Chinese Android Headunits to replace NAV (long and tech heavy)
03-09-20, 03:34 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Chinese Android Headunits to replace NAV (long and tech heavy)
Ok, so I was inspired to step up my infotainment game by this thread (I don't really like my Naviks): https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...k-monitor.html
I did a LOT of research on Android Headunits since technology is my trade, let me try and pass along what I've discovered so far since it was not easy to parse through all the info out there, since most of these things don't even have a brand name and no model numbers. I was certainly overwhelmed when I first glanced at all the choices, I'm sure some of you are as well.
Here's what's important to know:
1) Mostly forget about the specific specs, it's the chipset & board that seems to be important for a few reasons: Actual performance, audio quality (built-in DSP is a big deal), heat, and aftermarket support (more on this at the end). It also dictates which version of Android really runs on it. MTCD/MTCE is the current hardware platform, I believe MTCD is running Android 8 and MTCE is running Android 9 (same hardware otherwise).
2) From digging into the XDA forums (https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/), it looks like you kinda get what you pay for in terms of quirkiness. Most of the reviews say that all of them are quirky about something, and generally the people who bought cheap ones say it was a good deal considering what they paid, and the ones who buy the higher end ones seem to have less issues (but paid more). So determine your own ratio of cost:quirkiness.
3) There are some chinese brand names, which from what I can tell are much better to buy than the "no name" or "unknown" ones. Joying, Dasaita, etc. As I mentioned before, on aliexpress and ebay, there are sellers selling noname brand units with all the specs you want to see at 1/3rd the cost. What people were noticing once they received them is that the system info screen said what they paid for, but when they ran an app like cpu-z which directly reads everything from the hardware, they were not getting what they paid for. By going with a "known" name you avoid this.
Now, I mentioned aftermarket support. I've used a lot of no-name chinese android TV set top boxes over the years, and what I've learned is that the support is nonexistent. Whatever you get shipped to you is what you get, if you can make it fit your needs, great, if not, that sucks but it was cheap so who cares. I believe the same applies here.
It looks to me like the newest platforms with the best support are the Rockchip PX6 & PX5. Some of the older platforms have a lot of support too, but I try to avoid buying last gen tech considering how quickly technology becomes and feels old. You can see there are already custom roms and a ton of support for this platform should you need/want it: https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...re-development
With all that in mind, if I was to buy a unit right now, I'd probably go with Dasaita's PX5 or PX6 units. These links are to their actual store on aliexpress.
PX5: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3285...9325.subject_5
PX6: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3301...24917ea7CcSJLE
EDIT: I don't think these will fit, actually.
Now... with all of that being said, this starts to get expensive, especially once you add in carplay, tpms, ODB2 readers, etc...
Evgeniy's no name unit was like $80 and does the job. Also, it looks like the fitment of some of these units is too large. I think we're working with maybe 50 or 60mm of depth from what I can tell.
If anyone is actually interested in this, we can use this thread to compare options and figure out what makes the most sense.
I did a LOT of research on Android Headunits since technology is my trade, let me try and pass along what I've discovered so far since it was not easy to parse through all the info out there, since most of these things don't even have a brand name and no model numbers. I was certainly overwhelmed when I first glanced at all the choices, I'm sure some of you are as well.
Here's what's important to know:
1) Mostly forget about the specific specs, it's the chipset & board that seems to be important for a few reasons: Actual performance, audio quality (built-in DSP is a big deal), heat, and aftermarket support (more on this at the end). It also dictates which version of Android really runs on it. MTCD/MTCE is the current hardware platform, I believe MTCD is running Android 8 and MTCE is running Android 9 (same hardware otherwise).
2) From digging into the XDA forums (https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/), it looks like you kinda get what you pay for in terms of quirkiness. Most of the reviews say that all of them are quirky about something, and generally the people who bought cheap ones say it was a good deal considering what they paid, and the ones who buy the higher end ones seem to have less issues (but paid more). So determine your own ratio of cost:quirkiness.
3) There are some chinese brand names, which from what I can tell are much better to buy than the "no name" or "unknown" ones. Joying, Dasaita, etc. As I mentioned before, on aliexpress and ebay, there are sellers selling noname brand units with all the specs you want to see at 1/3rd the cost. What people were noticing once they received them is that the system info screen said what they paid for, but when they ran an app like cpu-z which directly reads everything from the hardware, they were not getting what they paid for. By going with a "known" name you avoid this.
