I've installed a Parrot Asteroid (digital media head unit with hands free calling) in my wife's VW Passat and think it might be one of the best purchases I've made this year. Install on the Passat (2001.5) was almost plug and play. The only change I had to make was switching Battery and ACC on harness. The antenna adapter (unpowered) is a standard item and was available from a local source.
With CM9 (nightly 0508 currently) USB and Bluetooth tethering work.
Contacts are shared with the Asteroid and voice dialing is accurate (the Parrot seems to grok what I am saying).
Music selection (media on SDHC card in Parrot) via voice is failrly accurate but I have noticed a few inaccurate responses.
Hands-free calling is crystal clear and the music quality is awesome.
Some have reported buggy or defective units, but I have had no trouble with it over the last week with my I777. We'll see what happens with my wife's iPhone...
I am considering same setup into my 2004 Passat. Thanks for posting the picture, that certainly clears my concerns about how does it look in the car as the console is same as yours.
How is sound compared to original VW radio you had before?
Do you mind if I ask you to share with us what components went into your install beside of course the Asteroid? Especially what adapter for the wiring harness you used.
I am using (primarily) Galaxy Nexus on CM9, so I'm pretty confident hooking the Asteroid to the phone shouldn't be a problem. Thanks in advance!
Edit: forgot to ask about button backlight - from what I see on the Internet it seems to be white, is it adjustable so it can be made to match the OEM backlight on the Passat (red)?
leobg said:
I am considering same setup into my 2004 Passat. Thanks for posting the picture, that certainly clears my concerns about how does it look in the car as the console is same as yours.
How is sound compared to original VW radio you had before?
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Click to collapse
In my opinion (these things being subjective), the sound is excellent. Like most Android devices, the Asteroid has a built in equalizer and other sound tweaks. Much better than stock.
Do you mind if I ask you to share with us what components went into your install beside of course the Asteroid? Especially what adapter for the wiring harness you used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe all B5.5 Passats use a ISO connector for the stock stereo. The included Parrot wiring harness adapter works out of the box. I only had to flip Battery and Switched Power (ACC). The Parrot adapter is designed to allow quick changes to these leads and this is documented in the included instructions. The only thing I had to buy was the antenna adapter. I picked that up for about $15 US. I used the unpowered version.
I am using (primarily) Galaxy Nexus on CM9, so I'm pretty confident hooking the Asteroid to the phone shouldn't be a problem. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CM9 works quite nicely with the Parrot with one caveat. Bluetooth audio was great (both music and hands free calling). No problems with pairing so far. I tried connecting my SGS2 USB storage to the Parrot but it is not recognizing the SGS2 mass storage (micro SD card). This is not a show stopper for me as I have a 32GB SDHC card installed in the Asteroid.
Edit: forgot to ask about button backlight - from what I see on the Internet it seems to be white, is it adjustable so it can be made to match the OEM backlight on the Passat (red)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No such luck from what I have seen. You have have a choice of white, white, or white. You can adjust the intensity of control backlight and LCD backlight for 'Day' and 'Night' modes. 'Day' and 'Night' modes are toggled by a long press on the 'Parrot' button.
The Asteroid is not perfect but it seems to be the only device of its kind at the moment. I am surprised that more car stereo companies are not leveraging Android into their equipment lineup. Both OEM and aftermarket vendors seem to be utterly clueless when it comes to emerging technologies. Who uses CD (or for that matter DVD's) anymore?
When we bought our Passat I was shocked and appalled that the head unit had a CASSETTE deck! There was a CD changer in the trunk but that meant pulling over to change CD's. Clueless, utterly clueless...
In any case, good luck. The install is pretty easy. Do some research on some of the issues some seem to experience with the Asteroid. I have not seen any major problems on firmware 1.5 as yet but your mileage may vary.
*Edit: One other thing -- the Asteroid does not fit flush with the dash like the stock head unit. It sticks out approximately 1/4 inch. Aside from doing major work to modify the dash, I could not think of any way to make the Parrot fit flush. It does not bother me, but it may pose aesthetic issues for you. I actually have grown to like it. It makes finding controls easy without taking my eyes off the road.
