Database Users

Digging in ... do any head units currently support these items?

I'm (hopefully tomorrow) replacing my dying Jeep. Likely candidates are a 2014 Rav4 or a 2012 Town and Country. Both seem to have good double-din slots without having a lot of vehicle subsystems tied to the factory HU. So ... I am beginning to investigate putting in an Android HU.
I'd like a recommendation on the best HU -for me- ... I know it isn't going to be the same for everyone. What I'm looking for, in no particular order, and not all of these are must-haves:
* community-supported ROMs
* 2GB RAM is highly desired.
* video input for the factory-equipped backup camera
* steering wheel controls (I'm assuming I need an adapter specific for whichever car I buy, probably not included with the HU but I want the HU to be able to accept them if possible)
* Decent sound quality output
* Good radio reception (does the US have an equivalent to DAB?) ... I'm willing to use an external FM module if that ends up being the highest quality option. App support is included in the word "good" here. And as likely figured out, I'm in the U.S.
* Some SIMPLE form of external storage (SD card is fine, USB HD is fine, I even have a spare 60GB SSD with built-in USB port since I just rebuilt my PC)
* Ability to tether to my WiFi hotspot (currently it would be a Nexus 5 phone) OR Bluetooth data connection (but I've found BT data sharing to be less well supported).
* Lollipop? I realize from searching there aren't any out there yet (pfft @ Parrot for nixing the aftermarket version of the RNB6) ... I'm not in a big rush to do the upgrade RIGHT NOW, if I can wait a few months to get a 5.x HU I will do that. Just need to know if such a model is known to be in the works?
I might go with a tablet-in-dash alternative, but would rather have a full HU. I've looked at various applink/mirrorlink solutions and found them all wanting.

>community-supported ROMs
Yes, most of us are using the custom ROMs made by Malaysk.
>2GB RAM is highly desired.
They are all 1GB devices and use nearly the same integrated CPU/RAM chipsets right now. I am pretty sure that we will see 2GB devices eventually but all of them right now are 1GB. But frankly for everything you need to do on these units 1GB is fine, just like it is for most android tablets. And the quad core devices are very responsive and snappy, going from dual core to quad core makes more of a performance difference in experience.
>* video input for the factory-equipped backup camera
Pretty much every unit has a standard composite input dedicated for backup cameras which are activated with 12v on the backup signal line. They are all also able to show the backup camera before the system is fully booted, so you turn the car on, put it in reverse and you can see the backup camera while the android continues to boot in the background (15-30secs).
>* steering wheel controls (I'm assuming I need an adapter specific for whichever car I buy, probably not included with the HU but I want the HU to be able to accept them if possible)
A standard feature, and most cars are based on the same standard.
>* Decent sound quality output
I have found they have good sound output. Especially for playing MP3's. They also extensive audio controls and EQ capabilities so you can really tune the sound compared to most factory units of "Bass/Treble".
>* Good radio reception (does the US have an equivalent to DAB?) ... I'm willing to use an external FM module if that ends up being the highest quality option. App support is included in the word "good" here. And as likely figured out, I'm in the U.S.
Some say the AM/FM is more sensitive than their factory radio was. I find it to be about equal in my case.
>* Some SIMPLE form of external storage (SD card is fine, USB HD is fine, I even have a spare 60GB SSD with built-in USB port since I just rebuilt my PC)
Most units have a couple of SD card slots that can use whatever SD card size you want. I have a 32GB and a 64GB in mine. They also support whatever USB sticks you want to use on their USB ports. They maybe do not work with USB hard drives from what I have read, you would beed to research further.
>* Ability to tether to my WiFi hotspot (currently it would be a Nexus 5 phone) OR Bluetooth data connection (but I've found BT data sharing to be less well supported).
Most all support wifi tethering, but they do not support bluetooth tethering because the bluetooth is actually handled by a dedicated bluetooth card designed for audio/phone control.
>* Lollipop? I realize from searching there aren't any out there yet (pfft @ Parrot for nixing the aftermarket version of the RNB6) ... I'm not in a big rush to do the upgrade RIGHT NOW, if I can wait a few months to get a 5.x HU I will do that. Just need to know if such a model is known to be in the works?
Its a nice to have, but there are more 4.x devices in the world than their are 5.x and it will be supported for quite awhile. I am not sure what all it buys us anyway because 4.x is stable and 5.x new features really only apply to phones.
Basically, most all the current android head units are based on the same internal hardware designs, the and main differences are in the physical front panel layout of what buttons, or knobs, or if you want a dvd slot or not etc.. my recommendation is that you get one with the best options available right now which are a) quad core, b) 1024x600 screen res, c) 16GB internal flash storage. Other than those specs its all down to the physical design of the units front panel for the most part.
I chose the carjoying unit shown in this topic because I thought it was the best choice of front panel design(no dvd slot to waste screen space, at least one knob and not all touch(yuck), etc)... to fit in my standard double din auto.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/and...oying-rk3188-rk3066-2-din-head-units-t3193170