Now, I mentioned aftermarket support. I've used a lot of no-name chinese android TV set top boxes over the years, and what I've learned is that the support is nonexistent. Whatever you get shipped to you is what you get, if you can make it fit your needs, great, if not, that sucks but it was cheap so who cares. I believe the same applies here.
It looks to me like the newest platforms with the best support are the Rockchip PX6 & PX5. Some of the older platforms have a lot of support too, but I try to avoid buying last gen tech considering how quickly technology becomes and feels old. You can see there are already custom roms and a ton of support for this platform should you need/want it: https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...re-development
With all that in mind, if I was to buy a unit right now, I'd probably go with Dasaita's PX5 or PX6 units. These links are to their actual store on aliexpress.
PX5: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3285...9325.subject_5
PX6: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3301...24917ea7CcSJLE
EDIT: I don't think these will fit, actually.
Now... with all of that being said, this starts to get expensive, especially once you add in carplay, tpms, ODB2 readers, etc...
Evgeniy's no name unit was like $80 and does the job. Also, it looks like the fitment of some of these units is too large. I think we're working with maybe 50 or 60mm of depth from what I can tell.
If anyone is actually interested in this, we can use this thread to compare options and figure out what makes the most sense.
Last edited by joemg; 03-09-20 at 03:40 PM.
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03-09-20, 04:02 PM
#2
Instructor
Thread Starter
Stay tuned... I'm trying to see what the best chipset available for our tight size requirements, and if there's something other than a no-name unit that would work. There is an insane amount of slightly different units out there, lol.
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03-10-20, 10:11 AM
#5
Pole Position
Appreciate all the effort!
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03-10-20, 01:24 PM
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
Thanks guys... Still hunting/doing research.
So far, with what we currently know about the space limitations, this is the only "name brand" (i'm using that very loosely) unit I've found:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000...726e6e78AACPEe
"Wondefoo" is a sort of well known chinese brand. Link is to their official aliexpress store.
If we can get a definitive measurement as to what we can fit back there while keeping the door/tilt/etc functional that would help a lot. I PM'd Herbtalek since he posted the other day that he had the nav out, if he still has it out maybe he can help. I've been using what evgeniy used as a guide for sizing.
So far, with what we currently know about the space limitations, this is the only "name brand" (i'm using that very loosely) unit I've found:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000...726e6e78AACPEe
"Wondefoo" is a sort of well known chinese brand. Link is to their official aliexpress store.
If we can get a definitive measurement as to what we can fit back there while keeping the door/tilt/etc functional that would help a lot. I PM'd Herbtalek since he posted the other day that he had the nav out, if he still has it out maybe he can help. I've been using what evgeniy used as a guide for sizing.
Last edited by joemg; 03-10-20 at 01:29 PM.
03-12-20, 11:23 AM
#7
Instructor
Thread Starter
Ok, I think I found some better options from "Ownice"
Their K3 (also sometimes called c800) is a low profile PX5 setup, the K3 Pro (or C800 pro) is PX6.
This is their webpage:
http://www.ownice.com/Pro_Ownice%20C...20DSP_760.html
This is their aliexpress store:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3237...archweb201603_
It's super confusing, but here is a pic from it that breaks down all their models... Strangely the higher the model number, not necessarily the best product. there's also a pic of the form factor, it looks on par with the ones people in Russia have been using, though I don't see exact measurements.
The other annoying thing is the way they do ordering... you order the K3 high and then "upgrade" it to K3 pro and then add any extras you want (TPMS, Carplay, ODB2, etc).
As of right now, this is probably the best option for us. I might contact them and see how to get this thing ordered and what price it would come out to with all the bells and whistles. I'm guessing in the 300s which is a little steep. If you wanted a more budget friendly option, you can choose from one of the other models, but I think the PX5/PX6 based ones are going to have the most support. Probably the next most supported would be the K1 with the 8227L chipset.
If anyone comes up with anything else or finds flaws in my research, please correct me...
Side note, check out the front camera operation, my naviks doesn't even do that!
Their K3 (also sometimes called c800) is a low profile PX5 setup, the K3 Pro (or C800 pro) is PX6.
This is their webpage:
http://www.ownice.com/Pro_Ownice%20C...20DSP_760.html
This is their aliexpress store:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3237...archweb201603_
It's super confusing, but here is a pic from it that breaks down all their models... Strangely the higher the model number, not necessarily the best product. there's also a pic of the form factor, it looks on par with the ones people in Russia have been using, though I don't see exact measurements.
