Warranty1 Year Limited Warranty
Product Specifications
Technical Details
- Double-DIN AM/FM radio, DVD, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3/WMA/AAC, JPEG, USB, iPod, Bluetooth receiver with navigation
- Integrated TomTom navigation with removable cartridge and pre-loaded maps of U.S. and Canada with one year of updates
- 4 x 52 watts maximum power with 4V front, rear, and subwoofer preamp outputs
- 7-inch touchscreen TFT Active Matrix LCD with 800 x 480 WVGA resolution and 17:9 aspect ratio
- Integrated Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming; one-year limited warranty
Product Details
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Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
The Sony XNV-770BT A/V Receiver with Navigation delivers incredible audio and video picture quality, with integrated navigation from TomTom. With the most accurate maps and over 1 million more miles of road in the US than others, plus features like USB 1-Wire connections and Bluetooth technology, you're ready for the road trip of a lifetime--not to mention your daily commute.
Incredible Audio/Video Picture Quality
Preloaded Maps of US and Canada
TomTom navigation provides the most accurate maps with over 1 million more miles of road in the US than other GPS brands.
One Year Free Map Updates
Ensuring that the digital map content remains completely up-to-date. Included in the box provides 4 verified US and Canada map updates for the first year.
TomTom Home Software
TomTom Home makes it easy to get new software, download new maps, access free content and more. Simply bring the exclusively designed TomTom Navigation Module from your car and connect to your computer via USB.
IQ Routes
TomTom IQ Routes Technology puts the driving experience of millions of TomTom users into your maps to shave time off even the shortest trips. Calculates the fastest route possible based on time of day. With TomTom IQ Routes you'll always drive the smartest, most efficient route. IQ Routes saves you time, fuel and money.
 Incredible audio and video picture quality and integrated navigation from TomTom. Click to enlarge. |
Incredible Audio/Video Picture Quality
7-Inch Touchscreen Display
The high-resolution TFT (WVGA) 7-inch touchscreen display that will inform and entertain you, making everything easier to control with gesture command and on-screen touch buttons. Separate audio and video power supply circuits provide added clarity.
 TomTom navigation provides the most accurate maps with over 1 million more miles of road in the US than other GPS brands. |
 Bring the TomTom Navigation Module from your car and connect to your computer via USB for updates. |
 Control everything easily with gesture command and on-screen touch buttons. |
USB 1-Wire Connectivity
Connect, charge, and control your iPod, iPhone, Walkman player or other compatible USB devices via the USB 1-Wire on the rear of the unit. You can also view metadata like song title and artist on the front display.
Integrated Bluetooth Technology
Taking calls and enjoying streaming audio has never been easier with the XNV-770BT A/V Receiver with Navigation featuring Bluetooth technology. Connect compatible devices and easily choose between Hands Free and Phone Book Access or Audio Streaming.
Plays DVDs/CDs and Digital Files
The XNV-770BT A/V Receiver with Navigation accepts just about every digital format you'd want on the road. The XNV-770BT can playback CD or DVD and MP3/WMA/AAC/JPEG/MP4 (Simple Profile) CODEC files.
Satellite Radio/HD Radio Ready
The XNV-770BT integrates seamlessly with Satellite Radio and HD Radio using Sony Bus adaptors so you can receive digital satellite radio or HD Radio broadcasts.
Advanced Sound Engine With EQ7
The Advanced Sound Engine uses EQ7 equalizer, adjustable LPF/HPF crossovers, Listener Position calibration, DM+ advanced sound restoration, Rear Bass Enhancer, and Center Stage Optimizer to create an ideal in-car listening environment.
Integrated Navigation from TomTom
The Sony XNV-770BT A/V Receiver with Navigation features TomTom navigation and delivers incredible audio and video picture quality. TomTom is the only company to incorporate real world, real-time feedback, providing the most accurate maps available. |
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Preloaded Maps of US and Canada
TomTom navigation provides the most accurate maps with over 1 million more miles of road in the US than other GPS brands.
One Year Free Map Updates
Ensuring that the digital map content remains completely up-to-date. Included in the box provides 4 verified US and Canada map updates for the first year.
TomTom Home Software
TomTom Home makes it easy to get new software, download new maps, access free content and more. Simply bring the exclusively designed TomTom Navigation Module from your car and connect to your computer via USB.
IQ Routes
TomTom IQ Routes Technology puts the driving experience of millions of TomTom users into your maps to shave time off even the shortest trips. Calculates the fastest route possible based on time of day. With TomTom IQ Routes you'll always drive the smartest, most efficient route. IQ Routes saves you time, fuel and money.
Traffic isn't the same during Monday morning rush hour as it is on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Heavy traffic, rotaries, traffic lights, and even pedestrians can slow you down. The route you need changes depending on the day and time, so the shortest route isn't necessarily going to be the fastest. With TomTom IQ Routes you'll always drive the fastest route.
Advanced Lane Guidance*
TomTom Advanced Lane Guidance gives you extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions by showing you which lane to take, so you won't miss your turn or have to make sudden, dangerous lane crossings. Photorealistic images and a pulsing green arrow indicate exactly which lane to use, so you can go confidently.
Spoken Street Names
When driving to your destination, the XNV-770BT will announce turn-by-turn directions, including street and place names.
6 Million Points of Interest
Preloaded with the locations of millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and more.
QuickGPSfix
GPS data that predicts satellite positions and enables quicker GPS pick-up. Faster satellite pick-up means quicker start to the journey.
