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Hello XDA'ers.
Just got burned buying a crappy no-name Windows headunit on Amazon and was wondering if you could help me pick a different one. I'm looking for an Android-based HU that can support Bluetooth, GPS and a backup camera. HD Radio support is a plus.
Thanks!
I am also researching for one and come across with eonon brand. You can check it out.
Sent from my D6616 using Tapatalk
Do you have a link to purchasing it?
Actually, that one looks just like the piece of junk that I purchased. I'm hoping for a headunit that I can purchase and can flash with a custom from here.
DJRepresent said:
Actually, that one looks just like the piece of junk that I purchased. I'm hoping for a headunit that I can purchase and can flash with a custom from here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For "Cheap Chinese" HUs, Newsmy type are the most popular here, followed by the older Huefei HUs.
I personally would (and did, but with a NEED for Android Auto) spend the extra $200-300 for a Pioneer 4100NEX with Android Auto and many other features, including US HD Radio. On EBay now for $500 shipped for refurb, or IMO better at $570 shipped brand new.
But if you need "full regular Android" to run any app, most "normal" HUs don't provide this, but maybe we'll get a ROM with full Android. Some Pioneer devices run Android under the covers and are getting a ROM now, in part to get Android Auto on devices like the older 4000NEX. I think that 4100NEX will get a ROM too, once it provides a good option for getting more than stock functionality.
The best "Cheap Chinese" HUs are stuck on Android 4.4 Kitkat at best and I doubt Newsmy/Huefei will ever get Lollipop.
These cheap HUs are also full of compromises and unless you understand and accept them, I think it's likely you'll regret getting one within 1-12 months, as you already regret what you have.
mikereidis said:
For "Cheap Chinese" HUs, Newsmy type are the most popular here, followed by the older Huefei HUs.
I personally would (and did, but with a NEED for Android Auto) spend the extra $200-300 for a Pioneer 4100NEX with Android Auto and many other features, including US HD Radio. On EBay now for $500 shipped for refurb, or IMO better at $570 shipped brand new.
But if you need "full regular Android" to run any app, most "normal" HUs don't provide this, but maybe we'll get a ROM with full Android. Some Pioneer devices run Android under the covers and are getting a ROM now, in part to get Android Auto on devices like the older 4000NEX. I think that 4100NEX will get a ROM too, once it provides a good option for getting more than stock functionality.
The best "Cheap Chinese" HUs are stuck on Android 4.4 Kitkat at best and I doubt Newsmy/Huefei will ever get Lollipop.
These cheap HUs are also full of compromises and unless you understand and accept them, I think it's likely you'll regret getting one within 1-12 months, as you already regret what you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read an Amazon.com review of one of the Chinese HUs where the guy said that the stock ROM on it was "OK," but once he flashed a custom ROM, everything worked great. He didn't provide a link to the ROM but he did say he downloaded it from XDA. So was wondering if there might be a decent head unit that I can purchase and flash and have it working well.
mikereidis said:
For "Cheap Chinese" HUs, Newsmy type are the most popular here, followed by the older Huefei HUs.
These cheap HUs are also full of compromises and unless you understand and accept them, I think it's likely you'll regret getting one within 1-12 months, as you already regret what you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are much better than you make them sound. Honestly they are very impressive for what you get for $100-$250 or so, you get a full android rooted system you can pretty much do anything with. And the quad core devices are very snappy and responsive, and the screens on the 1024x600 7" models are very clear and look great.
For the price, they are well worth it to me. The only real problem has been that the bluetooth design is not the best, and lots of people are just connecting a mic cable directly to the mic and ground pins on the bluetooth board to get around the poor internal mic issue. Other than that there is no real outstanding problem with them.
nixfu said:
They are much better than you make them sound. Honestly they are very impressive for what you get for $100-$250 or so, you get a full android rooted system you can pretty much do anything with. And the quad core devices are very snappy and responsive, and the screens on the 1024x600 7" models are very clear and look great.
For the price, they are well worth it to me. The only real problem has been that the bluetooth design is not the best, and lots of people are just connecting a mic cable directly to the mic and ground pins on the bluetooth board to get around the poor internal mic issue. Other than that there is no real outstanding problem with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which unit should I purchase then? Please post a link.
Thanks!
nixfu said:
They are much better than you make them sound. Honestly they are very impressive for what you get for $100-$250 or so, you get a full android rooted system you can pretty much do anything with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
$100 ?
I thought the decent units, like Newsmy, started around $300 or so, and prices get higher when you need a non-generic, car-specific model.
To each their own, but I am still not a particular fan of Mediatek/Chinese chipsets. AFAIK, Mediatek still regularly violates GPL and keep more secrets than Qualcomm does, making it harder for kernel & ROM devs. Still true or no ?
Anyway, since I don't own one of the Chinese HUs, the opinions of people who own one may be more important than mine.
IMO anyone buying one should read the main threads for them for at least a few pages to get better informed.
For those who need "real Android" running on the HU, I'm recalling that the AppRadio Unchained Reloaded app seems a decent option for phone mirroring to Pioneer HUs.
I must sound like a paid Pioneer rep sometimes, LOL, but reality is that my best interests are in people running my Headunit app on tablets than buy an HU. But I only recommend that if it seems the best option for them.
