Android head units and multi-tasking question
Discussion
So these whizz bang Android units...can I get some answers to some questions before I shell out please...
1] Can they do more than one thing at once. Let's say DAB radio playing while Torque is showing on the display. Or DAB radio whilst Google maps is running with navigation?
2] If the answer to the above is yes, is it easy to switch between running apps...i.e flick from Torque to maps and vice versa.
3] If you turn off the ignition, does the unit come back on exactly where you left off...i.e radio playing, maps display etc.
Finally...any recommendations?
1] Can they do more than one thing at once. Let's say DAB radio playing while Torque is showing on the display. Or DAB radio whilst Google maps is running with navigation?
2] If the answer to the above is yes, is it easy to switch between running apps...i.e flick from Torque to maps and vice versa.
3] If you turn off the ignition, does the unit come back on exactly where you left off...i.e radio playing, maps display etc.
Finally...any recommendations?
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
I sort of came to the conclusion that they all do a million and one different things, all badly. So I gave up on the idea.
All the top ICE brands do them. I mean some of their software might not be amazing as it's not their field (Sony at face value should have a decent shot) but they must be half decent.Surely the hardware must be solid and the interface as it's just running an OS which can do whatever even a cheap smartphone can do e.g. maps, phone calls, plus as you say a million other things you may or may not need in your car, and pump your music out with a few watts.
I can't see what a £500 could do on the software side that one a fifth of that couldn't, assuming it had enough memory and was stable enough.
I would just want maps, phone, music, rear view camera (auto input switch as most claim to offer) plus Torque, then that's more than most factory units.
I've had a Pioneer sph-da230dab unit fitted in my last car and transferred it to the present one. Does everything I need of it, pretty seamlessly.
Android Auto works well (reads out messages (messenger, Telegram, whatssapp), and you can verbally reply. Google maps, waze, DAB, Spotify, good call quality. Moving between the apps is easy and quick.
Comes back on where you left off.
I know there are cheaper Android Auto units which are probably more modern, but they seem to do far more than I need, and of questionable quality.
Android Auto works well (reads out messages (messenger, Telegram, whatssapp), and you can verbally reply. Google maps, waze, DAB, Spotify, good call quality. Moving between the apps is easy and quick.
Comes back on where you left off.
I know there are cheaper Android Auto units which are probably more modern, but they seem to do far more than I need, and of questionable quality.
alfabeat said:
I've had a Pioneer sph-da230dab unit fitted in my last car and transferred it to the present one. Does everything I need of it, pretty seamlessly.
Android Auto works well (reads out messages (messenger, Telegram, whatssapp), and you can verbally reply. Google maps, waze, DAB, Spotify, good call quality. Moving between the apps is easy and quick.
Comes back on where you left off.
I know there are cheaper Android Auto units which are probably more modern, but they seem to do far more than I need, and of questionable quality.
By the time you install in you might as well pay £300 for a lower end model of a decent make than 1-200 for some unknown Chinese rubbish. Android Auto works well (reads out messages (messenger, Telegram, whatssapp), and you can verbally reply. Google maps, waze, DAB, Spotify, good call quality. Moving between the apps is easy and quick.
Comes back on where you left off.
I know there are cheaper Android Auto units which are probably more modern, but they seem to do far more than I need, and of questionable quality.
I'm struggling to establish whether I can get Android Auto (or any other protocol which gets my phone apps on my car stereo) wirelessly. Google claim that recent phones are compatible but would it require the latest Android Auto version in the car?
What car is it going in?
I had a positive experience with the brand 'Pumpkin'. It was in an Astra, comes with built in fascia, plug and play CANBUS wiring loom and was a doddle to fit.
The CANBUS element ensured the steering wheel controls and OEM LCD display still operated which i hadnt expected.
The device can be compared to a cheap tablet, with an amplifier strapped to the back of it. If you have used android before on a tablet it is no different really except there are some additional hardware buttons and a custom skin/UI over the android.
Make sure you get one with decent RAM (4gb plus) and extendable storage.
I ran spotify, audible, Tune in radio apps on it and you could have them play in the background like you can with a tablet/phone. It also ran prime video and VLC, but netflix app i could not get to work (only when stationary obviously).
I saved my playlists and audibooks down to the device, so no internet connection was needed - however i set up an automation on my phone so that when it connects to the stereo bluetooth it automatically turns on mobile hotspot, so it had a live internet connection without me needing to press anything.
