2014 EX-L sound system - pretty sweet

[Frespirt1002]

The USB port is for iPods and iPhones for playing music. You don't see that as a useful purpose? If you only want to use your phone for phone calls, you can ditch the cables and use Bluetooth. HondaLink does exactly what it is supposed to do, utilize Bluetooth for hands-free calling. CarPlay will require the Digital AV cable, which is USB and HDMI. That is why the front lower pocket has the USB and HDMI ports next to each other.

Yes.. I am aware what the ports and hondalink functions are. I saw the YouTube video on CarPlay and it seems more integrated than HondaLink and I think it will be less cumbersome, since with CarPlay, you will only need the USB/lightning cable, and there will be more direct functionality to the iPhone. At least that is what has been represented on the YouTube videos and on the Apple site. I am very excited about CarPlay!!!!

 

[Hillstones]

You will need the Digital AV cable, which is USB and HDMI for CarPlay to work. That is why there is an HDMI port in the new 2014 Civic next to the additional USB port below the dash.

 

[Todai]

To my understanding (and i could be wrong) the USB / HDMI port is required for the HondaLink Navi, but Carplay should work with just the standard USB to Lightning Cable. I do not think anything has actually been announced by Honda to conifrm the 2014 Civic will have it, but I really hope they do as I am also an owner.

Side note: The Honda Link Navigation needs an update badly. I have used it on a number of road trips & it seems more dangerous then just looking down at a smart phone and trying to navigate with one of the built in applications.

 

[Hillstones]

Why do you think the Honda Navi is dangerous? It is a map and it is more accurate than most smartphones. I have seen plenty of other Navi systems; BMW, Benz, Chevy, Smartphones, and all of them have so much eye-candy and ridiculous 3D effects that they are difficult to see where you are going or where you need to turn next. The map should be simple so you can take quick glance at it and know exactly where you need to turn next. CarPlay will require the HDMI cable as well in order to send the image data from the iPhone's screen to the DisplayAudio screen. Apple confirmed the 2014 Honda Civic will have it, likely in a software update, because all the promotional images on Apple's site are the Civic, and Honda is listed as one of the manufacturers in 2014.

 

[Todai]

@Hillstones: from my experience using the Navi application. The app doesn't choose the logical route at a freeway junction. I'll try to give you an example . Forgive me if my freeway numbers or direction is off.


I was driving down the 215 freeway heading for upland. At some point the 60 runs side by side with the 215. The nav would keep telling me to get over to the right lane. Then once I did the lane wanted to exit the freeway. Then the nav says last minute to get over 1 lane . I make it back into the lane with an unsafe change. I follow the path and it puts me right back onto the 215 freeway.

IMO the app could just say stay in the left lanes since the 215 is where I'm going to direct you in just a moment.

Please keep in mind I have never been to upland so I was relying on gps to get me there. I just hope a patch works out a kink like this one

 

[Todai]

Please keep in mind I am using the Honda Link navigation($60.00) app. Not the upgraded system with nav built in.

 

[Hillstones]

@Hillstones: from my experience using the Navi application. The app doesn't choose the logical route at a freeway junction. I'll try to give you an example . Forgive me if my freeway numbers or direction is off.


I was driving down the 215 freeway heading for upland. At some point the 60 runs side by side with the 215. The nav would keep telling me to get over to the right lane. Then once I did the lane wanted to exit the freeway. Then the nav says last minute to get over 1 lane . I make it back into the lane with an unsafe change. I follow the path and it puts me right back onto the 215 freeway.

IMO the app could just say stay in the left lanes since the 215 is where I'm going to direct you in just a moment.

Please keep in mind I have never been to upland so I was relying on gps to get me there. I just hope a patch works out a kink like this one

You should also know the 215 freeway has been under construction for over a year with on ramps and off ramps being moved and changed during that time. The 5th Street ramp used to be on the left side, off the left lane. Now it has been moved to the right side of the freeway. GPS will tell you to exit left, unaware that the offramp is now on the right. So any GPS system would experience similar issues until construction is completed, and maps are updated to reflect the new changes. For example, the 215 freeway is now connected to the 210 freeway in both directions. My 2013 map does not know this because the new ramps opened within the past year. Since you were unfamiliar with the area, you probably did not know of the recent freeway changes.

 

[Todai]

In my more recent years I have been using the Navigation App that comes with most any Android Phone these days (Current Phone is Galaxy S4). In all the times I have had to use GPS on the android system I have never come close to as many failures as I have had with the Honda Link Navigation App. I did use the Honda Link Nav App since the update that was released about 8 days ago on my road trip up to San Francisco. For the most part it was successful in guiding me around town with out any failure. Which is nice to report it worked well in such a crazy city that I have no knowledge how to navigate through.

Although on my way back home on the 101 Freeway south I noticed a number of times the GPS would assume I exited the freeway & acts as if its on a rail system. Instead of detecting that in fact I am still on the freeway it actually moves the Navigation icon that represents my car as if I just drove off the freeway ramp. I would have to say this happened about 5 times over a 2 hour span. It got annoying towards the end, but I did make it home eventually =P.

I will continue to use the Honda Link Navigation App & look forward to any new updates, but I figured some feedback on the actual app is something people would like to hear about before they spend $60.00 on the app + $75.00 on the cables that Honda Charges $100.00 for. Please let me know if you have any questions that I might be able to answer for you.

Take care,

John