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How hard would it be to activate android auto and have it use the device's own peripherals (display, microphone, speakers), instead of outputting via USB to the car's display and use its buttons/speakers/microphone?
Not all of use have the budget/predilection to buy a brand new car or head unit just to use what seems to be a very useful piece of software. Some of us just want to use the phone in a car dock, like it's been the norm until now.
I am sure we will see hundreds of posts asking this question.
Likely #1 FAQ for Android Auto.
See my post on the new app and it's developer mode.
If developers can see and use the UI pretty well without a head unit, presumably on a tablet or larger phone, then non-developers should be able to do the same.
I've also asked this on the android dev google+ post and the answer was, as expected, very evasive.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AndroidDevelopers/posts/21Zscmv7xvA
I plan on going through the Android Auto Development API to see if there is anything we can utilize.
Also just posted a question to that G+ post:
5:24 PM
Will the Android Auto software provided to manufacturers to be installed into the head units be released to public? If not, what is the process someone or a company can become a manufacturer for an Android Auto head unit?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lets see if they reply
IceBone said:
I've also asked this on the android dev google+ post and the answer was, as expected, very evasive.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AndroidDevelopers/posts/21Zscmv7xvA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The blog post is from yesterday but the linked video is from last November:
http://android-developers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/take-your-apps-on-road-with-android-auto.html
There is a lot of buzz out there right now about "how can I use this on my Phone/Tablet"
I love the idea of the AutoMate idea but like others what I am wanting is this.
Use Case: Turn a non LTE Nexus 7 or other tablet into a head client (IE Dumb Terminal).
I still want to power the unit with my phone as the Android Auto specs lay out. I just want to use a permanently mounted Nexus 7 as the controller as the new head units are doing. There is a chance this could also be done using a touch LCD display and a RaspberryPI mounted in car.
I know many have searched for specs on how we create a client. I suspect there may be some exclusivity deals for release or first crack at it in place with auto manufacturers. If we can figure out via API how to plug a phone into a Nexus 7 and control it via its screen that would be wonderful!!
The information has to be out there. After all, the upcoming Parrot RNB 6 looks to be a simple Android device strapped onto an amplifier.
windraver said:
I plan on going through the Android Auto Development API to see if there is anything we can utilize.
Also just posted a question to that G+ post:
Lets see if they reply
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think Google will keep their source code secret, both for the phone part, as well as any software that might run on head units.
Keeping Android app source code secret is the new normal for Google and has been for quite some time IMO, unless there is a compelling business reason to open source it.
manorton said:
The information has to be out there. After all, the upcoming Parrot RNB 6 looks to be a simple Android device strapped onto an amplifier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO the info is secret and the rest of us will have to reverse engineer.
Their motive for keeping it secret is so car manufactures have another pricey option to charge people for
Medevila said:
Their motive for keeping it secret is so car manufactures have another pricey option to charge people for
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they have multiple motives.
One is that Google fears legislation that would kill Android Auto. If people get distracted and collisions result, regulators will be harsher.
Lawsuits are another risk.
Google also wants to better control Android Auto, as they do with Wear and any device that ships with Google Apps.
Android Auto without car headunit?
Turn your phone or tablet into an Android Auto device with Headunit or Automate
Want to give Android Auto a try, but don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a new car or hundreds of dollars on a new receiver? You could just attach your phone or tablet to the dashboard and install an app that gives you an Android Auto-like experience instead.
There are at least two apps under development designed to bring Android Auto features to any Android device.
It was just announced at Google I/O that Android Auto will be updated to include operating natively on your device without a head unit, using the same UI as if there were a head unit. The update for Android Auto that provides this functionality has not been released yet but it is coming.
Hey the problem i had that AA is not available in our country still i managed to install it on my dads lenovo vibe k4 note. (stock lollipop and will be receiving marshmallow..dad will kill me if i root it). ... work perfect but the problem os here.....My dad recently bought Hyundai i20 Active (December 25 2015 India) and i plugged the USB and nothing happened... OK i switched BTW input modes and video modes but of no use. Neither AA detects nor my in dash navigator ( The navi is built in stock one that it provide in all i20... and i had hard time finding its source code in www.opensource.lge.com[as mention in manual])
OK so any trick, tips, anything......bcoz i want that so badly........
Another thing.....why not Google manufacture GPS cards like this so anyone can use it in stock,aftermarket , Garmin GPS and Map my India navigation.... the craziest thing is the second image which is GPS card is nothing but an 8 GB SD card loaded with map data....why not Google load their auto thingy in it......and there is no such complications bcoz my music player , park assist etc has different interface and map has different interface. And manual says i can replace it with any map data card ....( I've read a post over car hackers guide where they unbelievably changed the whole goddamn stock firmwares.
PS note i want android auto only not any alternative..... ive tried alternatives.but im not getting the vibe that i have something "auto".
Sent from my Panasonic P81 using XDA Labs
"Headunit": The First, Best, and Only Headunit app for Android Auto, Now Open Source & Free !
Turn an Android tablet into an Android Auto compatible Headunit ! (With several limitations at this early time of course...)
Android N developer preview: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=65749262&postcount=1165
If you purchased Headunit on Play before Google removed it: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...droid-auto-t3125252/post65015637#post65015637
160117 January 17: New Self mode & Car mode fix: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...droid-auto-t3125252/post64844560#post64844560
151224 December 24: 1280x720 and X86 support: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64466237&postcount=943
151128 November 28: Voice Input + Audio Output: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=64045807&postcount=903
August 28 & 5 Voice Input etc: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62548380&postcount=724
USB OTG Y cables I've had success with: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62745966&postcount=792
Comments welcome: Proposal for a Private Website / Forum for the Headunit app and Automotive Android: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62207324&postcount=587
July 24 APK Immersive mode: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62014837&postcount=519
July 14b APK Standalone mode: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...oid-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252/page43
July 11 APK: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...oid-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252/page39
Quick summary of Google Play bans and final responses; I fixed each time & Google gave a different excuse each time: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...droid-auto-t3125252/post61632463#post61632463
Nexus 9 OTG charging w/ M developer preview & Nexus 7 2013 w/ Timur kernel/mods: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61632651&postcount=312
Nexus 7 2013 OTG charging while running Headunit w/ ElementalX kernel: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61593874&postcount=290
Now Open Source and Free ! http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...droid-auto-t3125252/post61440441#post61440441
June 16 Release #5 APK: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61422602&postcount=163
Release #2 APK and instructions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=60894402&postcount=94
Thank you "All About Android" for covering the Headunit app in episode 218 ! http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61412309&postcount=152
Android Auto over WiFi Direct is coming: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...oid-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252/page16
June 16 APK: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...oid-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252/page15
June 12 APK Auto-Start: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61321219&postcount=107
June 11 APK: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...unit-android-auto-t3125252/page8#post61287292
June 9 APK: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...roid-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252/page5
Android Auto is Google's latest and greatest effort to provide automotive navigation, music, phone and other features in an environment that minimizes distraction.
The Headunit app is intended for 7 inch /17 cm or larger tablets.
A $100-200 Nexus 7 tablet mounted in the car is MUCH cheaper than $700-$1400 Pioneer devices.
A $300+ 10 inch/25+ cm tablet provides a much larger & nicer screen than 6 inch double-din units.
Original XDA Thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/android-auto-general/developer-mode-aa-t3059481
These are early, experimental releases. They should only be used for testing at this time.
Please note that Google has NOT released Android Auto specifications required to build a Headunit app such as this, except to headunit and auto OEMs who have paid fees and signed NDAs.
This app required over 500 hundred hours of painstaking reverse engineering (and many more to come), and another 500 or so as of mid July to build and test the app so far.
If you wish for apps like this that are professionally engineered, supported and updated, your financial support via Paypal donations is required, especially since Google will not allow Headunit apps on Play.
Help keep an independent developer working full-time++ on this cool new stuff.
Thanks for your support !
Mike.
What the heck is Android Auto, and why would I want it ?: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114397&postcount=2
What devices and ROMs are supported ?: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114397&postcount=3
How do I use the Headunit app?: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114419&postcount=4
Troubleshooting: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114437&postcount=5
Supported Phones running Android Auto: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114468&postcount=6
Business Issues: Open Source & Pricing: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114482&postcount=7
Feature Requests: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114494&postcount=8
Coming Features: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114500&postcount=9
Future of Android Auto: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=61114532&postcount=10
What the heck is Android Auto, and why would I want it ?
Introduction / Different approaches:
There are many different approaches to running apps in a car, and they each have advantages and disadvantages.
Many people are happy to just install an Android tablet or Android based headunit and run apps much like they do outside of the car.
Others may mount their phone on the dash and use Android as they always do. They may plug it in to charge and might pair the phone's Bluetooth with their existing in-car audio system.
