Single DIN Carplay - useable?
Discussion
The old Kenwood BT single DIN in my e46 is giving up the ghost and I quite fancy a bit of Apple Carplay. I don't like the cheap tablet atop of the dash option that many seem to go for - I don't like trailing cables, it looks nickable, it obstructs your view, and it's another thing to slide about/come loose. I know there are double DINs that fit in e46s but I don't know how long I'll have the car so a single DIN would be a nice option as I could move it to another car if I buy a newer car.
I've seen a few cheapies on Amazon and they look a bit cack if I'm honest, no decent reviews either.
However, I've seen the Eonon X3U and that looks to be a bit better. Still generic Chinesium, but some actual reviews that seem OK and Eonon have been around a little while in the ICE arena. Any thoughts? The screen is slightly bigger than single DIN but it looks like it fits neatly and has a separate volume control which is a plus. No GPS/4G but then all that is available on my phone, and no split screen (but probably the screen is too small for that).
Main uses will be Nav (Google) and spotify/TuneIn.
The DIN slot isn't too low on the e46 so hopefully it will be useable. Currently a shade under £90 but hoping for a price drop on Prime Day.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eonon-Wireless-Carplay-Bl...
I've seen a few cheapies on Amazon and they look a bit cack if I'm honest, no decent reviews either.
However, I've seen the Eonon X3U and that looks to be a bit better. Still generic Chinesium, but some actual reviews that seem OK and Eonon have been around a little while in the ICE arena. Any thoughts? The screen is slightly bigger than single DIN but it looks like it fits neatly and has a separate volume control which is a plus. No GPS/4G but then all that is available on my phone, and no split screen (but probably the screen is too small for that).
Main uses will be Nav (Google) and spotify/TuneIn.
The DIN slot isn't too low on the e46 so hopefully it will be useable. Currently a shade under £90 but hoping for a price drop on Prime Day.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eonon-Wireless-Carplay-Bl...
I don't think the small screen is the issue for these, and you can always buy single DIN units with motorised fold out screens.
The biggest issue is that the single DIN aperture on many cars is quite low, meaning that the screen is both small and you have to move your gaze a long way to see it.
I've had a couple of chinesium android units over the years. The best ones seem to be adequate but not great. If you do buy one and plan to use the inbuilt amplifier, then make sure you check out the amp specs first, as many of these chinesium units have really bad heat management and poor audio quality.
The biggest issue is that the single DIN aperture on many cars is quite low, meaning that the screen is both small and you have to move your gaze a long way to see it.
I've had a couple of chinesium android units over the years. The best ones seem to be adequate but not great. If you do buy one and plan to use the inbuilt amplifier, then make sure you check out the amp specs first, as many of these chinesium units have really bad heat management and poor audio quality.
I figured for £70 it was worth a punt - turned up this evening and have test fitted. First impressions are, not bad for the price.
Fairly responsive, Carplay works fine, FM reception is fine, audio quality is adequate (20 year old e46 with boggo clapped out speakers). BT calling seems to work OK, external mic plugs straight in (although 3.5mm port is unlabeled and not mentioned in the instructions). screen readable. Nav looked useable on the smallish screen. I like that it'll look unobtrusive when switched off. Rotary volume/off switch is a big +ve
Only major problem so far is that it seems to hang when reading a USB stick I had to hand - don't know if it's due to the format (used to use it on an old Kenwood but I had issues with it in a more recent Alpine). Also some of the text is misspelled on menus and a bit.... well... Chinglish-y! I know we expect that sort of thing but given that Eonon is a relatively well known company in the in-car electronics world it seems like it might be worth doing a little proof reading!
Reversing camera provided but not fitted yet, looks fairly easy. Instructions focus on usage which is fairly self explanatory, but doesn't cover installation or much about wiring which is where you could do with a little help generally. Supplied with ISO to bare wire loom but as it has ISO sockets on the back the BMW to ISO loom already in my car worked fine. Steering wheel controls not working but kits available from the likes of Connect2.
All in all I'm quite impressed for the price (with the caveat that I've not used it on the move or done a final fit in the dash yet). Not sure spending 10 times the amount on a branded double DIN would do significantly more...
The DIN slot on the e46 is mid dash so quite readable). When I replace the BMW it'll likely get moved to my first gen BMW MINI (mid dash slot) or my Saab 900 (top of dash) so should be OK. Easier to use with hand resting on gearstick rather than floating in the air. Does make me wonder how phone laws are so draconian, yet manufacturers are putting big screens in cars to control everything including HVAC - not only is that legal but seems to be positively encouraged! Madness.
Fairly responsive, Carplay works fine, FM reception is fine, audio quality is adequate (20 year old e46 with boggo clapped out speakers). BT calling seems to work OK, external mic plugs straight in (although 3.5mm port is unlabeled and not mentioned in the instructions). screen readable. Nav looked useable on the smallish screen. I like that it'll look unobtrusive when switched off. Rotary volume/off switch is a big +ve
Only major problem so far is that it seems to hang when reading a USB stick I had to hand - don't know if it's due to the format (used to use it on an old Kenwood but I had issues with it in a more recent Alpine). Also some of the text is misspelled on menus and a bit.... well... Chinglish-y! I know we expect that sort of thing but given that Eonon is a relatively well known company in the in-car electronics world it seems like it might be worth doing a little proof reading!