Help Me! Emergency Resources Menu
Comprehensive Help Me! menu to assist in any emergency. Quickly obtain address information to the nearest help location (hospital, police station, etc.). First aid guide also provides info on what to do if an accident occurs.
*Feature only available in the US and Canada
What's in the Box
Sony XNV-770BT A/V Receiver with Navigation, RM-X170 Wireless Remote, CD-ROM (Application Disc), Installation Hardware, Microphone, Navigation Module, User's Manual, Installation Manual
About TomTom
Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high quality products and services.TomTom is the world's leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further our commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so we can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.
We have our own mapping company!
Did you know that every year roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world's most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage--more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.
Why TomTom?
At TomTom, we believe that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. We develop smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.
Product Description
With the most accurate maps and over 1 million more miles of road in the US than others, plus features like USB 1-Wire connectivity and Bluetooth technology, you’re ready for the road trip of a lifetime and your daily commute with the Sony XNV660BT 7" Touchscreen A/V Receiver with Navigation.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
82 of 83 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
---------------------Update 11/29/2011-------------------------
Prior to the new iOS 5 update for the iPhone, when you connected to the stereo via bluetooth (with an iPhone), the screen would say, "BT Audio". Now, with the iOS 5 update that is available for the iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, and 4S, the iPhone now sends data to the stereo display over the bluetooth connection. The screen no longer says "BT Audio", instead it shows the title of what you're playing, the time, track, date (of podcast), and all the other normal data you would see when playing something. You also have more control over starting/stopping, rewinding and fast forwarding from the stereo itself. It is a WONDERFUL feature that was not advertised for iOS 5. The bluetooth feature is without a doubt what I like most about this stereo, and it just got 200% better. Even if you don't have an iPhone but can connect to it by bluetooth with another phone, it works great and the sound quality has always been crystal clear/CD quality.
With this update, when you connect to the stereo WITH a cable (again this is for the iPhone), then you will also see the album art.
------------------------Quick Review---------------------------
For the quick and dirty review on this stereo, here's my thoughts. It's pricey, but it's an awesome unit. Satellite radio works great, and the navigation works great. I used to be a Garmin user but recently switched to TomTom because I've found the maps to be more up-to-date and I like the IQ Route feature (see below). I still have an old Garmin though and I get plenty of use out of it. The screen does tilt to allow for better viewing, I love that, and the removable navigation module is pure genius. However, one big thing that I absolutely do not like is that the navigation module only comes with the maps of the US and Canada, and you CAN'T buy and add European maps to it. This is a problem for me as I ship my car overseas. See below for the workaround if this is an issue for you. TomTom also only gives you 12 months of map updates, which is a bad call. Being that this is one of their flagship GPS units, it should be a lifetime update like they offer on some of their other models. There are a lot of additional costs associated with this stereo depending on what accessories you want to add to it: satellite radio/HD radio/rear view camera/steering wheel control. The rear view camera option is GREAT, but they don't even advertise that unless you dig deep into the manual.
Also, they are not clear at all in the manual about what you need to buy in order to add the optional features, so I've included the part numbers in the review below. If a remote control is important to you, I think the button layout they've chosen is terrible.
Overall, it's an excellent, solid stereo, with great navigation, but shame on Sony and TomTom for not giving lifetime map updates or the ability to add new maps. I honestly think that the better deal is the 660 model, which costs hundreds less and is only different in 2 ways... The screen is just a little bit smaller, but it's because they've included a volume control KNOB that is much easer to use than the volume control BUTTONS on the 770. Other than that, the two units are identical. For me this stereo is 4 stars, but I would imagine that for most folks it'd be a solid 5. You'll be happy with it even though it does have a few shortcomings on the GPS side.
---------------------------------------Full Review---------------------------------------
Touch Screen Interface/Menu:
The interface is very simple and user friendly. When you bring up the interface you can choose from Navigation, AV Source, and BT Phone (bluetooth). If you get busy and don't touch anything on the screen, the menu will go back to what you were previously looking at. There are 6 radio station preset buttons. If you want, you can choose to show navigation AND your A/V source on the screen at the same time (very cool), and can even choose where the additional window will appear on the display. Lastly, you can adjust the angle of the screen so you're not always have to touch it at a 90-degree angle; this feature is really nice. It also has day/night/auto settings.
Remote control:
The remote control is small and nice, but what I do not like about it is the location of the volume control. If you're holding it in your right hand, the volume control buttons are on the bottom right of the remote. Essentially, they are in the absolute worst place possible for being able to hit them easily while holding the remote with one hand. Whoever designed the button layout simply did not have a brain. However, I imagine that not many people will use the remote, so it's probably not a big deal for most folks.
SenseMe:
With this feature you can tell the stereo how you're driving, i.e. Chill out, freeway, etc, and it will choose songs for your mood. In order to use this feature, you'll need to get your USB Device (iPod or whatever) and then plug it into your home computer and set it up with some software. After that, you'll be good-to-go. It works pretty well and more than anything, it's just fun to do; I love it.
DVD player:
It works great, but a DVD player in the front seat? I can't see that as something I'd ever use, and here's why... Sure, it's nice to have a DVD player in the car, but I know in nearly every state, it's illegal for the driver to have a video display device operating and in view while driving. I know most installers will not setup the DVD player in the front seats to operate while the vehicle is in motion, so just know the law in your state and take care. I suppose you could make some sort of "blind" so your front seat passenger could watch a DVD while you can't see it, that would work...
