Android car computer

[WolfieBot]

Does anyone know of an android box / android TV stick that has Bluetooth and GPS receiver built in? Or is it possible to are there USB adaptors I can get to plug into an android box?

I'm looking at building an android based car system with ECU data displays, satnav and possibly a music system too.

I want to avoid using a tablet though as I've found an LCD touchscreen display which fits perfectly into the original Nav screen place so will give a completely OEM look.

Thanks

[paulrockliffe]

Have you seen these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XTRONS-7-Android-6-0-Oct...

I've been considering using one to upgrade an old car stereo. You can get double-din replacement fronts for most cars on ebay so you pop the factory unit out, add the new front and drop this in.

[WolfieBot]

I have, but I don't have a double din slot. And would prefer to use the original space for the screen to keep it looking factory rather than the single din flip up ones.

I'm happy with the current stereo too and it has an aux in so didn't really want to go down that route.

There's also the cost, some form of android box and GPS adapter I figured could be done for around £50.

[Murph7355]

WolfieBot said:

...
There's also the cost, some form of android box and GPS adapter I figured could be done for around £50.

I'd be surprised (unless you live in China/go second hand ).

A Raspberry Pi type set up with GPS will be more than that I reckon.

Maybe a sim free phone? But a cursory look online suggests £75 minimum for a poor performing phone.

[Alex]

I would develop the app as Android Auto compliant and then you can use any Android Auto capable head unit.

[ZesPak]

Murph7355 said:

I'd be surprised (unless you live in China/go second hand ).

A Raspberry Pi type set up with GPS will be more than that I reckon.

Maybe a sim free phone? But a cursory look online suggests £75 minimum for a poor performing phone.

I have an € 50 Android HDMI stick that performs perfectly fine, no GPS though.

As for a phone, they usually have a boatload of sensors, sim card capability, a battery and a screen.
The latter are quite expensive in terms of hardware. A good phone will therefore usually set you back at least € 150 (that is, if you're willing to settle with a measly full HD screen and huge bezels ).

[Murph7355]

ZesPak said:

I have an € 50 Android HDMI stick that performs perfectly fine, no GPS though.

As for a phone, they usually have a boatload of sensors, sim card capability, a battery and a screen.
The latter are quite expensive in terms of hardware. A good phone will therefore usually set you back at least € 150 (that is, if you're willing to settle with a measly full HD screen and huge bezels ).

How would you add GPS to the stick?

Phone wise, the screen doesn't matter, so was looking for the cheapest phone that had Android and GPS. The rest of the sensors etc would be a bonus

[WolfieBot]

Murph7355 said:

ZesPak said:

I have an € 50 Android HDMI stick that performs perfectly fine, no GPS though.

As for a phone, they usually have a boatload of sensors, sim card capability, a battery and a screen.
The latter are quite expensive in terms of hardware. A good phone will therefore usually set you back at least € 150 (that is, if you're willing to settle with a measly full HD screen and huge bezels ).

How would you add GPS to the stick?

Phone wise, the screen doesn't matter, so was looking for the cheapest phone that had Android and GPS. The rest of the sensors etc would be a bonus

I guess this was my main question. Presumably I can plug a usb GPS sensor to an android box? A scour of eBay suggests an android box with Bluetooth is around £35.

I do have an old tablet that I could use and probably screen mirror to the screen in the dash but I'd imagine it would be quite laggy now as it's getting on a bit.

I figured the android box would be more modern and fairly quick, maybe not though. I guess £35 isn't a huge amount to take a punt on. Part of it is the fun of coming up with a solution and pulling it all together rather than buying something off the shelf.

[ZesPak]

Spend a bit more and make sure you have an updated version of android, these things tend not to get updates.
I'd give it a go with a Box/HDMI stick, but make sure the box/hdmi is replaceable (so if it gets slow after two years you can just slot in a new one for 40 quid).
An external GPS would be the best idea, as it can then be placed in another location (doesn't GPS require line of sight?).
Also, I have no experience with these things and external touchscreens? I know mice work very well out of the box on Android though.

[paulrockliffe]

The problem with screen mirroring is that you'll have to sue the screen on the phone to control it. If you were going this way you might as well use a Chromecast a WiFi router and a small screen. That said, pretty much every option has a problem of one sort or another.

