New 4.4.2 Kitkat Head Unit (Newsmy Carpad NU3001)

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alaninsitges

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2014
193
105
I'm updating this post so as to provide an overview of what is discussed in the thread (and in hopes that people will quit asking the same questions over and over that have already been answered).

There is a ton of great information in the wiki here. Please read through it before asking questions here - this thread has gotten very, very (very) long and it's tough to keep up with what's happening when people keep asking questions that are in the wiki.

The below info is from November; current info is in the wiki.

WHAT IS IT: The Newsmy Carpad NU3001 is a dual-DIN Android head unit that runs KitKat 4.4.2, has a 7-inch screen, and no physical controls. It's nice-looking, very well made, and comes rooted out of the box. The manufacturer seems to be quite responsive to bug reports and feature requests, releasing frequent ROM and MCU updates to fix problems and usability issues. Oh, and we have full source code. ;)

Cg-4WlPsl5mIRxBWAASbxICOuSsAAQf4wD_XxsABJvc333.jpg


MAJOR FEATURES:
  • Quad-core 1.6GHz Rockchip RK3188 CPU and 1GB RAM
  • FM radio (RDS currently not working, awaiting a software update, priusfan figured out how to hack station names if you really must)
  • 8GB Flash
  • Android Box that contains CPU and most of the Android guts connected via cable that can be unplugged and removed from the car
  • Built-in Wifi
  • 1024x600 Capacitive Screen
  • Dual Bluetooth: one is standard Android BT for use with ODB etc. The second is hard-wired to the phone app and only works for phone calls and streaming music.
  • Pure Android, no fugly launchers, minimal other apps that aren't bad.
  • 4x25W amplifier

WHERE TO BUY: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/News...eral-Android-only-without-DVD/2035002543.html COST USD$339. People are reporting various delivery times, mine shipped next day and arrived a week later. Note: this is the actual manufacturer on AliExpress, other pages are resellers. Do with that what you will. There is a dealer in Spain if you'd prefer to buy from Europe, it's 417€ plus shipping with VAT included. http://exclusivecarauto.com/android-quadcore-carpad-wifi-p-1001.html

BASIC Q&A:
Is it any good? Yes, it seems to be stable and work as expected
Is there a version for my car? No. It's only a universal 2-DIN package
But I saw one for a... No, you didn't. That's a Windows CE/Android frankestein thing made by the same company. You don't want it.
Does it work with Torque? Yes.
Does it work with my SWC? Supposedly, nobody has tried it yet. There is both CAN bus and resistive connections.
Can I talk on the phone and use Torque at the same time? Yes.
Can it be rooted? It comes rooted out of the box.
What ports does it have? USB Host, USB OTG, little bitty HDMI for when you take the Android Box out of your car and hook it to a TV
What connections does it have for my car? 4 channel high-power speakers, FM antenna, 1 set of line outs, 1 set of line ins, 3 composite video ins, CAN bus low and high (confusingly labeled + and -) and the usual complement of battery, acc, ground, dash lights, reverse switch, etc.
Does it run ....? Yes, think of it as a 7-inch tablet with built-in amp and radio that looks great in your dash.
AliExpress? Yes. It's like the Chinese eBay. Buying from them is not complicated. Summer, the girl who handles orders, is responsive and helpful.

HELPFUL LINKS:

CAVEATS:
  • There are no balance or fader controls, no equalizer, etc. You get 25 watts to 4 speakers and a single line out to hook up your subs or amps or whatever. Fixed in firmware 1.0.9
  • RDS doesn't work at the moment, they say a software update is in the works.
  • The microphone input is hard-wired to the phone-specific BT module. This means among other things that you cannot use Google Now voice control with this unit until we figure out how to connect a mic to it. There is plenty of USB connectivity, so it's only a matter of time. USB microphone works, including "OK Google". http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=56386685&postcount=359

OTHER INTERESTING THINGS:
There are extra wires in the AV harness that are for old-school steering wheel keys that use a resistive matrix. It ought to be possible to hook up all sorts of buttons and controls in a car for various stuff. The MCU is aware of these.
It sounds really good.
Screen is bright and crisp.
Using the Android box with your TV requires a DC adapter that is not included and nobody knows what the specs are. It's 5V DC, appears chargers from old Nokia phones with the teeny tiny plug will work

I'll try to keep this post updated but it's my busy season at work so don't have a lot of time.

