Bluetooth Firmware Hacking Question - Android Software/Hacking General [Developers Only]

Hello.
I paid attention to where it says "no noobs please" in the hacking section and opted to respect that request.
If at any point you find yourself saying "don't do that. do this." in regards to this thread then note: I know what I want. Either it can be done or it can't. Don't try and point me in some other direction.
That said, here's my issue:
I ride a motorcycle. I bought a bluetooth intercom/interface which fits nicely on the exterior of my helmet for control/safety. The headphones absolutely SUCK, which is why I'm here.
I bought a $100 pair of really nice earbuds + mic. The problem is that their controls are UNDER my helmet and that simply won't do.
What I WANT to do is control my phone with my exterior BT module but listen through my nice new earbuds.
Because both of these bt items are of an audio nature, only one can be connected. So, here I am ... wondering if theirs a solution that isn't a punch line.
I'm willing to hack into the product firmware if someone will openly guide me through the process.
Would that, could that even work?
Fingers crossed.

To clarify,
you have your mobil, which supplies the audio source, i.e. call or music?
you have your nice headphones + mic, which is itself a bluetooth device too
you have your old bluetooth device whose controls you want to use, but not the headphones it supplies?

Yes!
You nailed it.
That is precisely what I want to do.

Well its not impossible, but very unfeasible.
I'm no bluetooth expert, but when playing through some scenarios in my head it would be way to much effort.
I think taking the hardware approach and doing something like soldering the good earphones onto the headpiece with the bluetooth controls, will yield faster and cheaper results.
Ya i pointed you in another direction .
But the software approach just doesn't work very well, especially as the firmware on both bluetooth devices is most likely closed source, additionaly they might need hardware changes too, to be even modifyable software wise.

@RobinDean
The quickest and easiest way is the swap out the bad sounding speaker unit and replace with something better. Buy some ebay or whatever, not expensive .
While remembering Bluetooth transmission via SBC codec has few different bitrate of transmission, low is bad and high is relatively acceptable, plus internal DSP etc etc etc, hence you may be lucky they are using high bitrate and stereo.
Your post more than 2 years ago, probably you moved on, got better products and skip all this entirely.