Oh -- and one last thing. This 38 second video is priceless for removing the stock head unit.
http://youtu.be/KNSYBSGzUuQ
One last edit -- here is the antenna adapter. $7 through Amazon.
http://goo.gl/39rIO
Thanks a bunch!! So your 2001.5 came with the singe DIN unit. B5.5's 2002 onward ship with double DIN unit, so I would need to find a tray to place in (and fill up the gap) which will be very handy as I could keep the phone (or other junk in there. I've heard Parrot is coming up with a double din unit with slightly extended functionality: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/08/parrot-asteroid-ck-asteroid-nav-asteroid-2din-infotainment-sys/. They mention late 2012 availability, wondering if I want to hold my horses for that one. Since it doesn't have physical buttons to require backlight, there won't be an issue with the look, but I like the buttons and especially the rotary ones, so this (for me) is as disadvantage as much as advantage. And probably the cost will double. Though integrated Google maps navigation would be terrific! Decisions, decisions...!
Yeah. The stock unit was single DIN. I believe you can buy the pocket if you have a double DIN OEM head unit and want to install a single DIN.
I like having physical controls -- perhaps I am getting old. The lack of apps does not particularly distress me.
I'd like to use the Parrot UNIKA steering controls interface but it does not look like B5.5 Passat is supported yet.
By the way, I'm listening to one of your (Canadian) exports today -- a band by the name of Elliott Brood from Toronto. Not bad for Canadian hacks. ;-)
http://www.elliottbrood.ca/
All the best,
Edward
Related
Anyone got one of these ?
How do you rate it?
Are they any good?
Seen them for sale on ebay at a very good price considering what you get with them.
Powered PDA Mount for XDA III
FOR
XDA III aka XDA 2S
imate PDA2K
Included in all packages:
1 Powered PDA Mount Cradle
1 9" Windshield Swivel Pedestal
1 XDA III charging and data serial cable
1 3' Bluetooth GPS charging cable
More info here http://www.arkon.com/bluetoothgps.html#xdaiii-bt
if you dont already have a seperate GPS receiver then this one is good:
http://www.totalpda.com/Holux-Powered-GPS-PDA-Mount-for-XDA-Series-I-Mate-Q-Tec-2020.aspx
a friend has one and it works great. everything in one unit.
However i have had warning from someone saying the GPS signal is interupted if you have a heated windscreen, due to the wires. my mates works great tho.
HPJ
(i should get commission for the amount of time i've recommended this unit!!!!!!!)
The link you posted doesnt appear to be compatible with the blue angel series.
http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk/viewprod.php?product_id=2545&max_cat_id=14&vt=grid
This product does support the blue angel, however, I've heard mixed reports about how well it operates while the phone is changing nodes.
Cheers
numanoids said:
The link you posted doesnt appear to be compatible with the blue angel series.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I thought that so i gave them a call to ask.......the person on the phone said it is compatible with blue angel.....however as in all similar situations always good to keep box and receipt if purchasing and advice is wrong..... :wink:
Fair enough!!
I stand happily corrected. they're in glasgow so might swing past today and pick one up!
cool...let us know how you get on if you do get one
HPJ
Anyone got one of these ?
How do you rate it?
Are they any good?
Seen them for sale on ebay at a very good price considering what you get with them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am biased but ....
Have a look at www.brodit.com - find this product '849612'
Then find a bracket to mount this in your car.
May be more expensive but won't look out of place!
You can use your existing cable to charge the PDA in the car.
When I've finished developing my car kit connection cable, you can then have full hands free car kit including wired GPS, power, mic, sound of phone and nav through the car speakers - just plug my cable into the bottom of this holder and connect it to the car kit!
...Spence
hi s93ncer,
how you planning on getting sound from phone and nav out of your car speakers?
yes I agree, brodit is an excellent choice for cradles
Best Buy in the US sells an RF modulator that will take a standard audio in and transmit to an FM car radio. All you have to do is wire it into the bottom connector of the phone.
how you planning on getting sound from phone and nav out of your car speakers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm nearly there, just 1 little thing to sort out this morning.