Volume Control:
It's nice to see that Sony offers this stereo with either the volume control KNOB or the volume control BUTTONS. The most used feature of a radio is without-a-doubt, the volume control, and on this model (the 770), the volume control is 2 small buttons side-by-side on the bottom left of the face. On the 660 model, the volume control is the circular knob on the left side of the face. Although the 7" face is more sleek looking than the 6.1" face, you give up a lot when it comes to functionality in my opinion. It's just so much easier and faster to be able to turn the knob on the 660 than to push the 2 buttons on the more expensive 770 model. It's also much easier and faster to use the knob when you're not looking at the stereo and want to keep your eyes on the road. Make your own decision here, but just realize, if you want the more functional knob on the 660, you also get to pay a good bit less; it's a double bonus. Also, the difference in screen size may sound like a lot (7" vs. 6.1"), but it's not that noticeable. FYI, the screen is measured diagonally.
iPod/USB/iPhone:
It's specifically made for the iPod and iPhone and you can connect your iPod (or another USB Device) by an optional USB cable and control it through the receiver, and you can also connect your iPhone via Bluetooth. You can connect other bluetooth-enabled phones, but depending on the phone, you may have limited functionality.
GPS:
One feature I LOVE on the TomTom is that it does IQ Routes. It calculates the most efficient path of travel depending on the time of day and on traffic, because the shortest route is not always the fastest. TomTom has had this feature for a while so most of the bugs have been worked out of it. This is a feature that you can't find on a Garmin, and it works really well. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the lane assist feature. No more wondering what the upcoming freeway junction is going to look like and having to do a quick lane change at the last second. One thing that we all know is that sometimes, map data is wrong. Well, TomTom now lets you do something about that. There's a feature that lets you correct it now and even upload the correction to the TomTom community. You can also get map corrections from other users when you connect the navigation module to your home computer. It's very cool, and is an awesome feature. There's even a feature that lets you add the locations of speed cameras into your navigation unit, and then you can even report the location of the camera to the Tomtom community of users.
The GPS view is very clean and can show a 3D view or a top-down view. The 3 touch screen buttons on the bottom of the screen show speed, volume, and route info/time. On the TomTom you can navigate to a point on a map, whereas on a GPS like the Garmin, you need to have an address; this is a nice feature to have. Also, you can modify the GPS display that is shown when you're driving; another GREAT feature.
The Navigation Module/GPS Map Data:
The navigation module is about the size of a cell phone and holds all the map data for the GPS. It can be disconnected from a housing unit and brought into your house so you can connect it to your home computer to update maps, load destinations, trips, etc... It connects to the car stereo via a housing unit that most folks will store in either the glove compartment or another easily-accessed compartment. You are given the maps for the U.S. and Canada. Unfortunately, you are only given 12 months of map updates, which, considering the cost of this stereo, is simply absurd. TomTom offers lifetime map updates on some of their other GPS products, so I have no idea why they didn't do that here. Also, if you want to add other maps, like Europe, TomTom DOES NOT allow you to do that. This could be a big problem for folks like State Dept employees, or Military Personnel who ship their vehicles overseas. There is a difficult workaround though... Read more ›
Prior to the new iOS 5 update for the iPhone, when you connected to the stereo via bluetooth (with an iPhone), the screen would say, "BT Audio". Now, with the iOS 5 update that is available for the iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, and 4S, the iPhone now sends data to the stereo display over the bluetooth connection. The screen no longer says "BT Audio", instead it shows the title of what you're playing, the time, track, date (of podcast), and all the other normal data you would see when playing something. You also have more control over starting/stopping, rewinding and fast forwarding from the stereo itself. It is a WONDERFUL feature that was not advertised for iOS 5. The bluetooth feature is without a doubt what I like most about this stereo, and it just got 200% better. Even if you don't have an iPhone but can connect to it by bluetooth with another phone, it works great and the sound quality has always been crystal clear/CD quality.
With this update, when you connect to the stereo WITH a cable (again this is for the iPhone), then you will also see the album art.
------------------------Quick Review---------------------------
For the quick and dirty review on this stereo, here's my thoughts. It's pricey, but it's an awesome unit. Satellite radio works great, and the navigation works great. I used to be a Garmin user but recently switched to TomTom because I've found the maps to be more up-to-date and I like the IQ Route feature (see below). I still have an old Garmin though and I get plenty of use out of it. The screen does tilt to allow for better viewing, I love that, and the removable navigation module is pure genius. However, one big thing that I absolutely do not like is that the navigation module only comes with the maps of the US and Canada, and you CAN'T buy and add European maps to it. This is a problem for me as I ship my car overseas. See below for the workaround if this is an issue for you. TomTom also only gives you 12 months of map updates, which is a bad call. Being that this is one of their flagship GPS units, it should be a lifetime update like they offer on some of their other models. There are a lot of additional costs associated with this stereo depending on what accessories you want to add to it: satellite radio/HD radio/rear view camera/steering wheel control. The rear view camera option is GREAT, but they don't even advertise that unless you dig deep into the manual.
Also, they are not clear at all in the manual about what you need to buy in order to add the optional features, so I've included the part numbers in the review below. If a remote control is important to you, I think the button layout they've chosen is terrible.
Overall, it's an excellent, solid stereo, with great navigation, but shame on Sony and TomTom for not giving lifetime map updates or the ability to add new maps. I honestly think that the better deal is the 660 model, which costs hundreds less and is only different in 2 ways... The screen is just a little bit smaller, but it's because they've included a volume control KNOB that is much easer to use than the volume control BUTTONS on the 770. Other than that, the two units are identical. For me this stereo is 4 stars, but I would imagine that for most folks it'd be a solid 5. You'll be happy with it even though it does have a few shortcomings on the GPS side.
