Related
Have just returned my Xtrons unit due to various issues, and looking to change it for a proper Android Auto unit.
Had a look at the Pioneer AVH-X8700BT and quite disappointed, horrible buttons and a creaky flexy facia, and the onscreen menus etc are cluttered and unintuitive. This is a shame as I could have got 20%/£100 off in Halfords.
So interested to hear from anyone who has tried the others. I keep seeing comments about a JBL unit but it seems the launch date keeps getting shoved back. Kenwood - I've not found much about these but not hugely impressed by the look of the on screen menus in the static photos.
The one that has really got my attention is the Sony XAV-AX100 that has supposedly just been released. The unit looks smart and doesn't appear to need neon footwell lamps and extra boost gauges to complement it, (!) and the Sony menus have similar clean/uncluttered look like the Android Auto section. Apparently its only available via Sony Centres and both my local stores haven't come back yet with availability
I agree with your analysis of the options but i don't think the Sony product is released until December:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01LY8222N/geizhals07-21/ref=nosim?m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
I personally got the Pioneer F88DAB (which is a european model) and I like the way it works. the menu is working quite well and I like the fact that I am able to adjust the screen tilt.
Android Auto works great at the device and I will upload a video of the device with android auto, so you can see how the menu and all the functions look like.
amazon
that JBL has been pushed back so many times, I would not have any faith in it. The top of the line Kenwood is over a grand, but I have seen some really good reviews on it and few bad reviews. That was my backup plan if I didn't like my Joying, but I love my Joying
Sir_Nomad49 said:
I personally got the Pioneer F88DAB ...amazon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At £850, it's poor value - you could professionally install a tablet for a lot less. I think I'll wait for the Sony for x-mas
kc1 said:
At £850, it's poor value - you could professionally install a tablet for a lot less. I think I'll wait for the Sony for x-mas
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is true, but it was easier to install and I personally like the interface of it.
The Sony is a good choice. With a pioneer device you can use appradio or mirra cast.
When I am home, I will upload a video on how it is usable.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Free mobile app
kc1 said:
I agree with your analysis of the options but i don't think the Sony product is released until December:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01LY8222N/geizhals07-21/ref=nosim?m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm also looking forward to getting the Sony unit later this year. :good:
CayenneGTS said:
I'm also looking forward to getting the Sony unit later this year. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like it's available to order now
http://amzn.eu/1V2elbz
http://a.co/byhPOFu
Sir_Nomad49 said:
I personally got the Pioneer F88DAB (which is a european model) and I like the way it works. the menu is working quite well and I like the fact that I am able to adjust the screen tilt.
Android Auto works great at the device and I will upload a video of the device with android auto, so you can see how the menu and all the functions look like.
amazon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the previous model the Pioneer F77 DAB. Works very well. Back in the day halfords had it for something over £800 then by accident halfords listed at £600 so reserved one sharpish. Couple of days later it was back at its original price. I think someone had cocked up.
Far as android auto is concerned it works faultlessly. It's pretty quick booting up from off and reverse camera works straight away, not having to wait for unit to boot. Occasionally when turning vehicle key to on unit comes on as normal but if you then hesitate to start engine it seems to crash and take maybe a minute to boot again. Even reverse camera does not work when this happens. Unit comes on when key is turned to power but cranking engine robs power from unit so it turns off and on again. The crash is something to do with the stage of boot when power drops. In all the time I've had it, it has only happened maybe half a dozen times. Other than this it works faultlessly. Pioneer want stupid money for mapping updates for the built in satnav on the downside but half the time I use Google maps in AA for quickness. Pioneer has an app to connect the phone to on board sat navigation - AVICSYNC. It works but is very clunky. Waiting for Waze to become AA compatible but not holding my breath on that one.
Well after failing miserably with two local Sony centres and also Sony online, I managed to find the unit for sale on Amazon! I'd set my heart on it and after three months with a gaping hole in the dashboard, its finally fitted!