I'm torn between the carjoying RK3188 and the NU3001 Carpad. Anyone have experience with both can provide a recommendation? I was reading some of the posts regarding the carjoying unit and am concerned that I need to modify the internal to get a decent microphone quality. Not sure if this needs to also happen to the newsmy unit? I have also heard that the joking crew provides great support, which is important and like the fact that they have taken the time to create lots of tutorial videos. On the nu3001 - I like that the android unit is in a separate box. I seriously can't decide...lots of pros on both units.
DJRepresent - did you make your decision yet?
Honestly. I've been both a newsmy & huifei owner... I'm not a happy camper with the newsmy and their support.
My radio was working great then started to develop random screen flickers & after a firmware update it died. Ordered a replacement Android box (as the head unit & Android box is separate on the newsmy, had to fight to order it as I didn't order my radio directly from newsmy but from a reseller... Only managed to get it as a fellow xda member was a reseller and he placed the replacement order for me) and my radio now only half works. My physical buttons on my radio (as it's a Volkswagen specific unit) no longer work.
Newsmy has left me high and dry with the issue with zero support on the issue. I've spent about 700-800canadian on this unit and I have now a half working unit...
I'm starting to think about selling off and getting a joying/huifei unit. As the one I use to own before the newsmy is now in my dad's car and it's working perfectly fine. I only got the newsmy as at the time it was the only 1024x600 unit with 2 gigs of ram...
I believe now the joying & even the winlink units have 2gig ram models with the 1024 screen.
The winlink seems to be less popular but also seems to have a representative from the company participating in the forum activity. Newsmy use to have that... seems they are no longer focused on the carpad2 more their unreleased carpad3. Not sure if joying/huifei has a representative participating but seems to have a lot more overall owners participating with the development.
One downfall I had with my huifei that the newsmy doesn't have is the canbus. The canbus didn't fully work with my car or my dad's car (my car being a 09 vw jetta my dad's being a '12 vw jetta)on the huifei I had random issues with it. I ended up replacing their canbus with another manufacture and the issues resolved.
Newsmy also seemed more focused on eye candy vs actually developing the radio more... It still has no rds support.
Also the newsmy has no sub preputs.
Hmm other then that... I think that's the end of my feedback rant. Maybe a joying user can chime in?
kwalsh24 said:
I believe now the joying & even the winlink units have 2gig ram models with the 1024 screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like my unit from carjoying.com, the prices are pretty good, and the support is actually better than I expected. But NO NONE of the more popular units(Klyde, Roadmaster, Hot Audio, Joying, etc) which are all based on the same HueFui design, all use the same RK3066/RK3166 Chipsets, and they all have 1GB Ram. The memory and cpu are all using the same plug in daughter boards that plug in to the various main boards.
Frankly I don't see the 1GB being a limitation, or that 2GB would help all that much. The quad core is what seems to be a big difference and makes the units very snappy. I know my unit I normally have Torque loggings engine stats, iGO GPS doing navigation, MediaMonkey playing MP3's, and DailyRoads recording the front camera all constantly going at the same time with zero noticeable slowdown, and the unit remains very snappy and responsive. I am not sure what else you would want to have simultaneously happening that would be better than what you can already do with the current units.
The best models you can get are quad core, 1GB ram, 16GB onboard flash, and 1024 screens. I would just make sure you get one with these specs and you will pretty much have the best currently available.
nixfu said:
I like my unit from carjoying.com, the prices are pretty good, and the support is actually better than I expected. But NO NONE of the more popular units(Klyde, Roadmaster, Hot Audio, Joying, etc) which are all based on the same HueFui design, all use the same RK3066/RK3166 Chipsets, and they all have 1GB Ram. The memory and cpu are all using the same plug in daughter boards that plug in to the various main boards.
Frankly I don't see the 1GB being a limitation, or that 2GB would help all that much. The quad core is what seems to be a big difference and makes the units very snappy. I know my unit I normally have Torque loggings engine stats, iGO GPS doing navigation, MediaMonkey playing MP3's, and DailyRoads recording the front camera all constantly going at the same time with zero noticeable slowdown, and the unit remains very snappy and responsive. I am not sure what else you would want to have simultaneously happening that would be better than what you can already do with the current units.
The best models you can get are quad core, 1GB ram, 16GB onboard flash, and 1024 screens. I would just make sure you get one with these specs and you will pretty much have the best currently available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply! I read from a post you started a while ago regarding the carjoying unit you modified internally to address the microphone poor quality. How bad is it out the box (without modifying the internals) or is this mod a must do before installing? Is this mod to address just the integrated mic or does this also impact the external mic input? Wondering if i wire up a quality external mic if that would keep from having to modify the internals. Your usage list above looks like similar apps I would be running in addition to an occasional hands free phone call. Thanks!
---------- Post added at 06:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 AM ----------
kwalsh24 said:
Honestly. I've been both a newsmy & huifei owner... I'm not a happy camper with the newsmy and their support.
My radio was working great then started to develop random screen flickers & after a firmware update it died. Ordered a replacement Android box (as the head unit & Android box is separate on the newsmy, had to fight to order it as I didn't order my radio directly from newsmy but from a reseller... Only managed to get it as a fellow xda member was a reseller and he placed the replacement order for me) and my radio now only half works. My physical buttons on my radio (as it's a Volkswagen specific unit) no longer work.