If you are using approaches like these, and you are happy with them, that's great ! I'm not a mission to convince you otherwise if you have decided these methods are best for you.
Android Auto:
Android Auto (AA) is Google's latest and greatest effort to provide automotive navigation, music, phone and other features in an environment that minimizes distraction.
AA was announced in 2014, and it's "app" first publicly released March 19, 2015, after Pioneer starting selling their AA compatible 4100/7100/8100-NEX headunits. Google did not seem ready to launch AA at that point, but Pioneer's early release of headunits seems to have forced this.
Apple has it's own rough equivalent to AA called Apple Car Play. Many who have seen both prefer AA, but iOS users also appreciate having more or less the same iOS UI they already know in their car.
How AA works (basic):
AA is not a mirroring solution like MirrorLink, Miracast or Apple Airplay. Mirroring solutions simply send phone screen video to an external, larger screen and return touch events. Thus the in-car screen is simply a blown-up version of the phone screen.
Mirroring solutions generally work with all existing apps. AA on the other hand, requires Android apps to have special AA compatible extensions added. Clearly this can be a disadvantage of AA. Few music and messaging apps can be used with AA, and the only mapping/navigation app supported is Google's.
With AA, Google mostly controls the User Interface (UI) as implemented in their AA "companion app". AA compatible apps CAN modify some of the color scheme and some related minor UI features, but the look and feel are largely Google designed and controlled.
Google has done this to minimize distraction. Although many of us will not be happy with Google's decisions. we should consider that the last things Google wants are: (1) laws against Android Auto, (2) bad publicity from distracted driving incidents, and (3) expensive lawsuits. Note that Google, Apple and the auto OEMs are reportedly negotiating who takes how much responsibility for the inevitable lawsuits, particularly in the US where multi-million dollar settlements regularly occur.
Google AA supports two types of AA compatible apps at present, with more (eg maps/navigation ?) coming in future: (1) Audio/music and (2) messaging. For the most part, audio/music AA extensions provide functions for starting/stopping/nexting/etc of the audio as well as functions to determine the music navigation hierarchy. Messaging AA extensions include sending a message to AA to be converted to speech as well as handling spoken replies.
Video and gaming apps will likely never be supported for the drivers position, at least while driving, for obvious reasons.
Many app developers are hesitating at this time to add AA extensions. At this time, there is very little revenue to be made by supporting AA (and the same has been seen for watch and TV apps). This should improve as more cars have AA installed, via OEM systems or aftermarket headunits.
So why would I want AA ?:
If you need access to ANY Android app, and not just the limited selection of AA compatible apps, then mirroring solutions will work better for you.
AA is more for people who want a solution that "just works" (although there are still many wrinkles to iron out), is well integrated, and has a common Google specified UI.
Less technically minded people will appreciate AA or Apple CarPlay, while Android power users may be happier with mounting a tablet or using an Android based (usually Chinese) HU.
An Android based HU which can run my Headunit app, may offer the best of both worlds. You can run any Android app when you need to, or run my HU app to get AA features. (At present nobody has reported success running my Headunit app on an Android based HU. I hope/presume I'll figure that out.)
I am personally convinced that AA will be very important for Google going forward. Controlling and getting the treasure-trove of data from connected cars is important to Google. We may not be far from the day when Google will get a commission when it successfully convinces us to pull over for specific fast food or auto maintenance. Want fries with your oil change ?
Because AA is important to Google, I feel confident it will not be abandoned, and will only get better as the years tick by, bugs are fixed, apps are AA enabled, etc.
Getting AA working:
Please, always do your best to drive responsibly and with a safe minimum of distraction. You assume all liability for following any of these or any other instructions.
First, your phone (or tablet) needs the AA companion app installed. US residents can install the Android Auto app from Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.projection.gearhead and those outside the US can find APKs here: http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/android-auto/ .
Next, you need an AA compatible aftermarket or auto OEM headunit. Auto OEM AA headunits (HUs) are just starting to come out for a limited selection of 2016 models. Aftermarket HUs like the Pioneer 4100/7100/8100-NEX devices are a good alternative. If a $500-700 HU is too expensive for you, that's where my Headunit app for tablets comes in, but there are some inherent disadvantages to such an app and a tablet is just one of the costs. More on this further below.
Ensure that your mobile device running the Google AA companion app is setup with a Google account. Make sure the Google apps are up-to-date, including the AA app, Google Play Services, Google Maps, and Google Play Music.
Now plug your mobile device USB into the HU. If all goes well you should see a series of prompts and screens on the HU and mobile device. If something complains that it's not safe to configure at this time, ensure your car is in the Park gear (or neutral for manual), that the emergency/parking brake is fully engaged, and press down on the brake pedal. My 4100-NEX is setup for testing, outside of a car, and I simply connect the green wire to ground or 12 volt negative line. I'm not sure that this will work well if your HU is installed such that the green wire is connected to other things.
Hopefully you will now see the main AA Intro/Google Now Screen. Select functions from the "rail" at bottom of screen: In order: Maps/navigation, Phone, Google Now, Music, and "Other/OEM".
Your mobile device should show a mostly black AA screen indicating the device is in AA/car mode. You CAN escape this and run other apps, but it is not recommended.
While your mobile device is connected via USB, it should charge. Turn the device screen off to maximize charging and minimize heat build up. Using Maps/Navigation will use the device GPS (unless the HU provides it) and this contributes to heating of the device and minimizes charging.
How AA works (technical):
Basically, the AA app creates a special environment in which it draws to a virtual screen instead of the real screen. The resulting video is encoded as an H.264 stream and sent via USB to the HU. The HU responds with touch-screen events which the AA app interprets similarly to normal Android app operation.
AA compatible audio apps contain AA audio extensions, which can provide control of audio app playback and provide information about which audio streams or files can be played. The audio app uses it's normal Android audio APIs, which the AA "app" hooks in order to send the audio to the HU, over USB or Bluetooth. I refer to the AA "app" with parentheses, because it has many hooks into Android internals which normal apps do not have access to. Thus, much of the AA "app" is really system level code, though there is a minor UI for some basic configuration and to provide access to AA developer mode functions.
The AA USB protocol also includes functions for accessing sensors, including parking brake status, gear position, fuel tank level, road speed, engine speed and many more. Only a few sensor functions are fully implemented at this time however, such as parking brake status to determine if it is safe to do configuration.
Google has referred to AA HU's as "dumb terminals". But IMO a true "dumb terminal" would simply be a touchscreen with a DVI/HDMI like interface. AA HUs DO need to have some "smarts", such as H.264 video decoding, Bluetooth and sensor signal processing.
Hardware HUs also generally provide many other functions that work standalone with no mobile device, such as AM/FM/HD radio, CD player and vendor specific apps that run on the HU.
Why would I want your Headunit app ?:
- For the customization opportunities.
I haven't seen any 10 inch / 25 cm screens on auto OEM or aftermarket HUs. Large tablets however are readily available with many choices for screens and other hardware.
- To use or experiment with Android Auto without buying a new car or a $500+ hardware headunit.
Note however that besides the tablet, you may also need a USB OTG Y cable and a powered USB hub in order to properly charge the mobile device, and tablet, without running down the tablet battery.
Some devices (for tablets, mostly non-Samsung) may need special kernels in order to charge while acting as a USB host.
Why can't we just run our phone in an AA standalone mode, without tablet or Headunit ?:
Mostly because Google does not want that. They consider screens under 7 inches / 17 cm to be distracting. Google seems to eventually want "Android in the car", so Google may be working on something like a standalone mode (for what would essentially be an Android tablet in the car), but this is nothing but rumours so far.
I know a LOT of people would REALLY like a standalone mode, so I am likely to explore the feasibility of this in the near future. I am sure that Google would disapprove of this and would eventually take measures to sabotage such a thing, so it's a tricky prospect.
I think an AA standalone mode "app" (more like system mods than an app, same as AA "app" itself) would require a rooted device. It likely would also require Xposed (or similar) to hook and modify various system functions.
Add it all up and it turns into a very difficult venture with limited returns on time invested.
A Headunit app running on a 2nd device/tablet is more feasible as Google can not just change the AA protocol overnight, and it does not require root on the tablet (except for charging of non-Samsung tablets, sigh...)
Are there any other AA compatible Headunit apps ?
At this time no, my Headunit app is the first and only of it's kind.
Google has not publicly released documentation or code to build a Headunit app, and may never do so.
It has so far taken me over 600 hours of work to reverse engineer the AA protocol and build this app. With open docs/code it might have taken only 100-200 hours at most.
I've read a report that Google must certify AA HU implementations before they are "allowed". This is likely part of the agreement and NDAs that auto and HU OEMs must sign to join Googles "Open Auto" alliance, beyond whatever fees are charged.