I have tested it and it does work with phone and nav audio - just used the pin outs for speakers and connect pin 19 to ground through a 10K resistor
I'll post more information when I have finished testing.
...Spence
paulmc said:
Best Buy in the US sells an RF modulator that will take a standard audio in and transmit to an FM car radio. All you have to do is wire it into the bottom connector of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO, RF modulators are pretty crappy. The audio is mediocre at best and the frequency tends to drift so you're constantly needing to retune.
If you have a stereo that has a plug on the back for controlling a CD changer (most OEM stereos have this nowdays), you can most likely find an adapter that will let you add aux audio-in to your car stereo. I bought one from www.blitzsafe.com for my Toyota Celica. I used this to hook up the audio from a computer that I installed in the car.
This one is good, to ne honest the speaker on the XDA2s is loud enough and if using bluetooth (as most XDA 2 users do) then this mount may be better:
http://www.pdamods.com/products.asp?cat=23
Just ordered this:
http://www.totalpda.com/Holux-Powered-GPS-PDA-Mount-for-XDA-Series-I-Mate-Q-Tec-2020.aspx
Should be here next week......I'll let y'all know!
HPJ
There is so much wrong with this product I cant even begin..
1) The vent mounts are useless. They can barely support the weight of the unit on its own. Once the PDA is in it then you can forget trying to get it to face any direction other than down. It just rattles around. I have tried it in my merecedes, a VW golf and an Audi A4 so it's nothing to do with my vents either.
2) The speaker on the powered unit picks up all kinds of crackles and noise. If I make or receive a phone call the noise it makes is unbelievable. Basically I have to keep the speaker turned to the lowest voulme (there is no off switch) the whole time and even then I can still hear a really annoying sound when I use the phone. (You know the sound I mean, it's the one you sometimes get if your phone is near unsheilded speakers just before it's about to ring).
3) The cable that connects the PDA headphone socket to the mount unit does not work. If is is fully plugged in there is no sound at all. If I pull it out slightly the sound works but then it cuts off the external microphone on my PDA so I cant use the voice command/voice dial options.
4) When I plug the charge cable into the bottom of the PDA the PDA tries to connect to a host via ActiveSync...there isn't one there of course so ActiveSync just hangs if I don't hit cancel in time. This does not happen if I use my normal charge cable.
Ozy...are you refering to the powered GPS mount that I have ordered (see above) from Holux, through Total PDA?? I hope not....
However it does sound as though maybe you've just got a faulty one...try sending it back...??
HPJ
No. I am refering to the original Arkon product in the title of the thread.
I suspect it may indeed be faulty but to an extent that ruins any confidence I may have had in Arkon's products. I will be sending it back and I will try to get a Brodit or something else instead.
Cheers.
Actually, I quite liked the look of that Holux but there is no indication if it works with the Blue Angel.
Looks like Holux do one for the Blue Angel available from HandNav :
http://www.handnav.co.uk/product_details.php?id=308
Only £99 inluding VAT and delivery.
Might give that a go.
The Arkon mount was never meant to be used with gsm phones, they just added a lead and hoped for the best when used with xda etc, it is an atrocious piece of kit, I launched mine out on the road when driving on the M5, if anybody in the factory had tested it they would have known right away that it wasnt fit for the purpose, regardless of that they are still selling it as compatable, it is also a great bulky lummox of a thing and looked much better bouncing down the hard shoulder.
ozymandias said:
Actually, I quite liked the look of that Holux but there is no indication if it works with the Blue Angel.
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Click to collapse
I thought that, and called them. It works fine apparently...I'll let u know when it arrives
HPJ
I've got my M2000, and the "ooooooh" factor is starting to wear off - I need toys, dammit!
<grin>
Seriously - I'm looking at a USB charger - anybody got any thoughts as to the best-value one in the UK? Also screen protectors? Any good? Or more hassle than they're worth?
