Scarletti

I was having a surf on the Parrot site (they of Bluetooth Phone kit fame) and came across their ASTEROID product... I have to say... it looks good!

USA version -> http://www.parrot.com/usa/products/b...arrot-asteroid

Basically it's a Single DIN unit combining pretty much every function you could wish for (Android driven embedded computer). I've pasted below a summary of what it can do. £300/$350 means it's not a trivial amount of money but for what it does it looks like good value for money. Shopping search shows discounts off this RRP of up to 50% (IE I can find vendors selling this at £200!).

A Double DIN version of this (with bigger screen and some more goodies) would probably suit the SC better I think.

Note: I think this product is less than 12 months old, and therefore given it's complexity may be considered a little immature at the moment but hopefully it will mature quickly!

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Telephony: answer/make a call, reject/end a call, volume, double call, menus, phonebook, settings and options, play/pause, forward, backward, … / Software update via USB key / Steering-wheel controls compatible / GPS receiver with USB connector

Technical Specifications: Removable faceplate with jog wheel / Color screen TFT 3.2’ display with 262,144 colors

Connections: 3 high speed USB ports to connect a 3G key, a USB key and/or the provided GPS antenna / 1 full speed USB port dedicated to iPhone® or iPod® / 1 jack cable to connect an MP3 player / 1 SD card reader / 2 pairs of RCA pre-amp outputs / 1 pair of RCA for subwoofer

Music & Radio: Vocal Music Search (Artist, Album) / Compatibility with iPod by cable, USB, SD, Line input / Virtual Superbass effect / FM/AM tuner with no limitation for presets / With RDS Text+- PS - TP - PTY - RT

Audio & Bluetooth: Full duplex conversations / External adjustable double microphone / Parrot noise reduction NR 3.0 / Echo cancellation AEC / Dispatch voice and music on car’s speakers / 4 x 55W built-in MOSFET amplifier / 6x RCA pre-amp outputs (2 with subwoofer) / Bluetooth v2.1+ EDR Profiles: HFP, Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP), OPP, PBAP, HSP,SPP and AVRCP Pairing: via PIN code ‘0 0 0 0’

Phonebook management: Automatic phonebook synchronization / Synchronization: PBAP, Sync ML, OPP, Synchro AT, Synchro Nokia / Automatic connection with mobile phones / Training-free, multi user voice recognition / Voice synthesis / Text To Speech / Up to 10 paired phones / Number of contacts up to 2,000 per phone, 8,000 in total per unit

Package content: 1x Parrot ASTEROID unit, 1x ISO cable, 1x GPS receiver with USB connector, 1x USB male 1.5m to USB female cable, 1x iPod cable 1.2m, 1x Jack cable male to male 1.5m (audio device), 1x Front Panel Bag, 1x Quick start guide, 3x Cables ties, 1x Bracket Keys, 1x double external, microphone, 1x Mounting Sleeve

Scarletti

I've found another candidate, this one is a Double DIN, which gives it a 6.2" touch-screen :-)

The Ca-Fi however costs a lot more... circa $999 for their latest and greatest (Universal 621000). Read about it at http://ca-fi.com/en/specs

Scarletti

I had a closer look at available BlueTooth hands-free car-kits that integrate well with the Lexus/Mark Levinson stereo (IE a harness adapter available).

The Parrot "CK3100 LCD" supports A2DP audio streaming and only costs £80 ($110) and a further £25 ($40).

This is only a little more than a VAIS (at $130 ish iirc) which only adds an AUX port, and you pay more for a BlueTooth dongle which pretty much brings the total cost to the same amount.

So for the same amount you get a hell of a lot more for your money.

Harold57

Scarletti,

Do you mean the CK3100 or the MKi9100? The MKi9100 has the USB & audio inputs along with the Bluetooth. The MKi9100 display is about the right size to fit inside the ash tray, so the ash tray door could cover it up.

Scarletti

The MKi range is more aimed at Apple products, so I mean the CK3100. I'm still looking around atm.

Harold57

The MKi9100 has both the iPod connector & the audio connector for non-Apple products. In looking over the CK3100 features, I didn't see the audio or USB hookups.

Scarletti

Correct, but it supports A2DP (streaming Stereo Audio over BlueTooth) so there isn't a need for a physical connection. I think this would be much neater for me (IE no cables, no need to have the "device" in any particular spot... EG it can stay in my pocket if I wish) but I'm still in research mode.

Harold57

Ah cool. I missed that.

Harold57

Scarletti,
In case you haven't already found out, to do a plug & play with the Parrot, you will likely need to buy an adapter cable from Quick Connect Products. (Their website is found at their name plus .com .)

SDGuy

Yes, the QCJBL-2 harness from Quick Connect is totally plug and play with any of the MKi kits. The CK kits DO NOT do music streaming and there is no plug and play harness for the CK like there is for the MKi.