GENIVI appears to have plans to "open source" an AA client implementation. But AFAICT, GENIVI "open source" is not entirely public and open. I suspect Google would want to ensure that any users of such source code adhere to their requirements.
Pioneer HUs run Android. Their AA client implementation is a binary, so it's somewhat similar to an HU app. But it's specific to their hardware and will not work on general purpose Android tablets or phones.
There may be other Headunit apps to come, but I have not heard of any, beyond one persons desire to create an open source app in the long term.
What devices and ROMs are supported ?
Root is NOT required. (But root and a custom kernel may be needed on non-Samsung tablets in order to allow the tablet to charge while it's in USB host mode.)
Most Android 4.1+ ROMs should be able to work.
ICS 4.0 and earlier devices/ROMs do not have the needed video decoder and can never work. (Except by building my own decoder with FFMPeg or whatever, which is way too much work for too little return.)
A working H.264 video decoder is required, but most quality Android 4.1+ devices should have this. (Chinese/budget devices may use slow and/or buggy implementations.)
Only devices that support USB host mode are physically capable of working. Many or most tablets released in the last 2 years should support USB host mode.
Full, official support is limited to devices I own. With sufficient demand for a new device, I may purchase that device and add official support, if possible.
These are the tablets that I own and test:
Nexus 7 2012 stock.
Nexus 7 2013 stock.
Nexus 9 2014 stock.
Xperia Z2 Tablet stock. CM12 tested OK too.
Many other devices will work and I will do my best to support them.
Phones can work as a headunit, but tablets of 7 inches/17 cm or greater are recommended. Smaller screens are more distracting and can risk your safety.
How do I use the Headunit app?
At this time I can't recommend this for use while driving. It's ONLY for testing within the safety of a home or office... If you can't understand that this Headunit app is still VERY experimental and potentially very distracting while driving, then please don't run it. It's not my fault in any respect or measure if you hit a tree or kill people; it's ALL on you... You assume all responsibility for collisions, injury or the advent of Skynet...
App requires Android 4.1 ICS or higher, but I've mostly tested on Android 4.4 KK, 5.0 and 5.1 Lollipop..
I tested successfully on these, for the Headunit/Tablet side running my app:
Tablets are recommended for a decent size screen in a vehicle:
Xperia Z2 Tablet - CM12 - This 10" screen is wonderful compared to the 7 inch/17 cm 800x480 Pioneer 4100-NEX screen, despite that the video is still only 800x480 at this time.
Nexus 9 - stock - This looks pretty nice too and the CPU power helps make it look good and pretty lag free.
Nexus 7 2013 - stock
Nexus 7 2012 - stock
Phones can also work, but small screens are less safe so I can only recommend these for testing:
HTC One M8 - stock
HTC One M7 - CM12
HTC One XL - CM12
Xperia Z - Lollipop
Xperia Z1 - CM12/FXP
Moto G - CM12
GT-N7100 Note 2 - CM11, but with some video issues.
These phones have major issues or did not work for me:
GT-I9300 GS3 - CM12 unofficial
GT-N7000 Note1 - CM11
GT-I9100 - Android 5.1 ROM
GT-I9000 - Android 5.1 ROM
Note that Headunit/Tablet side issues are largely separate from Phone/Mobile Device side issues. Phones that do not work with Pioneer or other AA head units will not work with this app either, and only Google and the phone OEMs can fix that. This includes MANY very popular Samsung devices. I note that my older Samsung devices also have issues on the Headunit side, and this may be related to general USB issues on Samsungs. (?)
The Headunit/Tablet side running the Headunit app needs to connect to the phone running AA with a USB OTG cable. The OTG cable small micro-USB side needs to plug into the Headunit side.
Many devices can do USB Host for the Headunit side, but can't supply any power to the phone. For these devices a powered USB hub is required, and is recommended for all devices anyway, or the Tablet/Headunit device will quickly lose power to running the phone device.
The phone running AA plugs into the USB hub output side, and should be the only device so plugged in (or the device my app connects to will be random-ish, with HTCs having highest priority.)
When they are all plugged, be patient and wait at least 6 seconds after plugging the USB before starting my app. Most likely the Gallery app will open on the Headunit side. This is annoying, but at least it confirms the connection is good. You may have to wait, then hit Back to exit Gallery. If you get any popups, hit Back or Cancel; you might get several.
Latest AA companion apps to run on the phone side are here: http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/android-auto/ This requires Android 5.0 Lollipop+ on the phone side as per Googles' decision, and also requires Google Mobile/Play services to be installed and an account set up.
Now you can start the Headunit. You should be prompted to allow access to USB twice. Select OK both times. Don't bother to check the "Remember" box because it never works and it's a silly Google thing. Better solutions are possible, especially if rooted.
If you have never connected the phone with AA to a headunit before, you will be prompted to do a bunch of stuff on the phone side. If you are outside the US you must manually update to the latest AA app from APKMirror etc. You may have to download Maps and Play Music if you don't have yet, and say Yes or "Standard" etc, to various prompts.
After all this, hopefully you will see video on the Headunit screen. You will likely see a safety warning prompt etc. Read it and understand it, and select OK if you dare.
Hopefully you will now come to the main/home/Overview/Now screen of AA. On some devices, video may be imperfect. Select different functions on the "rail" at bottom to help clear it up.
Touch works, but not Multi-touch yet.
Audio output was through the phone last I looked, but microphone does not work.
If you hit Back while in the app, it should exit and the AA connection is broken.
To open a new AA connection/restart the app you MUST disconnect and reconnect the USB, at any point in the chain.
It generally seems possible to turn the screen off and return to it after powering it back on, but if the orientation changes from landscape this may not work. Same for leaving the app with the Home or Recents button; if it switches to portrait, you can't get the video back and must stop the app, reconnect USB and restart the app.
I'm finding that quite a few of my phones running custom ROMs will not run AA on the phone side properly. In some cases a custom DPI really messes up the video dimensions and you can't even select the startup OK button. I see this on my One M7 with CM12 and many people see the same on other phones w/ custom ROMs, whether using a Pioneer headunit or this app.
Enjoy responsibly.
Troubleshooting:
Nothing more disheartening than trying a cool new app, and.... it doesn't work.
Public Enemy #1: Cheap/Bad USB OTG cables.
I got 3 cheap OTG cables and 2 straight and 2 right angle adapters a few months ago. The cables seemed OK in the beginning and now they're all flaky. The adapters didn't last as long and some were flaky new. 7 cables and adapters and they're all garbage.
I've been happy for a few weeks at least with these $10 Y cables that can power/charge both devices. I'll see if they're still good in the next few months: http://www.amazon.com/Micro-Cable-Power-Samsung-AtomicMarket/dp/B009YPYORM
But even with the best cables, your phone and tablet micro-USB ports can be a factor too. Car mounting, with constant vibrations and bumps adds to the challenge.
When I get Android Auto over Wifi working better, I hope USB will just become a backup connection. But wifi has it's own issues too.
Cheap or Chinese devices and hardware HUs are a "crap-shoot": So far I don't think I've had a single success report for Chinese devices. The ROMs and video decoding are often bad or VERY slow and USB is questionable. Some devices do not support USB Host mode or have a bad software implementation.
I recommend Nexus or good quality tablets from Sony or maybe Samsung. All tablets that I own work and are officially supported, including: Nexus 7 2012, Nexus 7 2013, Nexus 9 and Sony Xperia Z2 tablet.
July 24 or later releases recommended for testing: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62014837&postcount=519http://forum.xda-developers.com/gen...oid-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252/page39
July 24 has a bottom "Test" button to test H.264 video decoder (some phone/ROM decoders are bad or VERY slow.)
Also has a bottom "SUsb" button for devices with USB Host Mode supporting kernels even without Android support.
Also allows manual USB device selection when automatic doesn't work.
MANY possible fixes:
- You must have 2 devices for the Headunit app, so try reversing them to see if that works. This requires the Android Auto app and Google app, Google Play Music, Google Now and Google Maps to be installed on both devices of course.
- You usually need 2 cables: The micro-USB side of an OTG cable to the Headunit app device/tablet, and the full-size USB connection to a "normal" phone/USB cable connected to the Android Auto device/phone.
At least one person reversed the cables, without reversing HU and AA devices and it worked. USB can be funny; there are MANY possible jumper, resistors, wires etc combinations, especially with specialty high current charging cables.
- With some devices, an OTG Y cable MUST be powered, with others it MUST NOT be powered, and for some it doesn't matter and power can even be stopped and started with no effect.
- "Fast Charge" should be disabled if it's a kernel setting. Saw this with Elemental-X kernel on Nexus 7 2013. This kernel also has a setting to allow charging in USB Host mode.