The other annoying thing is the way they do ordering... you order the K3 high and then "upgrade" it to K3 pro and then add any extras you want (TPMS, Carplay, ODB2, etc).
As of right now, this is probably the best option for us. I might contact them and see how to get this thing ordered and what price it would come out to with all the bells and whistles. I'm guessing in the 300s which is a little steep. If you wanted a more budget friendly option, you can choose from one of the other models, but I think the PX5/PX6 based ones are going to have the most support. Probably the next most supported would be the K1 with the 8227L chipset.
If anyone comes up with anything else or finds flaws in my research, please correct me...
Side note, check out the front camera operation, my naviks doesn't even do that!
Last edited by joemg; 03-12-20 at 11:30 AM.
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05-06-20, 07:57 AM
#8
I have a 2002 SC430. I'm trying to decide between replacing the stock (CD/Tape) system out with a modern head unit OR doing what you're talking about here - put an Android radio in the nav screen and tap into the audio of the stock head system --> Mark Levinson amp. The bang-for-the-buck looks nice for the Android system and I don't have to pay the overwhelming $$$ for the BeatSonic adapter.
One consideration for me is the ability to support Sirius XM. It doesn't look like any of these android systems have any Sirius XM interfacing. I'd like to avoid having a separate control with a separate XM tuner outside the dash. Any ideas besides using the line-in connections somehow?
One consideration for me is the ability to support Sirius XM. It doesn't look like any of these android systems have any Sirius XM interfacing. I'd like to avoid having a separate control with a separate XM tuner outside the dash. Any ideas besides using the line-in connections somehow?
05-06-20, 08:56 AM
#9
Instructor
Thread Starter
I have a 2002 SC430. I'm trying to decide between replacing the stock (CD/Tape) system out with a modern head unit OR doing what you're talking about here - put an Android radio in the nav screen and tap into the audio of the stock head system --> Mark Levinson amp. The bang-for-the-buck looks nice for the Android system and I don't have to pay the overwhelming $$$ for the BeatSonic adapter.
One consideration for me is the ability to support Sirius XM. It doesn't look like any of these android systems have any Sirius XM interfacing. I'd like to avoid having a separate control with a separate XM tuner outside the dash. Any ideas besides using the line-in connections somehow?
One consideration for me is the ability to support Sirius XM. It doesn't look like any of these android systems have any Sirius XM interfacing. I'd like to avoid having a separate control with a separate XM tuner outside the dash. Any ideas besides using the line-in connections somehow?
That's a good question. I found this, it basically looks like you use the SiriusXM app to stream via internet rather than a satellite connection:
https://listenercare.siriusxm.com/ap...ndroid-auto%3F
05-09-20, 05:57 PM
#10
Yeah, that could work - but if I'm going to use my phone to play it, I'm going to be burning up data plan and have to pay more $ for the streaming membership. I routinely travel on a few routes that don't get cell signal. So this is not a great solution unfortunately.
I was hoping (but not expecting) I could find one of the Android auto vendors who had incorporated an XM tuner jack and an app. So far, nothing
I'm still kinda interested in the project and might do it ... even if I do upgrade the head unit to a modern stereo to get Sirius XM. I might just do it for no other reason than getting a better looking screen up in the nav screen, and because it looks like fun.
I'm also considering just ripping out the ML amp in the trunk and replacing it with a modern amp. The beat sonic adapter is so much $, I might as well put that money to a modern amp instead and be able to control the filtering to the various speakers. (I already replaced the dry-rotted original speakers). What most people don't realize is that the ML amp is pre-filtering each of the speakers to a particular frequency range so, for example, if you put a full range speaker in the front 6x9 spot, you're really only getting <800HZ and wasting the rest of the range of the speaker. No way around that unless you replace the amp.
I was hoping (but not expecting) I could find one of the Android auto vendors who had incorporated an XM tuner jack and an app. So far, nothing
I'm still kinda interested in the project and might do it ... even if I do upgrade the head unit to a modern stereo to get Sirius XM. I might just do it for no other reason than getting a better looking screen up in the nav screen, and because it looks like fun.
I'm also considering just ripping out the ML amp in the trunk and replacing it with a modern amp. The beat sonic adapter is so much $, I might as well put that money to a modern amp instead and be able to control the filtering to the various speakers. (I already replaced the dry-rotted original speakers). What most people don't realize is that the ML amp is pre-filtering each of the speakers to a particular frequency range so, for example, if you put a full range speaker in the front 6x9 spot, you're really only getting <800HZ and wasting the rest of the range of the speaker. No way around that unless you replace the amp.
