Database Users

What is The Best Android Head Unit?

What is your favorite Android head unit? I have a 2006 F150 XLT that has the standard radio in it. The world of Android head units is a bit daunting, there is such a wide price range.
Are any of the brands you see on Amazon (such as Panelo, Masione, Joying, Atoto, Henhaoro, etc) any good? I don't want to spend a lot on a head unit, as there are other modifications I want to save that money for. This one caught my eye, but there is only one review, so I don't have anything to go on really: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07196PZDY/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I19FLMACLW5HJC&colid=299XVYDL2TUOK
What I like about that one is that it has a bunch of things I want, like Android 5.1 (recent enough not to cause cancer every time I use it), it doesn't have the DVD slot (which I wouldn't use anyway), it has an external mic input (I have seen that the included ones are usually horrible), it supports a backup camera, and it has phone mirroring function.
What is your favorite Android head unit? What if price was not in consideration? Thanks!

I've been wondering the same as I plan on getting one soon, which one did you finally buy and how did you find it ?
If not can someone please tell us what is the best all around (smooth & stable ,no overheating issues,good software support android head unit in the market right now , PX3 , PX5 or Intel Sofia based ?
Thanks

Right now I think px5 is best. It is fast, doesn't overheat and has good custom firmware

vassandrei said:
Right now I think px5 is best. It is fast, doesn't overheat and has good custom firmware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Compared to the Joying units with Intel Sofia from what I have read :
Pro.
1. like Andrei said, the PX5 units heat up a lot less than Intel Sofia but the temp still hovers around 50-60C so it's not exactly running cool
The Intel Sofia platform runs quite hot 70-80C and a few users had their units gave up on them. Joying is replacing them under warranty.
In my opinion the Sofia platform needs a decent heatsink for the SoM and active cooling.
2. PX5 units have 2 custom roms already... definitely a lot more software customisation compared to the Joying Sofia units
3. a way bigger user base (on the PX5) and a lot more skilled people willing to make the platform great
4. PX5 units still have an dvd/cd unit build in - it's almost useless these days but some still want one
Cons
1. some PX5 units have issue with the Wi-Fi signal strength and transfer speed (bad design, cheap antennas, they cut corners for a few cents... on some units you can correct the issue).
2. Some PX5 units have limited sleep mode implemented - only a few hours compared to the Joying that has 72 hours or so - the instant power on is limited on some units
3. PX5 Wi-fi issues when used at the same with with BT
4. a lot of people complain about an annoying echo when taking calls on the PX5 units
5. you can't tether via BT on the PX5 (still the same poor BT implementation that they are doing it for the past 4 years now.... very, very poor design)
6. read a lot of sad stories with poor customer support from some sellers of the PX5 units - you need to buy an unit from a seller with good reputation
Overall, the hardware in the Joying Sofia units is better in my opinion than the PX5 units but on the software customization side the Joying loses to the PX5
If Joying Sofia would have a bigger user base here and some skilled programmers things could be so much better.... but there's still time

edit said:
Compared to the Joying units with Intel Sofia from what I have read :
Pro.
1. like Andrei said, the PX5 units heat up a lot less than Intel Sofia but the temp still hovers around 50-60C so it's not exactly running cool
The Intel Sofia platform runs quite hot 70-80C and a few users had their units gave up on them. Joying is replacing them under warranty.
In my opinion the Sofia platform needs a decent heatsink for the SoM and active cooling.
2. PX5 units have 2 custom roms already... definitely a lot more software customisation compared to the Joying Sofia units
3. a way bigger user base (on the PX5) and a lot more skilled people willing to make the platform great
4. PX5 units still have an dvd/cd unit build in - it's almost useless these days but some still want one
Cons
1. some PX5 units have issue with the Wi-Fi signal strength and transfer speed (bad design, cheap antennas, they cut corners for a few cents... on some units you can correct the issue).
2. Some PX5 units have limited sleep mode implemented - only a few hours compared to the Joying that has 72 hours or so - the instant power on is limited on some units
3. PX5 Wi-fi issues when used at the same with with BT
4. a lot of people complain about an annoying echo when taking calls on the PX5 units
5. you can't tether via BT on the PX5 (still the same poor BT implementation that they are doing it for the past 4 years now.... very, very poor design)
6. read a lot of sad stories with poor customer support from some sellers of the PX5 units - you need to buy an unit from a seller with good reputation
Overall, the hardware in the Joying Sofia units is better in my opinion than the PX5 units but on the software customization side the Joying loses to the PX5
If Joying Sofia would have a bigger user base here and some skilled programmers things could be so much better.... but there's still time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you both for your responses, so If I get It right the PX5 is better performancewise and overall but with some issues partly due to it's cheap design,however with it's larger user base the software can be improved and the Intel Sofia has a better hardware design and stable software but tends to overheat.
Not really an easy choice to make ,as of now I'm favoring the Joying with the Intel Sofia because it appears to have a better hardware design and a stable software for basic use (Waze, Spotify...) , I'll probably have to install a fan/heatsink later and hope for the best.
if anyone has any additional return/advice/info on the PX5 or Intel Sofia based units,please post it as I still haven't decided yet and won't make the purchase until next week.

