Jensen Dash Stereo System MBS Chassis

[BEMR]

Originally Posted by Beachsailor

If you don't set a route the nav will not interrupt. Make sure you delete the last route after you reach your destination or else it will keep trying to route you make to the destination.


2016 Forester 2401W newbie

True, but with the best nav system in dash out there, there's nothing more accurate than Google Nav on your cell phone. Not to mention it comes with location pictures, and no need for internet network, since you can download map regions to your cell that coincides with your GPS signal when your out of cell range, Google does it all. So junk the Jensen nav, turning off all audio. Just saying..

[Beachsailor]

Does goggle nav handle height restrictions? Or weight restrictions? I have found that you need a combination of several methods. I have a small Garmin for basic routing and traffic. I will use a tablet with Good Sam trip planning for and overview and to point out height and weight hazards before I go. Plus I always keep a good paper map because you need to see the big picture. I really like Wazes for on line but no height and weight routing. Too bad no one method does all things well.

The only area of travel that has created routing problems is the north east. Between tunnels with hazmat restrictions and the many main rods with height restrictions it is a real pain in the ass.
Another feature I would like to have is accurate toll calculations. Especially for the area around NYC. George Washington bridge with a small class C was 42 bucks. Would have definitely routed around that.


2016 Forester 2401W newbie

[BEMR]

Originally Posted by Beachsailor

Does goggle nav handle height restrictions? Or weight restrictions? I have found that you need a combination of several methods. I have a small Garmin for basic routing and traffic. I will use a tablet with Good Sam trip planning for and overview and to point out height and weight hazards before I go. Plus I always keep a good paper map because you need to see the big picture. I really like Wazes for on line but no height and weight routing. Too bad no one method does all things well.

The only area of travel that has created routing problems is the north east. Between tunnels with hazmat restrictions and the many main rods with height restrictions it is a real pain in the ass.
Another feature I would like to have is accurate toll calculations. Especially for the area around NYC. George Washington bridge with a small class C was 42 bucks. Would have definitely routed around that.


2016 Forester 2401W newbie

Not that I know of since I have not tried or looked for, but it is live internet related and the internet has everything.

Mainly I was saying there is no comparison to cellular navigation vs anything on the market especially when nothing else shows hundreds of thousands of miles of actual 360 degree photos AS your navigating. So not only do you know about bridges and tunnels, your seeing them in what appears real time.

So in my opinion discard 3 items, 1 the Jensen nav capabilities, the Garmin Unit, and anything Apple related. Google maps and Navigation is Android, and is built into the operating system of Android NOT an app.

Some of the newer Android operating platforms will allow your Jensen through Bluetooth to audibly announce turn by turn as your phone is blutoothed and connected. Older systems, you would have to disconnect Bluetooth to hear audible via the phone itself, although not a big deal.

I drive a 100g BMW with the best in car navigation on the Planet, it sucks compared to the Google Navigation routine, consequently I never use the BMW Navigation.

Final thoughts, your phone can store through Google, maps per region that have everything loaded on your phone, and when internet connections are impossible to achieve, you always get GPS and the GPS coordinates with your stored mapping system on your phone with even audible turn by turn. If that isn't true with Apple devices it doesn't surprise me, one day Apple will have it since they are usually behind in application process by about a year or two.

[Rkloud9]

I guess we must be crazy, but we have figured out how to use the Jensen gps nav application, and we really like it. We just travelled 1000 miles through Canada, and the speed limit display was most handy translating kph to mph. We do not like the voice guidance on any of these things, and the visual "path" shown on the Jensen is fabulous when in complex city driving situations.

Regarding tossing all our Apple devices, to each his own. We love them.


Bob & Cynthia
2017 SunSeeker MBS 2400W
Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[rakross]

Originally Posted by BALLZITCH

Has anybody had the audio sound cut out completely then back in every few minutes? Not power in and out, only all audio from in dash unit and all audio even if aux hookups.

My 2015 did the same thing, took it to the dealer and they were unable to find the problem. Finally I took the unit out myself and disconnected the Sirius radio along with making sure the power plug was in tight. 8000 miles later still working fine don't know if it was the sirius radio or the power plug but don't care.

[Santos1060]

Originally Posted by Rkloud9

I guess we must be crazy, but we have figured out how to use the Jensen gps nav application, and we really like it. We just travelled 1000 miles through Canada, and the speed limit display was most handy translating kph to mph. We do not like the voice guidance on any of these things, and the visual "path" shown on the Jensen is fabulous when in complex city driving situations.

Regarding tossing all our Apple devices, to each his own. We love them.


Bob & Cynthia
2017 SunSeeker MBS 2400W
Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

We don't use ours for directions anymore because the unit (as previously stated) doesn't have enough memory to actually "navigate" you and run Pandora for example.

BUT, I'm dying to know if anyone can enlighten me on how the hell you can zoom in and out when you just have the map up??? I can tell it's supposed to work like our touchscreen phones where you pinch your finger together/apart to zoom in/out, but mine just locks when my fingers hit the screen and puts a target type icon in that spot...so frustrating. Would love to hear your tips on getting around ths.

