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az3579
11-29-2017, 08:22 PM
Review of the Xtrons PB7646BAP Android 6.0 Head Unit
by az3579 for ZHP Mafia
Revision 1.0, 2017-11-29

Overview / Disclaimers


The Xtrons PB7646BAP Android 6.0 stereo is one of many similar Android head units available for the BMW E46 3 series platform, offering an OE-fitment head unit that can fit into the space designated for factory-installed navigation units without the use of aftermarket radio adapter plates. The PB7646BAP is also a viable retrofit option for those who lack factory navigation but want an upgraded stereo while retaining an OE look.

I purchased my unit from Amazon for $359.99, the order being fulfilled by the manufacturer of the product, Xtrons. This product was available with Prime shipping, so it arrived two days after placing the order.

A direct link to the product purchased can be found at the following link. Prices have dropped since purchase, and it is currently available for $309.99.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MY9YHIB/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Product Details

The specifications for this unit, as pulled from their marketing, are as follows:
· Octa-core processor
· 2 GB RAM
· 1024x600 resolution display
· 32GB onboard storage
· Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system

More detailed specifications about the audio-related aspects of the unit can be found here:
http://xtrons.com/pb7646bp-7-hd-digital-octa-core-64bit-32gb-2g-ram-android-6-multi-touch-screen-car-dvd-player-custom-fit-for-bmw-e46-rover-75-mg-zt.html



Ease of Installation

The head unit comes with everything needed for installation and then some. There are various adapter cables included to assist with adding the features you need to the unit, so you can choose which cables you wish to use or omit.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4555/26959531829_8575bb9f9d_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jDyi)20171129-001 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4543/37848379605_e690f04fb0_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwQD4)20171129-002 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



All of the included cables are plug and play, and are keyed or pinned accordingly so that you can’t make a mistake with plugged in a cable in the incorrect port.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4540/37848378265_44fc546891_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwQeX)20171129-003 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



In the event that you are unsure, you can reference the label on the top of the unit to reference where things should plug in. The label also shows various pinouts for any custom work you plan on doing.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/26959529309_e15fba3ed5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCNR)20171129-004 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Thankfully, there isn’t much to say about installation. Since everything is plug and play, all connectors fit together properly and are designed to work with the E46. Steering wheel controls work out-of-the-box when using the supplied CANBUS decoder harness.

Since my car did not have factory navigation, I can’t comment on what additional harnesses may be needed for vehicles with factory nav, so that will not be covered in this review. If you have/had factory navigation, you should check with the manufacturer to see if any additional harnesses are needed, as factory nav equipped vehicles use a different harness setup than ones with the Business radio.




Build Quality

The face of the PB7646BAP is made of a textured plastic which extends to the buttons as well. This makes the buttons ever so slightly grippier than smooth buttons, making it less likely that your fingers will slip. It is not a rubberized coating, however, so this extra grip is negligible.

Over the past couple of months, I have experienced severe glare from the screen when driving in the opposite direction of the sun. This becomes a nuisance when driving in the late afternoon as the sun is setting when it shines through your rear window. To cure this, an anti-glare screen protector may be of value, but I do not currently have one. This post will be updated when an anti-glare screen protector is installed. The display itself is nice and bright and always visible when using the appropriate brightness setting, but brightness does not adjust automatically as there is no ambient light sensor, so I found myself fiddling with the brightness every time the ambient light changed from light to dark and vice versa. It's a small annoyance, but it is definitely a point for improvement.

Unfortunately, this head unit suffers from mushy feeling buttons. When pressed, they do not give a tactile button-press type of feedback, instead feeling like the mushy keys of a membrane computer keyboard. That means that a button press require more pressure to ensure it was properly pressed. This has not interfered with the usage of the device, however, and I did not experience issues with having to press buttons twice for the presses to register. An area of improvement would be to make the buttons have more of a click feeling when pressed to give the user positive feedback of successful activation. For those functions that aren’t controlled by buttons, there are on-screen controls to aid in these functions, such as an on-screen button for display brightness (or turning the screen off), as well as soft-buttons for those functions that do have physical buttons as well. Functions that can be controlled by buttons are:
· Navigation
· Radio Band (also opens the Radio app)
· Menu (takes you to home screen)
· Mode (cycles between music playing modes)
· Mute/Power – single press for mute/unmute, long press for power on/off
· Eject CD/DVD
· Skip Forward
· Skip Back
· Play/Pause

For those concerned about how the unit looks compared with the rest of the interior, I can put your mind at ease. The buttons are illuminated the same color as the interior lighting, though the brightness of the key illumination does not change with the LCM's adjustment dial. The lines on the head unit follow the dash for that aesthetic match. Since the cables are all squeezed behind the head unit, it does push the whole thing out a tiny bit, but it’s not really noticeable if you’re not looking for it.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4572/26959528599_897ad2d839_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCAB)20171129-015a (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCAB) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4570/37848372565_28cd6915b1_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwNxF)20171129-015b (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwNxF) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Performance and Usability

The performance of the unit is what makes this device stand out. There are many aftermarket head units in this form factor available for the E46, but most of them are essentially the same unit but with tweaked software. Configurations available from various manufacturers of the E46-style head units are:
· 800x480 or 1024x600 resolution, 2- and 4-core CPU, 1 GB RAM, 8- or 16 GB ROM
· 1024x600 resolution, 8-core CPU, 2 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM

The PB7646PAB is the latter of the two spec packages, and its performances shows. A cold boot after reconnecting the vehicle’s battery takes about 30 seconds, but this boot time is not one you experience often. This is because the device is configured to go into power save mode instead of shutting down when you turn off the ignition. As a result, it turns on instantly, and is immediately usable after turning on the ignition. The only times I’ve experienced a cold boot was when something major has changed with the electrical system, usually being a battery disconnect. I did not have issues with battery drain when I left my car parked at the airport for 5 days earlier this month.