metalic4u said:
Thank you both for your responses, so If I get It right the PX5 is better performancewise and overall but with some issues partly due to it's cheap design,however with it's larger user base the software can be improved and the Intel Sofia has a better hardware design and stable software but tends to overheat.
Not really an easy choice to make ,as of now I'm favoring the Joying with the Intel Sofia because it appears to have a better hardware design and a stable software for basic use (Waze, Spotify...) , I'll probably have to install a fan/heatsink later and hope for the best.
if anyone has any additional return/advice/info on the PX5 or Intel Sofia based units,please post it as I still haven't decided yet and won't make the purchase until next week.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly I had a joying Sofia before my px5, and the speed on the px5 platform is the same if not better. The fact that it's ARM based is better for overall compatibility. I've not had any problems with wifi so far (but I have a USB wifi hotspot in the car that I connect to), and I have no issues pairing with my phone either. Seriously in my opinion the thing that makes or breaks the whole experience is software, and I had a much better experience with the px5 platform software-wise so far. Xposed modules are super handy and add a lot of functionality that isn't available on the intel sofia platform.

vassandrei said:
Honestly I had a joying Sofia before my px5, and the speed on the px5 platform is the same if not better. The fact that it's ARM based is better for overall compatibility. I've not had any problems with wifi so far (but I have a USB wifi hotspot in the car that I connect to), and I have no issues pairing with my phone either. Seriously in my opinion the thing that makes or breaks the whole experience is software, and I had a much better experience with the px5 platform software-wise so far. Xposed modules are super handy and add a lot of functionality that isn't available on the intel sofia platform.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm considering the PX5 unit too as it would save me the trouble with Joying units overheating issues, Any brand recommendation / reference number for a reliable PX5 unit with good users experience?
Thanks.

Be glad to have a brand recommendation for the PX5 as well.

Hey, Blenderite just check this list in this site http://www.colereview.com/best-android-auto-head-unit/ and you can make a good choice of best android auto head unit.
For me, the best one is: The 7 inch Android 6.0 Marshmallow Car Stereo

What's wrong with Xtrons?

Hi all, first time member here - sorry for any dumb questions.
I'm looking at getting my first android head unit. I don't have much criteria, but here is the list;
- 7" double DIN
- snappy boot time (2 - 3 seconds before playing music)
- nice looking - physically (don't like the joying logo or inset/bezel), and software (prefer the look of the latest android)
- video in for pi or dash cam
- bluetooth for calling and maps data (waze, etc). Or should i be looking at wifi tether?
At first, my research lead me to the following Xtrons units (basically searching whats popular on ebay);
- TB706PL (Octa-core RK3368 PX5, Android 6.0)
- TA701PL (Quad-core RK3188 PX3, Android 7.1)
- TL702P (Quad-core Intel Atom x86, Android 6.0)
Questions:
1. I've read a lot of posts on this site steering people to Joying HUs. Whats wrong with the Xtrons HUs?
2. Is the PX5 a big deal? Is octa core overkill for HUs? (I'm currently leaning to the PX3 over the PX5 due to later Android.)
3. Are all these units rootable?
4. Is there a likelihood of being able to upgrade the Android version of all of the head units in the future?
Thanks everyone!

Joying is the brand with the greatest hacker support.
You don't need to buy the UM135 with deep plastic bezel. You can also buy UM128, which is all glass.
Yes, it has a joying logo on the front too.
PX5 may have an 8 core SoC, but they are 8 SUPER WEAK SLOW TURDS. They are badly implemented A53's. So don't for ONE SECOND thing that you're getting something on the same level as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. You're looking at several orders of magnitude between the 8 turds and the 8 custom A73's in the QC.
Of all the CPUs available for car radios, the INTEL quad-core is the strongest. Ignore benchmarks, its a totally different architecture that you CANNOT compare with synthetic benchmarks.
As far as upgrade android version, Joying with Intel CPU is probably the most likely one for being able to upgrade to AOSP8.

i've never had an Xtrons. I have had Joying, Dasaita, and Seicane.
All have their pros and cons. The Joying definitely ran the best, and had the most updates, but it ran too hot and fried itself. Joying did replace it, which was cool.
However, i wanted something Jeep specific with a big screen, which Joying doesn't make, so I moved on to Dasaita with Android 6.0 and PX5:
https://youtu.be/ITCawVbBL7g
And i got the Seicane with Android 7.1.2 and PX3:
https://youtu.be/MWVsNWZjeCQ
The Dasaita is noticeably quicker than the Seicane but the Dasaita had 2 bugs I couldn't get past. The Dasaita would not recognize the MicroSD card from sleep. It would be fine from a full reboot, but from sleep it didn't recognize it, and the app switcher button would randomly disappear.
Seicane does not have those issues.
I think Xtrons and Dasaita are very similar, but not positive

Pf84mtv has any one got the original software?
Xtrons gave me a wrong firmware for my system and now my system lost the function of all its buttons and now they emailed me saying sorry they dont have the firmware? Can any one help

Joying Android 8.1 4/32Gb with Intel SC9853i or Dasaita Android 9 4/64Gb RK3399-PX6?

