Odd Behaviour with 2015 FR-S Radio

[Eluder]

Wondering if anyone can chime in on this odd behaviour I have with my new 2015 FR-S stock radio (non BeSpoke). I don't think it's normal, but would be good to hear from other owners.

I have an iPhone 6 running the latest iOS8 version connected to the radio via Bluetooth and I use Google maps often.
If I start the navigation process before I turn on the radio, the nav directions will start and the car with go in Phone Call mode and call out the directions. In this mode, I can't switch to another audio mode, so I'm stuck in this mode, unless I stop the navigation process.

The other issue I have is if this phone is connected via BT Audio for phone calls, and connected via USB (for music), if I start music playback via BT audio, I can't playback using the iPod mode. It will let me switch over to that source, but it won't play anything, even though the song timer is progressing.

Again, I'm thinking this is abnormal behaviour, but my dealer hasn't been able to confirm if there's an issue since they don't have another FR-S there to test it out. We tested it with a 2015 TC that looked like the exact radio, and had no issues there.

Thanks.

[ImBatman]

Originally Posted by Eluder

The other issue I have is if this phone is connected via BT Audio for phone calls, and connected via USB (for music), if I start music playback via BT audio, I can't playback using the iPod mode. It will let me switch over to that source, but it won't play anything, even though the song timer is progressing.

On your first issue, I don't know how much help I can be. The only thing I can think is while you're in the navigation screen on your phone, swipe up from the bottom and see if it will let you change the audio source.

On the quoted issue, why don't you just listen to the music through bluetooth? I may have read that wrong but if the bluetooth playback is working, why not just use it?

[Eluder]

Originally Posted by ImBatman

On your first issue, I don't know how much help I can be. The only thing I can think is while you're in the navigation screen on your phone, swipe up from the bottom and see if it will let you change the audio source.

On the quoted issue, why don't you just listen to the music through bluetooth? I may have read that wrong but if the bluetooth playback is working, why not just use it?

I prefer the USB cable because it's better audio quality and I don't have to crank the volume to high levels to hear it.

[ImBatman]

Originally Posted by Eluder

I prefer the USB cable because it's better audio quality and I don't have to crank the volume to high levels to hear it.

I used to do the same, but got tired of having to run cables everywhere and deal with the same issues you're describing.

I'm no audio expert, but from what I've read recently, audio quality when transmitted over bluetooth has increased significantly. In my old company truck, it was horrible so I refused to listen to music over BT, but it's gotten to the point that I can't tell the difference and I think it would take a finely tuned ear to hear the differences.

You may have such ears, though, so I'm sorry I couldn't help. I do love just hopping in my car and having the music start right back up where I left off through bluetooth though!

On a side note, if you are an audiophile, which it sounds like you are since you prefer only transmitting through cable, get ready to dump some money into sound deadening because these vehicles aren't exactly acoustically-inclined... especially when at freeway speeds!

[Haeb]

I've got both a 2014 FRS with the BeSpoke, and a 2014 Rav-4 with the touchscreen head unit, and neither of them play nicely with Apple devices. Getting my I-pod to work while plugged into the USB is a 50/50 affair - half the time it works half the time it goes into an infinite loading mode...or it shows track artist etc but wont play. And when we bought the Rav the people at the dealer mentioned Toyota didnt have good software for the I-phones built into their audio systems - the wifes I-phone wouldnt connect correctly or do things like display texts that my android would. More than anything I think its a disconnect with licensing and software between Apple and Toyota.

[Eluder]

Thanks for the feedback guys, but I'd love someone with a stock FR-S radio to chime in as the BeSpoke behaves very differently than the stock radio. Tried it this morning at the dealer with a 2014 unit with BeSpoke and the menus were quite different, and the radio behaved as expected (ie: could switch back and forth between the two sources on the fly).

Oh, the other annoyance I have with my radio is that I have to pick the source everytime, it doesn't remember the last source used. Not sure that's normal either.
@ImBatman, you're right, these cars are noisy, but I kind of like them, the exhaust note on the 2015 is awesome. But on the highway the car does seem louder than my WRX back home, which I wouldn't have thought since Subaru's aren't known to be quiet, but hey, this car is technically a Subie as well.

[misterfly]

Originally Posted by Eluder

Oh, the other annoyance I have with my radio is that I have to pick the source everytime, it doesn't remember the last source used. Not sure that's normal either.

For this part i got a frs 2015 and is alway remember my source, i don't have the bespoke.

[Eluder]

Thanks misterfly, definitely sounds like my radio's s/w is messed up with all these little issues.