Dedicated Android SatNav from Icebox Audio

[PsYcHe]

There's quite a wide range of boxes appearing with OEM style fascias on them. Looked at a few for SWMBO's X5, but also considering an android auto/carplay unit as it's a bit more future proofed and the youngest gets discount at halfrauds

[Ronin]

Originally Posted by PsYcHe

There's quite a wide range of boxes appearing with OEM style fascias on them. Looked at a few for SWMBO's X5, but also considering an android auto/carplay unit as it's a bit more future proofed and the youngest gets discount at halfrauds

This is one of 2 i found that are made for the d2 and fit it oem style with no cutting or sanding etc. The other one was from a company called seicane (some ali express brand)

Have you found any other ones?

[27litres]

A few years back when I looked around there were several Android head units for retrofit into the A8.

Two of them looked like the RNS-E (ie: the unit being discussed here), the difference being the location of the micro-SD card slots.
One of those even purported to support the DIS screen, though I've since never been able to find this claim.

The other type I found looked sort of like a cross between an RNS-D and the VW RNS-510, with blue button backlighting/surround.

I have no idea on the manufacturers, though I have heard of Seicane before via the Tavarish YouTube channel (he put one of these in his Gallardo).
My looking online would have been AliExpress, Banggood, HCSale, and general Google searches.


The only issue with the Android units from 3 or 4 years ago (or whenever I last looked) was the state of Android being used outside of phones or tablets, especially modified versions in media players and the like. Plus the quality of the Chinese components (which do seem to be getting better).
I've used two Android based media players in the last few years, and have been singularly unimpressed. One was a Minix Neo, the other some generic box. Slow, difficult to use, would 'hang' after a while, would randomly cut out during playback of video files (using several programs including Kodi/XBMC and including updating software and firmware).
I ended up back on the good old WDTV!
Now moving to a Roku and Plex...

Maybe with a dedicated Android Auto setup, these units may work quite well now?

[Ronin]

Additionally I will be trying to make this unit work with FIS, there's already people over on android programming forums that managed to get it to work on the newer models so as least I can establish its not impossible.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...s-mfa-t3803020

[Ronin]

Sorry for the slow progress i started a new job and all that

The radio is now in. It fits and looks OEM




Even the corners fit perfectly:



I haven't wired in the reverse cam yet but the Radio sounds as good if not better as RNS-D and so do CD's, DVD's and high quality spotify streams.

The menus are fluid and dont glitch out.

Only down side i've noticed so far is a slightly longer boot time (kind of like on an android phone) but this shouldn't matter much unless you're a parcelforce driver..

I will be posting more info as soon as I get some time.

[MikkiJayne]

I've been sitting here twitching waiting for this

How long is startup? I'm used to aftermarket units reading from USB stick for a few seconds so that wouldn't bother me.

[paulrstaylor]

FWIW if start up time if your main concern, I got a Sony unit in my RS4, they don't have the custom/OEM look face plate, but they make noise in a couple of seconds and screen is responsive very shortly after from cold boot.....

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/i...s/xav-ax3005db