[rakross]

I had the same problem after the RV dealership couldn't fix this, I took the unit out and unplugged the Sirius radio antenna and made sure the power plug was in tight. Problem has gone away even after 5000 miles since doing this.

[joecamphill]

I have a 2017 Forester and recently returned from a cross country trip (PA to CA & return). During this trip, I used the Nav a lot and found it disappointing. As mentioned by others, the TEXT is too small. The ICON which displays the Speed Limit, was incorrect most of the time. The ICON which displays vehicle speed, is not needed - the Mercedes has a digital and analog speedometer which are a lot easier to read than this tiny ICON. I never found a need for the 3-D display. I was unable to find a means to Cancel route guidance. As a result, the Nav system often wanted me to return to my starting location. On several occasions when I entered a new destination into the Nav, it would not calculate directions to the new location. Fortunately, I was traveling with another RVer and I was able to follow him when this happened. Depending on the angle of the sun, glare on the Nav screen made it impossible to use. As I mentioned in another thread on this forum, Forest River did not run audio output wires from the Nav to the rear mounted entertainment system. Because of this, I am unable to play the SiriusXM radio in the rear of the RV or on the outside speakers. (I could use my cell phone to do this, but I should not have to do this when I am paying for SiriusXM service on the Nav.) On my next cross country trip, I will take my 10 year old portable Garmin GPS as a backup or replace the Jensen in-dash Nav with something else prior to the trip.

Jensen needs to eliminate the glitz and provide a basic Nav system which is reliable and easy to read.

[kysunseekermbs]

Originally Posted by joecamphill

I have a 2017 Forester and recently returned from a cross country trip (PA to CA & return). During this trip, I used the Nav a lot and found it disappointing. As mentioned by others, the TEXT is too small. The ICON which displays the Speed Limit, was incorrect most of the time. The ICON which displays vehicle speed, is not needed - the Mercedes has a digital and analog speedometer which are a lot easier to read than this tiny ICON. I never found a need for the 3-D display. I was unable to find a means to Cancel route guidance. As a result, the Nav system often wanted me to return to my starting location. On several occasions when I entered a new destination into the Nav, it would not calculate directions to the new location. Fortunately, I was traveling with another RVer and I was able to follow him when this happened. Depending on the angle of the sun, glare on the Nav screen made it impossible to use. As I mentioned in another thread on this forum, Forest River did not run audio output wires from the Nav to the rear mounted entertainment system. Because of this, I am unable to play the SiriusXM radio in the rear of the RV or on the outside speakers. (I could use my cell phone to do this, but I should not have to do this when I am paying for SiriusXM service on the Nav.) On my next cross country trip, I will take my 10 year old portable Garmin GPS as a backup or replace the Jensen in-dash Nav with something else prior to the trip.

Jensen needs to eliminate the glitz and provide a basic Nav system which is reliable and easy to read.

Thought it was just me that struggled with all these things on this unit. I don't think anyone has mentioned when you have to press a icon on the top and bottom you have to jam your finger into the corner to press. It's made for tiny tiny fingers for sure. The screen is too recessed in the frame.


2016 Sunseeker W MBS

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[nusslejj]

As with most components installed by RV Manufacturers, they use the cheap brand 'x' for most things. I think the Jensen radio is one of those things...
I have been contemplating replacing it with a highly rated Pioneer or Sony unit that has Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, bluetooth, excellent controls/Sirius/great sound/great graphics/etc.

With Apple CarPlay for instance, you can use the far superior Apple Maps / Google Maps from your phone on the radio screen - just like modern vehicles do. A replacement radio is not very expensive either.

[Rkloud9]

Although I would not call Jensen a brand x, I am sure there are better choices. We have found the Jensen dash radio performance poor at pulling in stations. The Serius radio and CD player work great, as well as the Bluetooth connection to our iPad and iPhone. The Nav system is a puzzle at first, but once you play with it a bit, it works really well. The "cancel/delete route" function is on the same screen as the "new route" icon... try scrolling the screen with the bar on the right to see additional choices. Same is true when adding info on other screens. Try pushing the area in the lower left hand corner of the display where the distance and speed data are displayed... you will get a full screen of data that uses larger type. Regarding speed and speed limits, on my system this data has been pretty accurate. When in Canada, it translates kph to mph, which is really handy.

We seem to only have the center speaker in the MB cab, and the sound quality is mediocre at best... I am always messing with the equalizer to tailor the sound for either voice or various types of music.

Regarding upgrades, many things can be improved, all at additional cost. If FR added all the improvements "out the door" that we think would make the product more perfect, many of us would be priced out of this lifestyle. Further, your "perfect" may not necessarily be mine. We looked at a lot of product before choosing the SunSeeker MBS 2400W, and no "perfect" exists... we could never afford a Leisure Travel Van, and if we could, they take a year to get. Winnebagos come with a few more features, but the "best deal" cost difference is 15-20%... further, they definitely have their share of problems. We are happily doing the upgrades we want as we can, while throughly enjoying our travels... over 10000 miles since April, with another 3000 miles planned before year's end.


