Database Users

POLL: Top Android double din options -2015 discussion- Newsmy, HuiFei, Joying, etc.

I'm not the only one in the boat navigating the choppy Android head unit waters, so I figured this would be beneficial to all. I'm going to try to compile some of the information I've found in looking for a double din head unit (name-brand, or Android-based). If you've purchased an Android head unit please share which you chose, and what your experience has been with it.
On XDA, Newsmy & HuiFei are two of the most popular manufacturers.
HuiFei has a large variety of models, many of which are previous generation (I guess?) running dual core processors, and Android 4.2, though they offer current-gen products with quad core & Android 4.4 as well.
Newsmy has two main products, named the CarPad (aka CarPad2, CarPad2s): the nu3001 - a 7" screen, and nu5002 - an 8" screen. They run Android 4.4, and offer 1gb (with optional +1gb upgrade for 2gb total). One of the things that makes this model so popular is its support on this site, leading to highly modifiable software/configuration (full source code is available).
Joying (aka CarJoying) offers close to a dozen models, many of which offer 4.4.4, 1gb memory, and quad core.
I've focused on the generic double din models; however most of these companies offer Make/Model specific radios as well.
Specific features to assess when looking at Android radios are:
-the version of Android it's running (typically 4.2.2, 4.4.2, 4.4.4)
-processor type (dual core vs quad core) RK3066 vs RK3188
-memory size (typically 1gb vs 2gb)
-screen resolution (1024x600+ is a popular baseline at the moment)
-boot up time, lag, video playback quality/speed (I *strongly* suggest watching videos of the headunit in action before making a decision)
-do you need an optical (CD/DVD) drive
-do you want HDRadio/Satellite radio
-do you want physical knobs/controls/buttons on the unit, or solely touchscreen
-do you want features like rear camera, custom buttons, etc.
-your external storage requirements- SD card, etc.
-where you will be purchasing the unit. Some users have reported issues with customer service after purchasing from third-party retailers.
-reliability, future support/history of software support by the manufacturer
Typical complaints are:
-poor microphone quality (usually addressed with either an external microphone, or a newly soldered on microphone)
-poor quality control/longevity/customer support
-poor radio functionality
-model-specific unique interface issues (e.g. the head unit does not function properly with the cars climate control, steering wheel controls, etc.).
Popular apps include:
Spotify
Poweramp
MediaMonkey
Pandora
Soundcloud
Tunein Radio
Rdio
Viper4Android
etc.
Waze
Google Maps
iGo
TomTom Go
Car Dashdroid
NFC tags to auto connect hotspots
(I don't know anything about Android Auto, etc.)
These Android units discussed will typically run @$350-450 shipped to the US. They range from @$275-600+ for other models.
Budget name-brand double din options exist starting @$160 shipped for models with basic bluetooth connectivity. Popular manufacturers include Pioneer, Kenwood, JVC, Alpine. Typically a model with navigation will run @$375+. Many units offer screen mirroring with your phone- I strongly suggest you watch videos of this feature in action, and judge its usefulness for yourself (this goes for the Android head units as well). Some models require accessory cables/adapters (re: $$) in order for options such as GPS, screen mirroring, XM radio, etc. to function. Some manufacturers are better known for their navigation quality, others for their response time, etc.
Bottom line: the Android head units are *NOWHERE NEAR* perfect, and many will probably not offer you a seemless user interface out of the box, if at all. But they do offer a lot of unique features, and are an excellent choice for many users. You will have to do your research and make the decision yourself. A lot of work can/will be required to get the experience you'd like out of the unit, and whether that is worth it is ultimately up to you.
mods/users: I strongly encourage you to modify this post and/or add your knowledge to the thread. I want to make clear that I am not an expert *AT ALL*, OR ANYTHING CLOSE TO IT. I'd rate my understanding of this topic ~3-4/10. I'm just tired of seeing the same questions & misinformation in doing my own searching, so I'd like to help out & enhance the basic understanding of car-based Android systems as I make my own decision.

Good thread started here on "Android Auto vs Android Head Unit": http://forum.xda-developers.com/and...al/android-auto-vs-android-head-unit-t3206181
I'd LOVE to have a name brand HU that can run native Android, but they simply do not exist.
I think that name brand, respected HU manufacturers don't want to provide an internal Android OS, lest they be sued into oblivion by distracted driving deaths and maimings.
The Chinese HU OEMs OTOH are in China and would laugh if someone threatened to sue them.

Nice post! Just ordered the carjoying unit. Will provide my feedback after I get it installed. May take me a while to figure it out. So far they have had great communication since payment.

