HU replacement..

[olduns]

well after promising myself i'd live with the rSAP as is and the crappy SatNav which is waaay out of date i've bit the bullet and headed like a Bull at a gate and gone/going Android

the Columbus would probably need Software & maps, a replacement BT module so £120 or so maybe plus the hassle IF it went wrong - most likely with my track record

 

well it snowballed slightly, £350 for the HU, £50 for the DAB, £10 for a OEM USB cable - currently car only had aux although the socket doesn't quite fit perfectly -  and £15 for a Quadlock extension which i only found out after starting 

 

HU...https://audiotechdirect.com/pba-vw3818v-9-android-8-1-after-market-radio-for-vw-seat-skoda/

currently £50 LESS than i paid a week ago  grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

still waiting on the quadlock to arrive so today spent fitting the USB and GPS.

GPS i've placed on DS dash next to the pillar vent, matchbox sized and velcro'd down to move if need be.

USB sort of fits in the switches at side of DSG stick, still undecided as to whether or not trim it and try to get it further down, not convinced it will go as flush but no great issue if not.

 

i also have removed this perspex plate off the dash, previous owner used it to mount satNav but i hate with a passion anything in my eyeline centre windscreen plus being shiny you see so many distracting reflections when sunny.

now i just have to try and clean up the dash, easier said then done i think....stand by for a patch of Carbon Fibre vinyl  

 

apparently the HU will run TomTom as an app, i'm not convinced Google is the better route finder based on my past experiences with it

 

updates as and when i get it working  X fingers

 

[olduns]

ooops!  just started a household project whilst the OH is in India.....and found a box containing the DAB aerial, trim removal again     

[jafo]

Try Waze instead much better than Google Maps. 

[silver1011]

 

What was the previous owner thing when they glued that chunk of plastic to the dashboard!?

[achapman]

I've installed a pba android HU as well.  The only issue I had was I lost the compass heading in the maxidot, apart from that I'm very happy with it.  I used the existing GPS connection from the roof antenna.  The HU came with all the connectors I needed; the quadlock etc.  It had two fakra connectors for both the diversity antenna connectors.

I prefer to use GPS mapping rather that a satnav, that just displays where I am on a map, so I use Memory Map.

[PeteJ80]

Really interested in getting this after reading your post. 

 

I currently have DAB will this work straight out the box or would I need to purchase an extra? 

 

I can't make out from your picture, does the surround fit well around the headunit? 

 

Thanks

[olduns]

there are 8/9, 10 or so from Audiotechdirect  that are direct replacements for the Columbus, some with CD, buttons, etc or slightly bigger touch screen.

i 'think' you will need the DAB add on box on all, TBH the picture of the rear isn't the same as what i've got but not an issue for me, i chose this one partly because i wanted to add something like OEM usb but the DAB aerial plugs into a small box then USB into rear - there are 3 USB ports so 1 will be spare. fire off an email to them asking Q's, i probably should have done that but hey ho someones has to take the pain so we all possibly benefit?

i have a factory blue GPS lead but you still need to convert Fakra to the small screw fit and TBH the GPS unit is small, i think most people leave it behind the unit?

the surround fits as per the original.

quadlock being picked up tomorrow and i've no work booked in at present - famous last words! - so x fingers i can finish the install.

 

that 'thing' is blue perspex, proper job....nicely routed edges, just a pain and i fear i may have caused more issues than sorted?  got 10 days before the OH is back to tidy it up

[superbdreams]

Does it fully integrate with the maxidot and steering wheel buttons, voice control ?

android auto I assume?

[olduns]

it's supposed to.....

Quadlock ready, breakfast done and out i go for a quick test, i'll update as and when

[olduns]

connected up apart from the radio aerial and DAB so i can test the unit, well make sure it works before i get too far!

booted up OK, i'm a few Android versions behind with phones so may take a little getting used to.

volume and station seek on steering wheel appear to be OK, Nav on the maxidot not sure about yet but i don't use that anyway in the Caddy or Skoda.

Reversing shows up albeit not as large as the Columbus but as you know i disregard that anyway 

Climate controls are in a strip at bottom of screen, i can't even remember how it used to show! but at least they are there.

plenty of Nav options on there it seems, some i've never heard of, plus any others can be downloaded anyway

 

****ing down at the moment so i'll be out there later finishing up

 

 

[superbdreams]

looking promising. if google assistant will allow voice commands I may have to buy one.

[superbdreams]

Oh actually having now read and understood more I wont.

I didn't realise that one has to physically connect ones phone via usb to use the functions.

 

great thread though and good luck.

[olduns]

Google assist does work, i've never used it but i managed to find an Asda near me.

Phone used as hotspot for the HU to connect to so no need to physically connect, A2DP for streaming and full function for phone calls, nice big screen and buttons as well

door open display on the front doors at least is reversed for some reason, i'll probably find it says the bonnet is open when estate is opened!

looks like TomTom is for planning routes etc to send to device not as a satNav so looks like i'll be trying the others.

DAB is in and out but may just be where i am signal wise although i am up quite high but we'll see.

