School me! Nexus 5 & in car entertainment - Nexus 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

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.
Click to expand...
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?

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
Click to expand...
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.

Exercise/Running Accessories

Don't know if anyone else out there is using their phone as an all purpose exercise device, but I figured I'd share my setup in case anyone else was interested.
I'm using a Tune Belt AB83 to hold the phone/secure it to my arm. I purchased mine from Amazon, here. I know they also sell in some stores, just none in my area.
I don't use any sort of protective case on my phone, and the Tune Belt holds the phone securely without making it impossible to remove. You can easily press any of the buttons or manipulate the screen while it's in the Tune Belt. There are also larger models that might hold the phone inside a case - the AB85 might be the one to look into for that purpose. I found the Tune Belt folks very responsive to my questions, though, so may be best to just call/e-mail them and ask.
Since I also use the phone to track calorie burn/heart rate/etc, I also have a Polar WearLink+ Bluetooth Transmitter - it paired with the phone with no problems and the app I used (Endomondo Pro) was able to detect my heart rate, again, no problem.
I plan to use a set of Philips ActionFit Stereo Bluetooth Headset on order, but they haven't arrived yet - the sweat proof quality was the big draw for me there, particularly since I have shorted out headphones in the past. In the meanwhile I'm using an old pair of headphones that I don't mind ruining.
So what about you? Are you using this device to aid in your exercising? Got any accessories you'd like to recommend?
I completely agree with this. I got the TuneBelt just before XMAS, and it works like a dream.
I personally use the Runkeeper app. I like it since i have used it before. The interface is simple and the audio cues are awesome. You can set them for time and or distance and you can customize what it tells you. Time, average pace, average speed, distance, etc. And it also works with heart rate monitors but i don't have one so i haven't been able to test that feature out. Other than that i use my Skullcandy Smokin' Buds. Definitely not sweat proof but they have a warranty and were cheap so i am not worried.
I like the bluetooth headset, but either I'm not turning it off properly or it can't hold a charge worth a lick. More often than not I'm using an older set of wired headphones that are most definitely less convenient (not to mention a bit more dangerous - I've damn near unintentionally ripped them out of my ears several times).
I've got Runkeeper on the phone as well, just never used it.
Did recently pick up Impetus Interval Timer and really like the way it works (countdowns and such) and that it can be heard over music. Seems pretty customizable for a free app, which is always a plus in my book!
I thought about the wearlink with bluetooth. I prolly should have but I just bought the Polar FT7 instead. Nothing special but it works. I might have to look into your set up as well. I have Endomondo installed. And strap and transmitter aren't too much.
Toughmudder.com Wisconsin Sept 8th!! That's what I'm training for atm.
Team: Mississippi Mud Militia

Bluetooth Firmware Hacking Question

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.