Related

Best BlueTooth Car Unit

Now that the Nexus One Car Dock is out and it is confirmed that it does indeed support BT pairing, how about some recomendations on some good compatable car stereos to go with it?
In my case, I would like a Double-Din unit. If I want BT, and Satelite, most dealers are trying to sell me a base unit with each feature as an add-on. That would make working with these systems awkward as they are not fully integrated into the unit. Is there such a thing as a unit that does all of this:
Double-Din
BlueTooth
Satelite Radio
HD Radio
Ability to control the music playback on the Nexus
thm92630 said:
Now that the Nexus One Car Dock is out and it is confirmed that it does indeed support BT pairing, how about some recomendations on some good compatable car stereos to go with it?
In my case, I would like a Double-Din unit. If I want BT, and Satelite, most dealers are trying to sell me a base unit with each feature as an add-on. That would make working with these systems awkward as they are not fully integrated into the unit. Is there such a thing as a unit that does all of this:
Double-Din
BlueTooth
Satelite Radio
HD Radio
Ability to control the music playback on the Nexus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Satellite and HD radio are generally going to require add ons, but Bluetooth is often an integrated solution.
My head unit review is here
How on earth are we going to decide what's best? I like mine, but I am quite sure it's not the absolute best.
Alpine FTW!
I always use Alpine headunits. I believe this one will work meet all of your requirements. You may have to purchase an additional bluetooth control unit, but that is pretty much the norm. This one also is compatible with Alpine's imprint technology which is AWESOME! If you don't know you should check it out.
http://ikesound.com/alpine_iva_w505
Here is the imprint module:
http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/pxa-h100
Also found the Bluetooth module:
http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/kce-400bt
ccunningham83 said:
Also found the Bluetooth module:
http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/kce-400bt
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Click to collapse
Has this been tested with the Nexus One, which is pretty picky about what Bluetooth Devices it will pair and work with? A positive report would be really cool.
Ok, instead of 'best' how about most reasonable? This setup is over a grand! If there isn't a unit with these features integraged, I will prefer to go with a bluetooth device first and add the rest later (on a side note, couldn't these extra units interface thru bluetooth as well?)
A feature that I see advertised a lot is an 'iPod adapter' that allows the head unit to control an iPhone and display track information as well. Would a bluetooth connection to the nexus provide this feature?
thm92630 said:
Ok, instead of 'best' how about most reasonable? This setup is over a grand! If there isn't a unit with these features integraged, I will prefer to go with a bluetooth device first and add the rest later (on a side note, couldn't these extra units interface thru bluetooth as well?)
A feature that I see advertised a lot is an 'iPod adapter' that allows the head unit to control an iPhone and display track information as well. Would a bluetooth connection to the nexus provide this feature?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right, this setup is expensive, but it is a very nice setup. I personally don't have it, but I do have experiance using high end alpine products. I did read that when paired with bluetooth, the album information will be displayed. I don't know if that includes streaming Pandora or not though.
I didn't think it would be crazy for someone who spent $530 on a phone to get the best phone out would mind spending the money on a high end radio. If you want to make it cheaper I would suggest getting a single DIN radio, they are substantially cheaper and you can get the same features, plus a storage area above or below in the existing space.
I'm in the same boat as the OP. Tracking....
Sent from my Nexus One using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
I personally despise that Pioneer unit. I bought it originally from Amazon but ended up hating almost everything about it. It beeps every time you do ANYTHING, it is bright blue like a comet even at night and lights up the whole cab, the menus are a mess to use, and the iPod support seizes control of the iPod while the head unit iPod controls aren't even very good at all.
I sent it back and bought a JVC double DIN http://www.amazon.com/JVC-KW-XG700-Double-Receiver-Expandable/dp/B000R3G86K . It has no iPod support or bluetooth though (even though I still consider it to be superior just on a usability basis). There is no bluetooth in it though, so now I am looking at buying a $100 bluetooth adapter for it. I see that JVC is going to release a new model any day though, the XR810. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_105KWXR810/JVC-KW-XR810.html?tp=5684&avf=N At first I was afraid because it too has blue backlights, but it turns out that all of the lighting is completely customizable. This thing seems to do everything the way I want it to such that I'm thinking of upgrading even though my receiver works fine. Since it has bluetooth built in, its only $200 more than just buying a bluetooth adapter.
That said, if you're looking at buying aftermarket and you dont care about what it sounds like or amplifiers or custom speakers, there are probably cheaper units that still offer bluetooth connectivity.
The more people that check this out and add the better
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=660617
so far we have 4 headunits that work pretty well, if you find another one please place it into the list
-Charlie
bradsh1 said:
I personally despise that Pioneer unit. I bought it originally from Amazon but ended up hating almost everything about it. It beeps every time you do ANYTHING, it is bright blue like a comet even at night and lights up the whole cab, the menus are a mess to use, and the iPod support seizes control of the iPod while the head unit iPod controls aren't even very good at all.
I sent it back and bought a JVC double DIN http://www.amazon.com/JVC-KW-XG700-Double-Receiver-Expandable/dp/B000R3G86K . It has no iPod support or bluetooth though (even though I still consider it to be superior just on a usability basis). There is no bluetooth in it though, so now I am looking at buying a $100 bluetooth adapter for it. I see that JVC is going to release a new model any day though, the XR810. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_105KWXR810/JVC-KW-XR810.html?tp=5684&avf=N At first I was afraid because it too has blue backlights, but it turns out that all of the lighting is completely customizable. This thing seems to do everything the way I want it to such that I'm thinking of upgrading even though my receiver works fine. Since it has bluetooth built in, its only $200 more than just buying a bluetooth adapter.
That said, if you're looking at buying aftermarket and you dont care about what it sounds like or amplifiers or custom speakers, there are probably cheaper units that still offer bluetooth connectivity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right about bright blue. There are two way to deal with that - either turn the display off or wire it to the dimmable dash lights with an inline resistor to drop the voltage a bit more. The dash lights go right to most harnesses, so it's not a big deal. But if it gets 12v straight from the vehicle, it's going to be bright when it's on. I haven't had any issues with with mp3 playback with the N1 since the first day. I can use N1 playback, or I can use head unit controls, or I can use my factory steering wheel controls, which are by far easiest. Beeps? I don't care. They're soft and they don't bother me.
That is another reason I bought the uint I did, full customizable color scheme and (standard) dimming features when hooked up correctly.
its a pain because my vehichle VW GTI has the CAN system to power on the unit vs a standard 12v on source.
what are your best guesses for the video playback bypass for ebrake on a GTI?
-Charlie
dahui9 said:
That is another reason I bought the uint I did, full customizable color scheme and (standard) dimming features when hooked up correctly.
its a pain because my vehichle VW GTI has the CAN system to power on the unit vs a standard 12v on source.
what are your best guesses for the video playback bypass for ebrake on a GTI?
-Charlie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If hooked up correctly, they all have dimming. However, the lights on these are generally far more efficient than the dash lights, which means by the time the dash lights are visible, the head unit lights are too bright. I plan to fix that with a resistor in line with power coming from the dimmer. It's a simple fix. The head unit does have a dimming adjustment, It just doesn't go nearly far enough.
Not sure why video bypass is required on the DVD players, but I have read that a lot of people do it. What is the situation that requires a bypass?
Wish I hadn't posted here. It was a double.
attn1 said:
If hooked up correctly, they all have dimming. However, the lights on these are generally far more efficient than the dash lights, which means by the time the dash lights are visible, the head unit lights are too bright. I plan to fix that with a resistor in line with power coming from the dimmer. It's a simple fix. The head unit does have a dimming adjustment, It just doesn't go nearly far enough.
Not sure why video bypass is required on the DVD players, but I have read that a lot of people do it. What is the situation that requires a bypass?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so when your driving your surrounding peeps can watch music videos, dvd's, and or home made movie clips (no erotic pun intended ) if you don't do it no video will play while the car is in motion.
-Charlie
dahui9 said:
so when your driving your surrounding peeps can watch music videos, dvd's, and or home made movie clips (no erotic pun intended ) if you don't do it no video will play while the car is in motion.
-Charlie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So there is a circuit the emergency brake is supposed to close that indicates it's safe to play video? Seems like that would be easy enough to circumvent right at the head unit. Easier than connecting the head unit to the emergency brake.

[Q] Why people prefer wired headphones vs. Stereo Bluetooth?

