General Mekede M500s Review

[DexterMorganNL]

Thanks @surfer63

NOt google messing up, these devices are not true AA

I know that, but I read Android Auto itself is very buggy as well: people who have true AA in their cars, also experience all kind of issue's. The funny thing is, wireless worked better than wired.

The thing I particularly like about wireless AA, you don't need to mess around with USB cables. And you don't even need to take your phone out of your pocket, only before starting the headunit you should already start Google Maps on your phone.

Once the car is started, and Carlink finished connecting. Then automatically the route is displayed on your headunit, including autoplay of Spotify. I mean when it works it's great, but when it crashes during driving. Than its actually potential dangerous, as you need to close Carlink and restart it.

Only thing I don't really get, on my slow and not even capable of running native Google Maps smoothly. Android Auto was working better on that unit, as I didn't experience occasional crashes while connected to USB cable on that unit.

But other than that, on all other parts that Quad-Core unit wasn't very great. Only Android Auto was something, it did better: although displaying in a lower resolution.

 

[leo06]

Wireless carplay working fine. Considering switching to apple.

 

[DexterMorganNL]

Wireless carplay working fine. Considering switching to apple.

If I win a lottery: I'm using a Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite as my smartphone, so a iPhone is out if the question. But actually the issue with disconnecting when the mobile network is changed, might be a bug within Xiaomi 's firmware.

 

[leo06]

It’s funny though that Apple CarPlay is working way better in android headunit

 

[DexterMorganNL]

It’s funny though that Apple CarPlay is working way better in android headunit

Well they only have to support iPhone, and not 10.000 different kind of Android phones. So it's not very surprising that Carplay works flawlessly.

 

[marchnz]

It’s funny though that Apple CarPlay is working way better in android headunit

But wack-a-mole as Apple and Google make changes and these Chinese origin headunits pseudo carplay/aa stops working.

Why anyone wants to do screen mirroring on full android is beyond me.

The OP posting about Google maps running in tablet mode is an easy fix - use another launcher or open maps from the apps screen.

 

[leo06]

But wack-a-mole as Apple and Google make changes and these Chinese origin headunits pseudo carplay/aa stops working.

Why anyone wants to do screen mirroring on full android is beyond me.

The OP posting about Google maps running in tablet mode is an easy fix - use another launcher or open maps from the apps screen.

I had a dongle for wireless carplay for the last 3 years from iphone x and now the iphone 12, always worked flawlessly. It's not screen mirroring, I am listening my music on the homepod then I leave my house I am starting my car and the music starts playing from where I left. I don't need extra sim for data, I don't need to open hotspot on my phone and the maps are easier for searching an address on my rather on the head unit. I can make or receive calls from the head units dislay, I can interact with Siri with yust saying hey Siri do that.

 

[DexterMorganNL]

But wack-a-mole as Apple and Google make changes and these Chinese origin headunits pseudo carplay/aa stops working.

Why anyone wants to do screen mirroring on full android is beyond me.

The OP posting about Google maps running in tablet mode is an easy fix - use another launcher or open maps from the apps screen.

Actually most people I know in real life, only use these head-units for running Android Auto. But the reason people wanna use it is easy to understand: it's convenient, when it works..... and no need to bother with starting your WiFi hotspot.

Especially wireless: set the route on your phone, put it away in your pocket. Open Carlink and it should connect automatically to your phone, and load Android Auto. But when it doesn't work, it's just frustrating.

I like the interface from Android Auto, which isn't available when running Google Maps native. Then I only have like a very small Spotify player, wherein AA it's a bit bigger.

But I like to switch between native Google Maps and AA: atleast I want to have the ability to choose. But yes changing the FrontApp, fixed the issue I had with native Google Maps in the beginning.

I found wired Android Auto not so convenient, so I won't be using that. It's very unlikely that Google or Apple will change the way AA/Carplay works, because all those cars aren't getting their software updated either.

So you would have a lot of angry car owners, if Google decided to stop supporting older units.

 

[surfer63]

Did anyone of you ever tried Head Unit Reloaded (HUR) in combination with AA or "Automate - Car Dashboard" directly on the unit?
I did try both, but as the direct unit gives me everything I want, I did not proceed with both solutions.

 

[DexterMorganNL]

Did anyone of you ever tried Head Unit Reloaded (HUR) in combination with AA or "Automate - Car Dashboard" directly on the unit?
I did try both, but as the direct unit gives me everything I want, I did not proceed with both solutions.

So do both work? Because on Tweakers.net there was the discussion about Headunit Reloaded, but the developer of this app has stopped development. That makes me not wanna buy it.

The idea of having Android Auto directly on the headunit, without even having to use my phone: is quite nice. But the reviews of the app, show it's quite buggy.

 

[surfer63]

So do both work? Because on Tweakers.net there was the discussion about Headunit Reloaded, but the developer of this app has stopped development. That makes me not wanna buy it.

That's correct but that doesn't mean it is not good. Software that always needs new versions can also mean it is extremely buggy and when one bug is fixed, the next is introduced. There are so many apps that are now completely stable and mature that they don't need further development.

The idea of having Android Auto directly on the headunit, without even having to use my phone: is quite nice. But the reviews of the app, show it's quite buggy.

I used Automate only 2 days, but I prefer an "old fashioned" launcher that simply allows me to chose bigger icons for easy selection on bumpy roads (not that there are so many in the Netherlands).

 

[DexterMorganNL]

I just installed Automate on my phone: and I'm sure I wouldn't like it on my headunit either. It would be nice though if a head-unit interface for Google Maps would be available.

But I rather run it straight on the headunit, or use Android Auto: Google has put a lot of effort into developing this interface for use of cars. So something like Automate can't replace it.