---------------------------------------Full Review---------------------------------------
Touch Screen Interface/Menu:
The interface is very simple and user friendly. When you bring up the interface you can choose from Navigation, AV Source, and BT Phone (bluetooth). If you get busy and don't touch anything on the screen, the menu will go back to what you were previously looking at. There are 6 radio station preset buttons. If you want, you can choose to show navigation AND your A/V source on the screen at the same time (very cool), and can even choose where the additional window will appear on the display. Lastly, you can adjust the angle of the screen so you're not always have to touch it at a 90-degree angle; this feature is really nice. It also has day/night/auto settings.
Remote control:
The remote control is small and nice, but what I do not like about it is the location of the volume control. If you're holding it in your right hand, the volume control buttons are on the bottom right of the remote. Essentially, they are in the absolute worst place possible for being able to hit them easily while holding the remote with one hand. Whoever designed the button layout simply did not have a brain. However, I imagine that not many people will use the remote, so it's probably not a big deal for most folks.
SenseMe:
With this feature you can tell the stereo how you're driving, i.e. Chill out, freeway, etc, and it will choose songs for your mood. In order to use this feature, you'll need to get your USB Device (iPod or whatever) and then plug it into your home computer and set it up with some software. After that, you'll be good-to-go. It works pretty well and more than anything, it's just fun to do; I love it.
DVD player:
It works great, but a DVD player in the front seat? I can't see that as something I'd ever use, and here's why... Sure, it's nice to have a DVD player in the car, but I know in nearly every state, it's illegal for the driver to have a video display device operating and in view while driving. I know most installers will not setup the DVD player in the front seats to operate while the vehicle is in motion, so just know the law in your state and take care. I suppose you could make some sort of "blind" so your front seat passenger could watch a DVD while you can't see it, that would work...
Volume Control:
It's nice to see that Sony offers this stereo with either the volume control KNOB or the volume control BUTTONS. The most used feature of a radio is without-a-doubt, the volume control, and on this model (the 770), the volume control is 2 small buttons side-by-side on the bottom left of the face. On the 660 model, the volume control is the circular knob on the left side of the face. Although the 7" face is more sleek looking than the 6.1" face, you give up a lot when it comes to functionality in my opinion. It's just so much easier and faster to be able to turn the knob on the 660 than to push the 2 buttons on the more expensive 770 model. It's also much easier and faster to use the knob when you're not looking at the stereo and want to keep your eyes on the road. Make your own decision here, but just realize, if you want the more functional knob on the 660, you also get to pay a good bit less; it's a double bonus. Also, the difference in screen size may sound like a lot (7" vs. 6.1"), but it's not that noticeable. FYI, the screen is measured diagonally.
iPod/USB/iPhone:
It's specifically made for the iPod and iPhone and you can connect your iPod (or another USB Device) by an optional USB cable and control it through the receiver, and you can also connect your iPhone via Bluetooth. You can connect other bluetooth-enabled phones, but depending on the phone, you may have limited functionality.
GPS:
One feature I LOVE on the TomTom is that it does IQ Routes. It calculates the most efficient path of travel depending on the time of day and on traffic, because the shortest route is not always the fastest. TomTom has had this feature for a while so most of the bugs have been worked out of it. This is a feature that you can't find on a Garmin, and it works really well. I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the lane assist feature. No more wondering what the upcoming freeway junction is going to look like and having to do a quick lane change at the last second. One thing that we all know is that sometimes, map data is wrong. Well, TomTom now lets you do something about that. There's a feature that lets you correct it now and even upload the correction to the TomTom community. You can also get map corrections from other users when you connect the navigation module to your home computer. It's very cool, and is an awesome feature. There's even a feature that lets you add the locations of speed cameras into your navigation unit, and then you can even report the location of the camera to the Tomtom community of users.
The GPS view is very clean and can show a 3D view or a top-down view. The 3 touch screen buttons on the bottom of the screen show speed, volume, and route info/time. On the TomTom you can navigate to a point on a map, whereas on a GPS like the Garmin, you need to have an address; this is a nice feature to have. Also, you can modify the GPS display that is shown when you're driving; another GREAT feature.
The Navigation Module/GPS Map Data:
The navigation module is about the size of a cell phone and holds all the map data for the GPS. It can be disconnected from a housing unit and brought into your house so you can connect it to your home computer to update maps, load destinations, trips, etc... It connects to the car stereo via a housing unit that most folks will store in either the glove compartment or another easily-accessed compartment. You are given the maps for the U.S. and Canada. Unfortunately, you are only given 12 months of map updates, which, considering the cost of this stereo, is simply absurd. TomTom offers lifetime map updates on some of their other GPS products, so I have no idea why they didn't do that here. Also, if you want to add other maps, like Europe, TomTom DOES NOT allow you to do that. This could be a big problem for folks like State Dept employees, or Military Personnel who ship their vehicles overseas. There is a difficult workaround though... Read more ›
39 of 43 people found the following review helpful
The Sony XNV-770BT is a fine piece of hardware. Has everything you would want in a receiver with great sound. The 770 has the capability to utilize almost any accessory you could want to include IPOD integration, rearview camera, DVD and video playback, and a well integrated bluetooth capability. The update module for TomTom is genius. However utilization of all the great hardware comes in a cumbersome and often frustrating software package.