Newsmy has left me high and dry with the issue with zero support on the issue. I've spent about 700-800canadian on this unit and I have now a half working unit...
I'm starting to think about selling off and getting a joying/huifei unit. As the one I use to own before the newsmy is now in my dad's car and it's working perfectly fine. I only got the newsmy as at the time it was the only 1024x600 unit with 2 gigs of ram...
I believe now the joying & even the winlink units have 2gig ram models with the 1024 screen.
The winlink seems to be less popular but also seems to have a representative from the company participating in the forum activity. Newsmy use to have that... seems they are no longer focused on the carpad2 more their unreleased carpad3. Not sure if joying/huifei has a representative participating but seems to have a lot more overall owners participating with the development.
One downfall I had with my huifei that the newsmy doesn't have is the canbus. The canbus didn't fully work with my car or my dad's car (my car being a 09 vw jetta my dad's being a '12 vw jetta)on the huifei I had random issues with it. I ended up replacing their canbus with another manufacture and the issues resolved.
Newsmy also seemed more focused on eye candy vs actually developing the radio more... It still has no rds support.
Also the newsmy has no sub preputs.
Hmm other then that... I think that's the end of my feedback rant. Maybe a joying user can chime in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply! This is great info. I am truly sorry for your troubles. Hope you get your issue resolved. Support/customer service is something I highly value. Now that u mentioned it...I do remember seeing newsmy frequent presence in the large dedicated nu3001 thread early on, but they phased out as I skimmed though the posts. Thanks again for providing your experiences/feedback! +2 for carjoying
Honestly I just checked out newsmy's website and they have removed most of their headunits they once sold. So I would 100% rule out newsmy.
Joying in the lead but maybe check out winlink/ownice unit. As it's the quad core with 2 gigs of ram... I myself am 100% torn
I'm slightly shocked that there hasn't been anything new on the market. Faster cpu & more ram? Kinda sad that the joying unit doesn't have 2 gigs of ram. If it did I'd be jumping ship 12 hours ago as they have a nice looking vw unit that's all touch. Including the malfunctioning buttons that my unit has...
kwalsh24 said:
Honestly I just checked out newsmy's website and they have removed most of their headunits they once sold. So I would 100% rule out newsmy.
Joying in the lead but maybe check out winlink/ownice unit. As it's the quad core with 2 gigs of ram... I myself am 100% torn
I'm slightly shocked that there hasn't been anything new on the market. Faster cpu & more ram? Kinda sad that the joying unit doesn't have 2 gigs of ram. If it did I'd be jumping ship 12 hours ago as they have a nice looking vw unit that's all touch. Including the malfunctioning buttons that my unit has...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a little shocked also, but from the feedback 1 gb should be good enough. I figure the units are somewhat inexpensive and don't mind replacing it a few years down the road if it becomes an issue. I finally pulled the trigger and purchased the carjoying unit. The crew has been in frequent communication with me since I purchased it making sure everything is right with my car configuration before shipping it. I'm pleased so far with the support and do not have the unit yet Hope my positive experiences continue after I receive it. Not looking forward to doing the mic mod though
Hi All,
I'm after a new headunit for my Mazda MPV 2004. I currently have a Parrot Asteroid Smart in my old car which I did like, but also had it's flaws (old version of android, low spec hardware, no physical buttons/dials). I did however love the bluetooth and voice command options.
I've since been looking for a (cheap-ish) Android unit that I can install in the Mazda and honestly I'm overwhelmed! There are so many options now compared to a few years ago when I got the Parrot. I was looking at units like these and was almost convinced to take a gamble and accept that the bluetooth calling would not be as good as the Parrot (I've owned some Eonon units before):
Eonon - http://eonon.com/Car-GPS/Android-Car-GPS/G2110F.html
Pumpkin - http://www.autopumpkin.com/car-dvd-...s-navigation-system-support-3g-wifi-obd2.html
Then I found this:
Avin - https://avinusa.com/7-universal-dou...android-multimedia-navigation-system-159.html
Which got me thinking, are there any other 'no name' units that use the Parrot bluetooth technology that anyone would recommend? Or at least have decent quality bluetooth audio otherwise and preferably voice command? Any hands on experience and reviews would be much appreciated!!
That's the only one I've found listed with parrot. I passed on it becase of the 800 x 480 resolution. Seems people like the Newsmy for Bluetooth calls and Google now works (Newsmy owners, correct me if I am wrong).
Thanks, I'll check out the Newsmy, hadn't heard of them. What did you end up going with twokidsandaphone?
glenb83 said:
What did you end up going with twokidsandaphone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually first ordered a lower cost unit from a seller called "Umecity". I changed my mind and even though the order was officially shipped, it had not been given to DHL yet and they let me cancel, which was awesome of them. That unit has an Allwinnertech chip, not the RK3188. It was less than $300 CDN, shipped, but I was concerned about BT and radio quality (and since it was for my wife I decided to err on the side of caution). All of their units get very good reviews though, still tempted... maybe for my car.
At any rate my requirements were:
Universal 7" 2 Din
Steering wheel controls (resistive type)
Support large external drive (for FLAC files)
1024 x 600, quad core
Joying units don't support large external drives (most list 32 gb as max), and I saw quite a few complaints about the Bluetooth quality even after mic fix.