As I understand it if you get the right touchscreen you can add a driver to Android that'll let it work over USB as a controller, which means you could dock your phone, use something like Tasker to have that trigger the screen mirroring and have an OK solution.

Another option might be something like the Smasung Dex that would put your Android onto another screen, but I think the implementation is likely to be compromised, I've not really looked at it. You'd have the same issue with controlling the phone as above.

[WolfieBot]

I've gone with a 6.5 inch LCD touch screen off eBay for £45 which comes with touchscreen controlled by a USB adapter, and a HDMI driver. This will replace the original screen.

I've also bought an android TV box for £40 which has Bluetooth built in. I'll need to sort out a power adapter, preferably hardwired in somehow.

I'll load a custom screen and app loader using the Desktop Visualiser app.

This should allow me to start with the torque app and use it to display OBD data in the dash.

I'll then look to add navigation by Google maps or some other app. This will need a usb GPS adapter, or I'll try and get GPS signal via my phone if that's possible?

The screen is coming from China so it might be a few weeks but will update when there is some progress.

[untakenname]

For a dashboard I would use Automate Beta, it displays data via Torque and also has really good navigation integration (waze, google maps etc...) as well as media player capabilities.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com....

[DennisCooper]

Hi Wolfiebot,

What car will this be going into? Also, have you opened up the OEM head unit/multimedia unit to take a look at the physical space available once the existing OEM TFT panel is removed so that the new panel from China can/will fit nicely? Hopefully you have and it will !

I also hope the hardware you've purchased all works well as individual items and then more importantly, once you've connected them up. Cheap, low(er) grade electronics are known to be somewhat unreliable/problematic.

Will be interesting to see your idea/project !

Cheers, Dennis!

[WolfieBot]

untakenname said:

For a dashboard I would use Automate Beta, it displays data via Torque and also has really good navigation integration (waze, google maps etc...) as well as media player capabilities.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com....

Thanks, will take a look at that.

DennisCooper said:

Hi Wolfiebot,

What car will this be going into? Also, have you opened up the OEM head unit/multimedia unit to take a look at the physical space available once the existing OEM TFT panel is removed so that the new panel from China can/will fit nicely? Hopefully you have and it will !

I also hope the hardware you've purchased all works well as individual items and then more importantly, once you've connected them up. Cheap, low(er) grade electronics are known to be somewhat unreliable/problematic.

Will be interesting to see your idea/project !

Cheers, Dennis!

It's for a 2004 mini cooper S. I haven't checked personally but I've seen via a forum post that someone has fitted the screen I've bought to the same model mini so taking their word for it!

So do I!

[Dr_Rick]

paulrockliffe said:

Have you seen these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XTRONS-7-Android-6-0-Oct...

I've been considering using one to upgrade an old car stereo. You can get double-din replacement fronts for most cars on ebay so you pop the factory unit out, add the new front and drop this in.

Paul, did you go for something like the linked eBay item? I'm needing to get away from an 8-bit Alpine double din head unit in my Lotus Evora and these sorts of far east items are a high risk alternative to the well trodden route of Pioneer equipment (which is 2.5 times the price).

[phil-3x1w9]

Elise Android Car Single DIN solution
i looked for ages for something - noow i see this XTRONS unit has been mentioned before
Finding a Full Android Car solution in a single DIN wasnt easy

XTRONS Android 9.0 Car Stereo Radio 10 Inch Touch Screen GPS Navigation Single Din Head Unit Support Full RCA Output Bluetooth5.0 WIFI DVR OBD TPMS Car Auto Play

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07R55BSBF/ref...

I have bought one - it took 15 mins to get old unit out and 5 to get this is and working
The unit is plug compatible withthe Alpine stereo i took out

I had to mount the cage slightly proud of the dash so the screen sits vertically (it extend about the dash lip)

AND it works straight way

I now to wire the GPS antennae and DAB areal (extra) - and buy TPMS values and ODB2 unit

BUT every pleased so far

[alorotom]

Both Sony and Pioneer both also offer these now and were released in the past couple of months being both android auto and CarPlay compatible.

The Sony has a 9” floating screen that looks very impressive.