Pioneer AppRadio 4 SPH-DA120

good for Sonic's price

I purchased this unit because I wanted a stereo that could interface directly with a smartphone. Overall this device has satisfied my goals and it's been rather easy to use. However in only a couple weeks of use I have run into issues where it just won't connect to the smartphone for an unknown reason. Five minutes later it works fine. The Pandora app is run thru Apple CarPlay, but that is only necessary if you want the full functionality of the app (ie. thumbs up/down ratings). You can setup a bluetooth conenction and still use pandora on your phone and the unit will just display the song info like it were any other song on your phone.

The initial installation was rather straightforward except for one very important step. the USB ports provided are tied to specific hardware models. So the first USB port is for apple devices and the other port is for android devices. Not a big deal if you plan to have usb extension cables in both ports, but if you only plan to use one port, you need to know which port is should go in. The installation instructions do not cover this, but while the user manual does mention this I don't know many people that would read the user manual before the installation manual. Because of this, I had to remove the unit and move the usb cable.

the audio signals sent from the device are very clean. I had a crappy single din unit before this one and it sounded terrible. this new unit sounds amazing by comparison.

the on screen display in general is easy to use. If you need to adjust the clock, just touch the clock...no need to drill down 5 menu layers to find what you need. Same goes for the EQ, just touch the EQ icon on the right side and you get the EQ. to exit out of any menu or setting screen, just hit the X in the upper right corner to return from whence you came (very user friendly for today's computer friendly folk).

apple carplay works rather well. text messages and calls will pop up on the display and the unit comes with a microphone so yuo can take calls as well as dictate to Siri. I have noticed that the USB connection slows down Siri's communication. It works just the same, but it's definitely slower over USB. one bad thing about CarPlay is like anything in the apple-sphere you are locked into apple products. so you cannot customize your maps app, you have to use apple maps. i dont care how much it's been fixed in the last few years, I don't want to use apple maps...but thats why i got this unit.

with the android mirrorLink technology, you can do most of the same things you can do with carPlay. the main problem is MirrorLink only works with select android devices as that is the main paradox of the android universe. so if you intend to use android, make sure your phone is on the list of approved devices. otherwise, all you can do with your android is bluetooth connection.

if neither is an option you can the included GPS antenna to use the stock app Inrix. This app is on the smartphone markets and I've never cared for it. But it's nice to know it's there if I ever need it.

the display is nice and very responsive however there is no security function so there is no theft deterrence. thats a big concern for me so I came up with my own solution as I would encourage you to do the same.

the stock firmware is now 1.08 and thats what came installed on my unit. since 1.07, they have changed the parking brake bypass. the unit specifically tells you that you need to apply the brake, release it, and apply it again. so all you have to do is use the previous bypass method still available on youtube, and add a toggle switch to simulate the procedure.

I havent tried the HDMI video input yet but the analog video works fine. Easy to access via the main screen.

the unit gets hot fast so I poked a hole in my A/C duct to allow air to flow to the unit. the unit has a fan but I live in Phoenix.

overall i do recommend this unit but don't expect absolute perfection. the random failures of apple carplay is annoying me already so I imagine there will be other easter eggs I have yet to find. Sonic's price made it worth my investment.

Nice unit

Easy to instal every user friendly and very well thought out interface

Good radio

Works well with iPhone 6. Bluetooth and USB wire lets you use your phone hands free would recommend for anyone that doesn't need a cd or DVD player

Excellent Product!! Fast Install, Love CarPlay

I've used CarPlay in cars i have rented recently and loved it. I wanted to add it to my 2008 Jetta and this was a seamless install.

By Jason on October 14, 2016 Verified purchase

Great deck! Love Apple Carplay!

Very clean looking deck and I use the carplay feature everyday. Lots of sound contols allow you to get your system really dialed in.

By Mike on February 23, 2017 Verified purchase