Hi everybody.

whats is your experiences with the cheap android radios out there, some reviews says they are ok, some says they are crap, so whivh to choose?

i found this on Temu. https://www.temu.com/dk/til-vw-7-tommer-android-13-bilstereo-gps-bilnavigation-wifi-touchscreen-bilradio-med-trådløs-telefon-wifi-mirror-link-fm-rds-radio-g-601099527836359.html?_oak_mp_inf=EMel056m1ogBGiA2Y2I1YzczNzAxMDg0N2JkOWM2ZmFjNDdlNTU5NTM3NCDHo%2FjEjTI%3D&top_gallery_url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.kwcdn.com%2Fproduct%2Ffancy%2Fcf4fafed-a5e3-4cc2-b104-7458a7c7075d.jpg&spec_gallery_id=4041431192&refer_page_sn=10009&refer_source=0&freesia_scene=2&_oak_freesia_scene=2&_oak_rec_ext_1=NTcxMTk&_oak_gallery_order=1523201912%2C1231758996%2C1017322244%2C513538914%2C1620274288&search_key=Skoda android uto&refer_page_el_sn=200049&_x_sessn_id=n56bakvn22&refer_page_name=search_result&refer_page_id=10009_1721621157974_gqze8234bt

 

and will give it a go, i havethe 2013 rapid withthe blues radio, so i will loose the compartmentunder the radio.   

i will leave feedback here when it has been installed..

I brought the S8 version of this for my Yeti. I had to add the correct canbus cable, antenna connector and I also added a wireless android auto adapter.

Had that installed over a year now with no problems at all.

I use it for Android Auto all the time, often with Waze.

If I had to be critical I'd say the radio is a little less sensitive and needs a stronger signal than my original Skoda head unit. All the steering wheel controls work with it and it shows Door open, A/C controls fine 

 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EQOaqab

 

Rhx for feedback.

Yours is a bit more on the costly side.  

Well i give the temu one a go.   Like the oem look and hopefully fitment.

And get back to you. 

I think the cheaper ones just have different screen type/resolution, less processor speed/ram.

They all fit very similar and yes, the OEM look is good.

I'm interested to read your feedback in the future.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJQJleX

Oghhh those are cheap. And some have DAB.  I keep them in mind.   

Just i think Ali is hard to make refunds and so on.  Temu is more easy in that front. 

These cheap headunits usually have much weaker built in recievers which means poorer radio reception.

Also if the speakers rely on the built in amplifer to power them then you can also get worse sound quality, not to mention sound quality can be worse regardless if you have external amp.

Some of the cheap units are really slow and unresponsive.

They can be fine for your average user and be absolutely an upgrade over the basic stock radio.

 

I would not recommend getting one if you want to upgrade speakers to get better sound quality etc. And I personally think that Waze is borderline unusable on any android auto system with a small screen because atleast half the screen is covered up with stuff that does nothing but block the view of the map. Unless they have fixed it? Until then Waze on a phone is far superior experience.

10 minutes ago, Koreenium said:

And I personally think that Waze is borderline unusable on any android auto system with a small screen

This is what Waze looks like for me, I've never found it hard to use.

Not had any slow response issues with my unit either, but as you see from my link and choice in my 1st response, I did pick one of the more expensive options.

I have read that some people have issues with the device not turning off. Although they have the canbus decoder. Any ideas on that front?

21 hours ago, aubrey said:

This is what Waze looks like for me, I've never found it hard to use.

Not had any slow response issues with my unit either, but as you see from my link and choice in my 1st response, I did pick one of the more expensive options.

 

That looks good. Have they finally fixed it after many years of complaints or is this just because chinese fixed the issue where half the screen was covered with useless information?

This is what it used to be:


Haven't used android auto for years so might have to try it out.

13 hours ago, Joller79DK said:

I have read that some people have issues with the device not turning off. Although they have the canbus decoder. Any ideas on that front?

If they have connected the head unit to a CAN bus adapter and head unit does not turn off then either the wiring is wrong or it simply does not work with CAN bus. 

Luckily if you don't want or don't need CAN bus then you can hard wire head unit to the ignition and have it turn off every time you turn off the car from key. For that you need a piggy back fuse adapter. Connect it to any of the less critical fuses in the fuse box that loses power when ignition is off. Can't remember which one I used. And then wire piggy back fuse adapters wire to the head units red wire. Yellow wire is constant +12v.

I have no issues with the unit turning on and off.

I did have to buy a different can bus cable than the one that came with my android head unit. My Yeti had just a single car side connector, the head unit was supplied with one that had 2 car side connectors.

I had to get this :

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EyfjLMj

 

So I'd recommend you look at what connectors you currently have, is it one or two main plugs. Is the antenna a single or dual fakra. Mine needed the dual fakra, so I got this lead that included an amp, that inline amp I powered from the antenna power out of the can bus cable. There a spare core that gives out 12v DC when the unit is on.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EyODJKP

 

I just found loads and loads of YT videos with a hidden factory menu in many off these Chinese radios. Where you can select car and can protocol. And loads of other settings. 

The can part is nice when door opens. Lights on and so on. But if i can't sort it out. I just hardwire to fusebox.  If the sound is acceptable     

Feeling like a child before Xmas. 

Well. Radio received yesterday.

Fitment is 100%. 

Quality. Ok ISH. Manual buttons feel fine. But not the same soft feel like oem.

Gps antenne has to mounted with sky above it. Other units i have seen can be with antenna under dash.

 

With 2 gb ram the start up of apps,  can be a bit slow. But hey i am a kid that lived with 33.6 modems...

Build in radio tuner can be set up to give power to the antenna, so the fakra antenna of the car gets power. But still it has noise in some places, so will try to get a seperate booster. Or just use the android auto. And radio apps.  

Android Auto auto connect with bluetooth,  and delivers great sound, not the low muffled like other units. It can play LOUD.

 

So all in all,  I believe the. Heap units has come a long way in the last couple of years.. so for the money. Fine.   

If the AliExpress Ones are the same,  then go for them for half the price.

 

Screen looks fine,  have to try in bright sun to check.  I might get some matte screen protector to minimize glare, and protect the screen.

 

Power connection to the radio was easy,  had to disconnect one 2pin to get it to turn of.  

After selection of my 2013 rapid.  The can works great.  Showing doors open, and in the car info. Showing odometer. Coolant temp. And so on.