nixfu said:
{snip}
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the response

nixfu said:
>community-supported ROMs
Yes, most of us are using the custom ROMs made by Malaysk.
>2GB RAM is highly desired.
They are all 1GB devices and use nearly the same integrated CPU/RAM chipsets right now. I am pretty sure that we will see 2GB devices eventually but all of them right now are 1GB. But frankly for everything you need to do on these units 1GB is fine, just like it is for most android tablets. And the quad core devices are very responsive and snappy, going from dual core to quad core makes more of a performance difference in experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Newsmy units (NU3001, NU5002, etc) have 2GB of RAM and we were able to get the source for one of the ROM versions and developed a custom ROM from the source
http://forum.xda-developers.com/and...4-4-2-kitkat-head-unit-newsmy-carpad-t2865525

Are there any units that have two camera inputs for rear and front camera?

So I finally found a car ... ended up buying a 2006 Toyota Sienna Limited with less than 50K miules (insert long rant about flying across country to pick up a 2013 Rav4 only to find the dealer mis-advertised and accepted payment for the wrong trim level).
After a lot of contemplation, and realizing I want to be able to do a mirrored set up in my camper-van (a giant E350 diesel) ... I've changed gears and am sifting through how-to's on doing a 7" tablet with a plain amp, joyconn controller for the steering wheel controls, and magnetic mounts so that I can swap my tablet from 1 vehicle to another.
But thanks for all of the input on my newbie questions.
I think I'm actually taking on a significantly harder project if I'm really going to do it right ... but being able to take my tablet with me and put it in 2 different vehicles (maybe 3 if my wife decides to let me do the same rigging to her Rogue) along with keeping up with latest versions of Android will keep me happier in the long run.
HOWEVER, this is the spot I could still be convinced on ... does anyone know of a hot-swappable double din system? If I could yank the whole thing out I might go back to a full headend and just not worry about carrying it around outside of those 2 vehicles. I did some searching but I'm guessing due to the added size required for rail hardware this probably doesn't exist.

Great questions and fantastic answers. Thank you!

Are there any Chinese HU's without any problems?

Wow, just when you think you've found a headunit that is perfect, what happens instead? You read some reviews that are written after the user owned it for a short amount of time, and then you discover the problems.
Is there an Android HU that gets good FM/AM reception? Doesn't need to be rebooted? Won't disappoint? I previously got burned on a cheaper model and don't want to repeat that again. Hell - I could have just gotten a Kenwood and avoided all the headache and a $195 install job.

