Just wondering if anyones found a way to enable RDS (Radio text)? I can't imagine that will all the tech toys in there, it doesnt have 5 year old radio technology..

 

AFAIK, there is no way to get RDS information on the TSX radio. Perhaps Honda believes that if RDS-type information is really important to you that you will subscribe to XM, a service they partially own?

 

Subscribing to XM has nothing whatsoever to do with getting RDS from your local channels. Why even bring it up?

RDS is on the Euro-Accord - we have no idea why it wasn't included in the TSX. Something that the Honda/Acura need to pull their heads out about. Enough people have scratched their heads over this one that Acura should really make a point of including RDS in their models for next year. Like I said before, it's on my dad's 2003 Chevy S-10, but my Acura doesn't have it. Come on, Acura. Get with it.

 

There are some trully odd things in the TSX... RDS. Voice instead of text for the phonebook (wtf? the nav has a keyboard, why cant I use it for my phonebook). And, most annoying of any of these, the nav volume doesn't sync with HFL or stereo volume. Opening a window and sunroof at 50mph+, I cant hear the thing

I've had the car for 3 days, and I love it, but honestly, some of these nuisance things almost warrant a firmware update from acura..

Speaking of, any map updates or software updates I should get my dealer to install?

 

Agree, my 2000 Chev company car had it!!

 

Guess I wasn't clear. One of the benefits of XM is you get artist/title/album information of the song being played... just like RDS. By not supporting RDS for OTA signals, Honda is providing an additional incentive to subscribe to XM, a service they have a financial interest in. Honda has incentive NOT to support RDS. That's why I brought it up.

 

Do US stations even use RDS?

 

^

 

I couldn't agree more. My G35 has RDS (so, for that matter, did my old Altima), but I've gotten so engrossed in my wife's TSX XM radio that I never even listen to FM anymore in the car. Will we re-up the XM after the three-month freebie expires? If it's anywhere near the $77/year I've been reading about on this forum, the answer is a resounding yes.

If XM insists on gouging me for the full $14.95 a month (or whatever the standard rate is), we'll take a pass. But I'll miss the RDS then.

 

I don't understand all the obsession with XM radio, half the crap on there is by bands I've never heard of. If you're looking for non mainstream music that you can't find anywhere else then I guess it's ok. And talk about annoyances with the TSX, the 1 thing I really don't like is the complete inaccuracy of the low gas warning, and the miles range based off of the amount of gas you have left. Due to it being so under what it actually is, it almost makes it completely useless. All on account of Acura trying to idiot proof the car. Note to Acura, just because 1 person might be an idiot doesn't mean everyone is.

 

I've only had my car for a little over a week, and this is my only experience with XM, but I do agree with you. I also have Sirius in my Pathfinder, and I like the sports on it more, and I do find the music channels to be much better(on Sirius). I am probably going to buy a Sirius unit for my TSX once my free subscription to XM is up.

 

Way to stay on topic

I've never driven a car that didn't underestimate how much fuel was in the tank. Uh, except one whose gas gauge was broken and always read about 20 degrees below E but that doesn't count.

 

Hi Feliz welcome back!



Excited

 

So you're saying you don't have a TSX?

Sorry about stating my annoyances with the car, it's just that other people were stating some of their's so I thought I'd chip in my

It does suck about the lack of RDS though. With all the great things the TSX has, it's really to bad that it doesn't have this 1 feature. It does make you wonder though if leaving it out was intended so that they could get more XM subscribers.

 

Way to stay on topic

The topic is: RDS!

And XM is off-topic, too! The fact that I want RDS on my TSX has NOTHING NADA ZIPPO to do with XM. RDS not only displays song title/artists (if configured by the broadcaster), but it can also display storm warnings and emergency announcements, traffic advisories, and it can be used to sort OTA stations by genre. The biggest expense in including RDS revolves around the text display (and because as so many of you pointed out we DO have the text display because of XM, this is already there.) It should cost at most like fifty cents to add RDS functionality to our TSX radios. The fact that they put it on the Euro Accord and yet DELETED it from the TSX irritates me.

Acura: we want RDS - give it to us.

 

The point is that Honda will not offer RDS since they have a financial interest in XM. XM isn't available in Europe which is why Honda offers RDS in Europe. It doesn't matter that RDS has advantages not present in XM... Honda will not offer it.

 

That is utterly and completely irrelevant. RDS is not "competing" with XM. Having RDS is not "taking away business" from XM. Just about all GM vehicles have both RDS and XM available. You're just not making any sense.

 

I think he does have a point. Since only XM shows the artist and song names, people that really really want that are forced to subscribe to XM. If RDS is standard, those same group of people will not subscribe. So it makes sense but I don't think that's the deciding factor.

 

How does getting song title information for something on XM have ANYTHING WHATSOEVER to do with getting RDS information for a LOCAL TERRESTRIAL radio station? It's apples and oranges!

Do you think somebody is going to say, "gee, I sure wish I could get RDS info from my favorite local radio station, bummer, I can't, I guess I'll pay $15/month for XM to get text information for... something completely different..." ???

Two. Seperate. Things.

Again, I refer you to the fact that GM has no problem offering BOTH RDS and XM.

This imaginary line of reasoning about XM having anything to do with it is ridiculous.

 

Maybe I am confused but I thought RDS just shows station info and artist/song titles on the radio text display.....so how is that not the same as getting artist/song title from XM?

That thought did cross my mind...."gee, I sure wish I know who's singing this song on my local radio station...if only the car has RDS...bummer, I guess I have to pay $15/month for XM to get that..."

