Where are the built in FM Transmitters? - Hero CDMA General

This is the one last thing that I miss after switching from the Nokia N79. Seems so basic yet surprisingly essential....where is this function in all the new Androids?

Since most cars made in the last 3 years have bluetooth, I see this as borderline unnecessary. To be clear, I do not have one of those cars, but I am not sure how much I would use this. Just get a headphone jack put in your car, it is well worth it.

Related

Car Audio

So last night my car was broken into and they trashed my alpine deck and stole my ipod. So today while shopping for a new stereo for my car I tried finding something that would work well with my HTC Hero. I was hoping for something that would bluetooth connect to my phone and access the music on my sim card. Does anyone have a suggestion on this?
mkabwilliams said:
So last night my car was broken into and they trashed my alpine deck and stole my ipod. So today while shopping for a new stereo for my car I tried finding something that would work well with my HTC Hero. I was hoping for something that would bluetooth connect to my phone and access the music on my sim card. Does anyone have a suggestion on this?
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I'm on a Pioneer DEX-P99RS Ipod/anything USB.
Works well for me. Just plug in USB and mount it like you do a PC. reads all the tracks and ID3 tag info for you.
Not as fancy as bluetooth, but it works. This head unit maybe a bit high for most people. This was my first Pioneer, I was always an Alpine guy until now. I will never buy another Alpine after hearing this thing.
Kcarpenter said:
I'm on a Pioneer DEX-P99RS Ipod/anything USB.
Works well for me. Just plug in USB and mount it like you do a PC. reads all the tracks and ID3 tag info for you.
Not as fancy as bluetooth, but it works. This head unit maybe a bit high for most people. This was my first Pioneer, I was always an Alpine guy until now. I will never buy another Alpine after hearing this thing.
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does it do this for voice calls too or just music?
sdotcarlisle said:
does it do this for voice calls too or just music?
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Depends on the adapter I think. Pioneer offers 2 that will connect through Ibus. I want to say it's just Music on mine, and the other actually has a Mic you can run...I'm in it strictly for the boom and to piss off the cops
I have an "aux in" jack in the console of my car. I just use a male-to-male audio cable. Pandora comes in very handy on long car trips.
oh no. K! Don't go down that road! I'm not saying you don't need a stereo that will hit 130db, but that should be the third or forth thing you worry about! First you gotta take care of your hub caps...are they spinnin' man? ARE THEY SPINNIN?
OP, I had a pretty decent deck that did both voice and music over bluetooth...had a pretty decent little touchscreen on it, too...I'll try to remember what it was and get back to you.
oh no. K! Don't go down that road! I'm not saying you don't need a stereo that will hit 130db, but that should be the third or forth thing you worry about! First you gotta take care of your hub caps...are they spinnin' man? ARE THEY SPINNIN?
OP, I had a pretty decent deck that did both voice and music over bluetooth...had a pretty decent little touchscreen on it, too...I'll try to remember what it was and get back to you.
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Hell no! I only buy the best in most cases...steel wheels all the way around!
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I haven't tried since updating to a 2.1 ROM, but with the stock 1.5 I had lag issues running bluetooth audio to my stereo Moto headset. Mostly when using the radio at the same time, like pandora or if it decided to do a sync. I have an older Pioneer with a 3.5mm headphone hooked up, works amazing for me. Would be interested in finding out if the bluetooth works flawless.
Thinking of getting this one it says it does bluetooth audio streaming
http://signature.crutchfield.com/s_113KDCX994/Kenwood-Excelon-KDC-X994.html?o=v&tp=5684
radios dont support ad2p at least i have yet to find one so u cant stream audio over bluetooth but u can still do 3.5 or usb
Well right here under the General Features it says A2DP support and says yes
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/2008_Car_Entertainment/KDC-X994
in my experience kenwood got very fuzzy at high frequencies.
im hugeee into a2dp and the BEST quality chip is sony.
so ANY sony xplod MEX-BT series are amazingg.
i used to hate sony xplod until i tried the bt audio. i have the low end one i got for like 80 bucks. it only has an aux jack and bt but you cant tell a difference in aux and bt.
(im an audiophile too)
i tried kenwood and quality was lost badly for me. Dual brand is by far the worst bt quality on earth. pioneers were ok but low fidelity with a2dp.
anyways hopes that helps.
mkabwilliams said:
Well right here under the General Features it says A2DP support and says yes
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/2008_Car_Entertainment/KDC-X994
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yea i was just about to post the kenwood mybad but i have had top of the line pioneers and aplines and they never had score one for kenwood
Since I drive a jeep with out a top most of the time I bought a brand from wal-mart called "Dual". I haven't ever had much luck with cheapy stereos but this one is pretty good. It does bluetooth, usb, 3.5mm, Ipod control, hd radio. All for 140 bucks, which hurts a lot less than 500 when someone else decides they need your stereo more than you do.
mkabwilliams said:
Thinking of getting this one it says it does bluetooth audio streaming
http://signature.crutchfield.com/s_113KDCX994/Kenwood-Excelon-KDC-X994.html?o=v&tp=5684
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Just bought this myself on eBay for $219 free shipping. Totally worth it, I was able to get rid of my AudioControl EQL equalizer because the sound quality was just that good. I'm having some issues getting 2.1 to remember the pairing, but other than that I can totally recommend the x994 on the merits.
Nextelian said:
Just bought this myself on eBay for $219 free shipping. Totally worth it, I was able to get rid of my AudioControl EQL equalizer because the sound quality was just that good. I'm having some issues getting 2.1 to remember the pairing, but other than that I can totally recommend the x994 on the merits.
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Thanks Nextelian that's awesome news now I just need to find one for that cheap.
grabbed a vr3-VR500CSBT at Target on clearance for $45 for the girlfriend. Bluetooth works like a charm and call quality is excellent.
Avalaunchmods said:
Dual brand is by far the worst bt quality on earth..
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Gotta say I picked up the dual at wally world for like 100. The bluetooth is pretty decent as far as the sound reception goes. Only gripe I have with it is when I would get a call the bluetooth wouldn't pick up but if I would call out then it would. That was before I got 2.1 on my hero. The music plays smoothly though. No connection issues at all either. Plus they are fairly cheap to be had at least if your concerned about that.
Dunno if this was suggested, but my boyfriend got the Sony MEX-BT2800 and I connect my phone to it with little issues. Audio works very nicely, as well as calls, though the built in mic can throw some people off but make sure to switch it from the default low sensitivity to high sensitivity to pick up your voice better (picks up engine noise more but no worse than talking on my BT headset). I really need to get this for my car heh.
I'm not a big sony person but thanks for the information. I'm heading out tonight to go check out and pick up a new unit. What ever I get I will come back and give an update on what I think of it and how it works with my Hero.
Thanks

