Pioneer SPH-DA120: overview, installation, connection and configuration, reviews

Car receiver Pioneer SPH-DA120 was a welcome device for users looking for a low-cost system that is compatible with Apple CarPlay. Currently, the price of the receiver is 429 US dollars, and it belongs to the same class as the model Alpine iLX-700 and JBL Legend C1000.

First impressions

At first glance, it becomes clear that the "Pioneer" decided to copy the appearance of iOS-devices from Apple. Thanks to the silvery rim of the Pioneer SPH-DA120 is very similar to the iPad. The glass 6.2-inch capacitive touch screen has a resolution of 800 × 480 pixels - the same as that of Alpine, JBL and most other multimedia centers of the 2016 release.

Compared to Alpine, the display size of the Pioneer SPH-DA120 is smaller, since its left edge of the frame is slightly thickened to accommodate the touch buttons. The Home key is located in the center. Above it are sensors for adjusting the volume, and below - the button for switching between the application screens, audio and video, as well as the search buttons, fast forward and backward. Sensors require touch, so in winter you will have to remove the gloves to make them work.

Connectivity

For the budget receiver Pioneer SPH-DA120 is really pretty stuffed and offers a lot of multimedia. For the back panel "Pioneer" is generous to the most diverse ports. Here are located:

• Input external GPS antenna,
• 2 USB ports,
• HDMI connector,
• Port rear view camera,
• amplifier,
• Output audio for the rear seat,
• RGB port,
• Sirius XM connector,
• IDatalink-port,
• Input for external microphone,
• Antenna plug,
• Port for external remote control,
• Standard power socket,
• Connectors for front and rear speakers.

Pioneer SPH-DA120: installation

The installation of the media center consists in the connection of the power cord and system, ie the car antenna, external microphone, remote control, GPS antenna, separately purchased power amplifier, Apple or Android device, rear view camera, external video module, HDMI device, rear display, etc. It is enough to connect the cables to the corresponding Pioneer SPH-DA120 connectors. The connection and tuning of the car radio are described in detail in the enclosed installation and operating manuals.

After the power is turned on, the main screen appears on the SPH-DA120 display. According to users, in the era of digital technologies and touchscreens, it's time for Pioneer to invest in this area. The menu that she offers, well, seems very archaic. "Prehistoric" design does not even remotely resemble the sophisticated style that has become familiar to Apple device owners. Navigation causes sensations of wandering in the labyrinth, when you constantly turn around and go into a dead end.

Interface and Apple Carplay

Among the main reasons for buying the Pioneer SPH-DA120 user reviews call it compatible with the application CarPlay. It is an evolving software platform in Apple iOS devices, not in the receiver itself. Therefore, no matter how original the receiver is, it will always work the same, no matter what the seller says about it!

Over time, the platform's capabilities change through regular updates to iOS. The same can be said for compatible applications, which are also periodically updated by developers, opening new perspectives and improving the functionality of CarPlay.

Therefore, there is no point in talking about the platform - what is relevant today, with the next update, it can become obsolete.

The interface of Pioneer SPH-DA120 is not quite convenient. The review is closed by sea of icons and options, which immediately clog the main screen. Fortunately, after connecting the iOS-device CarPlay is located in the upper corner, so that Apple users can feel at home, rejoicing in a clean and simple interface. For smartphones based on Android there is a program MirrorLink.

CarPlay is the same as in other multimedia centers. The capacitive screen helps with scrolling and interacting with the interface, quite sensitive, like with Alpine, and the location of the control panel can be determined through the settings menu. Criticism is that when you connect iPhone always there is a warning, with which you have to constantly interact before you start. Alpine does not have this, and it is not known why the Pioneer forces the driver to go through this annoying procedure every time.

In the absence of a CD / DVD drive, the user is limited to radio and multimedia via USB or HDMI, but a simple smartphone connection will breathe new life into the center, giving the opportunity to play own material, not just provided by the Apple or MirrorLink platform. Available applications are Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, etc. It's great, because CarPlay sins with frequent interruptions.

Bluetooth Wireless Audio

If you need a wireless CarPlay, then it is not here. But there is an alternative option, which lacks the Alpine iLX-700, and it's built-in Bluetooth. After pairing with a smartphone, you can broadcast sound to the car's speakers without having to connect cables. This will not give everything that Apple offers in a wireless CarPlay, but the sound is 99% of the device's running time, and AppRadio provides such an opportunity, unlike its competitors in the same price range. Bluetooth audio can be controlled through the built-in music player, displaying meta-data such as title, artist, album and genre. Navigation through directories is carried out either with the help of buttons on the front panel, or controls on the steering wheel, if, of course, they are compatible.

Custom settings

For users, adaptation is important, and the Pioneer SPH-DA120 reviews are called a device with a number of features that help to fit into the interior of the car. In the "Themes" section, you can select a background, and also upload your own images from a USB drive. In the "Lighting" section, you can select the color of the touch buttons on the side panel or define it using the color wheel in accordance with the tone of the interior. In the subsection "Themes" you can choose the color of the interface and the color palette of the main screen.

Pioneer SPH-DA120: a review of multimedia options

The SPH-DA120 supports many formats, surpassing in this its budget rivals. Two USB ports allow you to have one spare connector for connecting a USB drive with multiple files. What if you watch videos in DivX, H.264, MPEG4 and MKV? Of course, this can be done using the built-in media player. Need a slide show of images and photos? No problems. And if there is another video source, you can connect it via the HDMI port on the rear panel.

Like other receivers that are compatible with CarPlay, the Pioneer SPH-DA120 supports a rear view camera, displaying the image on the screen together with the help of a parking lot. However, today this function has become the standard.

Audio Settings

Among the popular features that Pioneer SPH-DA120 car receiver possesses, reviews of music lovers refer to preset and customized equalizers. They will allow you to achieve the desired sound or, after connecting the microphone, independently measure the acoustics of the car and automatically adjust the sound level.

Another standard supported function is MIXTRAX, a technology for creating non-stop mixes of excerpts from an audio library with DJ effects. True, users who listen to online audio, do not have the opportunity to ever experience it.

Advantages and disadvantages

The choice of budget devices that support CarPlay is rather limited. It depends on the desires of the owners, as well as on the type of multimedia that they plan to use. "Pioneer" has the maximum number of connector types in its price category. Two USB ports allow you to connect both iPhone and additional media with video and graphics. The HDMI connector offers more multimedia options, and the equalizer and graphics setting will please many.

At the same time, those wishing to simply connect their iPhone to use CarPlay may be tempted to purchase the Alpine iLX-700 due to its slightly larger screen, attractive appearance and convenience. CarPlay already uses the side of the display, so its large width reduces the inconvenience of the Apple interface.

The quality of the Pioneer screen seems to be lower with the same number of points with Alpine (800 × 480) and its smaller size. Although such a resolution in the era of retina displays is a crime. Car radios, which cost more than a thousand dollars, are still delivered with the same low clarity.

Verdict

The main advantage of the "Pioneer" is its support for streaming audio via Bluetooth. This simple function, which today meets in most media centers, opens the possibility of wireless sound transmission without the need to get the phone out of the pocket and allows passengers to become a DJ for the duration of the trip.

Everything comes down to individual preferences. If setting a color theme, viewing movies or images is important, and there is a need for Bluetooth audio, then this model is very good for its price and worthy of being a member of Apple CarPlay. But for many Alpine owners with a wide screen and a clean interface that's not enough, although the lack of Bluetooth depresses.