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Head Unit with Android Integration

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by canyonchaser, Feb 10, 2014.

  1. Feb 10, 2014 at 7:17 PM
    #1
    canyonchaser

    canyonchaser [OP] Member Known Well

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2011
    Member:
    #49496
    Messages:
    717
    First Name:
    Dave
    Utah
    Vehicle:
    LR TRD PRO MT
    Is there an affordable head unit out there that will still work with the steering wheel controls and allow me to plug in my android or iphone?

    I have a Grom, but it never has worked very well, and I can't get it to recognize the USB port.

    Thanks
     
  2. Feb 10, 2014 at 7:30 PM
    #2
    braik

    braik Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2013
    Member:
    #115472
    Messages:
    619
    Gender:
    Male
    Louisville, KY
    Vehicle:
    2006 4.0L 4x4 BASE
    2" Ironman 4x4 (B) Front Spacer Level LR UCAs Level 8: Tracker Wheels 255/75 Cooper ATPs Welded Rock Sliders Weathertech floormats Wet Okole seat covers JVC Head Unit Diff Breather Mod Zip Tie Mod Needle Bearing Mod HID Retrofit (Acura TL-R)
    I have the JVC KW-HDR81BT. It is excellent, I highly recommend it. You can match the color to your dash, easy to wire, works with my Droid phone (Spotify mostly, and voice calling), and has a usb/aux in the front. Bought it from Crutchfield and it came with everything needed to install for just under $200. Steering wheel integration may cost a little extra, I don't know, I don't have steering wheel controls.
     
  3. Feb 11, 2014 at 6:01 AM
    #3
    2013TacoLTD

    2013TacoLTD Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2013
    Member:
    #116560
    Messages:
    237
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dennis
    Mckinney, TX
    Vehicle:
    13 Tacoma Limited V6 4X2
    Radio On Mod, Complete new stereo with 10" subs, Truxedo bed cover, GT-MAT through doors and rear cab.
    I have the Pioneer 8500BHS and I dislike the integration. You cannot touch the radio screen and have it affect the phone. This means I have to take my eyes off the road to look at my phone to change stuff. I really bought this unit so I could use the GPS from my phone, but if you use the phone GPS, you can only listen to music being played by the phone. In my mind, I thought I could still listen to the radio while seeing the GPS screen. Running a GPS app and Siriusxm, all while the screen stays on is hard on a battery even while being charged.

    I would not buy this head unit for the Android features, though I do like much of the rest of the features.
     
  4. Feb 16, 2014 at 7:04 AM
    #4
    samiam

    samiam Always here, never there

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Member:
    #54533
    Messages:
    3,151
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Sam
    Stinky Vegas
    Vehicle:
    2008 TRD OR DCSB 4.0 6MT 1E7 Alu Cab
    Workin' on Workin' on it
    I'm in the middle of installing a JVC KW NSX700 with MirrorLink. I have the Drive Link app on my Galaxy S3. Just started playing around with the integration and it seems to be very good.
     
  5. Feb 22, 2014 at 12:52 PM
    #5
    rbishopp

    rbishopp Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2011
    Member:
    #58866
    Messages:
    733
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Rich
    Webster, NY
    Vehicle:
    2009 4WD Reg cab Taco. Keepin it simple.
    So far I've added an Advance folding bed cover and since removed it. Gave it to my son in Maine, he has an 05 2wd. GT perfect fit seat covers. Weathertech floor mats and window vent visors. Waag center brush/grill guard. Hose clamp tailgate mod. Turned off the seat belt chime. Added Ultra-Gauge. Trailer hitch. Softopper. Replaced sun visors with slide out style. Toyota bed extender. Had Firestone Destinations and now Michelin LTX AT2 in stock size. More mods to come; Fog lights, locking storage in bed, intermittent wipers. Now looking for Radio/HU upgrade. and maybe a lift way down the road.
    Post back how it all works. This meets my needs too. I can get in my girl friends Rav4 and my pandora starts playing. So naturally I want that in my Tacoma too.
     
  6. Feb 22, 2014 at 4:14 PM
    #6
    samiam

    samiam Always here, never there

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Member:
    #54533
    Messages:
    3,151
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Sam
    Stinky Vegas
    Vehicle:
    2008 TRD OR DCSB 4.0 6MT 1E7 Alu Cab
    Workin' on Workin' on it
    Drive Link and MirrorLink is a cool system, but limited in the apps you can use. Pandora plays through Bluetooth on Android, but plays music on your phone via wired connection and sounds very good. The only navigation app that I can get to work is Google Maps. Making calls and receiving calls works very well and has a nice interface. You're supposed to get notification of texts, but it won't read them to you or display them. You actually can't even access texts on your phone while your phone is plugged into the HU. I haven't found any other apps that I can use with the system yet, but I'm still looking and trying different things. I think the best function is using using navigation.
     

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