For years I've been handling all the music in my car via a first-gen iPod mini under the passenger seat connected to a Harman/Kardon Drive+Play. It's got its flaws, but it works great. I turn on the car and it picks right up where it left off. The control is mounted right where my hand expects it to be and the screen is easily visible. No fuss, no muss.
I'm wondering if I can accomplish something similar with my Nexus One. What I DON'T want to do is have some complex setup where every time I get in the car I have to connect three cables and put the phone in some gawdy clamp mount, then be awkwardly trying to use the touch screen while driving, then having to stop playback and disconnect everything when I get out of the car.
I'm looking for a solution that is either one cable or automatic bluetooth. Preferably there would be an external monitor screen. I'd like a manual control that I could mount by the arm rest or steering wheel and use without looking at it. At minimum, I could do music and calls. Navigation would be a plus.
Does anything like this currently exist?
Sounds like your after any number of car headunits that support AD2P (audio over bluetooth), bluetooth voice, and navigation. Alpine, Eclipse and Kenwood all make good units that should do what you want. You should be able to leave your phone in your pocket and just have it connect via bluetooth when your in range.
I've had minimal success with the various Pioneer headunits due to them not supporting AD2P without additional controllers = more money.
I hadn't thought of just replacing the head unit but I suppose I'm due. I browsed Crutchfield but there's no filter for A2DP capability. Anyone have any suggestions for a DIN head unit with integrated A2DP and a color LCD screen?
I'm currently using a jvc kd-r900. It comes with a little Bluetooth adapter that you can plug into the rear USB port. I have it setup to auto start car home when it connects to the bluetooth. Usually by the time I get in, start the car and put my seat belt on, my phone is connected and ready to play music/calls/GPS/etc. I can start music either from my phone or just pressing the play/pause button on the head unit. Works really great. I can switch songs pause/play and make calls directly frm the head unit without having to touch my phone. My wife had her phone in her purse in the back seat and was still able to play music without touching the phone
Overall pretty pleased with the unit and it works great with my n1.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Can you browse/navigate Artist, Album, Track, etc. from the head unit? If so, this is probably exactly what I'm after.
I can't browse using the headunit. It only allows my to play/pause and skip tracks.
Ah, okay. Thanks for the tip. This looks like a good unit.
Anyone else have experiences with A2DP headunits?
This might be dumb. But do all android phones have this a2dp feature? Isn't it just the same as a Bluetooth headset sort of, so they ALL must have it? If so I'm definitely getting a new stereo! I just want to make sure that after my nexus I can still use this feature!
A2DP is a software thing. So as long as the phone has a Bluetooth 2.0 chip (the G1 does) and the operating system supports A2DP (At minimum, Froyo does) then you're good to go.
I use a THB BURY CC9060 Music. Full Bluetooth kit with full music control from a remote dash mounted screen and call handling.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jvckenwood.HID_ThinClient.KWD
Kenwood released this app that will allow head unit control of your smartphone using HDMI and Bluetooth Input connections. Right now, the only supported devices for the S3, S4, Note II and Sony devices.
Is there a root tweak or hack that can be developed that will trick the app so that any device can work with the app?
sshams95 said:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jvckenwood.HID_ThinClient.KWD
Kenwood released this app that will allow head unit control of your smartphone using HDMI and Bluetooth Input connections. Right now, the only supported devices for the S3, S4, Note II and Sony devices.
Is there a root tweak or hack that can be developed that will trick the app so that any device can work with the app?
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Click to collapse
Found this via a random google search. As of now, 02/19/2016 Kenwood has not updated this app to support Android 6 Marshmallow. If you have this app installed on Android 6, it will just force close. I have an idea that it won't work because of the permissions restrictions on the new Android OS. Once Kenwood updates the app to request permissions for us to grant we'll be good again. If you rely heavily on the touch screen options over the MHL/HDMI then stay with Android 5 (lollipop).
I have the following setup in my vehicle and it works quite well:
My Physical setup:
HDMI cable run from back of of my Kenwood to my center console where I have a coupler to plug-in my MHL cable. The idea is to make it easy to plug-in a Miracast device someday. Right now the wireless mirroring is far to buggy and slow, so connecting directly is the only way to go here for me. I cut my Parking SW (switch) greenish wire and wired it into the ground wire (black). This allows me to bypass the restrictions of use while driving and easily control other apps that Kenwood won't otherwise let you run, like Google Maps or a Drive app like HTC Drive. If you choose to NOT bypass then so long as you open WAZE first, you can trick the unit into letting you open other apps, but you can't go the home screen first. You'll have to open the app via recents menu.