Finally - is there a decent case that will allow me to carry the spare battery? Even just a case *for* the spare battery to stop it shorting out in my laptop bag would be nice - as it is, it's useless, as it's sod all use at home, and I can't really take it with me, short of shoving it into a freezer bag. Classy.
Can't help you much there. I definitely don't have too many extras.
When I got my Qtek 1010 (XDA), I couldn't get a fold-up keyboard fast enough. Unfortunately, the keyboard was more of a disappointment than anything else (some of the buttons, especially the space-bar, have to be pressed _just_ a little harder to be recognised).
Now, with my i-mate (XDA II), the only extras I have indugled in (although I still carry the keyboard with me) is a 512MB SD Card (which is also not so great, cause it's an AGFA, and it's SLOOOOOOW).
How about getting yourself a GPS kit?
For USB Sycn and Charge cables you can beat these :
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=115610&asource=116684
I have had these PPC Techs canples for a numnber of devices and they are very cool.
I can also recoomend this to go with it :
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=EXP_USB-CLA
Its a dongle to go in your car cigarette lighter that has a powered USB port in the top so you can run/charge anyt5hing that can take power via USB.
The two items above are a real go anywhere kit
If you want sometning with real wow factor, how about a laser projected virtual keyboard ?!
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=110909
ozymandias said:
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=115610&asource=116684
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=EXP_USB-CLA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you looking in my shopping basket? They were the ones I'd added before I asked... I was hoping for somebody with some experiences of the extending charge cable - it could have been a very useful device or uselessly overcomplicated and fragile.
As for that laser keyboard... :shock:
eXpansys rock.
They are so good at this kind of thing.
I recently bought a bluetooth headset from them which turned out not to be very robust. The ease with whcih I was able to send it back and get a full refund (including carriage costs) was excellent.
The most amazing thing about that laser keyboard is that it's £20 cheaper than the foldup one.
And don't forget Satellite Navigation. That is the 'Must Have'!
Install MS Voice Command software, pretty cool you can then control whole device by Voice without any training!
And a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Stereo adaptor from Expansys will let you plug in some "Proper" headphones (I use Sony MDR-EX71SL's) you've then got an IPOD butt kicking MP3/WMA player.
wilesd said:
Install MS Voice Command software, pretty cool you can then control whole device by Voice without any training!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've installed Fonix, and it does indeed seem good. If only I could initiate a call from my bluetooth headset...
And a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Stereo adaptor from Expansys will let you plug in some "Proper" headphones (I use Sony MDR-EX71SL's) you've then got an IPOD butt kicking MP3/WMA player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm, iPod butt-kicking? I've not found any 40Gb SD cards yet, and the battery life is mediocre enough without having it playing MP3s all day every day...
GPS - It's a thought. What's the good SatNav software to go for? TomTom still?
I just bought a Parot CK3300 BT hands free kit with built in GPS receiver.
Should get it on Tuesday.
Was referring to the Audio Quality on IPOD's not storage space.
Bitrate for Bitrate the IPOD media format is not a patch on WMA
TomTom3 Navigator has never got me lost yet?
only downside is the iffy address entry method but this can be rectified with a UK postcode add-on.
Checkpoint "Safety" Camera POI works a treat as well
http://www.blueant.com.au/bthp_i.htm
ozymandias said:
If you want sometning with real wow factor, how about a laser projected virtual keyboard ?!
http://www.expansys.com/product.asp?code=110909
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DAMMIT!!!!!! I thought of that 3 years ago!!!! They stole my idea!! Anyway, What about bluetooth mice or sdio camera. There's also external batteries that charge the pda, check out mobileplanet. Asus put out a wifi laptop hard drive enclosure, add a hard drive, and hook it up to the external battery, and you've got yourself up to 40 gigs of external storage. (I haven't checked to see if it'll work yet or not, but I don't see why not) And of course there's always gps.
And speaking of far fetched accessories, anyone wanna help me write a usb hub driver for the ppc so I can hook up my digital camera and nomad jukebox3, and use the jukebox 3 as storage for my digital pictures.
Once we get the hub working, there's no end to the usb accessories we can get.