Ownice units do support the large drive, but the later posts in the thread suggest quality issues and lack of support from the seller
2nd gen Tonghai units - couldn't find one I liked, can't remember everything that took it off the list
So that only left Newsmy; seems a high quality unit with good radio reception (SiLabs chip), dual Bluetooth (one for calls, one for android), and lots of xda support.
I ordered the NR3001 this morning. Downside was it was over double the cost of the first one that I cancelled (~$600 CDN, of which $131 was shipping). Hope it's worth it! Note the CDN dollar sucks now, so not nearly as bad in US$.
Jeff
P.S. I currently have a PAS in my car - still mostly like it.
twokidsandaphone said:
I actually first ordered a lower cost unit from a seller called "Umecity". I changed my mind and even though the order was officially shipped, it had not been given to DHL yet and they let me cancel, which was awesome of them. That unit has an Allwinnertech chip, not the RK3188. It was less than $300 CDN, shipped, but I was concerned about BT and radio quality (and since it was for my wife I decided to err on the side of caution). All of their units get very good reviews though, still tempted... maybe for my car.
At any rate my requirements were:
Universal 7" 2 Din
Steering wheel controls (resistive type)
Support large external drive (for FLAC files)
1024 x 600, quad core
Joying units don't support large external drives (most list 32 gb as max), and I saw quite a few complaints about the Bluetooth quality even after mic fix.
Ownice units do support the large drive, but the later posts in the thread suggest quality issues and lack of support from the seller
2nd gen Tonghai units - couldn't find one I liked, can't remember everything that took it off the list
So that only left Newsmy; seems a high quality unit with good radio reception (SiLabs chip), dual Bluetooth (one for calls, one for android), and lots of xda support.
I ordered the NR3001 this morning. Downside was it was over double the cost of the first one that I cancelled (~$600 CDN, of which $131 was shipping). Hope it's worth it! Note the CDN dollar sucks now, so not nearly as bad in US$.
Jeff
P.S. I currently have a PAS in my car - still mostly like it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info Jeff, when your unit arrives and is installed I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
This new unit will also be for my wife's car, she has basically the same requirements as you except there is no need for large storage expansion, ipod compatibility and a physical dial for volume (she hates the touch screen volume of the PAS, although if steering wheel controls work I wouldn't think that would be an issue, just have no idea how to wire them up...)
Cost is also an issue, I'm in Australia so those cheap US prices get high really quick for Australia!
twokidsandaphone said:
I actually first ordered a lower cost unit from a seller called "Umecity".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Jeff,
I had a google and couldn't find this unit. Can you send me a link for comparison, and perhaps to the reviews too?
Thanks!
I couldn't find it on Google either. The reviews are just those of the customers of the seller. They sell the same unit in a few different vehicle specific versions. Their universal version is linked below. No buttons or knobs though...
In Dash Universal Quad Core 2 Din Android 4.4 Car Audio Stereo GPS 3G Wifi Bluetooth Radio (No) CD Player automotivo
http://s.aliexpress.com/yyqIfqi6
(from AliExpress Android)
Jeff
P.S. The Newsmy arrived today. In the middle of a bathroom reno so will be a little while before I can try it out.
twokidsandaphone said:
I couldn't find it on Google either. The reviews are just those of the customers of the seller. They sell the same unit in a few different vehicle specific versions. Their universal version is linked below. No buttons or knobs though...
In Dash Universal Quad Core 2 Din Android 4.4 Car Audio Stereo GPS 3G Wifi Bluetooth Radio (No) CD Player automotivo
http://s.aliexpress.com/yyqIfqi6
(from AliExpress Android)
Jeff
P.S. The Newsmy arrived today. In the middle of a bathroom reno so will be a little while before I can try it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the link and looking forward to the newsmy review when you get around to it!
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk
Just so you know, Pumpkin have just released a new product that uses a Parrot module, the links below
http://www.autopumpkin.com/pumpkin-...t-dab-mirrorlink-aux-output-obd2-wifi-3g.html
Regs
I am torn between the Pumpkin with Parrot Bluetooth and the Newsmy NR-3001.
Pumpkin works out cheaper because of Free Shipping vs AUD$133 for the Newsmy, but the Newsmy's already active ROM development is appealing.
Decisions, decisions........
I'm curious about the Pumpkin unit now too, I have heard reasonable things about Pumpkin in the past when they were WinCE units. I still haven't decided on anything for the wife's car yet but I need to soon. When I get something I'll be sure to post a review for anyone else in future.
I'd be interested in what everyone else here chooses and their experiences with their chosen unit too.
Look forward to hearing your thoughts Glen.
Having read through some of the Newsmy thread and the xdAuto ROM thread, I am leaning towards the Newsmy.
*UPDATE*
So in the end I went with price above all and purchased an Eonon G2110F Android headunit. I have to say I have been quite happy with the unit, it is much more responsive than the Parrot Asteroid Smart and runs apps natively, without any drop in audio quality like the smart. One issue which was sort of expected, is the sub-par bluetooth microphone quality. I expected the quality to not be too great, especially compared to the Parrot Smart, but it is so bad that most of the time I have to tell my wife to call me when she gets home because I can't hear her!