First of all, its single DIN behind the facia so plenty of room for wiring looms, and simply slides in unlike the Android units that would need 30 minutes of trying to pull the cables around and still failing to get the facia flush. Also, as expected, it comes with a cage and standard mounting brackets so no bodging needed. Once fitted the unit sits neatly within the existing double din facia.
It starts up fast, works with my factory fitted reversing camera (unlike the Android units) and is simple to navigate. I was concerned about the 'cheap' resistive screen, but its actually very responsive and only needs a light touch.
The only issues I have so far;
1) The volume control knob needs a fair bit of spinning, it needs two or three goes to crank the volume down. I need to check the settings again to see if you can make the adjustment less fine.
2) If I connect the phone and play music on Spotify, and then start the engine, the unit powers down as normal during engine start. When it resumes, the music starts playing on the phone...I have to swipe across to a second screen and press a '+' speaker button to get the audio back through the vehicle speakers. A bug with my phone, or the radio? Something to look in to.
3) There is a limit to how many menu presses you can navigate, and unlike running Android Auto on the phone, instead of a momentary warning, it sticks until you navigate back home. Thats fine, although really irritating if your passenger is trying to find some tunes. But it does the same when stationary...I'm sure my handbrake is wired correctly but regardless, I'll be over-riding that feature as its in a campervan and I normally have a passenger!
4) Just to answer my own questions about the unit; No, the facia is not removable. No, it doesn't come with a remote control (a shame for a campervan!) And unlike the Android units, everything works seamlessly. i.e it doesn't freeze or get laggy, you don't need to wait ages for the unit to boot or Google Maps to load, and if you start the radio, Spotify etc will stop, rather than having two lots of audio competing for your attention
Spooky_b329 said:
3) There is a limit to how many menu presses you can navigate, and unlike running Android Auto on the phone, instead of a momentary warning, it sticks until you navigate back home. Thats fine, although really irritating if your passenger is trying to find some tunes. But it does the same when stationary...I'm sure my handbrake is wired correctly but regardless, I'll be over-riding that feature as its in a campervan and I normally have a passenger!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android Auto uses the phones GPS and maybe accelerometer to know when you've stopped.
On my Kenwood unit the handbrake sensor is grounded all the time and I still get that message.
Spooky_b329 said:
Well after failing miserably with two local Sony centres and also Sony online, I managed to find the unit for sale on Amazon! I'd set my heart on it and after three months with a gaping hole in the dashboard, its finally fitted!
First of all, its single DIN behind the facia so plenty of room for wiring looms, and simply slides in unlike the Android units that would need 30 minutes of trying to pull the cables around and still failing to get the facia flush. Also, as expected, it comes with a cage and standard mounting brackets so no bodging needed. Once fitted the unit sits neatly within the existing double din facia.
It starts up fast, works with my factory fitted reversing camera (unlike the Android units) and is simple to navigate. I was concerned about the 'cheap' resistive screen, but its actually very responsive and only needs a light touch.
The only issues I have so far;
1) The volume control knob needs a fair bit of spinning, it needs two or three goes to crank the volume down. I need to check the settings again to see if you can make the adjustment less fine.
2) If I connect the phone and play music on Spotify, and then start the engine, the unit powers down as normal during engine start. When it resumes, the music starts playing on the phone...I have to swipe across to a second screen and press a '+' speaker button to get the audio back through the vehicle speakers. A bug with my phone, or the radio? Something to look in to.
3) There is a limit to how many menu presses you can navigate, and unlike running Android Auto on the phone, instead of a momentary warning, it sticks until you navigate back home. Thats fine, although really irritating if your passenger is trying to find some tunes. But it does the same when stationary...I'm sure my handbrake is wired correctly but regardless, I'll be over-riding that feature as its in a campervan and I normally have a passenger!
4) Just to answer my own questions about the unit; No, the facia is not removable. No, it doesn't come with a remote control (a shame for a campervan!) And unlike the Android units, everything works seamlessly. i.e it doesn't freeze or get laggy, you don't need to wait ages for the unit to boot or Google Maps to load, and if you start the radio, Spotify etc will stop, rather than having two lots of audio competing for your attention
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Re "And unlike the Android units, everything works seamlessly", not true - please see your points 1 and 2 !!