BTW I also saw sdio video cards to do powerpoint presentations while on the road, and video capture cards.
Last but not least on my shopping list is the bluetooth cassette adapter. It's a cassette tape looking bluetooth hq audio adapter, for home or vehicle use.
I also remember something about an fm transmitter, I think it's an fm transmitter, so you can listen to your mp3 through your radio. There also has to be someone who makes a tv receiver, and a radio receiver for these things, there just has to be.
wilesd said:
Install MS Voice Command software, pretty cool you can then control whole device by Voice without any training!
And a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Stereo adaptor from Expansys will let you plug in some "Proper" headphones (I use Sony MDR-EX71SL's) you've then got an IPOD butt kicking MP3/WMA player.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want some proper headphones too, however if it means trying to swap them with the headset when a call comes in... no good. Any suggestions on a better headset/earphone combo?
rollyblu said:
http://www.blueant.com.au/bthp_i.htm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bluetooth stereo.. very sceptical.
- Can I stream audio from a mobile phone or pda using Bluetooth?
The Audio Player can be used to receive streamed audio if the mobile phone supports A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile). Some phone can stream audio to the headphones in mono.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the website
Has anyone actually tried this with the Blue Angel? Does it work properly, Ie taking calls, playing music.
Seems like the Blueant is a re-labelled Sonorix
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/product/5177.htm
what can i buy that will let me listen music from my tp2 to my car radio.
ariel123 said:
what can i buy that will let me listen music from my tp2 to my car radio.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An FM Transmitter - there are loads. I have 3 - 2 bluetooth, 1 a built-in cradle / FM Transmitter.
Just do a search...
ariel123 said:
what can i buy that will let me listen music from my tp2 to my car radio.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you have an auxiliary conx on your radio you can just connect it with a 3.5 cable.
Ramsfan_Jim said:
An FM Transmitter - there are loads. I have 3 - 2 bluetooth, 1 a built-in cradle / FM Transmitter.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ramsfan_jim
Care to list the brands you have, or the websites you found them on?
I currently have an fm transmitter, and a horrible cradle.. would love a better solution, especially an unified one like you mention having.
Thanks
cameraddict said:
Ramsfan_jim
Care to list the brands you have, or the websites you found them on?
I currently have an fm transmitter, and a horrible cradle.. would love a better solution, especially an unified one like you mention having.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK I started out with a Venturi Mini which worked fine for a while, then physically broke after only a few months. I managed to repair it with a bit of soldering, and it now works intermittently.
I therefore (on recommendation from XDA) bought an obscure bluetooth transmitter from ebay. This is much more substantial and robust - and gives a very strong signal. This has worked perfectly, the only problem is it's size and having to use an extension lead and find a way to stick it out of the way in the car so it doesn't get in the way of changing gear! (Depends where your cigarette lighter socket is..)
I therefore fancied the combined cradle / FM transmitter instead from here My initial reaction was it was cheap rubbish - the socket was loose so although it would transmit a signal, as soon as you move the car it loses the connection to the TP2, making it useless. However, I then used a pair of pliers to tighten the socket in the cradle, and it worked well for nearly 2 weeks - including charging the phone while driving. I was getting to be quite happy with it, until today it just stopped transmitting a signal. I've opened it up but can't find any obvious loose connections, so it's now trash - proving my initial view.
I am now wondering about the FM talk transmitter. Has anyone tried it?
I have use the FM talk transmitter found on Ebay since July. It works great.
Only problem is that it doesnt charge the phone when the mini-usb car charger is plugged to the transmitter. It only powers the transmitter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/CAR-FM-TRANSMIT...wItemQQptZPDA_Accessories?hash=item414aa12524
this works real good for me.
I connect the dongle to an adapter to a tape deck module that you put in your tape deck (if you still have one) The cool thing is I can also use it as a speaker for when i receive calls. Works awesome, and better sound quality than FM transmitter.
Ramsfan_Jim said:
OK I started out with a Venturi Mini which worked fine for a while, then physically broke after only a few months. I managed to repair it with a bit of soldering, and it now works intermittently.
