JOYING Android 5.1.1 double-din thread

So, I just got a new head unit that got a bit of discussion in a thread a few days ago - an Android (v5.1.1) based unit by JOYING (JOYING JY-UL135N2). I got it to replace an already after-market Pioneer that I wasn't a huge fan of due to the obnoxious background graphics that I couldn't get rid of.

Install notes (on a 1st gen - 2000 XtraCab SR5 V6 4WD TRD):

• The harness available from JOYING makes the head unit plug and play electrically
• While the head unit body fits just fine, the bezel is about 2mm too wide and 2mm too tall for the opening in the dash; had to carefully enlarge the opening with sandpaper
• The GPS unit is magnetic; I placed it on the round bar between the firewall and passenger air bag, which seemed like a place that would get relatively good reception
• It supports two cameras, but I didn't install any
• The password for the "Settings > Factory Settings" (where a lot of the useful settings are) is "126"

Overall, I definitely like this unit better than my pioneer, and of course better than the OE CD/Tape player. If you don't mind the minor mod (above), I totally recommend this for a great experience in a 1st gen.

Things I like:

• Boot screen is configurable. And it comes with a Toyota logo, which makes it look OEM
• Easy to configure the wallpaper. I'm basically using "black" and it's nice to have it be so clean looking
• The built-in apps seem to work relatively well for basics (radio, pairing with phone for podcasts and phone calls)
• The microphone on the head unit works well (there's an external mic too, which I tested, but ultimately didn't install after testing sound quality of both)
• It's Android, and so it's configurable (including the hard buttons on the device)
• I can install apps from the Play Store. Waze, etc.

Things I don't like:

• The built-in app names are lame. The app used to make calls is "Bluetooth" (should be "Phone) and the app used to stream audio from my phone is "A2DP" (should be "Bluetooth")
• The bezel is a bit deep for my tastes - nearly a half inch. That makes seeing the top of the screen tough, because of the bezel overhang
• While the "hard" buttons are configurable, they seem to only be able to launch built-in apps (so the Nav button can't launch Waze)
• The "hard" buttons work fine, but they feel cheap
• The Bluetooth stack is pretty lame. It's probably fine for most things, but it won't connect to my Kiwi3 OBDII device; thus, no DashCommand

Stock pics of the head unit and harness from amazon:

• JOYING JY-UL135N2
• harness available from JOYING

(no install pics yet, but will update with pics when it's light tomorrow)

Ask away if you have questions.

 

Installed pics:

 

@tgear.shead - I know you've played with this a bunch recently too. Any ideas about the bluetooth stack on this thing? Any way to get it to recognize the Kiwi3 for OBDII?

 

The bluetooth stack on these things is royally f***ed up. Essentially, they went the stupid route and used a custom bluetooth stack that they (Hui Fei) made up for Android 4.x.

Now there was a legitimate reason for this custom bluetooth stack, which is that at that time, Android did NOT support Bluetooth HFP Client protocols. What that means, is that you couldn't use Android like a bluetooth headset.

The developments of Chinese Android head units went like this;
1) DUAL bluetooth. It had the integrated bluetooth device for data transfers like ODBII, etc., and a SECOND bluetooth that didn't actually transfer data with Android -- this one was for phone calls.
2) Single bluetooth with custom bluetooth stack. This was for Android 4.x, and allowed a single bluetooth device to be used for data transfers, AND HFP Client mode.

Now starting with Android 5.0 or 5.1 (I would have to dive into the code to recall), there is now actually bluetooth HFP Client code added to Android itself. It has to be activated with a change to a device specific build configuration file (devices/{manufacturer}/{device}/Android.mk) in order to be activated, but it is there. Now the thing is, there is no application in AOSP that can work directly with it. There is a "testing" application in Qualcomm's Code Aurora repository, but it would need some work before you could use it in an actual device. I guess that they (Hui Fei or Joying) decided that it would be a lot less work just to keep using the same hacked up bluetooth stack rather than (a) configuring the AOSP bluetooth stack to work with their hardware, and (b) building up a new telephone control application to work with the AOSP stack.

There is a *bug* in their bluetooth stack, involving the on/off state of certain bluetooth devices. Basically, their custom bluetooth stack doesn't communicate with Android properly, so when some application requests bluetooth power status, it says "off". That's why your bluetooth dongle doesn't work. The good news, however, is that with a little work, I managed to track down and publish a hack for the famous "xposed" hack for Android, to make it work on this build of 5.1.1. That means that it should be possible to at least partially work around the stupid. You can expect some bluetooth improvement hacks to be added to http://forum.xda-developers.com/and...lopment/rom-malaysk-roms-mtcd-device-t3385309 (customized system image).

The built in TORQUE, though pirated, has a HACK in it to ignore the bluetooth power state. It'll work, but unfortunately, it only seems to work with ODB devices named "ODB" or "ODBII" or something like that. Yeah, hardcoded. The cheap (as in inexpensive -- they work as well as the expensive ones) ELM327 devices on Amazon for less than $10 do work.