Headphones??

So, I am looking at getting some decent headphones for my 501.
I will be needing a Mic as I do Skype calls.
I will also need something with a long enough cable to have my tablet in my bag.
Also looking for something with some form of external control, to skip tracks.
I have been looking at the Klipsch s4a, which look great, but I haven't been able to find all that much online in the way of reviews, just been reading s4i reviews.
Was also thinking about the Ultimate Ears 600vi, but unsure if these will work.
I will be using these for both my 501 and my new phone, probably SGS2 or Nexus, depending on what they offer. (Undecided on what yet, as I am waiting on the outcome on an insurance job after my x10i stopped working... apparently water damage, but I am gonna tell them to stick that where the sun don't shine, but that is a different story.)
Can anyone point me at possibly something else?
Budget is between $75 and $150 ($AUD)... maybe a lil more if the quality is there.
Maybe also consider the etymotic Hf2s? Great for isolation, great general sound also.
I tried a stereo+Mic adapter and got nowhere. so either the Iconia won't take mic in on that port or it just won't do mic and stereo.
I use the Motorola hd9 they are blue-tooth and work great. They have newer models of this headset. When the ones i have now go bad i will Buy the newer version. OHH And they get up to 8 hours on a charge. Only downside is you cant use them while charging.. mine are now maybe 3 years old..
I use the Etymotic HF2, too. Really the best headphones I've ever had.