I therefore (on recommendation from XDA) bought an obscure bluetooth transmitter from ebay. This is much more substantial and robust - and gives a very strong signal. This has worked perfectly, the only problem is it's size and having to use an extension lead and find a way to stick it out of the way in the car so it doesn't get in the way of changing gear! (Depends where your cigarette lighter socket is..)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the Info,ive been using one of these for months but the sound quality isn't up to much..very cheap tho so what do i expect! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-FM-TRANSM...emQQptZUK_CE_MP3Access_RL?hash=item5ad4cd5441
Other than the bulkiness around the lighter socket, would you recommend the bluetooth option? i drive an MPV thingy so my gearstick is well out of the way. so this looks like a good option for me if its worth 25 quid. seems too good to be true!!
Also did you have to pay import duty when you got yours??
osrix25 said:
Thanks for the Info,ive been using one of these for months but the sound quality isn't up to much..very cheap tho so what do i expect! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-FM-TRANSM...emQQptZUK_CE_MP3Access_RL?hash=item5ad4cd5441
Other than the bulkiness around the lighter socket, would you recommend the bluetooth option? i drive an MPV thingy so my gearstick is well out of the way. so this looks like a good option for me if its worth 25 quid. seems too good to be true!!
Also did you have to pay import duty when you got yours??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That IS cheap! (You did well to get a few months use out of it)
I would recommend the bulkier transmitter - in fact I'm back to using it now and it works without a problem. It even comes with 2 remote controls - 1 handheld, 1 which attaches to the steering wheel, although these don't work on the recent NRG ROMs to fwd & rwd through tracks (which is a shame).
Apart from the size, I find having to turn on Bluetooth and connect each time I get in the car a bit of a pain (as opposed to just plugging the phone in), but if you're used to that it won't be an issue.
I've ordered the FM Talk transmitter now anyway.
As regards Import tax, I have ordered numerous items from China, Thailand etc. and only once had to pay duty. Generally the retailers have wised up and write 'GIFT' on the label, which exempts the item from duty.
Ramsfan_Jim said:
That IS cheap! (You did well to get a few months use out of it)
I would recommend the bulkier transmitter - in fact I'm back to using it now and it works without a problem. It even comes with 2 remote controls - 1 handheld, 1 which attaches to the steering wheel, although these don't work on the recent NRG ROMs to fwd & rwd through tracks (which is a shame).
Apart from the size, I find having to turn on Bluetooth and connect each time I get in the car a bit of a pain (as opposed to just plugging the phone in), but if you're used to that it won't be an issue.
I've ordered the FM Talk transmitter now anyway.
As regards Import tax, I have ordered numerous items from China, Thailand etc. and only once had to pay duty. Generally the retailers have wised up and write 'GIFT' on the label, which exempts the item from duty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, the remotes would come in handy as the kids use my phone to watch films in the back..gotta love that TP2 screen!! I rekon i'll add it to my christmas list!!
BTW i'm using Miri's 2.5 ROM which does support the fwd/back on my BT headphones!
I use my Motorola T505 for bluetooth/listening to music, mostly Pandora. A little pricey, but I'm not a headphone type of guy and it's technically illegal in California to not use some type of hands-free set.
What kind of car do you have? I'm going to give this a try. It should also charge the phone. It looks like it will display track info in my BMW but not in my VW.
http://gromaudio.com/store/usb_adapters/index.html
Everyone check this out. It's a mount and wireing solution. Some may like it. I will order me one in the next couple of weeks.
http://www.proclipusa.com/default.a...d=&parent_category=4&d_pcat=16708&d_cat=17907
Or
just buy a car radio with Adanced Stereo support over Bluetooth! that way you can also control your phone through the head-unit .
My method
As Die Bruine said a unit with bluetooth is great! However I couldn't afford the bluetooth adapter for my head-unit. So I have a stereo with a USB reader, after I connect my Tilt 2 I just tell it to go into mass storage mode!