Looking to buy a new android head unit, after some research , most likely I would go for one of the 2 below:
Dasaita Android 9.0 Car Radio 2 Din GPS- 2018 PX6 Built-in DSP IPS Screen 4Gb+64Gb 6-Core RDS WIFI Bluetooth
Joying New 10.1" 1 Din TDA7851 Android 8.1 Car Radio Player Multimedia GPS Navigation Audio Stereo DSP
Dasaita is a 6 cores - 2 cores running at 1.8Ghz, 4 at 1.5 Ghz, the benchmarks shows this unit performing better on the single core test, Joying is winning the multi-core. Not sure how much of a difference is going to be in a real life normal usage. Both units should perform nice. Joying unit comes with the new 8 core Intel SC9853I with 1.8Ghz per core, from what I read on this forum, looks like this product doesn't feel as solid as the Dasaita unit, still things that are being fixed through monthly updates from the manufacturer. Joying has SPDIF Coaxial digital audio output, Dasaita has HDMI out for video as distinctive features for these two units. One big concern would be regarding the Joying unit that it might get hotter than the Dasaita unit plus the not so polished software. Not sure which one to go for, I would appreciate your take on this, if you own any of these 2 units. PX6 RK3399 or Intel Airmont SC9853i ?

Hi, as being switched from px5 to the joying intel sc9853i head unit, i would definetly choose the dasaita px6 for below reasons;
1- Cpu power does not means everything and intel cpu gets very very hot 80~100 C during summers, of course this could be avoided by adding extra fan along with a heat sink but small one hence there is not much space inside the cage
2-PX6 is most known platform and lots of flexibility cos its a well known product unlike the joying intel head unit
3- Software of the joying is terrible, there are a lot of bugs and those will be affecting your daily driving experience and they will make you crazy after a while believe me
4- There is a joying support only allegedly, most of the time they can not be able the solve the problem and that garbage intel head unit has a lots of way to go to become a normal daily usage head unit
5- SPDIF is not a game changer option by itself, i have done side by side rca-spdif outputs and there is a very tiny difference in terms of audio quality
6- There is no xposed framework support which is tremendous effect on head unit ( I am putting this as a standalone remark hence this could fix the some of the bugs)
I hope these are the answers which you looking for..
cheers..

julien_blanche said:
Hi, as being switched from px5 to the joying intel sc9853i head unit, i would definetly choose the dasaita px6 for below reasons;
1- Cpu power does not means everything and intel cpu gets very very hot 80~100 C during summers, of course this could be avoided by adding extra fan along with a heat sink but small one hence there is not much space inside the cage
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The PX6 can also become very hot. Same issue with all the faster CPUs.
Another point is rooting/Xposed/custom roms: I'm sure that Malyask has a PX6 custom ready in the near future. He already made one for the PX30 (don't buy a PX30).
And HAL9K most probably will have a PX6 custom rom pretty soon as well as he is "sponsored" by some Australian vendor of those units.
Due to the new flashing technique used on the 9853i (compared to the Joying Sofia and PX5), it is now also possible to make a custom rom for the 9853i. (but as long as my PX5 is working properly I will not switch to a 9853i and maybe never).

I have same dilemma as you. I tried to list out pros and cons for each in my opinion.
Above all else, I just want it to sound really good.
Dasaita px6 dsp pros:
Android 9 vs 8.1
Rockchip platform seems to have more longevity / development vs intel ?
Mali 864 vs Mali 820 (not a huge deal)
Faster single core performance
HDMI out (nice to have)
2 camera inputs
3 1.5 amp usb outputs
Cons:
Need to purchase android auto / carplay dongles separately (100+ for both)
No spdif out
Screen not easily / quickly removable
Unsure if canbus adapter for chevy cruze is compatible
Joying 8.1 intel DSP pros:
spdif out
android auto / apple carplay support built in via zlink
Easy to remove screen
Seem to have good technical / customer support?
Joying makes a direct 7 inch oem style replacement for my 2011 silverado vehicle, which makes getting harness / canbus adapter easy....
Faster multi core performance from CPU
Cons:
No video out
Android 8.1
usb / bluetooth limitations?
overheating issues potentially (live in phoenix lol)

I personally still using the 3 years old PX3 from Joying.. had twice the screen replaced for free due to cabling fault
and by looking at some reviews for the new units and build quality, I'd say they are quite good. They even produce variants screens like the 8" one that looked pretty solid.
The only downside I may think of is only the Android/software support for the Intel units. You are pretty much only relying on 1 single seller/manufacturer for the updates, unlike MTCx units.