This one quick booted and had lots of USB's which i used to power a dashcam amongst other things for a clean install.
I would definitely recommend but don't skimp. The unbranded ones require significant wiring and are known to be rubbish.
www.autopumpkin.co.uk got mine off ebay new, was quite a bit cheaper
I had a positive experience with the brand 'Pumpkin'. It was in an Astra, comes with built in fascia, plug and play CANBUS wiring loom and was a doddle to fit.
The CANBUS element ensured the steering wheel controls and OEM LCD display still operated which i hadnt expected.
The device can be compared to a cheap tablet, with an amplifier strapped to the back of it. If you have used android before on a tablet it is no different really except there are some additional hardware buttons and a custom skin/UI over the android.
Make sure you get one with decent RAM (4gb plus) and extendable storage.
I ran spotify, audible, Tune in radio apps on it and you could have them play in the background like you can with a tablet/phone. It also ran prime video and VLC, but netflix app i could not get to work (only when stationary obviously).
I saved my playlists and audibooks down to the device, so no internet connection was needed - however i set up an automation on my phone so that when it connects to the stereo bluetooth it automatically turns on mobile hotspot, so it had a live internet connection without me needing to press anything.
This one quick booted and had lots of USB's which i used to power a dashcam amongst other things for a clean install.
I would definitely recommend but don't skimp. The unbranded ones require significant wiring and are known to be rubbish.
www.autopumpkin.co.uk got mine off ebay new, was quite a bit cheaper
joropug said:
What car is it going in?
I had a positive experience with the brand 'Pumpkin'. It was in an Astra, comes with built in fascia, plug and play CANBUS wiring loom and was a doddle to fit.
The CANBUS element ensured the steering wheel controls and OEM LCD display still operated which i hadnt expected.
The device can be compared to a cheap tablet, with an amplifier strapped to the back of it. If you have used android before on a tablet it is no different really except there are some additional hardware buttons and a custom skin/UI over the android.
Make sure you get one with decent RAM (4gb plus) and extendable storage.
I ran spotify, audible, Tune in radio apps on it and you could have them play in the background like you can with a tablet/phone. It also ran prime video and VLC, but netflix app i could not get to work (only when stationary obviously).
I saved my playlists and audibooks down to the device, so no internet connection was needed - however i set up an automation on my phone so that when it connects to the stereo bluetooth it automatically turns on mobile hotspot, so it had a live internet connection without me needing to press anything.
This one quick booted and had lots of USB's which i used to power a dashcam amongst other things for a clean install.
I would definitely recommend but don't skimp. The unbranded ones require significant wiring and are known to be rubbish.
www.autopumpkin.co.uk got mine off ebay new, was quite a bit cheaper
So this is more a standalone Android device than Android Auto to link to your phone to control apps can it do that as well? Trying to work out the relationship between the 2 systems. Obviously you can install Android Auto on any device but then that is still separate from my phone.I had a positive experience with the brand 'Pumpkin'. It was in an Astra, comes with built in fascia, plug and play CANBUS wiring loom and was a doddle to fit.
The CANBUS element ensured the steering wheel controls and OEM LCD display still operated which i hadnt expected.
The device can be compared to a cheap tablet, with an amplifier strapped to the back of it. If you have used android before on a tablet it is no different really except there are some additional hardware buttons and a custom skin/UI over the android.
Make sure you get one with decent RAM (4gb plus) and extendable storage.
I ran spotify, audible, Tune in radio apps on it and you could have them play in the background like you can with a tablet/phone. It also ran prime video and VLC, but netflix app i could not get to work (only when stationary obviously).
I saved my playlists and audibooks down to the device, so no internet connection was needed - however i set up an automation on my phone so that when it connects to the stereo bluetooth it automatically turns on mobile hotspot, so it had a live internet connection without me needing to press anything.
This one quick booted and had lots of USB's which i used to power a dashcam amongst other things for a clean install.
I would definitely recommend but don't skimp. The unbranded ones require significant wiring and are known to be rubbish.
www.autopumpkin.co.uk got mine off ebay new, was quite a bit cheaper
I suppose everything would be linked via my Google account anyway and even Maps would have my saved places etc, but I wouldn't want to have to start messing around with my phone to play music, or to have to either download music again to the head unit, or stream it, when it's already on my phone. Of course I could just have it playing off the phone through Bluetooth, but that then brings me back to the question of how much would be controlled by the head unit. I'd have to start a playlist running from my phone, to then control by Bluetooth on the stereo. A very minor inconvenience, but ironically I need the head unit to do less, simply controlling or displaying Torque and Maps and Music from my phone. If that's just Android Auto how can I get that without all the other stuff that would mean I'd likely pay more for an inferior unit?