Hacking sony sbh20 stereo bluetooth headset to use 3.5mm headphone out as 3.5mm in

Just got a Sony sbh20 stereo bluetooth headset (Review) And its great plays my music from my phone wirelessly, makes calls etc. It has 3.5 mm output so it can be hooked up to any speakers with 3.5mm jack.
However being a gutarist and an xda forum member im just not happy with what it can do out of the box.
Is it possible to turn the 3.5mm output into an input so i can use this for wireless guitar playing, perhaps with it paired to my phone which would then be hooked up to my speakers.
Basically i want a bluetooth guitar.
Any ideas or comments on how this may be achieved or if this is even possible.
Another concept that may work would be to use my phone itself as an amp transmitting via bluetooth. Probobly easier to impliment. Any ideas if this exists
No it is not possible, and it's also completely and utterly pointless, since you can buy Bluetooth transmitters for next to nothing more or less anywhere
Cptnodegard said:
No it is not possible, and it's also completely and utterly pointless, since you can buy Bluetooth transmitters for next to nothing more or less anywhere
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Far from pointless. It is a mod that involves doing something cool. Just because some companies make a product that can do what the OP is looking to do and for a cheap price does not mean that the OP should not try. If we all just purchased stuff that just works then we would have a world with a bunch of idiots that know nothing. And just wants to be solely ammused via You tube videos of dumb garbage. Oh wait, that is the vast majority of this worlds population. This is an Android forum where people do things the hard way so that they can just know.
I could have purchased a great PC case for not to much money. And v en ry little time spent earning said money. But I decided to mod a MAC G5 case. Pointless? No, far from it. This is truly my computer. Here are some pictures.
And how about my cars factory radio? Sure I could have installed a low level converter. Or installed an aftermarket head unit. No, I found the low levels signal circuits and installed RCA connectors on the back of my factory deck.
Sounds like this is how the OP wants to roll.
So OP roll on. Ill look into the setup you are looking to mod and let you know if it can be done and how easily it can be accomplished.
Edit. Yes, it can be done. You will have to mod the input output circuit at the headphone jacknor somewhere on the board. I will say this. Be extremely patient and use a very very good magnifying glass. Or your phone when soldering. And lots of light. What I did was use an app called overlays and created an overlay that put a flashlight widget whennI opened my camera app. This allowed me to permanently activate the flash LED and use the camera as a microscope when soldering my LG tones to act as an incar bluetooth adapter. Sadly though I broke the setup. But, I just may get what you have there and use that in my car next. Though only of it allows for hi definition audio throughput. Any way. Good luck and take pictures if you go through with it.
And one more thing. Like you stated. You could mod a headset to connect to your guitar and then stream the sound from your phone to the Bluetooth headset that is connected to your amp/head.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
Thanks for getting back to me these bluetooth units are going pretty cheap in vodafone stores in ireland right now (25 euro where evreywhere else including sonys website has them for 50) so i might puick up another one to mod, not much experience with soldering anything more complicated than audio cables but it will be a challenge, also propss on the g5 case its definately one of the best designed PC cases with the new mac pros coming out there could be a fresh influx of these second hand soon

Is the IK8 the right one for me?