The operating system is Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It is an older operating system by today’s standards, but it is still compatible with the vast majority of applications in the Google Play store, and performs admirably with the provided hardware. There is a possibility that a 7.1 Nougat ROM may be released in the future, but this is not definite and is at the discretion of the manufacturer.

Android 6.0 in this case has been fitted with a custom launcher, pictured below. Xtrons focused on providing large, easy-to-read icons that can also be easily tapped while driving. Disliking the amount of space taken up by the buttons, I replaced the launcher on my unit with a couple of different launchers available in the Play store in order to experience different customization capabilities and to test for stability. So far, I have not had any stability issues with these alternative launchers and found a couple of welcome customizations available in Android 6.0 that I did not have with my older Android 4.4 unit previously installed. These are changes made by switching to a newer operating system and not necessarily features of this particular unit, so you would experience this with other brands as well.



The stock Xtrons Android 6.0 launcher

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4577/37848373635_a4eb26fc31_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwNS8)20171129-007a (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwNS8) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

Custom launcher, “Nougat Launcher”
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/37848405055_b70d432a09_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwYcR)20171129-007b (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwYcR) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

Custom launcher, “Nova Launcher Premium”
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4548/26959529699_b883fd0d73_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCVz)20171129-007c (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCVz) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Thanks to the plug-and-play nature of this unit and its associated wiring, the feature for reverse camera engagement is seamless. The camera view comes on immediately upon putting the car into reverse, regardless of whether the unit has fully booted. Since I do not have a reverse camera at this time, I can’t comment on the connections for the camera or for its functionality. There are available plugs for it in the included wiring harness, so once you obtain a camera, it’s a simple matter of physically mounting the camera, running the wiring harness, and plugging it into the supplied harness.

Navigating from menu to menu is seamless. Animations are fluid and do not exhibit tearing between animation transitions. The specs are beefy enough to prevent the unit from slowing down much with numerous apps open. At any given time, I can have Google Maps, Bluetooth streaming, wireless (tethered hotspot from my phone), and various apps open, and not have to worry about slowness while switching between them. With my previous head unit (dual core, 1 GB RAM), just having Bluetooth streaming, WiFi enabled, and Google Maps open would cause the unit to introduce choppiness into the streaming music. 2 GB of RAM seems to be a sweet spot for alleviating these issues, so I am happy with the unit’s performance as equipped.

As you would expect from a stereo head unit, you have AM/FM Radio capability, giving you the option of listening to local radio stations. Unfortunately, the radio wasn’t usable out-of-the-box. The reason for this is that the antenna adapter cable supplied with the unit stuck out of the unit too far, preventing me from easily re-inserting the head unit into its spot in the dash. Because of this, I had to forego the AM/FM radio capability for a few days without an antenna cable installed and ordered a 90-degree antenna cable extension from Amazon (link below). Once installed, the radio inserted into the dash properly and AM/FM functionality was restored. As an added benefit, my radio reception was a bit better than with my previous Android 4.4 head unit.

6-inch antenna extension cable on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007WTELW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Personally, I like the Radio interface. It has nice, dark colors for easy reading at night, with a nice color scheme matching Android 6.0 Marshmallow. You can skip to certain areas of the frequency band by just tapping on its general location in the “timeline”, then using the right-side rotary knob to fine-tune the station. You can also just use the knob flat-out to select your station, or press an on-screen button to auto-search for a station with a strong signal. What appears to be 6 programmable presets is actually 18; you can swipe left-to-right on the presets section to cycle between all the various presets. When a radio station is selected, the station name and/or song name/artist display in a scrolling fashion on screen. Station changes are immediate with no lag in audio between the changing stations.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4570/26959529509_f6b29cca16_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCSi)20171129-008 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



This Xtrons head unit comes with Bluetooth 4.0 technology, allowing for music streaming if you wish to keep your music solution wireless. If already paired, the unit pairs with your phone automatically on ignition, and seems to pair on its own at least 90-95% of the time in my experience. It was rare that I had to manually go in and connect to my phone, which is more than could be said of my old Eonon unit. With the Eonon, I would find myself constantly going back in and manually connecting to my phone as it wouldn’t automatically pair a large percentage of the time. I can safely say this is not an issue with the Xtrons unit.

Call quality through Bluetooth is sufficient and found myself able to understand the other party on the phone when making a call through the unit. I typically have a hard time hearing people on phone calls in general no matter the phone type, so this is par for the course. With the case of this head unit, it wasn’t any different than a regular phone conversation, which is a good thing. When I asked others about the call quality through the built-in mic, they said they can hear and understand me just fine, which is impressive for a built-in mic with the cabin noise while at speed on the highway. If you are worried about call quality and wish to use an external microphone, there is a dedicated aux connection in the back of the unit via the supplied cable that you can use for your external mic. Contacts sync up when the phone is paired via Bluetooth, so you can dial directly from the contacts list, or you can enter a phone number manually via the large numberpad.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4556/26959529419_50d59c91a1_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCQK)20171129-009a (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCQK) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Playing music through Bluetooth yields a decent sound quality as long as the equalizer is properly set on whatever app you’re using on your phone. Being Bluetooth, the quality isn’t as good as USB or an aux cable (depending on the quality of the source file), but 320Kbps MP3’s sound perfectly fine through Bluetooth. When music is playing, the Bluetooth A2DP streaming app will show the artist and song name, giving you the basic options of Skip Back, Play/Pause, and Skip Forward. Music selection has to occur on the phone or music player itself.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4541/26959529379_76e856419d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCQ4)20171129-009b (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCQ4) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Speaking of music playback, there are ample options for this in addition to Bluetooth streaming. There is a total of three USB ports on the head unit; two of the ports are accessible via a dual-USB port dongle that plugs into the back. The final USB port is accessible through the front via a Mini-USB port that you can use with the supplied Mini-USB to USB Type-A dongle. There is also a Micro-SD card slot on the front, so you can also load music, pictures, and video on that medium. I do not play videos or view photos on my unit, but I do use these methods for music. I am happy to report that the built-in music app, as well as third-party apps downloaded from the Play store, detect these storage mediums and import the music without issue. If you wanted to use these devices for pictures and video, you can do that as well and access them through either the supplied applications or any third-party app from the Play store. There’s also a built-in tuner app where you can fine-tune the sound to your liking.