Google calendar isn't playing ball but i think i need a while to set it all up as i'd want it, probably a Google thing going on

USB retrofit isn't working as yet, again needs a check over at some time.

 

there are things that aren't quite right but TBH i can live with it as is...i think!...like learning to use your left hand for a start

 

finally a few daft little things....

changing the trim buttons colour to suit your needs

battery voltage displayed on top toolbar

vehicle status app...battery, oil temp, seat belts and 2/3 others i've forgotten!

 

read this and you'll probably think it's not for me but for the price i have no issue plus it updates the cabin a small bit and the weight saving over the Columbus

Edited 7 February, 2019 by olduns

[achapman]

You can reverse the doors somewhere in the configuration options - mine was reversed too initially.  Check the manual or email audiotechdirect.

I connect by parking next to the house and connecting to my home wifi.  I update my apps and load new ones that way.  The head unit's wifi is quite reasonable.

Edited 8 February, 2019 by achapman

[olduns]

google'd it and found out several passwords and what d'you know the first one worked!

i've sort of sorted the door issue, front ones are right but rear passenger doors are still reversed, tried all sorts but hey ho how often do i get out of the rear doors?

it appears the Calendar issue is Google, used to work and now they've dropped it.

the USB is still playing up, even plugging in just a lead into the spare slots isn't charging a phone let alone passing data, some more investigation/emails i think. i couldn't see any activation options on the factory settings menus other than DVD / DVR etc.

got a cheapo OBD2 BT adapter coming so i can see what Torque does.

 

split screen on Satnav / apps?  how do you activate it?  swipe from side/top or some other magic?

Edited 8 February, 2019 by olduns

[achapman]

Have you got more than one usb connection?  I've got an idea that one is a standard USB and the other is dedicated to a particular type of usb connection.  So if there are two - try the other one.

As for the doors, mine worked for both front & rear; so I'm a bit puzzled by that.

Split screen should be standard android 8 - not that I've used it.  I once activated it by mistake and then couldn't get rid of it.

[olduns]

unit has 4 USB..

 

standard VW 4 pin yellow connector - which i've attached a lead to but appears to be dead

3 normal outlets, 1 being used by the DAB+, the other 2 spare to plug cables in supposedly either OTG / 3G dongle or reversing camera

 

split screen i'll have a play with tomorrow and the doors

[superbdreams]

looking forward to your conclusions once all sorted.. very tempting.

Since losing windows phone the ability to send a text entirely using voice (apart from pressing the mic button on the steering wheel) has been frustrating.

one assumes that google assistant will take care of that?

[jafo]

@superbdreams

 

You can say "OK Google" then "send text message" - you'll be asked to whom  - then dictate content, and confirm - 100% voice only  no clicking / pressing any buttons

 

If you have Spotify - you can say "play Robert Miles Dreamland on Spotify" then you'll have to say "yes" to confirm

[olduns]

doors all sorted, numpty forgot to press apply after each change 

 

all 3 'normal' USB outlets are working, it's possible i may have some cables that are charging only not data - i think from Garmin days to try and stop it thinking it was connecting to a PC in the car

used a cable that came with it and works.

the OEM USB outlet still not working, cheapo cable ? but thinking aloud is it possible the Canbus needs the rSAP still connected? i unplugged it to stop my phone auto connecting.

 

the Calendar i've sorted, OneCalendar downloaded, looks like Google and syncs with Google on PC and phone/tablet , now YTF can't Google do that with Android auto?

 

getting to point i just look at the surround and think 'remove yourself', probably a few more times to come off, couple of longer cables coming soon to finally sort out the charging/connections

[achapman]

I found that the pba HUs from AudioTechDirect seem identical to models sold by Erisin at https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/erisineu88

 

My unit is  https://audiotechdirect.com/pba-vw7815v-8-android-8-0-after-market-radio-for-vw-seat-skoda/  which is identical to https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Erisin-ES7815V-8-Android-8-0-Octa-Core-4G-RAM-Car-DAB-GPS-Stereo-System-for/32860357803.html

 

Olduns pba VW3818v looks very similar to Erisin's ES3818V at https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32953864792.html

[olduns]

i reckon they're all the same, looked at Pumpkins as well and Xtrons, i just went with someone it appeared i could at least email or shout at over the phone if needed

 

mine is the Erisin one, back is identical, picture on Audiutechdirect is different.

Edited 9 February, 2019 by olduns

[olduns]

OEM USB connection is where the red circle is

 

 

[achapman]

9 minutes ago, olduns said:

i reckon they're all the same, looked at Pumpkins as well and Xtrons, i just went with someone it appeared i could at least email or shout at over the phone if needed

 

mine is the Erisin one, back is identical, picture on Audiutechdirect is different.

I did exactly the same.  I chose ATD for exactly that reason and they were helpful - talking me through the differences between the various models.

 

[scootie]

Interesting. 

 

Did your car have the big sound package? 

 

Is 2GB Ram enough on these head units or does it work poorly when opening a couple of apps? I've seen some units come with 4GB ram instead but then you get a older Android version instead. All these compromises.