Kenwood DNX6190HD and Maestro installed
09-16-2012, 09:43 PM
#1
Kenwood DNX6190HD and Maestro installed
Installed a Kenwood DNX6190HD and Idatalink Maestro interface this weekend. Not very experienced with audio installs but was able to complete the install without a lot of difficulty. Purchased the Kenwood and Maestro through Crutchfield. When I ordered they had factory refurb Kenwood units about $300 off regular price. The Maestro shows up on their website now for ordering.
The Maestro is very easy to program. You go to Idatalink's website, and they have videos that show you exactly how to set it up. You download a little program, register to login, and specify what year, model, etc. of vehicle, what actions you want the steering wheel buttons to perform, and you flash the module.
I connected everything from the Maestro wiring harness to the Kenwood harness before I did the install and there are no other wires to connect in the vehicle. The instructions show that there is one wire that you need to tie into, but from reading the forum on Idatalink's website I found this was not necessary. You simply plug everything in and that's it.
The only hiccup I had in the whole process was trying to update the firmware on the Kenwood. For it to work with the Maestro it has to be flashed to at least version 1.5, 1.6 is available on Kenwood's website to download along with some pretty good directions on how to perform the update. The one thing they leave out is that the USB memory stick you use must be formatted with FAT32, which any new ones you have probably will not be. I kept trying with no success to get the Kenwood to read several of them, but had no success until I tried a very old one that was only 256MB, and was formatted with FAT32. Once I got it to read the USB it only took about 5 minutes to do the upgrade.
Once I did the upgrade the Kenwood recognized the Maestro and self initiated a setup procedure that had me turn the key on and off a few times. Once it completed this all of the sync functionality was available from the Kenwood. The only thing you lose is the time being displayed in the small panel above the radio. From what I read the time was sourced from the factory radio is why it is no longer available.
I am very happy with how easy it was and how all the sync functionality is there just like it was before. I don't have satellite radio so the the inabilty to use it along with the Maestro was not an issue for me. I also installed a backup camera, and a powered sub under the back seat.
If anyone has any questions I will happy to answer them from the perspective of someone who is not experienced at this at all but was able to have a successful install.
The Maestro is very easy to program. You go to Idatalink's website, and they have videos that show you exactly how to set it up. You download a little program, register to login, and specify what year, model, etc. of vehicle, what actions you want the steering wheel buttons to perform, and you flash the module.
I connected everything from the Maestro wiring harness to the Kenwood harness before I did the install and there are no other wires to connect in the vehicle. The instructions show that there is one wire that you need to tie into, but from reading the forum on Idatalink's website I found this was not necessary. You simply plug everything in and that's it.
The only hiccup I had in the whole process was trying to update the firmware on the Kenwood. For it to work with the Maestro it has to be flashed to at least version 1.5, 1.6 is available on Kenwood's website to download along with some pretty good directions on how to perform the update. The one thing they leave out is that the USB memory stick you use must be formatted with FAT32, which any new ones you have probably will not be. I kept trying with no success to get the Kenwood to read several of them, but had no success until I tried a very old one that was only 256MB, and was formatted with FAT32. Once I got it to read the USB it only took about 5 minutes to do the upgrade.
Once I did the upgrade the Kenwood recognized the Maestro and self initiated a setup procedure that had me turn the key on and off a few times. Once it completed this all of the sync functionality was available from the Kenwood. The only thing you lose is the time being displayed in the small panel above the radio. From what I read the time was sourced from the factory radio is why it is no longer available.
I am very happy with how easy it was and how all the sync functionality is there just like it was before. I don't have satellite radio so the the inabilty to use it along with the Maestro was not an issue for me. I also installed a backup camera, and a powered sub under the back seat.
If anyone has any questions I will happy to answer them from the perspective of someone who is not experienced at this at all but was able to have a successful install.
