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How are you liking the RLX? Did you consider a 16+ GS450H? If I ever come across a 450H in the spec I want I think I might upgrade to that from my 13' F Sport. I really wish I had LKA and a few other features the newer GS's have standard. Also, the 350 is a gas drinker, lol.
That's essentially why I got rid of my '15 GS. Love the looks of the car and sporty suspension but mine lack any of those Driving Assistance tech like LKA. I wanted something newer with more tech on-board. No, I didn't considered GS450H. Only Lexus I would consider now is GS-F, LC, or LS. But all of those models are 2X-3X more expensive than what I paid for my 2020 RLX-SH. Really loving the RLX. It's so boring looking like old man's car, but man that thing is wolf in sheep skin. It's rated at 377HP, but feels like it is putting out at least 400HP. Acura really under-rated this car. So fast, super quiet and rear leg-room is insane. I always get a big-*** grin when I stomped on the pedal. Really sad Acura discontinued the Sport Hybrids and opt to go with newer Turbo charged engines. Luckily I got both the MDX and RLX Sport Hybrids before they're all gone.
That's essentially why I got rid of my '15 GS. Love the looks of the car and sporty suspension but mine lack any of those Driving Assistance tech like LKA. I wanted something newer with more tech on-board. No, I didn't considered GS450H. Only Lexus I would consider now is GS-F, LC, or LS. But all of those models are 2X-3X more expensive than what I paid for my 2020 RLX-SH. Really loving the RLX. It's so boring looking like old man's car, but man that thing is wolf in sheep skin. It's rated at 377HP, but feels like it is putting out at least 400HP. Acura really under-rated this car. So fast, super quiet and rear leg-room is insane. I always get a big-*** grin when I stomped on the pedal. Really sad Acura discontinued the Sport Hybrids and opt to go with newer Turbo charged engines. Luckily I got both the MDX and RLX Sport Hybrids before they're all gone.
I was just looking at those last week myself, but not sure it would be an upgrade from my current GS. Plus I’m not sure how to feel about a FWD platform. How’s the understeer on that thing? Also acceleration, is there any spin/slippage before AWD engages?
To show? Grom should boot up automatically if the radio is left in Aux mode (that's where it runs through). You press the media button to switch to Grom if you're in the OE interface. I still have my phone connected to the OE bluetooth in the car just so the cellular signal shows at the top right side of the 12.3 screen, but I set the OE bluetooth to not automatically have my phone switch to it for Audio output.
You can set up CarPlay to launch automatically, screenshot from thread below
If you don't want the screen to flash back to OEM interface every time a Climate Change is made you need to uncheck the below setting in Grom main menu
Hope this answers your question?
Credit to the wonderful people above in the thread.
Thanks for that climate control tip! As far as the CarPlay connecting automatically everything is checked there but the system sometimes takes forever to connect and sometimes it doesn't connect at all lol.
Originally Posted by lilboi
I have the same issue. It doesn’t relate to the toggle described above. I think this was a bug that was later introduced (within the last 6 months). For awhile it flawlessly booted up into the vline unit and if carplay connected, it would switch. Even after they added the climate control momentary toggle it would still boot up correctly but somewhere down the line they introduced this bug.
Additionally they took out the ability to quick toggle to the oem interface via menu hold down. pretty annoying.
Yeah I have been having a lot of trouble with CarPlay lately. Hopefully it gets better via update
Thanks for that climate control tip! As far as the CarPlay connecting automatically everything is checked there but the system sometimes takes forever to connect and sometimes it doesn't connect at all lol.
Yeah I have been having a lot of trouble with CarPlay lately. Hopefully it gets better via update
Try forgetting device in bluetooth settings, unplug the Grom and connect again. I've found that when my phone is connected to something else it gives Grom issues when connecting to BT upon startup. So I make sure I don't have my AirPods connected or whatever else could be, Im still connected to OE bluetooth but I set it to "control output from phone" or something, I forgot what the exact setting is called.
If it continues to give you problems, do a factory reset. I wouldn't wait on a update. It took awhile for me to get things right on mine but it's running flawlessly now.
I was just looking at those last week myself, but not sure it would be an upgrade from my current GS. Plus I’m not sure how to feel about a FWD platform. How’s the understeer on that thing? Also acceleration, is there any spin/slippage before AWD engages?
Personally, I'll never own a FWD platform/ transverse engine car again. FWD because of torque steer. Transverse V6's because they're hard to work on.
Coming from a V6 Camry, things like having to remove the intake manifold just to replace the rear spark plugs was such a hassle. Everything is just so packed together/cramped.