Reversing camera provided but not fitted yet, looks fairly easy. Instructions focus on usage which is fairly self explanatory, but doesn't cover installation or much about wiring which is where you could do with a little help generally. Supplied with ISO to bare wire loom but as it has ISO sockets on the back the BMW to ISO loom already in my car worked fine. Steering wheel controls not working but kits available from the likes of Connect2.
All in all I'm quite impressed for the price (with the caveat that I've not used it on the move or done a final fit in the dash yet). Not sure spending 10 times the amount on a branded double DIN would do significantly more...
The DIN slot on the e46 is mid dash so quite readable). When I replace the BMW it'll likely get moved to my first gen BMW MINI (mid dash slot) or my Saab 900 (top of dash) so should be OK. Easier to use with hand resting on gearstick rather than floating in the air. Does make me wonder how phone laws are so draconian, yet manufacturers are putting big screens in cars to control everything including HVAC - not only is that legal but seems to be positively encouraged! Madness.
It's slightly taller than single DIN but doesn't look like a branch of Dixons like a lot of these do. I was worried the configuration of the single DIN screen might feel a bit constricting for google maps but just sitting on the drive it looked like it might be quite useful. We'll see!
Just as an update, reformatted the USB stick (16GB) FAT32 and it seems to work, I think it had become corrupted. Only issue now is that everything is displayed in a silly order and by album names (I normally use the directory structure to organise) and there doesn't seem to be any way of sorting differently. Could easily be sorted in a firmware update by my experience of things like this is that it won't be! Shame...
Not used the car for a few days so looking forward to a long journey this evening and seeing how well it works.
2 annoyances so far:
1. the screen was feeling a bit weird so started to pull off the protector. I had assumed it was just for transit and fitting but now I am wondering if it was there as a permanent screen protector as I'm not sure how to fit a new one due to the volume control, which doesn't seem to pull off. Stuck it back down but of course now it has air bubbles.
2. it comes with metal prongs to remove it from the dash, but once it is mounted there is no way to get to them!! There are oblong holes at the sides but they have things in the middle (see pics). Are you supposed to snap them out!? Seems ridiculous! It's OK in my e46 as you simply unscrew the spacing plate it is mounted into, but if you fitted it in a standard DIN slot you couldn't get it out without causing damage. Seems crazy...
Pics of it in situ at night - looks pretty good IMO:
2 annoyances so far:
1. the screen was feeling a bit weird so started to pull off the protector. I had assumed it was just for transit and fitting but now I am wondering if it was there as a permanent screen protector as I'm not sure how to fit a new one due to the volume control, which doesn't seem to pull off. Stuck it back down but of course now it has air bubbles.
2. it comes with metal prongs to remove it from the dash, but once it is mounted there is no way to get to them!! There are oblong holes at the sides but they have things in the middle (see pics). Are you supposed to snap them out!? Seems ridiculous! It's OK in my e46 as you simply unscrew the spacing plate it is mounted into, but if you fitted it in a standard DIN slot you couldn't get it out without causing damage. Seems crazy...
Pics of it in situ at night - looks pretty good IMO:
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Sunday 12th October 18:44
At the risk of just posting to myself I'm going to put some more thoughts up!
Used in anger for the first time over the weekend - works very well in practice.
More slightly niggles:
3. USB stick contents viewed in seemingly random order and no way of reordering or sorting into folders
4. If using Radio/USB playback functions (ie, on the unit's native UI) then you can't use maps as that's on Carplay. Way around it would be to use nav on your phone, or copy contents of USB stick to your phone and use apple music, and to use an app like TuneIn for internet radio.
Definitely a good bit of kit for £70. I am a bit annoyed at the lack of installation info - as the face is a bit bigger than single DIN, depending on the layout of your dash it might be tricky to get it to fit well. Happens to work well in mine but not sure whether it would in my other cars. Infuriating that I can't see a way of removing it though! No reply from eonon on this yet, or my query about transit screen protection / permanent screen protector.
Used in anger for the first time over the weekend - works very well in practice.
More slightly niggles:
3. USB stick contents viewed in seemingly random order and no way of reordering or sorting into folders
4. If using Radio/USB playback functions (ie, on the unit's native UI) then you can't use maps as that's on Carplay. Way around it would be to use nav on your phone, or copy contents of USB stick to your phone and use apple music, and to use an app like TuneIn for internet radio.
Definitely a good bit of kit for £70. I am a bit annoyed at the lack of installation info - as the face is a bit bigger than single DIN, depending on the layout of your dash it might be tricky to get it to fit well. Happens to work well in mine but not sure whether it would in my other cars. Infuriating that I can't see a way of removing it though! No reply from eonon on this yet, or my query about transit screen protection / permanent screen protector.
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