Hi,
I think that depends on your definition of "problems". My definition of a real problem is when there is no solotion on xda developers
OK, first I would recommend that you buy a head unit that was made for your car brand and model if available. I own a 2013 Skoda Rapid (similar to VW Polo / Golf, no "dirty" jokes please lol) and bought a VW specific model ("Autopumpkin" (reseller) 2 DIN for VW, RK3066 processor with Android 4.4.4 @ 800x480px, firmware is KLD2).
Installation: Plug in the quad lock CAN bus and the head unit was ready. Nothing else to do.
AM/FM:
In some cases, your car antenna needs +12V power to work properly. My head unit has a "phantom power adapter" (don't know if this is the right word in english). If you don't connect +12V to antenna, the reception is awful, I only received 4 stations with poor quality. Once the pantom power was connected (in my special case, I also needed a FAKRA adapter to connect the head unit with the car antenna since the plugs from the head unit didn't fit in the car connector), I received 18 stations (more can't be saved) on 88-95MHz (band goes from 88-108 here) using auto scan mode.
"Doesn't need to be rebooted":
I don't know exactly what you mean, would you like to specify that? The head unit can't be always on due to the high power consumption which would kill the battery very fast. Boot time is about 20-30 seconds but it remains about 5 minutes in standby if you pull out the ignition key.
Sound quality:
If sound quality is as important for you as for me, you MAYBE have a problem with those cheap head units but that also depends on what you like to do and to what kind of music you do listen.
On FM, sound quality doesn't matter for me because I use FM only for traffic announcements and news / documentary). The built in EQ is not the best one, at first I was thinking about to send the unit back because of the bad quality. After some days, I tried Poweramp with it's EQ and the difference was HUGE. Sounds better that the original car radio. Later, I tried Viper4Android (EQ app) since the Poweramp EQ only works for Poweramp and I thoght better radio sound quality would not be bad, but AFAIK AM/FM (and Bluetooth) sound output is not processed in Android what means only the build in EQ can influence the sound quality of that parts.
Traffic announcement (TA):
But one thing about TA feature does really drives me crazy: If you have enabled TA and the radio app detects traffic announcements (what happens also if the radio is in "background" respectively not explicit opened), a "modal popup" appears and you can't do anything (you can't skip TA or switch to another app) but vol up / down or disable TA with the "Close" button at all what means that you have to go to the radio app and enable TA again manually.
Bluetooth:
Bluetooth works much better than expected. If I get into the car in the morning, my phone (Sony Xperia Z2 with stock rom) connects with the head unit in seconds. If I press the "Play" button in the head unit's bluetooth app, it almost instantly continues playing my Spotify playlist from the phone (Spotify app doesn't work on my head unit, don't know why...).
3G / Wifi:
About 3G: Sometimes the HU loses connection because the power supplied by the USB ports is not enough. In that case, I have to power off and on the unit again (but "soft" reboot, done in seconds). Wifi (if you use your smartphone as hotspot with teathering) does work very well but not on distances over approx. 10 meters.
About GPS:
The GPS signal fixes very, VERY fast (2-5 seconds, but thats maybe because Android fixes the signal at boot time) and the supplied navigation app (iGO Primo) can calculate a route from south germany to a random forrest in Poland (I tapped on a random place on the map) approximately 1500km away in less than 10 seconds.
Dual way CAN bus:
Does work with my car, I can control radio stations via the buttons of my on-board computer / MFD (Multi Function Display as called by VW, my car doesn't have SWC) and the MFD shows the station frequency. I can also control the Media Player App (next / prev track, not volume), but only the built in one, not Poweramp.
Conclusion: If there is a HU for your specific brand / model, you should not have as much trouble as if you buy a generic one, especially with installation. You should have at least some basic Android, car and technical knowledge and (most important) the will to play around with your device, try out new apps, firmwares and roms, play with the settings etc... If you want a real plug and play solution, you maybe have to pay 1000€ / $ +. You get what you pay for
I hope my reply was helpful.

Nice Text. So it is.

hippelsepp said:
I hope my reply was helpful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was, thank you. Which HU do you use?

My question is: Is there an American/Japanese/Anywhere else head unit that can do as much as these Chinese head units??

