Carplay head unit - My thoughts

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dickytim

2514 posts

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#161884 22-Jan-2015 12:39

Well I bit the bullet and purchased the Alpine ILX-007 head unit, this unit is not currently available in NZ due to Carplay not being officially supported by Apple for NZ.

My first impressions are that the interface is a little slow to react at times but is otherwise pretty intuitive. Siri works ever better now with the head units microphone that on the phone directly, you can use the "hey siri" function for navigation and things like turning music on. Unfortunately there are very few apps approved for Carplay so my Tomtom app doesn't work, however the apple maps does, and actually works quite well via voice commands.

For an Iphone user I can see that this really is the future as far as in-car technology is, I landed my unit for $1250 with a 7 inch screen and pretty darn good sound quality as expected from Alpine, that also included GST in Australia and on arrival in NZ so if you dealt with a company that knew how to sell less GST that would come down by about $100, or even better purchased in Australia and claimed the TRS rebate then lied to NZ Customs on returning to NZ.

Does anyone else out in Geekland have one of the Carplay units and can recommend apps optimised for it?

I have a tuning app call Dash Command which has applied for certification and hopefully will be able to update with this soon so I can see the cars performance on the screen, not for any other purpose than is looks cool!

dickytim

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#1220476 23-Jan-2015 06:51

A picture of the install.

My thought have changed slightly with the interface, it is becoming, or seeming less clunky the more I use it.

Would love more apps to be available but it really is new so that might take a while.

I have used an aerpro fitting kit along with steering wheel interface and loom adaptors.

The head unit can go back to standard in around 10 minutes :)

Dairyxox

1594 posts

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#1220527 23-Jan-2015 08:57

What sort of car is it in? Looks like a ford/mazda?

I've got an import 2011 Mazda Axela with japanese head unit i'm very keen to replace. I've been eyeng the android head units, that usually have a custom fitting kit of the year/model.

Worried that getting an airplay unit it might be more difficult to blend into the dash. Also the android unit is at the limit of what I want to spend. Yours cost about double.
The android units can connect up to the steering wheel controls too, not sure about this, a professional installer could probably tell/sort it out.

I think there is at least one other member with a carplay head unit. Might be blkamin.

lxsw20

3552 posts

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#1220568 23-Jan-2015 09:27

Looks more like a VT/VX Commodore to me.

It looks very cool, not sure I could bring myself to spend $1000 or so on a head unit at the moment sadly.

Wade

2225 posts

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#1220578 23-Jan-2015 09:41

Retrofitting headunits into modern cars is fast becoming just too hard, the only way this technology will gain mainstream popularity is when OEM's embrace it with headunits that can sync across all common phone OS's

I'm not sure what extra functionality I'd really get from dropping $1000+ on an aftermarket unit like this as against my $60 bluetooth adapter and a $50 windscreen mount

dickytim

2514 posts

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#1220680 23-Jan-2015 12:05

Dairyxox: What sort of car is it in? Looks like a ford/mazda? I've got an import 2011 Mazda Axela with japanese head unit i'm very keen to replace. I've been eyeng the android head units, that usually have a custom fitting kit of the year/model.

Worried that getting an airplay unit it might be more difficult to blend into the dash. Also the android unit is at the limit of what I want to spend. Yours cost about double.
The android units can connect up to the steering wheel controls too, not sure about this, a professional installer could probably tell/sort it out.

I think there is at least one other member with a carplay head unit. Might be blkamin.

It is a VX Commodore

Android is actually better used with mirror link head units rather than an Android OS headunit, you can try JVC or Sony for decent quality head units in that sort of budget.

You usually need an adaptor to connect to the steering wheel control.

dickytim

2514 posts

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#1220681 23-Jan-2015 12:06

lxsw20: Looks more like a VT/VX Commodore to me.

It looks very cool, not sure I could bring myself to spend $1000 or so on a head unit at the moment sadly.

Bingo! When/If these get to NZ I'd expect to be paying around $1500+

dickytim

2514 posts

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#1220688 23-Jan-2015 12:10

Wade: Retrofitting headunits into modern cars is fast becoming just too hard, the only way this technology will gain mainstream popularity is when OEM's embrace it with headunits that can sync across all common phone OS's

I'm not sure what extra functionality I'd really get from dropping $1000+ on an aftermarket unit like this as against my $60 bluetooth adapter and a $50 windscreen mount

Actually this is becoming quite a bit easier as there are relatively cheap kits available for most models with loom adaptors and interface kits.

If you are not worried about sound quality and seamless integration then you wouldn't spend $1,000+ on this head unit, you'd spend a couple of hundred on adaptors.

BTW this is the cheapest unit of its kind available, have a look at the Pioneer units for a shock!

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Dairyxox

1594 posts

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#1220709 23-Jan-2015 12:35

dickytim:
Dairyxox: What sort of car is it in? Looks like a ford/mazda? I've got an import 2011 Mazda Axela with japanese head unit i'm very keen to replace. I've been eyeng the android head units, that usually have a custom fitting kit of the year/model.

Worried that getting an airplay unit it might be more difficult to blend into the dash. Also the android unit is at the limit of what I want to spend. Yours cost about double.
The android units can connect up to the steering wheel controls too, not sure about this, a professional installer could probably tell/sort it out.

I think there is at least one other member with a carplay head unit. Might be blkamin.

It is a VX Commodore

Android is actually better used with mirror link head units rather than an Android OS headunit, you can try JVC or Sony for decent quality head units in that sort of budget.

You usually need an adaptor to connect to the steering wheel control.

These wont work with an iPhone though right?

sonyxperiageek

2958 posts

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#1220716 23-Jan-2015 12:41

That looks a bit too low for me. How do you find looking at Maps while driving?

Sony

dickytim

2514 posts

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#1220722 23-Jan-2015 12:52

sonyxperiageek: That looks a bit too low for me. How do you find looking at Maps while driving?

You are right, however the interface is actually designed as a eyes-free one meaning I am mostly listening for directions with a very occasional glance down for a pectoral guide, similar to glancing down to see the time, which song is playing etc.

dickytim

2514 posts

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#1220731 23-Jan-2015 13:01

Dairyxox:
dickytim:
Dairyxox: What sort of car is it in? Looks like a ford/mazda? I've got an import 2011 Mazda Axela with japanese head unit i'm very keen to replace. I've been eyeng the android head units, that usually have a custom fitting kit of the year/model.

Worried that getting an airplay unit it might be more difficult to blend into the dash. Also the android unit is at the limit of what I want to spend. Yours cost about double.
The android units can connect up to the steering wheel controls too, not sure about this, a professional installer could probably tell/sort it out.

I think there is at least one other member with a carplay head unit. Might be blkamin.

It is a VX Commodore

Android is actually better used with mirror link head units rather than an Android OS headunit, you can try JVC or Sony for decent quality head units in that sort of budget.

You usually need an adaptor to connect to the steering wheel control.

These wont work with an iPhone though right?

Yes they will but not displaying the apps just as a music player