Best Android Headunit?

[starkey]

Have had a quick search but couldn't see any new threads.

Just wondering what's the best android headunit out there at the moment? Was looking at the Xtrons units but not to sure what they're like. Doesn't need to have a CD player, bigger the screen the better.

If there's any recommendations let me know, or if you're selling one I may be interested.

Cheers

[Chris_R]

Just fitted one of these today:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302121603028?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I am not sure if it's the "best" as I haven't got anything similar to compare to.
If I did it again, I would probably try and get one with more memory - they now also do 2GB RAM models - not that this is slow, it pee's all over the Mrs 2015 Nissan built in system for speed and scrolling around, just feels a little sluggish at times when lots of stuff has been set running. May be a little unfair there, but think of it as a lower end Android tablet rather than a Samsung
Install was straightforward, there is a comprehensive amount of leads and connectors for just about anything you can think of - video outputs for rear screens, reversing camera, canbus interface, bluetooth, wifi, amp connection leads, proper antenna adapter for the dual VW standard one, USB extensions, external microphone. It also came with a connector to the mk5 USB port you can fit by the gearstick - just ordered one as it will look better than having a lead in the glovebox. Sat nav map SD card is also included and there is a second SD card slot for media or app storage.

The canbus stuff is pretty clever, no need to run loads of wires for a reverse signal. It also shows door/boot/bonnet open status on the screen automatically, some info from the car fuel gauge and temp is shown too. I believe it integrates with the multifunction steering wheel controls, but I don't have them on my GTI personally - maybe in future.
For good measure I also hooked it up to a OBDII bluetooth dongle and have extra gauges on the display through torque. Sat nav is quick to get a fix.
There are a million and one applications you can install on it if you wish, much the same as any Android tablet.

Screen is very decent and clear, and you can buy other bits for it if you wish to add DAB, TV tuner.

It really looks like an OEM unit IMO, certainly better than the Kenwood thing my car came with by a mile.
Build quality is good as is the fit, it looks perfect installed. If I am being picky I don't like the rotary knobs much - would prefer them a bit bigger - and the buttons are a little mushy compared to the Mrs unit in her Qashqai.

Anything else give me a shout

[AJP]

Just fitted one of these today:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302121603028?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I am not sure if it's the "best" as I haven't got anything similar to compare to.
If I did it again, I would probably try and get one with more memory - they now also do 2GB RAM models - not that this is slow, it pee's all over the Mrs 2015 Nissan built in system for speed and scrolling around, just feels a little sluggish at times when lots of stuff has been set running. May be a little unfair there, but think of it as a lower end Android tablet rather than a Samsung
Install was straightforward, there is a comprehensive amount of leads and connectors for just about anything you can think of - video outputs for rear screens, reversing camera, canbus interface, bluetooth, wifi, amp connection leads, proper antenna adapter for the dual VW standard one, USB extensions, external microphone. It also came with a connector to the mk5 USB port you can fit by the gearstick - just ordered one as it will look better than having a lead in the glovebox. Sat nav map SD card is also included and there is a second SD card slot for media or app storage.

The canbus stuff is pretty clever, no need to run loads of wires for a reverse signal. It also shows door/boot/bonnet open status on the screen automatically, some info from the car fuel gauge and temp is shown too. I believe it integrates with the multifunction steering wheel controls, but I don't have them on my GTI personally - maybe in future.
For good measure I also hooked it up to a OBDII bluetooth dongle and have extra gauges on the display through torque. Sat nav is quick to get a fix.
There are a million and one applications you can install on it if you wish, much the same as any Android tablet.

Screen is very decent and clear, and you can buy other bits for it if you wish to add DAB, TV tuner.

It really looks like an OEM unit IMO, certainly better than the Kenwood thing my car came with by a mile.
Build quality is good as is the fit, it looks perfect installed. If I am being picky I don't like the rotary knobs much - would prefer them a bit bigger - and the buttons are a little mushy compared to the Mrs unit in her Qashqai.

Anything else give me a shout

How's the sound quality?

[Chris_R]

Haven't given it a full go yet as I installed it then had to do parent stuff. Should know more tomorrow after the drive to work though it will be subjective as I haven't heard anything else in the car bar a bit of radio so far.

[AJP]

Haven't given it a full go yet as I installed it then had to do parent stuff. Should know more tomorrow after the drive to work though it will be subjective as I haven't heard anything else in the car bar a bit of radio so far.

Let us know what you think. I'm hoping to fit something like this with a subtle speaker upgrade. Maybe an amp.

It seems really good value. Being able to get apps on it like Torque is appealing to me!