Re "unlike the Android units . . . it doesn't freeze or get laggy, you don't need to wait ages for the unit to boot or Google Maps to load", Android units per se dont have this problem, one particular type, with only 1GB RAM, Lollipop and a later version of Google Maps does, this can easily be sorted.
Glad youre happy with your new unit, enjoy.
Spooky_b329 said:
Well after failing miserably with two local Sony centres and also Sony online, I managed to find the unit for sale on Amazon! I'd set my heart on it and after three months with a gaping hole in the dashboard, its finally fitted!
First of all, its single DIN behind the facia so plenty of room for wiring looms, and simply slides in unlike the Android units that would need 30 minutes of trying to pull the cables around and still failing to get the facia flush. Also, as expected, it comes with a cage and standard mounting brackets so no bodging needed. Once fitted the unit sits neatly within the existing double din facia.
It starts up fast, works with my factory fitted reversing camera (unlike the Android units) and is simple to navigate. I was concerned about the 'cheap' resistive screen, but its actually very responsive and only needs a light touch.
The only issues I have so far;
1) The volume control knob needs a fair bit of spinning, it needs two or three goes to crank the volume down. I need to check the settings again to see if you can make the adjustment less fine.
2) If I connect the phone and play music on Spotify, and then start the engine, the unit powers down as normal during engine start. When it resumes, the music starts playing on the phone...I have to swipe across to a second screen and press a '+' speaker button to get the audio back through the vehicle speakers. A bug with my phone, or the radio? Something to look in to.
3) There is a limit to how many menu presses you can navigate, and unlike running Android Auto on the phone, instead of a momentary warning, it sticks until you navigate back home. Thats fine, although really irritating if your passenger is trying to find some tunes. But it does the same when stationary...I'm sure my handbrake is wired correctly but regardless, I'll be over-riding that feature as its in a campervan and I normally have a passenger!
4) Just to answer my own questions about the unit; No, the facia is not removable. No, it doesn't come with a remote control (a shame for a campervan!) And unlike the Android units, everything works seamlessly. i.e it doesn't freeze or get laggy, you don't need to wait ages for the unit to boot or Google Maps to load, and if you start the radio, Spotify etc will stop, rather than having two lots of audio competing for your attention
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My unit came with a remote. I also find what I believe is a software bug, if you turn on the dimmer the maps will always be in night mode.
leonkernan said:
Android Auto uses the phones GPS and maybe accelerometer to know when you've stopped.
On my Kenwood unit the handbrake sensor is grounded all the time and I still get that message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got the same issue. As of 2.0 Android Auto uses the head units' GPS data. If your head unit doesn't have built in navigation (GPS), it won't remove the limitation even if stationary.
Link: https://productforums.google.com/d/msg/android-auto/8mvJEDnJUpU/pmejOMunAgAJ
terre08 said:
My unit came with a remote. I also find what I believe is a software bug, if you turn on the dimmer the maps will always be in night mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found out it's by design by reading the user manual a bit better. The dimmer is connected to the headlights and when you turn on the lights it will go into night mode, unfortunately I use the lights 24/7 so I will install a toggle switch instead to turn on/off the daylight and the night mode. Pioneer has a a similar setting using the headlights but they also have a setting where you can set the time for night mode, hopefully Sony will have something similar in a future update.
Thanks for the replies!
I've worked out that the unit is detecting the handbrake as the video playback from an SD card is interrupted. I see the comment about the Sony not having built in GPS causing Android Auto to keep the 6 press limit, thats annoying, lets hope its fixed in an update. Surely it can use my phones GPS signal to work out when I'm stopped!
Terre08, I'll send you a PM regarding your remote...interesting!
I have a moto x pure connected with chevy volt using android auto. It used to work perfect with the stock rom.
Recently I have installed the orionos custom rom, and the screen resolution in the car is totally wrong. I can only see the very top left portion of the screen, I think it is a screen resolution issue, but do not know how to solve it.