Congrats, which CarJoying model, and retailer? Happy installing

So after looking at head units for the last week or so I'll share some things I found useful:
Retailers: Aliexpress & ebay have been the 2 most successful for me, then Amazon (in that order) as far as selection, and typically price as well. Some misses for me were: dealextreme, alibaba, sonicelectronix, globalsources. Worse yet (hardly any hits): banggood, manutacturers, globalmarket, everbuying, miniinthebox, tomtop. You may as well try them all once you've decided on a particular unit, the first three will help you identify trends fairly easily though.
Searching:
Search terms: Android (4.2, 4.2.2, 4.4, 4.4.4) (quad, dual) (rk3066, rk3088, rk3188) (dual, double, 2 din) (1024, 1024*600, 1024x600) (800, 800*480, 800x480) (capacitive).......... you may want to exclude: win ce, wince, resistive, resistance, 800*480, dual core, rk3066, rk3088, dvd, etc.; depending on what you're looking for.
Keep in mind to check various categories (ex. eBay has many listings in both 'consumer electronics' and 'ebay motors')
Sorting aliexpress results by '# of orders' helps identify popular models
Keep in mind many of these head unit models have more than one variation (changes in CPU, RAM, screen resolution, OS, packaged accessories, etc.) so reading descriptions might help explain why one is $200 and the other clone $350
There's a huge variation in price of identical units. Shop around before ordering.
Some models are very popular in other countries (based on their reviews on aliexpress)
Some models are old(er) like 2013+ I think, hard to say.
Some units are advertised for a particular car. In some cases, the head unit is specifically shaped to fit in a unique dashboard. In other cases, the head unit may come with specific adapters for the car (like a CAN adapter). Other times, the head unit may in fact simply be a generic double din, with a search term attached to it in order to draw views.
I've identified ~8 models that pop up about everywhere I search. I'd like to hear more about them, if anyone can expand:
Newsmy:
NU3001 aka: CarPad, Car Pad, CarPad2, CarPad2s.
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"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
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Identifying features: smooth, glossy screen. Unique styling of volume +/- buttons in lower left corner. No DVD optical drive.
Cheapest seen advertised shipped to US: $315 (advertised as having a quad core, 1gb, 1024*600); cheapest 2gb version seen $323.
^I do not know if this can be found with a dual core, or 800*480 screen. I don't think I came across any. Sometimes this is referred to as a CarPad2 (CarPad2 is also what the next model, the NU5002, is often referred to as)
NU5002, aka CarPad2, Car Pad2, 8" universal Android
Identifying features: Typically the same photo is used for these listings (the large, orange, home screen). Large glossy screen, no buttons. Very minimalistic, few features to identify. No DVD optical drive.
Cheapest seen advertised shipped to US: $425. As far as I know, there are not more than 1 iteration of this offered. Correct me if I am wrong.
CarJoying RK3188 RK3066 (possibly related to Joying/CarJoying. Often the numbers "2114" are in part of the advertised model name). If you have any good info about a model number(s) etc. please share. I just refer to it as "*that* one with the left center knob", or "Joying 2114". XDA link.
Identifying features: Round physical knob on left center of screen. Left column of buttons top-to-bottom typically is: Home, Back, GPS/NAVI, (Knob), SD/GPS slot (or, GPS/USB). No DVD optical drive.
^*note- there are many units out there with left-centered knobs, I am not referring to those, they seem to be a minority.
Many variations of this unit exist. Dual core RK3066 (rarely seen), quad core RK3188, 800*480, 1024*600.
Honestly I don't know much about this unit. It is very popular. It looks pretty nice from what I've seen.
Cheapest seen advertised shipped to US: $225 (Quad core, 800*480). $256 (Quad Core, 1026*600)
Possibly HuiFei, often listed as a HotAudio 2100". Also listed on CarJoying website
Identifying features: smooth & glossy screen, has a slot (believe SD?) in lower left corner of screen. Looks similar to NewsMy except the left column of buttons is slightly different; the volume +/- are differently styled between the two. No DVD optical drive.
This is another popular unit. There seem to be quite a few iterations available.
Cheapest seen advertised shipped to US: $215 (dual core, 800*480), $225 (dual core, 1024*600), $255 (quad core, 1024*600)
Possibly Ownice C200, aka Winlink. Also listed under CarJoying website, and Pumpkin website.
XDA link
Also seen in the Ouku unbranded thread
Identifying features: Two silver knobs in lower left & lower right corners. Two columns of buttons on left & right sides. DVD optical drive with buttons on left/right of it. *Note*: there are two other similar clones; one has the silver knobs in the middle of the sides, the second has the knobs at the top corners. I assume these are all structurally the same(??)
Cheapest seen advertised shipped to the US: $135 (dual core? a11/a9 833mhz? last gen processor?, 800*480, win ce?), $266 (dual core RK3066, 800*480, android 4.4.4), $279 (quad core RK3188, 800*480, Android 4.4.4). I've seen 1024*600 advertised on the unit with the knobs in the top corners.
*Note*- There are many things to be aware of before buying this style unit. It is very popular, but keep the following in mind when looking at them: Many apparently run Windows CE, "Windows 8" (New Win CE), Android, Android 4.4.4, or any combination of anything you could imagine (dual OSes). Many descriptions/listings are vague, and unclear about specifications. On aliexpress, this unit seems to be popular in Russia(?), not sure about that. I believe that it is an older unit which has been around awhile and seen many refreshes. That said, it can be found cheap, and many video reviews seem happy/positive. I don't know enough to give my own opinion. I do realize however, that my ignorance will lead me to choosing a different head unit.
Joying J-UQ121, J-UQ126, J-NQ122-2, J-TQ128.... and the list goes on. I believe this is manufactured by Joying; again, does anyone know whether Joying is a reseller only, or a producer/reseller?
Identifying features: initially looks very similar to NewsMy/HotAudio units. Glossy screen, almost no buttons. However, this unit has: a "micro map card" slot in top left corner, microSD slot in top right corner, two unknown buttons(?) on left side, and SOME have a DVD optical drive in top center (which sometimes is hard to see in pictures), some do not have the DVD optical drive slot.
Cheapest seen advertised shipped to the US: $224 (Quad core RK3188, 800*480, no DVD, $270 (Quad core RK3188, 800*480, yes DVD), $352 (quad core, 1024*600, yes DVD)
^These are basically the most popular models I saw continually on every site. They are also the ones with the most reviews, etc. I assume any would be an acceptable choice, given the right configuration.
Honorable mentions that I'd like to know more about:
Pumpkin Unknown model @$250 quad core, 1024*600
Pumpkin Unknown model ~$320 dual core 800*480, ~$350 quad core 800*480. Claimed boot up speed 12-15 seconds (could be warm boot, or simply inaccurate).
Whatever this thing is; @$240 dual core, android 4.4., 800*480; ~$280 quad core
^all of these are fairly popular, but very hard to research for me.
Last subjects of discussion:
PPI. Can someone more knowledgeable than me please explain real world differences between using a 800*480 7" screen with ~133PPI, a 1024*600 7" screen with ~170PPI, and my 2560*1440 27" IPS monitor with ~109PPI?? (Not to mention my 2560*1440 5.5" phone with ~534PPI......). I'm wondering if/what is the reason to upgrade between 800*480 & 1024*600. I'm aware of the cutoff in perception of pixel density; I'm not familiar with how a capacitive touchscreen functions differently at different resolutions.
Processing power. Is there a real world difference between dual core RK3088 & quad core RK3188? I tried searching for anecdotes, videos, etc. -not much luck. I think I've seen both RK3066 & RK3088 in listings, not sure about that either.
Android versions: In my research, it seems that 4.2 was quicker than 4.4? I don't know much about versions of Android, etc. Any info? A lot of the discussion/debate was like today's Lollipop discussion: new is inherently bad, or focus on 1 or 2 particular aspects to make a particular version the "decisive" champion. All I really care about in a head unit is responsiveness, reliability/crashing, functionality with my phone/apps etc., and boot up time (honestly I don't think 25 seconds vs 35 seconds would be a big deal for me; 10s vs 40s might, don't think I've seen anything advertised as under 20-30s).
Personal notes: At this point I'm leaning towards a NewsMy 8" NU5002. Mainly because of size, manufacturer/community support, and aesthetics. I think the left-center knob model 2114 would also be good, and most likely the last CarJoying one as well (with the top map & microSD slots, & with/without the DVD drive). I'd really like to know more about those Pumpkin ones I listed at the end though, they look pretty nice. I would not go with the two-knobbed model; it is very popular, but IMO, I feel like buying a Chinese Android head unit is a big enough task in itself; I'd prefer to go with something more current/supported/easier to understand specs about. I don't really think I have run across anything worth buying that I have not posted, aside from a small selection of units with a row of buttons at the bottom of the screen. Some feature what appear to be tilting screens, which would be nice, but I am not brave enough to risk an additional thing going wrong (ignorance speaking), and I'd rather buy something popular in a situation like this. I'm torn between saving ~$200 between the NU5002 and the other runners- I'll have to modify the dash a lot (1.5 din Crown Vic), but my Note 2 taught my some very valuable lessons about screen size. I like the flat, glossy, screens; however, I can see how a physical volume knob could be described as a necessity.
NewsMy, CarJoying/Joying/Joyous, & Pumpkin, all seem pretty legit. Read reviews. Some positive reviews are one lines, no text, foreign, etc. Some negative reviews are for straight up user stupidity, not knowing what they were getting into, product not matching their car, etc. Sometimes you get helpful info like bugs/glitches, reliability over time, good/bad sellers, etc. You know the drill. Just a pain in the butt to go through it all, that's why I made the thread
***as always, mods you are welcome to edit this post for correction, clarification, etc. Please annotate if editing.

