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Horrible Radio Flaw...

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by TruSound, Mar 19, 2012.

  1. TruSound

    TruSound Member

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    Maybe I've missed something in the setup of this radio...here's my issue.

    If AM is selected and the screen is on the AM presets, then I select FM from the steering wheel, the presets stay in the AM mode, shouldn't the FM presets come up when FM is selected ?....completely rediculious that this doesn't change on screen when you select a new mode.
     
  2. mdime

    mdime Junior Member

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    I'm not sure if the non-nav systems are the same but the nav versions have mixed-mode presets. That is, there aren't different presets groups defined by source. It's all just one group so you can have FM, AM, and SAT presets all together on one screen.
     
  3. V8Cobrakid

    V8Cobrakid Green Handyman

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    that is a horrible radio flaw.. on my 04, they are all different stations per screen. am, fm1, and fm2.
     
  4. Harry Pottar

    Harry Pottar Junior Member

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    I'm not sure it a flaw, one mans meat is anther mans poison.

    I like this, my wife as bank 1 I use bank 2, I like the idea I can mark my favorite stations regardless if the station is on FM,AM,HD or Sat. My old radio I would have to remember which number was which depending on the frequency.

    You have 6 banks you could set it up so that bank 1 is FM, bank 2 is AM so on and so fourth.

    Just my 2 cents
    Harry
     
  5. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    Just something else you are going to have to reset when the +12 battery ground gets yanked for one service reason or another. Someday I would love to see a radio that actually holds its memory. Is that really too much to ask for?
     
  6. PRPrius

    PRPrius Active Member

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    This is also the case with newer GM products. I recently rented a Camaro Convertible and it had the presets from previous rentals already set. The presets were a mix of FM, AM and XM radio stations. You could be listening to XM channel 1 and select preset two for your local FM station. Preset 3 could be another XM station or a local AM station.
     
  7. Keiichi

    Keiichi Active Member

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    I am not sure if that is a 'flaw' persay. As in some cases, people would have presets for specific stations, but not for just 'specific' radio band. It could be also a configuration setting you may have to specify it.
     
  8. GantryG

    GantryG New Member

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    They can certainly put the presets in Flash RAM, but they make it reset when the power is yanked for a reason- dealers/repair people depend on being able to master-reset everything by doing that, without needing to know special procedures. Good for them, bad for the user.
     
  9. TruSound

    TruSound Member

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    The issue is not the presets themselves...

    My problem with the system is...when selecting a new mode from the steering wheel the corresponding preset bank doesn't come up on the screen. In other words, if I'm listening to an AM station and looking at my AM preset bank of stations on the display, then I change the mode to FM via the steering wheel the screen stays on the AM preset screen...seems reasonable that when I change the mode the screen should follow suit and move to FM preset view.
     
  10. lolstebbo

    lolstebbo Junior Member

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    That's because none of the 6 banks are specifically allocated to any type of radio. I can mix my presets in any way I want. I could have 3 FM and 3 AM presets in one bank, or I could just have a bank be purely FM. It's not a flaw, it's a different mode of behavior. I don't think Toyota programmed the system to detect exactly what kinds of presets you have in each bank.
     
  11. TruSound

    TruSound Member

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    Guess I just don't like this mode of behavior...thanks for the clarity anyway.
     
  12. Mac Prius

    Mac Prius Mod Junkie

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    So to clarify your issue, you're saying that on the screen you have your AM presets showing and then when you hit the mode button on the steering wheel, it switches to FM but the screen still shows your AM presets?

    I personally dont have that issue. I have two FM preset banks and one AM. When I cycle through the sources via the mode button on the steering wheel, my presets change on the screen as expected. The one thing it does not do is cycle through the other FM bank of presets, just the one I was previously on.
     
  13. TruSound

    TruSound Member

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    Exactly Mac...when listening to an FM preset station and viewing FM bank 1 of presets on the display, the display doesnt move to AM view when that mode is selected via the steering wheel. The only way to select any of the preset banks 1 thru 6 is at the touch screen, or scrolling thru all the presets to the next bank.
    I know I'm repeating myself here, it would just seem reasonable to see the AM preset bank displayed when I select AM via the wheel.
     
  14. Mac Prius

    Mac Prius Mod Junkie

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    Sounds like its not a common flaw and unfortunately just your unit. I would definitely take it in to get looked at. Good luck.
     
  15. Wanderer

    Wanderer Hybrid neophyte

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    TS I'll look at how my radio displays when I am in the car later today. I'm not one to channel surf but now I'm just curious. W
     
  16. TruSound

    TruSound Member

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    I have a feeling this is getting very confusing, possibly just for me.
     
  17. mdime

    mdime Junior Member

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    I think you're right that the way it works is unintuative, but I also think that people are fundamentally using the interface differently to get around the system's inefficiencies.

    THE PROBLEM:

    When you switch modes the radio switches to the last active station for the new source but the display doesn't change preset banks. What this means is that (after switching modes) when you then hit the preset + or - it goes to the bottom or the top of the bank currently shown and doesn't switch relative to the station that is playing.

    This behaviour would only make sense if the last active station on the new source isn't defined as a preset. If it is then the system should be smart enough to jump to the bank where that preset is located (independent of antennae mode).

    THE WORKAROUND:

    Don't use the MODE button to switch stations. Set preset banks based on different drivers' preferences, not antennae type. For example,bank 1 has my wife's stations, bank 2 has mine, and so on with each a mix of AM/FM/SAT. I just select the bank I want and then just scroll through with the + and - on the steering wheel. You could also create banks based on genre (Talk/sports/rock) and you wouldn't care if they were AM, FM, or SAT.
     
  18. TruSound

    TruSound Member

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    Dime nailed it...unintuitive. Just gonna have to live with it, and the horrible nav that can't find the most basic addresses in Los Angeles...JUNK
     
  19. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    What does the manual say....
     
  20. MBRGuru

    MBRGuru Member

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    It's because presets aren't saved in one specific "mode". they're mixed together. A lot of other co's seem to be doing it now, as others have mentioned, where you can save any preset on any screen. It's just how it works rather than a flaw.