Any help is appreciated.
same issue
I have a brand new Skoda connected to an LG Optimus G updated to Android 6.0.1 and exactly the same issue. The screen is completeley screwed up and showing only the top left quarter of the screen way too large (huge fonts, etc.) Is there a way to fix this? Would even be good to know if this is a bug in the phone, in the car system or in the Android Auto app.
Anyone else facing this?
Is it possible you may have downloaded a 1024x600 rom instead of a 800x480?
I have a HTC 10, completely stock rom and a Pioneer head unit. Maps always worked perfectly in over a year with this phone and previous phone.
About a week ago I started to have this same issue. Maps is totally useless since.
I will try and get a photo tomorrow and reply again with it.
Just to let you know not only one.
I could fix my display issue by upgrading my phone to an Android 7 custom ROM.
duflez said:
I have a HTC 10, completely stock rom and a Pioneer head unit. Maps always worked perfectly in over a year with this phone and previous phone.
About a week ago I started to have this same issue. Maps is totally useless since.
I will try and get a photo tomorrow and reply again with it.
Just to let you know not only one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same thing here, HTC10, but with stock+magisk/xposed, same issue in Maps - until I saw this I thought that is because of one of xposed module. I cleanup the storage data several times, reinstalled aa also, disabled magisk/xposed, played with app settings xposed module in order to try to change the screen dp. Could not find the issue.
Interesting part is that on the same car but with different phone (moto x 2nd, xposed, same aa version, same google maps version) the Maps is displayed properly.
I have the same problem after updating my rom to a 1024x600. My unit was 800x480 and thats why the screen is cut off. What can i do?
In my case issue was related to Boost+ app "optimization", see this post https://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-10/help/android-auto-google-maps-issue-t3533388
Seeing videos of people integrating Raspberry Pis into their cars with OpenAuto got me interested in Android Auto. There is one thing I don't like about it, however: you're just adding another device to pass on audio/video/touch to an external display, from the phone. Why not cut out the middle man?
Back in the good old days of my Xperia S, phones had a dedicated micro-HDMI output. Delicous 60fps 720p (and even 1080p, with the UI drawn at 720p, but for instance video playback in full 1080p), and a free charging/OTG port. However, nowadays, we're stuck with MHL, and unless you have a Samsung phone, which has a proprietary connector, you can't use MHL and OTG at the same time, nor does MHL properly support touch functionality (only in theory), so we need the OTG.
DisplayLink to the rescue. We're going to sacrifice a lot of display smoothness/responsiveness here unless you have a modern phone with a USB 3.0 Type-C port (so you can use a newer high performance DisplayLink adapter), but we can use an OTG hub to get both HID touch functionality and HDMI through the DisplayLink adapter at the same time. More on this later. Also, I originally bought a $6 USB to HDMI adapter off eBay thinking it would be DisplayLink (or a compatible off-brand clone), but it turns out to be the really dodgy Fresco Logic FL2000, which is so cheap because it does none of the clever things that DisplayLink adapters do, and instead just spits out full resolution frames as fast as it can, which is completely incompatible with USB 2.0 or low power devices like phones. I found an affordable HP DisplayLink DVI adapter second hand from a Chinese seller that works.
On to the next hurdle: charging while using OTG. This is an interesting one, as it's not something I really gave a lot of thought initially. I mean surely just using a powered hub and giving the phone 5V over its micro-USB port would work, right? Well, it's a bit more complex than that, but Sony used to have an OTG dock that could charge, so I'm confident once I get the right OTG hub, it will work fine on my Z5. The one I got off eBay wouldn't do anything but charge, and when I opened it up, I saw it doesn't even use the 5th OTG pin, which would explain why it didn't work. I soldered a regular Type-A plug onto it and used my Sony OTG adapter to test, and I can get either charging or OTG, so something a bit less hacky is required. I ordered the Acasis H027, so when it arrives, we'll see if that works.