Main playback screen
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4535/37848376515_e1da5324b5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwPHM)20171129-010a (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwPHM) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

Swipe to the right for album/playlist selection
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/37848376335_62870e9b47_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwPEF)20171129-010b (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwPEF) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

Swipe to the left for song selection within that album/playlist
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/26959527659_5f7d61b3f8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCjp)20171129-010c (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCjp) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

Built-in tuner
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4544/37848372845_0e67ab62ef_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwNCv)20171129-011 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Note: There is iPod capability according to Xtrons, but I am unable to test as I no longer have an iPod. I did not see an included iPod cable to plug into the back of the unit, so I’m assuming it works through standard USB and a cable. If I am able to find someone with an iPod, I may end up testing this in the future, but this is not a definite. I’ll try to test this with an iPhone as well.

Xtrons advertises the unit as being capable of screen mirroring. Unfortunately, I was unable to get this work, and had trouble figuring out where to even try to set it up. There was no option in the Settings menu like there was in on my old Eonon unit, and the only app that I saw that seemed to resemble some kind of mirror application was EasyConnect. I was never able to make it past Step 3, which is Install MOB connection service. For reference, my phone is a Google Pixel running Android 8.0.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4562/26959527509_d6db3a7cc1_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCgP)20171129-012 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Google Maps works flawlessly on this unit. The 1024x600 resolution suits the application well, with route instructions and maps fitting properly on the screen. Every menu is sufficiently visible. This can be an issue on units that have the lower 800x480 resolution, like my old Eonon unit. There are no display issues here. There isn’t much to report on Google Maps because everything works as it should, including the voice search via the built-in mic. Google Maps should be updated through the Play Store in order to ensure the latest features, and it is recommended that you tether your head unit to a mobile hotspot or plug in a 3/4G hotspot dongle into one of its USB ports to get the full functionality of Google Maps. If you do not wish to use mobile data with the head unit, you also have the option of downloading an offline navigation solution with its own dedicated maps.

Google Maps in daytime mode
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4568/37848372685_401924aca3_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwNzK)20171129-013a (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwNzK) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr

Google Maps in nighttime mode – switches automatically based on time
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4545/26959527459_eda5e19d62_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCfX)20171129-013b (https://flic.kr/p/H5jCfX) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Other potentially useful built-in applications include:
· DVR – this could be for the dash cam functionality the unit offers
· Torque Lite - useful for viewing real-time OBD2 data for your car when paired with a compatible Bluetooth adapter
· DAB+ - I believe this a Europe-only feature, for use for radio
· GPS info – shows you connected GPS satellites and strength
· TPMS – I do not believe this will work with E46’s, but I am unable to test
· AVIN – I believe this is for audio/video connections, but once again, unable to test
· Apkinstaller – Allows you to sideload apps via an APK file instead of using the Google Play store

Finally, to make things easier on myself, I attempted to get Google Assistant installed on the unit. Unfortunately, the application doesn’t appear to work on this version of Android, or perhaps this particular type of hardware.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4536/38704069482_936f5aff8a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21Y9tqN)20171129-014 bybotond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



My workaround for this problem was to use the built-in Voice Search, which actually seems to work fine for the commands I give it. All I use it for is to play a certain album. For example, I’ll tell it “Play album Supermodel” and it will play the album named “Supermodel”. “OK Google” works as well, no matter what screen you’re on. This is a very handy feature for when you’re on the road and don’t wish to fiddle around with touching the screen to get some music going. For this feature to work, the music must be stored on the device or on an attached USB/SD device.



Final Thoughts

After all is said and done, I can safely say that I feel good about this purchase. After some of the downfalls of my previous Eonon head unit, I was hesitant to buy another device, but in the end, I’m glad I did. When shopping, I made sure to buy one with ample specs so I didn’t have any of the performance issues of my old unit. I am very happy with this unit for what I paid, and now it’s even cheaper, perfect for those who were waiting for a review before buying one. The only two things I wish they'd have done differently include the button feel when pushed and a matte screen so glare isn't such an issue.

Surely there are some things I could be missing from my review, so I will add them in the future as I remember them. Keep an eye out on the change log below for anything that I add.



Change log

v1.1 - 2017-11-30
- Added information about device brightness and lack of ambient light sensor in Build Quality section.
- Added information about key backlighting not adjusting with dial on LCM

v1.0 – 2017-11-29
Initial release

BMWCurves
11-29-2017, 11:48 PM
Thank you! Fantastic review.

A couple of questions:

Does it have any sort of ambient light sensor or day/night mode?
How quiet is the lowest volume setting, natively? Can that be adjusted?
Do the steering wheel controls work for Bluetooth audio e.g. if you open up and start playing Spotify on your phone and connect via Bluetooth, will the next/previous track buttons work on the steering wheel?

I'm sure I will have other questions, but that will get me started.

Really appreciate the review!

Dual
11-30-2017, 05:34 AM
Such a great review! Thank you.

az3579
11-30-2017, 05:36 AM
Does it have any sort of ambient light sensor or day/night mode?

There is no ambient light sensor. I haven't seen any similar units that do. The screen dims ever so slightly when the lights are turned on, but it's such a small brightness difference that it's hard to notice. I do find myself pressing the on-screen brightness button to adjust every time ambient light goes from dark to light and vice versa. Also, the button backlighting does not change brightness when using the adjustment wheel on the LCM, which isn't a problem for me since I run full brightness on my interior lighting, but may bug those who do not. Added this information to the review.