- Sometimes enabling USB Debugging helps, sometimes disabling, sometimes turning it off, then back on. Do this at both ends: Headunit app device and Android Auto device.
- Unplug and replug cables, at both ends and in between. Ensure they are firmly pushed together. July 11 release allows you to see devices disappearing and re-appearing if cable connections are flaky and moved.
- Before starting Headunit app, plug all cables together. If Camera Importer or Gallery, or other apps pop up, hit Cancel or Back to deal with them first. Then after a few seconds of no more popups, NOW start the Headunit app. Plugging/unplugging while the app is running may work but is less successful than starting the app after plugging.
- Some devices/ROMs have various USB settings to try, such as "Charge Only", MTP, etc.
- Use the Exit button or Back key to terminate the Headunit app and try again. It kills it's own process for an extra fresh start next time.
- Use Recents button to return to the Headunit app if Android Auto covers it.
- Avoid screen switching to Portrait mode for best chances of success. Home-screens that force portrait mode can create problems, as can lock-screens.
- Self or SUsb modes require SU/root access. Sometimes the SU prompt is covered and not visible. In such cases manual SU configuration, or setting SU default to "Grant" can help.
Supported Phones running Android Auto:
Any phone that works with hardware headunits, such as Pioneer 4100/7100/8100-NEX, should also work with this Headunit app.
Note: This list is for devices running Android Auto. It is NOT for connected devices running the Headunit app, except for Self standalone mode where one device runs both.
Devices that I tested OK:
Galaxy S3 GT-I9300 CM12.
HTC One M7 stock & CM12.
HTC One M8 stock & CM12.
Xperia Z stock & CM11.
Xperia Z1 stock & CM11.
Xperia Z2 stock & CM11.
Moto G stock & CM12.
EDIT: I wrote this page before Google banned Headunit from Play and before I made it free and open source, but please feel free to read my thoughts written before that below.
Soliciting donations sucks. Thanks much to those that have and those that will. But VERY few people do. At some point I will likely have to return to a commercial model.
Those who donated, or bought Headunit on Play before the ban will become most honoured customers retroactively.
Business Issues:
Yes, I am (attempting) to run a business here. I hope I don't have to explain or apologize for trying to make a minimal income to help support my wife, kids, cats, pay for a house, cars, and all the usual basic accoutrements of life like food, electric, fuel, etc, etc...
I have been working 60-70 hour weeks for over 4 years now on my apps, mostly the Spirit FM apps: Spirit1, Spirit2, Spirit Transmit. I have no other income except my apps.
I am somewhat disappointed that I've been making a small fraction of what I made for decades doing contract or salaried work for a plethora of tech companies.
I have seen my Spirit FM income dropping for the last few years, and have entered into the connected car apps space in an effort to make a better income.
I hope to serve your app desires and appreciate the financial support of everyone who can afford at least roughly the price of a meal at McDonalds, or there-abouts.
Open Source:
Yes, I know EVERYONE wants free and open source software... I LOVE open source; my career has been built mostly on Linux (and Android) since 1997.
But NONE of the 20-odd companies I've done contract or salaried work for in those 18 years has open sourced their code.
Very, VERY few companies turn a profit with open source. How many app devs can you show me that make a decent living exclusively or primarily with open source ? Over 99.9% are based on closed source.
Kickstarter / IndieGogo etc ? LOL. Show me a lone app dev who has done well with that route.
If someone were to sponsor me with a decent income I'd be happy to open source everything. But that's not too likely and I'm not seeking that.
Google is keeping their AA code secret and unpublished, and they do the same with their premium apps like GMail, while the AOSP apps like EMail languish.
Pricing:
Pricing software is a funny thing. If no technical support or packaging are provided (and there are no advertising costs), the incremental cost of 1 more copy of an app is zero.
And yet if you hire people (or yourself) and pay a decent, competitive rate, the R&D costs for the 1st copy can be in the $millions for many modern apps.
There is no such thing as a "fair price"* for an app. Many think apps must be $0.99 for something simpler, or up to $10 for something more complex, and in rarer cases, $20-40-100 or much more.
(*Fair Price: If we talk about technical support, a "fair price" becomes more feasible. If my time is worth $60 per hour (and it should be much more in this field for very short term work), then 10 minutes of total time spent to support someone is worth $10. But that ignores ALL the time it takes to build and test apps.)
The number of people who will buy an app at some given price are a major determinant for a developer trying to make a decent living.
A popular non-root app for "Joe Average" that millions of people might use might be $0.99 or free with ads.
An app only for Android enthusiasts who root, ROM and install Xposed on the other hand will have a very limited market, and price must be high for a chance to make a decent living.
I've noted that there are several examples of specialist Automotive apps that sell in the $20-40 range. Then there are apps like Torque that may sell for $3-5 but have a much bigger market, and the income allows people to be hired, above and beyond supporting a single independent developer.
At this time, I've put this Headunit app for sale at less than $9 US or 8 Euro (after 20% VAT Euro prices are under 10 Euro, but I get none of that).
Note that Google takes 30% (42% markup !) so I only get about $6 US per app. That hardly buys a Big Mac these days...
My desire is to license this Headunit app on a per device basis, though Google doesn't provide any easy method to do so. So if you use this app in 2 cars, but with only one Play store purchase, I'd appreciate consideration via Paypal. There is NO DRM in this app and I REALLY hope not to use any form of copy protection. DRM is mostly trouble.
I reserve the right to change price at any time. As the app becomes more fully featured, I may raise the price as needed to get sufficient income to work on this full time.
Without sufficient financial support, I'll just have to spend more time on other app opportunities. So if you use and like this app (or just want to support such) please support me so I can support you.
And please help spread the word about this app. I'd rather spend time working on wonderful new features and fixing bugs (LOL) than spending time doing marketing stuff, or spending/wasting money on advertising.
Thanks !
Mike.
Feature Requests:
I'm always happy to hear what you want.... Speak up !
Coming Features:
(Originally written in June. Amended August.)
Features I guarantee I will try to added in the relatively short term of 1-3 months:
- Automatic start at plugin.
- Bypass USB permissions with root. (July 24 "SUsb" button)
- Multitouch support (pinch zoom GMaps)
- Resolution increase & switching, if possible. 800x480 at present, 1280x720, 1920x1080. (July 24 still does not seem possible. No hardware HUs higher than 800x480 so Google hasn't enabled ?)
Future of Android Auto:
Built-in, Brought in, Beamed in.
Android in the car
Self driving cars
Flying cars
Skynet^H^H^H^H^H^H
"Headunit" - Build an AA Headunit with a $165 tablet...
As I posted on the original thread:
240 downloads of the Free APK now... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=60894402&postcount=94
"Headunit" is the app name I've settled on. Short & sweet.
Want to see this Headunit app fixed and improved on a regular basis ?
Then I need your help...
First need is some IMO well deserved publicity. There is no other app like this and I think there is a need...
I saw LOTS of excitement on Android enthusiast sites about Android Auto. And a LOT of excitement dissipated hearing that a $700 Headunit or new car was required.
So wouldn't turning a $165 Nexus 7 2013 tablet into a basic AA Headunit with an app restore some excitement ?
I've been busy on the tech side, but to keep this project moving, people need to find out about it.
I've started a new thread here for all further discussion about my Headunit app: http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/paid-software/android-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252
If it seems worthy to you, please consider clicking on "Submit Thread as News Tip" at top right of that thread.
Most Android news and discussion sites have similar functions to submit news tips. If it comes from people like you, I'd think it has more weight than me trying to promote my new app.
XDA is kinda, sorta, not supposed to be used to SELL things (and that's kinda vague & fuzzy, and there IS a section for paid apps, where my new thread is), and I understand and respect that...
But truth is that my second, and perhaps most important need, in order to support YOU, is for some "little bits" of support from you... See my new thread or sig for the new paid APK on Play.
There are other, Android Auto/Connected Car app ideas I have, should this one garner insufficient support. Feel free to comment:
- Use any media player (or messenging) with AA, where it does not have AA extensions.
- App to connect sensors, + via ODB and maybe Torque like functionality.
- Standalone mode for AA running on a phone. Will likely require root and Xposed and LOTS of work and workaround when Google sabotages it.
- Customization of Android Auto via root/Xposed app; Change anything from backgrounds to color to rules that AA imposes in the name of safety and anything else that needs a mod.
Thanks !
Mike ( [email protected] )
Hi!
I've just purchased your headunit app. I've attempted to connect it, but am unable to get it working. I'm really excited to see something like this, and can probably help you debug it if needed.