pfdeadpool said:
Congrats, which CarJoying model, and retailer? Happy installing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! Ordered the one discussed in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/and...oying-rk3188-rk3066-2-din-head-units-t3193170
Ordered directly through carjoying: http://www.carjoying.com/

Choose Rockchip RK3188 or Allwinner T3?

Hi,
I am going to install an Android add-on unit to the stock head unit for my 2012 Porsche Cayenne, like in this link:
http://www.carnavigationbox.com/sal...-auto-interface-car-multimedia-interface.html
I have the option to choose
1) RK3188, 1,2 GHz quad core, 2 GB RAM and Android 4.4
2) Allwinner T3, 1,2 GHz quad core, 2 GB RAM and Android 6.0
Which is the better platform and CPU? I got the impression that the Allwinner T3 CPU is not that good, but is it better than the Rockchip option?

I'd avoid any units still running android 4.4, KitKat. That OS is old as dirt, and had a lot of security holes. Even Lollypop (5.x.x) is looking a little dusty these days. Whatever unit you decide on, I'd highly recommend Marshmallow or newer (6.x.x+).
As far as RK3188 vs Allwinner T3, they are both discount chipsets. I have personally used the Allwinner T3 and T8 units, and they aren't bad at all. It all depends on what you want out of the unit. Do you want instant-on, or only instantly available reverse camera? Do you have an amp? Do you have kid screens and need RGB out? Do you listen to lossless music, and need high fidelity audio?
Truth is, none of these units are without problems. At this point, the most feature complete units are the Dasaita PX5 units, with the Joying Intel units not too far behind.