TC Car Audio Android Head Units

Hi all. I have a 2011 Hyundai Accent that used to run a HuiFei KGL4 Hyundai-specific 7" unit. It's been one rollercoaster ride with that unit, having to deal with the following:
1) Underpowered USB ports (had to solder a voltage step-down converter to amp it up for it to work properly)
2) The latest ROM forces me to wait 30 seconds for the unit to shut down after turning off ignition, otherwise my PKE car alarm won't trigger as all doors are generally closed within that time frame because I've already stepped out of the car. Funny piece is there's no way out of this even if I go back to an older software, or use an MCU that doesn't support sleep
3) Weak FM radio
After messing real bad with #3 above, killing one channel off of my FM radio (only right channel is working now) after breaking the electronic links for one of the caps needed, I decided it's time to let go. Not to mention that the reseller that I've brought it from is no longer responding when it comes to asking for replacement parts and Kai Ge Le doesn't sell parts from products that weren't directly bought from them. Malaysk' great ROM helped me get through the day for a while, but hey, when you want a fully working product, you gotta move some time right?
The next dilemma was: should I go with Joying or any other HuiFei-based Android radio and potentially deal with the same thing? Then I thought... man, it's time to accept I'm not too good with soldering and I can't risk messing another brand new radio just for dealing with the same thing.
Long-story short, I went with a not so known MCU / manufacturer / reseller combo this time around for hopes I'd get different results. It may be a bit of a challenge to get support from the community granted none of my searches yielded any results for the MCU the device is using, but man... with how the ROM of this new unit working fluidly as it is, I'm finally content.
Some distinct differences with HuiFei:
1) Boot-up time. Before upgrading my KGL4 to RK3188, boot-up time was 30 seconds. When I upgraded to RK3188 roughly ~15 seconds. In this unit? I don't even notice waiting for boot. It properly turns off USB connected devices so my battery does not get drained- tried for 5 days now and has been consistently fine.
2) Next / Previous controls. I did not need to install Car Service for Next / Previous to be consistent on non-stock apps (Radio, Music, Video apps). If I press next or previous in my steering wheel on, say, Spotify or PCRadio, the behavior is the same. It goes to the next / previous track as expected, with no additional apps or configuration needed.
3) RADIO - I can't emphasize this enough. In days where I just want to use the radio instead of songs from streaming apps, man, this unit delivers! It subdues the static / hisses well, and clearly picks up the same radio stations that I used to have in my car's factory radio that the KGL4 one struggled to pick-up.
4) Bluetooth function - I was never able to get my KGL4 unit to pair with my OBD2 device, no matter how many times I've back-read in the different threads. In this new unit, it was able to detect and pair with it the first time I tried! The plus part is that the Bluetooth config of this new unit allows you to enter the pair code for devices that requires it - at least on this one I'm sure the HuiFei units cannot prompt for the pairing code of the other device.
5) Support for external hard drives. I was unable to connect a 500GB external drive in my KGL4 before until I did the USB mod. For this new unit, it supports it right off the bat. No mods necessary.
6) There's an actual WIFI antenna!
Another plus for me is the screen size upgrade. The new device has 9" of real-estate. I did lose DVD functionality and potentially not have the option to update the software to 5.1 (runs on 4.4), but I can live with those. If anyone's familiar or has the same MCU as mine, or shares the same software build, let me know. Maybe that will be a good reference for anyone who'd potentially buy units from them. In the meantime, TC Car Audio has a store in AE if you want to inquire (Store ID 1360064). Looks like they also have a couple of 5.1 devices, just not sure if it shares the same MCU / ROM combo.
DISCLAIMER: I do not work for TC car audio. Just passing along the positive experience I have with their product, and hoping to help others see that there are better options out there beyond the more known brands.
MCU: 2016-04-25 10:38:12 KEQ_60_C6R_7706_5006_CAN(DaZhongWC)_Newlap

jrgalang said:
2) Next / Previous controls. I did not need to install Car Service for Next / Previous to be consistent on non-stock apps (Radio, Music, Video apps). If I press next or previous in my steering wheel on, say, Spotify or PCRadio, the behavior is the same. It goes to the next / previous track as expected, with no additional apps or configuration needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm more interested in this part. I wonder why this works on your unit, but not the majority of Anrdoid head units?
Can you try Pandora or Google Play Music? Does the app have to be open and in the main view for it to work? or will it work while playing in the background. Like say you are watching the Navigation with Pandora playing in the background from a Pandora app on the Android head unit, if you hit a track change with the Navigation app on the screen will it still change tracks?

CadillacMike said:
I'm more interested in this part. I wonder why this works on your unit, but not the majority of Anrdoid head units?
Can you try Pandora or Google Play Music? Does the app have to be open and in the main view for it to work? or will it work while playing in the background. Like say you are watching the Navigation with Pandora playing in the background from a Pandora app on the Android head unit, if you hit a track change with the Navigation app on the screen will it still change tracks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Microntek head units are using its own "layer" of virtual keys mapping (irkeyDown/up). It is useful from their point of view, because you have possibility to use long press behavior on hard keys. Android has its own definitions of key events and actually it is good habit to use them (in case of developing "steering widgets" and players developing as well). Probably microntek finally started to broadcast Android's defined key events among the system which caused support of many media players .
But that is only my theory .

CadillacMike said:
I'm more interested in this part. I wonder why this works on your unit, but not the majority of Anrdoid head units?
Can you try Pandora or Google Play Music? Does the app have to be open and in the main view for it to work? or will it work while playing in the background. Like say you are watching the Navigation with Pandora playing in the background from a Pandora app on the Android head unit, if you hit a track change with the Navigation app on the screen will it still change tracks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't try Pandora given where I'm at. But yeah, Google Play Music works just as same as Spotify. No need to have the app open, I mostly have Car Launcher Pro on screen OR my GPS app and I can hit next / previous even if the music apps are on the background.

jrgalang said:
I couldn't try Pandora given where I'm at. But yeah, Google Play Music works just as same as Spotify. No need to have the app open, I mostly have Car Launcher Pro on screen OR my GPS app and I can hit next / previous even if the music apps are on the background.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wtf, I gotta figure out how to get that on my Joying.

