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Aftermarket Pioneer Radio Installed, Apple CarPlay, Better Sound Quality

K007

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I have some exciting news for aftermarket radios on the Jeep JL. You don't have to spend 1500$ or 3k for a new radio.

Installed on my Jeep Sport S with the 5" screen is the Pioneer DMH C2550-NEX radio. This is a shallow modular radio with about a 2 inch thick screen; The main box connects with a wire then hides in the dash. Pair this with the Maestro RR or RR2 module and you retain all original vehicle functions like steering wheel volume controls, car settings, etc. You'll need an aftermarket backup camera because the OEM one uses a weird single wire FAKRA cable. My new backup camera works great and its fit in the same OEM spot.

The Pros and Cons


Pros!

Apple CarPlay (Wired)
Navigation Map (CarPlay)
Better Sound Quality
Bluetooth Music
HD Radio, SiriusXM
Siri
Spotify, Pandora
6.8" Display
Very Responsive
Fits in 5" Radio Bezel
Volume Button on Radio

Cons
No onboard Nav
No wireless CarPlay
No OEM Camera
IMG_0519.png

These cons are not bad because parts and install should cost under 1000$ (Radio, Maestro, Install, Tax) compared to ~1600$ Insane Audio or 3000$ Alpine systems (Alpine system is a long install process, which means more $$$ to install). For onboard Nav I just leave an old iphone that has the Sygic app for offline GPS navigation. OEM camera should get a module soon to work. New radios that use the OEM camera have a module to allow retention of the camera, hopefully soon a module comes out. Also the radios dash space is limited, I would have put a wireless CarPlay radio but those are pretty deep in size.
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K007

K007

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Who makes that dash kit?
The stereo installer made a custom bracket in his shop. I think he bent and cut metal to make it. The outside part looks like kydex that he cut out and fit.
Scosche has an aftermarket radio kit for the JL but it looks bad.
 

Kyanche

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That looks super nice! Great job! I can't wait to see what else people come up with.
 

Htfan

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Looks really good!

Are there are any apps for this headunit to support confort settings (A/C, heat, fan etc)?
 
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K007

K007

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Looks really good!

Are there are any apps for this headunit to support confort settings (A/C, heat, fan etc)?
Hi yeah there’s A/C controls, fan speed, hot and cold and everything. I think the car needs to be programmed to use digital AC controls because my car uses a knob to adjust temp not the screen. The rubicon hvac uses digital AC so then it can work since there’s no knob to turn for temp.
 

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Htfan

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Hi yeah there’s A/C controls, fan speed, hot and cold and everything. I think the car needs to be programmed to use digital AC controls because my car uses a knob to adjust temp not the screen. The rubicon hvac uses digital AC so then it can work since there’s no knob to turn for temp.
That's great news! Also long as the screen reflects the changes made by the knobs, that's fine. When you get a moment, please post pics of some of these screens.
 
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K007

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That's great news! Also long as the screen reflects the changes made by the knobs, that's fine. When you get a moment, please post pics of some of these screens.
Changes on the knobs are showing on the screen so the radio is communicating. The radio wont control the AC directly from the screen.

Here’s a few more pics of the different screens. I have all my original vehicle settings retained with the radio and can change them through the radio like headlights on and off delay, key fob lock beep etc. TPMS and battery voltage is accurate, outside temp is accurate and the compass is retained in gps apps like Waze. HD radio works I can switch between different HD channels on the same station.

E36461DB-92EB-4296-BABC-5D2A0F414605.jpeg


E87AF8A6-AA1C-46B7-8E1E-707B8E5A2F23.jpeg


BA0E4B1C-9B61-4AF5-95D1-9A8113318D51.jpeg


EDAC0C19-4A4B-4033-94AE-3909B437FF42.jpeg


33F17357-F60A-47F1-9410-B5C59D40AD37.jpeg


EB3E55CE-2C08-4129-A265-6F50A11AD5B4.jpeg


44ABBABF-C7FC-4FC1-84BE-671799769F9C.jpeg
 

Htfan

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Changes on the knobs are showing on the screen so the radio is communicating. The radio wont control the AC directly from the screen.

Here’s a few more pics of the different screens. I have all my original vehicle settings retained with the radio and can change them through the radio like headlights on and off delay, key fob lock beep etc. TPMS and battery voltage is accurate, outside temp is accurate and the compass is retained in gps apps like Waze. HD radio works I can switch between different HD channels on the same station.

E36461DB-92EB-4296-BABC-5D2A0F414605.jpeg


E87AF8A6-AA1C-46B7-8E1E-707B8E5A2F23.jpeg


BA0E4B1C-9B61-4AF5-95D1-9A8113318D51.jpeg


EDAC0C19-4A4B-4033-94AE-3909B437FF42.jpeg


33F17357-F60A-47F1-9410-B5C59D40AD37.jpeg


EB3E55CE-2C08-4129-A265-6F50A11AD5B4.jpeg


44ABBABF-C7FC-4FC1-84BE-671799769F9C.jpeg
Very nice! Appreciate you posting these!
 
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K007

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Which aftermarket camera did you use?
It’s a mini type camera made by Concept, the only thing that needs to be done is the wiring to the new radio, and the installer can make a metal bracket the new camera will fit into and screw into the same place the oem camera was. Or they can maybe figure out a different way to put the camera back there.

The installer used one of the cameras, but it comes with 2 here. It was the cylinder shaped one on the bottom in the picture. https://www.conceptbuy.com/car-safety/backup-camera/backup-camera/nv-cam-04
 

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K007

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Molson123123

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Question about this install…I’m in the process of planning something similar with this head unit or the Kenwood shallow head unit. Was wondering if you were able to connect the dash AND the center console USB hubs with only one USB port on the back of the head unit?
 
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K007

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Question about this install…I’m in the process of planning something similar with this head unit or the Kenwood shallow head unit. Was wondering if you were able to connect the dash AND the center console USB hubs with only one USB port on the back of the head unit?
My center console usb and the media usb/aux isn’t hooked up, the radio does have 1 usb wire that I can plug into in my glove box and you can put that in the center console too I’m pretty sure.
 

Go Outside

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The Kenwood 7706s doesnt support multiple usb’s (a hub). I routed the usb cable out through a hole in the slot cubby next to the stock media ports and plug in there.
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