How quiet is the lowest volume setting, natively? Can that be adjusted?

The lowest volume setting is pretty quiet. When just sitting in the car with no vehicle movement, it's still very lightly audible, but when driving, you can't hear what's on the radio. I found that when listening to music while on the highway, settings 12-14 are perfectly audible and comfortable, which isn't even halfway through the volume range. All volume settings can be adjusted using the volume control knob or the steering wheel buttons.



Do the steering wheel controls work for Bluetooth audio e.g. if you open up and start playing Spotify on your phone and connect via Bluetooth, will the next/previous track buttons work on the steering wheel?

Yes, steering wheel controls work with the typical audio controls associated with the radio. Volume up/down and skip ahead/back buttons work perfectly regardless of the app you're using. Unfortunately, the steering wheel remapping app that comes with the unit doesn't do anything, so don't expect to be remapping any buttons.



Really appreciate the review!

Sorry it took so long - hopefully the thoroughness of the review explains why I've been so lazy to start writing it up. lol

johnrando
11-30-2017, 06:25 AM
Amazing review, thanks!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Dual
11-30-2017, 06:49 AM
Since the cables are all squeezed behind the head unit, it does push the whole thing out a tiny bit, but it’s not really noticeable if you’re not looking for it. Do you think a different 90º adapter for the antenna might improve this? I remember seeing a post somewhere where it was said that the retail adapters don't provide enough clearance.

az3579
11-30-2017, 09:28 AM
Do you think a different 90º adapter for the antenna might improve this? I remember seeing a post somewhere where it was said that the retail adapters don't provide enough clearance.

I don't think so, but I don't really want to buy any more cables to try to get that last 1mm. It's not bad at all, and I can live with it.
I'll take some pics so you can decide for yourself whether you can deal with it.

Dual
11-30-2017, 09:35 AM
No need for that, I don't think. I was just curious. I can live with a bit of a bump if I go with one of these.

(I think the post I am recalling involved hitting the barrel of a straight Motorola connector with a flat-blade screwdriver to create a bending point.)

nextelbuddy
11-30-2017, 10:55 AM
nice write up!

704sw
11-30-2017, 11:00 AM
No need for that, I don't think. I was just curious. I can live with a bit of a bump if I go with one of these.

(I think the post I am recalling involved hitting the barrel of a straight Motorola connector with a flat-blade screwdriver to create a bending point.)

I think that was @ZHPizza but I could be wrong.

Really fantastic writeup, Botond. I’m curious to see how your iPhone testing goes whenever you try it out. Question: I know you said the brightness doesn’t change with the rheostat, but do the buttons’ brightness change when you change the screen brightness? I like keeping things fairly dim in the cabin at night, especially on the highway.

az3579
11-30-2017, 12:08 PM
I think that was @ZHPizza but I could be wrong.

Really fantastic writeup, Botond. I’m curious to see how your iPhone testing goes whenever you try it out. Question: I know you said the brightness doesn’t change with the rheostat, but do the buttons’ brightness change when you change the screen brightness? I like keeping things fairly dim in the cabin at night, especially on the highway.

Key backlighting does not change at all, regardless of circumstances; they're only on or off, depending on whether interior lighting is active/inactive. The on-screen brightness controls only controls the display brightness. You can also long press on the on-screen control for brightness to turn the display off. Pressing any buttons or touching the screen turns the display back on.

ZHPizza
11-30-2017, 01:00 PM
I think that was @ZHPizza but I could be wrong.


Found it!

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?p=544096

704sw
11-30-2017, 01:04 PM
Key backlighting does not change at all, regardless of circumstances; they're only on or off, depending on whether interior lighting is active/inactive. The on-screen brightness controls only controls the display brightness. You can also long press on the on-screen control for brightness to turn the display off. Pressing any buttons or touching the screen turns the display back on.

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9pb7ljKox1qzqdem.gif

BMWCurves
11-30-2017, 01:32 PM
First, thanks for the response! This unit is becoming more and more appealing.

What launcher are you currently using? And what do you search for to find custom launchers? I'm not familiar with Android (trapped myself in the iOS ecosystem).


There is no ambient light sensor. I haven't seen any similar units that do. The screen dims ever so slightly when the lights are turned on, but it's such a small brightness difference that it's hard to notice. I do find myself pressing the on-screen brightness button to adjust every time ambient light goes from dark to light and vice versa. Also, the button backlighting does not change brightness when using the adjustment wheel on the LCM, which isn't a problem for me since I run full brightness on my interior lighting, but may bug those who do not. Added this information to the review.

Is that something you think could be programmed somehow, or would it be overly difficult? I'm wondering if it's possible for the when the unit senses the headlights are on, it is reprogrammed to a darker brightness? I am not particularly tech savvy.


The lowest volume setting is pretty quiet. When just sitting in the car with no vehicle movement, it's still very lightly audible, but when driving, you can't hear what's on the radio. I found that when listening to music while on the highway, settings 12-14 are perfectly audible and comfortable, which isn't even halfway through the volume range. All volume settings can be adjusted using the volume control knob or the steering wheel buttons.

Perfect.


Yes, steering wheel controls work with the typical audio controls associated with the radio. Volume up/down and skip ahead/back buttons work perfectly regardless of the app you're using. Unfortunately, the steering wheel remapping app that comes with the unit doesn't do anything, so don't expect to be remapping any buttons.

I didn't expect to remap steering wheel controls. Do any of the other steering wheel controls work e.g. the Bluetooth button?