R Mutt said:
So this is more a standalone Android device than Android Auto to link to your phone to control apps can it do that as well? Trying to work out the relationship between the 2 systems. Obviously you can install Android Auto on any device but then that is still separate from my phone.
I suppose everything would be linked via my Google account anyway and even Maps would have my saved places etc, but I wouldn't want to have to start messing around with my phone to play music, or to have to either download music again to the head unit, or stream it, when it's already on my phone. Of course I could just have it playing off the phone through Bluetooth, but that then brings me back to the question of how much would be controlled by the head unit. I'd have to start a playlist running from my phone, to then control by Bluetooth on the stereo. A very minor inconvenience, but ironically I need the head unit to do less, simply controlling or displaying Torque and Maps and Music from my phone. If that's just Android Auto how can I get that without all the other stuff that would mean I'd likely pay more for an inferior unit?
Android auto in a manufacturers head unit is quite good - can run the main apps and control your phone from the screen essentially. A good solution. I suppose everything would be linked via my Google account anyway and even Maps would have my saved places etc, but I wouldn't want to have to start messing around with my phone to play music, or to have to either download music again to the head unit, or stream it, when it's already on my phone. Of course I could just have it playing off the phone through Bluetooth, but that then brings me back to the question of how much would be controlled by the head unit. I'd have to start a playlist running from my phone, to then control by Bluetooth on the stereo. A very minor inconvenience, but ironically I need the head unit to do less, simply controlling or displaying Torque and Maps and Music from my phone. If that's just Android Auto how can I get that without all the other stuff that would mean I'd likely pay more for an inferior unit?
Android Head Unit is what i mentioned above, essentially a stand alone tablet device. Ironically you can run android auto on it as an app, but I never bothered. I also loaded google maps and waze onto it as well as Sygic - an offline map provider which meant it always had various navigation options with or without internet connection.
Both options would enable maps/spotify etc to run without interference with the other - but only the Android head unit would let you run Torque i believe.
joropug said:
Android auto in a manufacturers head unit is quite good - can run the main apps and control your phone from the screen essentially. A good solution.
Android Head Unit is what i mentioned above, essentially a stand alone tablet device. Ironically you can run android auto on it as an app, but I never bothered. I also loaded google maps and waze onto it as well as Sygic - an offline map provider which meant it always had various navigation options with or without internet connection.
Both options would enable maps/spotify etc to run without interference with the other - but only the Android head unit would let you run Torque i believe.
Bit sceptical about control from another unit TBH. Most my stuff I cast to TV and speakers through voice or from my phone. Even an Android phone to Google Home can be less than responsive at times. Android Head Unit is what i mentioned above, essentially a stand alone tablet device. Ironically you can run android auto on it as an app, but I never bothered. I also loaded google maps and waze onto it as well as Sygic - an offline map provider which meant it always had various navigation options with or without internet connection.
Both options would enable maps/spotify etc to run without interference with the other - but only the Android head unit would let you run Torque i believe.
With an Android headunit I could just use Google Assistant to talk to my phone and play through Bluetooth and that would still give me control and track names. This also means no wires if it turns out I couldn't get Android Auto wirelessly, and would ensure I had Torque.
Thinks that's the way to go, cheers.
Yeah just buy a good one and it should be fine
, I loved mine. I am considering one for my Mercedes but not sure what one to go for as it replaces OEM screen with a newer style tablet look.
I use android auto in a van at work - but usually don't bother connecting it (wire required) and use Bluetooth audio instead as sometimes songs just won't play until I restart it.
, I loved mine. I am considering one for my Mercedes but not sure what one to go for as it replaces OEM screen with a newer style tablet look.
I use android auto in a van at work - but usually don't bother connecting it (wire required) and use Bluetooth audio instead as sometimes songs just won't play until I restart it.
It's worth mentioning that if you have an old Android phone you can easily turn it into a car media system exactly like an Android head unit...
I recommend AGAMA car launcher which costs £1.99. It's easily customisable with as many buttons as you need etc.
You'll need to configure fastboot to enable the phone or tablet to automatically boot up when the USB is powered on (i.e when you turn on the ignition) - lots of youtube videos about this.
