Dark Winter
CarAudio.com Newbie
Hi, everybody.
I'm looking for some suggestions for a double-din head unit that runs Android on the head unit itself, such that I can load apps that I write onto it (I'm a programmer - Mac, mostly, but good luck getting OS X running on a head unit!).
The car it's going into is a 2015 Scion tC that I'm using as my daily driver. It's not used for competitions or anything like that; just driving around town.
FWIW, I listen to everything from symphonic metal to electronic, with a bit of filmic classical (for example; Audiomachine, Two Steps From Hell) thrown in for good measure. Also, spoken-word podcasts; but any system that can accommodate music should be able to handle that without issue. I don't listen to hip-hop, rap, or country (nothing personal against it -- it's just not my thing).
It doesn't need to be running the very latest version of Android - version 10 will do; and as the only time it will ever have internet access is while I'm loading a set of offline maps for my local area, it doesn't need to have continued security patches. No browser will be installed on the head unit. I also don't need a tremendous amount of CPU/GPU power, as I'm not looking to play games on it; but it should have enough to run an EQ app, Google Maps, and generally keep up with the UI without excessive glitching or crashing. No CD/DVD drive is desired.
I haven't tried to tune in an AM/FM station in... uh... geez, I guess it's been two and a half decades now. I got my first car CD player in the late 90s, and never looked (er, listened?) back... so I don't really even care if it has a tuner.
Features I do need:
* Decent hardware build quality and OK sound quality from the pre-amp output ports. I don't intend to use any built-in amplifiers that the head unit may have (and it's entirely OK for it to not have any at all).
* Apple CarPlay compatibility; either built-in or with a dongle. Note that I don't mean just mirroring the phone's display (as some units claim is CarPlay - it's not, with CarPlay you can touch the screen on the head unit and operate the controls being shown that are coming from the apps that are running on the iPhone).
* At least two USB ports on the rear of the unit (either with a wiring harness or directly on the unit is OK). These should show up to the OS as regular USB ports, and be accessable by regular Android apps.
* NTSC/PAL video in for a back-up camera; with no "guide" lines shown (the camera in question is actually mounted under the front bumper, so that I can park as close to the curb as possible without scraping the nose).
* Expandable internal storage for apps... an SD card slot is probably best, but I suppose I could hook up a hub to one of the rear USB ports and use a reasonably fast thumb drive instead.
* Compatibility with the factory steering wheel controls (built-in is best, but an adapter would be OK).
* Internal GPS receiver, so that I can run Google Maps (it'll be in offline mode, using pre-downloaded data).
* Custom themes/"wallpaper"... or at least a default one that's not too ugly when taken in context with the rest of the car's controls. Scion's use a red-orange color scheme for the gauges; paring that with a white/blue/purple UI would be... well, kinda yuck.
* Not too flashy looking when it's powered off.
* Max price of $300; but $200-ish or better is preferred (I'd rather put the $$$ into amps and speakers).
Nice, but not strictly mandatory stuff:
* Rootable. As mentioned above, I'm a programmer; and I'd like to be able to go poking about in it.
* Separately addressable outputs for both main speakers and a separate subwoofer channel. Front/rear fader capability isn't strictly required; as I am intending to run the outputs thru a custom-built analog signal processor (I also dabble in hardware design as a hobby - I'm OK at it, but any real university-trained EE would run rings around me).
* Startup time under 10 seconds is nice... I've seen some advertised as under 2 seconds; but I'm not going to worry too much about it, as for the first few seconds after starting the engine, I'm usually preoccupied with other things (like a seatbelt; air conditioning; and checking my surroundings for loose objects, the neighbor's kids, and low-flying pets <MEOW!>).
Soooooo..... any suggestions? Cheers? Jeers? Rotten fruit?
I'm looking for some suggestions for a double-din head unit that runs Android on the head unit itself, such that I can load apps that I write onto it (I'm a programmer - Mac, mostly, but good luck getting OS X running on a head unit!).
The car it's going into is a 2015 Scion tC that I'm using as my daily driver. It's not used for competitions or anything like that; just driving around town.
FWIW, I listen to everything from symphonic metal to electronic, with a bit of filmic classical (for example; Audiomachine, Two Steps From Hell) thrown in for good measure. Also, spoken-word podcasts; but any system that can accommodate music should be able to handle that without issue. I don't listen to hip-hop, rap, or country (nothing personal against it -- it's just not my thing).
It doesn't need to be running the very latest version of Android - version 10 will do; and as the only time it will ever have internet access is while I'm loading a set of offline maps for my local area, it doesn't need to have continued security patches. No browser will be installed on the head unit. I also don't need a tremendous amount of CPU/GPU power, as I'm not looking to play games on it; but it should have enough to run an EQ app, Google Maps, and generally keep up with the UI without excessive glitching or crashing. No CD/DVD drive is desired.
I haven't tried to tune in an AM/FM station in... uh... geez, I guess it's been two and a half decades now. I got my first car CD player in the late 90s, and never looked (er, listened?) back... so I don't really even care if it has a tuner.
Features I do need:
* Decent hardware build quality and OK sound quality from the pre-amp output ports. I don't intend to use any built-in amplifiers that the head unit may have (and it's entirely OK for it to not have any at all).
* Apple CarPlay compatibility; either built-in or with a dongle. Note that I don't mean just mirroring the phone's display (as some units claim is CarPlay - it's not, with CarPlay you can touch the screen on the head unit and operate the controls being shown that are coming from the apps that are running on the iPhone).
* At least two USB ports on the rear of the unit (either with a wiring harness or directly on the unit is OK). These should show up to the OS as regular USB ports, and be accessable by regular Android apps.
* NTSC/PAL video in for a back-up camera; with no "guide" lines shown (the camera in question is actually mounted under the front bumper, so that I can park as close to the curb as possible without scraping the nose).
* Expandable internal storage for apps... an SD card slot is probably best, but I suppose I could hook up a hub to one of the rear USB ports and use a reasonably fast thumb drive instead.
* Compatibility with the factory steering wheel controls (built-in is best, but an adapter would be OK).
* Internal GPS receiver, so that I can run Google Maps (it'll be in offline mode, using pre-downloaded data).
* Custom themes/"wallpaper"... or at least a default one that's not too ugly when taken in context with the rest of the car's controls. Scion's use a red-orange color scheme for the gauges; paring that with a white/blue/purple UI would be... well, kinda yuck.
* Not too flashy looking when it's powered off.
* Max price of $300; but $200-ish or better is preferred (I'd rather put the $$$ into amps and speakers).
Nice, but not strictly mandatory stuff:
* Rootable. As mentioned above, I'm a programmer; and I'd like to be able to go poking about in it.
* Separately addressable outputs for both main speakers and a separate subwoofer channel. Front/rear fader capability isn't strictly required; as I am intending to run the outputs thru a custom-built analog signal processor (I also dabble in hardware design as a hobby - I'm OK at it, but any real university-trained EE would run rings around me).
* Startup time under 10 seconds is nice... I've seen some advertised as under 2 seconds; but I'm not going to worry too much about it, as for the first few seconds after starting the engine, I'm usually preoccupied with other things (like a seatbelt; air conditioning; and checking my surroundings for loose objects, the neighbor's kids, and low-flying pets <MEOW!>).
Soooooo..... any suggestions? Cheers? Jeers? Rotten fruit?