Rottgrub said:
I'd avoid any units still running android 4.4, KitKat. That OS is old as dirt, and had a lot of security holes. Even Lollypop (5.x.x) is looking a little dusty these days. Whatever unit you decide on, I'd highly recommend Marshmallow or newer (6.x.x+).
As far as RK3188 vs Allwinner T3, they are both discount chipsets. I have personally used the Allwinner T3 and T8 units, and they aren't bad at all. It all depends on what you want out of the unit. Do you want instant-on, or only instantly available reverse camera? Do you have an amp? Do you have kid screens and need RGB out? Do you listen to lossless music, and need high fidelity audio?
Truth is, none of these units are without problems. At this point, the most feature complete units are the Dasaita PX5 units, with the Joying Intel units not too far behind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wish I could install a PX5 or Intel unit in my car, but there are none available units that fits. I am not sure whether an universal unit would work, as my car has an original BOSE sound system with fiber optics. Sadly I only see the units mentioned above for this car so my options are very limited.
I had a 10.4 " Android unit specifically build for the 2012 Cayenne, but the Allwinner A31 CPU and its software was extremely buggy and slow and could not run the DAB+ software smoothly without stuttering. Hence, I am a bit sceptical towards Allwinner units. I had to return it and I am now looking for other options.

ynorynor said:
I wish I could install a PX5 or Intel unit in my car, but there are none available units that fits. I am not sure whether an universal unit would work, as my car has an original BOSE sound system with fiber optics. Sadly I only see the units mentioned above for this car so my options are very limited.
I had a 10.4 " Android unit specifically build for the 2012 Cayenne, but the Allwinner A31 CPU and its software was extremely buggy and slow and could not run the DAB+ software smoothly without stuttering. Hence, I am a bit sceptical towards Allwinner units. I had to return it and I am now looking for other options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are starved for choice, the T3 is the way to go. It's plenty fast for use as a head unit. The thing that makes most of the older units choke is lack of memory. 1GB units just couldn't cut it. 2GB lets the system keep more applications in memory longer, which cuts down on problems.
That said, if you are worried about the T3, I'd do some research to see if the PX5 universal units will work. Basically, if Crutchfield will sell you an Alpine/Pioneer/whatever 2din to fit in there, then you should be able to mount up an Android Universal.

Rottgrub said:
If you are starved for choice, the T3 is the way to go. It's plenty fast for use as a head unit. The thing that makes most of the older units choke is lack of memory. 1GB units just couldn't cut it. 2GB lets the system keep more applications in memory longer, which cuts down on problems.
That said, if you are worried about the T3, I'd do some research to see if the PX5 universal units will work. Basically, if Crutchfield will sell you an Alpine/Pioneer/whatever 2din to fit in there, then you should be able to mount up an Android Universal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't yet found any of the Alpine/Pioneer/Kenwood system that are compatible with my car. But isn't the RK3188 the same as PX3? I see that some have upgraded from a PX3 to PX5 board. If I choose the Rockchip RK3188 option, is the upgrade to PX5 possible?

ynorynor said:
I haven't yet found any of the Alpine/Pioneer/Kenwood system that are compatible with my car. But isn't the RK3188 the same as PX3? I see that some have upgraded from a PX3 to PX5 board. If I choose the Rockchip RK3188 option, is the upgrade to PX5 possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Upgrading the RK3188 system board to PX5 is a big, BIG maybe. First you'd need to make sure that the MCU is MTCD or MTCE. If it's a MTCC or earlier, it's not compatible with PX5. Then, assuming it's MTCD, you'll need to find a source for the PX5 upgrade board. Last I read, those were pretty scarce. Then, of course, you are cobbling together one unit from two. So say goodbye to any support or warranty.
So, not impossible... just not sure it's worth the time, money, and frustration when placed against trying the T3 unit.

Comparation between 2 Eonon units

Hello mates,
I want to buy 2din android head unit for Mazda 6 GH 2009. Via Eonon website I can find 2 models almost similar and I don't know wich one is more powerfull, so the two options are :
1) Eonon GA9198B - PX5 1.5GHz Cortex A53 Octa-core 4GB DDR3
2) Eonon GA9298B - Rockchip PX30 1.5GH Cortex A35 Quad-Core 2GB 2GB RAM
I know is a huge difference between 2 and 4 GB ram but I don't know anything regarding those two cpus ... Any Ideea ?
Also will be much apreciated if you sugest other head unit better then those two mentioned.