HTCNeil said:
I connect the dongle to an adapter to a tape deck module that you put in your tape deck (if you still have one) The cool thing is I can also use it as a speaker for when i receive calls. Works awesome, and better sound quality than FM transmitter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do this too, and I accidentally discovered that you can still use the mic from the speakerphone when it's connected (via 3.5mm jack on the Sprint TP2), so I prop my TP2 on the steering column when I talk in my car (luckily, it cradles perfectly and the rubbery paint keeps it from slipping during turns). I'm told that they hear an echo when they talk, but my voice sounds better than any headphone or BT Headset I've used, and the voice quality over the speakers is really good.
well i bought the fm talk been using it for 3 days now and i love it. its easy to use its self explanitory just plug it in and go. makes the music sound louder on my cars speaker the only thing is that it doesnt charge your phone while in use but its not a problem for my i have temporaly flashed back to stock rom because its the only rom that has a long battery life well from my experience .....
thank you ugys for your thoughts i appreciate it
Does anyone have any experience/recommendations for an Android-based car stereo head unit? My old stereo has just died, so I am interested in what people think of the currently available ones. I have a double din space.
eBay seems to have several available that are similar to this: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/15/ca-fi-is-an-aftermarket-android-car-stereo-that-wont-fit-in-you/
There are ones where the Android part is essentially a separate tablet (probably not what I'm after, judging by the videos) http://www.erisin.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=253
Parrot make this single-din stereo: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Parrot-Aste...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1343930713&sr=1-24
There are no doubt many others too. Prices seem to be in the £200 - £280 range which is about my limit.
Nobody has any experience of these or opinions at all?
I think I'm leaning towards the Parrot as it's rootable, and the single-din size is more likely to fit whatever car I get after my current one.
Bump for this thread. I just recently thought about getting into one of these units too, my only concern is how "locked down" they would be in terms of getting rid of their default launchers and crap they have. I basically want a way to just have android by itself running on the car - I can get apps for just about everything else. Ideally I want a clone of my phone on the car that would sync with my phone. Or better yet, simply a way to have a "remote display" for my phone. That way, anything I'm doing on the car side of things would be the same on my phone, like a received email, new internet bookmark, or something like that.
~T.J.
I just picked up a "Road Cyberman" from China Jiaho (actually they call it something else, but it's the same as Chinavasion's Road Cyberman, except $100 cheaper).
It's running Gingerbread 2.3.5 and proving difficult to root. No adb on the usb (even with debug option), no google apps (although I found some apks that sort of work) and no adb wireless available.
The devices works fine, but I would like to have a little bit more control over it.
I've tried Gingerbreak and the other get root apks, but no luck so far.
Yeah, I have seen a lot of those units, but I kind of changed my mind. I have recently been looking into doing something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Q-UXDi3dm3U
I have been following that company for a while, and they just recently released that video and are taking pre-orders for the new board. My biggest hold up at this point is that I would like to use a single DIN stereo for the "amp" by running the audio from their device into the aux input of my existing stereo. I need to find room to mount both the double DIN screen and a custom spot for the single DIN stereo I already have. I would then have the choice of using the stereo without plugging in the phone if I didn't want to for whatever reason. Alternatively, if I can find a good FM tuner app for my phone and a good customizable dock mode, I could eliminate the stock stereo and just run the inputs into a standard automotive 4 channel amp. This of course means you get nothing for a car stereo unless you connect the phone though, unlike the other plan.
Of course, another thought I had was getting a used double DIN touch screen DVD player and using their interface board to convert it to run the Android screen through it, then run the audio straight into the aux input of the touch screen DVD player. That way you have the ability to use the system "as is" out of the box, OR run the Android device through the screen. I think this is the best option, but it also takes the most money since you have the expense of the used double DIN touch screen unit first. I also wonder about picture quality and touch screen sensitivity with the built in touch screens on those units.
Anyway, just food for thought!
~T.J.
EDIT: One of the other hold ups is the calling. I would like to use an external mic and have audio come through the car speakers, currently using that board you are still calling through the device, thus you would need a Bluetooth headset from my understanding. I would like to avoid that if possible also. This is another good reason to go with the double DIN stereo since some of those support Bluetooth calling already and you could probably make/receive calls that way completely hands free.
