Hello. I've been reading the forums, but cannot seem to decide which head unit to buy for my 2009 VW Passat B6.
Basically I want it for GPS (radar alerts) + music and reverse camera.
I would like this requisites met:
Octacore PX5. I read Intel Sofia doesn't have custom ROM's, and Intel announced ceasing development of Android chip-set, so the Sofia platform looks like it's going to be soon abandoned
2GB RAM, as only 1GB makes users complain of lag when running GPS and music in background at the same time
I would like a brand with a warehouse in Europe, to avoid custom taxes (I'm from Spain). This is not a MUST (I would pay customs if necessary)
Device should be robust, and heat-proof (another issue that made me forget about the Intel Sofia with it's over-heating problems). I wouldn't like to have problems after the warranty ends...
Good Audio Quality. I'm not an extremist audiophile but I like hearing music nicely. Not loud, but nice.
Haven't decided the screen size yet, but I would prefer the Head Unit having physical buttons and volume knobs, rather than just a plain 10" screen (unless you convince me of the opposite). I also have a Peugeot 308 which does everything with the stock SMEG Head Unit (even air-con and car status) BUT even so, it has a physical knob to ON/OFF and set the audio volume.
Price around 300 EUR. More or less.
So far, I've filtered my options to these makers:
Joying. Look as the best Chinese maker per the forums.
Pumpkin, UK based, but a bit overpriced.
XTRONS. Forums also talk about good quality products, and support, but I've found several disappointed customers some of them even returning the head unit.
Dasaita. Good reviews, but comments of lower quality than XTRONS (I cannot judge because I'm just reading and gathering information)
Any advice there?
Considering all your pre-requisites i'd say Pumpkin Octa core head units (PX5). They're a bit overpriced yes but you can look at ebay uk and amazon uk and get a better deal.
I'm considering buying one myself.
Joying has some problems, Dasaita is hard to get in Europe without customs charges and Xtrons i don't know very well...
Boy, did I fall down the rabbit hole! I'm prepping my 2006 GMC Yukon XL to tow a travel trailer. I wanted a backup camera, so I started looking at Sony/Kenwood Android Auto units, then stumbled across a message Dasaito head units, so I Googled that and holy CRAP Toto we aren't in Kansas any more!
Okay, so MTCB/MTCC are the older boards, and the suppliers are cranking out MTCD boards now. Got it...
I'm seeing references to MTCE in version strings, but I can't find any discussion about them. What's the deal with these? Are they better? Are they image-compatible with MTCD?
Is there anything better than the current 32GB/4GB octa-core platforms? I see references to Intel-based platforms - are they better yet?
And are there any other families of Android-based head units besides the MTC* platforms?
I'm just a tech-nerd dad with two kids who wants to go camping, but suddenly finds himself in a strange and wonderful land... Thanks!
Buy a real head unit from a real hifi car producer, like jvc kenwood sony alpine etc...
Cinese unit will never be hifi headunit. Go for an android auto one, like JVC Kw-M870BT or similar. You get good audio quality, real warranty, good performance everywhere.
siggey said:
Buy a real head unit from a real hifi car producer, like jvc kenwood sony alpine etc...
Cinese unit will never be hifi headunit. Go for an android auto one, like JVC Kw-M870BT or similar. You get good audio quality, real warranty, good performance everywhere.
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Click to collapse
This is what I'm wrestling with. The original plan was to purchase a Sony XAV-AX200 from Crutchfield. It supports Android Auto and has a physical volume knob (essential for road trips with kids). If I purchase from Crutchfield, I get the bezel surround for my truck, the PAC RP5-GM11 interface unit to mate up to the GM factory harnesses (including the Bose digital amplifer), the backup camera plugs right in, and so on. For a small fee, Crutchfield even pre-solders all the harnesses so you literally just plug the thing in.
Which leads me to a side question - do I use the same PAC unit to connect to these Android head units and mate to the steering wheel controls? I wonder if the Bose digital factory amp connects the same way... hrmm.