My devices:
- Nexus 7 (2012 Wifi), running stock Android 5.1.1, stock recovery, rooted with Nexus Root Toolkit
- Nexus 4, running stock Android 5.1.1, custom recovery, rooted with Nexus Root Toolkit
Cables:
- USB OTG cable, purchased some time ago, but known to be functional -- I've used it on my Nexus 4 to connect a microSD reader.
- Micro USB (male) connector from USB OTG cable plugged into Nexus 7.
- Charging cable plugged into micro USB connector (female) on USB OTG cable.
- Standard micro USB connected from Nexus 4 to USB A (female) port on USB OTG cable.
- Both devices show as charging.
Problem:
- When starting Headunit app, the screen stays black (with only standard on-screen controls, and never prompts me on either device for anything).
- I have also tested this in reverse, by sideloading the Headunit APK onto my Nexus 4 (Google Play Store said incompatible, but what do they know? ), and sideloading the Android Auto app onto my Nexus 7. I reversed the cabling, so that the USB OTG cable is plugged into the Nexus 4 as the host device. Same results.
- I've tried various combinations of unplugging and replugging, force closing and restarting apps, etc.
What's the next step in debugging this setup?
jpreston84 said:
Hi!
I've just purchased your headunit app. I've attempted to connect it, but am unable to get it working. I'm really excited to see something like this, and can probably help you debug it if needed.
My devices:
- Nexus 7 (2012 Wifi), running stock Android 5.1.1, stock recovery, rooted with Nexus Root Toolkit
- Nexus 4, running stock Android 5.1.1, custom recovery, rooted with Nexus Root Toolkit
Cables:
- USB OTG cable, purchased some time ago, but known to be functional -- I've used it on my Nexus 4 to connect a microSD reader.
- Micro USB (male) connector from USB OTG cable plugged into Nexus 7.
- Charging cable plugged into micro USB connector (female) on USB OTG cable.
- Standard micro USB connected from Nexus 4 to USB A (female) port on USB OTG cable.
- Both devices show as charging.
Problem:
- When starting Headunit app, the screen stays black (with only standard on-screen controls, and never prompts me on either device for anything).
- I have also tested this in reverse, by sideloading the Headunit APK onto my Nexus 4 (Google Play Store said incompatible, but what do they know? ), and sideloading the Android Auto app onto my Nexus 7. I reversed the cabling, so that the USB OTG cable is plugged into the Nexus 4 as the host device. Same results.
- I've tried various combinations of unplugging and replugging, force closing and restarting apps, etc.
What's the next step in debugging this setup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, Thanks for your support.
Send me an email at [email protected] and I'll send you a debug release. Or I'll PM you a link when I get one built in a few hours. Are you able to capture a logcat or should I add an easy "Send logcat" button ?
Some quick googling tells me the stock Nexus 4 does not support USB OTG (ie running the headunit app). But some kernels enable this and this is the first thread I saw about that: http://forum.xda-developers.com/nex...g-externally-powered-usb-otg-t2181820/page154
The app specifies that USB OTG is required, and I thought that was a great way to prevent people from purchasing on incompatible devices. But now that I see Nexus 4 (and I'm sure many other devices) can do OTG with a custom kernel, I guess I should remove that as a hard requirement. A popup warning would be better.
I have that same Nexus 7 2012 with the latest Android 5.1.1 (unrooted even) and pretty much stock, and all released versions of the Headunit app work on it. So I feel confident that the hardware and software work OK together.
And AFAIK, Android Auto runs fine on stock Nexus 4.
If you aren't getting prompted for USB permissions on the Headunit app side, that seems to indicate a connection problem.
Can you stop charging the Nexus 7 and reboot it to see if that helps ? My understanding is that Nexus devices can't do USB host mode and charge at the same time. Custom kernels are needed to allow this.
If you have a plain OTG cable without a charging connection please try that also. Ensure that the regular USB cable supports data tranfer. Some are for charging only.
My test setup is:
- 1 regular USB cable: large male (plugged into OTG large female) to micro-USB male (plugged into Android Auto phone).
- 1 OTG cable: large femaie (plugged into regular large male) to micro-USB male (plugged into Headunit device).
Sometimes between the 2 cables I insert a powered USB hub, but a straight connection seems to work for both Nexus 7's, Nexus 9 and Xperia Z2 tablet, though it does drain the Headunit device battery to charge the Android Auto device.
A good sign that the cabling is working is seeing the Gallery app opening on the Headunit device when they are plugged. Android Auto device pictures and videos are shown via USB MTP I guess.
I'm going to add a startup screen that shows connected USB devices and that can be used for trouble-shooting.
This thread needs to be woken up...
If you have ANY questions or comments, please post !
I'm encouraged to see the Headunit app on Play has had 2 confirmed sales in the last 2 days; there are also 9 cancels (boo !) and 3 unconfirmed....
Pretty Good I think for the first few days of a new app.... Could be more if I remove the strict USB host requirement, but probably more disappointed cancellers too.
I appreciate Google Play reviews from anyone who has purchased and/or cancelled.
Right now I have two 1 star reviews on Play to deal with; thankfully Google lets us reply to reviews now.
Here's what I just added to the Play Store description:
No risk/full refund within 90 days. Just email 15 digit order ID or email of purchase to [email protected] . But "be warned" that I WILL do my best to get this app working for you and make you happy, or at least explain why your device may be incompatible...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Message to app reviewers on Play:
The Reviews section of Google Play has a 350 letter maximum. It is impossible to provide good technical support with that limit.
Please email me [email protected] for private support.
But I prefer to discuss publicly for everyone's benefit if you are registered or don't mind registering at XDA Developers Forum. Headunit Thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/paid-software/android-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252
If Headunit is working well for you, Great !
For problems, please read on:
I updated the Play Store description with this:
NOTE: Requires 2 devices ! Needs an Android 4.1+ tablet (that supports USB Host mode) running this Headunit app connected to an Android 5.0+ phone running Android Auto. Connection requires 1 standard phone USB cable and a special USB OTG cable connected to the Headunit app device.
No risk/full refund within 90 days. Just email 15 digit order ID or email of purchase to [email protected] . But "be warned" that I WILL do my best to get this app working for you and make you happy, or at least explain why your device may be incompatible...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you understand this is the first release of a new type of app, and that I'm still calling it "experimental".
I will do my best to support as many devices as I can. But some devices will never work, particularly those that can not support "USB Host Mode".
The most common problem will be USB cable connection problems. Generally, you will need at least 2 cables:
1 USB OTG cable connected to tablet or other device running the Headunit app.
1 Regular USB cable connected to phone running Android Auto.
The cables are connected together of course, directly or though a hub. Sometimes you may need to insert a powered USB hub between the cables, with the powered side going to the Android Auto phone.
Sometimes connections may be loose. Ensure that (at least) all 3 connections are securely made. Gently try to push the plugs in just a little deeper to see if it goes farther. This has fixed it for me more than once.
I will put some better debugging and logging options in the next release of this app.
There is a LOT more information about how to get the Headunit app working, and some trouble-shooting hints in the First 10 posts of thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/paid-software/android-4-1-headunit-android-auto-t3125252
Hi, good work on getting this started. For me the deal breaker feature down the line would be car integration, namely:
Bluetooth calls take place over car mic and speakers
Steering wheel controls (volume, answer, next track, etc.)
I imagine some support for the pioneer adapter that allows this would be feasible.
Any plans or knowledge about that?
ok, seems to be working ok (although slowly) on a nexus 7 2012 (as headunit). does not work at all on a nexus 7 2013 (as headunit), just a black screen without any notices.
I would really like to try this, but the USB port of my N7 2012 is broken, and I still haven't fixed it :/
Sent using my nexus⁴ running Euphoria 1.1 with Xposed and hells-Core B78
Maxr1998 said:
I would really like to try this, but the USB port of my N7 2012 is broken, and I still haven't fixed it :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really hope that Google can enable Android Auto over WiFi soon. If not, I will consider mods that would allow this. But it would require root on both sides; an AA standalone mode (that only needs one rooted device) may be desirable to more people.
Android Auto over Wifi would solve USB specific connection problems, like the need for USB Host mode on the Headunit and the associated "charging while in USB host mode" problems that usually requite a custom kernel.
ldti said:
ok, seems to be working ok (although slowly) on a nexus 7 2012 (as headunit). does not work at all on a nexus 7 2013 (as headunit), just a black screen without any notices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good start...
My N7 2012 seems to have good video speed, but I only use it for testing so I have very few apps and they aren't doing many background tasks.
Does the video have defects or does it look accurate ? I have seen slowness and defects together, but mostly on my older, slower phones.
The release I'm working on now has better debbuging capabilities. I'll try to post a new version within the next 12 hours.
Can I presume both Nexus 7's are stock ? Root and recovery shouldn't matter, but a custom kernel (or ROM) could make a big difference.