There are a lot of topics in the forum about people having trouble finding compatible headphones to work for music and "remote" control the phone playback.
the Bluetooth A2DP works perfectly fine in SGS for both Car Receivers and Stereo headset, and it switch transparently between music to phone calls and back without a glitch.
(i can't say the same for WM phones, another reason why i left WM platform, PalmOS was good, but is no longer produced)
There are lots of excellent Stereo BT headphones in the market now, both Studio like or simple 1 ear type, whatever ticks your fancy, the studio type offers the best audio quality even over BT.
yes it might consume more battery, but battery replacements are very inexpensive. (see accessories section)
I've not looked back to use a wired headphones since BT Stereo was invented, i used to have wired headphones for breakfast, it was a mass murder of headphones every time you get in the bus or subway, i've saved a lot of money since i moved to BT, so it's very surprising to still see people trying to work out the wiring problems with the headsets
I've been there before, every time i switched to a new phone, i needed to find another adapter to convert this to that, so that i can do something as simple as answer the phone on the headset, it was a major PITA.
so it'll be interesting to hear your side of the story to prefer wire over BT (other than "saving" battery and "better sound quality")
I find the bluetooth headsets to be kind of douchie personally. I also don't like the idea of keeping a radio transmitter attached to my head for extended periods (same goes for stereo bluetooth). Whilst I don't particularly believe in the freaks who claim they are radio sensitive, we don't really have any way of knowing how safe they are.
Extra convenience perhaps? Not for general usage. I work unpacking boxes all night and I use hardwired headphones, and it has never gotten in the way (so why bother coughing up a lot of extra money for a technology with potentially worse sound quality and negligible benefits).
IT also chews through battery as you mentioned, but i'm also learning to fly. You never know when you regret sucking up the battery earlier in the day for a technology whose only benefit is no cord.
There are benefits for Bluetooth, such as integrating with a car stereo, some flight headsets have bt built in, transferring files and connecting to special adapters which normally would need USB (such as NMEA GPS or OBD2 devices). But realistically, replacing hardwired headphones with bluetooth seems to be a case of doing so because some people think it gives them an identity. There are very few I believe who actually benefit. But that's only an opinion....
More battery consumption on both the phone and the headset. Which means more cost and more responsibility (buying or keeping batteries charged). Worse sound quality is present with bt than what you'll get in high end headphones, I am always using either high end buds or noise cancelling headsets.
I find the bt thing a bit like nutrasweet, it might sound like a good idea, I just don't want to touch the stuff.
I'd have to buy a stereo Bluetooth headset, as I don't own one, and then I'd have to remember to keep it charged and carry it with me.
I'm sure it would work okay, but I don't have a problem with a wired headset, so a Bluetooth one would only really cost money and make me liable to forget to charge it.
Interesting post AllGamer. Care to point me with some recommendations on good stereo bluetooth headphones?
i replied back to some other topic with that info in the accessories section, i'll need to dig it out
here is the topic i was posting on the reviews
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7611857&postcount=4
+1 vote for Motorola HT820, it is simply the VERY BEST! of them all; in funtionality, ease of use, sound purity, and comfy level.
other ones i've and still using but don't like are:
Jabra BT8010 (good but always breaks the earloop)
Sony HBH-DS980 (too much wire, it defeats the purpose of bluetooth)
Sony DRBT21G (pales in comparison to Moto HT820, but it's passable, not comfy though)
BlueTake BT420Rx (Gen1 bluetooth, no A2DP, limited features, very comfy, good sound, but it looks like princess leia specially if you have the white version)
Plantronics Voyager 855 (pure garbage, no A2DP)
Motorola S9 (dies easily with sweat dripped into the device, bad design, it's a total failure compare to its big brother HT820)
my top 2 choices for sound are:
HT820
BT420Rx
my top choice for formar work/fun mix
BT8010
unfortunately the BT8010 is very prone at breaking the earloop even with careful use, i went through 3 sets of it already.
luckily enough when you buy these they come in pairs with the stereo side, so i always use the stereo side of the earloop to replace the main headset, as i seldomly use the stereo side of the headset, i mostly just use the single side of it.
for real stereo i'll much prefer to use the HT820
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and some related one for car
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=726403&highlight=bluetooth
I have a Jabra BT8010 and it's an amazing piece of hardware. Excellent battery life, rich bass, equalizer, comfortable and great sound quality.
In my opinion, BT headsets are a convenience, and I sincerely disagree with being related with "douchebaggery" or "looking for an identity".
Sent from my toilet.
Hi,
Used the Sony Ericsson HBH-IS800's before when I had a SE phone and they work a treat on the Galaxy S too. There are no controls, but I like to use the phone as the "remote" which is fine.
I find them convenient for listening to music on the tube when packed in and shouldering a bag. Sounds good enough to me, though I am not an audiophile.
BTW: I noticed on the 2.2 test frimware JP3 that the eq effects worked across BT unlike current version that says you need to plug in headphones.
In terms of battery I manage approx 3 hours a day which does my commute to and from work. They also work quite good with Galaxy S when watching videos too.
Cheers,
well for the galaxy s its simple ... the 5.1 audio enhancement says enough for u to use wired.
I got 3 sony stereo bt headsets and the only reason why i use it is for the convenience during commute. I dont want my phone getting tangled up somewhere in the metro and end up falling out being damaged or lost because of my headphone cord.
I feel much safer knowing its deep in my pocket without fear of it accidentally slipping out.
But when I am at work by my desk i use wired ... saves battery as well.
Arkymedes said:
In my opinion, BT headsets are a convenience
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Explain convenient.. What exactly is so convenient for them over normal headphones, which deliver better quality sound for cheaper? There are some people who do get benefits by using them (at work), where they need to free their hands and cant really have cables swinging around, such as computer technicians, but most people seem to use them whilst they are simply walking around..
quality wired headphones cost as much, if not more than a stereo bluetooth headset.
for example Sennheiser HD 448 (average $100)
those $30 ones just doesn't cut it, you need the base, the sub.
but if you go up the next level Audio-Technica ATH-M50 (average $150)
and if you go higher Sennheiser HD 800
but it's too big for my head, and wallet too (almost $1500)
in the past i broke a lot of those $100 entry level headphones
another down side of using headphones, you can't talk/answer the phone with them, you have to unplug, remove the headphones then talk.
with bluetooth it is just a simple click of a button in the ear
Using a sony DR-BT21G. Loving it so far. Only downside is the massive charger. Kinda wish it can run on usb charger instead. It only needs 3V after all.
AllGamer said:
another down side of using headphones, you can't talk/answer the phone with them, you have to unplug, remove the headphones then talk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Expect mic adapters to be released with a 3.5mm jack. That's how sony ericsson did it..
You can get quality for cheap, if you know where to look...
andrewluecke said:
Explain convenient.. What exactly is so convenient for them over normal headphones, which deliver better quality sound for cheaper? There are some people who do get benefits by using them (at work), where they need to free their hands and cant really have cables swinging around, such as computer technicians, but most people seem to use them whilst they are simply walking around..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You answered your own question. In MY case, is convenient and a personal thing. I absolute HATE cables of all sorts. I have a wireless headset in my PC, wireless KB and mouse and use a wireless printer. I also use a wireless home theater at home (ok, not 100% wireless but it's 2 cables less...)
Everything that I can do to have wireless I do because it's convenient. It's more organized and as I said before, a personal choice.
I agree that wired headphones AT THE MOMENT offer better sound quality for the price, but since I'm not an audiophile, I'm more then happy with what I have now.
The convenience is the easy to setup, the easy access and safety. As some people pointed before, it's very common for the wires to entangle somewhere in your clothes or other things and you risk damaging both your hedphones breaking the cable or even pulling away your phone and losing/breaking it.
Arkymedes said:
You answered your own question. In MY case, is convenient and a personal thing. I absolute HATE cables of all sorts. I have a wireless headset in my PC, wireless KB and mouse and use a wireless printer. I also use a wireless home theater at home (ok, not 100% wireless but it's 2 cables less...)
I agree that wired headphones AT THE MOMENT offer better sound quality for the price, but since I'm not an audiophile, I'm more then happy with what I have now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the only cable i have in my Wireless Home theater is the long arse 1080p HDMI cable going from the PC Receiver to the projector
if and when they come out with a good wireless 1080p HDMI i'll definitely have everything wireless.
for audiophile or not, i'll recommend the Sony DRBT50
as an extension of what i already listed before, for sports fan the Samsung SBH500 is better suited for the task
those 2 are excellent alternative if you can't find the Motorola HT820
the Sony DRBT50 has better bass/base than the moto ht820
there is one that is 100% audiophile but it lacks the handsfree profile for phone calls
it's the Sennheiser PX210BT, that one is guaranteed to sound like the regular wired Sennheiser headphones
I wish I could use my BT headphones. So far I've tried S9-HD, HBH-IS800 and Nokia BH-504 and all of them have horrible sound quality with SGS.
seriouser said:
I wish I could use my BT headphones. So far I've tried S9-HD, HBH-IS800 and Nokia BH-504 and all of them have horrible sound quality with SGS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the hbh ds 205 and it sounds awesome.
I decided to get a new version of it and purchased the sony mw600 and it sounds awesome. Especially now that froyo was released we could use the 5.1 sound enhancement with our bluetooth devices.
One reason why I don't use my bluey headset is the damn thing blinks a blue led all the time . Its like a signal for everyone to look at me. I've taken a marker and coloured it black a few times. Another reason is I tend to forget to recharge the thing as it only has about 12hours play time.
I have a DS980 an MW600 both from Sony Ericsson. I seldom use them now.
I'm not that satisfied with the sound quality of the DS980 & the earphone cannot be replaced.
For the MW600 the short earphone that came with the device also does not sound great, so when I use my personal earphone the sound is great buy the cable will be very long...
I just have been through myself a headphone buying hassle, and had to send back 2 BT sets to refund due poor music quality. The first was Jabra Halo for around £60. It looks cool, and the most comfortable headset I've ever used, but the sound quality is just not there. It's clear, okay, but it's also quiet, and has absulutely no noticable bass.
Ordered a Nokia BH 504, which is a £10 cheaper, but sound quality is almost the same. Still quiet(not usable in traffic), still no bass, maybe a bit more clarity compare to Jabra. Sent back for refund as well.
Next one was the previously mentioned Motorola HT820(got the geniune one), it cost way less then it's friends(£25), and has much better sound! Maybe it's not as clear as the rest, but definetely has better bass, and louder as well. Through Pc it's somehow still not the best! The range is fine(just like others), the battery life is incredible(got it for 2 weeks, use it every day, but haven't charged yet). The mic is also good via phone, tho i had problems via pc skype, and msn call. It's not as comfortable as the previously mentioned ones, you can't really lay down with this thing on your head, and also after 30 min use, it cuts the top of my ears(big ears maybe?). Still not the best quality I've ever had, but definetely worth £25!