Sorry it took so long - hopefully the thoroughness of the review explains why I've been so lazy to start writing it up. lol

No, I appreciate it, really! It is thorough and well explained with good pictures.

az3579
11-30-2017, 01:45 PM
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9pb7ljKox1qzqdem.gif

Solution:
Stop being a weirdo and just turn on the brightness of those gorgeous interior lights! Then there won't be a mismatch! lol




What launcher are you currently using? And what do you search for to find custom launchers? I'm not familiar with Android (trapped myself in the iOS ecosystem).

I'm using Nova Launcher, mainly because with this one, the Navi button still opens Google Maps (the other launchers somehow kill this button and it does nothing with those enabled), and because I already own the Premium version of this app.



Is that something you think could be programmed somehow, or would it be overly difficult? I'm wondering if it's possible for the when the unit senses the headlights are on, it is reprogrammed to a darker brightness? I am not particularly tech savvy.

I do not think it can be programmed, at least not out-of-the-box. Maybe some genius who knows how to tinker with Android code can, but not average Joes like you or I. There are no dimming options that I can see in the settings menus. My old Eonon unit had the same problem.




I didn't expect to remap steering wheel controls. Do any of the other steering wheel controls work e.g. the Bluetooth button?

None of the other buttons have an effect on the unit, only volume and next/back buttons.




No, I appreciate it, really! It is thorough and well explained with good pictures.

Glad you found it useful! I wish I could find reviews like this when I'm about to make a big money purchase such as this, so I kept that in mind in case others were interested in this one.

derbo
11-30-2017, 02:09 PM
bravo! about time! :)

BADCLOWN
11-30-2017, 05:44 PM
I wish they had something similar for apple, my eonon Unit is nice but lacks the features and better “polish” this has.

Ron///Man
11-30-2017, 06:40 PM
Thanks for the great review!!! I'm with Badclown since I have an iphone too.

az3579
11-30-2017, 07:53 PM
Well since the screen mirroring doesn't appear to work, your capabilities with iPhones is exactly the same as with Android phones with this unit, so that shouldn't be a deterring factor. Just turn on your mobile hotspot and tether the head unit to it. Connect Bluetooth. That is all you need.

holyc0w
11-30-2017, 08:32 PM
Speaking of music playback, there are ample options for this in addition to Bluetooth streaming. There is a total of three USB ports on the head unit; two of the ports are accessible via a dual-USB port dongle that plugs into the back. The final USB port is accessible through the front via a Mini-USB port that you can use with the supplied Mini-USB to USB Type-A dongle. There is also a Micro-SD card slot on the front, so you can also load music, pictures, and video on that medium. I do not play videos or view photos on my unit, but I do use these methods for music. I am happy to report that the built-in music app, as well as third-party apps downloaded from the Play store, detect these storage mediums and import the music without issue. If you wanted to use these devices for pictures and video, you can do that as well and access them through either the supplied applications or any third-party app from the Play store. There’s also a built-in tuner app where you can fine-tune the sound to your liking.

Main playback screen
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4535/37848376515_e1da5324b5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwPHM)20171129-010a (https://flic.kr/p/ZEwPHM) by botond.pal (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65070296@N06/), on Flickr



Heh...dongle

Thanks for the write-up. :thumbsup

Vas
12-03-2017, 07:40 AM
This unit is very appealing considering the price. Thanks for the review

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Karl Lazlo
12-04-2017, 05:25 AM
Ordered one yesterday. Thanks for the review, BP.

az3579
12-04-2017, 08:03 AM
Glad I could be of service. :thumbsup

ZHPizza
12-04-2017, 09:11 AM
Very well done, BP. I finally got a chance to read this yesterday morning and ordered one with same-day shipping since I was doing some work on the car last night. It has some slight differences from the one that I already had in my car, but I was able to reuse most of the connections and swap it right in. Looks good so far and I plan to do some heavy testing with it tomorrow during a drive to Nashville.

Here is another in-depth discussion on this headunit for people that are craving more opinions:

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=580109


Also, this is the launcher that I'm using. It looks/functions great, has a lot of customization options, and integrates the Google Assistant really well:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.autolauncher.motorcar

Edit: Here's the free version: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.autolauncher.motorcar.free

Dual
12-04-2017, 09:14 AM
Can anyone recommend particularly helpful DIY stuff for moving the heater controls downwards for a Business Radio owner?

az3579
12-04-2017, 10:04 AM
Can anyone recommend particularly helpful DIY stuff for moving the heater controls downwards for a Business Radio owner?

First, you need to buy an HVAC relocation bracket. Part number is: 51167001410
This will allow you to mount the Climate Control unit in the bottom slot. This will eliminate your storage tray.

Here's a link to where you can purchase one. Price shopping is advised; you can look around for a better deal.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/radio-mounting-bracket/51167001410/

Here's a decent looking DIY on how to install this bracket:
http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f91/diy-e46-c-panel-relocation-touch-screen-now-fitted-t13389/
It's a pre-facelift RHD car, but instructions should be very similar.

Dual
12-04-2017, 10:11 AM
Great! I'll check it out.

ZHPizza
12-04-2017, 11:53 AM
First, you need to buy an HVAC relocation bracket. Part number is: 51167001410
This will allow you to mount the Climate Control unit in the bottom slot. This will eliminate your storage tray.

Here's a link to where you can purchase one. Price shopping is advised; you can look around for a better deal.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/radio-mounting-bracket/51167001410/

Here's a decent looking DIY on how to install this bracket:
http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f91/diy-e46-c-panel-relocation-touch-screen-now-fitted-t13389/
It's a pre-facelift RHD car, but instructions should be very similar.

Note that you can install an aftermarket headunit without the bracket. The heater controls fit pretty snug in the new position with the sunglass tray removed. I actually had the headunit installed for a few months until I came across a used HVAC relocation bracket. Almost forgot about it because the fit wasn't really noticeable:

https://i.imgur.com/SGY9Bk3.jpg

Dual
12-04-2017, 12:19 PM
Interesting! Thanks. Anything which speeds a mid-winter installation up works for me. Button things up in the spring...