EDIT #2: If you were into car monitoring and such also, you could easily get a bluetooth OBD interface and run the software on the phone (such as torque) so you could display live data from your car on your dash also. Something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-ZvTn3fLo&t=45s
I picked up one of these after my buddy sent me this thread. It's got the power, but needs a root bad. Wish I knew how to find root for an Android device.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17228
After using this for a few weeks I just wanted to report my experience using it with the Note 3.
My brother has the similar Belkin kit and it is absolutely TERRIBLE. It flashes red and refuses to connect to anything for days at a time then seemingly works for a month or two, the speakerphone is absolutely unusable, the precise timing required to use the ONE button for Play, Pause, and Next Track is maddeningly difficult (leaves you blindly wondering if it is paused, resumed, or skipped), and it is simply too expensive.
I am happy to say that I didn't have any of those issues with the Kinivo kit. It sticks with a double-sided sticky foam disc instead of the two-part magnetic base that the Belkin uses but I don't plan to move it around and it's not like Belkin included two bases anyway. With it stuck solidly on the dash, I kinda wish it had a twist to skip function but the dedicated buttons are certainly good enough for that! The wireless connection is solid and the controls feel/work great. I have no idea if it is using Apt-X or not but it supposedly supports it for higher-quality A2DP streaming over Bluetooth (as does the Note 3). The quality sounds much better but that could just be my car having better speakers compared to my brother (I am no audiophile).
Unlike the Belkin, it auto-connects when you start the car. That would be fine if it didn't cause the phone to also auto-answer! Further compounding it is the fact that it comes on even when your stereo is off so you may have no idea that it grabbed the call (you can't hear the caller without powering on and switching inputs). Obviously, there's no easy way for them to integrate with your OEM stereo to only operate when the stereo is on and AUX input is selected, which is the drawback to having an adapter kit. I don't know if the auto-answering is bad behavior on Samsung's part or if it does that with every phone so I'll have to test. There have been times leaving work with my ringer silenced when it would answer a call I didn't even know was incoming and then I drive around completely unaware that someone can hear everything going on in the car. Galaxy Charging Light reports 1800mAH charge rate through the built-in USB port, which is as fast a my phone charges from the stock 2-amp wall plug, but I do wish it had a second USB port or was de-coupled so that you could bring your own. The Belkin does have a smaller plug but they both occupy the whole power socket, they both only have one available USB port, and they both are permanently wired for their own power.
Speakerphone is a million times better than the crappy Belkin unit. I'd barely be exaggerating to say that the Belkin is completely unusable for phone calls while driving. This actually WORKS. I am somewhat hard of hearing which is why I'm no audiophile, but this was perfectly adequate.
There is no battery and thus no need to charge it. It really came down to the Belkin and Kinivo for me purely because I didn't want one of those rechargeable units. A significant number of users reported feedback issues when charging in many vehicles and I don't want to deal with worn batteries. While I can't confirm that wired units are immune to this, I didn't have that issue in my 2011 Corolla or my brother's 2009 Aveo. People act like you just have to suck it up and buy the fix (ground loop isolator) if you have this problem but I ask "why can't it be built-in?" If possible, I expect that.
I hope I can fix the auto-answer problem with an Xposed tweak or something. All in all, I am very happy with it and I want to make sure none of you waste your money on the terrible Belkin version! I decided on this back when it and the Belkin kit were the only two similar options but I see a new "iClever" Bluetooth 4.0 kit has showed up on the market. It costs less, includes a dual-port charger (occupies one port but at least it's de-coupled so you can BYO), doesn't mention Apt-X,
but I'd love to hear from anyone with experience with it.
Kinivo BTC450 kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Kinivo-BTC450...9545&sr=8-1&keywords=Kinivo+Bluetooth+car+kit
Belkin kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Han...r=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=Kinivo+Bluetooth+car+kit
iClever Himbox HB01 kit:
http://www.amazon.com/iClever-Bluet...ncluded/dp/tech-data/B00GJFGDUQ/ref=de_a_smtd