I should add that I have two additional motivations for using an Android head unit, both related to towing our 28' travel trailer:
I planned to purchase a standalone trailer TPMS system, but it would be great to have the head unit monitor the trailer's tires.
I use an Android app to level our trailer (put a phone on the floor of the trailer, and it sends the angular level to a second Android device), but I could run the receiving app directly on the head unit.
chrispitude said:
I should add that I have two additional motivations for using an Android head unit, both related to towing our 28' travel trailer:
I planned to purchase a standalone trailer TPMS system, but it would be great to have the head unit monitor the trailer's tires.
I use an Android app to level our trailer (put a phone on the floor of the trailer, and it sends the angular level to a second Android device), but I could run the receiving app directly on the head unit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have my eye on the Joying JY-UO135N4PX5:
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesal...id=SB_20180403143951&SearchText=JY-UO135N4PX5
At the time of this writing, the JY-UO135N4PX5 is not available on Ebay or Amazon. It is on AliExpress, but I'm not sure which of the sellers is the official Joying store, or all of them, or none of them...
chrispitude said:
I have my eye on the Joying JY-UO135N4PX5:
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesal...id=SB_20180403143951&SearchText=JY-UO135N4PX5
At the time of this writing, the JY-UO135N4PX5 is not available on Ebay or Amazon. It is on AliExpress, but I'm not sure which of the sellers is the official Joying store, or all of them, or none of them...
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Click to collapse
FYI, Those Joying units are not MTCD/E. You will not have all the 3rd party support that the MTC units have.
carter.w.jason said:
FYI, Those Joying units are not MTCD/E. You will not have all the 3rd party support that the MTC units have.
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Click to collapse
The mtcd/e units honestly are...a mess... MCU files and such. If you find the joying xxxP2 models....those are FYT SoM px5 units...gobwoth those...also means TWRP support and Xposed...and custom roms coming as well. The only downside is you can't install malaysk rom...but that seems to be bloated anyway. Take a look at the work done with the Intel joying...the P2 model is virtually identical to the intel save for the Px5 cpu...so lots of customoziation available
gtxaspec said:
The mtcd/e units honestly are...a mess... MCU files and such. If you find the joying xxxP2 models....those are FYT SoM px5 units...gobwoth those...also means TWRP support and Xposed...and custom roms coming as well. The only downside is you can't install malaysk rom...but that seems to be bloated anyway. Take a look at the work done with the Intel joying...the P2 model is virtually identical to the intel save for the Px5 cpu...so lots of customoziation available
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is TWRP all ready out for PX5? Never saw it. I've been reading up on all you guys work on the Intel side, made me jump ship and buy Intel. Or is all this still in the works for PX5? Will be nice to have as a backup, and once support matures a bit more.
carter.w.jason said:
FYI, Those Joying units are not MTCD/E. You will not have all the 3rd party support that the MTC units have.
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Click to collapse
Well crap, I didn't realize that.
Okay, so what do I really lose by that? I can still run a third-party launcher (FCC Car Launcher, etc.), right? I'm new to all this, so it's not a rhetorical question.
carter.w.jason said:
Is TWRP all ready out for PX5? Never saw it. I've been reading up on all you guys work on the Intel side, made me jump ship and buy Intel. Or is all this still in the works for PX5? Will be nice to have as a backup, and once support matures a bit more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once I get my hands on a P2 unit, yes, the bootloader is easier than the Intel to work with.
chrispitude said:
Well crap, I didn't realize that.
Okay, so what do I really lose by that? I can still run a third-party launcher (FCC Car Launcher, etc.), right? I'm new to all this, so it's not a rhetorical question.
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Click to collapse
Yes, you can still run your own launchers. These Chinese units have a few bug here and there. For example the Joying PX5 sleep mode will kill background services that other apps depend on, giving you unwanted app crashes. You have to find work arounds for things like that. Short on time to go in depth tonight, but feel free to ask any other questions. Though the other devs here are better suited than me.