[Chris_R]

If it's not great, I may upgrade the audio with an amp - I have a JL XD400 sat in the garage which is currently going unused since I took it out of 3 cars ago. Just never got round to fitting it in anything since.

[Chris_R]

Ok, sound quality is what I would call "meh". Bare in mind this could very well be the standard speakers as I never gave them a run with some of my own tunes before swapping the head unit (which was a low end Kenwood to begin with). Tweaking the EQ produced some acceptable results, but it still feels a bit dead, even with lossless FLAC - most of the tunes I put over to the head unit are either FLAC or 320k MP3.
It's all very passable, it's plenty loud enough, but it doesn't excite.
Having spent around 3 or so hours listening on my commute to and from work, it is not without it's quirks too. Adjusting the volume just after boot up was a bit unresponsive, which wasn't too bad. It's a shame there is no way to skip tracks without going back to the application you started the music with (unless you use the inbuilt media player - I was using Amazon music and Double Twist) or using the pull down menu - I miss the buttons and needed to look at the screen constantly to change anything but the volume which is understandable given its a touch screen. Sat nav was spot on and surprisingly quick to re-route when I missed a turning - much faster than any head unit I have used in the past.
Bluetooth voice quality was terrible - there is a constant echo which is caused by the way the microphone is setup, when using the external mic the internal one is still active and picking up the sound so I disabled the built in one by cutting the wire to it which has completely resolved it.
Still need to sort out some of the wiring as need to remove some trim to route the microphone up top and wire in the rear view camera.
I think it will make a good base, afterall, I can put pretty much what I want on it software wise so it's unlikely to get out of date and there appears to be alternative firmware available on XDA developer website. Think I will upgrade the speakers in the front to decent components and put my amp and sub in but have plenty other stuff to do to the car first - priority is getting all the service items done and some performance upgrades
As all these headunits are basically the same with different branding and shells to fit a VW, Merc whatever, I am doubtful they would sound any different from elsewhere - I wonder if you could connect up USB based DAC or similar would be interesting to try?

[colesey]

I had one of these entry level Pioneer Carplay units installed 18 months ago

- http://www.pioneer-car.eu/eur/products/sph-da120

It sounds pretty decent with the standard speakers and I haven't had any gripes. Given how phone technology and operating systems continue to evolve, it seems a smart approach to leverage the phone as a control unit for sat nav etc.

[AJP]

Ok, sound quality is what I would call "meh". Bare in mind this could very well be the standard speakers as I never gave them a run with some of my own tunes before swapping the head unit (which was a low end Kenwood to begin with). Tweaking the EQ produced some acceptable results, but it still feels a bit dead, even with lossless FLAC - most of the tunes I put over to the head unit are either FLAC or 320k MP3.
It's all very passable, it's plenty loud enough, but it doesn't excite.
Having spent around 3 or so hours listening on my commute to and from work, it is not without it's quirks too. Adjusting the volume just after boot up was a bit unresponsive, which wasn't too bad. It's a shame there is no way to skip tracks without going back to the application you started the music with (unless you use the inbuilt media player - I was using Amazon music and Double Twist) or using the pull down menu - I miss the buttons and needed to look at the screen constantly to change anything but the volume which is understandable given its a touch screen. Sat nav was spot on and surprisingly quick to re-route when I missed a turning - much faster than any head unit I have used in the past.
Bluetooth voice quality was terrible - there is a constant echo which is caused by the way the microphone is setup, when using the external mic the internal one is still active and picking up the sound so I disabled the built in one by cutting the wire to it which has completely resolved it.
Still need to sort out some of the wiring as need to remove some trim to route the microphone up top and wire in the rear view camera.
I think it will make a good base, afterall, I can put pretty much what I want on it software wise so it's unlikely to get out of date and there appears to be alternative firmware available on XDA developer website. Think I will upgrade the speakers in the front to decent components and put my amp and sub in but have plenty other stuff to do to the car first - priority is getting all the service items done and some performance upgrades
As all these headunits are basically the same with different branding and shells to fit a VW, Merc whatever, I am doubtful they would sound any different from elsewhere - I wonder if you could connect up USB based DAC or similar would be interesting to try?

Cheers for the write up. Fingers crossed the amp and speakers work well. Let us know how you get on.

[Chris_R]

I had one of these entry level Pioneer Carplay units installed 18 months ago

- http://www.pioneer-car.eu/eur/products/sph-da120

It sounds pretty decent with the standard speakers and I haven't had any gripes. Given how phone technology and operating systems continue to evolve, it seems a smart approach to leverage the phone as a control unit for sat nav etc.

Yeah you can do that on the headunit I got too - Android screen mirroring, basically the headunit becomes an extended phone screen.