For those who wants a bit more from their car, here is an after market double DIN unit w/ Android that might interest you. There is 1 left for the crazy price of $189.00 + shipping for OctaCore and it includes the following:
OctaCore
2GB DDR3
16G FLASH
Capacitive Touch
GPS Navigation
Bluetooth(BT)
FM/AM radio
Rear View Camera
Steering Wheel Key
It can connect Iphone + Android for music via BT
Mirror capability for Android/ In progress for mirroring Iphone
Using your databundle for dab audio is madness.
DAB+ needs special hardware and it's impossible to receive the signal by android apps. You can use an app to receive a dab station via your data connection but that's not DAB+
I have just installed a Dasaita V840 Android 8.0 head unit with 10.2 inch IPS 1024x600 screen 4Gb Ram and 32Gb Rom, it’s advertised as a X-Trail unit on EBay. It’s a direct replacement for the Connect LCN2 unit and maintains steering wheel button functions and 360 camera, gloss black surround.
I have installed this in a 2015 Tekna 1.6 Dig-T with 360 cameras and Auto Climate Control.
I’m still in the process of bedding down the installation waiting for the DAB+ dongle and connecting cable so I can use the OEM roof aerial, setting up the Home Page and apps.
What I can tell you so far is this:
The pros
• Screen is big, very big and totally usable
• Installation is plug and play with regard to the wiring harnesses, can bus and is pain free
• Sound quality is far superior to the LCN and has a brilliant amp equaliser
• Extra FAKRA to SMA cables (2) are required to utilise the existing roof aerial and GSP antenna
• External DAB receiver is required as it’s not built in to the HU. No DAB in China! (Yet to install, will report back later)
• I have replaced the installed Igo sat nav app with Sygic as it has offline maps and is very good. I’ve replaced the supplied 8Gb micro sim with a 32Gb card to install all my music and maps.
• Full Google Play support for additional apps
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth supported, tether your mobile for Internet access on the move, or install a 4G data dongle.
• Door open legend on screen
• Radio frequency is repeated on the small screen on the instrument panel
• All steering wheel buttons work as expected, including vol up down, next previous
The cons
• Steering wheel button ‘Handset up’ opens the Bluetooth phone app and doesn’t initiate Google Voice. I’m using FCC Launcher which has a Google Voice soft button on screen, I just press that, it’s easy as its top right on the screen.
• Same SWB will not accept an incoming call, you must press the on screen button.
• Sat nav next turn is not repeated on the instrument panel display
• No AUX support but I can’t see the necessity for it with an Android HU
• As yet I have no way of initiating the 360 camera manually, but I’m working on it
The reason I went down this road is the LCN is a bit of a dog. It’s slow, unresponsive, sounds rubbish, sat nav is so out of date it’s nearly unusable and worst of all is that they want best part of £110 a year for map updates. You can currently get Sygic Premium Europe for change out of £10, for life and four updates per year. You only install the map regions you wish to use.
IT Consultant of 37Yrs (Retired)
Mk2 Qashqai - J11 1.6 Dig-T Tekna (Ex)
Now BMW X3
Dasaita Android 8.0 4+32g Octa core HA5225 V840 Head Unit
as fitted to my now EX Qashqai