New Android-based stereo

[thenorthster]

Based on some older threads on this very forum, I just paid £200 on eBay for a (new) stereo unit which runs Android:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-Android-8-1-Car-Stereo-GPS-DVD-DAB-VW-PASSAT-SHARAN-GOLF-V5-CADDY-JETTA-SEAT/302121603028?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Fitting to my Mk5 GTi was straightforward. Judging from the broken clips and missing screws, I am not the first of my car's 9 owners to take the dashboard apart ... there were even some cables running from behind the stereo to the boot for an amp, which I hijacked for the reversing camera (haven't finished fitting it at the back yet - it was a slight surprise that the unit came with it).

Here's what the unit looks like in my car:



First impressions...

• Phone call quality seems fine using the built-in microphone - not brilliant but certainly not worth pulling trim apart and messing near airbags in order to fit the external mic
• The sat nav on the unit does require the supplied GPS antennae fitting in order to work. I stuck mine in the middle of the dashboard in front of the central vent / sunlight sensor, and it gets a fix nice and quickly
• The unit takes a little while to boot up after you turn on the ignition - not outrageously long but a bit irritating
• I'm using Google Maps rather than the built in navigation app, because it does live traffic too
• Bluetooth to my phone for contacts etc. works. I could play media from the phone over bluetooth too, but since the unit runs Spotify et al natively, I haven't bothered yet - pair to my phone in WiFi hotspot mode for an internet connection (needed for traffic updates anyway), and it Just Works.
• The media navigation buttons on the left don't wake up the screen, but the volume annoyingly does (but the star button next to the volume control is for blanking the screen)
• Its adapter only took one side of the twin cable for the radio antennae, but FM works fine with just that
• It comes with the right can bus decoder to avoid the battery drain! This also seems to interface with the car well enough for the unit's car info app to tell you how many litres of fuel you have left, what doors are open, etc. Sadly it doesn't seem to pick up any detailed TPMS information, so I still just have to top all my tyres up when the light comes on

All in all, I'm pleased with it. Maps keeps popping up an annoying alert about "failing to interface with Google Play Services" but seems to work fine anyway, and I'm hoping a software update or two will kill that in due course.

[muff1991]

thanks for the review mate  I've been looking at these for a while, and toying with the idea of getting one.. my cousin has one too and from what I've seen they're pretty good and do loads!

[jenniferelder]

I also bought such a device, and I was very upset when I saw that I need to pay for the programs that I need, etc. However, staying on the Internet I came across http://yourmoneygeek.com where are written same ways how to get free Google Play credit legally. I was so happy when I saw that if you register from Samsung on Google Play you get 50$ free. I feel so lucky that I am an Android user.

[stuartj9]

Looks like you have the same type as me. Mine's about a year old and the 4gb 32gb version. It's quick and everything works.

I think I need to use the car's GPS though as the one that comes with it isn't the best.

I also got an adapter for the DAB unit I bought to get it to work with the FM aerial (perfect) and no need for the terrible DAB stickers on the windscreen.

Only downside is the screen could be brighter for when it's sunny. Not that we get much sun :)

[GrumpyCat]

The eBay link isn't active any more,please could you let me know the model number?
Cheers.