I am going to try to find an aftermarket bluetooth microphone to try instead, does anyone recommend anything that has good quality for a unit like this one?
glenb83 said:
*UPDATE*
So in the end I went with price above all and purchased an Eonon G2110F Android headunit. I have to say I have been quite happy with the unit, it is much more responsive than the Parrot Asteroid Smart and runs apps natively, without any drop in audio quality like the smart. One issue which was sort of expected, is the sub-par bluetooth microphone quality. I expected the quality to not be too great, especially compared to the Parrot Smart, but it is so bad that most of the time I have to tell my wife to call me when she gets home because I can't hear her!
I am going to try to find an aftermarket bluetooth microphone to try instead, does anyone recommend anything that has good quality for a unit like this one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't you read about the BT problems we all have? The only way to fix it is the mod of the motherboard.
halloj said:
Haven't you read about the BT problems we all have? The only way to fix it is the mod of the motherboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wasn't aware of the Bluetooth issues, is it just with the eonon unit or all units with a particular chipset?
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
glenb83 said:
I wasn't aware of the Bluetooth issues, is it just with the eonon unit or all units with a particular chipset?
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically all units that I'm aware of. Even the new Pumpkin claiming Parrot BT suffers from the same problem. I've have the new Pumpkin too.
The main problem is the two microphones (internal-external) are connected in parallel. I've done the mod on my four units and after that it's okay.
You still need a better mic since the Chinese mic is crap. I'm using a Parrot mic and the mod.
halloj said:
Basically all units that I'm aware of. Even the new Pumpkin claiming Parrot BT suffers from the same problem. I've have the new Pumpkin too.
The main problem is the two microphones (internal-external) are connected in parallel. I've done the mod on my four units and after that it's okay.
You still need a better mic since the Chinese mic is crap. I'm using a Parrot mic and the mod.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info, could you be so kind as to link to the mod? Thanks!
twokidsandaphone said:
I actually first ordered a lower cost unit from a seller called "Umecity". I changed my mind and even though the order was officially shipped, it had not been given to DHL yet and they let me cancel, which was awesome of them. That unit has an Allwinnertech chip, not the RK3188. It was less than $300 CDN, shipped, but I was concerned about BT and radio quality (and since it was for my wife I decided to err on the side of caution). All of their units get very good reviews though, still tempted... maybe for my car.
At any rate my requirements were:
Universal 7" 2 Din
Steering wheel controls (resistive type)
Support large external drive (for FLAC files)
1024 x 600, quad core
Joying units don't support large external drives (most list 32 gb as max), and I saw quite a few complaints about the Bluetooth quality even after mic fix.
Ownice units do support the large drive, but the later posts in the thread suggest quality issues and lack of support from the seller
2nd gen Tonghai units - couldn't find one I liked, can't remember everything that took it off the list
So that only left Newsmy; seems a high quality unit with good radio reception (SiLabs chip), dual Bluetooth (one for calls, one for android), and lots of xda support.
I ordered the NR3001 this morning. Downside was it was over double the cost of the first one that I cancelled (~$600 CDN, of which $131 was shipping). Hope it's worth it! Note the CDN dollar sucks now, so not nearly as bad in US$.
Jeff
P.S. I currently have a PAS in my car - still mostly like it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Jeff, just curious about your experience with the Newsmy after using it for a while? Whilst I like the Eonon generally, the bluetooth call issues and their lack of support has been a deal breaker, and I'm ready to replace it already!
Zelig said:
I am torn between the Pumpkin with Parrot Bluetooth and the Newsmy NR-3001.
Pumpkin works out cheaper because of Free Shipping vs AUD$133 for the Newsmy, but the Newsmy's already active ROM development is appealing.
Decisions, decisions........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Zelig, did you end up ordering a unit? What were your experiences?
halloj said:
Basically all units that I'm aware of. Even the new Pumpkin claiming Parrot BT suffers from the same problem. I've have the new Pumpkin too.
The main problem is the two microphones (internal-external) are connected in parallel. I've done the mod on my four units and after that it's okay.
You still need a better mic since the Chinese mic is crap. I'm using a Parrot mic and the mod.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi halloj, Eonon sent me this link to a video replacing the internal mic - https://drive.google.com/a/eonon.com/file/d/0B4MwM-4-7u6TbkxkcnByN0thMjA/view?usp=drive_web
I'm wondering if I removed the mic completely if it would default to the external mic, or if simply desoldering it would not be enough? Perhaps replacing it with a better quality mic like the video would be sufficient? Any thoughts, you seem to have done this a few times!
glenb83 said:
Hi Jeff, just curious about your experience with the Newsmy after using it for a while? Whilst I like the Eonon generally, the bluetooth call issues and their lack of support has been a deal breaker, and I'm ready to replace it already!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can say that I am pretty happy with the Newsmy. I installed xdAuto on it (source code for the Newsmy leaked and XDA developers built a great ROM). With xdAuto the user interface is pretty good; there are a set of icons along the bottom of the screen that allow you to switch quickly between different apps without first going to the launcher home screen. Audio focus works properly, meaning that when you, say, start a song on Spotify, the audio from the radio app (or whatever other source) stops.
I find the sound quality quite good even without equalizer running (xdAuto has viper included) . There are occasional background noises (most apparent with silent sections of a track when at a light) but practically speaking they are not noticeable when driving.
the Bluetooth for hands free calling while not nearly as good as the Parrot is quite useable.
OBD2 Bluetooth reader/Torque works flawlessly.
Steering wheel controls work on every app I've used which can be an issue with other units.