 

[DexterMorganNL]

I still haven't fixed the interference in the reverse camera, but in the meanwhile I discovered some more settings.

Interference Reverse Camera Celerio

Hello there, Recently I have installed an Android head-unit inside my Suzuki Celerio, which before had a simple but well functioning Bluetooth Car radio with cd player. The main purpose of installing a screen in my car, was in order to install...

forum.xda-developers.com

When disabling deep sleep, the unit will cold boot twice. This way the reverse camera didn't work at all: so now I have enabled a delay of switching off for three seconds. You can set it up to 10 mins delay.

This way it won't cold boot twice, when you start the unit first with ACC enabled.

 

[marchnz]

I still haven't fixed the interference in the reverse camera, but in the meanwhile I discovered some more settings.

Interference Reverse Camera Celerio

Hello there, Recently I have installed an Android head-unit inside my Suzuki Celerio, which before had a simple but well functioning Bluetooth Car radio with cd player. The main purpose of installing a screen in my car, was in order to install...

forum.xda-developers.com

When disabling deep sleep, the unit will cold boot twice. This way the reverse camera didn't work at all: so now I have enabled a delay of switching off for three seconds. You can set it up to 10 mins delay.

This way it won't cold boot twice, when you start the unit first with ACC enabled.

There is a issue with the wiring, headunit or camera. No amount of tweaks or software hacks will resolve it.

 

[farhanito]

Good day, hope this is the right place to ask.

I'm having hardware issue with Rear Left channel on my unit after a few months of use. When it's connected to the speaker, it causes all other speakers produce no sound. But when that Rear Left channel is disconnected, other speakers works fine. I've checked the speaker itself is still in good condition.
What could possibly be the problem? Faulty Amp chip?

Will an external DSP Amp (connected through digital optical cable) helps in my case? Though I'd ask first before getting one.

Thanks

 

[marchnz]

Good day, hope this is the right place to ask.

I'm having hardware issue with Rear Left channel on my unit after a few months of use. When it's connected to the speaker, it causes all other speakers produce no sound. But when that Rear Left channel is disconnected, other speakers works fine. I've checked the speaker itself is still in good condition.
What could possibly be the problem? Faulty Amp chip?

Will an external DSP Amp (connected through digital optical cable) helps in my case? Though I'd ask first before getting one.

Thanks

Is the device a uis7862 FYT device, post screenshot or details from Android system information including MCU version.

 

[DexterMorganNL]

There is a issue with the wiring, headunit or camera. No amount of tweaks or software hacks will resolve it.

Well yes I guess so, now I have ordered a step down dc to dc converter: so I can convert the 14v while the engine is on, to 12v because it's quite likely this is causing the interference. When the engine runs the voltage is about 14v and while it's off, about 12v.

€ 1,19 5%OFF | LM2596 BUCK 3A DC-DC Voltage Adjustable Step-Down Power Module + Blue LED Voltmeter

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJwFcoF

But I wanna do some more troubleshooting, for example I also found a YouTube video claiming the double ground causes interference. So I will disconnect the ground cable from the car, to see what it does while this car camera filter is still connected.

 

[surfer63]

Well yes I guess so, now I have ordered a step down dc to dc converter: so I can convert the 14v while the engine is on, to 12v because it's quite likely this is causing the interference. When the engine runs the voltage is about 14v and while it's off, about 12v.

€ 1,19 5%OFF | LM2596 BUCK 3A DC-DC Voltage Adjustable Step-Down Power Module + Blue LED Voltmeter

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJwFcoF

But I wanna do some more troubleshooting, for example I also found a YouTube video claiming the double ground causes interference. So I will disconnect the ground cable from the car, to see what it does while this car camera filter is still connected.

I am not a hardware technical guy so I can't explain it myself, but I read a post 1-1½ years back, where someone described that the 12V (or 14V for that matter) can also cause quite some interference. He built some very simple capacitor mini-circuit in between to fix it. But I can't find the post back.

 

[DexterMorganNL]

I am not a hardware technical guy so I can't explain it myself, but I read a post 1-1½ years back, where someone described that the 12V (or 14V for that matter) can also cause quite some interference. He built some very simple capacitor mini-circuit in between to fix it. But I can't find the post back.

That kinds sounds like the Car Camera Filter that I ordered from AliExpress: that basically contains a capacitor inside.

Now I have disconnected the ground cable from the DC cable, because in another YouTube video a guy solved the interference like this. And I had it connected on a easy reachable place, so trying this out just cost me a min of my time.

This Car Camera Filter I'm keeping between the DC cable for now, because there are still options I haven't tried. But some I just find very unlikely, so I'm still troubleshooting and hope that disconnecting the ground cable might help.

Well that didn't help either, also with the Car Camera Filter the interference has changed. Before you could see black artifacts inside the screen, now it just looks warped. So the filter did change something, just didn't get rid of the interference.

 

[marchnz]

That kinds sounds like the Car Camera Filter that I ordered from AliExpress: that basically contains a capacitor inside.

View attachment 5711023

Now I have disconnected the ground cable from the DC cable, because in another YouTube video a guy solved the interference like this. And I had it connected on a easy reachable place, so trying this out just cost me a min of my time.

This Car Camera Filter I'm keeping between the DC cable for now, because there are still options I haven't tried. But some I just find very unlikely, so I'm still troubleshooting and hope that disconnecting the ground cable might help.

Well that didn't help either, also with the Car Camera Filter the interference has changed. Before you could see black artifacts inside the screen, now it just looks warped. So the filter did change something, just didn't get rid of the interference.

Has vehicle alternator been checked, 14v is too high