Try forgetting device in bluetooth settings, unplug the Grom and connect again. I've found that when my phone is connected to something else it gives Grom issues when connecting to BT upon startup. So I make sure I don't have my AirPods connected or whatever else could be, Im still connected to OE bluetooth but I set it to "control output from phone" or something, I forgot what the exact setting is called.
If it continues to give you problems, do a factory reset. I wouldn't wait on a update. It took awhile for me to get things right on mine but it's running flawlessly now.
I only use CarPlay so I don't think anything is saved in my bluetooth settings, I'll double check in a few as my phone is in another room lol. Ahhhh, my phone is always connected to my front door lock when I'm leaving my house when I use the app to lock the door. I'll try not using the app and just let the door automatically lock and see if that helps my CarPlay connection. Thanks for the tips.
I only use CarPlay so I don't think anything is saved in my bluetooth settings, I'll double check in a few as my phone is in another room lol. Ahhhh, my phone is always connected to my front door lock when I'm leaving my house when I use the app to lock the door. I'll try not using the app and just let the door automatically lock and see if that helps my CarPlay connection. Thanks for the tips.
Do you use wired or wireless CarPlay? My tips applied to wireless.
Your phone uses Bluetooth to connect to your front door?
Do you use wired or wireless CarPlay? My tips applied to wireless.
Your phone uses Bluetooth to connect to your front door?
I use wireless CarPlay.
Yeah I have a smart door lock that uses Bluetooth so whenever I get home it automatically unlocks the door and automatically locks the door when I leave. I don’t even carry house keys with me anymore lol.
August Wi-Fi, (4th Generation) Smart Lock – Fits Your Existing Deadbolt in Minutes, Silver
Yeah I have a smart door lock that uses Bluetooth so whenever I get home it automatically unlocks the door and automatically locks the door when I leave. I don’t even carry house keys with me anymore lol.
Yeah I have a smart door lock that uses Bluetooth so whenever I get home it automatically unlocks the door and automatically locks the door when I leave. I don’t even carry house keys with me anymore lol.
As someone that has worked in both networking and security, I have very little connected technology. I don't have a smart thermostat and none of my TVs have cameras or microphones. My Ring doorbell is strictly outside the house and my Google mini turns off when my computer isn't on. There are no Internet of Things controlling anything, not lightbulbs and not outlets.
The problem is, these things rarely get updated by the manufacturer once released into the wild and anything with a connection has some vulnerability. Nothing is secure enough for me to trust it in my home. I'm not paranoid. I've read the reports and patched the vulnerabilities on a professional level for more than 20 years. Kind of like when a butcher won't eat a particular product because he knows what's in it.
Having survived two tornadoes in the last 2 months with outages of both power and Internet, I'm glad I'm not connected to more things.
I just installed it and tested the Android Auto and I have to admit the Audio quality is definitely inferior to the factory. Especially the ML system does some advanced audio decoding when you use their Bluetooth or USB (as you mention using Apple). I switched back and forth between bluetooth audio and Vline2 and it's very bothersome to me. The vline2 seems like it's lacking a broad spectrum of the audio and vocals sound somewhat tinny. If it continues to bother me, I'll probably have to return it back to Grom. I'm a bit of an audiophile and this is not very acceptable.
I got my Vline recently and installed it yesterday. I really want to love this thing... It does a lot of things right- exactly what I wanted. Unfortunately, audio quality is NOT one of them and this is a deal breaker for me. For better or worse I am an audiophile and my ears hear every little difference. The Mark Levinson system is NOT forgiving in this matter either- it is an amazing system (and honestly part of the reason I bought my GS). To me this is not a small difference in audio quality- perhaps for a non-audiophile or without the ML audio system this would not be a problem. I read quite a few threads/reviews before my purchase and I was hopeful that it would simply be some tweaking of settings and I'd have everything sounding great again- but no.
Once I realized that the Vline uses the Aux input path I understood that this is basically taking the ML DAC (digital to analog converter) out of the mix. This mean that the Vline is wholly responsible for this digital to analog conversion and their DAC is clearly quite inferior. With all the Hi-RES streaming services now available I think GROM is missing a key element to this product. They could add a better DAC and enhanced bluetooth codec (APTx) that would allow full res high quality streaming from Tidal, Quboz, Amazon Music HD, etc.
It's really too bad because I LOVE everything else about the Vline2, but for me sound quality trumps all.... I think I'm going to have to send this back. I'm open to suggestions and I'm going to keep playing with it some more, but not a good first impression after the first 24 hours.
01-12-22, 10:58 AM