Reply
jrgalang said:
Hi all. I have a 2011 Hyundai Accent that used to run a HuiFei KGL4 Hyundai-specific 7" unit. It's been one rollercoaster ride with that unit, having to deal with the following:
1) Underpowered USB ports (had to solder a voltage step-down converter to amp it up for it to work properly)
2) The latest ROM forces me to wait 30 seconds for the unit to shut down after turning off ignition, otherwise my PKE car alarm won't trigger as all doors are generally closed within that time frame because I've already stepped out of the car. Funny piece is there's no way out of this even if I go back to an older software, or use an MCU that doesn't support sleep
3) Weak FM radio
After messing real bad with #3 above, killing one channel off of my FM radio (only right channel is working now) after breaking the electronic links for one of the caps needed, I decided it's time to let go. Not to mention that the reseller that I've brought it from is no longer responding when it comes to asking for replacement parts and Kai Ge Le doesn't sell parts from products that weren't directly bought from them. Malaysk' great ROM helped me get through the day for a while, but hey, when you want a fully working product, you gotta move some time right?
The next dilemma was: should I go with Joying or any other HuiFei-based Android radio and potentially deal with the same thing? Then I thought... man, it's time to accept I'm not too good with soldering and I can't risk messing another brand new radio just for dealing with the same thing.
Long-story short, I went with a not so known MCU / manufacturer / reseller combo this time around for hopes I'd get different results. It may be a bit of a challenge to get support from the community granted none of my searches yielded any results for the MCU the device is using, but man... with how the ROM of this new unit working fluidly as it is, I'm finally content.
Some distinct differences with HuiFei:
1) Boot-up time. Before upgrading my KGL4 to RK3188, boot-up time was 30 seconds. When I upgraded to RK3188 roughly ~15 seconds. In this unit? I don't even notice waiting for boot. It properly turns off USB connected devices so my battery does not get drained- tried for 5 days now and has been consistently fine.
2) Next / Previous controls. I did not need to install Car Service for Next / Previous to be consistent on non-stock apps (Radio, Music, Video apps). If I press next or previous in my steering wheel on, say, Spotify or PCRadio, the behavior is the same. It goes to the next / previous track as expected, with no additional apps or configuration needed.
3) RADIO - I can't emphasize this enough. In days where I just want to use the radio instead of songs from streaming apps, man, this unit delivers! It subdues the static / hisses well, and clearly picks up the same radio stations that I used to have in my car's factory radio that the KGL4 one struggled to pick-up.
4) Bluetooth function - I was never able to get my KGL4 unit to pair with my OBD2 device, no matter how many times I've back-read in the different threads. In this new unit, it was able to detect and pair with it the first time I tried! The plus part is that the Bluetooth config of this new unit allows you to enter the pair code for devices that requires it - at least on this one I'm sure the HuiFei units cannot prompt for the pairing code of the other device.
5) Support for external hard drives. I was unable to connect a 500GB external drive in my KGL4 before until I did the USB mod. For this new unit, it supports it right off the bat. No mods necessary.
6) There's an actual WIFI antenna!
Another plus for me is the screen size upgrade. The new device has 9" of real-estate. I did lose DVD functionality and potentially not have the option to update the software to 5.1 (runs on 4.4), but I can live with those. If anyone's familiar or has the same MCU as mine, or shares the same software build, let me know. Maybe that will be a good reference for anyone who'd potentially buy units from them. In the meantime, TC Car Audio has a store in AE if you want to inquire (Store ID 1360064). Looks like they also have a couple of 5.1 devices, just not sure if it shares the same MCU / ROM combo.
DISCLAIMER: I do not work for TC car audio. Just passing along the positive experience I have with their product, and hoping to help others see that there are better options out there beyond the more known brands.
MCU: 2016-04-25 10:38:12 KEQ_60_C6R_7706_5006_CAN(DaZhongWC)_Newlap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello friend,
This is Nicole from Kaigele.
Sorry to tell you that,from your posted info and images,this unit is not from our factory.Maybe you need to contact your direct seller to get more help.
thanks
best regards
Nicole