Link to the MCU version for this Joying unit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frxm0uNSTtE&feature=youtu.be&t=1256
So guys, you've already lost me. So if I go with this JY-UO135N4PX5, basically I only get whatever updates Joying provides, and no other options - is that correct?
carter.w.jason said:
Yes, you can still run your own launchers. These Chinese units have a few bug here and there. For example the Joying PX5 sleep mode will kill background services that other apps depend on, giving you unwanted app crashes. You have to find work arounds for things like that. Short on time to go in depth tonight, but feel free to ask any other questions. Though the other devs here are better suited than me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm an engineer, so I regularly experience "analysis paralysis" while trying to make a decision. I get caught up on the details, which is especially difficult in areas like this where there are lots of details, but sparse and scattered over a wide area!
I want a 4GB RAM, 32GB ROM - pretty much because the numbers are higher, which makes me happy. I want a physical volume knob. I originally looked at the Eonon GA2170. The Joying unit caught my eye because it's got a SRC button, which would be handy for quickly switching between sources.
So given that I want a 4GB/32GB unit and a volume knob, what do you guys recommend that I look for?
Back in the day, I had one of the original Rio Car ("empeg") head units installed in my 1995 E36 M3. Man, that was a killer setup. I had my whole collection with me. I had a 60GB unit, which had to use two 30GB drives because drives were so small at the time.
chrispitude said:
Link to the MCU version for this Joying unit:
&feature=youtu.be&t=1256
So guys, you've already lost me. So if I go with this JY-UO135N4PX5, basically I only get whatever updates Joying provides, and no other options - is that correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would skip the n4 px5, it's a different OEM that isn't easily modified. the P2 models are the best, although currently limited to 2gb/32gb
gtxaspec said:
I would skip the n4 px5, it's a different OEM that isn't easily modified. the P2 models are the best, although currently limited to 2gb/32gb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are the P2 units a board platform, similar to MTCD/E? Is Joying the only supplier for P2 units, or are there others? You mention that the P2 platform is currently the best - best in what way?
Here's a Joying P2 unit with the front panel I like (but limited to 2GB as you note):
https://www.joyingauto.com/joying-h...em-touch-screen-head-unit-with-bluetooth.html
I suppose I could wait until 4GB units start becoming the norm. Great information here, guys. Thanks a bunch. I'll make sure I give back to the community by documenting my install (and my on-the-road towing experiences!) once I get to that point.
- Chris
chrispitude said:
Are the P2 units a board platform, similar to MTCD/E? Is Joying the only supplier for P2 units, or are there others? You mention that the P2 platform is currently the best - best in what way?
Here's a Joying P2 unit with the front panel I like (but limited to 2GB as you note):
https://www.joyingauto.com/joying-h...em-touch-screen-head-unit-with-bluetooth.html
I suppose I could wait until 4GB units start becoming the norm. Great information here, guys. Thanks a bunch. I'll make sure I give back to the community by documenting my install (and my on-the-road towing experiences!) once I get to that point.
- Chris
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OEM manufacturer is FYT (fyttek) they have a SoM module platform. The Intel Sofia by joying uses their 5009/6021 modules...they make a variety of modules for different resellers. Their latest SoM is the 6026 which is similar to the 6021, but with a px5 instead of the Intel. They are big in China, though a few resellers do use their platform to sell globally. They are not MTCD/E, they use their own MCU. I've had MTC units, as well as FYT based units, I like the FYT stuff better for the moment. Easier to work with.
I prefer my $299 Pumpkin 8.0 unit to my $1100 Alpine AA unit.
packetjunkie said:
I prefer my $299 Pumpkin 8.0 unit to my $1100 Alpine AA unit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, though I'm sure the audio quality on the Alpine is superior, functionality is night and day between them.
I wouldn't say the audio is hugely better. I have two setups I have done for my Jeep and F150 in the past 3 months.