Hey! I definitely recommend the PX5 over the PX30 - the PX5 is faster, more established and has lots of support on XDA. Have a look in the MTCD forum if you want to know more about these units.
I have an Eonon GA2171S which is PX5 and it is great, and there are lots of mods available. I definitely recommend installing Hal9k 3.1 ROM for full functionality.

millab said:
Hey! I definitely recommend the PX5 over the PX30 - the PX5 is faster, more established and has lots of support on XDA. Have a look in the MTCD forum if you want to know more about these units.
I have an Eonon GA2171S which is PX5 and it is great, and there are lots of mods available. I definitely recommend installing Hal9k 3.1 ROM for full functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any reason not to go with a PX30 , I'm looking at the GA3175 as the price is good and specs seem pretty good.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

I take it you mean the GA2175? See my previous post - PX5 is faster and has much better support here at XDA for mods etc. I'm not aware of any ROMs for PX30, while PX5 has Hal9K 3.1 which really fixes all the shortcomings of these types of units.

millab said:
I take it you mean the GA2175? See my previous post - PX5 is faster and has much better support here at XDA for mods etc. I'm not aware of any ROMs for PX30, while PX5 has Hal9K 3.1 which really fixes all the shortcomings of these types of units.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes GA2175, i saw your post and i'm not interested in rom availabilty as yet so thats no issue. Was wondering if i would be disappointed with it over a 2170/2170B, 2175 is currently $214 versus 2170B $274. Fitting kit for my canbus Landrover was $185 which has killed the budget a bit.

Ok fair enough, the PX30 will be a little slower, but in all there won't be a lot of difference. Screen and components will mostly be identical. Out of interest why are you getting a canbus fitting kit?
Couldn't you find a unit which fits your vehicle?

millab said:
Ok fair enough, the PX30 will be a little slower, but in all there won't be a lot of difference. Screen and components will mostly be identical. Out of interest why are you getting a canbus fitting kit?
Couldn't you find a unit which fits your vehicle?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing off the shelf and i would need the fitting kit anyway for the wheel controls and canbus integration.

hangover68 said:
Nothing off the shelf and i would need the fitting kit anyway for the wheel controls and canbus integration.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh ok, yeah the ones which are made to fit certain cars generally already have the canbus functionality so don't need a fitting kit. What model land rover is it? I can see some for a 2007-2012 Freelander 2 like this:
http://xtrons.com/pb78dlrpl-android...with-7-display-custom-fit-for-land-rover.html

millab said:
Oh ok, yeah the ones which are made to fit certain cars generally already have the canbus functionality so don't need a fitting kit. What model land rover is it? I can see some for a 2007-2012 Freelander 2 like this:
http://xtrons.com/pb78dlrpl-android...with-7-display-custom-fit-for-land-rover.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Discovery3, i looked at that but i cant see how that would work in mine as they share the same fascia, i have ordered an Aepro kit and still deciding which head unit to buy.

Android Auto compatibile HU recommendation.

Hello everyone.
My 3 years old 7" Joying Sofia 2gb HU died, and I'm looking for a replacement.
Since the release of my unit, I noticed that the new models are based on PX5, PX6 and the latest AIRMONT Intel units.
The most important things for me:
- fast performance and stability, which means at least 2gb of memory, preferably 4gb.
- good ANDROID AUTO compatibility, either natively, or good support for the app "Android headunit reloaded" which I've been using all the time on my dead joying unit
-Fast wake up time after sleep, I really don't want to wait a minute for having a working unit once I turn on the car.
Any alternatives to Joying Headunits? I was disappointed with the quality control of their units and support.
Any advice will be highly appreciated!!

Hi,
I never give "buying advice" as I only know Joying and can't compare with others: there is no clear pro/con here. Some users prefer one brand, others another. 9 out of 10 only know "their own" brand and promote that one (something like: the more in one community, the more community support you might expect?). But you PMed me with the question about advice so I will give my 2 cents.
From what I have heard Dasaita (Hot Audio) seems qualitatively a bit better, but that's from hear-say. They are also slightly more expensive than the Joyings.
I now received the SC9853i unit from Joying for only 63 euros for testing purposes.
If I did not have that new Joying one, I might "try" a Dasaita.
Build quality: All Chinese models range from "moderate" to "bad" quality. There is a reason why they are 2x-3x cheaper. I do not think Joying is worse than the rest. I even think they are better than a lot of the unbranded models, who are indeed even cheaper. And again: From what I have heard is Dasaita better and therefore also more expensive.
W.r.t. support from Joying: They do support you. Sometimes it is very good, sometimes it is bad especially when they do not know it or do not have a solution. Then they "wriggle" without giving a firm statement.
But they do support you. When reading about all kind of other, especially the non-branded units, there is simply no support at all and they only speak Chinese.
Concluding: my choice would again be a Joying, or a Daisata.
But again: that is only theoretically as I have never done an in-depth study of multiple models.
Edit: Dasaita is MTC-D/E and therefore supported by the HAL9K and Malaysk custom ROMs, if that is what you want.