My Wish List vs ATOTO / Xtrons / Dasaita

Hey guys,
Hoping to hear your thoughts and opinions, the good/bad/ugly.
I'm about to buy my first Android Head Unit but have been trying to get something like this going for a long time.
Here's the "Wish List" I've made to weed out the unit I want.
Unit:
Universal
Double/2 Din
PX6
4GB RAM
64GB ROM
Screen:
10"+ HD IPS (unless there's an OLED out there)
Lowest Profile available (distance been back of screen and dash)
No need to pan, but adjusting up and down and tilt are a plus
No branding
Preferably little or no buttons
No visible ports
OS:
Android 9.0, hopefully, upgradable to 10
Extensions:
Bluetooth -> Support for 2x Paired Phones at once able to receive calls or stream music would be great!
Wireless Apple Car Play
Android Auto
MicroSD card support of 256GB or higher
DPS
Dual-Band WiFi
1+ Video Input NOT back up cam (Plan on attaching a Nintendo Switch as an input device. I haven't seen anything higher resolution on input than just CVBS, but if one existed that would help? Or the support of USB 3 Video Dongle (USB to HDMI)
Right now, this has led me to this one
Dasaita HA2156A-MAX6
There's so much "noise" in this space with the hundreds of resellers/OEMs and scammers that I think I'm just going to pull the trigger on this and see what happens.
But before I do, if anyone has any better options, or thoughts/words of wisdom, please pass them along!
Thanks in advance!
I also really like the ATOTO A6Y1021PR but it's spec'd so low compared to the others and is running Kitkat (what the hell???)
I also really like some of the Xtrons, but couldn't get the specs. If I go wth a PX5 then they have tons of options, but couldn't find a 10+ screen with PX6

I'm interested in this too, I've been looking for a while at Android head units and while my wallet says go a basic double din 6-7" screen, the rest of me says go for that PX6 with the 10" screen.
I'm looking at getting the single DIN so that I can keep the little storage place below it, the only storage in my entire car (75 Series Land Cruiser Ute). If anyone knows of any reason not to, feel free to chime in, but otherwise I'm going to go the same route as you '82. The Maxx6 looks like the only PX6 with a massive screen from a reputable brand

My experience is that some of the specs are best described as "rubbery". Some of the good value units include marketing graphics which are copy-pasted to assist sales and are not wholly accurate.
Ideally one would like to see a pic the summary screen.
Casual research indicates ATOTO delivers the goods!-IMHO

There is not one single (cheap) Chinese brand supporting to pair 2 phones at once.
Only a few of the latest PX6 models support dual-band wifi. Most only support 2.4GHz.
Support for Apple Car Play and Android Auto can be tricky. Especially if your phone is on android 9. Support for android 10 (released today on 3 September 2019!) might take quite some time.
1+ Video Input: Haven't seen that yet.
Dasaita is a very good choice but does not support the above mentioned wishes either.
and what is DPS? or do you mean DSP?

You can get lower profile by "burying" the double din instead of flushmounting it to dash/adapter bracket

I've been enjoying my admittedly under-powered ATOTO A6 Pro for months now, and while I don't have experience with other Android Head Units, I've gained some perspective. Mainly, we're not really talking about buying an Android tablet here!
Android tablets are obsolete after a year or three, but my lexus is 20 years old and (with certain updates) I still love it. I've realized that although I wish I didn't have to put up with quite so much lag while interacting with certain android apps running on the ATOTO (Google Maps responsiveness is painfully slow), I'm really glad about the ways that the A6 Pro behaves like a car stereo head unit should: It has a great display that's easy to see in all lighting; It's on instantly after the car's ignition (with minimal battery drain while the car is parked); great bluetooth aptX audio streaming and call handling; the backup camera view is instantaneous after shifting to reverse (with optional volume reduction while in reverse), it can drive 4 speakers (6 if you count the component tweeters surprisingly well at 29W RMS each without an external amp (while supplying my powered subwoofer with a clean line output), etc, etc.
So with the A6 Pro one learns to keep most apps on the adjacent SmartPhone (even if you're not choosing to use Android Auto or CarPlay which mostly run apps on the phone), and mostly run media apps that are easily handled on the head unit. I've never been bothered that my car stereo is running marshmallow or whatever instead of Android 10.
My phone is running Android 10 and is distracting enough as a responsive/powerful android device. And while it would be cool if it were faster, my car's head unit is more about good music and phone integration while driving (or while parked and listening to/watching media .