Dual
12-04-2017, 12:43 PM
This video set looks promising for the moving of dash components-
https://vimeo.com/28490146

CarbonZHP
12-05-2017, 06:36 PM
Hardware looks very similar to my Eonon. Plugs look identical

BMWCurves
12-05-2017, 11:37 PM
Two additional questions:


Do you feel it is likely that the Android OS will ever/can be updated to 7.X? I ask because some of these Android units, including other Xtrons units, tout Android 7.1 from the factory, yet have inferior hardware and are older.
Did the unit come with any Apple lightning connection cables or is that something you would have to buy separately if the goal is to connect it to the head unit?

Dual
12-06-2017, 06:40 AM
Here's a question for az: feel free to duck it LOL. What drew you to that particular Xtrons unit? There are several Xtrons on offer and I know that for me, at least, it's very hard to suss out the differences between them.

az3579
12-06-2017, 12:42 PM
Two additional questions:


Do you feel it is likely that the Android OS will ever/can be updated to 7.X? I ask because some of these Android units, including other Xtrons units, tout Android 7.1 from the factory, yet have inferior hardware and are older.
Did the unit come with any Apple lightning connection cables or is that something you would have to buy separately if the goal is to connect it to the head unit?



One of the reasons I bought this unit was because of its hardware. I figured if it has good hardware, someone would be more likely to make a 7.x OS upgrade for it. I was really hoping they would and would be majorly bummed if it never happened, but I knew it was a possibility that it wouldn't happen so I made sure I was okay with 6.0 in case I was stuck with it.

There were no Lightning cables provided. You will have you use your own if you wish to use USB, though I found that plugging my phone in (Google Pixel) did not allow me browse anything on it. I think the USB really is more for USB Flash drives and 3G/4G dongles than anything. I will try it again to make sure it wasn't just me being a clutz and forgetting to enable the "File Transfer" mode. I'll let you know shortly...


Here's a question for az: feel free to duck it LOL. What drew you to that particular Xtrons unit? There are several Xtrons on offer and I know that for me, at least, it's very hard to suss out the differences between them.

When I was looking for units, I looked at probably a dozen or so different manufacturers. Most of them would only have older units, so that discounted a large portion of them. The ones that had newer units may not have offered the better hardware, so I skipped those. I specifically wanted the 8-core 2GB RAM model with a 1024x600 screen, which narrowed down the field a lot. I think there were only two or three manufacturers that offered that configuration, and one of them was Eonon (a brand I've already owned), so I decided to try something different. I liked the fact that the Xtrons unit had a dedicated play/pause button, which is immensely helpful. The Eonon unit did not have it. I also disliked the ugly Eonon logo at the bottom of the unit, so that made my choice even easier.

So, as you can see, it really came down to who had the hardware I wanted. I helps to know what specific features you want to have an easier time choosing. For the manufacturers that offer the same specs, what sets them apart is the way they customize their OS and their hardware features and buttons.

EDIT: And wouldn't you know it, now Eonon has the hardware I was looking for with 7.1. Where the hell were they 3 months ago? I might've considered it then. lol



I'm going to add these questions and answers to the original post when I get a chance.

Dual
12-06-2017, 02:35 PM
Thanks for that! It's a big help.
And wouldn't you know it, now Eonon has the hardware I was looking for with 7.1. Where the hell were they 3 months ago? I might've considered it then. lolI recall some negative experiences being mentioned regarding Eonon E46 gear, but can't specifcally reference anything.

BMWCurves
12-06-2017, 06:32 PM
EDIT: And wouldn't you know it, now Eonon has the hardware I was looking for with 7.1. Where the hell were they 3 months ago? I might've considered it then. lol

Below is Eonon's post on E46F about their newest head unit release, the 8-core GA8150A. Seems the early adopters are running into some issues.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1182321

As an aside, I can't find any info on who manufactures the RAM or the CPU of the Xtrons unit. Any ideas?


Thanks for that! It's a big help. I recall some negative experiences being mentioned regarding Eonon E46 gear, but can't specifcally reference anything.

I think BP was one of those negative experiences.

az3579
12-06-2017, 08:28 PM
I found some updates available for this unit from November 2017. I'm going to update the MCU and see if I get any performance or stability improvements. Unfortunately it's still Android 6.0, but I'll take what I can get.




As an aside, I can't find any info on who manufactures the RAM or the CPU of the Xtrons unit. Any ideas?

It doesn't really matter, honestly. But, the CPU on mine is a Rockchip PX5 A53 8-core @ 1.5GHz. RAM is 2GB of who-knows brand.




I think BP was one of those negative experiences.

Story of my life. I am a negative experience all around.

Dual
12-07-2017, 04:43 AM
Below is Eonon's post on E46F about their newest head unit release, the 8-core GA8150A. Seems the early adopters are running into some issues.
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1182321
That thread is quite a read. I don't think I want to travel down that road.

704sw
12-07-2017, 05:01 AM
Story of my life. I am a negative experience all around.

https://media.tenor.co/images/9bc6b1b749bef2f424f672016f436a85/tenor.gif

az3579
12-07-2017, 09:44 AM
I got a disappointing email back from Xtrons today. They say they do not have any Nougat images for this unit and are probably not going to release one in the future. What the heck, man...

I guess I'm gonna have to rely on the modding community and hope they come out with one.




https://media.tenor.co/images/9bc6b1b749bef2f424f672016f436a85/tenor.gif



The beauty of typos. :)

BMWCurves
12-07-2017, 09:52 AM
I got a disappointing email back from Xtrons today. They say they do not have any Nougat images for this unit and are probably not going to release one in the future. What the heck, man...

I guess I'm gonna have to rely on the modding community and hope they come out with one.