After Google announced almost a full year ago that Android Auto would support phone connections without needing to rely on a USB cable, I have yet to find any news on this.
Is this still happening in the aftermarket HU's? Hoping this doesn't turn into another Android Wear situation where it lacks the attention it needs to make it a market hit.
Hi,
This is called "WIFI Projection", and it's included (hidden) in the last release. No one knows how to enable AND use it. Still in alpha!
I hope current HU with wired AA support can be upgraded to wireless with a simple USB dongle (not a Wifi dongle, but with an AA wireless adapter).
Just to make sure I understood correctly: the option is there in the OS, but it doesn't work on any device as of yet? As if the software support is there, but the hardware support is not?
I'm a bit disappointed that Android Auto wasn't discussed at the I/O keynote... I think there's lots of usability updates required to improve it...
Relevant:
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2017/0...finally-ready-to-talk-about-its-car-os/?amp=1
What gets me: is it really necessary to use a a different name for this? Chromecast comes in audio-only and video forms, Pixel comes in "XL" and "C" forms also, can't they just name it something like "Android Auto Standalone" and call it a day? It serves the same end goal of getting Android into your car's radio/head unit.
Still no news of the phone-based Android Auto and wireless that I can find. That said, if everything will be integrated into the radio to begin with, I'd welcome the lack of tethering. Might even get back to developing Android apps for myself now that I have a use for them, but for my car this time! Hopefully the aftermarket guys will be smart enough to bypass Android for the sound processing though. Would hate for a resource-hogging app to kill my radio!
Background
- Couple of years ago Google have launched Android Auto, but up till recently the only way to connect your device to the car/head unit was to plug in a USB cable. As of 2018 this starts to change, BUT it looks like you will need to get new hardware for this and older cars/head units won't be upgraded to support this, neither phones with older OS.
Concept
- Since many of us will like to have this wire free but not ready / willing or have the possibility to upgrade the units/cars/phones I have thought of a way to achieve this, by using a small auxiliary device, like for example a very cheap and basic Android TV stick, which can be plugged in/mounted in the car and which can fulfil the roll of a Wifi antenna for your car.
This app should allow you to transform any android powered device into a Wifi receiver for your Android Auto compatible Car/Headunit. Please do not confuse Android Auto, with Android powered headunit (usually Chinese, like MTCB, MTCD, Joying, etc).
AAGateWay Documentation.
Beta released (04.01.2020)
What is it?
AAGateWay is a an app which should allow you to use an auxiliary (slave) device to connect your existing Android Auto compatible car to your phone (master) using a hotspot created on your phone.
How to use it?
SLAVE SETUP
1) Install the app using XDA Labs (Only on SLAVE) : https://www.b3itlabs.com/prod.php?id=3
2) Configure
FOR BOTH ROOTED AND NOT-ROOTED SLAVES
CASE 1: Master is running Pie or higher
Pair Master and Slave over BT (do this from the normal BT settings)
Open app
If slave is ROOTED and ONLY if you are using a TV STICK convert the app to system app. (if app not visible after conversion, reboot device)
Enable the start tethering option (If asked make sure you manually configure the hotspot, to have the name HUR and the password AndroidAutoConnect)
Select the masters phone BT MAC
Exit
CASE 2: Master is running Android 8 or lower
Create a Wifi hotspot from the master
Connect slave to it
Reopen AAGateWay and select the masters hotspot from the "Phone Wifi SSID" list
Slave is ROOTED - This will give a much bigger compatibility with cars, it should work with any car/unit (but depends a lot on the slave used, read below)
Slave is NOT ROOTED - This mode won't work on all cars and it has caveats.
MASTER SETUP
CASE 1: Master is running Pie or higher
Install WiFi Launcher for HUR (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.borconi.emil.wifilauncherforhur)
Make sure WiFi Launcher is version 2.1 or higher!!!
Open WiFi Launcher
FOR Android 10, set permission location to ALWAYS!!!!!!
Select slaves BT from the BT list and exit
DO NOT ENABLE ANY OF THE OTHER OPTIONS!!!!
If you do not want to use WiFi Launcher you can use the following Tasker task to launch AA on any condition you want: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UO-Z5P0oQpHEdrQjYqvSM48L1TI-K5g8/view?usp=sharing
CASE 2: Master is running Android 8 or lower
Open Android Auto, go to Settings, scroll down tap the version 10 times, then from the 3 dotted top right corner select start headunti server.
Exit Android Auto
Leave the Headunit Server running
When you get into the car turn on the hotspot on the master (or use Tasker, automate or anything else do that for you)
CONNECTING
Go to the car, plug in the slave to the car's USB and start the car
Slave is ROOTED
Nothing should happen, car should NOT detect the phone (SLAVE) at this stage. If the car does detect the slave being connected, it means your slave doesn't allow a proper USB toggle, in which case you should try enabling non-root mode.
Master is Pie and above
If you selected to tether from the slave, at this point you should see the slave turning on the hotspot, otherwise you might see the slave trying to connect to a Wifi network.
Slave will notify master
Master will automatically start WiFi Launcher
Master will connect to slaves hotspot
Master will start AA on the phone and notifies slave
Slave will enable USB
If you are using a phone as slave you will get a prompt if you want to use AAGW as the default app for this action, make sure you select ALWAYS ans yes. (TV stick should work automatically)
Projection should start
Slave is NOT-ROOTED (or running in non-root mode)
You will get a prompt to use AAGateWay for this action, make sure you select always.
Car should display a splah-screen saying waiting for master. (on some car's screen you might see a scrambled image)
After splash-screen is displayed, the slave will start tethering, or will try to connect to the masters hotspot depending on the setting.
Once a network connection is established between the 2 devices, you will see the AA icon turning on on the master and Android Auto should be displayed on the car's screen. It is possible that the screen will stay /turn black, if that happens, you can try to press the home button on the infotainment system, then re-open Android Auto on it.
Troubleshoot and getting help
As the thread has so much information it will be really nice if we can try to stick to one format of troubleshooting, by using one of this 2 templates:
Master is running Pie or above and slave is tethering:
Running in root mode: (Yes/No)
If running in non-root mode, is the splashscreen visible on the car: (Yes/No)
If running in non-root mode, did you set the masters BT inside AAGW app?: (Yes/No)
Did the slave actually turned on the hotspot on the slave: (Yes/No)
On the master did you select the slaves BT in the Wifi Launcher app?: (Yes/No)
When the master connected to the car's BT did the Wifi launcher app started up?: (Yes/No)
Did the master connected to the slaves hotspot?: (Yes/No)
Did the AA icon appeared on the master at all (in the notification bar)?: (Yes/No)
Master is running Oreo or below and master is tethering:
Running in root mode: (Yes/No)
If running in non-root mode, is the splashscreen visible on the car: (Yes/No)
If running in non-root mode, did you set the masters BT inside AAGW app?: (Yes/No)
Did you select the masters hotspot name in AAGW?: (Yes/No)
Have you started the Headunit server on the master?: (Yes/No)
On the master did you select the cars BT in the Wifi Launcher app?: (Yes/No)
When the master connected to the car's BT did the Wifi launcher app started up (notification bar)?: (Yes/No)
Did the master turned on the hotspot?: (Yes/No)
Did the slave connected to the masters hotspot?: (Yes/No)
Getting rid of all automation and manually starting it all (regardless of Android version on master and slave):
Uninstall AAGW on the master
Start the headunit server from within Android Auto on the master
Create a hotspot on the master
Open AAGW on the slave and make sure it's not set to tether
in AAGW make sure you select the masters hotspot
If AAGW is set to non-root mode make sure you select the masters BT (just press the button AAGW will do a BT scan of nearby devices and you can pick it from the list)
Go to the car and plug the slave in
Start the car
If slave is running in ROOT mode, slave will first try to connect to the masters Wifi and you will see a notification on the master that AA is running, only then the car should recognise a plugged in device.
If the slave is running in non-root mode, first you will see a splash screen on the car, then you will see slave connects to masters Wifi (if not already connected), then you will see AA starting on the master.
How do I collect a bug report / logcat
Open Settings > About phone.
Scroll down to the Build number.
Tap the Build number 7 times in quick succession until "You're now a developer" appears.
Return to the Settings menu and select Developer options.
At the top of the screen, make sure 'Developer options' is set to On (green).
Scroll down to Debugging and enable both USB debugging and Bug Report Shortcut on (green).
Tab on Logger buffer sizes: Default setting is 256K. Select 16M to help capture more information for debugging. Of note, it can affect the apps performance especially with lower spec phone, so change it back after you have finished submitting bug reports.
On slave make sure you enable debugging inside AAGW, on master open Android Auto go to developer settings and make sure force logging is enabled.