My Software setup:
I have a rooted Android device and use an app called "second screen". I have it configured to auto turn off my phone's backlight when I plug-in to the mhl cable. This saves my battery greatly by not having to light up the display. I lose about 1% every 30 minutes or so running waze and Spotify together, very doable. Once I remove the MHL cable everything is back to normal and back-light returns.
Before I bypassed restrictions by moving my parking switch wire to the ground, I was using an android app called "overlays". (still am actually because its awesome) Its free and allows you to put an app shortcut over an running program. You setup a profile per app. For example, in Waze, I put an app overlay for both Spotify and Pandora. All you see are 2 tiny icons, size and placement of your choosing, in the corner of waze. All I have to do is tap it and it opens Spotify. I did the same for Spotify and Pandora and placed tiny app shortcuts to both Waze and Google maps to allow seamless back and forth between apps. Takes a bit to setup, but so worth it in the end.
All in all, it greatly improves enjoyment while driving. The Head units, so far, have far less appealing GUI than your cell phone. Google and Apple do great jobs of making their UI appealing to the masses and there really is no better choice, even the built-in head unit GUI, which I'm happy to bypass and show my phone instead.
I'm looking for feedback/reviews/opinions on the latest Pioneer Appradio 4 as I'm interested in replacing my current dated GPS system in my car with a "smarter" system that can easily connect to my phone (Note 3) and enable the following 3 main functions:
BT streaming to play music from my phone, receive and make calls
Be able to run Google Maps or Waze from my phone and just use these from the device without having to keep my phones' screen on (so via BT essentially, not necessarily via cable as I hate loose cables in my car)
At least 4V pre amp outs for my upgraded stereo system
Connection for my existing rear view camera
I don't care so much about mirroring my phone to the device.
It appears that the Appradio meets the requirements above, but I'm interested in users opinions as well for its pros and cons.
Thanks in advance!
I purchased the S7 hoping to utilize my head unit on my 2014 Honda Civic. I installed RockScout to ensure SOMETHING would show up and it did. I installed Car Mode through the Galaxy app store, and the app shows up under the Mirrorlink "menu" in settings under MirrorLink applications. One would think that this would mean it should show up on the car's screen when connected, but alas it does not.
Is there something I'm missing? Has anyone else been able to get this to work?
solved... somewhat
So I found a solution for those who may be having the same issue.
--- I guess I can't post links yet because I'm so new.. go to youtube and use this video id to watch: xEaR97-ETeM ---
surprisingly, this seems to have made the car mode work for me.
Perform the steps shown in the video,
Open Car Mode on your phone
Connect the phone to the car via USB
Select one of the available MirrorLink apps (in my case it was Rock Scout)
The chosen app will open and the Car Mode nav bar will appear on the left. Now you can just hit it's home button and you're taken to Car Mode.
Now I need to figure out how to get Google Maps to work on Car Mode. Currently, it looks like it only supports navigation apps that Mirror Link supports
(I'm assuming due a head-unit-display-UI not being available on Google Maps.. probably legal reasons there)
What is the title of the youtube video? I tried your link and it did not work out for me.
When I connect the Galaxy S7 to my stereo, the Samsung automatically locks on the Mirrorlink connection screen, it will not let me navigate way.
iroky2000 said:
What is the title of the youtube video? I tried your link and it did not work out for me.
When I connect the Galaxy S7 to my stereo, the Samsung automatically locks on the Mirrorlink connection screen, it will not let me navigate way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xEaR97-ETeM
still this is strange, car mode is visible under mirrorlink certifications yet it is not visible when phone is connected to car radio
Having the same problem. 2016 Subaru Crosstrek with factory head unit. Couple mirror link apps are working fine but car mode does not show up on the head unit at all. Really want it so I can use google maps on the bigger screen.
Running a Sony XAV-601BT and same issue. It shows as connected (however get a USB device not recognized error), tried the tricks above and no dice Really disappointed so far, as my old Z2 worked fine.
Found some info in the Subaru forums. Sounds like MirrorLink 1.1 is more strict about what it allows to display. So 1.0 just kinda mirrored everything, 1.1 actually checks to make sure you don't wiggle your way into another app. Since Car Mode isn't allowed by the car, even though its MirrorLink certified, it gets blocked... Sigh...
Jstylen said:
Found some info in the Subaru forums. Sounds like MirrorLink 1.1 is more strict about what it allows to display. So 1.0 just kinda mirrored everything, 1.1 actually checks to make sure you don't wiggle your way into another app. Since Car Mode isn't allowed by the car, even though its MirrorLink certified, it gets blocked... Sigh...
