Installing a $100 Single Din Android Head Unit

owner

Oz '03 316CDI LWB ex-Ambo Patient Transport
never go full Vic lol

Is the UI responsive enough? They are a fair bit more expensive downunder, but I am quite tempted.
 

220629

Well-known member
... "OK, I could do a Full Vic" and just slather on some epoxy stuff and it'd be all good.
...
vic didn't say epoxy.

I don't know where I'd source "goop glue"
...

I always have some on hand.

I used it just yesterday.
...
I never did remove the mirror. I cleaned the loose top mirror mounts a bit, pushed in some Goop glue, used a bungee cord to hold the top mirror in place, and walked away. It will be just fine. I love Goop glue.

:cheers: vic
:cheers: vic
 

glasseye

Well-known member
never go full Vic lol

Is the UI responsive enough? They are a fair bit more expensive downunder, but I am quite tempted.
User interface is crisp and responsive. Installer said it was the same as an Alpine unit installed the day before. Only interface quibble I have is with the volume and home virtual buttons on the LHS. They’re small and not backlit. I’m used to them now.
 

glasseye

Well-known member
vic didn't say epoxy.
:cheers: vic
There I go again... making ASSumptions.

Can‘t use Amazon.com because border closed. I’ll look on Amazon.ca

<edit>. Yeh, it’s available in Canada.

One more attempt today with my custom bracket and correct length screws. Too much time and psychic energy invested to give up now. :idunno:
 

glasseye

Well-known member
OK, the two-screws attachment to Frito resulted in a one-screw fallback. Multiple alignment difficulties with the head unit and my bracket prohibited using both screws, so "screw" it. :bash: I'll probably put a self tapping screw into the second hole. The alignment problem appears when trying to insert the unit and align both studs all at once. Not enough clearance.

I may have to resort to goop for the LHS attachment. :idunno:

Otherwise so far, so good. I have a 2000 km transprovincial road trip scheduled for next week. A good test for music, audiobooks and SATNAV.:dance:


.
 

owner

Oz '03 316CDI LWB ex-Ambo Patient Transport
Bah I've bitten the bullet. Found one on eBay for a decent price. Its the same as yours but it has the rear part going vertical.


I will get Eric to help me make some brackets. I figure this way I can have it mounted a bit higher than yours.

I've actually been waiting years for Android headunits to get to this point. Its taken far too long, considering how good the Android tablets have been for years.

I plan to rig it up to run Torque App and I also orderd a Bluetooth TPMs system to try running on it too. I have all my music on a 256GB USB dongle, so Im looking forward to being able to navigate through that without guesswork.
 
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glasseye

Well-known member
Bah I've bitten the bullet. Found one on eBay for a decent price. Its the same as yours but it has the rear part going vert
I will get Eric to help me make some brackets. I figure this way I can have it mounted a bit higher than yours.
looks good. uses far less cavity space than my unit. brackets will be key. my install is strictly from poverty and lack of skill, but works well. even though the specs on mine say 32GB USB devices ok, I stuck my 128GB stick into the unit today and it sees everything. one of the amazing things about the display is that it’s perfectly viewable with my polarizing sunglasses.
 

Andrew Claycomb

New member
I’ve had my Binize headunit installed for a few months now. I eventually secured it in place with back straps, mounted to the side and screwed to the sides of the cavity.


Unfortunately, the stereo hasn’t held up. A dead spot on the touch screen has grown to cover nearly the entire screen. When I contacted Binize for a replacement, they told me they would ship another one if I left a positive review on Amazon. I told them that I would do that if the replacement worked, but that wasn’t acceptable to them. They even offered me $10 for the review.

So here I am using a mouse with my van’s stereo, because the touch screen doesn’t work, and I hate the shady practice of demanding fake reviews.
 

RVBarry

2023 AWD 170 DIY CamperVan
When I contacted Binize for a replacement, they told me they would ship another one if I left a positive review on Amazon. I told them that I would do that if the replacement worked, but that wasn’t acceptable to them. They even offered me $10 for the review.
Leave a negative review and see what happens...
 

220629

Well-known member
...

So here I am using a mouse with my van’s stereo, because the touch screen doesn’t work, and I hate the shady practice of demanding fake reviews.
I agree. It's not just with selling sites. I've heard 1st person stories of similar B.S. with Angie's List and similar contractor sites.

Unless there is an obvious weight either way, I generally take the most negative and most positive reviews with a grain of salt.

No touch screen could border on dangerous when driving.

vic
 

glasseye

Well-known member
No touch screen could border on dangerous when driving.
vic
Absolutely. And mine does. Simply changing the volume on my unit requires multiple, precise, distracting screen touches. Not happy with that.

My (RIP) Sony had an excellent remote with positive action switches.

I did buy a tube of Goop, though. :hmmm:
 

glasseye

Well-known member
These are the flush mount USB ports that I installed in my dash. Don't look too close, or you'll see the flaws in my cuts, but from a couple of feet away, they look great!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078LRSZDB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

View attachment 153375
NOW you tell me! :hmmm: Those beat the heck out of my wire hanging out the hole.

Install looks great to me. Those little plastic plugs are hard to work with.

What's that big knob for? Looks suspiciously like the vent opening knob on my ceiling.
 

Andrew Claycomb

New member
NOW you tell me! :hmmm: Those beat the heck out of my wire hanging out the hole.

Install looks great to me. Those little plastic plugs are hard to work with.

What's that big knob for? Looks suspiciously like the vent opening knob on my ceiling.
Lol, just slap a sticker over the hole and pretend it didn't happen!

The big knob is a ball receiver for a satellite radio display that the previous owner installed. It's firmly stuck to the surface, so I can't remove it without pulling the plastic plugs out with it. I'm going to eventually use it, I just need to convince a friend to 3D print a phone holder insert for me.
 

owner

Oz '03 316CDI LWB ex-Ambo Patient Transport
With my headunit, the torque app won't work with the Autel 200. I haven't tried other dongles, though
Yep that AP200 wont work. And other generic ELM327 devices wont give you access to many channels.

So I made my own ELM327 BT dongle out of an Arduino. It allows reading of all the channels an AP200 can (from ECM and TCM), and autonomously runs the MB Star Diag injector overfuelling smooth running test whenever the van is at steady-state idle. Currently its only for om612.
 

220629

Well-known member
... I'm going to eventually use it, I just need to convince a friend to 3D print a phone holder insert for me.
If you decide to not use the existing knob, a 3 position unit like I used will cover pretty much all of any existing damage.


Back to the topic of a cheap head unit install. :thumbup:

vic
 

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