That is a shame. I wonder if it's a lazy thing or a hardware thing? There was a blurb in that Eonon thread about upgradability for Android OS PX5 chips:


I believe Android 7 is unavailable on all PX5 units, not just the Eonon GA7150A. The explanation from a brief discussion of this on the XDA Forums (https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/mtcd-discussion-questions-development/android-7-px5-t3651195) is, "The ability to upgrade is mainly limited by hardware drivers for certain kernel versions."

A couple good options at the moment for Android 7 seem to be the 4-core PX3 (for example, the XTRONS PA7746BP) or the 8-core T8 (like the Eonon GA8150A). However, it looks like Android 8 is coming to the PX5 soon, and my understanding is that it will probably be possible to upgrade existing PX5 systems to Android 8.

Link to specific post: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showpost.php?p=17862233&postcount=48

az3579
12-07-2017, 10:09 AM
Honestly, I wouldn't hold my breath for Oreo. Usually once an OS stops supporting a particular set of hardware, the later versions don't either.
I really hope I'm proven wrong!

BMWCurves
12-07-2017, 02:11 PM
Honestly, I wouldn't hold my breath for Oreo. Usually once an OS stops supporting a particular set of hardware, the later versions don't either.
I really hope I'm proven wrong!

Yeah, I'm not particularly familiar with Android, but it seems upgrading to the new Android OS isn't to priority for a lot of manufacturers.

az3579
12-07-2017, 03:56 PM
Yeah, I'm not particularly familiar with Android, but it seems upgrading to the new Android OS isn't to priority for a lot of manufacturers.It probably doesn't even matter because there are still tons of apps in the store that state 4.4 as the minimum, so I think 6.0 is safe for quite a while.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

Karl Lazlo
12-07-2017, 07:00 PM
So, I ordered it last week. It arrived on Tuesday, I installed it last night in the ZHP.

LIKES:

Plug and play. A metric ton of cables and widgets to get it installed. No cutting, no splicing. I like that. In a dark driveway, start to finish in 90 minutes, including finishing a very large iced coffee.

Fit and finish. Looks perfect and I didn't have the antenna issue that BP had.

Sound quality. Better than the BizCD unit that was in there.

Ease of use. Been an android user for many moons, pretty familiar interface.

DISLIKES/ISSUES/WANTS

BRIGHTNESS! Holy man, can I get something to dim the screen for the stock launcher? Please.

Glare. Just like BP, direct sunlight makes the interface worthless to see.

Torque. Can't pair with my OBD2 BT dongle. Dongle works, Torque works on the phone, just not the HU. I will uninstall the stock version and install the paid version to see if it fixes anything.

Backup Camera. I don't have one, why does the HU switch to rear video and kill my music when I select reverse?

Phone App. No mic mute button?

No SIM. How hard or more costly would it have been to have an option for a SIM card?

One of my biggest gripes and cause for delay of a purchase has been the lack of SXM tuner in these units. Once I was a subscriber, but now I am not. If I ever reup my sub, why eat into my data plan for something that I can listen to with a tuner and external ant?

So far, with one day of driving with it, I am very happy. Quite a value for 309 bones from Amazon. I would buy another one.

az3579
12-07-2017, 08:51 PM
BRIGHTNESS! Holy man, can I get something to dim the screen for the stock launcher? Please.

There is a little button on the top bar that looks like a square with a little icon inside of it. Press it and it'll bring up the brightness control slider.
I keep meaning to look for an app that can lower or raise brightness by time of day or something, but keep forgetting to.



Backup Camera. I don't have one, why does the HU switch to rear video and kill my music when I select reverse?

You can change a setting in one of the menus to not kill the sound when you switch to reverse. I forgot which one it is - I'll have to check my unit. I'll let you know which one when I find it.

I'm not sure if the camera switch can be turned off - I never looked for it. I'll look for that as well while I'm in there.



No SIM. How hard or more costly would it have been to have an option for a SIM card?

Probably would've added cost. You can add a 3/4G dongle in the form of a USB device to one of the existing connections available.

ZHPizza
12-07-2017, 08:52 PM
@Karl Lazlo
The brightness is obnoxious. You can download apps to give it a better night mode, but I've yet to find one that will actually turn on automatically when scheduled.

You can disable the reverse camera in the factory settings menus. Password is m123456.

I also can't get torque to work but I'll try Torque Pro too and see if it's any better.

Karl Lazlo
12-08-2017, 09:03 AM
@Karl Lazlo
You can disable the reverse camera in the factory settings menus. Password is m123456.

That did the trick. THANKS!


I also can't get torque to work but I'll try Torque Pro too and see if it's any better.

I uninstalled the app from the Play Store and reinstalled. Sees my BT OBD2 just fine now.

ZHPizza
12-08-2017, 09:30 AM
That did the trick. THANKS!



I uninstalled the app from the Play Store and reinstalled. Sees my BT OBD2 just fine now.Dang I can't get the headunit to find the adapter. In fact the Bluetooth search doesn't find anything.

ELCID86
12-08-2017, 03:18 PM
Thanks BP. Great review. Does Waze work on the unit? And I assume anyone with Business CD unit will need to move the switches, etc. (I believe you wrote about that in your Eonon install).

az3579
12-08-2017, 03:23 PM
Thanks BP. Great review. Does Waze work on the unit? And I assume anyone with Business CD unit will need to move the switches, etc. (I believe you wrote about that in your Eonon install).

Waze works fine, and yes, the HVAC will have to get relocated.

Karl Lazlo
12-08-2017, 05:01 PM
MY STARBUCKS APP DOESN'T WORK!

Oh, the humanity.

BMWCurves
12-08-2017, 07:16 PM
I plan on sourcing a used relocation bracket (part no. 51167001410), but does anyone know why it's ~$125 on ECS (https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/radio-mounting-bracket/51167001410/) but ~$265 on FCP (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-radio-mounting-bracket-e46-51168230900)?