WOW! Also I'm in big dilema ...which HU i'll have to choose: joying, xtons, witson, eonon, daisata, so many brands .... I was determinated on Joying with Intel SC9853i, because at this moment they offer HU with best hardware specs on the market, but after I read this thread and this one I have big reservations.... For me and my car best fit is a HU with buttons, not only touch. I prefer this ones because they looks closer to the original media player.
So, after 1 week of searches, digging, I have to face it with this conclusions:
-Joying have best hw specs on market, 8Cores Intel SC9853i, built in DSP, responsive support, but many bugs;
-Xtorns have a good build quality on their HU, maybe the best, sadly NO built in DSP, more expensive than competition, they have 6Cores PX6 on their lastest HU, not so much info on this forum about xtrons and their rom stabiltiy or support;
-Witson, I'm witson old HU owner, quad core, 1GB ram, and the experience was average, because the lack of ram memory, but after 2 years it still working. Now they offer 8Cores Px5 with a fair price, NO DSP, also not much info about support
--about other brands I have no knowledge, so no opinion!
After this conclusion, now I'm aimed on Xtrons, but in no hurry! I think if they had DSP on their unit, it was a 1st choise for me...so I have to find more info about user experience with this brand. Maybe someone share his experience/opinions about xtrons , and why not, about anyother brands to complete this thread!
THX!!

surfer63 said:
The PX6 can also become very hot. Same issue with all the faster CPUs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very hot is a relative subject. The question is does it become as hot as Intel and throttle? I think in the past also Intel units had more heat related issues than other units. But more importantly, you never know when Intel will stop supporting the platform. It is new and risky.
That said, Joying Intel units have 2s boot. I haven't seen any PX6 unit which claims to support this. I wonder why? as PX5 units had this feature???

yurtesen said:
Very hot is a relative subject. The question is does it become as hot as Intel and throttle? I think in the past also Intel units had more heat related issues than other units. But more importantly, you never know when Intel will stop supporting the platform. It is new and risky.
That said, Joying Intel units have 2s boot. I haven't seen any PX6 unit which claims to support this. I wonder why? as PX5 units had this feature???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course heat is relative. But the PX5 definitely got hot and started throttling down. Cooling it was one of the first things I had to do. I was not able to find the specs back, but the px6 iss comparable to the PX5.
Lots of home media units contain PX5s and cetainly need a big heatsink. Based on same spec measurements I guess it is the sam for the PX6 (but I can't prove, as I can't find back these measurements )
the 2seconds startup has nothing to do with the CPU, but with the additional hardware: the MCU and MCU firmware. Only the FYT based MCU types can do this.

@surfer63 it is interesting information about 2-3s boot. But why FYT does not have PX6 units? To be honest, right now I am not able to find any PX5 units with fast boot even.

yurtesen said:
@surfer63 it is interesting information about 2-3s boot. But why FYT does not have PX6 units? To be honest, right now I am not able to find any PX5 units with fast boot even.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know whether they have or have not PX6 models. Joying only has the 9853i models from Fyt. There are however more FYT resellers than Joying.
Why do you want to have a PX6? You want a good functioning unit with as few bugs as possible. Performance wise it doesn't make a big difference, if any.

The downside for Intel socs is the precious trial with Intel Sofia units.
Manufacturers bet for Intel two-three years ago and moved fast again to rockchip platforms leaving Intel Sofia's with no support
In my opinion dont let be tempted by hardware specs...here the key is the software.
These units have hardware enough for the extrnse use for the car environment....if software is not stable....then your headunit is useless manufacturers don't give you the correct support (the most often case) then you have to move to any developer support....
Today the MTCD/MTCE based mcu units are the best developing supported (thanks to malaysk and hal9k) both are moving to px6 now.
With respect to which brand....in my opinion...many manufacturers claim warranties but no answer when troubles appear. I can recommend Dasaita (you can read many posts in which dasaita has been made the correct support for customers)
Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk

I followed Intel path for 2 important features that matters for me:
1. Fast boot. My unit is up less then 1 second and this aspect is very important.
2. DSP that gives a much better sound quality and settings compared with any PX solution I've tested.
And another big factor that made me decide was that HU i bought looks 100% like OEM unit including UI menu and is plug & play for all car features. Is not Joying brand but is based on same FYT solution. Now i am looking to find a way to root this device.

How bout the nee Belsee 9.0 units? How do they compare? They have a plug and play for the 9th gen accord. Cant find any info on Belsee

yurtesen said:
@surfer63 it is interesting information about 2-3s boot. But why FYT does not have PX6 units? To be honest, right now I am not able to find any PX5 units with fast boot even.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So is that fast boot a hardware thing or software based?

ricanxd said:
So is that fast boot a hardware thing or software based?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both. It is done by the MCU hardware and MCU firmware from FYT. It is not in the android layer. That is only reacting on it.

Px units have a sleep mode and waking up from sleep is instantaneous.
During sleep just few mah are consumed.. so no worries on draining battery
Px u mints have also dsp...did you tried a px with dsp before to be compared with your fyt with dsp?
Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk

ikerg said:
Px units have a sleep mode and waking up from sleep is instantaneous.
During sleep just few mah are consumed.. so no worries on draining battery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The non-FYT PX units have a sleep mode of 5 minutes to something like 2 hours. Within this time frame they wake up instantanious. After max. 2 hours (or so), they switch off completely and cold-boot again needing 25-45 seconds to get to live again.
The FYT-units, both Intel and PX units, have deep-sleep and a 2-4 seconds wake up (the extra 2-3 seconds due to the MCU). Also after 4-5 days this wake-up is still 2-4 seconds!! And it does not drain your battery. The current is so low that a normal car battery can at least last for 30+ days before reaching 50% load, necessary to be still able to start the car.
That is a huge difference between the FYT units and the non-FYT units.

