General ROLL-UP -Joying 2GB - Sofia ( Non MTCB/MTCD )- Tips, tricks and mods

[nk33]

So i have had this stereo nearly 2 years now. Near the very begining it had the issue where the screen would go blank intermitently until it just stayed blank - but the stereo was still working.

i was directed by Joying to some youtube video of soldering that needed to be done to fix the issue. i wasnt happy but it was obviously easier to get someone to do this for me than it would be to send it back and wait for them to send it back to me.

Since doing this the screen has worked fine - until this week...it is going blank intermitently again and i am sure it is only a matter of time before it goes blank fully.

Just a couple questions;

1) is it worth doing the sodlering again?

2) Have Joying got any "new & improved" versions of this unit which you guys would recommend as an upgrade to this one? Preferebly with the same connectors at the back so that all i have to do is take this one out and put the new one in...preferably faster processor too with better cooling and not this issue with the screen

thanks in advance for any advice

 

[R4m80]

So i have had this stereo nearly 2 years now. Near the very begining it had the issue where the screen would go blank intermitently until it just stayed blank - but the stereo was still working.

i was directed by Joying to some youtube video of soldering that needed to be done to fix the issue. i wasnt happy but it was obviously easier to get someone to do this for me than it would be to send it back and wait for them to send it back to me.

Since doing this the screen has worked fine - until this week...it is going blank intermitently again and i am sure it is only a matter of time before it goes blank fully.

Just a couple questions;

1) is it worth doing the sodlering again?

2) Have Joying got any "new & improved" versions of this unit which you guys would recommend as an upgrade to this one? Preferebly with the same connectors at the back so that all i have to do is take this one out and put the new one in...preferably faster processor too with better cooling and not this issue with the screen

thanks in advance for any advice

All Joying head units use the same connector, so any Joying head unit will plug straight into your current harness. Joying just released new head units with Android 8.1, new CPU's and 4G sim slot integrated in the head unit. Have a look at their website.

 

[gustden]

So i have had this stereo nearly 2 years now. Near the very begining it had the issue where the screen would go blank intermitently until it just stayed blank - but the stereo was still working.

i was directed by Joying to some youtube video of soldering that needed to be done to fix the issue. i wasnt happy but it was obviously easier to get someone to do this for me than it would be to send it back and wait for them to send it back to me.

Since doing this the screen has worked fine - until this week...it is going blank intermitently again and i am sure it is only a matter of time before it goes blank fully.

Just a couple questions;

1) is it worth doing the sodlering again?

2) Have Joying got any "new & improved" versions of this unit which you guys would recommend as an upgrade to this one? Preferebly with the same connectors at the back so that all i have to do is take this one out and put the new one in...preferably faster processor too with better cooling and not this issue with the screen

thanks in advance for any advice

Same issue here. After about 1 year, the screen went blank, but was still responsive. Under high magnification, it was very easy to see the "why" it failed. It was the worst soldering I had ever seen on a circuit board. I re-soldered just about everything on the board while I had it out to avoid future issues. After ~2 years it died again, this time it died for good, even with re-soldering it again.

I contacted Joying and they did offer me a 30% discount on a new unit (US-JY-UO135P4), which looks identical except for a faster processor and more memory. I am very hesitant to buy another Joying... A decent head unit should last more than 2 years.

 

[surfer63]

Same issue here. After about 1 year, the screen went blank, but was still responsive. Under high magnification, it was very easy to see the "why" it failed. It was the worst soldering I had ever seen on a circuit board. I re-soldered just about everything on the board while I had it out to avoid future issues. After ~2 years it died again, this time it died for good, even with re-soldering it again.

I contacted Joying and they did offer me a 30% discount on a new unit (US-JY-UO135P4), which looks identical except for a faster processor and more memory. I am very hesitant to buy another Joying... A decent head unit should last more than 2 years.

Same here. I now have a PX5 (may 2018) which (still) functions fine, but I had a Joying Sofia 3GR which I still use "on the bench" occasionally for testing. I have now connected a mouse and keyboard to the usb connections as the screen gets worse in an increasing rate, both visible and "touch wise" and already for 5-6 months. The bottom half simply does not react. I received that one in January 2017. So I used it 1 year 5 months in my car and since then once a week (or so) on the bench. I hope the PX5 wil last much longer.
Looking inside the units the soldering is indeed terribly bad, both in the Sofia 3GR as well as in the PX5.
However, I have no other brand Chinese unit to compare with: Are they all this bad?
I guess my new car (no plans yet) will have a builtin factory unit: Not so customizable, but much higher quality.

 

[nk33]

As i mentioned above mine is very strange - its either on or off - no in between.

I have found that if it goes off, if i nudge the corners with my thumb it comes back on. Sometimes it is on for the whole day without ever going off. Sometimes i get in the car and it wont come on for ages and what i do is just bluetooth my phone media and change the source until it gets there.

i live in London so the hot & cold temps are bad for the soldering as it will expand and contract with time and then eventually just fail.

i wish i knew how to solder myself then i would just do it but i am waiting for it to get really bad then get someone to do it.

 

[midd33]

What is the highest Android version I can install on this unit?

 

[surfer63]

What is the highest Android version I can install on this unit?

6.0.1

 

[nk33]

What is the highest Android version I can install on this unit?

i think 6.0 mate.

