For a launcher have you tried automate? (Link) It's been a while since I used it as I I have used proper android auto for a number of years but this was gold at the time and had lots of options for auto starting and other things.

22 hours ago, Phil-E said:

That screen to map out the steering controls is identical to that on mine.

 

If you did want to add DAB to it by the way then I can highly recommend the rear amplifier and splitter option.

 

The Octavia estate has the additional glass aerial in the rear window.

 

The signal is sent to the front and combined to boost the signal. The stock amplifier filter out DAB signals and only boosts FM/AM.

 

You can swap out the amplifier for a DAB one and run a new cable to the front. Or do as I have and swap for a passive and fit a splitter/amplifier behind the stereo.

 

I used the kit Alpine KAE-DAB1G6 (Alpine KAE-DAB1G7 is for Golf 7 and Octavia MK3 I think). This option also saves running any new cables to the front.

 

The only hiccup I hit was that the +12v ANT connection from the stereo doesn't actually output anything. So took me a bit of head scratching wondering why the signal was so bad (the amplifier obviously wasn't getting any power).

 

Full DAB signal and crystal clear. Only had one very short drop while stopped at a red light between some tall buildings. But no drop in sound.

 

The utter lack of DAB signal around here at the Western most edge of the UK bordering a country with no DAB signal at all in that region and pitiful amount you get means I will likely never bother with FM let alone DAB / DAB+. I've just not found the need for it in around 15 years or so. 

 

20 hours ago, MarkyG82 said:

For a launcher have you tried automate? (Link) It's been a while since I used it as I I have used proper android auto for a number of years but this was gold at the time and had lots of options for auto starting and other things.

I saw that one but the reviews didn't seem to great of late and were purchase options. I tried the one in the youtube vid, it's actually very well reviewed and seemed to work really nicely, but it's stock home screens I am not overly sold on. https://youtu.be/iyjWexWx97k

 

On 17/03/2021 at 23:23, MarkyG82 said:

For a launcher have you tried automate? (Link) It's been a while since I used it as I I have used proper android auto for a number of years but this was gold at the time and had lots of options for auto starting and other things.

Here is the one I am trying, they have a lot of cool live skins that you can pay for or buy the pro version and get them all from what I have seen. 

 

ps. still not peeled off the screen protector lol

 

Edited 22 March, 20215 yr by FUBAR

Looks good. The most important thing is you have everything you need in an easily accessible place.

36 minutes ago, MarkyG82 said:

Looks good. The most important thing is you have everything you need in an easily accessible place.

Today I drove it with no data connection and that's the plan for it. I have downloaded playlists on amazon music app and set that as the primary one for the launchers widget at bottom left etc so it's playing in offline mode from local storage. Then as I have Sygic the same applies as the maps are on the device and I don't need any active connection (not that I ever really use sat nav tbh, but it's there and signal or not it can do all I want it to). I will just give it some data to update things from time to time and take it from there. 

On 18/03/2021 at 20:17, FUBAR said:

 

The utter lack of DAB signal around here at the Western most edge of the UK bordering a country with no DAB signal at all and pitiful amount you get means I will likely never bother with FM let alone DAB / DAB+. I've just not found the need for it in around 15 years or so. 

 

ftfy....

 

outside of dublin dab is pointless.... jackeen p***ks

 

Edited 22 March, 20215 yr by mac11irl
oooo self censor, i discovered a missed autocensor!

I have very little data on my phone. My parking spot is too far away to receive my WiFi. So the other day I picked a spot at LIDL closest the building and connected to their free WiFi to download some apps and updates etc 😁👍🤣😂

4 hours ago, Phil-E said:

I have very little data on my phone. My parking spot is too far away to receive my WiFi. So the other day I picked a spot at LIDL closest the building and connected to their free WiFi to download some apps and updates etc 😁👍🤣😂

Can you get wifi signal from your parking space on phone but not stereo or neither? If at home as its faster I tend to connect to wifi then make my hotspot so it just relays that as my phone picks it up at much greater range. 

Fubar...what made you go for this model, out of interest? There seem to a lot of similar ones on AliExpress and JunSun have a good rep from what I can gather.

 

It's a minefield!

1 hour ago, nutters_uclan said:

Fubar...what made you go for this model, out of interest? There seem to a lot of similar ones on AliExpress and JunSun have a good rep from what I can gather.

 

It's a minefield!

Because they are all the same, no hardware or FW differences in them, the same companies will sell the same item under 50 different names to saturate the market. JunSun = 30% higher price for same item and is a brand name they use a lot on the likes of EU Ebay sites. The specific one I went for was reviewed well inc for specifically the Mk3 Octy so sod paying extra when it's purely a punt to see what its like lol. 

1 hour ago, FUBAR said:

Because they are all the same, no hardware or FW differences in them, the same companies will sell the same item under 50 different names to saturate the market. JunSun = 30% higher price for same item and is a brand name they use a lot on the likes of EU Ebay sites. The specific one I went for was reviewed well inc for specifically the Mk3 Octy so sod paying extra when it's purely a punt to see what its like lol. 