surfer63 said:
The non-FYT PX units have a sleep mode of 5 minutes to something like 2 hours. Within this time frame they wake up instantanious. After max. 2 hours (or so), they switch off completely and cold-boot again needing 25-45 seconds to get to live again.
The FYT-units, both Intel and PX units, have deep-sleep and a 2-4 seconds wake up (the extra 2-3 seconds due to the MCU). Also after 4-5 days this wake-up is still 2-4 seconds!! And it does not drain your battery. The current is so low that a normal car battery can at least last for 30+ days before reaching 50% load, necessary to be still able to start the car.
That is a huge difference between the FYT units and the non-FYT units.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is not true.
Px units (like mtcd) have a unlimited time sleep mode.
Just when detects low voltage of battery they shut down.
I had my px5 5 days on sleep mode without issues and waking up instantaneously
Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk

ikerg said:
That is not true.
Px units (like mtcd) have a unlimited time sleep mode.
Just when detects low voltage of battery they shut down.
I had my px5 5 days on sleep mode without issues and waking up instantaneously
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is really great to hear. Until now I was really under the impression that only the Joyings did that.
You mention the PX5 (mtcd). Was that also true for the PX3 (mtcb)? I have seen many videos/images where they showed in the Settings this "switch off after xx minutes" (or whatever it was exactly called).
For me that was the only reason to choose a Joying. Cadillac Mike did quite some reviews where he also discussed the mtcd units and the Joying. He specifically mentioned the quick-start of the Joying. Unfortunately he removed all non-Seicane videos from Youtube and now seems to be paid by Seicane (and changed to 5after12 as user name).
And as all mtcd units are compatible: does that mean that what you say is valid for all px5 units?

On my px5 still the Menu allows you to choose between some.time to shut down or auto sleep....if you choose auto sleep...it lasts for days prioritizing the battery of the car as now it has a voltage meter to achieve this
Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk

Android Auto compatibile HU recommendation.

Hello everyone.
My 3 years old 7" Joying Sofia 2gb HU died, and I'm looking for a replacement.
Since the release of my unit, I noticed that the new models are based on PX5, PX6 and the latest AIRMONT Intel units.
The most important things for me:
- fast performance and stability, which means at least 2gb of memory, preferably 4gb.
- good ANDROID AUTO compatibility, either natively, or good support for the app "Android headunit reloaded" which I've been using all the time on my dead joying unit
-Fast wake up time after sleep, I really don't want to wait a minute for having a working unit once I turn on the car.
Any alternatives to Joying Headunits? I was disappointed with the quality control of their units and support.
Any advice will be highly appreciated!!

Hi,
I never give "buying advice" as I only know Joying and can't compare with others: there is no clear pro/con here. Some users prefer one brand, others another. 9 out of 10 only know "their own" brand and promote that one (something like: the more in one community, the more community support you might expect?). But you PMed me with the question about advice so I will give my 2 cents.
From what I have heard Dasaita (Hot Audio) seems qualitatively a bit better, but that's from hear-say. They are also slightly more expensive than the Joyings.
I now received the SC9853i unit from Joying for only 63 euros for testing purposes.
If I did not have that new Joying one, I might "try" a Dasaita.
Build quality: All Chinese models range from "moderate" to "bad" quality. There is a reason why they are 2x-3x cheaper. I do not think Joying is worse than the rest. I even think they are better than a lot of the unbranded models, who are indeed even cheaper. And again: From what I have heard is Dasaita better and therefore also more expensive.
W.r.t. support from Joying: They do support you. Sometimes it is very good, sometimes it is bad especially when they do not know it or do not have a solution. Then they "wriggle" without giving a firm statement.
But they do support you. When reading about all kind of other, especially the non-branded units, there is simply no support at all and they only speak Chinese.
Concluding: my choice would again be a Joying, or a Daisata.
But again: that is only theoretically as I have never done an in-depth study of multiple models.
Edit: Dasaita is MTC-D/E and therefore supported by the HAL9K and Malaysk custom ROMs, if that is what you want.