Yet another headphone thread... Sorry!

I've searched every store I can think of, scoured the forums, and I still have found nothing close to what I want. Please help me out!
I'm looking for a pair of earbuds with a mic, compatible with the i9000. I cant wear the inner-ear type... so I'm looking for the older kind with the foam pads, and I'm looking for something high in quality.
TLDR:
-Want earbuds with mic.
-Galaxy S.
-Not inner-ear, but foam pads.
-High quality.
Anything?
I'm gonna bump this (Sorry to be useless) but I am exactly in the same boat. Someone nicked my SGS stock ones and now I am coming to replacing them, I realised, I don't want In-Ears. I'm open to buds or over ears though in my case. Quality is a must
Can't use the inner ear ones, HATE THEM!
Try these http://goo.gl/OfOhY
I hate in-ears too, but I've used these for years, great sound and really comfortable, don't let the price fool you...
They look nice DMD9, but they don't have a microphone...
We're looking for a replacement for stock ones.
You might want to change the title of the thread to wired headset so
Have you checked out Urban Ears range? http://www.urbanears.com/headphones
Tested a pair of their Plattan's last week, not bad sound for music and I was able to make a call with them, (though the sound was extremely low), might be worth following up on...
Those Urbanears one's seem nice. How certain are you that having those mic compatible headset would work with our phones? I tried bose ones the other day and they didn't work properly
They definitely worked, but as I said, the call volume was extremely low, both for me and the person I was calling. I was using a demo pair in the shop so it's possible they were damaged in some way, but I'd recommend researching or trying them yourself first, just to make sure.