Here's the original post that started it all:


I've been wanting to buy a H/U for a while now but nobody makes one of the Huifei ones for my Saab 9-3, and the universal ones are so gaudy and fugly that I've just kept searching, hoping to find something better looking. Today I came across this Italian guy on eBay, selling a very attractive universal double DIN with Kitkat. The one he's selling is a dual Android/WinCE unit (not interested) and claims to have both an 8-inch and 10.2-inch screen, so not really trustworthy.

BUT. I did a reverse image search on all the stuff he copy/pasted in the wrong aspect ratio and came up with a different model from Newsmy which claims to have a quad core A9 @ 1.6Ghz and be pure Android 4.4.2 with no WinCE.

Other stuff:

- Works with steering wheel controls
- 7" display @ 1024x600
- NO optical drive
- Dual bluetooth (one standard BC5 for the phone, one for OBD).
- Good TDA7851 amplifier (28Wx4)
- All the usual crap like car DVR, TV, etc.
- Screenshot shows a stock launcher, no sign of any UI that looks like it's from an 80's sci-fi movie.
- I am aware that it appears to be a cheap tablet stuck to the front of a 2-DIN chassis
- No line outs that I can see, one of the sockets on the back is labled AV IN and looks to have a lot of pins, and another that seems to be a firewire port labeled Key Accessory Interface. No idea.

The only way to buy one seems to be either for USD$299 through a reseller on Aliexpress, whose listing is mostly incomprehensible, or direct from Newsmy on EC21 for USD$200. I have no experience with either site.

I guess I'm going to roll the dice and see if I can get one of these shipped to me and find out if it's any good.

ETA: found a ton of pictures; apparently you can pull the front panel off and connect it to your TV via HDMI.

EATA: not allowed to post links so you'll have to Google I guess.
 
Last edited:
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A

alaninsitges

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2014
193
105
jindoseg said:
What are the pros nd cons to use a HU with android and winCE?

Is there a reason why to use winCE instead of a Pure android HU?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Pure Android HUs have to cold boot each time the car is turned on (I don't understand this, certainly a tablet with a battery in airplane mode could last for many days without affecting the battery of a car, so I don't get why a HU can't be left in this state vs completely shut down) and startup time is way too long. The WinCE units are set up that way because they actually run Android in a virtual machine on CE and just suspend the VM when the HU is powered off. CE can start up in a couple of seconds and so your time to operation of Android is a fraction of cold booting every time. This sounds like a mess to me and I'm really only interested in a pure Android HU. From what I understand the Chinese companies have engineers working overtime to reduce Android boot time and some have it down into the 15-second range.

N.b., I've been unable to buy the one mentioned in the original post. Both websites are broken and companies don't responde to mail.
 
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J

jindoseg

Member
Mar 11, 2009
6
3
alaninsitges said:
Pure Android HUs have to cold boot each time the car is turned on (I don't understand this, certainly a tablet with a battery in airplane mode could last for many days without affecting the battery of a car, so I don't get why a HU can't be left in this state vs completely shut down) and startup time is way too long. The WinCE units are set up that way because they actually run Android in a virtual machine on CE and just suspend the VM when the HU is powered off. CE can start up in a couple of seconds and so your time to operation of Android is a fraction of cold booting every time. This sounds like a mess to me and I'm really only interested in a pure Android HU. From what I understand the Chinese companies have engineers working overtime to reduce Android boot time and some have it down into the 15-second range.