The interface that has been implemented to utilize all this impressive hardware is extremely disappointing and makes many functions cumbersome and distracting. For example if you have more than six preprogrammed tuner presets, like many other units, you utilize different Bands FM1, FM2 etc to input additional presets. To switch between these you have to select band at which time the current presets slowly move out of view and the list of bands moves up. You than select the band you want but to get to the presets for that band you have to reselect the preset button. The band list than slowly moves out of view and the preset buttons move up. The whole process takes about 8-10 sec which is no big deal in the driveway but on the highway it is very cumbersome. There are many simple software issues like these throughout the system that really brings down the whole user experience. Another example while using the navigation a window is available to display current music source and ability to select a couple other windows. You cannot however make any changes to the av source from the nav screen. The simple addition of forward back arrows to switch between presets or cd tracks without having to come out of navigation, open up the tuner window to select what you want, than go back to nav would be so simple and so huge. The whole experience gives the impression that the software engineers never actually used the unit on a day to day basis prior to release. The Sony Sencme capability, which is supposed to give the ability to select tracks based on mood or tempo sounds awesome. In three attempts I haven't been able to make it work. Not to mention to load about 4 gig of music on a thumb drive through Sony's software takes about 3 1/2 hours. Cover images during MP3 or IPOD playback show up about a 1/4 of the size of the window that is allocated for them. And the list goes on...
All in all the 770 is a very good receiver and functions quite well. That is what makes the fact that the user interface is so bad so frustrating. This good unit could be great. In it's current form (sony firmware update please) I would take a long look at Pioneer's AVIC-Z120BT before I would purchase.
**UPDATE**
After having used this product for several months now my recommendation would be do not buy this product. In addition to my above critique there are a couple features that make this product one I plan on replacing. First while using the tuner if you hit anywhere besides a button or your touch isn't firm enough all the buttons fade out of view. That includes the millimeter space between buttons. Touching a screen while driving, this happens often and can be quite distracting and most annoying. Second the Tom Tom POI interface doesn't give any relative direction to your current position rendering it almost useless. As any one would know a gas station 10 miles in the right direction is much more convenient than one two miles the opposite. Finally the tom tom requires an update every two weeks or it will be unable to find satellites. It instead sits waiting for valid satellite signal. Inevitably you will not notice this until you need to navigate some where. My handheld Garmin has never once been unsuccessful at finding satellites without an update in over a year. The definition of frustrating is buying an 800 dollar navigation system and having to use your cellphone to navigate because it cant find a signal, the exact situation I have found myself in three times since this purchase.
The interface that has been implemented to utilize all this impressive hardware is extremely disappointing and makes many functions cumbersome and distracting. For example if you have more than six preprogrammed tuner presets, like many other units, you utilize different Bands FM1, FM2 etc to input additional presets. To switch between these you have to select band at which time the current presets slowly move out of view and the list of bands moves up. You than select the band you want but to get to the presets for that band you have to reselect the preset button. The band list than slowly moves out of view and the preset buttons move up. The whole process takes about 8-10 sec which is no big deal in the driveway but on the highway it is very cumbersome. There are many simple software issues like these throughout the system that really brings down the whole user experience. Another example while using the navigation a window is available to display current music source and ability to select a couple other windows. You cannot however make any changes to the av source from the nav screen. The simple addition of forward back arrows to switch between presets or cd tracks without having to come out of navigation, open up the tuner window to select what you want, than go back to nav would be so simple and so huge. The whole experience gives the impression that the software engineers never actually used the unit on a day to day basis prior to release. The Sony Sencme capability, which is supposed to give the ability to select tracks based on mood or tempo sounds awesome. In three attempts I haven't been able to make it work. Not to mention to load about 4 gig of music on a thumb drive through Sony's software takes about 3 1/2 hours. Cover images during MP3 or IPOD playback show up about a 1/4 of the size of the window that is allocated for them. And the list goes on...
All in all the 770 is a very good receiver and functions quite well. That is what makes the fact that the user interface is so bad so frustrating. This good unit could be great. In it's current form (sony firmware update please) I would take a long look at Pioneer's AVIC-Z120BT before I would purchase.
**UPDATE**
After having used this product for several months now my recommendation would be do not buy this product. In addition to my above critique there are a couple features that make this product one I plan on replacing. First while using the tuner if you hit anywhere besides a button or your touch isn't firm enough all the buttons fade out of view. That includes the millimeter space between buttons. Touching a screen while driving, this happens often and can be quite distracting and most annoying. Second the Tom Tom POI interface doesn't give any relative direction to your current position rendering it almost useless. As any one would know a gas station 10 miles in the right direction is much more convenient than one two miles the opposite. Finally the tom tom requires an update every two weeks or it will be unable to find satellites. It instead sits waiting for valid satellite signal. Inevitably you will not notice this until you need to navigate some where. My handheld Garmin has never once been unsuccessful at finding satellites without an update in over a year. The definition of frustrating is buying an 800 dollar navigation system and having to use your cellphone to navigate because it cant find a signal, the exact situation I have found myself in three times since this purchase.
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
A couple of the reviews here had me worried, but I have to say, I'm quite happy with this unit. If the kitchen is the heart of every house, then my Sony XNV-770BT is arguably the heart of my new car.