surfer63 said:
Hi,
I never give "buying advice" as I only know Joying and can't compare with others: there is no clear pro/con here. Some users prefer one brand, others another. 9 out of 10 only know "their own" brand and promote that one (something like: the more in one community, the more community support you might expect?). But you PMed me with the question about advice so I will give my 2 cents.
From what I have heard Dasaita (Hot Audio) seems qualitatively a bit better, but that's from hear-say. They are also slightly more expensive than the Joyings.
I now received the SC9853i unit from Joying for only 63 euros for testing purposes.
If I did not have that new Joying one, I might "try" a Dasaita.
Build quality: All Chinese models range from "moderate" to "bad" quality. There is a reason why they are 2x-3x cheaper. I do not think Joying is worse than the rest. I even think they are better than a lot of the unbranded models, who are indeed even cheaper. And again: From what I have heard is Dasaita better and therefore also more expensive.
W.r.t. support from Joying: They do support you. Sometimes it is very good, sometimes it is bad especially when they do not know it or do not have a solution. Then they "wriggle" without giving a firm statement.
But they do support you. When reading about all kind of other, especially the non-branded units, there is simply no support at all and they only speak Chinese.
Concluding: my choice would again be a Joying, or a Daisata.
But again: that is only theoretically as I have never done an in-depth study of multiple models.
Edit: Dasaita is MTC-D/E and therefore supported by the HAL9K and Malaysk custom ROMs, if that is what you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the very informative reply! I'm sure other forum members will learn from it.
I'm actually a bit disappointed with Joying, the device has never left the car, and suddenly the screen stooped working intermittently. After reading a but about this issue, it appears that the intel Sofia units had some poor soldering of parts on the motherboard, and after contacting their support team, they recognized the problem and sent me a link to a video on YT showing that I can fix it by soldering a part on the motherboard. Unfortunately trying to do so left me with a totally non-functioning device.
The only thing that Joying offered was a 5% discount on a new unit, and I felt really uncomfortable to buy a new unit only after 3 units, when it was clearly a bad quality control issue.
For this, I will surely look into that other DASAITA units. From checking their latest models, they seem to be cased on PX6, while the newer Joying have the newer Airmont CPUs.
1) Do you think there will be much difference in terms of performance between PX6 and Airmont architecture? They both have 4GB of RAM.
2) Any idea if the DASAITA have the quick wake up from sleep as the joying units? This is an extremely useful feature, as you don't have to wait until the unit becomes usable.
3) Apart from the ability of installing custom ROMs, what is the advantage of having MTCx units?
4) Is the ZLINK solution provided in these units a good solution for having Android Auto? I've been using Android Headunit Reloaded and it has been really good.
5) Is the new built-in DSP available only in the latest Joying models?
Thanks again

KamaL said:
1) Do you think there will be much difference in terms of performance between PX6 and Airmont architecture? They both have 4GB of RAM.
2) Any idea if the DASAITA have the quick wake up from sleep as the joying units? This is an extremely useful feature, as you don't have to wait until the unit becomes usable.
3) Apart from the ability of installing custom ROMs, what is the advantage of having MTCx units?
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Click to collapse
1. I don't think so. With 4GB everything runs smoothly and nothing is is taking those CPUs to the max as long as you do not play heavy games.
2. As far as I know (almost?) all newer MTCD/E models do also support quick wake up.
3. 10x more users (at least). 10X more knowledge (I think). All are compatible: per CPU-type/MCU type that is, so every PX6/MTCD is compatible with any other PX6/MTCD.
Look one level higher https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/
And then check the MTCD forums. Read a bit more about them. They wil know about the quick startup.

Eventually I bought a unit from a local store, instead of dealing with shipping, customs etc...
It is made fekn FOXWAY, It has a PX6 RK3399 with 4gb of ram. I attached the settings page.
It doesn't have all day quick wake up, I can set it up to 2 hours, but after that it has to boot up. Although it's fast, I prefer for it to set it all the time as in joying units.
Also, I can't find a way to disable the touch or button beep sound, which is driving me.
Any ideas will be welcome.. View attachment 4927037

Beginners guide to Android head units

Hey all, I've been messing around with android for ages, I've built a head unit using a Nexus 7 running Timurs kernel. That's become fairly outdated now and I've discovered that I can buy one of the head units running android which does everything the nexus did but better.
But I am so out of the loop with all the terminology and it seems that there isn't an obvious Go-To brand.
I was hoping this forum could answer some questions that I'm sure a lot of people are asking. So,
What does MTCB, MTCD and FYT stand for, a basic explanation of them and why would you pick one over the other?
What are the most popular / widely accepted / most supported brands / models from each group?
I'm personally after a ~ 9 inch device I can use as a dash for my aftermarket PCM (RealDash is the app I'll use) that also has standard headunit features. I'm looking at a Joying unit but I want to know what my options are.
Thanks heaps for any information
Hopefully this can be made into a thread for new people to get the lowdown and basics of Android based head units.

I have had an ATOTO head unit for over a year now and I have been very pleased with it. I recently got a newer model that I will be swapping it out with soon.
ATOTO has the best value for features and performance on the market today. Their products are primarily sold on Amazon, and they also sell direct at https://store.myatoto.com/ . There are several reviews on Amazon and you can Google ATOTO reviews and read some independent ones as well. Overall, they come highly recommended. They have great customer support, but since they are overseas it is by email only with a 24-48 hour turnaround for a response. You can also search for ATOTO in the forums here and there are several threads.
I hope this helps...

I saw a video for beginners the other day on Youtube
He seems to have lots of other good videos.
I'm also new, even though I've used Joying for a decade.
It seems they all use the same image or build off a common base, like all units use a PX5 or PX6 rom image. I wonder if they build it themselves or where is the origin?

Atoto makes their own Android based custom ROM and UI, the current units are based on Android 10. Unfortunately, there is no resource I have found here to root this latest version. But, you can certainly install another UI like Nova Launcher and such.
BTW, their latest models have a 1024x600 IPS display with 178 degree viewing angle.