Reproduce the problem
Hold the Power button down until the menu appears.
Select Take bug report. and wait for the device to capture the bug report.
Tap the 'Bug report captured' notification when it appears.
Send the bug report by email to [email protected]
Know problems, workaround:
- Latency & lag. This will be really down to the devices you are using. I have tested it with a MK808B Plus, it work’s ok most of the time but occasionally you will get the odd lag. I’ve also tested it with a Nexus 7 tablet, and there was no lag at all, so device does matter, as well as probably ROM.
- I get random disconnection. There can be 2 causes for this, one the USB connection fails between the car and the auxiliary device, or the Wifi fails between the phone and the auxiliary device. In my tests I saw a few Wifi disconnections without any reason on the MK808, but non on the Nexus. Changing the tethering option from WPA2 to Open did help with this.
- App is closed without error or reason. The app runs in a background process, with a minimal interaction with the foreground, some devices/OS will kill background apps. I saw this happening on Nokia and I saw this happening on OnePlus as well. Try disabling battery optimisation for AAGateWay, that might help.
- I just cannot get it to work… Try using a phone, that will at least give you some visual guidance. Make sure that your device connects to the phone Wifi hotspot, make sure that AA Headunit server is running on the phone (try to force stop Goolge Play Services, stop and restart the headunit server)… All fails contact me
- Nothing happens on the master, using Wifi Launcher for HUR app. In this case, try to manually start the headunit server on the master, and manually turn on a hotspot, then reconfigure you're slave to connect to the masters hotspot (even if the master is running Pie or higher).
Device compatibility:
Master:
Any phone which normally works with Android Auto
Slave with ROOT:
- Tested and know to work: - MK809V, Nexus 7 (depending on rom), Sony X Compact (depending on rom)
-Tested and not working as expected: Pixel 2, MK808B
- While root is necessary, not all phones can toggle USB port on and off by software. And there can be other problems, for example on some devices when you turn off the USB the phone loses the ability to detect the power connection as well, which is use as trigger to start the whole process. It is almost impossible to predict if a phone will be a good slave candidate or not.
Other things
- Xiaomi phones (MIUI makes a mess), try not to use it for Slave
- Generally older phones (pre oreo) are more likely to work fine as a slave device.
Any suggested slave?
- Yes, use an MK809V TV stick, as the experience with it, is pretty slick and it should work out of the box. If you get a MK809IV try to get the one with Android 5.1.1 as the one with Android 7.1 has problems with the tethering.
FAQ.
Q: Can I use this with any car and phone combination?
A: Assuming your car is already Android Auto compatible, then YES.
Q: Can I also automate the start of the Headunit server?
A: Only with a rooted phone, using the following shell command: am startservice -W com.google.android.projection.gearhead/com.google.android.projection.gearhead.companion.DeveloperHeadUnitNetworkService
Q: Can I use Wifi-Direct to connect instead of WIfi?
A: No.
Q: Does the traffic come out from my monthly data allowance?
A: NO, traffic between auxiliary device and phone hotspot does NOT count as internet traffic, HOWEVER if you do have other apps on the auxiliary device which download updates, etc in the background that WILL be counted as internet traffic. So I suggest double check the apps on the aux device and disable all those which aren’t needed.
Q: Will the car/head unit provide enough power?
A: It should provide at least 500mA that’s the standard USB current, while I cannot guarantee that will be enough in all cases, it should do, assuming you do turn off all unneeded services on the TV stick.
Q. What about start up time?
A. It will depend a lot on the device you are using. A low-entry TV stick boot time is about 1 minute, which can be a bit too much for an initial car setup. As mentioned earlier, these devices usually have 2 USB ports, you can for example connect the power USB port to a continues power supply in the car, in which case the boot time will be non-existent since the device is always running. If you are using a phone, the phone battery will probably hold the charge just fine for a couple of days, if you disable all apps on it and you set up a profile to go into aeroplane mode when it’s not charging. Tasker or Automate are your friends for that. If you cannot connect the TV stick to a continues power source, you might consider using a small portable power pack which powers the tv stick (should hold power for a few days) and the power pack can be charged while the car is running.
Q. Can I decrease boot time for TV Sticks/Phones by removing all unrelated software.
A. Yes, actually quite a lot. Once you have your configuration ready and everything is working as expected, you can uninstall/disable all packages beside this ones:
package:android
package:com.android.apkinstaller
package:com.android.providers.settings
package:com.android.packageinstaller
package:com.notriddle.null_launcer (or any other launcher, but NULL launcher has no memory consumption, no app drawer no nothing, perfect for headless - see: https://github.com/notriddle/null-launcher )
package:com.android.inputmethod.latin
package:com.android.settings
package:uk.co.borconi.emil.aagateway
package:com.android.shell
package:com.android.systemui
Easy way to list / disable all apps will be using a computer and following commands
Code:
adb shell pm list packages
This will list all installed packages
Code:
adb shell pm disable xxxx
where you replace xxxx with the package name (Ex: com.android.shell )
Q. Will using Wifi 5Ghz give me better performance?
A. Well if both of your devices support it, SURE!
Q. Is the source code available?
A. Sort-of, please see: https://github.com/borconi/AAGateWay this is only for the sketch, however new version does contain code which lift restrictions on 3rd party apps in Android Auto. To prevent the abuse of this by some, further code won't be updated to GitHub, however if you want to build your own version, please do contact me for details.
Guarantee or Warranty
- Due to the fact that there are so many possibilities and combinations of cars, head units, slave and master devices, there is no way for me to test all of them, however if you did purchase the software and you are not able to get it to work for any reason, please email me on [email protected] and I'm more then happy to refund the purchase.
Teaser:
VERY interested in the progress on this, Emil. For one, this would allow me to charge my Samsung using the Quick Charge adapter in my cigarette lighter, rather than relying on the anemic power output of my truck's USB port. Or if I want to get fancy, I could install a wireless charger and use that.
Thanks for all of your hard work.
Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
Hi Emil,
What about original headunits that have integrated Wifi, but do not have Wireless Android Auto enabled? Is this something that you could enable to work as well?
Another great idea.
Definitely interested..
thanks.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I thought of you instantly when I saw this thread on Reddit, but didn't imagine that you were the creator.
Congratulations and thanks again!
Jackos said:
Hi Emil,
What about original headunits that have integrated Wifi, but do not have Wireless Android Auto enabled? Is this something that you could enable to work as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly no, that will require altering the firmware on the car and each unit is different. It is possible that those unit might get an official update for Wifi support, but although I'm not 100% certain, I think it will only work with 5Ghz Wifi network, so if you're unit is 2.4Ghz only probably it won't get the update.
If I will ever have times (something which I never have ) I might look into adding this to some units out there, but that is so far down the line, that realistically speaking probably will never happen.
Very interesting idea. I have a couple of these android sticks here and maybe even a modern mediabox that might offfer a bit more performance. I guess you want to power it from the USB socket from the car. Not sure how much current you can draw from these ports.
What is the pc below the radio doing?
This is awesome news! looking forward to progress!
lukesan said:
Very interesting idea. I have a couple of these android sticks here and maybe even a modern mediabox that might offfer a bit more performance. I guess you want to power it from the USB socket from the car. Not sure how much current you can draw from these ports.
What is the pc below the radio doing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Performance is not really needed the slowest device should work just fine. You can theoretically disable all processes and apps, so even a device with 512Mb ram will do.
Indeed I'm taking power directly from the headunit/car in the demo I use an MK808B powered directly from the Sony XAV-100 which only provides like 500mA, so should do (especially if you kill all apps which can use CPU and turn of everything but Wifi on the stick).
The PC is the power source , to lazy to make a separate power switch so I powered the Sony from my PSU directly
Emil Borconi said:
Performance is not really needed the slowest device should work just fine. You can theoretically disable all processes and apps, so even a device with 512Mb ram will do.
Indeed I'm taking power directly from the headunit/car in the demo I use an MK808B powered directly from the Sony XAV-100 which only provides like 500mA, so should do (especially if you kill all apps which can use CPU and turn of everything but Wifi on the stick).
The PC is the power source , to lazy to make a separate power switch so I powered the Sony from my PSU directly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, got the Mk802, 808 etc etc so I might finally have a good destination for those. Lazy and working is a combo that also works. :good:
Wondering if there is like a beta test thing, or is it complex to get it up and running? I'm pretty sure a lot of people are seriously interested in this. It would offer the freedom of charging your phone the proper way.
lukesan said:
Ok, got the Mk802, 808 etc etc so I might finally have a good destination for those. Lazy and working is a combo that also works. :good:
Wondering if there is like a beta test thing, or is it complex to get it up and running? I'm pretty sure a lot of people are seriously interested in this. It would offer the freedom of charging your phone the proper way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not that far away, the only problem this will be braking my fix for obd2aa, so I need to make the 2 things compatible. I also need to do find a way to set the defaults without plugging into the car, you won't really be able to plug in a HDMI screen when you plug it in the car.
