Question about Erisin GPS for 09 Camry - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

hardtopte72 · 10-27-2011, 03:37 AM

I have always used Factory radios in all my cars so my questions are:

If I were to buy the Erisin 8" GPS with all the built-in goodness do I need the factory steering wheel controls to support blue tooth calling or can i simply answer calls through the navigation display and speak through the built in mic.

Also are these units plug and play into Camry's or do you have to splice harnesses.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

CamryBeliever · 10-27-2011, 06:46 AM

Hey Hardtopte,

I have an 09 also and I'm inches away from buying the Erisin. What I've learned so far from the 2007 GPS thread is the Erisin is plug and play. No splicing required.

Also there seems to be mixed thoughts on the steering wheel controls. You'll need a "PAC tato" which allows the HU to learn what your steering wheel buttons are supposed to do. But it seems that owners of the Erisin are having trouble with the steering wheel controls getting wacky.

You will be able to control your phone is bluetooth right on the HU.

Any other members who have opinions please chime in. My goal is to buy the Erisin by the end of the week and start installation on a Friday night and hopefully have it finished by Sunday night. I'll also be adding an Infinity Basslink and back up camera.

I just don't want to tear apart my steering wheel if the PAC tato only works half the time, although I really like my steering wheel controls.

Big Wheezy · 10-27-2011, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hardtopte72

I have always used Factory radios in all my cars so my questions are:

If I were to buy the Erisin 8" GPS with all the built-in goodness do I need the factory steering wheel controls to support blue tooth calling or can i simply answer calls through the navigation display and speak through the built in mic.

Also are these units plug and play into Camry's or do you have to splice harnesses.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

The bluetooth works via the screen if you don't have the steering wheel controls. The unit is completely plug and play unless you have JBL audio, in which case you need a PAC TATO or to splice a couple wires.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamryBeliever

Hey Hardtopte,

Also there seems to be mixed thoughts on the steering wheel controls. You'll need a "PAC tato" which allows the HU to learn what your steering wheel buttons are supposed to do. But it seems that owners of the Erisin are having trouble with the steering wheel controls getting wacky.

...SNIP...

I just don't want to tear apart my steering wheel if the PAC tato only works half the time, although I really like my steering wheel controls.

This is wrong, the PAC TATO is for JBL audio cars, it provides the amplifier turn on signal necessary, you can hard wire the signal as well but the TATO is easier and cleaner. The steering wheel controls are a bit fidgety and the unit seems to forget the programing somewhat regularly but they have nothing to do with the PAC unit and don't require any dis-assembly.

CamryBeliever · 10-27-2011, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Wheezy

This is wrong, the PAC TATO is for JBL audio cars, it provides the amplifier turn on signal necessary, you can hard wire the signal as well but the TATO is easier and cleaner. The steering wheel controls are a bit fidgety and the unit seems to forget the programing somewhat regularly but they have nothing to do with the PAC unit and don't require any dis-assembly.

Thanks for the heads up. Guess I better get the PAC TATO. After all of the reading I've done I'm still learning.

EddieVVTI · 10-27-2011, 01:20 PM

What the heck is a PAC TATO and where can I buy one? I also have an OEM JBL audio stereo unit and would like to upgrade to a navi with back-up reverse camera

Big Wheezy · 10-27-2011, 01:23 PM

It's just a wire harness that connects your radio to the stock amp for the JBL system and allows you to adjust the gain etc.

http://www.pac-audio.com/productDeta...&CategoryID=26

Any good car audio installer that carries PAC stuff should be able to get it, or you can buy it plenty of places online.

EddieVVTI · 10-27-2011, 02:56 PM

Interesting. Any negative side effects to these adjustments needed to make the JBL install work? Just how good is this navigation system. Products that are normally pricey usually scare me away when they are offered for such a bargain price

Big Wheezy · 10-27-2011, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieVVTI

Interesting. Any negative side effects to these adjustments needed to make the JBL install work? Just how good is this navigation system. Products that are normally pricey usually scare me away when they are offered for such a bargain price

I don't have a JBL system, my impression was that even with the gain cranked the volume wasn't that amazing using this particular unit (probably owing to low pre-out volts since it appears the TATO uses the preouts and says it likes high input voltages)

I really like my Erisin, but I will tell you it has quirks, the steering wheel button programing is crazy finicky and seems to stop working once in a while, the ipod volume is way lower than the other inputs, the TV tuner doesn't work in the US without an adapter, the GPS software is probably bootleg, though it's one of the best systems, and you can install any Windows CE GPS program and maps on the MicroSD.

I use IGO Primo on an 8GB card myself, all those negatives aside, it's awesome, it's not quite as user friendly and instant on as a factory piece would be, but if you're someone with a decent level of "techie"-ness you'll like that you can fool around with it a little more and the dollars/performance ratio is definitely far better than trying to screw around and put in an OE nav radio etc. If my car had satellite radio controls on the OE radio I might have just gotten the iPod interface and called it a day, but it didn't so rather than buy a radio that does and then buy the interface I just went straight to this guy. You might check out the '10 up VFD radio swap thread as well for a nice OE alternative that could be made to work minus GPS of course.

EddieVVTI · 10-27-2011, 03:15 PM

I have the VFD Radio already I think (I have a 2011 Camry with JBL) along with a really old portable navigation unit from magellan. I wanted an in dash navigation unit and prefer the OEM look. I read the sticky regarding this topic but still had some questions. There seems to be several different aftermarket units for sale on ebay that were made to look like the OEM offering

Big Wheezy · 10-27-2011, 07:55 PM

I actually found the best deal to be buying direct from Erisin, my ES856C was about 330 shipped to my door. If there's any other questions about the Erisin at least I'd be happy to answer them if I can, I did a lot of research and it seemed like at the moment at least it's by far the best unit.

murph3699 · 10-27-2011, 08:04 PM

The Erisin, for the price, is probably the best bargain out there. I tried the Eonon and its not nearly as good. My biggest complaint is with the Pac Tato or the JBL system. I'm not sure who to blame. I found that both the Eonon and Erisin don't play very loud, especially with the iPod. That's with the 3 dipswitches flipped

CamryBeliever · 10-27-2011, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murph3699

That's with the 3 dipswitches flipped

Are you talking about dip switches on the amp on the JBL system Murph?

murph3699 · 10-27-2011, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamryBeliever

Are you talking about dip switches on the amp on the JBL system Murph?

I wasn't aware there were any on the amp. Are there?

I was talking about the dipswitches on the Pac Tato.

CamryBeliever · 10-27-2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murph3699

I wasn't aware there were any on the amp. Are there?

I was talking about the dipswitches on the Pac Tato.

I'm not sure. I don't have the Erisin in my posession yet. Ordered it today, at the Pac Tato.

murph3699 · 10-27-2011, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamryBeliever

I'm not sure. I don't have the Erisin in my posession yet. Ordered it today, at the Pac Tato.

I just got fired up for a second!

Its an easy install. The hardest part for me was finding a good place to stuff the Pac Tato and the rest of the wires without making the lower glove box not work