You'll also need Automateit which costs £1.99 - this is used to stut down the tablet or phone when the USB power is lost (i.e when you park up). Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM4X8OWlFZ8&fb...
I recommend AGAMA car launcher which costs £1.99. It's easily customisable with as many buttons as you need etc.
You'll need to configure fastboot to enable the phone or tablet to automatically boot up when the USB is powered on (i.e when you turn on the ignition) - lots of youtube videos about this.
You'll also need Automateit which costs £1.99 - this is used to stut down the tablet or phone when the USB power is lost (i.e when you park up). Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM4X8OWlFZ8&fb...
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
It's worth mentioning that if you have an old Android phone you can easily turn it into a car media system exactly like an Android head unit...
I recommend AGAMA car launcher which costs £1.99. It's easily customisable with as many buttons as you need etc.
You'll need to configure fastboot to enable the phone or tablet to automatically boot up when the USB is powered on (i.e when you turn on the ignition) - lots of youtube videos about this.
You'll also need Automateit which costs £1.99 - this is used to stut down the tablet or phone when the USB power is lost (i.e when you park up). Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM4X8OWlFZ8&fb...
Funny you should say that, I've just decided on that route. I have an old Android tablet and ordered a Bluetooth to radio transmitter which also has DAB. Bodge job but the factory unit never had the Bluetooth or AUX modules added and I wanted a solution while I was researching a proper headunit but will likely stick with itI recommend AGAMA car launcher which costs £1.99. It's easily customisable with as many buttons as you need etc.
You'll need to configure fastboot to enable the phone or tablet to automatically boot up when the USB is powered on (i.e when you turn on the ignition) - lots of youtube videos about this.
You'll also need Automateit which costs £1.99 - this is used to stut down the tablet or phone when the USB power is lost (i.e when you park up). Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM4X8OWlFZ8&fb...
Got a link? I would like to add a DAB adapter. You can buy them for Android head units for about 25 quid and they plug in to the USB. So the question is, would these work in a phone? I don’t see why not to be honest. I might get one, and if it doesn’t work I could always keep it for when my Nexus 4 is stolen from the car (as I leave it in the car, probably not the wisest thing to do really).
I'm picking up a E87 120d MSport tomorrow, pre LCI so single din replacement is the only real option. I also am looking for Android options. YouTube reviews of this for less than £60 look decent enough:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174101436242
They all seem to be the same design but with different names, all seem to support the dab usb add on
Edit: I know this isn't technically in the spirit of prior conversation on this thread but I thought, well for £60, with ok reviews, should surely get me Spotify and TuneIn radio.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174101436242
They all seem to be the same design but with different names, all seem to support the dab usb add on
Edit: I know this isn't technically in the spirit of prior conversation on this thread but I thought, well for £60, with ok reviews, should surely get me Spotify and TuneIn radio.
Edited by manracer on Thursday 8th October 23:23
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Got a link? I would like to add a DAB adapter. You can buy them for Android head units for about 25 quid and they plug in to the USB. So the question is, would these work in a phone? I don’t see why not to be honest. I might get one, and if it doesn’t work I could always keep it for when my Nexus 4 is stolen from the car (as I leave it in the car, probably not the wisest thing to do really).
Still waiting for this one to arrive even though it's UK stock, (one thing that puts me off eBay when I can get it next day from Amazon) so I can't recommend until I've tested...https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bluetooth-Digital-Car-D...
Obviously a DAB module on an Android head unit is cleaner but I'm sticking with the OEM stereo if this works.
R Mutt said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
Got a link? I would like to add a DAB adapter. You can buy them for Android head units for about 25 quid and they plug in to the USB. So the question is, would these work in a phone? I don’t see why not to be honest. I might get one, and if it doesn’t work I could always keep it for when my Nexus 4 is stolen from the car (as I leave it in the car, probably not the wisest thing to do really).
Still waiting for this one to arrive even though it's UK stock, (one thing that puts me off eBay when I can get it next day from Amazon) so I can't recommend until I've tested...https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bluetooth-Digital-Car-D...
Obviously a DAB module on an Android head unit is cleaner but I'm sticking with the OEM stereo if this works.
And that will come from China, not the UK. It's a bit of a scam where Chinese sellers just list a random UK city, but they're actually based in Shenzhen!
Dave. said:
That's an entertaining, but entirely irrelevant review. If they were all Android units then that'd be a fair comparison...but they're not.Gassing Station | In-Car Electronics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff