Installed new Android Stereo thoughts.

[xavierny25]

Hot spotting with my phone for now. Was using my Note 2 for navigation and such, and hot spotting with my new phone until I got a charging holder for it. But since they haven't come out with a charging holder yet, I can skip that step. They do offer a sim card dongle that you can plug into one of the 3 USB ports, but the reviews weren't that great.

I'd advise against that and get a portable wifi unit from your carrier. My brother-in-law was using a company portable and everything was fine. Something had happened to the unit and while he waited for the replacement used his galaxy 8 as a hot spot, he said at times he would pick up the phone and it would be uncomfortably hot in his hand. He was afraid the phone might blow up or something crazy like that. Just be cautious and look out for what I just described.

 

[Reprise]

Something had happened to the unit and while he waited for the replacement used his galaxy 8 as a hot spot, he said at times he would pick up the phone and it would be uncomfortably hot in his hand. He was afraid the phone might blow up or something crazy like that.

I have the exact same phone - and I did try it as a hotspot on two occasions earlier this summer to connect my laptop while boondocking in my trailer. It *did* get warm - like "skip the hot coffee and put your hands on this" warm. But not blazing hot. Oh - and remembering back - I was streaming video (DTVNow) to that laptop, so there was definitely a bit of data pumping through that phone & keeping the CPU working (> 2hrs each instance)
I also recall that I had the phone on the charger at the same time, which may / may not have helped / hurt the situation. Just making sure I'm recalling all the variables involved...lol

On edit: I just remembered another variable - I use a fairly thick case to protect my slim Galaxy - that may have dulled the heat a bit. But it definitely wasn't 'too hot to touch'

 

[Blckshdw]

I'd advise against that and get a portable wifi unit from your carrier. My brother-in-law was using a company portable and everything was fine. Something had happened to the unit and while he waited for the replacement used his galaxy 8 as a hot spot, he said at times he would pick up the phone and it would be uncomfortably hot in his hand. He was afraid the phone might blow up or something crazy like that. Just be cautious and look out for what I just described.

Hmm, interesting, I've been doing that every time I get in the car, so the nav would work with traffic alerts ever since I got the phone. Usually had the phone plugged in, and laying on the passenger seat. Never noticed any temperature issues when holding it in my hand, or slipping it into a pocket. I don't use a ton of data while in the car, so it shouldn't be working too hard but I'll look out for it.

 

[Mooseman]

Having multiple Android HU's already, I can tell you that you will enjoy it. However, you will hate the touch volume controls, which are almost impossible to control while driving. I have both a touch and knob type and much prefer the knob.

Get the app A2DP Volume. What this does is set the media volume of your phone and can read text messages to you. It's way cool.

If you have a Spotify account, connect the HU to your home wifi, install it, log in, download all your songs and set it to offline mode. You have to connect it to the Internet once in a while to update the app and re-sync your subscription and playlists. I have had issues with one of mine that would lose the login and subsequently delete all my songs, which the wireless G in it takes hours to re-download. You can also stream off your phone, which is what I'm doing with this one. The other one is fine.

I'd consider such a large screen for my next one if it didn't look so out of place.

 

[Blckshdw]

I've played with the touch volume, and you're right, it's awful. I got the steering wheel controls programmed last night, since I got accustomed to using the volume and track controls almost exclusively from there. The volume seems to reset to an absurdly low level each time the unit boots up, so I have to turn it up each time. Volume started going up slowly, like the buttons weren't responsive, then it changed the track. Then it wouldn't work at all, so not sure what's up with that. I'll give that app a shot, sounds like something I'd like.

I currently stream music from my phone, but twice I've had this weird phenomenon where the playback gets glitchy. I assume it's the HU, and that I was running a bunch of other apps. Today it happened as I was backing into my parking spot and the backup cam came on. I'll have to do some testing to see if I can reproduce the issue.

 

[Mooseman]

There are settings where you need a password to unlock and IIRC the default volume is one of them. In mine, the password was in the manual. If you can't find the password, try contacting the seller.

 

[Blckshdw]

Has anyone changed the launcher on their head unit? Or did everyone stick with the stock one?

 

[TollKeeper]

@Blckshdw, what did you do about steering wheel controls? Door chimes? and anything else that runs thru a stock headunit?

 

[Mooseman]

I don't think you have much of a choice unless you root it. You can change the boot image and the background. Also get a startup manager to limit the number of apps that automatically load.

I never was able to get the steering controls to.work at all. I have the PAC rp5. Did you have another separate interface?

