I'm assuming you're playing your ipod or iphone through USB? Do you have a lot of music on it? If so, it can take a few minutes for the system to sort of "download" (can't think if a better way to explain it) all the artist and song info. I haven't had any personal experience with it, just going on what other LTSs' have mentioned.

 

I put all my music files in USB flash drive and playing directly off the thumb drive. In the beginning it took days to be able to use voice command to work for USB, it was building track database then it started working.
But last few days it will recognize the artists, songs when I ask to play but it doesn't actually play the songs I asked. It looks like some kind of bug. I tried to contact Lexus but they direct me to local dealership.

 

If a dealership is near you, I would try your local LTS and see if they can look at it. Can you use your thumb drive in other cars or your computer? I recently had a thumb drive give up the ghost and had to get a new one. Just trying to eliminate possibilities. Have you tried both USB ports?

 

Do you guys know if we can go to any LTS or just the LTS at the dealership you bought the car from? I was told by the local dealership (Magnussen Lexus) that they are supposed to charge me for service because I didn't purchase the car through them.

 

Thumb drive works on computer. It doesn't need any special format. Any drive should work.

 

I have never heard of charging for the LTS service. You should be able to go to any Lexus dealership and get help from the LTS. I treat guests the same no matter where they bought their car from.

 

Correct. I was just trying to eliminate the possibility that the thumb drive might be going bad. Do you have a second one you could try with the car?

 

Yes I have a second one.

 

Hmmm okay thanks, sounds like the LTS guy is being shady or a jackass. John510 warned me about Magnussen Lexus, so I guess I'll have to drive further out for service.

 

Not sure about your experience but the apps in the enform suite for Pandora and iHeart produce such a crappy sound i never plan on using them that way. However, using them on my phone natively and streaming the audio to my car is much better sound quality as the mid and bass actually comes through. Sat Radio so for me gives the best sounds. But i haven't tried everything just yet only had the car about a week.

 

They are all free. What it means by subscription required is that you have to have a Pandora subscription and an iHeartradio subscription.

 

Just a thought here, but there are tone controls on the car's stereo (treble, midrange, and bass) when you use Pandora through Enform. Have you tried using them? IMO, unless you use the controls, sound quality is awful. Also (on the non-ML stereos like mine), your have separate tone settings for both media and Pandora, so if you've already set them for your ipod (for example), they are not automatically set for Pandora and XM--they have to be set separately.

Also, there's a premium service available for Pandora, which streams at a higher bitrate (as I recall, it's $36/yr). That should improve sound quality somewhat. HTH.

 

I don't see much use of this app beyond Lexus getting lots of juicy marketing data on our habits.

No offense, but Pandora is so 2011

I use Spotify premium (which gives you mobile access and 320kbps audio when cached) and it works well. Seems like Enform just adds another layer between the phone, BT and the head-unit.

Can't wait for the day when Nav screens will just become dumb terminals and you dock your IOS or Android phone. That way you always get the latest and greatest technology and it keeps car makers focused on the car because they clearly don't know how to do consumer electronics.

 

I definitely would like to see that. Ran across a few after market stereos that are like that but never given them a try. Better yet if they would just say run an iOS or Android bases system in the cars and let me download the apps i wanted plus have a built in LTE like connection that i can add to a carrier of my choice would be great too, to provide the owner the greatest features they want and flexibility vs being tied down to some proprietary systems.

 

Yeah i have ML stereo in my IS. I have changed the mid and bass levels but didn't catch if there was independent settings as you mention per app and or per source, ill take a look at that. Also i do have the premium Pandora and based on the app settings i see in Enform the HD setting is checked for Pandora so hopefully that is helping.