Android head units and multi-tasking question

[Dave.]

Fair point, but it does highlight the quality of the really cheap units.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

Yeah and it does reinforce my point that Android just isn’t the ideal OS for car stereos unless you can live with the niggles. which is why proprietary head units are just better.

[Teddy Lop]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

Yeah and it does reinforce my point that Android just isn’t the ideal OS for car stereos unless you can live with the niggles. which is why proprietary head units are just better.

everything I've had anything to do with has been sh!te, from notsocheap aftermarket units to Ford's factory fit sync 3, would not buy anything I couldn't try extensively first.

Annoying really as all that is really needed of a ICE for many is something that mirrors the phone screen (which'll run a bespoke car skin) and handles amplication, and I guess many would like a tuner, which is a pretty damn low ask.

[rdjohn]

I fancy a Pioneer Android Auto unit, with simple needs of phone, BBC Sounds, Apple Music and Waze. I am not in UK so DAB is no use to me.

As I only tend to use navigation on long journeys, does the USB connection also charge the phone’s battery while driving? I assume that you cannot navigate and listen to music via Bluetooth?

[R Mutt]

rdjohn said:

I fancy a Pioneer Android Auto unit, with simple needs of phone, BBC Sounds, Apple Music and Waze. I am not in UK so DAB is no use to me.

As I only tend to use navigation on long journeys, does the USB connection also charge the phone’s battery while driving? I assume that you cannot navigate and listen to music via Bluetooth?

It will do all of that

[rdjohn]

R Mutt said:

It will do all of that

So it will navigate and play music via Bluetooth while charging from the 12v DC power outlet?

I thought that there had to be a USB connection and that might prevent charging

[R Mutt]

rdjohn said:

R Mutt said:

It will do all of that

So it will navigate and play music via Bluetooth while charging from the 12v DC power outlet?

I thought that there had to be a USB connection and that might prevent charging

Your phone will connect and charge via the unit's USB

[untakenname]

Depending on the unit it will charge a phone but won't be at a high current, I looked at the USB output from my own older pioneer and it was 0.5 amps so fine for connecting memory sticks but not so good for a modern phone.

I run a Nexus 7 in one of my cars inplace of the OEM satnav and it's getting a bit long in the tooth now (only has 2GB of RAM and is running Android 6).

I use a 'carlinkit' dongle to plug my phone into which then allows the use of Android auto using the phone mirroring on the tablet like the more expensive Kenwood/Sonys so no need to set up a wifi hotspot and it charges the phone at the same time (I use a Y-adaptor for the power plugged into a decent 12v to USB cigarette lighter adaptor that supplies 36w).

I didn't used to like Android Auto (thought Automate was better) but recently it's stepped up and its actually viable handsfree, using the carlinkit dongle turns a cheap low powered unit into something similar to this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1yFlTQXkwY&ab...

[Stiggolas]

I have a cheapish Xtrons android head unit in my car. Think of it as a fairly basic android tablet and you're there. It has all the features of a tablet including multitasking etc, just takes a little time to react sometimes, like a tablet. It is supposed to remember where it was when switched of but this only seems to work with the radio.
Yes you can listen to the radio when navigating with maps etc, the spoken directions briefly mute the radio. It does all the bluetooth duties like phone calls etc, but you don't need the phone for music. I've downloaded my full playlist on Spotify and it syncs up whenever there's a wifi signal to log on to. You do have the option of bluetooth audio if you want too.

For the price, £150, 2 years ago, I think its great and was a simple double din fit in the car and looks stock, even has a vehicle manufacturer splash screen on boot up. No changes to any wiring. I have not tried an OBD device with torque but don't see why that won't work either.

It can have a data connection with a sim but I just do a hotspot on my phone as I have loads of data with that.

[untakenname]

I installed a dongle on a really cheap Chinese head unit that was a bit long in the tooth to allow using Android Auto (and Apple Carplay) like in high end head units, works pretty seemslessly and is very fluid considering the specs of the headunit.
All the functions use the phone so don't need to setup wifi hotspots or bluetooth for calls or streaming music, the mic in the Android headunit takes precedence over the phone

Adds a new lease of life and being able to listen and respond to text and whatsapp messages is pretty useful.



Made a video of it in action if anyone is interested

https://youtu.be/jZcoM4PtaF4

[R Mutt]

untakenname said:

I installed a dongle on a really cheap Chinese head unit that was a bit long in the tooth to allow using Android Auto (and Apple Carplay) like in high end head units, works pretty seemslessly and is very fluid considering the specs of the headunit.
All the functions use the phone so don't need to setup wifi hotspots or bluetooth for calls or streaming music, the mic in the Android headunit takes precedence over the phone

Adds a new lease of life and being able to listen and respond to text and whatsapp messages is pretty useful.



Made a video of it in action if anyone is interested

https://youtu.be/jZcoM4PtaF4

I was thinking 300 quid is quite excessive just to get a unit which will run its own Android OS reliably when all I really needed was Android Auto which can utilise the technology already in my phone. But then £100 quid for a crap Android stereo plus the dongle I might as well get a better one, although most still need you to add the dongle on top.

I was thinking of a decent but more simple unit from a reliable ICE brand which could run Android Auto out the box, or even just Mirror Link/ Weblink. Anyone know which apps Weblink will actually run?

I really begrudge paying top dollar for the Android units by unknown manufactures just because they're been deemed slightly more reliable.

All I want is Google Maps and music from my phone n the stereo. I would just use my phone but there is no Bluetooth or Aux on my factory stereo and FM transmitters are flaky.

Edited by R Mutt on Monday 16th November 11:02

[oilslick]

untakenname said:

I installed a dongle on a really cheap Chinese head unit that was a bit long in the tooth to allow using Android Auto (and Apple Carplay) like in high end head units, works pretty seemslessly and is very fluid considering the specs of the headunit.
All the functions use the phone so don't need to setup wifi hotspots or bluetooth for calls or streaming music, the mic in the Android headunit takes precedence over the phone

Adds a new lease of life and being able to listen and respond to text and whatsapp messages is pretty useful.



Made a video of it in action if anyone is interested

https://youtu.be/jZcoM4PtaF4

Got a link to the dongle? I'd like to do this on mine.

[untakenname]

Hi, here's the store I bought it from, took less than a week to arrive from their Spanish warehouse

https://carlinkit.aliexpress.com/store/5040236

There's a wireless dongle available as well which may be a better buy for those who have an iphone and want Carplay wirelessly.

[MuffDaddy]

I've been thinks Ng about this for a while. I have a TVR Chimaera and a Pioneer head unit that will allow me the Bluetooth stream. However, I tend to use Spotify or BBC sounds for music. Rarely the built in radio. Could I replace the head unit with a Bluetooth receiver and get rid of the head unit all together.

[oilslick]

MuffDaddy said:

I've been thinks Ng about this for a while. I have a TVR Chimaera and a Pioneer head unit that will allow me the Bluetooth stream. However, I tend to use Spotify or BBC sounds for music. Rarely the built in radio. Could I replace the head unit with a Bluetooth receiver and get rid of the head unit all together.

You could, but you'd also need to install some kind of amplifier to drive the speakers.

[MuffDaddy]

oilslick said:

You could, but you'd also need to install some kind of amplifier to drive the speakers.

So phone. Bluetooth receiver and amp and Bluetooth controller. Job jobbed