Atoto does not use these px5 or px6 images?

Ok, px5 and px6 are actually processors.
Then I guess what my next question is, do they build off a common Android for head units branch?

As in, I dont't think they all are branching the git repo of Android, instead of branching from some head unit branch?

This really ought to be a Wiki article (except XDA axed that) or a sticky. There are many people here who know a ton about Android but aren't conversant with head units. Most of the posts on this subforum have to do with specific problems for specific functions on specific units in specific cars. Not a great way to get an oversight.
Let me flesh out what I mean (from my naive knowledge and subject to correction/expansion):
Head units are composed of:
Chassis
Single DIN
Double DIN
Others?
Motherboard
STM32F microcontroller (usually?)
Speaker amplifier
FM radio tuner
WiFi interface
Bluetooth interface
Resistive steering wheel controls interface (2)
Serial interface to external, optional CAN BUS (OBDII) box
Rear view camera interface
GPS interface
Standardized? rear panel connectors
"Core board" (a pluggable, modular Android system) Often named after the Rockchip processor used, PX4, PX5, PX6. Is this the only format? Are these modules used for anything besides head units?
LCD/OLED Display

Renate said:
This really ought to be a Wiki article (except XDA axed that) or a sticky. There are many people here who know a ton about Android but aren't conversant with head units. Most of the posts on this subforum have to do with specific problems for specific functions on specific units in specific cars. Not a great way to get an oversight.
Let me flesh out what I mean (from my naive knowledge and subject to correction/expansion):
Head units are composed of:
Chassis
Single DIN
Double DIN
Car specific formats
Motherboard
STM32F, MTC*, CSN*, CSM*, FYT, RK7* and a couple of older and outdated boards still sold
Speaker amplifier
FM radio tuner
WiFi interface
Bluetooth interface
Resistive steering wheel controls interface (2)
Serial interface to external, optional CAN BUS (OBDII) box
Rear view camera interface
GPS interface
Standardized? rear panel connectors (no standard, as there are 30-pin, 21-pin, ISO and Quadlock connectors)
"Core board" (a pluggable, modular Android system) Often named after the Rockchip processor used, PX4, PX5, PX6. Is this the only format? (No, also some kind of ALLWINNER boards mainly acting with 8227L chipsets, Intel...) Are these modules used for anything besides head units? (not really, because they are just some sort of "reader" for the main board, the communication between the hardware and Android is completely different from any other Android device.)
LCD/OLED Display (and resistive an capacitive displays)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See my comments inline in red..
That is not that easy with these units.
The most important thing here is, that thread starter do not use the search function, which leads to a lot of duplicated threads. There needs to be a clear instruction to use the search and how to figure out which sub-forum to ask in, means the thread starter needs to know the facts of his unit in front....
As we see in the MTC and this forum, we often have to ask about MCU and Chipset and that leads often in asking the mods for moving the threads into the right forum.
If you ask me: I have no real idea how to get that structured in a way that someone who has the knowledge is able to help without check backs for details.
If you have a look at this forum, you might find some dozen of threads regarding the same MCU/Chipset... really not ideal.

famadorian said:
I saw a video for beginners the other day on Youtube
He seems to have lots of other good videos.
I'm also new, even though I've used Joying for a decade.
It seems they all use the same image or build off a common base, like all units use a PX5 or PX6 rom image. I wonder if they build it themselves or where is the origin?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been watching this guy's videos as well, but can't helped getting the feeling he is being heavily sponsored by brands like Joying.
Also: I personally don't believe, that a octacore head-unit is necessarily. There a plenty of Quad-Core ARM A7 headunits out there, which are below €$£ 150 where as the octacore units are way more expensive.
€ 110,61 50%OFF | Ekiy T7 Qled Dsp Android Auto Radio Voor Suzuki Celerio Alto 2014 - 2018 Stereo Auto Multimedia Video Speler 2din carplay Gps Navi
https://a.aliexpress.com/_vE6we4
So personally I opted for a € 150 unit, featuring a 720P IPS screen, 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage and Apple Carplay and Android Auto support. The last one seemly is called AA, although AA is also the road assistance in the United Kingdom....
Anyway most people will tell you not to buy a Quad-Core unit, but I did it nevertheless. These units are in a way quite similar like the Nexus 7, which has a Cortex A9 instead of Cortex A7. The last one being one of the most energy efficient chipsets.... isn't that important as well for a car?
The Nexus 7 had a 800x1280 screen, and 1GB of RAM and worked just fine. Until the storage got screwed up.... I still have mine, but it doesn't seem to do much anymore.
One thing to consider: when using mainly Android Auto or Apple Carplay, than in theory even a 1GB RAM unit would be fine. I believe he tested some of these as well.... they where quite impressive for the money. Also technology is way better, than a few years ago. Even though it seems there hasn't been much going on at the budget side...
But budget head-units below € 150 used to be way worse: a few years ago I couldn't even find a single unit for my car, below € 250. Now it starts at € 110 with a completely integrated frame. Of course I would suggest adding € 40 more and getting atleast the unit with 2GB of RAM.