Bob & Cynthia
2017 SunSeeker MBS 2400W
Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[kysunseekermbs]

Originally Posted by nusslejj

As with most components installed by RV Manufacturers, they use the cheap brand 'x' for most things. I think the Jensen radio is one of those things...

I have been contemplating replacing it with a highly rated Pioneer or Sony unit that has Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, bluetooth, excellent controls/Sirius/great sound/great graphics/etc.



With Apple CarPlay for instance, you can use the far superior Apple Maps / Google Maps from your phone on the radio screen - just like modern vehicles do. A replacement radio is not very expensive either.

I agree, never thought about Jensen and high end audio going together. I want to change my sub out to a real one also.


2016 Sunseeker W MBS

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[namusmc]

Like many of you, I've grown weary dealing with the inferior reception and unacceptable performance of the Jensen head unit.

Anyone have a unit replacement recommendation that works well with android? I think Katana mentioned one a while back but can't find it right now.
It would be a big plus if I could pair Bluetooth Sirius from the replacement head to the Jensen entertainment unit in the coach.

[BEMR]

Originally Posted by namusmc

Like many of you, I've grown weary dealing with the inferior reception and unacceptable performance of the Jensen head unit.

Anyone have a unit replacement recommendation that works well with android? I think Katana mentioned one a while back but can't find it right now.
It would be a big plus if I could pair Bluetooth Sirius from the replacement head to the Jensen entertainment unit in the coach.

Ya leave your head unit then Bluetooth your cellphone for all your navigation and music needs, far better and easy to do.

[namusmc]

I do that now for GPS and don't use the head unit for directions. Then there's those pesky data charges. I do appreciate your suggestion, though.

[KatanaPilot]

Originally Posted by namusmc

Like many of you, I've grown weary dealing with the inferior reception and unacceptable performance of the Jensen head unit.

Anyone have a unit replacement recommendation that works well with android? I think Katana mentioned one a while back but can't find it right now.
It would be a big plus if I could pair Bluetooth Sirius from the replacement head to the Jensen entertainment unit in the coach.

If you can stomach the cost, the Kenwood DNX 893S would seem to fit the bill. I just got mine, but haven't had the time to install it yet.

Android Auto, Apple Car Play, Garmin Nav and plenty of other features to geek out over. Don't know if the Bluetooth would pair to another device other than a phone or wireless speaker. Here is a link to the owners manual - the information you want might be there. Sorry, haven't had time to read that, either.

I'll provide a pirep (pilot report) and pictures once it's installed and operating.

[namusmc]

Thanks Katana. I knew you would come through.

[nusslejj]

I'm looking for something in the $300 range that doesn't have integrated GPS but has ApplePlay - so I can use the iPhones mapping apps. It uses a little data plan to get mapping, but then just uses GPS - which I think is very good. I know a radio with built-in GPS would probably be a better GPS unit, but I'll trade that off.

KatanaPilot - are you planning on plugging the camera into the radio and eliminating the winshield monitor ?

[KatanaPilot]

Originally Posted by nusslejj

I'm looking for something in the $300 range that doesn't have integrated GPS but has ApplePlay - so I can use the iPhones mapping apps. It uses a little data plan to get mapping, but then just uses GPS - which I think is very good. I know a radio with built-in GPS would probably be a better GPS unit, but I'll trade that off.

KatanaPilot - are you planning on plugging the camera into the radio and eliminating the winshield monitor ?

Right now my plan is to continue to use the factory installed RVS system as is. What I may do is buy two new side mount cameras and locate them on the coach body along the sides - where FR mounts them on current models vs. the almost useless location on the front fenders of the chassis. IF I do that, I may hook one of the existing cameras to the Kenwood system.

Probably should have spent my money on those beautiful and light weight Alcoa wheels instead...

[nusslejj]

Originally Posted by KatanaPilot

If you can stomach the cost, the Kenwood DNX 893S would seem to fit the bill. I just got mine, but haven't had the time to install it yet.

Android Auto, Apple Car Play, Garmin Nav and plenty of other features to geek out over. Don't know if the Bluetooth would pair to another device other than a phone or wireless speaker. Here is a link to the owners manual - the information you want might be there. Sorry, haven't had time to read that, either.

I'll provide a pirep (pilot report) and pictures once it's installed and operating.

I have been searching for something to replace the POS Jensen head. There are not a lot of good options for ApplePlay+Nav, so it narrowed quickly to Pioneer and Kenwood. I selected the Kenwood DNX893S because I really like the Garmin NAV and an actual volume knob. It also seems to have a more modern interface. Now to find a decent price... Crutchfield/Amazon. They have a refurb one for $649, but I'm a bit reluctant to buy refurb. Anyway, I landed on it before I read your posting !