Cheers bud - all makes sense to me.

He is right, aside from the physical faceplate differences on the VAG range(compared to a square double DIN fitment) the units are all identical, vehicle specific just means they have selected the relevant Canbus protocole in the factory or warehouse.

 

If you get the access code to the manufacturers settings menu you will be surprised to see that there are several hundred different manufacturers Canbus protocoles to choose from, many makes that you will never have heard of.

10 minutes ago, J.R. said:

He is right, aside from the physical faceplate differences on the VAG range(compared to a square double DIN fitment) the units are all identical, vehicle specific just means they have selected the relevant Canbus protocole in the factory or warehouse.

 

If you get the access code to the manufacturers settings menu you will be surprised to see that there are several hundred different manufacturers Canbus protocoles to choose from, many makes that you will never have heard of.

These units are the same used in easily 1000 different models of cars supply is only a specific facia around it along with the wiring adaptors to meet model specified in listing / ordered. The canbus module doesn't always come set specifically for one model and must be selected by person upon installation (I think it details that in the listing), the code to enter the menu for this is '8888' on every one I have seen of this form factor sharing the same base software (and most of the older shaped models). It's essentially a heavily modified tablet or more so a modified large rectangular mobile phone due to it's designation (which is much handier than a tablet for certain apps compatibility). For me specifically I select the correct VAG platform and then it will work 95% correctly until I go into its settings to specifically make it aware that I am in a RHD vehicle and set my region specific preferences for units of measure and a boot logo etc. 

Mine is a cheapo WinCE unit at half the price of yours, the factory code is 3368 (unless that was for the previous one) on the first one I changed it to RHD display for doors open etc, on this one I have not managed to do so, I cannot find a parameter that matches although like VCDS most of them have translations that bear no relevance to what the parameter actually is, its not the end of the world if it shows me the passenger door is open instead of mine.

11 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Mine is a cheapo WinCE unit at half the price of yours, the factory code is 3368 (unless that was for the previous one) on the first one I changed it to RHD display for doors open etc, on this one I have not managed to do so, I cannot find a parameter that matches although like VCDS most of them have translations that bear no relevance to what the parameter actually is, its not the end of the world if it shows me the passenger door is open instead of mine.

Which one do you have now? 

Some made up name for whatever its worth, A-Sure or something, its only written on the silly little instruction (not) manual not on the unit.

9 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Some made up name for whatever its worth, A-Sure or something, its only written on the silly little instruction (not) manual not on the unit.

Do you have a link to it from where you got it? 

 

No it was an Ebay seller and a reduced price for a returned unit IIRC, it was a gamble, my first unit was a male version as it would throw its toys out of the pram when multitasking, playing music while Satnav on etc, I lived with it but many would have returned it.

 

So I had low expectations and at £80 I would have accepted the same **** as last time but the new one works faultlessly, luck of the draw and I could have returned it anyway.

1 minute ago, J.R. said:

No it was an Ebay seller and a reduced price for a returned unit IIRC, it was a gamble, my first unit was a male version as it would throw its toys out of the pram when multitasking, playing music while Satnav on etc, I lived with it but many would have returned it.

 

So I had low expectations and at £80 I would have accepted the same **** as last time but the new one works faultlessly, luck of the draw and I could have returned it anyway.

The lower specc'd versions of the same form factor as mine are as low as £75 odd on aliexpress 2gb/32gb ones on android 10. Do you have a picture of it or any of the menus on screen etc? 

 

Sorry no.

Just now, J.R. said:

Sorry no.

Is it the same design as the one I have? 

What about this? Adds android functionality to the existing head unit without losing the original features - you can swap between factory unit and android unit by pressing the menu button for 2 seconds.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFKcHsgY5jk

 

26 minutes ago, NikTheGeek said:

What about this? Adds android functionality to the existing head unit without losing the original features - you can swap between factory unit and android unit by pressing the menu button for 2 seconds.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFKcHsgY5jk

 

That's actually the first one I saw when I was looking online and lead me to the android one I have. I loved the idea in principle, not for my tiny 6.5" MIB1 though! I posted it all over the fb groups at the time to see if someone would give it a shot, but no one seemed interested in it. Main reasons I'd go for full android replacement over that are: 

1. You don't loose any original features with a full android replacement (you gain many many more).
2. Likes of MIB1 with tiny 6.5" crap quality dull screen would be a waste in general (inc the 8" in the video). The newer glossy ones you'd still spend more for less functionality.
3. It's 30% more expensive for something under half the spec of the likes of the one I got and you end up with a smaller screen no matter what screen you start with.
4. Fitment in a RHD is much more awkward than like a LHD in the video annoyingly. 

Edited 6 April, 20215 yr by FUBAR

Forgot to add the last bits I did to this, got a rear boot handle camera thingy off AliExpress for £24.98 all in and put it in so that when I select reverse I see more now and has the dynamic lines etc. I think it finishes it off well. 

 

 

Edited 12 July, 20214 yr by FUBAR

The reversing camera is one of my favourite features and wouldn't want to be without it now!

 

I also get the dynamic parking lines on mine which is a nice touch.