N.b., I've been unable to buy the one mentioned in the original post. Both websites are broken and companies don't responde to mail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse


Thank you for your reply.

Thats a big disadvantage of the NU3001 and what about the DT2001S-H-H?

both are android 4.4 but the DT2001S has 2gb ddr3 + Wince
 
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B

bpalmer1455

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2014
59
4
I'm curious

I would like to know more about this head unit. Mostly is it reliable and how does it look in person. Does anyone have this yet?
Thanks,
Brett
 
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B

bpalmer1455

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2014
59
4
alaninsitges said:
I've been wanting to buy a H/U for a while now but nobody makes one of the Huifei ones for my Saab 9-3, and the universal ones are so gaudy and fugly that I've just kept searching, hoping to find something better looking. Today I came across this Italian guy on eBay, selling a very attractive universal double DIN with Kitkat. The one he's selling is a dual Android/WinCE unit (not interested) and claims to have both an 8-inch and 10.2-inch screen, so not really trustworthy.

BUT. I did a reverse image search on all the stuff he copy/pasted in the wrong aspect ratio and came up with a different model from Newsmy which claims to have a quad core A9 @ 1.6Ghz and be pure Android 4.4.2 with no WinCE.

Other stuff:

- Works with steering wheel controls
- 7" display @ 1024x600
- NO optical drive
- Dual bluetooth (one standard BC5 for the phone, one for OBD).
- Good TDA7851 amplifier (28Wx4)
- All the usual crap like car DVR, TV, etc.
- Screenshot shows a stock launcher, no sign of any UI that looks like it's from an 80's sci-fi movie.
- I am aware that it appears to be a cheap tablet stuck to the front of a 2-DIN chassis
- No line outs that I can see, one of the sockets on the back is labled AV IN and looks to have a lot of pins, and another that seems to be a firewire port labeled Key Accessory Interface. No idea.

The only way to buy one seems to be either for USD$299 through a reseller on Aliexpress, whose listing is mostly incomprehensible, or direct from Newsmy on EC21 for USD$200. I have no experience with either site.

I guess I'm going to roll the dice and see if I can get one of these shipped to me and find out if it's any good.

ETA: found a ton of pictures; apparently you can pull the front panel off and connect it to your TV via HDMI.

EATA: not allowed to post links so you'll have to Google I guess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Did you ever get this head unit?
 
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A

alaninsitges

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2014
193
105
I'm ordering one direct from Newsmy right now on Aliexpress. We've been exchanging messages for two days trying to make sure their canbus adapter works in my car. Hopefully I'll have it soon.
 
B

bpalmer1455

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2014
59
4
alaninsitges said:
I'm ordering one direct from Newsmy right now on Aliexpress. We've been exchanging messages for two days trying to make sure their canbus adapter works in my car. Hopefully I'll have it soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sweet. I guess you're braver than me. Do you have any idea how long till you get it?

---------- Post added at 10:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:55 AM ----------

Were you able to get any info about subwoofer connections? My car has a factory sub and I couldn't find how you would tie it in. The seller told me it is connected through a "voice output cable". Do you know what that means?
It seems like a pretty nice unit from specs. It's the reliability that concerns me the most -- with no online reviews to be found. I am also a little concerned about that touchscreen volume control. Seems like it could be a PITA.
thanks for sharing.
 
N

niraviry

Member
Dec 22, 2006
21
2
alaninsitges said:
I'm ordering one direct from Newsmy right now on Aliexpress. We've been exchanging messages for two days trying to make sure their canbus adapter works in my car. Hopefully I'll have it soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which car you own. I am looking for a solution to my Skoda Yeti 2013. I had a chineese WinCE unit from the local dealer but I have returned it as the FM receiver was super crappy and the BT hands free worked only half of the time.
The issue still open for me is the quality of the FM radio although one can use the Android H/W to listen to radio through the internet. Not sure how fast would that change stations.
I was looking the Mistui FM receivers but I am not sure what is the exact model and thus that is the sensitivity.
Some Mistui receivers are pretty good ones.
All solutions that are not original VW do not have any support the the dual antenna with the built in diversity control. On the other hand most of the cards do not have such an implementation and radio still works fine.
 
