Just install this Android Stereo and need help
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: CT
Thanks BabyGate. I'll give it a shot later tonight. I actually swapped out the orginal LEDs and soldered in white ones. They're just 0603 surface mounts .
Driver
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 83
Likes: 19
From: nil
Oh sorry, I missed read that. Did you change all the led or just the panel one? I found the climate controls lights are too green for my liking. I might consider swap them if it isn't too difficult to swap.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: CT
I swapped out the ones on the bottom (dual, fan, etc.. ) . I found them too green too lol. Yeah it wasn't too hard to do, just simple swap. 0603 smd LEDs
Racer
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 310
From: Plano Texas
Most, if not all, head units will have 2 sets of connections for power (12 volts). One connection is to provide power when you turn the head unit on and the other is for the radio station memory and other user settings. The Main head unit power source is switched, meaning that when the car is off, this wire does not have 12 volts on it. The wire for the memory backup will have 12 volts all the time, including when the car is turned off. Usually the 2 circuits do not have a separate ground wire, but they could. That would be up to whomever designed the head unit.
Rookie
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 45
Likes: 7
From: Ontario, Canada
5th Gear
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: FL
What do you guys think the likelihood of repair / upgrade on one of these units would be? I'm so tempted to pick one up because of the horrendous way that the climate controls are integrated in the car....but I'm also worried that the hardware and software would not be maintained or would have failure. 450$ isn't a TON of money, but I'd rather not throw it away, and I do not want to drive in south Florida with no A/C. If the Android and/or screen portion goes bad....will the climate controls still work? If the screen breaks, could we replace it? Or is this pretty much a one time purchase and we have it as long as it lasts?
Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 104
Likes: 8
From: New Jersey
It’s pretty much a one time purchase and you are done. That said, there are buttons for the basic functions of the climate control under the touch screen. So if the touch screen quits you “should” still have basic control of the Climate Control.
Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 104
Likes: 8
From: New Jersey
I placed mine at the base of the windshield (Stuck on the windshield) right where the center speaker is. Most others route it up where the rear view mirror is. Originally I had it mounted on the center speaker grill and the reception was not good. After I placed it on the windshield it’s been extremely good.
Last edited by ianbis; Mar 5, 2019 at 05:51 AM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 262
Likes: 15
From: NJ
What do you guys think the likelihood of repair / upgrade on one of these units would be? I'm so tempted to pick one up because of the horrendous way that the climate controls are integrated in the car....but I'm also worried that the hardware and software would not be maintained or would have failure. 450$ isn't a TON of money, but I'd rather not throw it away, and I do not want to drive in south Florida with no A/C. If the Android and/or screen portion goes bad....will the climate controls still work? If the screen breaks, could we replace it? Or is this pretty much a one time purchase and we have it as long as it lasts?
A general rule I do now is put a heatsink on the SOC in the stereo before installing it, if it doesn't come with one. I didn't do this to the Lexus IS250 radio because I wasn't aware of this practice. I've also replaced capacitors and the large mosfet chip which these stereos all seem to use the same part with success in repairing them. As for things like the touchscreen I doubt you could find a replacement part for any stereo, brand name or not. I keep the original stereo just in case someone breaks the screen so at least I have basic functionality of the car. The climate controls should still work just without you being able to control the temperature.
Last edited by Dukenukemx; Mar 5, 2019 at 10:01 AM.
5th Gear
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: FL
My stereo still works but it hasn't been years per say. It has acted up like the radio was boot looping and wouldn't stop until I unplugged the battery and plugged it back in. The battery got weak and these radios don't shut down entirely when you shut off the car so it'll stay broken until the battery is unplugged. My concern is the quality of the radio as almost all my cars Android stereo's have went belly up, sometimes more than once. My Corvette C5 is on its second Chinese Android stereo and my Lexus ES330 is on it's 3rd, though the Lexus maybe due to a faulty Metra TYTO-01 which might have been sending feedback to the stereo as my sisters Acura MDX's radio that I put in is still working just fine. The Vette's radio might have had a melt down as the SOC chips in them get really hot and a lot of these Chinese radios don't put any heatsinks on them.