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Click to collapse
Yes, MirrorLink 1.1 also requires each specific app to be certified before it can be displayed. I don't think Google is going to support this ever, since they are pushing their own Android Auto.
Would LOVE to see a workaround for this, purchased a mirrorlink addon for my Pioneer AVH-X3600BHS and it doesnt work properly grrr
Grrr "Smartphone Not Compatible" when trying to connect Samsung Galaxy s7 to Honda Civic 2016...Applications are certified, USB in MTP mode but it just does not work...
I've only got this to work with HTC phones. See my video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhFsBz31-qU
There are other videos on youtube as well . . all using HTC phones.
I've tried my process on a couple nexus devices and samsung devices, they don't work.
Something about the HTC mirrorlink technology thats works perfectly... EVERYTHING works.
So . . . i'm currently stuck using a cheap HTC 626s phone because it works so well with my 2014 Civic si head unit.
Currently looking for a used HTC m9 or 10 so I can have a beefier phone but still retain the mirrorlink functionality.
This only worked for me so far when the ROM is stock. Dunno if has something to do with the other ROMs being rooted.. Researching, because I'd like to have a custom ROM with root AND this working.
I have a pioneer nex and a galaxy s7. The online way i found to conecct was installing sygic car Navigation, the app works with mirrorlink so it opens on the hu, then i just exit the app and boom full mirroing, the only problem is that the Phone stays locked while conected.
etasso said:
I have a pioneer nex and a galaxy s7. The online way i found to conecct was installing sygic car Navigation, the app works with mirrorlink so it opens on the hu, then i just exit the app and boom full mirroing, the only problem is that the Phone stays locked while conected.
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Click to collapse
Do all your buttons work properly, like the the back button? On Appradio 4 with my s7 edge, I can only hit the home button which takes me back to rock scout. I haven't tried sygic
sebring003 said:
Do all your buttons work properly, like the the back button? On Appradio 4 with my s7 edge, I can only hit the home button which takes me back to rock scout. I haven't tried sygic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In mine only the back button of the hu is shown, the others are missing too, so i ve installed a program to simulate the buttons, its called Simple Control.
I've heard that the pioneer is easy to hack, but was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Linux that these seem to run? Is there a way to trick the car head unit to allow any device with a custom rom to connect to mirrorlink 1.1?
My mass storage device is recognised but the internal SD card in MTP mode isn't. Does Sygic App allow it to connect regardless?
Anyone has skills how to mod car mode app, so it works like RockScout. Apparently it only works on VW mirorlink radios, I have a Subaru with the 7" Mirrorink 1.1 inch unit and it would be nice if this software barrier can be "corrected". I have seen it show car mode when exiting the RockScout app, so I know it works, just that its blocked.
There is a way to root the phone and then install an app that runs car mode, but this doens't work in 1.1 either. I have heard that someone was running CM mod with full mirroring. Any thoughts? There must be a way in Linux to connect and change the connect settings through the app? Is it it android specifiic ie version?
Jstylen said:
Having the same problem. 2016 Subaru Crosstrek with factory head unit. Couple mirror link apps are working fine but car mode does not show up on the head unit at all. Really want it so I can use google maps on the bigger screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same vehicle. So frustrating to have a brand new car with a perfectly decent screen built in (picture of backup cam looks pretty good) and no ability to take advantage of it. They want us to pay however many thousand dollars more to use their navigation system, which I'm sure sucks out of the box and will no doubt be useless in 1-2 years anyway. It would be SO MUCH SAFER if they let us just mirror the friggin screen. You KNOW it's not that compatibility is complicated. Dicks. (I love my Subaru otherwise )
I warmly welcome.
I will note in advance that I do not know if in the appropriate department.
And now to the point ...
I have an old, unused HAMMER ENERGY smartphone with Android 7.0
I would like to convert it into a car phone ... namely, I mean that the phone would only be used as a navigation. Plus some music via BT.
I am curious how to do it best, whether to upload a pure android and only navigations, or maybe there are some interesting "car" modifications
Maybe e.g. protection against a stolen car if the phone were inside,
or some video recorder additionally.
I don't quite know what else you can think of in this topic.
I depend on your experience, I want to play with the phone.
greetings
For me I use my old mi max as car navigation in the car. It's not screen makes waze/gmaps easier to see.
No modifications needed. Just a good car phone mount, car phone charger and a shortcut to the music /navigation app you use most frequent will do.
You might want to pop in a sim card with data or share your data connection with that phone. For me it's simple, i set it to auto share my wifi whenever my phone is connected to my car ice system via BT.
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