I've started fully rewriting my HUR app moving all the code from C to Java, once that is done and I fix other issues with obd2aa I will be pushing this forward
Ideally I will like to have a release available before I go on holiday on the 17th of July but not sure I will manage to do it all by that time.
Emil Borconi said:
Not that far away, the only problem this will be braking my fix for obd2aa, so I need to make the 2 things compatible. I also need to do find a way to set the defaults without plugging into the car, you won't really be able to plug in a HDMI screen when you plug it in the car.
I've started fully rewriting my HUR app moving all the code from C to Java, once that is done and I fix other issues with obd2aa I will be pushing this forward
Ideally I will like to have a release available before I go on holiday on the 17th of July but not sure I will manage to do it all by that time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, sounds like a bit of an issue that you can't really test since we'll have no screen. Well maybe a sort of a config txt file. Most of us will have to clear the thing on a tv screen or monitor anyway because a lot of crap is installed on these devices. I guess it makes sense to have something that can show if the stick is getting data from the phone. There is always a way.
Emil Borconi said:
Not that far away, the only problem this will be braking my fix for obd2aa, so I need to make the 2 things compatible...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No offense to obd2aa, I use it daily, but I'd be interested in this even without it
Where is the APK to give it a try ?
Emil Borconi said:
Currently only a placeholder for those interested in the project while working on development.
Background
- Couple of years ago Google have launched Android Auto, but up till recently the only way to connect your device to the car/head unit was to plug in a USB cable. As of 2018 this starts to change, BUT it looks like you will need to get new hardware for this and older cars/head units won't be upgraded to support this, neither phones with older OS.
Concept
- Since many of us will like to have this wire free but not ready / willing or have the possibility to upgrade the units/cars/phones I have thought of a way to achieve this, by using a small auxiliary device, like for example a very cheap and basic Android TV stick, which can be plugged in/mounted in the car and which can fulfil the roll of a Wifi antenna for your car.
This app should allow you to transform any android powered device into a Wifi receiver for your Android Auto compatible Car/Headunit. Please do not confuse Android Auto, with Android powered headunit (usually Chinese, like MTCB, MTCD, Joying, etc).
If you are interested in this project please simply subscribe to this thread and follow the updates.
Teaser:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm interested, I have a Tahoe with AA and an Android stick. Your project sounds great, can't wait!!
You should have it by the 17th of July, I'm just in the middle of rewriting another app, once I completed that I will focus on this one. I'm going away on a holiday on the 17th of July so I'm really pushing to have it out there by then.
Having the same XAV-AX100, and I was pissed off when I heard that in order to use wireless android auto it needs to be replaced.
Great idea, can`t wait to test it.
Do you think it can works also with windows stick.? Or only android?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
jeromeo01 said:
Do you think it can works also with windows stick.? Or only android?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never heard of a windows stick... Any link/reference? In theory it can work with almost anything but since Android Auto need Open Accessory, Android device will be the preferred option, having all the classes already available.
Emil Borconi said:
Never heard of a windows stick... Any link/reference? In theory it can work with almost anything but since Android Auto need Open Accessory, Android device will be the preferred option, having all the classes already available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its exactly the same.
Mini PC stick, but using windows 10 as OS.
Just a little bit more expensive. But I already have one to try. [emoji6]
https://www.windowscentral.com/best-stick-pcs
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Hello,
I am asking if someone have some experience with AA Mirror (MirrorLink for not officially supported phones) on XZ1 Compact.
I am basically asking if someone have tried it, if it works or works reliable or not. Usage will be simple only for GPS navigation - Sygic. Nothing more.
Reason is that to get AA Mirror on XZ1 Compact i need to root and unlock bootloader on quite a new phone, that still have about 14 months of remaining warranty period. So I would like to know if its worth of it.
Any info will be appreciated!
I'd like to know this, too. I was going to get a MirrorLink screen this week until I realized this phone probably doesn't support it natively...anyway, does AA Mirror do anything non-rooted?
LowVolume said:
.anyway, does AA Mirror do anything non-rooted?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I havent tried it, but since it needs low level USB access, I am sure it wont do anything, maybe not even install.
Problem is that MirrorLink support is really weak. Sony does not support it at all, and e. g. Samsung only on flagship models.
I still guess that I have to try it, not really appreciate it. I hoped that this forum section is more alive.
I have been using AA Mirror daily for the past 3 months. About one or two times a week the connection to Android auto is lost and I have to replug the phone in, or my car stops responding to touch response. This usually doesn't happen when I use regular AA apps. That's about the only issue I have and I haven't tried changing settings to fix it because it doesn't happen too often, everything works well enough for me to keep using it.
Edit: I'm actually using AAStream, a version that should fix some bugs
Joa012 said:
I have been using AA Mirror daily for the past 3 months. About one or two times a week the connection to Android auto is lost and I have to replug the phone in, or my car stops responding to touch response. This usually doesn't happen when I use regular AA apps. That's about the only issue I have and I haven't tried changing settings to fix it because it doesn't happen too often, everything works well enough for me to keep using it.
Edit: I'm actually using AAStream, a version that should fix some bugs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All on XZ1 Compact? That s really cool to hear!
Were there any special steps for getting it work ? Except of root of course.
Ok, I just realized that this isn't actually MirrorLink. It's just outputs Android Auto, not MirrorLink. OP, you got my hopes up for nothing...
Anyway, my searching indicates that non-rooted AA Mirror kind of works for mirroring only. The touch input doesn't, so you have to do it via the phone screen.
LowVolume said:
Ok, I just realized that this isn't actually MirrorLink. It's just outputs Android Auto, not MirrorLink. OP, you got my hopes up for nothing...
Anyway, my searching indicates that non-rooted AA Mirror kind of works for mirroring only. The touch input doesn't, so you have to do it via the phone screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that. As far as I searched, for full and true MirrorLink you need to have manufacturer support out of the box. No one actually figured how to implement this on other phones. I guess that it requires custom kernel module or something closed source.
AA Mirror or AA Stream is sort of solution for other phones, but it works as screen mirroring utility only (you have to control everything from phone, not from car). I really dont mind, especially for GPS I always set up destination or changing it while not driving. So basic screen mirror is enough.
I already installed AA Stream / AA mirror and it really requires root. Without it doesnt work, which I have expected.
HeliumX10 said:
All on XZ1 Compact? That s really cool to hear!
Were there any special steps for getting it work ? Except of root of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes all on XZ1 compact. And no special steps, but have to add I'm on the LineageOS rom. Just never have been able to get Netflix working as they block screen output to another screen, but that's a different issue. It's not perfect, but it's the easiest thing I have been able to do after rooting my phone. I have way more issues with banking or McDonald's apps than with AA Stream Still worth it though. In fact so worth it I refused a free iPhone from work as I rather keep my compact for these 'features'
So I just got a car radio that supports mirroring over both USB debugging and MirrorLink and it works perfectly without root! Including touch input via the car's screen. The radio says MirrorLink ("P-Link"), but I assume it's doing it through USB debugging. Which makes sense, since that's the same way most Android remoting programs work on PC. I haven't tested the audio but I assume that works, too. It has a huge 7 inch screen and was pretty cheap, so it'll be perfect for navigation.
Joa012 said:
Yes all on XZ1 compact. And no special steps, but have to add I'm on the LineageOS rom. Just never have been able to get Netflix working as they block screen output to another screen, but that's a different issue. It's not perfect, but it's the easiest thing I have been able to do after rooting my phone. I have way more issues with banking or McDonald's apps than with AA Stream Still worth it though. In fact so worth it I refused a free iPhone from work as I rather keep my compact for these 'features'
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much. this is really helpfull !!
I am also considering LineageOS 16.0 RC6, because if I understand properly, that if you dont backup DRM keys you will loose official Camera and other functionalities after root.
LowVolume said:
So I just got a car radio that supports mirroring over both USB debugging and MirrorLink and it works perfectly without root! Including touch input via the car's screen. The radio says MirrorLink ("P-Link"), but I assume it's doing it through USB debugging. Which makes sense, since that's the same way most Android remoting programs work on PC. I haven't tested the audio but I assume that works, too. It has a huge 7 inch screen and was pretty cheap, so it'll be perfect for navigation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lucky you!
But this will probably not work on stock car display unit (like original 7" Toyota system) which almost all supports MirrorLink only. I will try it You have some additional app for that? Or just checked Dev. options on and all OK?
No additional app. Just USB debugging enabled.