CarPlay/Android Auto Screen for car

[andysdad]

KMD, spm0912 - be interested to hear how you get on. I'm using Android Auto, not CarPlay.

I too cannot get sound via the speakers, set a frequency on both the unit and the radio, enabled the transmit button, but sound still out of unit, not radio. Even disabled speaker in unit settings.

I also have a conflict with the old Parrot car handsfree - they both answer but the unit wins and although the Parrot displays the call, it does not handle the audio.

I have the unit next to a Garmin satnav. Something seems to interfere with that, I assume from the new screen. Garmin cannot find satellites, or weak signal warnings. Odd as new unit has no GPS. May be RF interference from poorly screened unit. I'll try moving them apart.

 

[KMD]

Tried mine yesterday in the Freelander 2 and its FM radio tuned straight in to the first of the unit’s six selectable transmitting frequencies, on auto search without an issue. Good, strong and clear audio. Tried it today in the Toyota and its radio would not find any of the unit’s frequencies on auto tune, but would pick one of them up on manual search. It wasn’t as clear or as good an audio signal but very workable.

Gave Google maps a destination to navigate to by using the search button on the unit’s screen and it worked perfectly well. No lag on the screen, clear turn instructions and it all paired up reasonably quickly after switching off and back on half an hour later.

Early days but so far it seems to be doing its thing. Screen is a bit bright, but it does have a dusk setting which I’ve yet to try. And, when it pairs it starts music up on my phone which I have to manually turn off on the screen. Other than that, pretty positive so far.

 

[andysdad]

KMD - thanks - last first, auto start music is a setting in Android Auto on your phone. If only I could get ANY music!

Been trying for an hour, and still can't even find an app to run music, or add one to Android Auto's app list. You're on CarPlay which is why it works I guess!

The unit's settings menu has display settings, turn brightness right down and contrast - the contrast makes a big difference. Haven't seen the dusk setting yet.

More set-up needed for me, but I too entered a destination and it worked well. Google Maps just like on phone.

Google Assistant works well, especially in Maps - although when I asked for the nearest McDonald's and it only showed 2, in Bradford. I think I need to learn more.

I haven't tried Waze yet - it wasn't showing on the app list but on Android, check that the app hasn't been disabled by the phone due to low use. Look in Settings/Apps to see/enable, then they show up. Except my music player...

See my other thread about Andorra Auto now superseded by Driving Mode in Google Assistant.

 

[NeilDD]

@andysdad
I use Rocket Player for streaming from the phone to the AA system in my car. no problems to date, and you can upload album covers to Rocket Player as well

 

[andysdad]

Audio sorted - double problem.

First was the native Android media player for Samsung was replaced by Google Play Music. then that in turn was replaced.

My 3rd party player (Audify) was not found by Android Auto, so I had no media. Samsung Music app is still available from Google Play, reloaded that.

The second issue was the unit. In the FM Transmitter menu, there is an On/Off button. I assumed this turned the FM Transmitter On or Off. Foolish me! It toggles the Speaker On or Off, so needs to be Off! All good now, and very handy to have big screen control of media.

Still unsure but suspect unit RF noise interferes with Garmin satnav. Still experimenting.

 

[andysdad]

Supplementary - the audio now goes via the Parrot kit too, so I can select contacts, dial and hang up from the new unit. Haven't tried yet but I think you can dial via Google Assistant ("call xxxx").

The old Parrot display/controls are redundant (might move them under the dash out of sight!).

Gave up on trying to make the reversing camera into a dash cam. Resolution rubbish and wasn't convinced the unit wouldn't always put video "on top" as you would expect with reverse function.

Still, I'm more modern for only £22!

 

[spm0912]

Now getting audio via FM, thanks chaps. Phone connects wirelessly every time I get into the car with no fuss. Audio sounds a bit compressed and screen looks a bit washed out but as Andysdad says 22 flippin quid and delivered to your door from China in 5 days!! I rarely use the car so didn’t want to spend too much getting CarPlay but I have it on my bike and find it really useful.

 

[andysdad]

My screen is better now I removed the factory protection film! I left it on as it worked OK, but in reality inside a car it's unlikely to get dirt on it.

Found a £42 5" screen, waterproof unit for motorcycle use - add £14 (so £56 delivered) for 2 cameras!

No "freeze image/video clip" button but I guess you can do that via the screen.

 

[andysdad]

Another update, I’ve cured the inteference with the Garmin gps by making an extended sunshield for the new unit.

The sunshield is simply a piece of card, wrapped c.8 times (so 16 thicknesses) with kitchen foil, then overall wrapped in black duct tape.

And they said you can't fix an electrical problem with duct tape!

Bonus is the unit screen was casting a large reflection onto the windscreen, now cured too.