surfer63 said:
Hi,
I never give "buying advice" as I only know Joying and can't compare with others: there is no clear pro/con here. Some users prefer one brand, others another. 9 out of 10 only know "their own" brand and promote that one (something like: the more in one community, the more community support you might expect?). But you PMed me with the question about advice so I will give my 2 cents.
From what I have heard Dasaita (Hot Audio) seems qualitatively a bit better, but that's from hear-say. They are also slightly more expensive than the Joyings.
I now received the SC9853i unit from Joying for only 63 euros for testing purposes.
If I did not have that new Joying one, I might "try" a Dasaita.
Build quality: All Chinese models range from "moderate" to "bad" quality. There is a reason why they are 2x-3x cheaper. I do not think Joying is worse than the rest. I even think they are better than a lot of the unbranded models, who are indeed even cheaper. And again: From what I have heard is Dasaita better and therefore also more expensive.
W.r.t. support from Joying: They do support you. Sometimes it is very good, sometimes it is bad especially when they do not know it or do not have a solution. Then they "wriggle" without giving a firm statement.
But they do support you. When reading about all kind of other, especially the non-branded units, there is simply no support at all and they only speak Chinese.
Concluding: my choice would again be a Joying, or a Daisata.
But again: that is only theoretically as I have never done an in-depth study of multiple models.
Edit: Dasaita is MTC-D/E and therefore supported by the HAL9K and Malaysk custom ROMs, if that is what you want.
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Thank you for the very informative reply! I'm sure other forum members will learn from it.
I'm actually a bit disappointed with Joying, the device has never left the car, and suddenly the screen stooped working intermittently. After reading a but about this issue, it appears that the intel Sofia units had some poor soldering of parts on the motherboard, and after contacting their support team, they recognized the problem and sent me a link to a video on YT showing that I can fix it by soldering a part on the motherboard. Unfortunately trying to do so left me with a totally non-functioning device.
The only thing that Joying offered was a 5% discount on a new unit, and I felt really uncomfortable to buy a new unit only after 3 units, when it was clearly a bad quality control issue.
For this, I will surely look into that other DASAITA units. From checking their latest models, they seem to be cased on PX6, while the newer Joying have the newer Airmont CPUs.
1) Do you think there will be much difference in terms of performance between PX6 and Airmont architecture? They both have 4GB of RAM.
2) Any idea if the DASAITA have the quick wake up from sleep as the joying units? This is an extremely useful feature, as you don't have to wait until the unit becomes usable.
3) Apart from the ability of installing custom ROMs, what is the advantage of having MTCx units?
4) Is the ZLINK solution provided in these units a good solution for having Android Auto? I've been using Android Headunit Reloaded and it has been really good.
5) Is the new built-in DSP available only in the latest Joying models?
Thanks again

KamaL said:
1) Do you think there will be much difference in terms of performance between PX6 and Airmont architecture? They both have 4GB of RAM.
2) Any idea if the DASAITA have the quick wake up from sleep as the joying units? This is an extremely useful feature, as you don't have to wait until the unit becomes usable.
3) Apart from the ability of installing custom ROMs, what is the advantage of having MTCx units?
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Click to collapse
1. I don't think so. With 4GB everything runs smoothly and nothing is is taking those CPUs to the max as long as you do not play heavy games.
2. As far as I know (almost?) all newer MTCD/E models do also support quick wake up.
3. 10x more users (at least). 10X more knowledge (I think). All are compatible: per CPU-type/MCU type that is, so every PX6/MTCD is compatible with any other PX6/MTCD.
Look one level higher https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/
And then check the MTCD forums. Read a bit more about them. They wil know about the quick startup.

Eventually I bought a unit from a local store, instead of dealing with shipping, customs etc...
It is made fekn FOXWAY, It has a PX6 RK3399 with 4gb of ram. I attached the settings page.
It doesn't have all day quick wake up, I can set it up to 2 hours, but after that it has to boot up. Although it's fast, I prefer for it to set it all the time as in joying units.
Also, I can't find a way to disable the touch or button beep sound, which is driving me.
Any ideas will be welcome.. View attachment 4927037

Beginners guide to Android head units

Hey all, I've been messing around with android for ages, I've built a head unit using a Nexus 7 running Timurs kernel. That's become fairly outdated now and I've discovered that I can buy one of the head units running android which does everything the nexus did but better.
But I am so out of the loop with all the terminology and it seems that there isn't an obvious Go-To brand.
I was hoping this forum could answer some questions that I'm sure a lot of people are asking. So,
What does MTCB, MTCD and FYT stand for, a basic explanation of them and why would you pick one over the other?
What are the most popular / widely accepted / most supported brands / models from each group?
I'm personally after a ~ 9 inch device I can use as a dash for my aftermarket PCM (RealDash is the app I'll use) that also has standard headunit features. I'm looking at a Joying unit but I want to know what my options are.
Thanks heaps for any information
Hopefully this can be made into a thread for new people to get the lowdown and basics of Android based head units.

I have had an ATOTO head unit for over a year now and I have been very pleased with it. I recently got a newer model that I will be swapping it out with soon.
ATOTO has the best value for features and performance on the market today. Their products are primarily sold on Amazon, and they also sell direct at https://store.myatoto.com/ . There are several reviews on Amazon and you can Google ATOTO reviews and read some independent ones as well. Overall, they come highly recommended. They have great customer support, but since they are overseas it is by email only with a 24-48 hour turnaround for a response. You can also search for ATOTO in the forums here and there are several threads.
I hope this helps...

I saw a video for beginners the other day on Youtube
He seems to have lots of other good videos.
I'm also new, even though I've used Joying for a decade.
It seems they all use the same image or build off a common base, like all units use a PX5 or PX6 rom image. I wonder if they build it themselves or where is the origin?