DexterMorganNL said:
I have been watching this guy's videos as well, but can't helped getting the feeling he is being heavily sponsored by brands like Joying.
Also: I personally don't believe, that a octacore head-unit is necessarily. There a plenty of Quad-Core ARM A7 headunits out there, which are below €$£ 150 where as the octacore units are way more expensive.
€ 110,61 50%OFF | Ekiy T7 Qled Dsp Android Auto Radio Voor Suzuki Celerio Alto 2014 - 2018 Stereo Auto Multimedia Video Speler 2din carplay Gps Navi
https://a.aliexpress.com/_vE6we4
So personally I opted for a € 150 unit, featuring a 720P IPS screen, 2GB of RAM and 32GB storage and Apple Carplay and Android Auto support. The last one seemly is called AA, although AA is also the road assistance in the United Kingdom....
Anyway most people will tell you not to buy a Quad-Core unit, but I did it nevertheless. These units are in a way quite similar like the Nexus 7, which has a Cortex A9 instead of Cortex A7. The last one being one of the most energy efficient chipsets.... isn't that important as well for a car?
The Nexus 7 had a 800x1280 screen, and 1GB of RAM and worked just fine. Until the storage got screwed up.... I still have mine, but it doesn't seem to do much anymore.
One thing to consider: when using mainly Android Auto or Apple Carplay, than in theory even a 1GB RAM unit would be fine. I believe he tested some of these as well.... they where quite impressive for the money. Also technology is way better, than a few years ago. Even though it seems there hasn't been much going on at the budget side...
But budget head-units below € 150 used to be way worse: a few years ago I couldn't even find a single unit for my car, below € 250. Now it starts at € 110 with a completely integrated frame. Of course I would suggest adding € 40 more and getting atleast the unit with 2GB of RAM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is your personal thing.
I don´t recommend to buy such a QuadCore thing, as it is lame as hell, does not support deep sleep, does not provide any support in case there is something wrong with the unit. This, I already wrote to you in another thread.
Please don´t recommend such a nonsense as there are top units available for around 200-250 Euro/USD. It is may be okayish for you, but the majority wants and needs something which does not need these stupid AA or this Carplay.
To use any head unit just as a monitor for Android Auto or Apple Carplay is just a bit hard to understand, as the units with at least a PX5 has more functionality as Android Auto or Carplay would ever be able to provide.
Buy this overpriced unit with a QuadCore and I would really hope that we don´t read that you buyed just BS.

Well it's your personal opinion as well.... it ain't facts.... and it isn't overpriced. The euro is just very weak on the moment, one euro is only $ 0,99 I saw last time.
Ah well have fun with your expensive Chinese Android head-unit, I bet they break as fast as the cheaper ones and there won't be any difference when using Android Auto. And please stop calling it AA, because it's confusing as in British English that's how they call the road assistance. How do you call Apple Carplay then? AC? That's your air conditioner
For € 300 I can buy a JVC: so why the heck spend this kind off money, on a Chinese Android head-unit?
Anyway Saab Unleashed also tested an cheap ARM A7 unit, and it's just fine. This being even a unit with 1GB RAM and only 16GB storage. Also no 720P screen. It really depends on your own usage, how the experience with such a unit is.
Not all Android applications need so much processing. And also I don't believe it's a fact that these units don't support deep sleep. Because there is still a lot of difference between ARM A7 Android head-units. A quick search on Google learns, that deep sleep is supported within the ARM A7 chipset.
And it's not like that Joying or any other brand, is in the league of a Chinese brand like Xiaomi. So yes I rather go for a cheaper Android head-unit, even though it comes with a slower but very energy efficient chipset. Energy efficiency is also very important.
Oh and all Chinese goods bought directly from China, don't provide the warranty you are used to for example in Europe. If I buy a JVC unit, for € 300 than I can be sure to have warranty for atleast 2 years. An Chinese Android head-unit, no matter which price only provides warranty as long as the AlliExpress buyer protection lasts!

DexterMorganNL said:
One thing to consider: when using mainly Android Auto or Apple Carplay...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This reinforces what I've been saying. This whole subforum is an inbred world only with difficulty accessible to a non-auto Android user (or even developer).
I presume from the above quote that those things are basically equivalent to Roku screen mirroring with some bells and whistles thrown in?

Renate said:
This reinforces what I've been saying. This whole subforum is an inbred world only with difficulty accessible to a non-auto Android user (or even developer).
I presume from the above quote that those things are basically equivalent to Roku screen mirroring with some bells and whistles thrown in?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's usually the case isn't it? But I just recently heard about Roku, saw those streaming sticks lying in a Germany Saturn. Didn't know what it was, but I guess it's something like Amazon Fire stick?
But actually the cheapest vehicle specific headunits, don't even come with Apple Carplay or Android auto support. I considered getting the cheapest one, as they are all able to use native Android apps.
Only I was concerned, that 1GB RAM would not be enough to atleast run Google Maps and Spotify on the same time. So I looked further, compared multiple sellers. Mostly all offering the same ****....
So I was surprised that Ekiy, was offering a unit that came with a 720P IPS screen. While other resellers, sell these kind of units with a 1024x600 TN Screen.