Bluetooth headphones

Hello people...
Just thought I'd share.
I bought a pair of Sandstrom bluetooth headphones today from PC World. They were only £30, so I figured that wasn't much of a punt.
I already have a good pair of wired headphones, but constantly opening the flap on the phone annoys me - and is an avenue for dust to enter the chassis.
Anyway... I wasn't expecting much, but I have to say I'm impressed! - The sound quality isn't quite as good as my wired set, but I'm more than happy with the sound for listening to music while out and about (which is when I'm more concerned having the flap open in my pocket).
They also have a built in mic, so you can take calls. And there are music controls.
Have to say - £30 well spent.
adamsweeting said:
Hello people...
Just thought I'd share.
I bought a pair of Sandstrom bluetooth headphones today from PC World. They were only £30, so I figured that wasn't much of a punt.
I already have a good pair of wired headphones, but constantly opening the flap on the phone annoys me - and is an avenue for dust to enter the chassis.
Anyway... I wasn't expecting much, but I have to say I'm impressed! - The sound quality isn't quite as good as my wired set, but I'm more than happy with the sound for listening to music while out and about (which is when I'm more concerned having the flap open in my pocket).
They also have a built in mic, so you can take calls. And there are music controls.
Have to say - £30 well spent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you should have go on the new sony SBH20 wireless headphones mate and you will have no regrets
adamsweeting said:
Hello people...
Just thought I'd share.
I bought a pair of Sandstrom bluetooth headphones today from PC World. They were only £30, so I figured that wasn't much of a punt.
I already have a good pair of wired headphones, but constantly opening the flap on the phone annoys me - and is an avenue for dust to enter the chassis.
Anyway... I wasn't expecting much, but I have to say I'm impressed! - The sound quality isn't quite as good as my wired set, but I'm more than happy with the sound for listening to music while out and about (which is when I'm more concerned having the flap open in my pocket).
They also have a built in mic, so you can take calls. And there are music controls.
Have to say - £30 well spent.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My recommend is Sony SBH20 or Sony MW600S. Currently I'm using MW1 and happy with it. But, in your case, I prefer MW600s, it has display so you'll easily find the song you wanna hear.
MW600s comes with 170 mah battery, bluetooth core ver 2.1
SBH20 comes with 110 mah battery, bluetooth core v3.0
Maybe SBH20 provide a better battery management than MW600s,
how much it cost in india???? any idea..??
sapinder said:
how much it cost in india???? any idea..??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hw much costs what?
Hey guys,
Intro: Since our phone is water-resistant and pulling these claps to plug the headphones in 10 times per day is annoying, I am finally ready to consider a bluetooth solution with a mic (which I still do not really trust, but let's give it a shot!). I would like thus to revive this thread, by sharing my thoughts on the subject.
I would strongly advice to check these threads first :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2273429&highlight=bluetooth
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2229347&highlight=bluetooth - Would really love Tom Fagerland to come back and give us an update
My expectations: First, I would like to explain what do I need. In this way, we are not going to argue about a detail when we actually look for different things. You can thus point-out how different your needs are and therefore would like a different headset.
quality: I need a decent one, no more. While on the go, I mostly listen audio books through Ambling Book Player. The music is for home on normal speakers.That's been said, NO MUTANTS CUTS ALLOWED.
in-ear: those are the smallest ones and I really need to be able to put the headphones in a small pocket.
headset battery: I live and sleep with my headphones, I thus need something around 8h of autonomy, (This is why I have not considered bluetooth before, remember the 3h of autonomy max?)
phone battery drain: the use of of Bluetooth headset should not make our XZ deplete in an hour. I'm not a specialist but isn't it strongly linked with BT technology? The newer the better? So for us, BT 3.0 is better than 2.0?
full compatibility with XZ : I would like it to work well with our particular phone. Obviously. I do not plan to change phone for couple of years, so no matter the work with other devices. More, I would hardly bear some functions of the headset which are not working with XZ. Would feel like a waste.
Price: I am not ready to give more than 100 bucks.
Display : Not required. Good if there is one, but not critical
Radio : No need
Sd-card : No need
In addition : general comfort and build quality
​
Eliminated ones :
LG Tone hbs-700 : does not seem confortable enough, does not fit in a pocket
Samsung BHS3000 : 6 hours autonomy, clip easy to break
Jaybird Bluebuds X: 169$!!! Does it have a mic anyway?
Novero Rockway: 5.5 hours autonomy
....​
Main candidates:
Sony SBH20 : seems good overall, but has only 6 hours of autonomy. Confirm?
Sony MW600 and MW600s: First, what is the difference between those two? It seems that they were firstly made for phones likes SE k800i (before android) and not all the functions work properly on android phones. True story?
Sony SBH50 : when to expect the release? What would be the price you think? Something special in comparison with MW1?
Sony MW1: seems a very good one in theory, but has apparently to many possible bugs and dysfunctions. I would give it a try, but I want to be able to give it back if too many bugs happen to occur. I am currently in Belgium and can't find any place to buy it here, even online on sony website!!! If bought abroad on ebay for example I fear that giving it back will be impossible/too complicated
What have I forgot?
​
I have noticed something interesting. On the sony website, both the SBH20 and SBH50 are advertised in this way : "Go great with : Xperia Z", while XZ is not among perfect partners of MW1. I understand that marketing can sometimes be a strange thing, but isn't there a REAL reason for that?
Proof :
http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/stereo-bluetooth-headset-sbh20/
http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en...-bluetooth-headset-sbh50/specifications/#tabs
http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/products/accessories/smart-wireless-headset-pro/specifications/
What do you thing? Any Advice?
I just got a Nokia bh-221 yesterday, I just thought the same, it will be annoying to have to open the flaps every time.
The reason I went to Nokia was because I'm happy with the play 360 speakers.
This headset has a screen, but it just displays the phone number when someone is calling (or the person's name if it is in your contacts) and the battery status.