So hopefully, they'll get the bluetooth stack switched over to the proper AOSP one soon. The second advantage of using the proper AOSP bluetooth stack would be bluetooth data tethering, rather than having to have a second wireless link (wifi) between the head unit and your phone.


Regarding the size; the Joying DDIN is actually the *correct* size. ISO / metric, rather than the "almost" ISO USA size. Technically, your vehicle's faceplate is too small. I used to have a POS kenwood, which was USA sized, and it rattled around in my Metra faceplate like a retard every time the engine lugged a little or I drove over bumps. But this holds nice and snug.


Wallpaper; yes, black or any static image will be a good choice. They set the default to a resource hog. Looks cute, but completely useless.


There are a lot more "passwords" for factory settings. http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/Hui_Fei_Type#Factory_Settings_.22Passwords.22


The hard buttons can be configured to launch ANY application's MAIN/LAUNCHER activity. I set my "nav" to launch Alk Copilot.

 

Nice info - great to have the additional insight.

So, a few more questions for ya, if you don't mind.

1. The Bluetooth hack you got to work with 5.1.1 - is that already available in the ROM link above, or did you use another method? (if another, I'd love steps to do the same)
2. Speaking of the ROM above - the JOYING folks (of course) have a bunch of warnings on their site to not apply custom ROMs or you could brick the device. Is that a concern in your opinion?
3. How'd you change the hard buttons to launch a custom app? (what's the path through settings to do that?)

Interesting fact about the size. Clearly I must have always gotten ISO USA sized devices in the past.

Thanks again!

 

1) Sorry, I might not have been clear. I did NOT make a bluetooth hack. I got the *framework* needed for a bluetooth hack working. The previous generation of head units running 4.4 needed a bluetooth hack as well, so I would anticipate that somebody will deal with it fairly soon.
2) The previous generation of hardware was called MTCB, but this newer generation of hardware is called MTCD. If you install a sysimage for MTCB on an MTCD, or an MTCD sysimage on an MTCB, you brick the device -- means it won't work again without replacing the brain board. Their warning was made PRIOR to 3rd party builds for MTCD becoming available, since a bunch of people tried installing MTCB custom sysimages on their new MTCD's and bad things happened.
3) Off the top of my head, I couldn't say. I'll try to remember to check when I go back to my truck this afternoon.

 

Awesome. Look forward to hearing about #3, and since you're clearly more of an Android expert - give me a shout if you hear about/get the Bluetooth stuff working. For now, I'm mirroring my phone to the head unit, since my Nexus 5X obviously works just fine with the Kiwi3.

 

subbed
I was wanting an Android HU when I upgraded, but all the ones I saw were well out of my price range.. so I went with a Pioneer double DIN unit that works well.. but its not Android.

This looks very interesting, and may be a possible upgrade for me in the future.

 

Ok, for #3.... after looking at it, it appears to only be the "NAVI" button that you can use to launch an application. In system settings --> gps, first option in the menu. I think that the rest of the buttons are just function buttons (like keyboard key presses), which appear to be programmable via Factory Settings --> 126 in much the same manner as the steering wheel buttons.

 

is this the radio that allows an inclinometer app?

... also, it doubles as a diagnostics (similar to UltraGauge) device?

 

Depending on which pioneer, I believe that some of the more recent ones actually do run Android, although very very heavily crippled and with ugly overlays. It really doesn't make any sense for any of the head unit manufacturers to continue installing windows on them, since Android is a much better product, and is free (no licensing fees at all if you leave out google play services, which they don't need). The thing with the chinese ones, is that they aren't going all out on obscuring Android, and just adding a little bit to make the UI a bit more appropriate for a car. Plus, they install (pirated) google play services, which makes them a heck of a lot more useful.

Some of the older crap was pretty hilarious. The kenwood POS I had, I *think* actually ran TWO copies of windows. One for the head unit's menu system, and a second one on the garmin gps module. It would then switch the display between the two.

 

"the"?
This is **a** head unit that runs ANDROID, so you can install and run whatever software you like.

I don't believe that it has an incline sensor built in, but presumably you could add a USB sensor, or if the car has one, might be able to access it via ODB.

 

thats what I meant. ..sorry.

lol have you found Any niceapps?

how are they downloaded?

 

Do you have a smartphone? Works EXACTLY THE SAME, and same selection even. Hit the button that says "Play Store".

 

so it links to our phones via a hotspot?

 

to have internet ^^

 

^^ and download

 

Sure. Or it can link to your home wifi while in your driveway.

 

OK yep, I got the NAVI configured to launch Waze so it sounds like we're on the same page. I really wish I could get the SRC button to cycle a different set of apps. I don't need the AVIN for sure, and I'd love A2DP and Bluetooth to be in the rotation. Not that big a deal really, when you think about the tradeoff of running something like my old Pioneer

 

Sort of. It supports OBDII (essentially what UltraGauge is/does) with a few of the cheap OBD devices that it seems to be hard-coded to what the unit is looking for.

Joying sells one (here) but you'll notice it looks the same as many much cheaper ones on Amazon. They are pretty much all the same, so you can probably purchase any of them.

The other piece you need to work with that is software on the device, and the JY-UL135 comes with a (likely pirated) version of Torque that works with those devices.