Jeep: Alpine i207-WRA, JL HD905/4 Amplifier, JBL GTO609C Premium 6.5-Inch Component Speaker System - 2 sets, Rockford Fosgate Prime R1L-2X12 2x12" subwoofer box
F150: Pumpkin 8.0, Rockford Fosgate P1683 6x8" 260 Watt 3 Way Car Coaxial Speakers Audio - 2 sets, Rockford Fosgate P400-4 400 Watt 4-Channel Amplifier, JL 12" PowerWedge, JL Audio tweeters
The Jeep setup was over $3200, the F150 about half that (my goal was under $1000, but then added the PowerWedge subwoofer) - (prices include installation)
Using XM Radio in both the results are I have more lower end bass in the F150 due to the sub setup (and a Loudness setting that appears missing from the Alpine unit) and both have the same crisp sound. For streaming I feel the results are also the same at normal volumes.
Where the difference is, if you want to really crank it up the Jeep will go way and above the F150 with the dual 12" subs and better amp. But the reality for me these days is not cranking it, its just enjoying it without making my hearing any worse for wear than it already is after years of doing these kinds of systems.
I would gladly spend half what I spent on the Jeep.
I've spent too much time browsing AliExpress auctions, and I really like the button layout (with SRC button) of the Joying units. However, the only 4GB Joying unit with that button layout is the N4 (JY-UO135N4PX5) unit. The P2 version of this Joying unit comes in 2GB only.
Do you think the 4GB/32GB unit in the following AliExpress auction is a hardware clone of the Joying N4 unit?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Fre...0dc0-4bcd-81df-8454ea163451&priceBeautifyAB=0
hello all, new here although i have ready many posts.
I have posted in another forum about head units, i have a Ford Focus 08 model so have joined the ford owners club forum for advice but i think some of my issues would be best answered in a place like this.
I have recieved some good feedback but i think i may have exhausted them with particular units.
I seem to have found some answers to my original post but have now dwindled my choice down to 3 so i need more help if at all possible...
so my post today was about how i have come to the choice of these 3..
XTRONS TE103AP
or
EONON GA2168
or
EONON GA2168k
The XTRONS is the top spec i can find on a 10" screen which could be overkill for my focus but it looks great in some vids i have seen, its also the only 10" that has 4gb RAM and 32gb ROM with octacore and Android 8.0 which was reccomended above so it has pretty much got me. the screen is detachable although slightly more longwinded to take off than some pumpkin and eonon models of similar size that i found. Also being black friday/cyber monday weekend i could get it with a fair whack off the price (£240ish on their site). My only worry is it doesnt look like it comes with the CANBUS adapter, i also am not too familiar with what that even is, is it just for steering wheel controls (which i dont have) or is it for the stalk aswell?
As for the EONON GA2168, that screen is better detachable and is also octacore however it is only Android 7.1 (is that a major difference?) its also only 2gb RAM and not 4 (again not too sure about this, would a car stereo really benefit from more than 2gb? This also doesnt seem to come with the CANBUS adapter but does come with a free rear cam or dash cam and is £247
And finally the EONON GA2168K which is very simlar obviously but is only 16gb ROM and again 2gb RAM but this time with Android 8.1 but only quadcore processor without CANBUS and also comes with free cam of my choice and is cheaper at £217
Both XTRONS and EONON offer similar spec stereos that will fit right into my hole that are only 7" however but do for some reason come with CANBUS decoder/box (is that the same thing?)
So im swaying toward the XTRONS, better spec and all that but will i need to but this CANBUS thing? Any help would be greatly appreciated, sorry this was a bit longwinded but i have spent many hours now researching/spreadsheeting/doing my missus head in with all this now and want to purchase while these deals and offers are on. Hopefully some of you may have experience here.
Thanks in advance for any input :good:
understandably i cant post links to the actual units or my original thread on the owners club but hopefully some of you will know which units i am refering to. Thanks
I have the ga2168k from Eonon...
Had it only a short time now but so far I love it.
Now, I'm using it as a daily driver in a Ford f550 superduty.... not entering it into a show...going to car club gatherings or anything of the sort. I wanted it because I needed GPS, hands free calling and that 10.1 BIG display just fits a Ford F550 well as it is a lot of truck.
Perhaps the more memory one may be better for you if you are watching things on it... or doing some crazy things with it... for a simpleton like myself, it's perfect.
Which did you go for in the end?
Im pretty much in the same position as you, torn between which 10.1 to go with... Pushing slightly more towards the Eonon GA2168K
mdis89 said:
Which did you go for in the end?