Confused with options for a Highlander

I found this site from a comment on a youtube video where I was researching options for getting a head unit that is better than Toyota included for my Toyota Highlander Limited Hybrid. I'm sorry for the length of this post but I spent hours reading and watching youtube and I think I'm on right path, but I feel like I just need a little validation...
For reference, I'm an Apple mobile and tablet user but I owned a Samsung phone for about 3 months so I know what an Android launcher and the marketplace is. I know there are stores for hacked products, but I ended up with ads all over that phone so I prefer not to go that route. I'm not a big tinkerer - once I get something set where I want it, I won't usually change the settings unless I find a need.
I think my post will give you a good idea about what level of knowledge I have - at least you know I tried. If there is highlander or hybrid specific feedback I'm overlooking somewhere, please let me know. If I'm missing something key to decide between systems let me know.
1. When I look at the forum categories, they are broken up into terms I'm not familiar with. I believe FYT Android is where I need to focus because I see references to the units I'm researching there. But I don't understand why they are considered FYT.
2. I'm trying to stay in the $500 range and get something that works well enough that I'll use it for more than just the radio - without breaking functionality but the canbus thing is new to me. I get the concept - my car's personal IoT/LAN. But does the dash operate independently of the headunit? I sort of feel like somethings will be independent and others will not. For example, I suspect the dash display will know my speed, trip miles, direction (compass), when I need an oil change. But I feel like the option for the radio is fed from the head unit. I feel like anything that appears on my dash when I'm using the GPS (like turn next left) is fed from the head unit. Is that correct? If yes, do those functions usually stop displaying on the dash with a replacement head unit?
3. I have buttons on the dash for different features on the car. I suspect most of those work independently of head unit - like the mirror heaters. But what about accident avoidance features? Those tend to display on my dash - are those possibly affected by a different head unit? And I have a button so I can turn on 360 video - I mainly use it to see how close I am to the car in front of me when parking in a tight space. I suspect that button will work with any head unit that has front camera and/or 360 degree integration.
4. From my research, I have been focusing on units that are 4 GB/64 GB although it sounds like 2 GB/32 GB would work just fine as long as I don't store over 32 GB of apps and data.
5. Items that don't differentiate: I expect these options to be the same result across all units. Please let me know if you know differently.
-Apple car play - All have it & should function exactly the same. (I don't need android phone integration but I know this does differ on units)
-Phone call integration - looks like all use same default android app. I am very interested in how clarity of calls might differ, but I think all are using same default android function and all are able to use an included external microphone.
-Toyota OEM microphone integration - it's unclear if any will integrate with existing Toyota mic but I suspect this won't yield a result I'm happy with in either case.
- Toyota speaker button on wheel control - I think this button fails to work on every integration. I would like this to work but even the Toyota system is so unreliable I don't use it.
- Marketplace apps - All should integrate with marketplace apps exactly the same.
6. So here is my list of options I came up with in order of most likely to least. Is there another brand I should research...
- Teyes CC3 (for highlander 2015-18) - It looks like it matches integration with the best out there. I don't care about the "Porsche simulator", but it still looks like the easiest to use launcher on the market & they are actively updating it. I cannot find the same level of highlander specific details I find on the SYGAV, but reviews seem overwhelmingly positive so I suspect it'll work just as well. My concern is that I have to order directly from alibaba and wait a month to receive and they seem to send wrong parts. I haven't used alibaba but it looks like the customs costs are included in the price of $435 (364+70.76). Does anyone know if this is accurate or if there are other fees? The main complaint I hear with this unit is that it is locked down, but I think that means for adding launchers and the like that I am not interested in.
- SYGAV (for highlander 2015-18) - I don't really love the user interface on this one. But this one is the one I have found most highlander related data on and it gives me some comfort I might have less issues getting it to work. I can find nothing close to this level of detail on the other brands about highlander installs.. I have read user responses that Carplay & android auto require no additional parts to install, 360 degree camera works as well as front camera view, Hybrid info displays. For the camera inputs, it sounds like I can use my OEM cameras but I may need a camera cable adapter (unclear if included in package). One user stated that to get it to work in a highlander, I need to get the Motorola 1 M 2 F & GM adapter to Motorola (for reception). One user states that they have TPMS working, but it's unclear if they connected to the TPMS already in tires or if they had to buy separate TPMS tire plugs. The main complaint is the GPS mapping if basic IGO.
- Dasaita (for highlander 2015-18) - This brand seems like the next most popular after Joying. It looks like they have 3 launchers they develop and you can install whichever you like best. In regard to the UI, I feel like this brand comes in 2nd after Teyes. But I can't find as detailed user experiences with highlander and which functions work and which do not.
- Joying - I am not actively researching this one but everyone seems to be using this one. I was considering this one but I couldn't locate any highlander option anywhere - not even from their website (joyingauto.eu). That sounds like I'd have to figure out the canbus thing on my own and find the plastic frame to put it in my dash & I don't feel like I'm knowledgeable enough to go that route. I really don't understand why this one is so popular above competition - it is one of the highest priced if I buy from the US markets. Everyone that uses it seems to add a separate launcher which makes me question whether Joying's UI development isn't all that great. I know some others lock down their products so you can't tinker as much. Is that why it's popular - because it isn't locked down? If so, I see similar hardware on cheaper units. It sounds like the UI development/support/upgrades is quite a bit of what one is paying for when buying these.
7. Maps - this is one of my major complaints from my Toyota unit . I do not see anything that makes me feel that the maps included with ANY of the units are any better. Most seem to use IGO GPS which seems to get the same complaints I have when using my GPS. I believe the only solution is a unit that includes apple car play. Or am I overlooking any with better mapping functions?
8. JBL audio - I know I have the JBL system in my car and on regular car head units this seems to make a difference with integration, but from my list above, I can't find anything to indicate that any will not work with the JBL system. I'm assuming it is because the car based units have hardware incompatibilities that android based do not, but it's really unclear to me. Can someone provide clarification? On the SYGAV unit, I read a review that it needs an amp to sound as good as an OEM unit, but I think that would apply to all of these units equally. In either case the Toyota JBL system has an AMP under my center console. I can't find this level of integration information but I think all units will connect to the amp.
9. 12 speakers - I feel like this will determine which system is best if I can figure it out... The JBL audio has 12 speakers (one of which is a subwoofer) in 10 locations in the highlander. I can't locate specific details on any of these if anyone gets all the speakers to connect successfully. I did see that one of these brands have 5.1 outputs but I don't really know what I need to be looking for in descriptions to figure this out on each unit. Any suggestions how to figure this out.
10. Video playback - All of these support video playback but it sounds like auto carplay may block mirroring while the car is actively moving. Is the behavior going to be the same across all units? I sort of feel like this is something that works differently across different brands, but I can't find details to figure out which allow video playback when car is moving.
11. Hybrid integration - SYGAV is the only unit I've seen where someone has hybrid info working on a highlander, but I feel like all the systems may work very similarly. I believe the dash display will work independent of the head unit so I can always switch the dash display when I want to see what the hybrid system is doing. I think another brand states it has hybrid integration but I couldn't find any responses where someone had it working successfully.
12. Daytime/Night time modes - I need to validate across all, but I know multiple have tried to integrate this. I do not think any have integrated without a bug. I feel like the ones that are likely to get this right first are Teyes and Dasaita since they are actively developing their UIs. Since these are all android based, I feel like all will have an android setting to dim the display even though the color scheme may not change.
I'm really leaning toward the Teyes because if I imagine myself driving, it looks like the easiest interface to use and they are actively developing. When looking at default display, it looks like the most 'modern' design also.
In case someone else reads this thread trying to figure all this stuff out, XM and HD radio integration may differentiate these units also. I know it doesn't work on some but I don't use either of those so it isn't important to me.