I had this unit just over a month before I could finally get it professionally installed. I toyed with doing it myself, but I have a new disabled access van and decided it's way too sophisticated for me to be tinkering with installing something like this on my own. Luckily, I found one of the few mom and pop stereo install shops left in my neighborhood and they installed everything (including backup cam and steering controls) for just over $200. (Best Buy wanted twice that! And I'd rather support my local shop than a big company.) The job took all day, in part due to the complexities of my van, but everything works flawlessly, including the hands-free mic for calls.
Stream Music From Any USB Flash Drive
The part I was most concerned about was the USB functionality -- I wasn't sure if any USB drive would work or if I had to have an iPod or MP3 player. Thankfully, this does work with any USB drive (or at least with all the ones I've tried personally.) I just loaded 4gb of music onto a spare flash drive, plugged it in, and there it was! All the folders I created were there and it's easy to navigate from one to the next. There's no lag time at all jumping from folder to folder, the songs play flawlessly, and the AV screen even shows all the track info and album art too -- perfect! The manual says not to leave the USB drive plugged in when you turn off the car, as it could result in data loss. But I've chosen to ignore that advice and leave my USB drive plugged in all the time, and when I start the car up, the music resumes right where it left off! I don't see myself needing more than 4gb right now (it's more than 25 CDs worth of music) but it's nice to know I can easily add more music, or even just upgrade to a larger drive if need be. I even added a folder of JPEGs for a slideshow. I couldn't be happier!
Bluetooth Music Streaming from my Android Phone!
If USB drives are too old hat for you, how about streaming music right off your phone!? I have an Android phone and pairing it to this Sony 770 was quick and easy. I had music playing from my phone via this Sony within a minute, and it sounds great -- no dropouts or interference of any kind! The bluetooth connection is rock solid and the music sounded fantastic! I was concerned that the audio quality or even the volume would degrade, but it was pitch perfect and crystal clear. How cool is that?!? Between bluetooth streaming and my USB drive, I don't see myself playing a run-of-the-mill CD in my car ever again! And just like listening to music on my phone, the music pauses automatically if a call comes in, and then resumes again after the call has ended -- perfect! I have several play-lists already setup on my phone, so accessing the music I want is fast and easy. Even better, I don't have to carry an extra device around with me -- just my Android cell phone -- my one-stop shopping for accessing the globe!
Hands-free Calling
Just like streaming music via bluetooth, you can use your phone to make hands-free calls with this Sony 770. The AV screen shows the caller ID info, and you can answer and make calls from it too. Callers can be heard over your stereo's speakers, and the mic included with this unit picks up my voice loud and clear. I may never use a bluetooth headset in my car again! The AV screen even shows my phone's battery life, signal strength and even displays contacts. Quite happy with how all this works.
TomTom Navigation
My first nav was a dash-mount Garmin nüvi 5000. I really liked how it worked and was concerned about switching to TomTom. But I have to say, I'm really pleased with it. The color scheme is very pleasing to the eye, and there are several additional color themes to choose from, so you're not lacking for options if you want a change. As far as navigating, I often like to choose between using freeways or surface streets (this is a big deal if you live in L.A.) so I have mine set to ask me what type of route I prefer each time I plan a destination. And it's also very easy to just ask the nav to skip or reroute any portion of the route by just touching on the entry I want to avoid. The map renderings are fast, crisp and clean. Searching for POIs is likewise fast and easy. My old Garmin often lagged or outright froze when doing searches, so this is a welcome change here.
A cool feature I like, is when any directions are spoken, the music volume I'm playing (USB, radio etc.) automatically lowers so I can hear the nav directions, then returns back to normal afterward. Not Earth shattering, but I like it! I guess since my Garmin was a dash mount with its own speaker, I wasn't used to this feature.
Speaking of voices, there's plenty to chose from, and in different languages too. And TomTom promises more voices are coming, like humorous ones and celebrity voices too. I'm pretty happy with the stock voice though; I call her Val, after a computer character from a cool cable reality show I love. (Fans will know the one!) One thing I do miss, however, is my old Val (on my Garmin) used to say "recalculating" when I missed a turn and the route needed to be changed. This TomTom just quietly reroutes my travel and just gives me the next turn on my new route. I guess this new Val is just being polite. ;-)
Traffic Cams - with my Garmin, the traffic cam feature was a paid add-on; but it's included on this TomTom. And you can even report missing cams, or new ones recently added. Actually, you can also submit map and POI corrections too; with the option of always trusting or ignoring data corrected by other users. Nice touch!
The only real flaw I see so far with the nav, is their online software. I went to TomTom's site and downloaded the recommended software, hoping I could add routes I plan on my computer onto the removable nav module. Apparently the feature is coming, but at this time, it doesn't appear to be available. I guess the nav and software are still too new, cuz there's several things that said 'coming soon' or that I just couldn't outright find. Maybe I missed something, but its not clearly available right now from what I saw.
I do agree with other reviewers, however, that lifetime map updates should have been included with this pricey nav. As it is, it only comes with 1 year of updates.
Planning and storing routes in advance is easy and a nice touch. Equally simple, is searching for a destination on the map itself and adding it as a fave. And you can even create your own menu of up to 6 fave places you go often which can be assigned an icon of your choice and then easily selected if you want to go there. This is great for my 6 most frequently traveled routes, but I wish the icons could be moved around in any order I wanted them on my menu. As it is, the nav places them in the order the icons appeared on the list of available icons. A bit screwy, but still ok and I do like the feature.