Im pretty much in the same position as you, torn between which 10.1 to go with... Pushing slightly more towards the Eonon GA2168K
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just installed a GA2168K yesterday in my 2006 GTO.
One thing I noticed in the included harness adapter is they have constant battery power and accessory power swapped.
Installed it with their R0008 dash cam that came with it. No DVR app. Finally found the main config menu (hidden by password 8888) and enabled DVR.
It does not detect the camera. it was working fine with my GA2170. Went to their website and was looking to see if they had a different camera available, and that is the only one. However, on the R0008 camera product page it gives a list of HU's it isn't compatible with, and the GA2168K is one of those. Sent support an email, hopefully will have an answer Monday on that. The other frustration is that half the settings they show in the user manual and online, aren't showing up in the actual menu's. Hoping they can send me a newer Firmware/OS that enables those... And finally, there is no seperate control for subwoofer like there was in the GA2170 Looks like I need to buy the remote amp level control and run a new cable to the trunk
Another issue... It is advertised as having 18 FM presets and 12 AM. It only allows me to store 6 of each...
Dears,
anybody tried Eonon GA2178 - 10" Android 9 Head Unit?
I'm actually on Eonon GA2168K - 10" Android 8 Head Unit, it's a good device with minor problems.
Anytime developers fix a problem they introduce an other problem and there's no community support for MTK chipsets.
Because of this I'm evaluating the new Eonon GA2178, that is quite similar but based on Rockchip chipset.
Tks!
I'm looking to upgrade the stock head unit in my 2007 Subaru Impreza Wagon. My budget is ~$600. I've been doing research between Pioneer, Sony, JVC and Kenwood models and happened to stumble upon a thread about the Teya CC3 device and other Android headunits. Didn't know Android headunits existed. Are there any major differences, pros, and cons of these Android headunits compared to more mainstream head units such as the Pioneer DMH-W4660NEX?
I'm looking for a device that is responsive, has good UI, not buggy, and that just works well. I will be using it primarily with Android Auto and listening to music, so seamless wireless Android Auto support, rearview cam support, and good audio quality are my top priorities. The car doesn't have steering wheel controls and besides audio, none of the car features are tied to the stock head unit.
So far I've found that the Android head units are typically cheaper, have much better screens and specs, and more features but how is the reliability and sound quality of these devices? Why arent these devices more mainstream, am I missing something?
Thanks
As I've just discovered, it's the wild west. Software issues, bluetooth issues, and in my case my Atoto S8 is causing any battery it touches to go flat on or off irrespective of wiring. It's a lottery. Some win it but plenty are losing it. I think if you're willing to take a risk do go ahead and chance it. Otherwise get a mainstream one with actual quality control (Sony, Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine etc)
Also forget after sales support. Well, Atoto are trying but there's no way I can ship back to China because the Bluetooth is duff and it's drawing heaps of life from my battery when it's switched off.
I'd have so paid the extra 20% and gotten some peace of mind.
My 2 cents.
I would love to go mainstream but my car (CRV) - similarly to many other post-2000 cars - simply don't accept 2DIN stereos. Seems that car manufacturers purposefully make non-standard sized radio fascias to prevent people from fitting universal units and therefore upsell sales of their own sat nav units, which on the other hand never get upgrades.
With Chinese android head units, you can buy a head unit specifically designed to be fitted in any make/model, if changing car panels is required then no problem - you can buy an unit with the panels for your model.
Please correct me if im wrong here, but those are my impressions and to be honest im very frustrated by that.
Enphenate said:
I'm looking to upgrade the stock head unit in my 2007 Subaru Impreza Wagon. My budget is ~$600. I've been doing research between Pioneer, Sony, JVC and Kenwood models and happened to stumble upon a thread about the Teya CC3 device and other Android headunits. Didn't know Android headunits existed. Are there any major differences, pros, and cons of these Android headunits compared to more mainstream head units such as the Pioneer DMH-W4660NEX?