Last edited:
B

bpalmer1455

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2014
59
4
yes. That's another concern of mine -- radio reception. Seems like it should be the simplest part, but I am constantly hearing about poor radios on these units.
 
A

alaninsitges

Senior Member
Jun 13, 2014
193
105
Well, it's ordered. I opted for the 3-day SHL shipping and then noticed after I had paid them that "processing time" is 30 days.

The whole thing stinks like a scam, but I guess we'll see. It'll either be here in a week or in five weeks.
 
B

bpalmer1455

Senior Member
Sep 18, 2014
59
4
I just noticed that the aliexpress add says this: "Newsmy android 4.4 quad core car dvd 7 inch for univeral Android only (without DVD, bluetooth,NU3001)" Do you think that means that it doesn't have bluetooth? Surely not.

Also it looks to me like the guaranteed delivery time is 30 days. I bet you'll get it much quicker than that if you chose DHL.
 
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    Tuatara
    Tuatara
    Tuatara ROM - 1.1.4 - Pre-rooted, ClockworkMod, ViPER4Android and more!!!

    usafle said:
    Thanks. But that's WAY beyond my "pay grade".
    Maybe someone can incorporate this into a ROM build and have it pre-rooted???? Hope???
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    It's been 2 weeks since I've received my NU5002S-H-H0 (2Gb) [thank you Summer], and as you will soon see, I've been very busy with it. And without any further fanfare, here it is ... :D

    Tuatara Carpad II ROM - v1.1.4 - ClockworkMod Recovery

    Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/fold...Xd3FpYnM?resourcekey=0-XHnTblkVt0_4pgzJk08WVA

    NOTE: I broke Chrome in my first 1.1.4 upload. The only ROM change needed is Chrome.apk moved from /system/app to /system/preinstall. Please download version 1.1.4.1.

    NOTE: toologic noted that the ROM encountered errors using the FactoryTool 4.4. I have since repacked the ROM, and I have ensured it is fully compatible for modification and repacking. Additionally I've moved all non-stock APKs other than for root support into /system/preinstall for better customization purposes.
    Please download version 1.1.4.2 - Tested and confirmed working

    UNTESTED: I had some time at work today, so I built up the ROM with the changes as I've been working on. I've called this 1.1.4.3.
    If you're feeling adventurous and want to try an untested build then go right ahead and download version 1.1.4.3.
    I will be testing these when I get home tonight in a few hours. They should be perfectly fine, and can be upgraded through SDCard. Backup first though!
    Only download version 1.1.4.3 if ready to try my untested update(s).

    Changes for 1.1.4.3:
    • Moved ViPER4Android to /system/preinstall from /system/app to avoid future upgrade issues
      There are known issues with installing ViPER as a system app

      build.prop:
    • Reduced HWUI aggressive memory usage, as it provided little benefit above the new values (I noticed display update issues when under load)
      Settings as per my post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=58964882&postcount=3102

      audio_policy.conf:
    • Changed usb_device policy to permit dynamic samplig rates, channels, and formats for external USB Audio support
      Should help with external USB audio devices - maybe someone wants to try a 5.1 system in a car?
    • Added usb_device for input, with dynamic input rates, but retained 16 bit stereo for android mixing purposes

    Bonovo Testing - From Test-Radio version
    These are the apps & libraries I found which were different and can possibly provide the updated power-off time selection interface.
    Only try the Bonovo ROM if you're interested in testing out the changed applications and libraries. (TESTING ONLY)
    • /system/app
    • BonovoAirConditioning.apk
    • BonovoMcu.apk
    • BonovoRadio.apk

