Which Android headunit?

[SilverNodashi]

I am looking for a semi decent double DIN android head unit, with at least the following features:

Be able to use Waze
Have Bluetooth so I can answer my phone on it
Have a CD, or even better DVD player
Be able to play music / answer the phone while using Waze
Have USB in
Have AM/FM
Integrate with my steering wheel controls
Optional: have a SIM slot, wifi is also fine I guess, but that means I need to carry an extra Wifi APP with a simcard in the car
Optional: It would be nice to screencast / mirror a movie to a tablet, for the kids to watch movies.

I had a look at the Paramount ZA110AND, as that's what they had in the shop I stopped at yesterday. It seems fine but only has 1GB RAM. It would do everything I wanted. I could hold in the home button and swap between apps while playing music but couldn't install and try out Waze.

Generally I would prefer a Kenwood / Sony / Pioneer radio, but the Android versions don't seem that nice. And I don't want to spend a fortune on it.

Any recommendations / experience / feedback appreciated.

 

[boanergesza1]

I am looking for a semi decent double DIN android head unit, with at least the following features:

Be able to use Waze
Have Bluetooth so I can answer my phone on it
Have a CD, or even better DVD player
Be able to play music / answer the phone while using Waze
Have USB in
Have AM/FM
Integrate with my steering wheel controls
Optional: have a SIM slot, wifi is also fine I guess, but that means I need to carry an extra Wifi APP with a simcard in the car
Optional: It would be nice to screencast / mirror a movie to a tablet, for the kids to watch movies.

I had a look at the Paramount ZA110AND, as that's what they had in the shop I stopped at yesterday. It seems fine but only has 1GB RAM. It would do everything I wanted. I could hold in the home button and swap between apps while playing music but couldn't install and try out Waze.

Generally I would prefer a Kenwood / Sony / Pioneer radio, but the Android versions don't seem that nice. And I don't want to spend a fortune on it.

Any recommendations / experience / feedback appreciated.

How about something with Apple carplay or Android auto? Or are you looking for a mini pc for your car.

 

[SilverNodashi]

How about something with Apple carplay or Android auto? Or are you looking for a mini pc for your car.

I don't have apple. Don't want apple. Don't care about apple.

No, no need to mini PC. A Raspberry Pi did cross my mind, but doubt if the CPU and RAM would cope.

 

[SilverNodashi]

Does anyone have an Android car radio installed?

 

[Claymore]

I've got an Android head unit, bought from www.stopshop.co.za. Works pretty well, tons of features. If I bought again, I'd get one with a 800x600 screen or better, and running Android 6 or better. More than 1GB RAM would help too. That said, mine's about 3 years old now.

 

[SilverNodashi]

I've got an Android head unit, bought from www.stopshop.co.za. Works pretty well, tons of features. If I bought again, I'd get one with a 800x600 screen or better, and running Android 6 or better. More than 1GB RAM would help too. That said, mine's about 3 years old now.

I have been looking at those, but don't recognize the XTRONS brand.

If I may, where do you live? If in Gauteng, can I possibly drop by and see how it works? I cannot find a shop that has them plugged in to demo.


My biggest concern is to be able to drive with Waze open, and when I can comes in, answer it on the radio but have waze still navigate - preferably muted.
When not on call, I'd like to listen to the radio or some MP3's in the background. Being able to have Google maps in the background, in order to receive traffic updates is also very handy.

 

[Claymore]

I have been looking at those, but don't recognize the XTRONS brand.

If I may, where do you live? If in Gauteng, can I possibly drop by and see how it works? I cannot find a shop that has them plugged in to demo.


My biggest concern is to be able to drive with Waze open, and when I can comes in, answer it on the radio but have waze still navigate - preferably muted.
When not on call, I'd like to listen to the radio or some MP3's in the background. Being able to have Google maps in the background, in order to receive traffic updates is also very handy.

Sure, you're welcome to. I'm in Weltevreden Park.

The Android units do all that. Don't worry about the brand - they're all generic Chinese brands, and you pretty much will never get updates or anything from them.

 

[OCP]

I don't have apple. Don't want apple. Don't care about apple.

No, no need to mini PC. A Raspberry Pi did cross my mind, but doubt if the CPU and RAM would cope.

A RBP 3+ with Bluetooth Dongle (built in BT on RBP is not v4) + audio DAC + 7" touch screen would cover the hardware
For software you could run OpenAuto Pro (https://github.com/f1xpl/openauto/wiki/OpenAuto-Pro) which will give you Android Auto through which you would run Waze/etc
Even if you add a 1080p rear view camera the cost would still be 1/2 of a decent Android unit.

Only downside is the FM radio which at this stage would require a separate board with some tinkering and soldering.
But you could always stream radio ...

 

[ProfA]

Does anyone have an Android car radio installed?