School me! Nexus 5 & in car entertainment

I've recently got myself a new (to me) car and I want to get a new stereo/head unit to go in it. I have no experience with ICE and don't want to make a costly mistake.
Here is what I would like to do, if possible:
Have my phone connect to the head unit automatically when I get into the car. This will require a head unit that has bluetooth, I presume? And Tasker to perhaps control this.
Have my phone go into car mode (again, Tasker I presume) and my screen to be mirrored to the head unit, automatically.
Be able to control my music app (Shuttle, but I don't mind using something else) using the steering wheel-mounted controls (forward, back, volume).
Display and be able to answer incoming calls using the head unit/car speakers. Without taking my phone out of my pocket. I presume the head unit will need some sort of mic or something.
Ideally use Google Now via the head unit, and Maps as well.
I probably could cobble together a reasonable working knowledge of all this stuff if I spent hours on the internet but when the resources of XDA are at my disposal, why not use them? I am sure there are some really clued-up people on this forum when it comes to ICE and connectivity, so if you can offer advice, or tell me where the flaw in my plan is, or help me to avoid pitfalls then please comment.
Also any recommendations on head units that aren't really expensive but incorporate the screen I would need into a double-DIN space in a 2009 Mitsubishi Colt and will do what I want it to do.
Very grateful!
Oh and the reason I've posted here is because I'd rather get the knowledge I need from people who have an N5 and who know about any problems there might be with this particular phone. I've watched a video on YouTube which showed a head unit working with the N4 and N7, but the N5 wouldn't connect to it :-O
What's your budget? You can find units that fit your criteria from 200 all the way up to 700. Most units will do what you require so I'd just go to a brick and mortar store and find one you like. All brands are pretty good nowadays. I've always been a fan of Alpine or Sony but again that's just preference.
theesotericone said:
What's your budget? You can find units that fit your criteria from 200 all the way up to 700. Most units will do what you require so I'd just go to a brick and mortar store and find one you like. All brands are pretty good nowadays. I've always been a fan of Alpine or Sony but again that's just preference.
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Click to collapse
Tbh I don't know. Can I get something for £200? £300? I'm in UK.
Can you explain to me how the voice input part of it works, do all these head units have an integrated mic so I can answer calls?
Also, am I looking for something that has Miracast or MirrorLink? Or is there some other standard which the N5 uses to connect?
Sorry if I sound ignorant but I really don't know how it all works, and that's just the sort of customer that unscrupulous sales people LOVE walking in to their store!
Perhaps there's an internet site you can recommend that lays out the basics?
Also, this is probably a stupid question, but can these type of units control your phone even while the phone screen is off? For instance I would want to play music from my phone without ever taking it from my pocket, or launch and run Maps from the head unit, with the phone screen off. Can that be done?

Question Calling All JOYING Snapdragon and Android 10 Head Unit Users! Seeking Experience Stories and Answers to Questions! Prospective Buyer!