      /system/framework
    • libbonovo_colorpick.jar
    • libbonovo-colorpick.jar

      /system/lib
    • libbonovobluetooth.so

    Multiple versions of build.prop available!!!
    I've made a few versions of the build.prop file to (hopefully) address the majority of use-cases needed. I've also made a reduced memory (but still increased from stock for HWUI) version of the build.prop for 1G devices, which may provide better memory usage and performance.
    Use FWFactory Tool to modify the build.prop, change the boot logo (of course), and build your personalized ROM
    • Tuatara 1.1.4.3 [Original as built]
    • Tuatara 1.1.4.3 -1G [Original as built, with reduced memory usage HWUI and Dalvik for 1G devices]
    • Tuatara 1.1.4.3 US [Original as built, with US locale and timezone settings]
    • Tuatara 1.1.4.3 US -1G [Original as built, with US locale and timezone settings and reduced memory usage HWUI and Dalvik for 1G devices]
    • Google Nexus 7 2013 [Pretends to BE a Nexus 7 2013 model at the hardware level. Playstore fix? May not work or even boot. Only use if you know how to recover using bootloader! ]

    Changes from the STOCK 1.1.4 ROM to Tuatara 1.1.4.2
    • Full Root with SuperSU 2.46
    • /etc/init.d support
    • Android L inspired
    • ClockworkMod Recovery
    • Google Now or Launcher3 Launcher choice
    • ViPER4Android pre-installed (High Quality) with Impulses
    • Repartitioned to 3Gb for your "Out of space error" avoidance!
    • English (New Zealand), Pacific/Auckland as default timezone (That's where Tuataras live)
    • Use Rockchip Batch Tool version 1.6/1.7 to flash the firmware
    • ALWAYS use Restore button
    • Mount errors on first reboot can be safely ignored.
      These are due to the new Partition Layout containing random prior data
    • Once booted - wait 2 minutes to allow all apps to install fully and ClockworkMod to flash to recovery before rebooting
    • Use RebootMenu to enter recovery mode for ClockworkMod

    NOTE: In ClockworkMod reboot, when asked "Root access possibly lost. Fix?", answer "No".
    This error is only appearing because the ROM is using SuperSU and not Superuser.
    There is nothing necessary to fix about /system/bin/su.

    Credits and Props to:
    Oma (CrewRKTablets - Rockchip ClockworkMod builds)
    Finless (Freaktab - ROM samples and invaluable information)
    Renedis (For debloated English ROMs - Renedis)
    red13dotnet (First debloated and rooted ROM - Amplified)
    Zaphod-Beeblebrox (ASOP builds, CWM attempts and effort)
    usafle (Invaluable testing and feedback - incl. ViPER4Android configuration)
    ViPER520 & zhuhang (ViPER4Android)
    alaninsitges (Taking the plunge and purchasing the first one, starting it all)
    and everyone else providing feedback on XDA about the Carpad II!


    Build information:
    Linux Kernel: Linux version 3.0.36+
    Base ROM: AD3188_KK4.4.2_CARPAD_1.1.4
    Android build: rockchip/rk3188/rk3188:4.4.2/KOT49H/eng.dzwei.20150212.093618:eng/test-keys
    ro.product.version=1.1.4
    RK3188Loader(L)_V2.15.bin

    Custom firmware features: (Changes from Newsmy Stock ROM)