 

[Blckshdw]

@Blckshdw, what did you do about steering wheel controls? Door chimes? and anything else that runs thru a stock headunit?

I don't think you have much of a choice unless you root it. You can change the boot image and the background. Also get a startup manager to limit the number of apps that automatically load.

I never was able to get the steering controls to.work at all. I have the PAC rp5. Did you have another separate interface?

I have a PAC OS2 unit and door chime module from when I bought my DD Pioneer a while back. For the steering wheel controls, I got a PAC CP5 unit. Getting the controls to work was pretty easy once I took my time poking around.

There was a section for setting up the buttons, the HU tells you to press the desired button on the wheel and when it reads the input, takes you to a selection screen where you select from a (huge) list of possible functions to assign to that button. Either short press, or long press. Once you selected the function, it takes you back to the main screen and that button is listed as being programmed. Lather, rinse and repeat... The PAC unit I got is a little pricey, but in addition to the standard command sets for several brands of HU, you can manually program the buttons, which I toyed with using the Pioneer, but never really made much use of.

I figured out the side by side app view trick. Torque does NOT play nice with that format, everything gets cut off. That's mainly what I wanted to use that for, so oh well... I noticed the touch buttons weren't lighting up when the parking lights come on. Turns out the Illumination circuit on the PAC module went dead. Tapped into the same spot I used to light up the steering wheel buttons, so that's good.

Only thing left to deal with is the microphone. The one with my Pioneer had a 2.5 mm plug, HU takes a 3.5 mm one. Bought an adapter, tested it out tonight, no dice. Looked at the wiring harnesses again, there's one for a 5v Mic input. Tapped into the green wire in the HVAC control module harness, tested again, still no dice. Not sure how to confirm the problem there. Thankfully I'm not on calls very often while driving.

 

[Mooseman]

My RP5-GM11 has a steering wheel output to the HU, problem is it's a 2.5mm plug in and the HU has 2 wires (Key 1 and Key 2). Tried every which way and the HU just wouldn't detect the commands. Found a YT video where the guy uses a PAC SWI-RC and thought hooking up my RP5 the same way would work, nope.

The TB I'll be swapping the steering wheel and column with one with switches, primarily for the DIC controls, but I might give the SWI-RC a try later.

 

[Blckshdw]

That's the same video I found, figured the logic was the same as my SWI-CP5, so took a chance. Since there were 3 tabs on the 3.5 mm sockets I bought, and I couldn't tell where 2 of them contacted the plug, I had to use my meter to read the resistance, which also let me confirm the signal was coming through OK. With our "cold" spell we're having the past couple of days, I noticed the volume up command doesn't like to work in the mornings, until the cabin warms up. That's annoying.

I'm thinking I may splurge and buy a new microphone with the larger plug and see if that works. If not, I can always return it. I'm sure if I don't fix this, everyone and their mama is gonna wanna call me when I'm driving. That's how my luck works.

 

[Mooseman]

I've always had the idea of re purposing the OnStar mic for this. Pull the wire, solder a connector and good to go. But I haven't had the incentive since both of mine have a built-in mic and seem to be working well (so I thought but my wife says no). On top of that, I pilfered the one in the TB in the ceiling to the Caprice but I do have one in the mirror, which is from an older 'Burb.

 

[Blckshdw]

I guess I should try the built in mic, and see if/how well it works. Most of the reviews for this unit, people say the built in mic sucks, has terrible sound quality and to use an external one.

 

[Sparky]

Built in mic on mine sucks. I want to hack into the onstar mic someday.

 

[xavierny25]

@Mooseman @Blckshdw I have that SWI-RC kit but never did anything with it if you guys want to give it a try. It's just sitting on a shelf in my closet collecting dust. lol. R2-D2 not included

 

[TollKeeper]

No R2D2? That might be a deal breaker

 

[Mooseman]

@Blckshdw 's setup is working so he doesn't need it
PM coming. I also need more dust collectors.

 

[Blckshdw]

Since the Bears/Packers game wasn't gonna be televised down here, I found a stream to watch online. Had the bright idea to see if I could do the same in the truck. A drive in, without having to drive anywhere... Didn't hot spot my phone, had a medium strength signal from the home wifi.

Of course, I'd never do this while driving

 

[TollKeeper]

What did you have to do for chimes, OnStar, etc?

 

[Blckshdw]

What did you have to do for chimes, OnStar, etc?

I have a PAC OS-2C, with a chimes module, from my previous Pioneer install.