09-21-2012, 05:39 PM
#2
F150 Forum
Installed a Kenwood DNX6190HD and Idatalink Maestro interface this weekend. Not very experienced with audio installs but was able to complete the install without a lot of difficulty. Purchased the Kenwood and Maestro through Crutchfield. When I ordered they had factory refurb Kenwood units about $300 off regular price. The Maestro shows up on their website now for ordering.
The Maestro is very easy to program. You go to Idatalink's website, and they have videos that show you exactly how to set it up. You download a little program, register to login, and specify what year, model, etc. of vehicle, what actions you want the steering wheel buttons to perform, and you flash the module.
I connected everything from the Maestro wiring harness to the Kenwood harness before I did the install and there are no other wires to connect in the vehicle. The instructions show that there is one wire that you need to tie into, but from reading the forum on Idatalink's website I found this was not necessary. You simply plug everything in and that's it.
The only hiccup I had in the whole process was trying to update the firmware on the Kenwood. For it to work with the Maestro it has to be flashed to at least version 1.5, 1.6 is available on Kenwood's website to download along with some pretty good directions on how to perform the update. The one thing they leave out is that the USB memory stick you use must be formatted with FAT32, which any new ones you have probably will not be. I kept trying with no success to get the Kenwood to read several of them, but had no success until I tried a very old one that was only 256MB, and was formatted with FAT32. Once I got it to read the USB it only took about 5 minutes to do the upgrade.
Once I did the upgrade the Kenwood recognized the Maestro and self initiated a setup procedure that had me turn the key on and off a few times. Once it completed this all of the sync functionality was available from the Kenwood. The only thing you lose is the time being displayed in the small panel above the radio. From what I read the time was sourced from the factory radio is why it is no longer available.
I am very happy with how easy it was and how all the sync functionality is there just like it was before. I don't have satellite radio so the the inabilty to use it along with the Maestro was not an issue for me. I also installed a backup camera, and a powered sub under the back seat.
If anyone has any questions I will happy to answer them from the perspective of someone who is not experienced at this at all but was able to have a successful install.
The Maestro is very easy to program. You go to Idatalink's website, and they have videos that show you exactly how to set it up. You download a little program, register to login, and specify what year, model, etc. of vehicle, what actions you want the steering wheel buttons to perform, and you flash the module.
I connected everything from the Maestro wiring harness to the Kenwood harness before I did the install and there are no other wires to connect in the vehicle. The instructions show that there is one wire that you need to tie into, but from reading the forum on Idatalink's website I found this was not necessary. You simply plug everything in and that's it.
The only hiccup I had in the whole process was trying to update the firmware on the Kenwood. For it to work with the Maestro it has to be flashed to at least version 1.5, 1.6 is available on Kenwood's website to download along with some pretty good directions on how to perform the update. The one thing they leave out is that the USB memory stick you use must be formatted with FAT32, which any new ones you have probably will not be. I kept trying with no success to get the Kenwood to read several of them, but had no success until I tried a very old one that was only 256MB, and was formatted with FAT32. Once I got it to read the USB it only took about 5 minutes to do the upgrade.
Once I did the upgrade the Kenwood recognized the Maestro and self initiated a setup procedure that had me turn the key on and off a few times. Once it completed this all of the sync functionality was available from the Kenwood. The only thing you lose is the time being displayed in the small panel above the radio. From what I read the time was sourced from the factory radio is why it is no longer available.
I am very happy with how easy it was and how all the sync functionality is there just like it was before. I don't have satellite radio so the the inabilty to use it along with the Maestro was not an issue for me. I also installed a backup camera, and a powered sub under the back seat.
If anyone has any questions I will happy to answer them from the perspective of someone who is not experienced at this at all but was able to have a successful install.
Thanks for the detailed write up! We are glad you are happy with Maestro. If you have any follow up questions or suggestions, we'd love to hear them. Remember that your voice button works a little different now. To use Sync Audio (USB or BT Stream) press and release the voice button to get a Media prompt. To use the phone, press and HOLD the voice button to get the Telephone Prompt. Did you happen to print the quick reference card from the website when you programmed your module?
Best,
12V Guy