Me. Got it off aliexpress. Best upgrade Ive ever done. 4GB ram. 32GB internal storage space. Runs like a dream. Steering controls work the same. Cost about R4.5k including shipping to my door.

 

[SilverNodashi]

Sure, you're welcome to. I'm in Weltevreden Park.

The Android units do all that. Don't worry about the brand - they're all generic Chinese brands, and you pretty much will never get updates or anything from them.

I actually considered importing one from Banggood but none of the ones on their website has a CD / DVD player. The kids love their CD's and we have a LOT of DVD's with specific music on. And many of those units are a tad thicker than a tablet, so I wonder if they have the same powerful amplifiers and DAC processors as the ones I've seen locally.

Something that does stand out though is that the cheaper ones generally have 1GB RAM and I think for the long run it would be better to get 4GMB RAM

 

[SilverNodashi]

A RBP 3+ with Bluetooth Dongle (built in BT on RBP is not v4) + audio DAC + 7" touch screen would cover the hardware
For software you could run OpenAuto Pro (https://github.com/f1xpl/openauto/wiki/OpenAuto-Pro) which will give you Android Auto through which you would run Waze/etc
Even if you add a 1080p rear view camera the cost would still be 1/2 of a decent Android unit.

Only downside is the FM radio which at this stage would require a separate board with some tinkering and soldering.
But you could always stream radio ...

I have a couple Pi's and the one major issue is the RAM / CPU is a bit limited, especially if you run Linux underneath the OpenAuto app as well. Truth be told, I have considered it many times, but it's not the same.
I can take care of the hardware / soldering / electronics.

The thing that I don't know is what kind of DAC / audio processor / equalizer / amplifier hardware do these commercial radios have? I guess I could look for a 5.1 50W amplifier and small equalizer, but then the Pi+ 7" touch screen + audio hardware will work out the same as an off the shelf unit. The 7" touch HDMI screen alone cost R1300

 

[SilverNodashi]

Me. Got it off aliexpress. Best upgrade Ive ever done. 4GB ram. 32GB internal storage space. Runs like a dream. Steering controls work the same. Cost about R4.5k including shipping to my door.

Which one did you get?
Did you need to get a separate audio harness?
Where do you stay?

 

[SilverNodashi]

Sure, you're welcome to. I'm in Weltevreden Park.

Thanx,I'll let you know when I'm that side of Gauteng again. I'm on the East Rand

 

[ProfA]

Which one did you get?
Did you need to get a separate audio harness?
Where do you stay?

There are hundreds of different models. Do you mean which brand I got?
No separate audio harness. You just have to buy one specifically for your car, and it is plug and play as they provide the necesarry plugs that fit your car.
I stay in Khatu.

 

[SilverNodashi]

There are hundreds of different models. Do you mean which brand I got?
No separate audio harness. You just have to buy one specifically for your car, and it is plug and play as they provide the necesarry plugs that fit your car.
I stay in Khatu.

Yes, I meant which brand.

So far I haven't seen one that's compatible with the Hyundai H-1 so that could be a problem. And I don't like cutting into existing wiring

 

[Akirky]

Me. Got it off aliexpress. Best upgrade Ive ever done. 4GB ram. 32GB internal storage space. Runs like a dream. Steering controls work the same. Cost about R4.5k including shipping to my door.

I did too, no problem at all. Probably only R3800

Yes, I meant which brand.

So far I haven't seen one that's compatible with the Hyundai H-1 so that could be a problem. And I don't like cutting into existing wiring

https://www.aliexpress.com/af/hyund...igin=n&isViewCP=y&spellcheckPrompt=1&jump=afs

 

[ProfA]

Yes, I meant which brand.

So far I haven't seen one that's compatible with the Hyundai H-1 so that could be a problem. And I don't like cutting into existing wiring

I just searched aliexpress and found one. With free shipping. Even has a good review with a pics from a customer who installed it. You are not trying hard enough.

And with regard to brand, it really doesnt matter all that much as they ALL come from the same factory.

 

[SilverNodashi]

I just searched aliexpress and found one. With free shipping. Even has a good review with a pics from a customer who installed it. You are not trying hard enough.

And with regard to brand, it really doesnt matter all that much as they ALL come from the same factory.

I looked on Banggood as I have some other stuff on order there.

I would still like to try one out at some stage before I just get one

 

[SykomantiS]

I haven't tried one and when deciding on a HU for my car I went the route of a (high-ish) quality double din (Kenwood) that can do Android Auto.
If you're dead set on an Android powered head unit, I know the Pumpkin head units come up a lot in discussions on the UK Civic forums- or did at one time. I haven't been very active there lately so not sure if they've moved on to a different brand.

 

[Rocket-Boy]

You are wasting your time going straight android as it will never get updated and be mostly useless in the next few years.
You should rather be looking for something that runs android auto where the software on the unit matters a lot less than your phone.