    • Custom Boot Logo (Tuatara of course ;)
    • Android L boot animation
    • Material Design inspired wallpaper
    • Choice of Google Now Launcher, or Launcher 3 at startup
    • ADB Shell available in recovery
    • full pre-root with latest SuperSU version 2.46 (free version)
    • Partition: userdata increased to 3Gb for applications (tripled from 1Gb)
    • New partition layout
      Code: 
             misc: 0x000400000 -- 0x000800000 (4 MB)
     kernel: 0x000800000 -- 0x001400000 (12 MB)
       boot: 0x001400000 -- 0x002000000 (12 MB)
   recovery: 0x002000000 -- 0x004000000 (32 MB)
     backup: 0x004000000 -- 0x008000000 (64 MB)
      cache: 0x008000000 -- 0x010000000 (128 MB)
   userdata: 0x010000000 -- 0x0d0000000 (3072 MB)
   metadata: 0x0d0000000 -- 0x0d0400000 (4 MB)
     kpanic: 0x0d0400000 -- 0x0d0800000 (4 MB)
     system: 0x0d0800000 -- 0x100000000 (760 MB)
       user: 0x100000000 -- 0x1d1c00000 (3356 MB)
    • NOTE: Available data partition decreased by 2Gb (from 6Gb to ~4Gb)
      Use (up to) 32Gb external USB storage for application data on Class 10 SD Card
      NOTE: operationally infinite USB storage through USB host attached drives
    • removed Chinese applications (Autonavi, BaiDuInput, Nauto, PinyinIME)
    • Unix like init.d boot scripts support, more details on init.d scripts (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1610741)
    • changed permissions on external sdcard to allow write access
    • disabled OTA updates (since it would cause problems)
    • increased the dalvik vm heap sizes to suit 2Gb Android Box (1Gb should benefit - but needs testing)
    • increased the size of UI cache buffers for better graphics performance
    • enabled screenshot capabilities
    • removed unnecessary failed initialization of SGX540 graphics
    • Region/Language/Timezone changed to en/NZ, Pacific/Auckland
    • Google Play Store fix to make more application visible/compatible (UserAgent set to be a Nexus 7)
      Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 4.4.2; Nexus 7 Build/KOT49H) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/36.0.1985.49 Safari/537.36
    • Applications Added:
      Chrome
      Google Now Launcher
      Reboot Menu
      Rockchip APK Installer
      Rockchip Explorer
      Rockchip Update Service
    • Retained:
      SuperUser 2.46 (updated)
      ES File Explorer (updated)
      Antutu Benchmark (updated)
      Wifi Analyzer (updated)
    • NOTE: All original ROM apps were retained and NOT updated
      These can all be easily updated through the Play Store
    • Specified omitted feature support for:
      android.hardware.audio.low_latency
      android.hardware.location
      android.hardware.touchscreen.multitouch.distinct
      android.hardware.touchscreen.multitouch.jazzhand
      android.hardware.usb.accessory
      android.hardware.usb.host
      com.google.android.feature.GOOGLE_BUILD
      com.google.android.feature.GOOGLE_EXPERIENCE
    • added Adobe base fonts
    • Viper4Android v2.3.4.0 pre-included in ROM in High Quality Mode (why compromise?)
      Credits for Viper4Android: ViPER520 and zhuhang (http://vipersaudio.com/)
      Please use "Compatible Mode" if you insert other sound mods
    • ViPER4Android pre-installed Impulses (BBE_Presets_11, DFX_Presets_5, DOLBY_Presets_8, IRS Starter Pack, TRACKS_Presets_16)
    • ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery fully supported
      Automatically flashed to recovery partition after initial recovery configuration and reboot

    Feedback, suggestions, improvements, recommendations appreciated!
    View
    16
    B
    Bokomaru
    xdAuto 1.1.6d released

    New version of xdAuto released. Download links at the new thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/android-head-units/xdauto-rom-newsmy-carpad-t3266694

    Code: 
    1.1.6d: December 8 2015
	Add OTA-Updater software to make updates easier
	Disable rkupdateservice
	Update usb_modeswitch to 2.2.6
	Add 3 ITU Regions to Radio.  (Allows US AM stations to be properly spaced)
	Fix bug with Radio not adding favorites in certain cases
	Update usb_modeswitch and switch to building from source
	Add Bluetooth AVRCP support (playing track info and play position)
	Bluetooth phone will now show the caller name provided by the connected phone
	Bluetooth audio can now be controlled by SWC without opening the Bluetooth audio app first
	Fix for volume popup breaking immersive mode in apps such as Automate beta
    View
    15
    A
    alaninsitges
    I'm updating this post so as to provide an overview of what is discussed in the thread (and in hopes that people will quit asking the same questions over and over that have already been answered).