Radio reception is good, but the radio app does not have RDS implemented. Apparently the silabs tuner chip is of high quality and has RDS support but the Newsmy programmers/subcontractors could not figure out how to implement it. XDA developers offered to help but were given the run around with promises of MCU source code that was never provided.
I can use Google Now voice commands to start Spotify, navigation, make calls, etc. Again not as good as the voice recognition implementation on the Parrot in terms of accuracy but a reasonable success rate.
Complaints I or other users have had:
Google maps is choppy when starting to navigate. I mostly use Waze which works very well.
Screen washes out in direct sun.
Audio control is abysmal. No control over sub out level or crossover. No native eq. All you get is a screen for balance/fade that is implemented by providing four separate volume controls for FL/FR/RL/RR.
USB DVR camera kills internal/external mics for Android (not Bluetooth calls), not an issue if you don't need/want to run a dashcam or don't care about voice commands
USB devices do not go into standby properly. If you are short of boring material to read you can see my posts on the xdAuto thread on it. This problem led to my music app often rescanning my large music collection when coming out of standby. I found a work around by modifying a USB hub to provide power all the time.
Don't expect much/any support from Newsmy on technical or warranty issues, but not many have had quality issues, and it always boots in both the extreme heat and bitter cold of Canadian summers/winters. I've had the unit apart and the PC board quality/assembly seems better than pics I've see of other Chinese units.
With all those pros/cons I did decide to buy two NR3001s and don't regret it. They are not perfect but I still believe the best option there is from my reading here on XDA. It might be that if I was buying now/next couple of months I might try the indash.net octacore but it seems there are still issues to work out, maybe wait and see..
hi guys,
i own a 2012 subaru STI. i've got the stock headunit (double din, non-touch screen) and am looking to upgrade to an android auto HU. i've owned many android phones in the past and am very familiar with rooting, flashing roms, adb, fastboot etc.
in a previous car i had a pioneer appradio2 and used appradio unchained to mirror my phone onto the screen. i'd like to use AA now as in hindsight i feel having full access to the phone through my HU is quite distracting whilst driving.
i currently own a pixel xl.
there are so many options out there for AA HU's and i'm a little confused, so i'm hoping you guys can point me in the right direction:
what's the best AA HU (double din, preferably 7") money can buy? budget is not really a problem. i would like something with a fast touch screen and whatever the max resolution available on the market is. built in gps would be nice, but not a must. what's the benefit of going for a big brand versus a chinese made product? what does rooting and flashing roms on an AA HU achieve?
apologies if this is posted in the wrong forum, and thanks in advance.
kinetx said:
what's the best AA HU (double din, preferably 7") money can buy? budget is not really a problem. i would like something with a fast touch screen and whatever the max resolution available on the market is. built in gps would be nice, but not a must. what's the benefit of going for a big brand versus a chinese made product? what does rooting and flashing roms on an AA HU achieve?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will give you my opinion.
Probably the best head units are those from first brands (Pioneer, Kenwood, Sony...) but those units play in another league. The models I like are about 1,300$ what, for me, is out of my league. These brands also have some 'lower-cost' units, but they are usually too 'closed' or offer outdated technology (LCD screens, too old Android OS...)
I checked Parrot Asteroid Smart which I liked very much, but also, a 4 year old unit with 512MB RAM and Android 2.3 was too old for me. Community support disappeared at this point (I asked a couple of questions in some forums and haven´t got any answer yet...)
After an extensive research, my conclusion (discarding the tipical Pioneer/Kenwood/Sony/etc units) is:
Dynavin units are probably the best ones, specially when speaking about audio quality. If money is not an issue as you claim (not my case), I would fit one of these.
Avin: I was going to buy the Avin VWU8-PX5 which looked as a good product. AFAIK their product is a mix from Chinese electronics + USA details, at a premium of course, but their customers seemed satisfied and I liked what I read from Avin. Problem is that I live in Spain and buying from an European distributor was a must (to be able to claim warranty in case needed). Avin only sells in USA and doesn't have any distributor in EU, so discarded too.
Chinese brands with EU distributors: Finally there are chinese sellers that also sell in EU, so I ended up with these brands: pumpkin, XTRONS and Joying.
There are other Chinese brands that I discarded just for not having an EU distributor (Ownice, Dasaita, and so on), but if you don't have this problems you might also check them.
I finally decided to buy a Joying Unit 8" with Intel Sofia processor. Why? For these reasons:
They have an EU warehouse (Germany)
Community support is probable the best over XDA
Support seems to be one of the best among Chinese sellers
There are some easy hardware mods/hacks that will dramatically improve the units life/performance. Heat sink/fan mod. Sound chipset swap, Rooting, Viper4Android to improve audio, etc
As for your question "what does rooting and flashing roms on an AA HU achieve?" if you really "are very familiar with rooting, flashing roms, adb, fastboot" as you claim, you should know... tweaking here and there, uninstalling bloatware, installing better than original apps...
Hope you find the right head unit, tell us what you end up with.
Cheers!
thanks for the detailed response! i hadn't considered bloatware, better audio quality etc would be possible for a headunit but ofcourse, this IS android!
of the major brands, are there any specific models better than the others that you (or anyone else) could recommend?