My intent is to have a small android device that I can run Pandora on. I currently own a Nexus 7 2013 on T-mobile. I'd like to be able to swap the sim card in that into a smart watch and couple it with a wireless bluetooth adapter so I can use my in-ear monitors and listen to Pandora when I'm at the gym or out jogging.
Am I looking at the right watch for my needs? Comments and recommendations appreciated (for either device). Thank you!
i picked up an ik8 while in hong kong, posted a short review here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2711623
though i haven't tried pandora on it as my purpose for the watch is for gps while strapped on the handlebar of my bike. the only thing you might need getting used to is the small keyboard that pops up when you type something. though as i've said in my review, you'll get used to it and the screen is quite responsive. i'm not too sure about using it in rainy weather though.
Robson said:
i picked up an ik8 while in hong kong, posted a short review here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2711623
though i haven't tried pandora on it as my purpose for the watch is for gps while strapped on the handlebar of my bike. the only thing you might need getting used to is the small keyboard that pops up when you type something. though as i've said in my review, you'll get used to it and the screen is quite responsive. i'm not too sure about using it in rainy weather though.
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I saw your post on that other thread. It's one of the main reasons why I considered this watch. I don't think the keyboard would be an issue if I can get logged in as I usually stick to my saved stations. Would you let me know if you decide to install Pandora and how it goes of you do?
tamonez said:
I saw your post on that other thread. It's one of the main reasons why I considered this watch. I don't think the keyboard would be an issue if I can get logged in as I usually stick to my saved stations. Would you let me know if you decide to install Pandora and how it goes of you do?
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sorry for the late response, been busy at work. confirmed that pandora works with the watch though the interface might be a tad bit small given the screen size. however, if you've saved stations then you should be just fine. as mentioned previously, once you start using the keyboard, you have to be patient with it. i still make the occassional mistake but i rarely use the keyboard as i'm happy with the setup. in the other ik8 thread, drlex recommended using slide pass as an alternative to the built in keyboard. haven't tried it out yet but it seems to work well.
you'll definitely need to use bluetooth to pair a good set of earphones. the watch doesn't have a 3.5 jack and the earphones which come with it aren't really tops. i've already paired the watch with an old itech unit, coupled with my senheiser buds. works well. battery should be enough for you if you're out for a run...though i'm not sure if it'll last if say you're doing a 5-hour marathon. i've used gps on it for like 3 hours riding on my bike and it went down 50%.
one thing to be careful though is using the watch in the gym. the specs do not mention "water resistant" unlike other watches which claim to be (which i don't really believe). you might need to wear something like a wrist band undernearth to protech the watch from sweat. same goes for running outside.
cheers
It seems IK8 is 2G only in US, that means GPRS/EDGE speed. Streaming music with that connection speed could be a problem.

Which of these head units don't suck?