Touch: I haven't tested it yet. I have an HDMI touch screen in storage at my brother's house, so next time I visit I'll see if I can get touches to register on the phone. Based on my Googling most people on the internet seem to have gotten this to work fine, although there is no touch calibration on Android as far as I'm aware, like there is on Windows.
Portrait mode: this is my personal pet project and what I've been struggling with the most so far. It would be by far the easiest to just use a touch screen in landscape mode, but hear me out. Because HDMI (touch) monitors are cheap anyway, and in the 7 inch to 24 inch size range, bigger usually means cheaper, I want Tesla-style portrait mode. In portrait mode we can fit more screen estate in the centre console of the car than in landscape mode, and a bigger screen = bigger text = quicker glancing = safer driving. And it also happens to look extremely cool. If you have a big car you can probably fit a 20 or 24 inch screen, but I think I'm going for 13 inch. However. Using the DisplayLink Presenter app or the DisplayLink Desktop demo app which as far as I can tell does exactly the same things, I cannot for the life of me get native portrait mode to work. Android insists on pillarboxing portrait mode, and no amount of forcing rotation, setting build.props like ro.sf.hwrotation or persist.demo.hdmirotation works to change its mind. More worryingly, it seems that for the HDMI rotation prop to work, you need to also set persist.demo.singledisplay, which prevents apps from accessing secondary displays, which means DisplayLink Presenter, which itself is an app, cannot mirror the screen output any more and you get a sad single stripe of garbage pixels on an otherwise completely black screen. I probably need help here from an XDA developer, to hack the DisplayLink app, or to develop an Xposed module that causes all apps to draw themselves in portrait mode while the system is actually in landscape mode, or something along those lines. I've tried most things in my power that I could think of, and since my phone is unlocked, rooted, magisk'd and xposed, that is actually quite a lot, but nothing helped. So, uh, help?
Lastly there is DPI, which is one of the easier hurdles that I did solve. Android Auto (in phone mode, so not connected to any head unit) has a ridiculously huge UI on my phone's native dpi, and while I understand the reasons for it, with a larger external touch screen attached it just becomes unreasonably huge. With Tasker set to run "wm density 240" the entire Android UI becomes a lot more suited to a large screen, and even though Android Auto is still pretty huge compared to other apps, it's what I would consider reasonable.
More to come!
So, quick update:
While the screen portrait mode issues were "simple" to fix (although root was definitely required), the touch orientation issues as well as charging-during-OTG require kernel modifications to be fixed. I managed to compile a modified kernel with charging-during-OTG support thanks to @nlra 's work on that front, but I couldn't get the new image to boot.
A few things happened in the mean time:
- I discovered scrcpy
- I got an Xperia XZ3 (which I haven't rooted yet)
Scrcpy seems to be basically what Android Auto does, but for the whole Android desktop instead of only one app. I kind of don't like it because it involves adding a computer in between the display and the phone again (probably a Raspberry Pi), but the advantages are so huge it's basically the only realistic option right now.
Scrcpy:
- Basically always runs at 60fps, even on USB 2.0
- Handles portrait/landscape gracefully
- Integrates display, touch, (audio in a future version), and charging in a single connection
- Doesn't require root (although automatically setting the Android resolution to 1920x1080 and keeping the display on at 0% brightness are things that can probably only be accomplished with Tasker, which requires root)
So basically this simplifies and moves the project further immensely, however there are still some blocking issues right now. Touch screens only work on Windows because in addition to generating touch events, Windows also generates fallback mouse click events for touches, something that Linux doesn't do, and because there is no formal touch screen support in scrcpy, multi-touch doesn't work at all. Audio support also seems to be in an experimental state currently, and is not enabled for regular builds.
I hope ROM1V will eventually implement touch screen support (it's been in his GitHub issue tracker since March) as I have enough work to do as it is. I will focus on the hardware part (Raspi, cabling, VESA mount etc.) first and if by that time touch support is still missing I'll take a crack at it myself. Thankfully scrcpy is built on SDL which I'm fairly familiar with, although I've never worked with the touch input API before.
