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hello everybody,
I'd like to thank you for taking few minutes of your time to read this review. I hope you find it helpful :)
First of all, my review if from an enthusiast point of view and might be a little bit technical but my intention is to give you all guidelines before you buy. To know what to expect when you're expecting (the appradio of course ;)). BTW, I'm a mac user so here are some very few tips to make your life easier and save lot of time guessing.
Items used on this installation:
Pioneer SPH-DA100 AppRadio Car Stereo with iPhone 4 App Control and 7.0" Capacitive Touch
The software running on the appradio is version 8.17 (the latest)
Pioneer CDAH200C Appradio Adapter Kit For Android
Metra 70-1771 1989-2005 Ford/lincoln/nissan Cd Player Into Car Wire Harness
Factory unlocked iPhone 4s, Appradio applications, standard IoS 6.x software.
Factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy S3 (i9300) using rooted Jelly Bean, ARliberator, Tasker, Carhome Ultra, Triangle Away software.
Samsung EPL-FU10BEBSTA HDTV Adapter TIP (5 to 11 Pin Converter) Retail Packaging Black
What is in the box:
Appradio 2 headunit
Wiring harness
GPS Antenna which is magnetic and it includes an auto adhesive metallic plate which can be placed on the top of your dashboard to make the installation a breeze.
USB/iPhone cable. this is an 2 in 1 cable, not two cables which is very clever.
At a glance:
Screen quality: 5 stars
Look and feel: 5 stars
Overall quality: 5 stars
Handsfree quality: 100 stars (sorry amazon, i know your scale is 5 but... this thing is that good)
Appmode: 4 stars
Easy to use appmode: 4 stars
Warnings: 2 stars
Now the loooong story :)
Appradio 2 update process:
The reason i named the iPhone cable an USB/iPhone cable is because it has two cables going out of the iPhone connector, my guess is one of them transports the audio signals and the other one is the usb control. The USB control side of the cable has a division where you can put a USB pendrive to perform the update process. Take into account, if you leave this portion of the cable hiding (i did) you're going to face some problems when trying to update.
Updating is very easy, just download the single file from the Pionner web site, uncompress it on a empty pendrive, plug it in your appradio using the described (see added photos to the product page) port and it simply asks you if you want to update, once confirmed, it begins to update beeping everytime it feels to, so don't worry about the beeps. Mac users beware, mac os adds some silly files on the pendrive so the appradio does not recognizes the file. Just copy the file using a windows computer and you're done.
So... how does it works with an iPhone 4s?
It works reasonably well, just plug it in your iPhone 30 pin connector, then touch the apps icon on your screen, let the appradio know you're not crazy enough to drive while watching Harry Potter, then let the iPhone know you allow the connection and after all the prohibitions/limitations, there you are... now you can use all your appradio ready applications with also a reasonable reliability.
If you use the music app on the appmode environment, you can use Waze or whatever appradio app you like.
I particularly like to use the PLX Devices 'PLX Kiwi 2 Wifi' Car to Smartphone Connection connector with dashcommand so you can see the real-time data on your screen... this is awesome!, another application i do like using appradio is Waze, it is very funny and while with my wife, she reports traffic jams so we can earn some points that really gives you absolutely no real benefit whatsoever but keeps you entertained while on a massive traffic jam.
One personal note about all the warning screens and handbrake signaing and the lot:
We, the consumers are reasonably smart people, at least smart enough to know if we keep watching movies while driving and hit the tree, we're going to hurt ourselves, hurt the tree and wreck the car. If we hit another car we can be liable for the damage to the other car and for the possible injuries to other people... there are laws for all of this. Don't you think a warning message everytime you try to do anything when driving while annoying, is a bit of stupid? I mean, don't play videos while on the go and that's it but all the time receiving a warning? really?
Ok, now back to the regular service... we have arrived to the android section of the review... and if you're like me, you might have a lot of questions without answers... I still do but I'll try to give you the few answers I have but first, let me tell you, this is my first Android phone and my first appradio so please forgive me if I go to thing that may appear too obvious to experienced android users.
The first problem pioneer faces with android devices is, because android unlike IOS devices comes from different makers, they do have different ways to connect basically, MHL connectors and HMDI connectors. MHL is a micro USB connector with embedded HDMI so here's the thing, If your android compatible phone uses HDMI connector, you don't really need the android kit, what you'll need is an hdmi cable with one normal HDMI connector to the back of your appradio and an micro USB power source with 1000 mah or more to keep your phone alive.