I am no stranger to Android in a car, I have done custom tablet installs in cars, (back in 2012 with Timur's custom cyanogenmod rom), custom car computers (roadrunner, centrafuse), etc.
Last year, I decided to give one of these neat looking Chinese head units a shot, I went with the Eonon double-din model with the PX5 processor, 4gb ram, 32gb rom with DSP audio chip. Out of the box and installing, the software wasn't terrible but borderline silly. The DSP audio control app was new to these units so I forgave some of the funky terminology and adjustments that were available in there, it was a far cry from adjustments one would find on a cheaper dedicated DSP unit. The performance was okay until summer rolled around and I had to tear the head unit apart and install my own heatsink and fan to the processing module board, this resolved that. The cheap mmc memory was a limiting factor of its performance in heavier apps like Google Maps, otherwise. Wifi performance was borderline trash. The extremely cheap and laughable wifi chipset barely handled 1.5-2Mbps of data transfer when downloading a Spotify library to the SD card. I even attempted to unsolder and replace the cheap antenna with my own higher end antenna but this was no solution to the very cheap and barely functional wireless module. Digging into the rom to find out that it's only been compiled for two equally bad wireless adapters, I gave up trying to make the wifi work any better. My unit also always produced processor noise out of the speakers when it was quiet in the car, sounded like onboard audio from cheap PC motherboards; this happened out of the amplified speaker outputs and the RCA outputs. I have since sold that car, I have a new car and would love to try again if it's even worth it.
I am not here to bash on these head units, I really WANT to see them improve. I would love to get my hands on one with more premium hardware, better working networking, worked out bugs, smarter display dimming control (maybe even a few extra cents of an ambient light sensor), audio DSP controls that are actually awesome, proper heatsink for included processor, etc. Do these exist? It's hard to find them in the sea of different brand names and Engrish website listings.
Any input on this would be so helpful to myself and many others.
I think you’ll find that they all suck in one way or another. If they were to be of total quality they would be $1500 or more. Think about the use case though, NO ONE else is making custom canbus integrated units that fit inside modern cars which no longer conform to single/double DIN form factors. I don’t think at the price points most of these units are that quality and functionality will be improved.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've been using Android head units since around 2013 or so, when they had resistive touchscreens lol. While they still have a lot to improve on, I must say that they've come a long, long way. There's only really three features that I want to see, and one of those the 2013 ones all had:
1) For the love of God, there was no need to take away iPod support. Some of us still have an iPod. It's great to have in a car to play your music. Much better than putting it on SD cards, because I like the playlists. Bring it back!
2) Resolution. 800x480 is roughly as best at it gets for these guys. Although I'm greedy and want 4k, at least give me 1080p!
3) Blu-ray support. Come on already, it's been out for 14 years!
I am also interested in this question, I had the atoto a6 pro before I sold the car. For a quad core it felt slow.
Is there any unit out there besides joying with proper lte support? Joying does not support att/Rogers/Fido lte frequencies. Except band 7.
I've seen on the forums that the xtrons won't even take a 4g dongle and work in mobile connection mode and also they have an underpowered USB port, 250mA or something . Where standard is 500mA.
Anything out there with North American frequencies?
Zap! said:
I've been using Android head units since around 2013 or so, when they had resistive touchscreens lol. While they still have a lot to improve on, I must say that they've come a long, long way. There's only really three features that I want to see, and one of those the 2013 ones all had:
1) For the love of God, there was no need to take away iPod support. Some of us still have an iPod. It's great to have in a car to play your music. Much better than putting it on SD cards, because I like the playlists. Bring it back!
2) Resolution. 800x480 is roughly as best at it gets for these guys. Although I'm greedy and want 4k, at least give me 1080p!
3) Blu-ray support. Come on already, it's been out for 14 years!
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first point...fine I get it..
second point 4K???????
third point..ok you are trolling..
I appreciate the few replies here.
I for one am hoping for the most subtle and cost effective improvements that make the experience of one of these in the dash feel like a better product. Top changes I'd like to see:
Display with high NITS, defeat the bright sunlight. Ability to see the content REALLY WELL comes before ultra-high resolution. As long as I can't count the pixels from the driver seat, I'm not going to knock on the resolution.
Clean audio output, some of these produce noise like crazy when listening at quiet volumes, you can hear internal processes coming through the speakers like onboard audio of cheap PC motherboards.
DSP controls that make sense- timing controls that conform to other DSP audio controls of all other typical DSP audio products, the interface is goofy although the chip being used is quite powerful but I don't believe the writers of the software interface completely understand what it should be doing.
Automatic dimming displays. A tiny ambient light value sensor hidden in the glass or plastic fascia and android's own built in software solutions will allow automatic brightness control of the display so that when you're sitting in your car at night without the headlights turned on, the screen doesn't bake your eyeballs out or when your car has automatic headlights and they turn on early before the sun goes down and your screen goes so dark you can't see it. This is a simple solution and I hope they resolve it.
Custom fully integrated units such as the one we put in our 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman S model needs to be worked on more before shoving them out the door. $600 gets us a head unit that looks nice in the dash but the integration of retained door chimes/warning sounds/blinker signal indicator sounds is the most absolute rubbish thing, ever. Would gladly spend closer to $1000 US for something that is more refined.
A home screen that doesn't suck. Solid integration with FM tuner controls, common media player apps, etc in the home screen would be great to see. A home screen that works good enough to the point that we don't have to fish the play store to make it better would be killer.
It’s been a short while, anyone got any updates on android head units that don’t suck?
ojuniour said:
first point...fine I get it..
second point 4K????
third point..ok you are trolling..
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1) Thanks! There has to be a way to hack it back.
2) I was joking about 4k, but I want 1080p
3) Not trolling, I have quite a few Blu-ray disks and would like to be able to view them in the car.

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