Home > Consumer Reviews > Pioneer GEX-P10HD HD Radio Tuner for Pioneer HD Radio-Ready Head Units

I recently purchased this unit to use with a Pioneer DEH-P700BT. Installation was a snap (took about 10 minutes). The integration with the head unit is fantastic; it works as if the functionality is built-in to the radio itself.

I did not suffer from any reception ill-effects that some others have noted. My recommendation is to NOT use the 8ft antenna extension cable that comes with the P10HD. Instead, plug the existing antenna cable directly into the P10HD. Adding 8ft of coax has the potential to introduce signal level drop.

HD programming in the Seattle area is a lot less commercial (at least it is for now). I highly recommend this HD tuner for anyone who owns a compatible Pioneer head unit.

I had absolutely no problems with this. It got here on time and was easy to install and setup. It sounds great and works perfectly with my Pioneer Avic-f90bt. Just a heads up to those with an f90bt. if you install this HD tuner you will not be able to use MSN direct unless you get a splitter and split your antenna wire so it can go into this unit and the f90bt. MSN direct uses the FM signal for its info and if you only run your antenna into this unit your f90bt won't be able to find the direct FM signal. I had a problem with this when i firs installed it but was able to quickly go in and make the adjustments to make it work.

The Adapter was easy to install and easy to navigate with my head unit (DEH-P690UB). The only downside was the velcro strips the adapter came with for securing the unit. The velcro seems strong enough, but the glue on the velcro strips did not stick to the back of the dash pocket after two days. The weather wasn't even very warm - it was January, and I did not affix the adapter to a heater duct (this is forbidden in the instructions). A couple of holes for some screws or a bracket would have been nice. Other than that small detail, it seems like a great product.

I have to hand it to Pioneer - they found a way to give a head unit the longest possible life. In the "old days" (think Eight Track Cartridge), when you bought a head unit, it pretty much did one thing - provide music from one source and maybe AM/FM. If you wanted to get the latest new music source on the market you had to ditch the whole head unit and start again. Remember how eight-tracks became bricks when cassettes got to the point where you could get pretty good sound from them? Remember how cassettes became fire starters when it became possible to burn your own CD's and play them in the car? Yup. Out with the old, in with the new...

I guess if you don't keep your cars long and you sell the stereo with the car, it might not matter very much. But if tend to hold on to things, it's nice when you can update them as things change. Such is the case with a whole range of Pioneer head units.

Pioneer provides an IP-BUS connection system with several tiers of functionality ranges, depending on the age and feature range of your particular head unit. Later units at the higher end of the line support more IP-BUS compatible components, with a better selection of control and display options.

My first IP-BUS unit is still in my Jeep and providing me great service - running both an XM radio and iPod. Neither was available when I bought my Pioneer but both were easy to add and have really enhanced the life of the head unit. I still have it and use it everyday.

My second IP-BUS unit (DEH-P980BT) has proven the incredible extensibility of this system. It already had huge built-in capabilities. But adding to it was easy:
- XM Radio
- iPod
- USB

And now HD Digital Radio.

What's not to like?

There is some moaning and groaning about the interface. I will grant that my unit treats the HD Digital radio as an "external" device with limited character display, but still has a considerable number of features that are easy to control.

And the sound is exactly what HD Radio is all about. I took a no compromise approach to the installation. I wired it to an auxiliary fuse panel (like Painless Wiring) and added an antenna splitter so that both the regular AM/FM and this unit had antenna connections. That preserves my option to use the original AM/FM tuner for whatever reason I might have. The instruction manual is weak on this point suggested to leave the AM/FM in the head unit disconnected from the antenna. And when you read the reviews here you see all those disappointed with that advice. For a couple dollars you can avoid all that.

This item is easy to stash inside the dash - most cars will have enough unused space to hide this easily - in fact I have all IP-BUS units hidden in the dash with room to spare.

I ended up getting this for a small fraction of the price with the HD Radio rebate, well worth skipping a couple breakfasts at the fast food place!

I don't understand the negative reviews. But then I don't want to even bother with regular radio when I can have HD. Also with HD channels there seem to be less commercials, some with even no commercials. So BONUS!I have mine setup with the FH-P800BT and it works fine.