05-18-20, 12:44 AM
#12
Ok, I think I found some better options from "Ownice"
Their K3 (also sometimes called c800) is a low profile PX5 setup, the K3 Pro (or C800 pro) is PX6.
This is their webpage:
http://www.ownice.com/Pro_Ownice%20C...20DSP_760.html
This is their aliexpress store:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3237...archweb201603_
It's super confusing, but here is a pic from it that breaks down all their models... Strangely the higher the model number, not necessarily the best product. there's also a pic of the form factor, it looks on par with the ones people in Russia have been using, though I don't see exact measurements.
The other annoying thing is the way they do ordering... you order the K3 high and then "upgrade" it to K3 pro and then add any extras you want (TPMS, Carplay, ODB2, etc).
As of right now, this is probably the best option for us. I might contact them and see how to get this thing ordered and what price it would come out to with all the bells and whistles. I'm guessing in the 300s which is a little steep. If you wanted a more budget friendly option, you can choose from one of the other models, but I think the PX5/PX6 based ones are going to have the most support. Probably the next most supported would be the K1 with the 8227L chipset.
If anyone comes up with anything else or finds flaws in my research, please correct me...
Side note, check out the front camera operation, my naviks doesn't even do that!
Their K3 (also sometimes called c800) is a low profile PX5 setup, the K3 Pro (or C800 pro) is PX6.
This is their webpage:
http://www.ownice.com/Pro_Ownice%20C...20DSP_760.html
This is their aliexpress store:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3237...archweb201603_
It's super confusing, but here is a pic from it that breaks down all their models... Strangely the higher the model number, not necessarily the best product. there's also a pic of the form factor, it looks on par with the ones people in Russia have been using, though I don't see exact measurements.
The other annoying thing is the way they do ordering... you order the K3 high and then "upgrade" it to K3 pro and then add any extras you want (TPMS, Carplay, ODB2, etc).
As of right now, this is probably the best option for us. I might contact them and see how to get this thing ordered and what price it would come out to with all the bells and whistles. I'm guessing in the 300s which is a little steep. If you wanted a more budget friendly option, you can choose from one of the other models, but I think the PX5/PX6 based ones are going to have the most support. Probably the next most supported would be the K1 with the 8227L chipset.
If anyone comes up with anything else or finds flaws in my research, please correct me...
Side note, check out the front camera operation, my naviks doesn't even do that!
The only thing that I would change to the unit you linked is a bigger screen. 7" just looks so small and a bit old school. Ideally an 8"?
The 8" that they have is 8" Ownice GPS unit and itt is a bit big, but I think there is enough space to fit it inside the Satnav hole, just behind the vents. The actual hole in our car from one vent to the other is: Hole: W 19cm/7.5", H 10.5/4.13", Diagonal 21.5/8.5".
Last edited by alex2016g; 05-18-20 at 02:50 AM.
10-22-20, 03:50 PM
#13
Instructor
Thread Starter
I'm really curious if this would fit in that spot:
https://www.alpine-usa.com/product/a...-auto-ilx-w650
2.4" deep.
https://www.alpine-usa.com/product/a...-auto-ilx-w650
2.4" deep.
Last edited by joemg; 10-23-20 at 01:48 PM.
10-28-20, 12:22 AM
#14
Ok, so I was inspired to step up my infotainment game by this thread (I don't really like my Naviks): https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...k-monitor.html
I did a LOT of research on Android Headunits since technology is my trade, let me try and pass along what I've discovered so far since it was not easy to parse through all the info out there, since most of these things don't even have a brand name and no model numbers. I was certainly overwhelmed when I first glanced at all the choices, I'm sure some of you are as well.
Here's what's important to know:
1) Mostly forget about the specific specs, it's the chipset & board that seems to be important for a few reasons: Actual performance, audio quality (built-in DSP is a big deal), heat, and aftermarket support (more on this at the end). It also dictates which version of Android really runs on it. MTCD/MTCE is the current hardware platform, I believe MTCD is running Android 8 and MTCE is running Android 9 (same hardware otherwise).
2) From digging into the XDA forums (https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/), it looks like you kinda get what you pay for in terms of quirkiness. Most of the reviews say that all of them are quirky about something, and generally the people who bought cheap ones say it was a good deal considering what they paid, and the ones who buy the higher end ones seem to have less issues (but paid more). So determine your own ratio of cost:quirkiness.