I'm looking for a device that is responsive, has good UI, not buggy, and that just works well. I will be using it primarily with Android Auto and listening to music, so seamless wireless Android Auto support, rearview cam support, and good audio quality are my top priorities. The car doesn't have steering wheel controls and besides audio, none of the car features are tied to the stock head unit.
So far I've found that the Android head units are typically cheaper, have much better screens and specs, and more features but how is the reliability and sound quality of these devices? Why arent these devices more mainstream, am I missing something?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have currently an Teyes CC3 on a testbench before i install it in my car, that thing blows my mind, with a fantastic bright crisp QLED screen, great sound due the 2 dsp's who are installed. I'm testing it with a powered 7 port USB hub and i connected a DAB+ dongle to it, a usb stick, a TPMS dongle and all functioning fine thanks to the USB 2.0. The big surprise for me was that this head unit, sees the European Galileo satellites. There are 2 points of critisism, after a update everithing go's back to Russian, it can be that i downloaded it from the wrong site, Russian instead of English. And the look of the FM radio screen is terribel, tiny names of the radio stations and RDS is way to small and to short for such a big screen of 9 inch, the plus is that you can download the images of the radio stations. And every radio that runs on software can be buggy, also the Alpines and Kenwoods. A lot of people forget that it's still a computer which can have software hiccups.
Enphenate said:
I'm looking to upgrade the stock head unit in my 2007 Subaru Impreza Wagon. My budget is ~$600. I've been doing research between Pioneer, Sony, JVC and Kenwood models and happened to stumble upon a thread about the Teya CC3 device and other Android headunits. Didn't know Android headunits existed. Are there any major differences, pros, and cons of these Android headunits compared to more mainstream head units such as the Pioneer DMH-W4660NEX?
I'm looking for a device that is responsive, has good UI, not buggy, and that just works well. I will be using it primarily with Android Auto and listening to music, so seamless wireless Android Auto support, rearview cam support, and good audio quality are my top priorities. The car doesn't have steering wheel controls and besides audio, none of the car features are tied to the stock head unit.
So far I've found that the Android head units are typically cheaper, have much better screens and specs, and more features but how is the reliability and sound quality of these devices? Why arent these devices more mainstream, am I missing something?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have pioneer (4200nex) sitting in the closet right now. MUCH better sound quality than ANY of these Chinese units BY FAR and much less buggy.... Smaller screens though.
The android units however are far more customizable and don't just serve as simple 'stereo systems'. You can do a lot more with them as a result. Pretty much anything you can do with an android tablet (or ipad comparatively speaking) you can do with these.
I would say that if you want simple no-fuss clean sound you are better off with pioneer. If on the other hand, you like a challenge and like to tinker then you will have more fun with android.
Ohhh and easy, no-fuss AA/carplay with android.... forget it! Sometimes it works sometime not. Unlike Pioneer, they are not even officially supported on these machines.
Hi Guys!
I am looking recently for some head unit for my Focus mk3 2012. I need one that is already fitted into the the surounding plastics as there is no "real" DIN space to place it.
I stumbled upon few units, but honestly now I have no idea what to choose.
Just as a examples: (not sure if I can post aliexpress links)
1) AWESAFE PX9 2GB + 32GB MTK8227 (octacore) with ST7851 Android 10.0
2) Hizpo 8x 4GB+64GB MTK8259 (octacore) with ST7850 Android 10.0
Are those worth ~230 -250 USD? Is there anything else you can recommend in this price range?
I know the sound quality will not be the best, but are those (ST7851, ST7850) at least decent in terms of sound quality?
You need to get an adapter for your car, probably this https://www.crutchfield.com/S-NwUKGSSBDOO/p_120995827B/Metra-99-5827-Dash-Kit.html
From there you can get any dual-din Android Head unit. Personally I like a Pioneer and Kenwood Android Auto units, but you can use any other one.
Also to note, the head units you pasted are Android head units, not Android Auto head units. You probably want something like DMH-1500NEX I personally think those you mentioned will not make you very happy.
People bought this one and say it is good. I am interested in a decent 4Gb one as well. Let me know about your experience if you get your hand on some of these ones.
@rivalion
which one did you end up buying ?