Unlike my Garmin, there's no added games or anything like that. But I don't really care since this 770 does so much else. Besides, I don't really want games on my nav, and the Garmin games were mostly just adverts for another paid add-on. Overall, I'm quite impressed with the TomTom nav and my transition from Garmin was a non issue for me. This 770 is just so cool, there's nothing to miss from my old GPS. Better still, this one is mounted in my dash, and not wobbling on top of my dash like my old Garmin. Definitely a huge upgrade for me!
Complex Menu Structure
If this 770 has any flaws, it might be the complex layout of the menus and user interface. But in truth, I really don't see this as a flaw, but a byproduct of getting such a sophisticated AV center. This thing is like a command center for your car; phone, radio, nav, DVD, CD, USB, backup cam, etc.... It does a whole lot, so it's only to be expected that there's a lot to work through. It's a lot to bite off from the onset, but once you start getting used to how everything is mapped out, it becomes second nature rather quickly. But still, I'll likely take care of most functions at the start of my trip, or maybe quickly at a traffic light. The screen does kinda demand your attention and could easily pull focus away from the road. But I'm normally content to listen to whatever I've chosen for the duration of my ride, and my nav is set before I put the car into drive, so there's no need to be tinkering with anything once my trip begins. And answering calls is visually simple to see and execute. Just know that there's gonna be a learning curve with this, as there is with most top notch equipment like this.
Optional Steering Controls
I wasn't going to spend the extra money to install this feature, but when my installer said he'd put it in along with my backup cam at no additional cost, I decided to go ahead and got the PAC SWI-PS unit here on Amazon. It was less than half the price I saw it for elsewhere and works flawlessly with this Sony 770. A few other reviews here complained that the volume controls on the 770 itself are too small to easily find while driving, so I figured the steering controls would be a good idea. In truth, I don't mind the buttons on the 770 itself (I'd rather have the largest screen possible, so the 660 is of no interest to me) besides, I'm really diggin' my steering controls, so I'll probably just use them exclusively. Read more ›
I had this unit just over a month before I could finally get it professionally installed. I toyed with doing it myself, but I have a new disabled access van and decided it's way too sophisticated for me to be tinkering with installing something like this on my own. Luckily, I found one of the few mom and pop stereo install shops left in my neighborhood and they installed everything (including backup cam and steering controls) for just over $200. (Best Buy wanted twice that! And I'd rather support my local shop than a big company.) The job took all day, in part due to the complexities of my van, but everything works flawlessly, including the hands-free mic for calls.
Stream Music From Any USB Flash Drive
The part I was most concerned about was the USB functionality -- I wasn't sure if any USB drive would work or if I had to have an iPod or MP3 player. Thankfully, this does work with any USB drive (or at least with all the ones I've tried personally.) I just loaded 4gb of music onto a spare flash drive, plugged it in, and there it was! All the folders I created were there and it's easy to navigate from one to the next. There's no lag time at all jumping from folder to folder, the songs play flawlessly, and the AV screen even shows all the track info and album art too -- perfect! The manual says not to leave the USB drive plugged in when you turn off the car, as it could result in data loss. But I've chosen to ignore that advice and leave my USB drive plugged in all the time, and when I start the car up, the music resumes right where it left off! I don't see myself needing more than 4gb right now (it's more than 25 CDs worth of music) but it's nice to know I can easily add more music, or even just upgrade to a larger drive if need be. I even added a folder of JPEGs for a slideshow. I couldn't be happier!
Bluetooth Music Streaming from my Android Phone!
If USB drives are too old hat for you, how about streaming music right off your phone!? I have an Android phone and pairing it to this Sony 770 was quick and easy. I had music playing from my phone via this Sony within a minute, and it sounds great -- no dropouts or interference of any kind! The bluetooth connection is rock solid and the music sounded fantastic! I was concerned that the audio quality or even the volume would degrade, but it was pitch perfect and crystal clear. How cool is that?!? Between bluetooth streaming and my USB drive, I don't see myself playing a run-of-the-mill CD in my car ever again! And just like listening to music on my phone, the music pauses automatically if a call comes in, and then resumes again after the call has ended -- perfect! I have several play-lists already setup on my phone, so accessing the music I want is fast and easy. Even better, I don't have to carry an extra device around with me -- just my Android cell phone -- my one-stop shopping for accessing the globe!
Hands-free Calling
Just like streaming music via bluetooth, you can use your phone to make hands-free calls with this Sony 770. The AV screen shows the caller ID info, and you can answer and make calls from it too. Callers can be heard over your stereo's speakers, and the mic included with this unit picks up my voice loud and clear. I may never use a bluetooth headset in my car again! The AV screen even shows my phone's battery life, signal strength and even displays contacts. Quite happy with how all this works.
TomTom Navigation
My first nav was a dash-mount Garmin nüvi 5000. I really liked how it worked and was concerned about switching to TomTom. But I have to say, I'm really pleased with it. The color scheme is very pleasing to the eye, and there are several additional color themes to choose from, so you're not lacking for options if you want a change. As far as navigating, I often like to choose between using freeways or surface streets (this is a big deal if you live in L.A.) so I have mine set to ask me what type of route I prefer each time I plan a destination. And it's also very easy to just ask the nav to skip or reroute any portion of the route by just touching on the entry I want to avoid. The map renderings are fast, crisp and clean. Searching for POIs is likewise fast and easy. My old Garmin often lagged or outright froze when doing searches, so this is a welcome change here.
A cool feature I like, is when any directions are spoken, the music volume I'm playing (USB, radio etc.) automatically lowers so I can hear the nav directions, then returns back to normal afterward. Not Earth shattering, but I like it! I guess since my Garmin was a dash mount with its own speaker, I wasn't used to this feature.