 

Along the lines of not incorporating RDS, why the heck did Acura not include CD-Text in the head unit?? At least for the volume label of the discs in the changers...

 

Beoshingus, the insults are not necessary. My "imaginary line of reasoning" is based on continuing discussions I had, as part of my work, with mid-level Honda executives up until late last year. You may find it "ridiculous" but all I see you offering is your opinion and nothing more.

 

IMO, having XM has more to do with getting commercial-free music rather than RDS. However, different people have different reasons for paying for it. RDS is a nice feature, but I certainly wouldn't pay a monthly for for XM just to have it. I bought my XM radio for my '04 so I could have commercial-free music as opposed to all-the-time commercials on regular FM stations.

BTW, I signed up for a full year on XM (not a renewal since this is my first time) for what comes out to $11.87/mo if I am remembering correctly. The price per month goes down slightly with the more months you pay in advance (as opposed to paying monthly).

 

Because XM does not tell you jack squat about your local radio station. And as I said before, RDS can be used for a lot more than just ID3-style info. Paying for XM still has absolutely nothing to do with having RDS work for terrestrial radio stations. These are two entirely seperate discussions. Does anyone have a dead horse for me to beat?

So you pay $15 per month and you STILL would have no idea who was singing that song on your local radio station.

 

If you find that comment "insulting" then you must scar very easily.

Please enlighten us to your insight into the corporate workings of Honda and the names of your "mid-level Honda executives." (Note: employees of Honda dealerships do not count as Honda executives nor as engineering decision makers.)

As for my "opinion":

General Motors has a much larger stake in XM than Honda does. And GM includes RDS on most of its models now including those models which also offer XM. Please explain to me how this is good business for GM but a bad idea from Honda's perspective.

Please explain to me how this argument of yours gels with this article which shows XM itself working hand in hand with car manufacturers who support RDS?

http://www.xmradio.com/newsroom/scre...05_08_09b.html

Your notion that Honda doesn't support RDS because "RDS is bad business for XM" is just completely WRONG.

I think Acura was just lazy, and in the next few years, you WILL see them add RDS functionality because they will get more and more complaints about it. The same way that the 2005 TSX got a power passenger seat and lighted wheel controls, and the same way the 2006 got memory seats.

 

You want to see another fantastic application of RDS that we won't be able to utilize in our TSXs?

http://www.gadgetreview.com/2006/01/...-wireless.html

How awesome is THAT? Isn't that just what people have been BEGGING for? A way to display ID3 info from their Ipods on their head units? But TS for us Acura owners, because Acura was too lazy to incorporate RDS into their head units.

Meanwhile, my neighbor's 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora will be able to use one of those devices to display Ipod ID3 info on his navigation screen. And I'd be able to view it on my dad's 2003 Chevy S-10. But whatever! "Mid-level Honda execs" think that including that on a Honda/Acura would be bad business for their XM partnership!

 

I guess we were talking about two different things. You are absolutely correct that XM does not tell me anything about my local radio station. But that's not what I (and hopefully other people) care about. As long as I get to see the artist's name and the song's title, I am happy...doesn't matter if XM shows it or RDS on local station shows it. I probably won't even listen to local radio stations if I have XM. And because XM shows artist/song info when I am listening to XM, I am more likely to pay a monthly fee for it and not listen to my local stations. But anyways, this is just a discussion so no need to turn it into an argument.

 

People can decide for themselves whether your posts are insulting.

I am not going to name names of people I have talked to at Honda. But if you read my posts since I joined Acurazine, you will note that I worked for a consulting company that is employed by American Honda. Those posts were made months before this thread.

As a result of my job, I have had conversations with mid-level Honda execs during which I had the opportunity to informally ask about features and problems on Honda vehicles that were of interest to me personally. This included, believe it or not, RDS, CD-Text and iPod integration (this was last summer before MusicLink was announced). I also got to ask about dash fade, paint quality, rattles, etc. that plagued my 3G TL; and before I traded in my TL for the TSX, about some of the data I was seeing on TSX reliability and quality. During these conversations, one Honda manager specifically said that Honda had no motivation to offer RDS because it would lower their XM subscription rates. I am not saying that I agree, or that is Honda's official reasoning; only that at least one, if not more, people in Honda feel that way. Based on other posts in this thread, that Honda exec may be right.

I don't see the relevance of your link. To the extent that aftermarket satellite receivers use RDS to offer better integration, I would think that Honda would have further reason not to offer RDS. For example, why would Honda want to make it easier to add a Sirius receiver? They wouldn't.

I agree Honda will continue to improve their products, and personally I hope that includes RDS support (along with CD Text). But my non-"imaginary" and non-"ridiculous" guess is that they will focus on improving other aspects of their vehicles. Obviously you disagree.

 

Yeah, I disagree. That link proves that XM doesn't feel threatened by RDS. Nor should it, because <DEADHORSEBEATING>they are non-competing technologies</DEADHORSEBEATING>. One is a feature for existing OTA radio; the other is a subscription based satellite radio service broadcasting its own original content.

Many (read: most) other car manufacturers that offer XM also offer RDS.

Also, I believe the evidence shows that Honda/Acura actually tend to listen to what the consumers what. What was the Acurazine wishlist for the 2006 TSX back in 2005? All of the polls on this site said "more power, memory seats, bluetooth, standard foglights, Ipod integration, etc..." What did we get on the 2006 TSX? Exactly that. (Except for the Ipod thing; but they DID attempt it.) I think they are smart enough to pay attention to what their customers want. And RDS is one of those things. I think they'll listen. Eventually.