For the charging you need hub with usb-c PowerDelivery passthrough and HDMI. I am testing ones with less power consumption right now. I am not sure why you weren't able to use it.
I think people would be better of using following app for changing resolution, etc. using SecondScreen (I think root is required to run HDMI in portait mode, because it is grayed out for me).
I am doing the same project, but I keep the screen 1600x1200 horizontally and use apps in split view mode. I don't want root. I was thinking of using SamsungDEX for it, but the menus are too small.
The good thing is though, that on Samsung it is possible to create two-apps split screen pair (e.g. google map + music) as a launcher shortcut (using Good Lock (MultiStar plugin) from Galaxy Store). Unfortunately, I don't think it is possible to automate launching two apps in split screen automatically, nor create a split-pair shortcut on other launchers.
It would be good to have some multiwindow manager since I also wanted my BMW-tuning/logging gauges app to run in a floating window on top or minimized to a floating icon. It is possible naturally but it is a lot of manual clicking :/
One more thing that I don't think will be possible, is to completely turn off the phone screen. With the screen on, Note8 doesn't do fast charging. Can the screen be off with scrcpy somehow, I don't think?
So this dead?
The touch screen in my car's calibration is fine because it all works normally until I connect to Android Auto. But once I connect to AA the touch calibration for both my navigation apps, Maps and Waze, are off. I need to touch almost an inch above the spot I want to touch. If I switch to my music app in AA everything works normally again. It just seems to be in the navigation apps. Any ideas on how I can fix it? It has been going on for a few months and is kind of annoying.
I've same problem on my car. I didn't change any adjustment (or so I think) . When I setup first time with my note9 everything was working normally. I removed app and then install again but still not working. When I change with my android tablet navigation is working normally. I understand there is a conflict on software.
Solved
I've find the solution myself.
As I said I'm using note 9 (I think it's same issue with s9+) When screen resolution is WQHD+ (2960x1140) it's cause the problem. When reduce to FHD+ (2220x1080) it's going to normal.
Hi.
I'm having serious problem after the installation of AAmirror on my tablet Samsung Galaxy note 10" ed.2014, model SM-P605.
I followed all the directions related to the root of the tablet, and then i installed carstream and AAmirror.
Now the situation is the following: when i connect my tablet to the usb socket in my car (Fiat Tipo), android auto starts regularly. Scrolling the menu on the car screen i can find the AAmirror icon. I tap on it, and the app starts, but with a downsized screen that makes impossible to recognize the various icons mirrored from the tablet screen.
But the worst is yet to come: the screen of the tablet itself now is downsized too! There are 2 side black bars and the screen is restricted at the centre of the tablet display. There is no way to come back to the normal state. I tried to reboot the tablet more and more times, but i can't seem to come back to the normal screen. Please help me. What can i do to restore the tablet?
The above situation doesn't occur when i start up carstream. Any suggestion?
Thank you very much.
Bye
Nico
Italy
nickthefury said:
Hi.
I'm having serious problem after the installation of AAmirror on my tablet Samsung Galaxy note 10" ed.2014, model SM-P605.
I followed all the directions related to the root of the tablet, and then i installed carstream and AAmirror.
Now the situation is the following: when i connect my tablet to the usb socket in my car (Fiat Tipo), android auto starts regularly. Scrolling the menu on the car screen i can find the AAmirror icon. I tap on it, and the app starts, but with a downsized screen that makes impossible to recognize the various icons mirrored from the tablet screen.
But the worst is yet to come: the screen of the tablet itself now is downsized too! There are 2 side black bars and the screen is restricted at the centre of the tablet display. There is no way to come back to the normal state. I tried to reboot the tablet more and more times, but i can't seem to come back to the normal screen. Please help me. What can i do to restore the tablet?
The above situation doesn't occur when i start up carstream. Any suggestion?
Thank you very much.
Bye
Nico
Italy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a similar problem once and found that AAMirror had not been granted access in SuperSU. Just check that the # appears against AAMirro in SU. If not, click on it and it will be shown with a #. It should work correctly now. Good luck