3) There are some chinese brand names, which from what I can tell are much better to buy than the "no name" or "unknown" ones. Joying, Dasaita, etc. As I mentioned before, on aliexpress and ebay, there are sellers selling noname brand units with all the specs you want to see at 1/3rd the cost. What people were noticing once they received them is that the system info screen said what they paid for, but when they ran an app like cpu-z which directly reads everything from the hardware, they were not getting what they paid for. By going with a "known" name you avoid this.
Now, I mentioned aftermarket support. I've used a lot of no-name chinese android TV set top boxes over the years, and what I've learned is that the support is nonexistent. Whatever you get shipped to you is what you get, if you can make it fit your needs, great, if not, that sucks but it was cheap so who cares. I believe the same applies here.
It looks to me like the newest platforms with the best support are the Rockchip PX6 & PX5. Some of the older platforms have a lot of support too, but I try to avoid buying last gen tech considering how quickly technology becomes and feels old. You can see there are already custom roms and a ton of support for this platform should you need/want it: https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...re-development
With all that in mind, if I was to buy a unit right now, I'd probably go with Dasaita's PX5 or PX6 units. These links are to their actual store on aliexpress.
PX5: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3285...9325.subject_5
PX6: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3301...24917ea7CcSJLE
EDIT: I don't think these will fit, actually.
Now... with all of that being said, this starts to get expensive, especially once you add in carplay, tpms, ODB2 readers, etc...
Evgeniy's no name unit was like $80 and does the job. Also, it looks like the fitment of some of these units is too large. I think we're working with maybe 50 or 60mm of depth from what I can tell.
If anyone is actually interested in this, we can use this thread to compare options and figure out what makes the most sense.
I did a LOT of research on Android Headunits since technology is my trade, let me try and pass along what I've discovered so far since it was not easy to parse through all the info out there, since most of these things don't even have a brand name and no model numbers. I was certainly overwhelmed when I first glanced at all the choices, I'm sure some of you are as well.
Here's what's important to know:
1) Mostly forget about the specific specs, it's the chipset & board that seems to be important for a few reasons: Actual performance, audio quality (built-in DSP is a big deal), heat, and aftermarket support (more on this at the end). It also dictates which version of Android really runs on it. MTCD/MTCE is the current hardware platform, I believe MTCD is running Android 8 and MTCE is running Android 9 (same hardware otherwise).
2) From digging into the XDA forums (https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/), it looks like you kinda get what you pay for in terms of quirkiness. Most of the reviews say that all of them are quirky about something, and generally the people who bought cheap ones say it was a good deal considering what they paid, and the ones who buy the higher end ones seem to have less issues (but paid more). So determine your own ratio of cost:quirkiness.
3) There are some chinese brand names, which from what I can tell are much better to buy than the "no name" or "unknown" ones. Joying, Dasaita, etc. As I mentioned before, on aliexpress and ebay, there are sellers selling noname brand units with all the specs you want to see at 1/3rd the cost. What people were noticing once they received them is that the system info screen said what they paid for, but when they ran an app like cpu-z which directly reads everything from the hardware, they were not getting what they paid for. By going with a "known" name you avoid this.
Now, I mentioned aftermarket support. I've used a lot of no-name chinese android TV set top boxes over the years, and what I've learned is that the support is nonexistent. Whatever you get shipped to you is what you get, if you can make it fit your needs, great, if not, that sucks but it was cheap so who cares. I believe the same applies here.
It looks to me like the newest platforms with the best support are the Rockchip PX6 & PX5. Some of the older platforms have a lot of support too, but I try to avoid buying last gen tech considering how quickly technology becomes and feels old. You can see there are already custom roms and a ton of support for this platform should you need/want it: https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...re-development
With all that in mind, if I was to buy a unit right now, I'd probably go with Dasaita's PX5 or PX6 units. These links are to their actual store on aliexpress.
PX5: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3285...9325.subject_5
PX6: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3301...24917ea7CcSJLE
EDIT: I don't think these will fit, actually.
Now... with all of that being said, this starts to get expensive, especially once you add in carplay, tpms, ODB2 readers, etc...
Evgeniy's no name unit was like $80 and does the job. Also, it looks like the fitment of some of these units is too large. I think we're working with maybe 50 or 60mm of depth from what I can tell.
If anyone is actually interested in this, we can use this thread to compare options and figure out what makes the most sense.