    There is a ton of great information in the wiki here. Please read through it before asking questions here - this thread has gotten very, very (very) long and it's tough to keep up with what's happening when people keep asking questions that are in the wiki.

    The below info is from November; current info is in the wiki.

    WHAT IS IT: The Newsmy Carpad NU3001 is a dual-DIN Android head unit that runs KitKat 4.4.2, has a 7-inch screen, and no physical controls. It's nice-looking, very well made, and comes rooted out of the box. The manufacturer seems to be quite responsive to bug reports and feature requests, releasing frequent ROM and MCU updates to fix problems and usability issues. Oh, and we have full source code. ;)

    Cg-4WlPsl5mIRxBWAASbxICOuSsAAQf4wD_XxsABJvc333.jpg


    MAJOR FEATURES:
    • Quad-core 1.6GHz Rockchip RK3188 CPU and 1GB RAM
    • FM radio (RDS currently not working, awaiting a software update, priusfan figured out how to hack station names if you really must)
    • 8GB Flash
    • Android Box that contains CPU and most of the Android guts connected via cable that can be unplugged and removed from the car
    • Built-in Wifi
    • 1024x600 Capacitive Screen
    • Dual Bluetooth: one is standard Android BT for use with ODB etc. The second is hard-wired to the phone app and only works for phone calls and streaming music.
    • Pure Android, no fugly launchers, minimal other apps that aren't bad.
    • 4x25W amplifier

    WHERE TO BUY: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/News...eral-Android-only-without-DVD/2035002543.html COST USD$339. People are reporting various delivery times, mine shipped next day and arrived a week later. Note: this is the actual manufacturer on AliExpress, other pages are resellers. Do with that what you will. There is a dealer in Spain if you'd prefer to buy from Europe, it's 417€ plus shipping with VAT included. http://exclusivecarauto.com/android-quadcore-carpad-wifi-p-1001.html

    BASIC Q&A:
    Is it any good? Yes, it seems to be stable and work as expected
    Is there a version for my car? No. It's only a universal 2-DIN package
    But I saw one for a... No, you didn't. That's a Windows CE/Android frankestein thing made by the same company. You don't want it.
    Does it work with Torque? Yes.
    Does it work with my SWC? Supposedly, nobody has tried it yet. There is both CAN bus and resistive connections.
    Can I talk on the phone and use Torque at the same time? Yes.
    Can it be rooted? It comes rooted out of the box.
    What ports does it have? USB Host, USB OTG, little bitty HDMI for when you take the Android Box out of your car and hook it to a TV
    What connections does it have for my car? 4 channel high-power speakers, FM antenna, 1 set of line outs, 1 set of line ins, 3 composite video ins, CAN bus low and high (confusingly labeled + and -) and the usual complement of battery, acc, ground, dash lights, reverse switch, etc.
    Does it run ....? Yes, think of it as a 7-inch tablet with built-in amp and radio that looks great in your dash.
    AliExpress? Yes. It's like the Chinese eBay. Buying from them is not complicated. Summer, the girl who handles orders, is responsive and helpful.