One vote for ATOTO A6 Pro
I recently installed ATOTO A6 Pro into my 2011 Subaru WRX, which had the factory double-din Navigation. I purchased ATOTO A6 Pro which is much much better than the factory unit in every respect -- but especially display brightness, viewing angle and boot time. The audio is decent, although not in same league as higher-priced name brand stereos. The included bluetooth external microphone gives much better quality then the factory one. Having Android Auto as well as the ability to run applications (like Torque) natively on the ATOTO is great. I have a Pixel2 phone and didnt have any connectivity problems with the ATOTO over bluetooth, Wifi, or USB (for Android-Auto) . I think ATOTO has better components (MediaTek SoC, IPS display, etc.) than much of the competition for low-cost Chinese android head units. I also added a back up camera. Had some wiring difficulties due to ATOTO sub-par documentation, but at least their Technical support team was responsive and helpful. Overall, am happy with ATOTO A6 Pro.
Nice thread and the same name pop up..
In the market for a new unit and good to see I am on the right track..
Thanks for the posters input..a thread like this should be stickied so that as the years go on we can keep track of the good, bad, ugly..
What about Seicane.com
https://www.belsee.com
Anyone had experience?
I have a 2007 GMC Yukon XL Denali with the premium BOSE system, factory NAV, XM, and rear flip down screen. What is most important to me is retaining BOSE, being able to use the factory backup cam, and being able to utilize the rear screen so my son can watch a DVD or video files I load on a USB/SD card. I believe with a couple of adapters, it can work if the unit supports it.
I have scoured the internet for weeks now trying to learn what I can about the cheap Chinese units. I understand there are just a few producers and 100's of resellers but all this stuff is still new and confusing . I am considering the Hizpo 7.1 unit(Android 7.1 Lollipop OS, CPU: Rockchip PX3 Cortex A9 Quad Core 1.6GHz, Nand Memory: 16GB, RAM: DDR3 2GB), amazon number B077SBX8CG. I believe these are MTCD_GS units. I want to be able to get the most out of this thing and am not afraid of using custom roms. What I don't want to do is get one that no one is modding. Is there much aftermarket support for this unit?
The hardest things to find out for me have been:
1. Can my son watch a video in the back while I have navigation running on the front screen? I think use of the RSE requires Metra GMRSAV adapter but not sure.
2. Can the unit feed my factory backup cam? I think it would require the Metra BackupCam adapter.
I would appreciate any thoughts you guys do have. I have no Android preference, just want something that runs smooth, and can be tweaked. Thanks
Anyone?
Anyone have any thoughts?
Krmnnghia said:
I have a 2007 GMC Yukon XL Denali with the premium BOSE system, factory NAV, XM, and rear flip down screen. What is most important to me is retaining BOSE, being able to use the factory backup cam, and being able to utilize the rear screen so my son can watch a DVD or video files I load on a USB/SD card. I believe with a couple of adapters, it can work if the unit supports it.
I have scoured the internet for weeks now trying to learn what I can about the cheap Chinese units. I understand there are just a few producers and 100's of resellers but all this stuff is still new and confusing . I am considering the Hizpo 7.1 unit(Android 7.1 Lollipop OS, CPU: Rockchip PX3 Cortex A9 Quad Core 1.6GHz, Nand Memory: 16GB, RAM: DDR3 2GB), amazon number B077SBX8CG. I believe these are MTCD_GS units. I want to be able to get the most out of this thing and am not afraid of using custom roms. What I don't want to do is get one that no one is modding. Is there much aftermarket support for this unit?
The hardest things to find out for me have been:
1. Can my son watch a video in the back while I have navigation running on the front screen? I think use of the RSE requires Metra GMRSAV adapter but not sure.
2. Can the unit feed my factory backup cam? I think it would require the Metra BackupCam adapter.
I would appreciate any thoughts you guys do have. I have no Android preference, just want something that runs smooth, and can be tweaked. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same SUV. My HU is my own from a business venture where I went to China, met ODMs, and had a nice plan that simply didn't work out. The problems I get frustrated with are:
(a) Bluetooth voice quality. There is no comparison to Parrot although Xtrons new 8.0 units use (company acquired by Motorola but I forget the name). So make sure you ask WHO makes the BT. (Note: external microphones never are an improvement from my testing)
(b) Boot time. More apps = more waiting.
(c) Brightness at night is something I constantly have to manually adjust...auto is not auto.
(d) External amps are a waste - will not be worth it. The DAC sucks in these chipsets. Internal amp sound will be sufficient.
(e) Rockchip is better than Allwinner - and the old Intel Sofia units have the most customization from what I can gather.
So if I were to buy another unit I'd look at Xtrons, Pumpkin, Eonon, Joying, Ownice, and maybe LinksWell when they come out with a compatible or generic HU (they are the only one on this list with a US office.)
Also, you will need to customize a dash install kit - easy to find but I had to Dremel mine down to fit nicely. These units are slightly larger than Japanese standard size.
esounds said:
I have the same SUV. My HU is my own from a business venture where I went to China, met ODMs, and had a nice plan that simply didn't work out. The problems I get frustrated with are:
(a) Bluetooth voice quality. There is no comparison to Parrot although Xtrons new 8.0 units use (company acquired by Motorola but I forget the name). So make sure you ask WHO makes the BT. (Note: external microphones never are an improvement from my testing)
(b) Boot time. More apps = more waiting.
(c) Brightness at night is something I constantly have to manually adjust...auto is not auto.