But the lower versions work better. For example mine came with 5.0 and i did not upgrade to 6 as everything was working well with 5.0. i have heard some bad stories about version 6.0 if the unit was not shipped with it

 

[KamaL]

Is it possible to run android auto on these devices?
Still running Android 5.0
Any working apk?
Thanks

Sent from my LG-H930 using Tapatalk

 

[Beatwolf]

Is it possible to run android auto on these devices?
Still running Android 5.0
Any working apk?
Thanks

Sent from my LG-H930 using Tapatalk

Yes it is possible, but not directly AFAIK. Have a look here: https://xdaforums.com/android-auto/...-unit-android-auto-host-device-t3646736/page3


I have a questeion: Has anyone installed a rear view /backup camera? Anything they can recommend from Aliexpress, Ebay etc? I have a Golf 5 with a Joying PX5 and am looking to install a rear view camera if it isn't to big of a hassle.

 

[KamaL]

Yes it is possible, but not directly AFAIK. Have a look here: https://xdaforums.com/android-auto/...-unit-android-auto-host-device-t3646736/page3
.

Guess what, HeadUnit Reloaded for Android Auto seems to be actually a very good solution, thanks!
I need to test it more thoroughly, but this finally makes GPS and network data rely on my android phone, and not the bad GPS antenna and sluggish BT tethering support of the joying unit!

I have a questeion: Has anyone installed a rear view /backup camera? Anything they can recommend from Aliexpress, Ebay etc? I have a Golf 5 with a Joying PX5 and am looking to install a rear view camera if it isn't to big of a hassle.

I have both installed on my unit, reverse camera when I put the car in reverse mode, a simple one for eBay , any technician should be able to install easily.
Regarding backup cam , I had a camera with USB connection, and using @LBDroid's excellent tips, I'm using it as a DVR which records directly to the SD card in the joying unit. Here's the thread about this:
https://xdaforums.com/android-auto/mtcd-android-head-units-general/dashcam-joying-intel-t3523305

This is the reason I'm still on the first 5.0 ROM, and never upgraded to 6.0 ROMs.

 

[Beatwolf]

Thanks for that @KamaL
I've actually been fiddling with HeadUnit Reloaded myself, but can't seem to get it to work. I've been trying USB, I got it to work briefly, but now I only get a black screen on the HU. Running in Android Auto in developer mode. Can't seem to set my USB settings on the phone to "tethering" or anything else than what it selects by itself. Not sure if that might have something to do with it.

 

[KamaL]

Thanks for that @KamaL
I've actually been fiddling with HeadUnit Reloaded myself, but can't seem to get it to work. I've been trying USB, I got it to work briefly, but now I only get a black screen on the HU. Running in Android Auto in developer mode. Can't seem to set my USB settings on the phone to "tethering" or anything else than what it selects by itself. Not sure if that might have something to do with it.

In the app settings, you have to chose your phone in the menu. Did you do that?

Sent from my LG-H930 using Tapatalk

 

[DeejayTelis]

Hey there, If anyone is willing to sell his Intel Sofia unit, I've been looking for one, for the BMW E46. If anyone wants to sell his, so that he can upgrade or something, please pm me.! I've been looking for one for months, never really found one!

 

[midd33]

@DeejayTelis I have one. I just got to work. I'll give you the info when I get home.

 

[DeejayTelis]

@DeejayTelis I have one. I just got to work. I'll give you the info when I get home.

Thank you, at last! Alright send me a pm whenever you can, no rush, I've been waiting for months anyway . Is it for the BMW E46 and with the Intel SoFia ? Most probably the model: Joying JY-BL121N2 ?

 

[nk33]

Thank you, at last! Alright send me a pm whenever you can, no rush, I've been waiting for months anyway . Is it for the BMW E46 and with the Intel SoFia ? Most probably the model: Joying JY-BL121N2 ?

hi mate - i have this sofia unit but it has the known issue with the screen which requires soldering every year or so.

i have replaced it with the new intel one which is much faster and more reliable. it is on a newer version of android and even more importantly it has its own DSP.

dont understand why you would get the sofia one? it was good in its day but is now way behind

if you really want one i can sell you mine - the screen works fine but sometimes if it is cold the screen is blank so if you do the soldering it will fix the issue for about a year to a year and a half

 

[bogdi1988]

Hey there, If anyone is willing to sell his Intel Sofia unit, I've been looking for one, for the BMW E46. If anyone wants to sell his, so that he can upgrade or something, please pm me.! I've been looking for one for months, never really found one!

If you weren't in Athens I would have sold you mine

 

[DeejayTelis]

Yeah, I think generally it's really difficult to send to Greece.. High shipping costs, and I have a great probability to pay import duties and custom taxes etc. I have to think it again, as it might not be worth it to have it sent to me from outside EU. @nk33 i want the old intel sofia one, so that i can use the bluetooth mods availiable in order to connect my bluetooth tpms and other bluetooth devices freely. As i understand intel sofia has the bt chip integrated in the soc, thus i have complete control over the bt.
As of now I have also contacted the Joying Europe official support to ask if the happen to have one in stock, even though its unlisted in their site.
If anyone is selling it in the EU it would be perfect. I'll keep you notified if anything changes.

 

[midd33]

Mine wasn't that BMW model anyway. Sorry.