Hey everyone! I am brand new to this forum and joined because I saw the most quality forum threads on the Joying head unit line of products here than any other forum I could find. I have a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette that I am hoping to install an 8" Joying Snapdragon radio in and could use some help gaining legitimate reviews and maybe some answers for questions I have regarding the Snapdragon and other Joying products. I'll number the talking points below for anyone willing to contribute and help me out. Thanks!
1) How is the Joying Snapdragon product that you have experience with, EXCLUDING all experiences pertaining to steering wheel controls? the C5 did not offer steering wheel controls, so I'm out of luck for that luxury.
2) How bright are the screens? Given the radio location in my car, glares when the roof is on is very unlikely, but a brighter screen is always better and would help if I chose to use the radio while the top is off and the sun can shine in almost directly onto it.
3) This is a very, very niche inquiry, but does anyone have a Joying snapdragon or android 10 head unit happen to also own an Xbox 1 or newer? If so, could you please tell me if you can download the Xbox app from the Google Store and install it on the radio? Furthermore, if this can be accomplished, can you please see if it is possible to Remote Play your Xbox on the Joying head unit via the Xbox app? The way I am thinking about it, doing this would require you to pair a wireless Xbox remote to the head unit via Bluetooth and then having the radio connected to WiFi (hotspot or sim-card, I suppose), OR it might work with a USB-wired remote connected to the radio via the USB port(?). I wouldn't be playing games while driving, but it would be something very cool to do at things like car meets or whatever. IF someone tries this, AND it works... how is it?
4) I see a lot of reviews in certain places here and there that say the Joying head units really don't offer any improvement over factory radios. Can someone please school me on this? A Best Buy employee told me once that almost all aftermarket radios (grant it, he was referring to Kenwoods, Alpines, etc.) will inherently improve the sound (either by volume or quality) over the factory radio because the aftermarket units "push" more power (in watts?) than factory units. I've replaced the factory Bose "twiddler" speakers in my car with aftermarket JBL speakers that can be found at Best Buy, so I'm hoping the Joying Snapdragon can make the most of them. Other than that, my car's sound system remains the same.
5) Does anyone happen to also have experience with these units and their communication/compatibility with the OBD2 adapter? Joying offers a deal to get their wireless OBD2 device, which I assume may be used on apps like Torque and such. Furthermore, does anyone think you could buy an OBD2-to-USB cable and run a wired connection to the radio for a faster, more responsive reading when using apps like Torque to view engine and ECU data?
Thank you to everyone who chimes in! I really appreciate it and I hope to hear from you all soon.
Chris Laymon said:
Hey everyone! I am brand new to this forum and joined because I saw the most quality forum threads on the Joying head unit line of products here than any other forum I could find. I have a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette that I am hoping to install an 8" Joying Snapdragon radio in and could use some help gaining legitimate reviews and maybe some answers for questions I have regarding the Snapdragon and other Joying products. I'll number the talking points below for anyone willing to contribute and help me out. Thanks!
1) How is the Joying Snapdragon product that you have experience with, EXCLUDING all experiences pertaining to steering wheel controls? the C5 did not offer steering wheel controls, so I'm out of luck for that luxury.
2) How bright are the screens? Given the radio location in my car, glares when the roof is on is very unlikely, but a brighter screen is always better and would help if I chose to use the radio while the top is off and the sun can shine in almost directly onto it.
3) This is a very, very niche inquiry, but does anyone have a Joying snapdragon or android 10 head unit happen to also own an Xbox 1 or newer? If so, could you please tell me if you can download the Xbox app from the Google Store and install it on the radio? Furthermore, if this can be accomplished, can you please see if it is possible to Remote Play your Xbox on the Joying head unit via the Xbox app? The way I am thinking about it, doing this would require you to pair a wireless Xbox remote to the head unit via Bluetooth and then having the radio connected to WiFi (hotspot or sim-card, I suppose), OR it might work with a USB-wired remote connected to the radio via the USB port(?). I wouldn't be playing games while driving, but it would be something very cool to do at things like car meets or whatever. IF someone tries this, AND it works... how is it?
4) I see a lot of reviews in certain places here and there that say the Joying head units really don't offer any improvement over factory radios. Can someone please school me on this? A Best Buy employee told me once that almost all aftermarket radios (grant it, he was referring to Kenwoods, Alpines, etc.) will inherently improve the sound (either by volume or quality) over the factory radio because the aftermarket units "push" more power (in watts?) than factory units. I've replaced the factory Bose "twiddler" speakers in my car with aftermarket JBL speakers that can be found at Best Buy, so I'm hoping the Joying Snapdragon can make the most of them. Other than that, my car's sound system remains the same.
5) Does anyone happen to also have experience with these units and their communication/compatibility with the OBD2 adapter? Joying offers a deal to get their wireless OBD2 device, which I assume may be used on apps like Torque and such. Furthermore, does anyone think you could buy an OBD2-to-USB cable and run a wired connection to the radio for a faster, more responsive reading when using apps like Torque to view engine and ECU data?
Thank you to everyone who chimes in! I really appreciate it and I hope to hear from you all soon.
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From reading the forums what learnings do you have regarding FYT based chinese origin head units so far?
Your post reads like solicitation - the information is here for you to read.
marchnz said:
From reading the forums what learnings do you have regarding FYT based chinese origin head units so far?
Your post reads like solicitation - the information is here for you to read.
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Click to collapse
So, like I said, I'm new to this forum and, admittedly, I didn't look into the existence of any community guidelines that this post might violate, such as the solicitation you think my post reads as. If that's the case, I understand it if you choose to remove my post. I am probably wrong to assume that this forum is similar to car forums in that a user may post a thread whether to distribute or obtain information. For example, in the Corvette forums I use, I can post a thread about a new exhaust system I put on my car and list some things I liked and dislike about it to help future buyers, or I can ask a question about how other Corvette owners have enjoyed or disliked their experience with an aftermarket seat that I might be interested in. In either of those scenarios, I wouldn't be accused of solicitating because it's kind of the normal thing to do on a forum. So I don't potentially make the same mistake in the future, can you please tell me why my post "reads like solicitation," what the community guidelines (or whatever they are) that I may have violated, and what you mean by "the information is here for you to read?" For example, am I not allowed to post questions here?
However, I can't post a question like this on the Corvette forums because 99% of the boomers on there only buy "American, REAL QUALITY" aftermarket radios and never give android head units a chance. The other 1% seem to use the Joying 8.8" head unit because they want to retain the factory radio bezel. So, nobody over there is doing what I'm thinking of doing, so I'm coming to the only forum I found where users post information about the Joying unit.