    HELPFUL LINKS:

    CAVEATS:
    • There are no balance or fader controls, no equalizer, etc. You get 25 watts to 4 speakers and a single line out to hook up your subs or amps or whatever. Fixed in firmware 1.0.9
    • RDS doesn't work at the moment, they say a software update is in the works.
    • The microphone input is hard-wired to the phone-specific BT module. This means among other things that you cannot use Google Now voice control with this unit until we figure out how to connect a mic to it. There is plenty of USB connectivity, so it's only a matter of time. USB microphone works, including "OK Google". http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=56386685&postcount=359

    OTHER INTERESTING THINGS:
    There are extra wires in the AV harness that are for old-school steering wheel keys that use a resistive matrix. It ought to be possible to hook up all sorts of buttons and controls in a car for various stuff. The MCU is aware of these.
    It sounds really good.
    Screen is bright and crisp.
    Using the Android box with your TV requires a DC adapter that is not included and nobody knows what the specs are. It's 5V DC, appears chargers from old Nokia phones with the teeny tiny plug will work

    I'll try to keep this post updated but it's my busy season at work so don't have a lot of time.

    Here's the original post that started it all:


    I've been wanting to buy a H/U for a while now but nobody makes one of the Huifei ones for my Saab 9-3, and the universal ones are so gaudy and fugly that I've just kept searching, hoping to find something better looking. Today I came across this Italian guy on eBay, selling a very attractive universal double DIN with Kitkat. The one he's selling is a dual Android/WinCE unit (not interested) and claims to have both an 8-inch and 10.2-inch screen, so not really trustworthy.

    BUT. I did a reverse image search on all the stuff he copy/pasted in the wrong aspect ratio and came up with a different model from Newsmy which claims to have a quad core A9 @ 1.6Ghz and be pure Android 4.4.2 with no WinCE.

    Other stuff:

    - Works with steering wheel controls
    - 7" display @ 1024x600
    - NO optical drive
    - Dual bluetooth (one standard BC5 for the phone, one for OBD).
    - Good TDA7851 amplifier (28Wx4)
    - All the usual crap like car DVR, TV, etc.
    - Screenshot shows a stock launcher, no sign of any UI that looks like it's from an 80's sci-fi movie.
    - I am aware that it appears to be a cheap tablet stuck to the front of a 2-DIN chassis
    - No line outs that I can see, one of the sockets on the back is labled AV IN and looks to have a lot of pins, and another that seems to be a firewire port labeled Key Accessory Interface. No idea.

    The only way to buy one seems to be either for USD$299 through a reseller on Aliexpress, whose listing is mostly incomprehensible, or direct from Newsmy on EC21 for USD$200. I have no experience with either site.

    I guess I'm going to roll the dice and see if I can get one of these shipped to me and find out if it's any good.

    ETA: found a ton of pictures; apparently you can pull the front panel off and connect it to your TV via HDMI.

    EATA: not allowed to post links so you'll have to Google I guess.
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    Zaphod-Beeblebrox
    Zaphod-Beeblebrox
    So I got an e-mail from Summer. They are interested in using some of our UI enhancements. Of course our code is open source and they are welcome to use it. I just hope this leads to a little more communication between us and their techs. I will be pushing for them to finish up RDS code :)
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    13
    B
    Bokomaru
    CarpadCE ROM version 1.1.6b1

    I've uploaded a new build of a rom based on the github code. This is not my rom, it is a collaboration of everyone in the community that has contributed to the code base that is on github.

    I've named the rom CarpadCE (Community Edition) and set the version as 1.1.6b1.

    This has most of the recent changes merged in, though the radio code has not been touched (waiting for @Zaphod-Beeblebrox to have some free time)

    I figured out the last bit of the TWRP code to make TWRP an ideal default. From now on I suspect most people will want to use recovery for updates. Using recovery to update you won't lose your settings unless you intentionally wipe them.

    New features:
    • Rooted by default with SuperSU
    • USB flash drive accessible from TWRP
    • Ability to set standby time

    Files are uploaded to a google drive here

    carpadce-1.1.6b1.img is an image that can be pushed with the RKBatchTool
    carpadce-1.1.6b1.zip can be updated via recovery

    More things to come in the future. Thanks to everyone that has contributed!

    Edit: there is an issue with this release and the filesystem keeping some apps from working. Also the name has changed and the official community release name will be: xdAuto
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