Speaking of voices, there's plenty to chose from, and in different languages too. And TomTom promises more voices are coming, like humorous ones and celebrity voices too. I'm pretty happy with the stock voice though; I call her Val, after a computer character from a cool cable reality show I love. (Fans will know the one!) One thing I do miss, however, is my old Val (on my Garmin) used to say "recalculating" when I missed a turn and the route needed to be changed. This TomTom just quietly reroutes my travel and just gives me the next turn on my new route. I guess this new Val is just being polite. ;-)
Traffic Cams - with my Garmin, the traffic cam feature was a paid add-on; but it's included on this TomTom. And you can even report missing cams, or new ones recently added. Actually, you can also submit map and POI corrections too; with the option of always trusting or ignoring data corrected by other users. Nice touch!
The only real flaw I see so far with the nav, is their online software. I went to TomTom's site and downloaded the recommended software, hoping I could add routes I plan on my computer onto the removable nav module. Apparently the feature is coming, but at this time, it doesn't appear to be available. I guess the nav and software are still too new, cuz there's several things that said 'coming soon' or that I just couldn't outright find. Maybe I missed something, but its not clearly available right now from what I saw.
I do agree with other reviewers, however, that lifetime map updates should have been included with this pricey nav. As it is, it only comes with 1 year of updates.
Planning and storing routes in advance is easy and a nice touch. Equally simple, is searching for a destination on the map itself and adding it as a fave. And you can even create your own menu of up to 6 fave places you go often which can be assigned an icon of your choice and then easily selected if you want to go there. This is great for my 6 most frequently traveled routes, but I wish the icons could be moved around in any order I wanted them on my menu. As it is, the nav places them in the order the icons appeared on the list of available icons. A bit screwy, but still ok and I do like the feature.
Unlike my Garmin, there's no added games or anything like that. But I don't really care since this 770 does so much else. Besides, I don't really want games on my nav, and the Garmin games were mostly just adverts for another paid add-on. Overall, I'm quite impressed with the TomTom nav and my transition from Garmin was a non issue for me. This 770 is just so cool, there's nothing to miss from my old GPS. Better still, this one is mounted in my dash, and not wobbling on top of my dash like my old Garmin. Definitely a huge upgrade for me!
Complex Menu Structure
If this 770 has any flaws, it might be the complex layout of the menus and user interface. But in truth, I really don't see this as a flaw, but a byproduct of getting such a sophisticated AV center. This thing is like a command center for your car; phone, radio, nav, DVD, CD, USB, backup cam, etc.... It does a whole lot, so it's only to be expected that there's a lot to work through. It's a lot to bite off from the onset, but once you start getting used to how everything is mapped out, it becomes second nature rather quickly. But still, I'll likely take care of most functions at the start of my trip, or maybe quickly at a traffic light. The screen does kinda demand your attention and could easily pull focus away from the road. But I'm normally content to listen to whatever I've chosen for the duration of my ride, and my nav is set before I put the car into drive, so there's no need to be tinkering with anything once my trip begins. And answering calls is visually simple to see and execute. Just know that there's gonna be a learning curve with this, as there is with most top notch equipment like this.
Optional Steering Controls
I wasn't going to spend the extra money to install this feature, but when my installer said he'd put it in along with my backup cam at no additional cost, I decided to go ahead and got the PAC SWI-PS unit here on Amazon. It was less than half the price I saw it for elsewhere and works flawlessly with this Sony 770. A few other reviews here complained that the volume controls on the 770 itself are too small to easily find while driving, so I figured the steering controls would be a good idea. In truth, I don't mind the buttons on the 770 itself (I'd rather have the largest screen possible, so the 660 is of no interest to me) besides, I'm really diggin' my steering controls, so I'll probably just use them exclusively. Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
I'd rather give it away...
As many of the previous users mentioned, the GPS is nearly worthless. The GPS spent most of its time picking up a "valid GPS signal. Read more
Published 3 days ago by amazon's fan
So much potential so many problems.
You would think that a Sony 7" touch screen married to a TomTom GPS would be great. And at times it is. However, it's more like the frankenchild. Read more
Published 15 days ago by HotPuppy
Buyer Beware
The displays lack any features, colors or displays you will normally find with most popular DVD recivers. Read more
Published 22 days ago by SMKSMK
Very Disappointed
I finally decide to splurge and purchase a car stereo with gps. What a disappointment. From the time it was installed it never worked properly. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Scott Bell
Pass this unit Up
I cant believe what I paid for this unit and all the problems it has. As many people have already said before changing stations from one preset to another takes forever. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Rodztoy
This unit's navigation SUCKS!
Everything works great... besides the TomTom Navigation. Everyday the navigation unit will lose the GPS signal until you reset the unit. Read more
Published 5 months ago by iMike310
horrible gps
Do not buy this unit unless you do not need GPS...The Tom Tom GPS unit is horrible...I get 'waiting for a valid gps signal" message half the time I try to use it.... Read more
Published 6 months ago by steve1220
Buy it Only if you don't need the Navigation
Everything works, except for the navigation system. I bought this expensive system because of the brand name of the manufacturers. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Prehistoric_Amazonian
TOMTOM GPS is worthless
I won't go into too much detail because there are several people on here that have given awesome reviews. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Kanadka
Decent but Lacking
The Sony 770BT 7" In-Dash receiver/GPS is a competent unit, but lacks the high-end appeal that its price tag suggests. Read more
Published 8 months ago by J. Finkel
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