I'm mainly responding to my own post in case someone else is considering a T'eyes unit. I purchased one and I highly under estimated what is involved with getting these units to work. The T'eyes cc3 in my car may go up for auction - just too much of it is unusable.
Note that if you do not like tweeking your cell phone, you might not like these units to begin with - don't expect they'll just work out of the box. Consider hours if not days to configure these things. Also, look at the back of the units - this one came with a 'Toyota" harness which is a bunch of wires to convert all the cables in the back. And it isn't a single harness of wires - it's multiple bags of cables that you have to pick and choose from. You have extra cables and I'm pretty sure the set is missing cables. My car has 2 cables where I only have one adapter that matches them in all harness wiring. So one is unplugged. I have no idea what each cable from my car is used for. But most of the wires only have a single place they can connect in the primary harness. It's all a confusing mess even though I think I have 90% connected to the correct spots.
Not all units are made this way. There is going to be something converting the cables, but some units have some sort of box on the back that has all the cabling converting done for you - so it looks like the cables from the car attach into the unit directly. After my harness was attached, I did not have cables that match everything coming from the car. I feel like that is why things like my my surround cameras do not work. I also have no back up camera working now. That is a pretty big deal.
Also, car play isn't all I thought it would be. It seems to only mirror Apple written apps to the device. I can install apps onto the unit and connect to my phones hotspot, but the connection is very flaky. Unless you are willing to connect the unit with its own sim card, you may be severely limited. I wanted to be able to stream youtube and such while making a weekly 90 minute drive I make. Well, this just doesn't happen because half the time the unit will not connect to my hotspot. It usually connects within 30 minutes of me driving, but I haven't found a reliable way to get it to connect to the hotspot. Usually I'm driving with my phone playing through my phone speakers because audio streaming won't work with wifi/hotspot.
All in all, I wouldn't purchase this again. If I were going to attempt again, I'd go with one of the models that removes the 'harness' from the equation.