But, to answer your question about what I've learned, I saw and read a thread started by @tRidiot under the "FYT Android Head Units" category that was titled "Do not buy a Joying Snapdragon unit - actually, Joying's customer service in general pretty well sucks." which can be found here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...service-in-general-pretty-well-sucks.4419619/ .
By reading this thread, I learned that @tRidiot had a really sour experience with Joying's customer service and was thoroughly disappointed with the way the radio interfaced with the steering wheel control canbus system (or whatever its called). So, I learned to not have any high expectations for the Joying product line to interface well with steering wheel controls. I've also read Facebook posts about this issue being consistent in other user experiences. As stated in my original post, I'm not really concerned with steering wheel controls because my car doesn't have any.
I also read a thread by @lowridincrew, with no title, in the category "Android head-units," that talks about the snapdragon product line by joying and compares it to their previous models. What i learned there is that the hardware in the snapdragon products doesn't seem to be as competitive (or fast or as powerful, etc.) as their less expensive products. It seems like some of those who commented on that thread have purchased a Snapdragon product and, in first impressions, seem to be okay with it. There seems to be an appeal for the new UI and that older models most likely won't be given the updated UI.
I've also tried to reach out to a YouTuber, SaabUnleashed, as he has done several android head units including the Joying Snapdragon, but he has not responded.
SO, that is all the information I have learned by reading threads on this forum. I would still appreciate any and all contributions that pertain to answering the questions listed above, and if I need to take my questions elsewhere, please tell me where I need to take them. Thanks!
Chris Laymon said:
Hey everyone! I am brand new to this forum and joined because I saw the most quality forum threads on the Joying head unit line of products here than any other forum I could find. I have a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette that I am hoping to install an 8" Joying Snapdragon radio in and could use some help gaining legitimate reviews and maybe some answers for questions I have regarding the Snapdragon and other Joying products. I'll number the talking points below for anyone willing to contribute and help me out. Thanks!
1) How is the Joying Snapdragon product that you have experience with, EXCLUDING all experiences pertaining to steering wheel controls? the C5 did not offer steering wheel controls, so I'm out of luck for that luxury.
2) How bright are the screens? Given the radio location in my car, glares when the roof is on is very unlikely, but a brighter screen is always better and would help if I chose to use the radio while the top is off and the sun can shine in almost directly onto it.
3) This is a very, very niche inquiry, but does anyone have a Joying snapdragon or android 10 head unit happen to also own an Xbox 1 or newer? If so, could you please tell me if you can download the Xbox app from the Google Store and install it on the radio? Furthermore, if this can be accomplished, can you please see if it is possible to Remote Play your Xbox on the Joying head unit via the Xbox app? The way I am thinking about it, doing this would require you to pair a wireless Xbox remote to the head unit via Bluetooth and then having the radio connected to WiFi (hotspot or sim-card, I suppose), OR it might work with a USB-wired remote connected to the radio via the USB port(?). I wouldn't be playing games while driving, but it would be something very cool to do at things like car meets or whatever. IF someone tries this, AND it works... how is it?
4) I see a lot of reviews in certain places here and there that say the Joying head units really don't offer any improvement over factory radios. Can someone please school me on this? A Best Buy employee told me once that almost all aftermarket radios (grant it, he was referring to Kenwoods, Alpines, etc.) will inherently improve the sound (either by volume or quality) over the factory radio because the aftermarket units "push" more power (in watts?) than factory units. I've replaced the factory Bose "twiddler" speakers in my car with aftermarket JBL speakers that can be found at Best Buy, so I'm hoping the Joying Snapdragon can make the most of them. Other than that, my car's sound system remains the same.
5) Does anyone happen to also have experience with these units and their communication/compatibility with the OBD2 adapter? Joying offers a deal to get their wireless OBD2 device, which I assume may be used on apps like Torque and such. Furthermore, does anyone think you could buy an OBD2-to-USB cable and run a wired connection to the radio for a faster, more responsive reading when using apps like Torque to view engine and ECU data?
Thank you to everyone who chimes in! I really appreciate it and I hope to hear from you all soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can answer question #4 as I've dealt with high end Kenwoods, Pioneers etc. It does improve sound and the person that said it's not any improvement over factory radios are delusional. The android radios offer a crossover and wide band EQ's. That alone improves sound quality a ton. I have a 08 Lacrosse and I've went from Factory to Kenwood DMX7704S to a Joying 4GB - 64GB 7 inch head unit. The Joying had way more control over the Kenwood. Whoever got in my car thought I had a amplifier installed but it was just my Headunit. I was able to fine tune it nicely. The only issues would be when adding a amplifier, either use the factory cables to go back to RCA cables straight to the amp or a crossover. The RCAs tend to be 1v and under as my Kenwood had 4v which makes a huge difference.
Chris Laymon said:
Hey everyone! I am brand new to this forum and joined because I saw the most quality forum threads on the Joying head unit line of products here than any other forum I could find. I have a 2000 Chevrolet Corvette that I am hoping to install an 8" Joying Snapdragon radio in and could use some help gaining legitimate reviews and maybe some answers for questions I have regarding the Snapdragon and other Joying products. I'll number the talking points below for anyone willing to contribute and help me out. Thanks!
1) How is the Joying Snapdragon product that you have experience with, EXCLUDING all experiences pertaining to steering wheel controls? the C5 did not offer steering wheel controls, so I'm out of luck for that luxury.
2) How bright are the screens? Given the radio location in my car, glares when the roof is on is very unlikely, but a brighter screen is always better and would help if I chose to use the radio while the top is off and the sun can shine in almost directly onto it.
3) This is a very, very niche inquiry, but does anyone have a Joying snapdragon or android 10 head unit happen to also own an Xbox 1 or newer? If so, could you please tell me if you can download the Xbox app from the Google Store and install it on the radio? Furthermore, if this can be accomplished, can you please see if it is possible to Remote Play your Xbox on the Joying head unit via the Xbox app? The way I am thinking about it, doing this would require you to pair a wireless Xbox remote to the head unit via Bluetooth and then having the radio connected to WiFi (hotspot or sim-card, I suppose), OR it might work with a USB-wired remote connected to the radio via the USB port(?). I wouldn't be playing games while driving, but it would be something very cool to do at things like car meets or whatever. IF someone tries this, AND it works... how is it?
4) I see a lot of reviews in certain places here and there that say the Joying head units really don't offer any improvement over factory radios. Can someone please school me on this? A Best Buy employee told me once that almost all aftermarket radios (grant it, he was referring to Kenwoods, Alpines, etc.) will inherently improve the sound (either by volume or quality) over the factory radio because the aftermarket units "push" more power (in watts?) than factory units. I've replaced the factory Bose "twiddler" speakers in my car with aftermarket JBL speakers that can be found at Best Buy, so I'm hoping the Joying Snapdragon can make the most of them. Other than that, my car's sound system remains the same.