Atoto makes their own Android based custom ROM and UI, the current units are based on Android 10. Unfortunately, there is no resource I have found here to root this latest version. But, you can certainly install another UI like Nova Launcher and such.
BTW, their latest models have a 1024x600 IPS display with 178 degree viewing angle.

Atoto does not use these px5 or px6 images?

Ok, px5 and px6 are actually processors.
Then I guess what my next question is, do they build off a common Android for head units branch?

As in, I dont't think they all are branching the git repo of Android, instead of branching from some head unit branch?

This really ought to be a Wiki article (except XDA axed that) or a sticky. There are many people here who know a ton about Android but aren't conversant with head units. Most of the posts on this subforum have to do with specific problems for specific functions on specific units in specific cars. Not a great way to get an oversight.
Let me flesh out what I mean (from my naive knowledge and subject to correction/expansion):
Head units are composed of:
Chassis
Single DIN
Double DIN
Others?
Motherboard
STM32F microcontroller (usually?)
Speaker amplifier
FM radio tuner
WiFi interface
Bluetooth interface
Resistive steering wheel controls interface (2)
Serial interface to external, optional CAN BUS (OBDII) box
Rear view camera interface
GPS interface
Standardized? rear panel connectors
"Core board" (a pluggable, modular Android system) Often named after the Rockchip processor used, PX4, PX5, PX6. Is this the only format? Are these modules used for anything besides head units?
LCD/OLED Display

Renate said:
This really ought to be a Wiki article (except XDA axed that) or a sticky. There are many people here who know a ton about Android but aren't conversant with head units. Most of the posts on this subforum have to do with specific problems for specific functions on specific units in specific cars. Not a great way to get an oversight.
Let me flesh out what I mean (from my naive knowledge and subject to correction/expansion):
Head units are composed of:
Chassis
Single DIN
Double DIN
Car specific formats
Motherboard
STM32F, MTC*, CSN*, CSM*, FYT, RK7* and a couple of older and outdated boards still sold
Speaker amplifier
FM radio tuner
WiFi interface
Bluetooth interface
Resistive steering wheel controls interface (2)
Serial interface to external, optional CAN BUS (OBDII) box
Rear view camera interface
GPS interface
Standardized? rear panel connectors (no standard, as there are 30-pin, 21-pin, ISO and Quadlock connectors)
"Core board" (a pluggable, modular Android system) Often named after the Rockchip processor used, PX4, PX5, PX6. Is this the only format? (No, also some kind of ALLWINNER boards mainly acting with 8227L chipsets, Intel...) Are these modules used for anything besides head units? (not really, because they are just some sort of "reader" for the main board, the communication between the hardware and Android is completely different from any other Android device.)
LCD/OLED Display (and resistive an capacitive displays)
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See my comments inline in red..
That is not that easy with these units.
The most important thing here is, that thread starter do not use the search function, which leads to a lot of duplicated threads. There needs to be a clear instruction to use the search and how to figure out which sub-forum to ask in, means the thread starter needs to know the facts of his unit in front....
As we see in the MTC and this forum, we often have to ask about MCU and Chipset and that leads often in asking the mods for moving the threads into the right forum.
If you ask me: I have no real idea how to get that structured in a way that someone who has the knowledge is able to help without check backs for details.
If you have a look at this forum, you might find some dozen of threads regarding the same MCU/Chipset... really not ideal.

famadorian said:
I saw a video for beginners the other day on Youtube
He seems to have lots of other good videos.
I'm also new, even though I've used Joying for a decade.
It seems they all use the same image or build off a common base, like all units use a PX5 or PX6 rom image. I wonder if they build it themselves or where is the origin?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been watching this guy's videos as well, but can't helped getting the feeling he is being heavily sponsored by brands like Joying.
Also: I personally don't believe, that a octacore head-unit is necessarily. There a plenty of Quad-Core ARM A7 headunits out there, which are below €$£ 150 where as the octacore units are way more expensive.
€ 110,61 50%OFF | Ekiy T7 Qled Dsp Android Auto Radio Voor Suzuki Celerio Alto 2014 - 2018 Stereo Auto Multimedia Video Speler 2din carplay Gps Navi
https://a.aliexpress.com/_vE6we4
So personally I opted for a € 150 unit, featuring a 720P IPS screen, 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage and Apple Carplay and Android Auto support. The last one seemly is called AA, although AA is also the road assistance in the United Kingdom....
Anyway most people will tell you not to buy a Quad-Core unit, but I did it nevertheless. These units are in a way quite similar like the Nexus 7, which has a Cortex A9 instead of Cortex A7. The last one being one of the most energy efficient chipsets.... isn't that important as well for a car?
The Nexus 7 had a 800x1280 screen, and 1GB of RAM and worked just fine. Until the storage got screwed up.... I still have mine, but it doesn't seem to do much anymore.
One thing to consider: when using mainly Android Auto or Apple Carplay, than in theory even a 1GB RAM unit would be fine. I believe he tested some of these as well.... they where quite impressive for the money. Also technology is way better, than a few years ago. Even though it seems there hasn't been much going on at the budget side...
But budget head-units below € 150 used to be way worse: a few years ago I couldn't even find a single unit for my car, below € 250. Now it starts at € 110 with a completely integrated frame. Of course I would suggest adding € 40 more and getting atleast the unit with 2GB of RAM.

