluetooth data in thier phones. What does this feature do?

3. I thought the salesguy said I could download my phonebook from my phone into the car. I now do not think so. Is there a way?

Thanks for the help.

 

You're well beyond what I could do with my TL. As far as I know, I can't access my BB's phone list to make a call - only the phone numbers I've stored in the HandsFree Link system. It would be really cool to directly access the numbers in my BB. Let us know if you're able to find a way to do this. I'm sure the answer will be unique to the device you're syncing to. You mentioned Cingular, Sprint and Verizon, but not T-Mobile?