5) Does anyone happen to also have experience with these units and their communication/compatibility with the OBD2 adapter? Joying offers a deal to get their wireless OBD2 device, which I assume may be used on apps like Torque and such. Furthermore, does anyone think you could buy an OBD2-to-USB cable and run a wired connection to the radio for a faster, more responsive reading when using apps like Torque to view engine and ECU data?
Thank you to everyone who chimes in! I really appreciate it and I hope to hear from you all soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1 I've had 3 of the last 4 joying units and if you're okay with tinkering a bit to get it to your liking it's a worthwhile purchase. With a few caveats, you can't use Google assistant to make voice calls and sometimes the radio app starts when you start the stereo
2 the screen is very bright. I used to use one in my BMW convertible and even in direct sunlight I could see the screen. There is also a screen protector for some joying units on Amazon and I believe one is anti glare
3 yes you can install the Xbox app but you'd have to download the apk. The play store won't allow you to.
4 changing the EQ might offer a better experience but don't expect a mind blowing difference
5 you can ONLY use the joying obd2 with joying head units if you want to go the bluetooth route. As far as wired usb Idk but I can't imagine it not working.
Got word from a manufacturer on Aliexpress about one of their units They said the far better Snapdragon 665 versions of HU would possibly come out around June
There's no reason to go with a slower Snapdragon 625 compared to the UIS7812 imo
#1 If you are looking at Joying snapdragon units I believe they are all button less, which not having swc is going to be a pain in the butt as you will have to click on the volume icon and slide the volume up or down, hard to do while driving. But other. Than that it's solid. People complain at the fact that the 625 is an older chipset but this is a head unit not a tablet porformance is more than enough for radio stuff. One other thing people don't look at is LTE bands, the snapdragon units support band 4 and 12 which are big in the T-Mobile network, but i will note my Joying headunit has a 4g issue so haven't been able to experience a fully connected drive currently still going through customer service to rectify this issue.
#2 The screen is bright I haven't had issues with not being able to see the screen content. That being said it glares a lot, my unit being mounted 100% vertically reduces the chances of having glare issues but i can see it being an issue on my Avalon where the screen has a slight angle facing the windshield. When I had a Joying unit in that one glare was impossible to combat making the screen useless around mid day.
#3 you can download any android app as on any android device but you will not be able to pair a controller. I tried pairing my Xbox series x controller for hours, couldn't get it to connect, it seams Joying changes something in the Bluetooth interface that voids being able to access the main Bluetooth settings. For me that would make this point useless. I haven't tested USB connection only Bluetooth.
#4 This can be true. There are a lot of generic android radios for under 100 bucks that use the cheapest audio chips to get a product out and sold. This gives you the Android experience but overlooks the audio experience. Joying on the other hand is fairly expensive for a Chinese company sourcing android radios. The reason for this is they implement higher end components to also improve audio quality, and although it is not on par with high end pioneer or Kenwood's it does compare to radios in it's price range. In most cases if your car has only 4 speakers meaning 1 on each door and no factory amplifier the Joying will improve your sound. If your car has a premium audio system from factory IE. JBL, Bose, mark Levinson ext where you have 8-12 speakers in your car and bypass that with this radio it will sound like crap. It would sound like crap with any radio as factory amplifiers have different impedance and crossovers to compensate for special speaker wiring that your radio won't have. Another thing is if you plan to install a sound system in your vehicle you are told to stay away from these units as they distort at low volumes not allowing you to maximize the audio. Also true of old Joying units, these new ones get pretty close to 3v out of RCA before distortion at around 75-80% volume. I tested them with my DM-RTA. Granted this is not 4v as standard by pioneer, Sony and other headunit manufacturer it should suffice and or can be improved by a 200$ line driver. At 700$ still cheaper than any large manufacturer radio with similar specs as in size and functions like wireless car play And android auto.
#5 This I don't know but would advice to ask and see if you are able to pair a Bluetooth model and phone at the same time.
Thanks everyone for chiming in! I know this is a very dated thread by this point, but I felt like I had a few things worth mentioning in case anyone comes looking for it.
Per Joying's customer service, the snapdragon product line (currently) ONLY allow pairing with JOYING-brand Bluetooth products (i.e. steering wheel controller, TPMS, or the OBDII device) and devices categorized as phones.
I think this is a bummer because, well, I feel like one of the biggest reasons to buy an android head unit over other devices is because of the open-source, "do what you want" liberty that isn't given by its competition. This also stinks because it means that a device like an Amazon Echo Auto cannot be used at all -- this device would allow hands-free navigation or music, etc., but it requires a Bluetooth or AUX connection, both of which Joying does not seem to afford for the snapdragon products
I am still going to wait to see how/if the Snapdragon product line is improved as was rumored. I'm also curious to see how Apple's announcement of iOS 16's new and improved Apple CarPlay will change on these devices.
I don't want to discount Joying as a consideration when selecting a head unit -- as of now, I think they are the only brand to offer an 8" all-screen option. I think I still want to go with an android head unit, but I may find myself switching to a different brand or even non-android based unit.
I think @surfer63 wrote about fyt units needing to install obdII before any other Bluetooth devices like cell phones. He has really taken the time to post great info about these units, it just takes a little time and more knowledge than I have to sift through the info and determine if it applies to your unit. I have the hengcheng pro S9.
Chris Laymon said:
Thanks everyone for chiming in! I know this is a very dated thread by this point, but I felt like I had a few things worth mentioning in case anyone comes looking for it.
Per Joying's customer service, the snapdragon product line (currently) ONLY allow pairing with JOYING-brand Bluetooth products (i.e. steering wheel controller, TPMS, or the OBDII device) and devices categorized as phones.
I think this is a bummer because, well, I feel like one of the biggest reasons to buy an android head unit over other devices is because of the open-source, "do what you want" liberty that isn't given by its competition. This also stinks because it means that a device like an Amazon Echo Auto cannot be used at all -- this device would allow hands-free navigation or music, etc., but it requires a Bluetooth or AUX connection, both of which Joying does not seem to afford for the snapdragon products
I am still going to wait to see how/if the Snapdragon product line is improved as was rumored. I'm also curious to see how Apple's announcement of iOS 16's new and improved Apple CarPlay will change on these devices.
I don't want to discount Joying as a consideration when selecting a head unit -- as of now, I think they are the only brand to offer an 8" all-screen option. I think I still want to go with an android head unit, but I may find myself switching to a different brand or even non-android based unit.
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Click to collapse
You still don't appear to understand that there is no "joying" headunit. Your comments apply to a factory type sold by a seller called JOYING.
Without posting the details of the unit from Android system information including the MCU, the comments lack context which may mislead others.

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