DexterMorganNL said:
I have been watching this guy's videos as well, but can't helped getting the feeling he is being heavily sponsored by brands like Joying.
Also: I personally don't believe, that a octacore head-unit is necessarily. There a plenty of Quad-Core ARM A7 headunits out there, which are below €$£ 150 where as the octacore units are way more expensive.
€ 110,61 50%OFF | Ekiy T7 Qled Dsp Android Auto Radio Voor Suzuki Celerio Alto 2014 - 2018 Stereo Auto Multimedia Video Speler 2din carplay Gps Navi
https://a.aliexpress.com/_vE6we4
So personally I opted for a € 150 unit, featuring a 720P IPS screen, 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage and Apple Carplay and Android Auto support. The last one seemly is called AA, although AA is also the road assistance in the United Kingdom....
Anyway most people will tell you not to buy a Quad-Core unit, but I did it nevertheless. These units are in a way quite similar like the Nexus 7, which has a Cortex A9 instead of Cortex A7. The last one being one of the most energy efficient chipsets.... isn't that important as well for a car?
The Nexus 7 had a 800x1280 screen, and 1GB of RAM and worked just fine. Until the storage got screwed up.... I still have mine, but it doesn't seem to do much anymore.
One thing to consider: when using mainly Android Auto or Apple Carplay, than in theory even a 1GB RAM unit would be fine. I believe he tested some of these as well.... they where quite impressive for the money. Also technology is way better, than a few years ago. Even though it seems there hasn't been much going on at the budget side...
But budget head-units below € 150 used to be way worse: a few years ago I couldn't even find a single unit for my car, below € 250. Now it starts at € 110 with a completely integrated frame. Of course I would suggest adding € 40 more and getting atleast the unit with 2GB of RAM.
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This is your personal thing.
I don´t recommend to buy such a QuadCore thing, as it is lame as hell, does not support deep sleep, does not provide any support in case there is something wrong with the unit. This, I already wrote to you in another thread.
Please don´t recommend such a nonsense as there are top units available for around 200-250 Euro/USD. It is may be okayish for you, but the majority wants and needs something which does not need these stupid AA or this Carplay.
To use any head unit just as a monitor for Android Auto or Apple Carplay is just a bit hard to understand, as the units with at least a PX5 has more functionality as Android Auto or Carplay would ever be able to provide.
Buy this overpriced unit with a QuadCore and I would really hope that we don´t read that you buyed just BS.

Well it's your personal opinion as well.... it ain't facts.... and it isn't overpriced. The euro is just very weak on the moment, one euro is only $ 0,99 I saw last time.
Ah well have fun with your expensive Chinese Android head-unit, I bet they break as fast as the cheaper ones and there won't be any difference when using Android Auto. And please stop calling it AA, because it's confusing as in British English that's how they call the road assistance. How do you call Apple Carplay then? AC? That's your air conditioner
For € 300 I can buy a JVC: so why the heck spend this kind off money, on a Chinese Android head-unit?
Anyway Saab Unleashed also tested an cheap ARM A7 unit, and it's just fine. This being even a unit with 1GB RAM and only 16GB storage. Also no 720P screen. It really depends on your own usage, how the experience with such a unit is.
Not all Android applications need so much processing. And also I don't believe it's a fact that these units don't support deep sleep. Because there is still a lot of difference between ARM A7 Android head-units. A quick search on Google learns, that deep sleep is supported within the ARM A7 chipset.
And it's not like that Joying or any other brand, is in the league of a Chinese brand like Xiaomi. So yes I rather go for a cheaper Android head-unit, even though it comes with a slower but very energy efficient chipset. Energy efficiency is also very important.
Oh and all Chinese goods bought directly from China, don't provide the warranty you are used to for example in Europe. If I buy a JVC unit, for € 300 than I can be sure to have warranty for atleast 2 years. An Chinese Android head-unit, no matter which price only provides warranty as long as the AlliExpress buyer protection lasts!

DexterMorganNL said:
One thing to consider: when using mainly Android Auto or Apple Carplay...
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This reinforces what I've been saying. This whole subforum is an inbred world only with difficulty accessible to a non-auto Android user (or even developer).
I presume from the above quote that those things are basically equivalent to Roku screen mirroring with some bells and whistles thrown in?

Renate said:
This reinforces what I've been saying. This whole subforum is an inbred world only with difficulty accessible to a non-auto Android user (or even developer).
I presume from the above quote that those things are basically equivalent to Roku screen mirroring with some bells and whistles thrown in?
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Click to collapse
Well that's usually the case isn't it? But I just recently heard about Roku, saw those streaming sticks lying in a Germany Saturn. Didn't know what it was, but I guess it's something like Amazon Fire stick?
But actually the cheapest vehicle specific headunits, don't even come with Apple Carplay or Android auto support. I considered getting the cheapest one, as they are all able to use native Android apps.
Only I was concerned, that 1GB RAM would not be enough to atleast run Google Maps and Spotify on the same time. So I looked further, compared multiple sellers. Mostly all offering the same ****....
So I was surprised that Ekiy, was offering a unit that came with a 720P IPS screen. While other resellers, sell these kind of units with a 1024x600 TN Screen.