A general rule I do now is put a heatsink on the SOC in the stereo before installing it, if it doesn't come with one. I didn't do this to the Lexus IS250 radio because I wasn't aware of this practice. I've also replaced capacitors and the large mosfet chip which these stereos all seem to use the same part with success in repairing them. As for things like the touchscreen I doubt you could find a replacement part for any stereo, brand name or not. I keep the original stereo just in case someone breaks the screen so at least I have basic functionality of the car. The climate controls should still work just without you being able to control the temperature.
A general rule I do now is put a heatsink on the SOC in the stereo before installing it, if it doesn't come with one. I didn't do this to the Lexus IS250 radio because I wasn't aware of this practice. I've also replaced capacitors and the large mosfet chip which these stereos all seem to use the same part with success in repairing them. As for things like the touchscreen I doubt you could find a replacement part for any stereo, brand name or not. I keep the original stereo just in case someone breaks the screen so at least I have basic functionality of the car. The climate controls should still work just without you being able to control the temperature.
It seems like we have enough users now that can vouch for it and we can learn things and help each other. And damn it if that 10" screen doesn't look amazing!
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: CA
Hey guys, I apologize if this information is obvious, but I am having trouble with a few things:
Is there a way to change the timezone? On my unit the setting is grayed out. I can manually set the time but Google Maps will use the native timezone (UTC I believe) for ETA and day/night settings, which is quite off for me (UTC-8).
Does voice navigation work? On both Waze and Google maps, hitting the mic icon will show the unit is listening but nothing I say is recognized. I'm using the included external mic. Phone calls work fine but I'm not sure if that uses the same mic.
Is there a way to restore the unit to factory settings? There's an option for it in the settings but it requires a password and the typical passwords (123456 or 7890) do not seem to work. Is there any danger to doing this? Like if the company pre-installed some things that would be wiped out by resetting it.
Is there a way to restart the unit without having to turn the car off? My unit freezes up occasionally and the only way to remedy it is to turn off the car. I suppose I can tie into the wiring and put in a switch to cut the power but I'm wondering if there's another way.
Thanks for the help.
Is there a way to change the timezone? On my unit the setting is grayed out. I can manually set the time but Google Maps will use the native timezone (UTC I believe) for ETA and day/night settings, which is quite off for me (UTC-8).
Does voice navigation work? On both Waze and Google maps, hitting the mic icon will show the unit is listening but nothing I say is recognized. I'm using the included external mic. Phone calls work fine but I'm not sure if that uses the same mic.
Is there a way to restore the unit to factory settings? There's an option for it in the settings but it requires a password and the typical passwords (123456 or 7890) do not seem to work. Is there any danger to doing this? Like if the company pre-installed some things that would be wiped out by resetting it.
Is there a way to restart the unit without having to turn the car off? My unit freezes up occasionally and the only way to remedy it is to turn off the car. I suppose I can tie into the wiring and put in a switch to cut the power but I'm wondering if there's another way.
Thanks for the help.
Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 104
Likes: 8
From: New Jersey
I can change the time and the zone on mine. I use HereWeGo for Navi and it displays the correct time zone. Sorry I don’t know about Google or Waze
I have used the “Hey Google” and it works with the internal mic so I imagine it should work for your Navi if using Google for navi
Reset to factory defaults is a push and hold button (with a tooth pick) that is recessed on the top left side of the touchscreen under the @ + - touch screen buttons. Use a toothpick because it’s a tiny little hole.
So far luckily mine has never acted up. Have you isolated it to an app that locks it up or is it the radio?? Does it lock up only in cold weather or warm weather?? There are temperatures on either end of the scale where the unit will not function properly. I might be misunderstanding you but just Incase I’m not if you push the power button on the OEM Lexus radio it will turn the unit on/off so you don’t have to turn the car on/off to reset/restart the unit.
I have used the “Hey Google” and it works with the internal mic so I imagine it should work for your Navi if using Google for navi
Reset to factory defaults is a push and hold button (with a tooth pick) that is recessed on the top left side of the touchscreen under the @ + - touch screen buttons. Use a toothpick because it’s a tiny little hole.
So far luckily mine has never acted up. Have you isolated it to an app that locks it up or is it the radio?? Does it lock up only in cold weather or warm weather?? There are temperatures on either end of the scale where the unit will not function properly. I might be misunderstanding you but just Incase I’m not if you push the power button on the OEM Lexus radio it will turn the unit on/off so you don’t have to turn the car on/off to reset/restart the unit.
Last edited by ianbis; Mar 6, 2019 at 08:37 PM.