Installed my kenwood today, with the idatalink maestro product that i thought would become a phantom product.

Item was beyond easy to install in my ford expedition 2011, used butt connectors, should have went with solder, but i couldnt find my heatshrink.
The module works perfectly with sync.

I tried to get my oem sat antenna to work with my kenwood using the ford splitter, but i couldnt get a signal. Kenwood supplied antenna installed behind the radio, perfect gps reception.

Love this gps! menus are a bit slow, but thats to be expected in these units.

Trying to locate my reverse camera wires, to hook up to the kenwood, then it would be perfect.

 

Tagging you to hear some impressions. I realized my wife's lease is longer than I expected so I will be in the Expy longer and trying to decide if I should put one of these (or similar) kenwood in. I still have my DDx 514 sitting here but would like a newer one. I had no idea that they could interface with sync until I looked on their site yesterday. Also, do you mind if I ask what you paid and from where and you are still able to bypass the video lock by grounding it. Thanks in advance, Mike.

 

it is officially out as of monday, these things sell for msrp for the most part, which is pretty cheap compared to the other sync interfaces available.

Good thing about these is that it uses the sync mic, no need to install the kenwood one, and the t-harness provides every wire you need, except the steering wheel control wire, which is easily gotten to by removing the console upper finish panel, which only requires the removal of 1 screw, and not the entire console.

 

 

MSRP:

Maestro RR: $169.99 (ADS-MRR)
T-Harness $34.99 (ADS-HRN(SR)-FOR01)
Kenwood SXi to ADS adaptor $19.99 (ADS-HRN(SX)-ALL01)

Website: www.idatalink.com/maestro

Look up your car from main page to see what products apply and what features are retained. You can also select your steering wheel and radio to get more specific results.

Thanks for your interest in Maestro.

12V Guy

 

And yes, you can still bypass video lock on a Kenwood by grounding the parking brake input full time. Just ground it and don't connect it to the T-harness.

12V Guy

 

Does the USB and line in found in the armrest still work?

 

those still work, and are accessible with the kenwood.

 

Can you give me a little more detail on how you said it was a "Very" easy install. I am very interested in this, but a little concerned about how involved the install is. Do I have to cut wires? Splice wires? Or is is simply butting bare wires to bare wires? Thanks in advance...Ed

 

i got the harness they sell for ford as well.
i took butt connectors and matched the colors on the harness up with the kenwood harness, and crimped them, everything but 1 wire is in this harness.
the steering wheel control wire is in the area next to the shifter, requires removing 1 screw and the upper console trim, took a minute or 2. i cut the wire that went from steering wheel to the sync module, and connected that wire so that steering wheel goes into the new harness.

99% of the work was done indoors, since it was all in the harnesses, (idatalink harness, and kenwood harness)

after that, it is pretty much plug it back in. wished i remembered to take pictures, but it was easier then i expected it to be. if you have factory installed reverse view camera, that takes a bit more work to tap into.

 

Hi, I've posted some questions under your member information. Please check and contact me. Wanted to hear more about your install, how well the unit is doing, and if you got rear camera hooked up. I have a 2012 and am interested in doing just what you did.

Thanks!

 

Hi, I'm posting again to see if I can get a response on how well your Kenwood is working. Also had some questions on how you did your install. I think too that I need to post a few more times before I get full forum rights - right now it looks like I'm still locked out of being able to send you a private message.