The quality is good, it has 7h of battery life (haven't been able to test it yet), it comes with a nice decent headphones but you can use every headphone you want.
It also has NFC so you can connect faster, but after the first connection, just make sure the BT on your phone is on before you turn the headset on.
The volume is a bit low, but I think it's a problem with the Z, need to test with the sound addons after rooting.
I noticed a delay in audio when playing video, I will test it tomorrow with a HTC 8X, to see if I get the same latency.
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Luinwethion said:
I just got a Nokia bh-221 yesterday, I just thought the same, it will be annoying to have to open the flaps every time.
The reason I went to Nokia was because I'm happy with the play 360 speakers.
This headset has a screen, but it just displays the phone number when someone is calling (or the person's name if it is in your contacts) and the battery status.
The quality is good, it has 7h of battery life (haven't been able to test it yet), it comes with a nice decent headphones but you can use every headphone you want.
It also has NFC so you can connect faster, but after the first connection, just make sure the BT on your phone is on before you turn the headset on.
The volume is a bit low, but I think it's a problem with the Z, need to test with the sound addons after rooting.
I noticed a delay in audio when playing video, I will test it tomorrow with a HTC 8X, to see if I get the same latency.
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for sharing, waiting for the test results.
Just to say, these kind of problems (delays, limited screen functions...) are the ones making me reluctant towards buying other than Sony's headphones. Even though it can be a super set on its own, I'm almost sure to find some partial compatibility or even dysfunctions.
SuperTraxer said:
Thanks for sharing, waiting for the test results.
Just to say, these kind of problems (delays, limited screen functions...) are the ones making me reluctant towards buying other than Sony's headphones. Even though it can be a super set on its own, I'm almost sure to find some partial compatibility or even dysfunctions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen functions is not a problem, is just a Nokia feature, not showing the music name...
The lags, i just tested on my 8X and I see no lag at all... I had the same problems with another philips BT headset, I think it may be an Android problem... What other OS does is just delay the video also, so both audio and video will stay in sync.
I searched for solutions, and found a lot of people with this problem, but no solution till now.
Luinwethion said:
The screen functions is not a problem, is just a Nokia feature, not showing the music name...
The lags, i just tested on my 8X and I see no lag at all... I had the same problems with another philips BT headset, I think it may be an Android problem... What other OS does is just delay the video also, so both audio and video will stay in sync.
I searched for solutions, and found a lot of people with this problem, but no solution till now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for you.
The other people have this problem with exactly the same headset as yours? or with android in general?
SuperTraxer said:
Sorry for you.
The other people have this problem with exactly the same headset as yours? or with android in general?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, there are different people with different phones and headset with the same problem... I think the only (android) device i had where BT audio has synced with the video was the Galaxy Nexus.
Choose Headset.
If you want the best available sound quality and a good MIC and the most reliable accessories then stay between MW600 and MW1. i had both of them.
for you both are GREAT! but my MW600 did a lot of restarts all the time! i couldn't update it so i had to get used to it. i don't know about the latest one but before 5 years that's was my experience. my opinion...go get the MW1 with closed eyes :silly:
video from another one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23truXwiAYo
hackos said:
If you want the best available sound quality and a good MIC and the most reliable accessories then stay between MW600 and MW1. i had both of them.
for you both are GREAT! but my MW600 did a lot of restarts all the time! i couldn't update it so i had to get used to it. i don't know about the latest one but before 5 years that's was my experience. my opinion...go get the MW1 with closed eyes :silly:
video from another one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23truXwiAYo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, will probably try a WM1. Just wondering if waiting till SBH-50 wouldn't be wiser...
Anyway,
I can't find any retailer selling this in Belgium. Will have to buy it on amazon. Does someone know if it is easy to return the item? I want to try it first. If it's ok I keep it, if not (as for sooooo many users after some research) I want to be able to get my money back.
SuperTraxer said:
Thanks, will probably try a WM1. Just wondering if waiting till SBH-50 wouldn't be wiser...
Anyway,
I can't find any retailer selling this in Belgium. Will have to buy it on amazon. Does someone know if it is easy to return the item? I want to try it first. If it's ok I keep it, if not (as for sooooo many users after some research) I want to be able to get my money back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think Amazon is our only option.
I've compared the stats from the sbh-50 and the mw1 and it seems that the mw1 will still be better. Guess I'll be waiting for the mw2 if/whenever that comes out.
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app
PAUL ubleFar
SBH20 user, really nice sound alaikit,
SuperTraxer said:
Thanks, will probably try a WM1. Just wondering if waiting till SBH-50 wouldn't be wiser...
Anyway,
I can't find any retailer selling this in Belgium. Will have to buy it on amazon. Does someone know if it is easy to return the item? I want to try it first. If it's ok I keep it, if not (as for sooooo many users after some research) I want to be able to get my money back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, man! Did you get your MW1? How is it doing nowadays? I am about to buy two units for my brother and me, and would not want a fiasco, because I have read many comments that the device doesn't work fine with firmware 1.0A.1.6 or so.
Please, tell me, which is the firmware version which is working fine with? Is it 0.1.D.0.6 the device is working perfectly? Do you recommend this headset?
For me this is the most complete and feature packed Bluetooth headset today, I am about to buy it.
Are all its features working in Android 5.1.1?
Please help me! Thank you!

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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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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