If you have a compatible MHL connector phone, you can go with the pioneer kit which includes the HDMI cable, the USB power source with the USB to Micro USB cable and a 5 pin MHL converter. This convertes receives the HDMI cable and the power and delivers everything on a single MHL cable to your phone.
The main difference between the iPhone and android standard behavior is the android phones sends control signaling like touches to the screen using Bluetooth, don't worry, you can still use BT for handsfree calling which by the way is nothing less than espectacular and maybe your OBD II BT which is a lot cheaper than the PLX Kiwi and the Torque app which is also a lot cheaper than the dashcommand app so connecting the android phone needs a little bit more interaction from the user. After connected, it works and feels just like the iPhone does.
But wait... if you have a Galaxy S3 phone, you're going to need the described 11 to 5 pin adapter which despite the fact is Samsung original, doesn't work propperly... the video starts to flick whenever it feels to, you're going to loose the connection and you're going to be VERY frustrated so you can opt for different ways to connect your phone other than the android kit Pioneer sells. I'm not going to be any more critic about the kit because, to be fair, Galaxy S3 is NOT on the Pioneer's phone compatibility matrix.
Galaxy S3 Connection option 1:
This is by very far away and beyond, the best choice and if I knew this before, I could've saved some money, you can buy a good quality not too long hdmi cable, and usb power source and Samsung EAD-T10JDEGSTA WI-FI All-Share Cast HUB Data Cable Retail Packaging Black so now you can connect your phone completely wireless using Wi-Fi and bluetooth. Just connect the all-share to the HDMI cable and to a power source and you're ready to go... it gives you the screen mirroring while bluetooth gives you the touch. Please beware I've only tested it using ARliberator, not appradio app so your mileage may vary (rooted phones please read further).
Galaxy S3 Connection option 2:
Here you can replace the MHL cable from the Pioneer kit with the Adapter HDMI EPL 3FHU for Samsung Galaxy s3 but please, do yourself a favor... do not buy a cheap alternative... buy the original because you don't want to have the flickering and the snow and the frustration... my advice, don't go cheap with this. Just plug the HDMI cable and the powered micro USB to one side, the phone to the other side and you're done.
ARLiberator:
In case you don't know, you can buy for $29 in google play store, an application named ARLiberator. What this app does is to give you total access to your phone from the appradio screen, in other words, you're going to have your phone in landscape mode in your appradio so you can use whatever app you like as long as it runs in your phone but to use ARliberator, you need to root your phone which may have some effect on your phone's warranty so please beware.
I have tested the ARLiberator and found that you can have an app named carhome ultra which gives you a car friendly home screen while adding navigational info.. give it a look if you will, then you might find the Tasker app of some use for automating the BT connection, the ARliberator run, the carhome ultra run when you plug the phone and to reverse all of that when you plug it off and must use the app Triangle away to put your flash counter to zero because all-share does not works on rooted phones.
Torque app works only under ARliberator mode because it is not an appradio ready app while Dashcommand is and unlike the IOS version, you can try it before buying using the free version.
Final thoughts:
Does it really worth the effort to go ARliberator way? Yes... it does... Only if you want to have a smart head unit instead of an iPhone/Android application head unit.
I had a Kenwood DDX419 In-Dash 2-DIN Head Unit Car Stereo which is VERY BAD... the hands free function was useless, the user interface came from a Commodore Vic 20 or a Sinclair ZX-81... So I can tell you... even without the Appmode, just for the Hands free function and the ipod capability with a 21st century interface... I would pay the premium... no doubt.. BTW, this one sounds better too :)
Don't root to cheat your cellular company... you want freedom? just pay for it.. you can always buy an unlocked version of about any phone.
Technology company... are you listening? or just attending to meetings filling out spreadsheets just to justify your mere existence? How hard can it be to understand the customers wants smart head units on their cars? Is it too difficult to build an android based head-unit that might connect to your phone for internet acces either using Wi-fi hotspot or even the bluetooth so we can save all the hassle of doing all of this? Regulations? you can put your dozen of warning screens we do have right now anyway...and limit the video playback for the dumb to not to hit the tree.. I mean... really? Marketing... wake up before Apple creates the iCar and then sue you all for being followers....
Sorry for the long read and some strong opinions but I really do hope it helps you... While I tahnk all the forums writers i've rad to understand all of this after i bought the appradio.
Regards,
JP
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