(d) External amps are a waste - will not be worth it. The DAC sucks in these chipsets. Internal amp sound will be sufficient.
(e) Rockchip is better than Allwinner - and the old Intel Sofia units have the most customization from what I can gather.
So if I were to buy another unit I'd look at Xtrons, Pumpkin, Eonon, Joying, Ownice, and maybe LinksWell when they come out with a compatible or generic HU (they are the only one on this list with a US office.)
Also, you will need to customize a dash install kit - easy to find but I had to Dremel mine down to fit nicely. These units are slightly larger than Japanese standard size.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the insight! I believe these are GS units so exactly the same as the Xtrons. Hard to get details on the web but will know everything when it arrives on Saturday. I bought with Amazon Prime so if anything is not to my liking, back it goes for a free return!
Lets hope its one that folks have modded before. Since I have yet to find a video of this unit in my vehicle addressing my specific camera and screen questions, I will try and do a solid review of the unit and post it here for folks.
Thanks
Krmnnghia said:
Thanks for the insight! I believe these are GS units so exactly the same as the Xtrons. Hard to get details on the web but will know everything when it arrives on Saturday. I bought with Amazon Prime so if anything is not to my liking, back it goes for a free return!
Lets hope its one that folks have modded before. Since I have yet to find a video of this unit in my vehicle addressing my specific camera and screen questions, I will try and do a solid review of the unit and post it here for folks.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That should have a Ralink BC8 for bluetooth 3.0 (maybe 4.0) in which case your handsfree should be fine. They have 1.5-3.0V output on RCAs which is terrible but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you as this is standard output power for any Chinese Android HU.
esounds said:
That should have a Ralink BC8 for bluetooth 3.0 (maybe 4.0) in which case your handsfree should be fine. They have 1.5-3.0V output on RCAs which is terrible but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you as this is standard output power for any Chinese Android HU.
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Click to collapse
Good to know! I don’t plan on running any external amps. My loud music days are over so I guess not too concerned about the RCA’s ?
Looks like it is a PX3, 7.1.2, MTCE_XRC_V2.75_1
Hooked it up after a lot of guess work because you know...no instructions. I have a low level hiss which is annoying, each turn of the volume knob gives a audible "thump" even when there is no audio playing, the unit doesn't fit in my vehicle unless the wifi antenna is NOT plugged in, and I can't seem to get BT audio to play.
I didn't have a ton of time to play today but I will tomorrow. Not sure if I have some interference with the wires in the back or if this is just par for the course and I need to return it and re-order a different unit until I get one that works the way I want it to.
TLDR: What is the best bang for buck Chinese Android head unit (no matter what custom ROM)?
Long version:
Lo XDA Buddies.
I've been off xda for a while now as I stopped rooting my smartphones (Happy with Stock galaxy s9 for a time, + google / Banking apps attack root made it pointless, current devices r fast enough.)
This all changed over the last few days, As I replaced my car with a Honda CR-V EU spec EX trim with built-in Nav. this is an older car, with a sat nav that was designed in 2006~ (CR-V Gen 3 first came out in 2006).
I would like to replace the stock HU with a complete android one and have Android Auto features. – I believe this can be achieved by sideloading the headunit emulator app?
I'm utterly clueless when it comes to android head units, and I know there is a lot of junk on the market. Now I don't mind flashing firmware/rooting/adding new rooms. Still, I am looking for guidance on which head unit to buy from either eBay/Amazon/Ali Express that is A) Cheap, B) has a good screen and works reliably (After flashing with the correct firmware, it is OK), and C) which addons I should use and buy.
I know already: the Headunit emulator app is $5 from the play store, and hal9k sells custom head unit firmware for €10.
But I'm not clear on which head units/brands are compatible with this firmware.
Currently, my shortlist is (cheap):
Atoto f7 8" inch from eBay (£138 refurb) - however, this has a horrible floaty LCD and uses Linux, not android.
Atoto F7 SE (£169 from amazon - seems weak in specs.
Expensive:
Sony Ax3005DB (£350-400) or
pioneer 230 DAB (£400)
I have also looked at Xtrons/junsun but feel lost, and they can easily reach close to the sony/pioneer price.
Ultimately, I don't want to buy something so crappy I will hate it (bad screen laggy, unusable) but spend so much more than it's worth, and I could buy a branded unit.
So XDA friends, what should I buy and could you share a link and price with me that you have had a good experience with, + any mods you have done to them.
(PS I have a stock reverse camera I /amp I would need to re-wire and maintain.
PS. I looked at the list for similar threads, there were two replies in Feb 2021 with no recommendation/link. and the others go back to 2015/208 - surely a lot has changed
tips please guys Share your knowledge to all the lurkers
I can't say which head unit to purchase, but I can share my experience with a certain head unit I own.
I personally own the Atoto F7 SE and I have to say, I don't regret installing it. Of course I also have two amps in line, (one for the speakers and the other for the subs.) Everything works flawlessly! The sound is amazing! The bass is incredible!
I know everyone's tastes in sound is different and everyone's installation is different as well. However, for my setup, the Atoto F7 SE does the job and then some for me.
I have it installed in a 2001 Volvo S40 with a 600 watt amp to power the four 5.25 pioneer speakers and a 800 watt amp to power the dual 12 inch subs. No sound distortion at all, crystal clear sounds with powerful thumping bass.