Karl Lazlo
12-08-2017, 07:25 PM
Weird. Try this part number: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-center-instrument-panel-genuine-51167001408

The difference is the p/n you referenced is for the smoker package (ash tray and little light for the ash tray). The part number I posted above (and the one I used) deletes the smoker package. Bigger storage bin (p/n: 51168208369) and no little light. Otherwise, everything is the same, buttons, lighter socket, etc.

704sw
12-08-2017, 07:45 PM
Just don’t be an idiot like me and buy the relo bracket for individual buttons (facepalm)


MY STARBUCKS APP DOESN'T WORK!

Oh, the humanity.

Literally unusable. I’ll take it for the Mafia discount pricing. Just bring it next week when you’re in NC.

Karl Lazlo
12-08-2017, 07:48 PM
Just don’t be an idiot like me and buy the relo bracket for individual buttons (facepalm)

Or me. /confession.


Literally unusable. I’ll take it for the Mafia discount pricing. Just bring it next week when you’re in NC.

Too late, I put a few 9mm holes in it, just to be sure.

704sw
12-08-2017, 07:50 PM
Or me. /confession.

Did you cut it and make it work, or return it like a normal person? I’m leaning towards the former, as I thinking I’m past my return window for the latter.

Karl Lazlo
12-08-2017, 07:52 PM
Did you cut it and make it work, or return it like a normal person? I’m leaning towards the former, as I thinking I’m past my return window for the latter.

Nah, just ordered the correct one. Returning the previously incorrectly ordered one.

Vas
12-27-2017, 08:43 AM
Long term review update please.

ZHPizza
12-27-2017, 12:07 PM
Long term review update please.

I put it through the paces on some long trips and will be sending it back.

My usage was running Waze while streaming Spotify, with the DVR recording in the background.

It worked fine for short trips and when making stops every hour. So well that I was making plans to keep it and sell my other headunit...but it crashed HARD the two times that I held my bladder and pushed it to ~2.5 hours of steady use. Both times were right as I was approaching my destination, so it left me scrambling to get navigation going on my phone while I tried to reset the headunit. I don't know if it was heat buildup or what, but even after I got it reset with a paperclip it couldn't load Waze or do anything worth a shit. Completely useless for 20+ minutes.

I already have a buggy Android 6.0 headunit that has its issues and sometimes crashes, but doesn't brick itself for half an hour at a time. I'll stick with it until Xtrons can make some small improvements to this unit.

Vas
12-27-2017, 12:29 PM
I put it through the paces on some long trips and will be sending it back.

My usage was running Waze while streaming Spotify, with the DVR recording in the background.

It worked fine for short trips and when making stops every hour. So well that I was making plans to keep it and sell my other headunit...but it crashed HARD the two times that I held my bladder and pushed it to ~2.5 hours of steady use. Both times were right as I was approaching my destination, so it left me scrambling to get navigation going on my phone while I tried to reset the headunit. I don't know if it was heat buildup or what, but even after I got it reset with a paperclip it couldn't load Waze or do anything worth a shit. Completely useless for 20+ minutes.

I already have a buggy Android 6.0 headunit that has its issues and sometimes crashes, but doesn't brick itself for half an hour at a time. I'll stick with it until Xtrons can make some small improvements to this unit.

Thanks for the update.

Maybe consider the new Dynavin N7?

az3579
12-27-2017, 12:31 PM
I put it through the paces on some long trips and will be sending it back.

My usage was running Waze while streaming Spotify, with the DVR recording in the background.

It worked fine for short trips and when making stops every hour. So well that I was making plans to keep it and sell my other headunit...but it crashed HARD the two times that I held my bladder and pushed it to ~2.5 hours of steady use. Both times were right as I was approaching my destination, so it left me scrambling to get navigation going on my phone while I tried to reset the headunit. I don't know if it was heat buildup or what, but even after I got it reset with a paperclip it couldn't load Waze or do anything worth a shit. Completely useless for 20+ minutes.

I already have a buggy Android 6.0 headunit that has its issues and sometimes crashes, but doesn't brick itself for half an hour at a time. I'll stick with it until Xtrons can make some small improvements to this unit.

I do not currently have these problems with my unit, but I think I know why this is.

I had updated Google Maps a while ago to the latest version. That completely broke Gmaps; it would constantly crash. I did some research and it appears that anything above version 9.42.3 of Gmaps would break it. From what I understand, it's a bug with Google Maps and the way it interacts with this setup. Once I did an OS reflash back to the an older version of Google Maps (kept my settings and apps), it worked fine again. It has been working fine since I restored a version of the OS that had the older Gmaps on it.



EDIT: I'm stupid - I completely ignored the part about you using Waze, not Google Maps. Well, my statement stands; I do not have the problems you described. Try doing a factory reflash of your OS and see if that eases your issues. I also have numerous firmware updates that you can try; let me know if you want to try them and I'll get them uploaded somewhere for you.

704sw
12-27-2017, 01:04 PM
Thanks for the update.

Maybe consider the new Dynavin N7?

Lol he’s got one of those too I think.

ZHPizza
12-27-2017, 01:30 PM
I do not currently have these problems with my unit, but I think I know why this is.

I had updated Google Maps a while ago to the latest version. That completely broke Gmaps; it would constantly crash. I did some research and it appears that anything above version 9.42.3 of Gmaps would break it. From what I understand, it's a bug with Google Maps and the way it interacts with this setup. Once I did an OS reflash back to the an older version of Google Maps (kept my settings and apps), it worked fine again. It has been working fine since I restored a version of the OS that had the older Gmaps on it.



EDIT: I'm stupid - I completely ignored the part about you using Waze, not Google Maps. Well, my statement stands; I do not have the problems you described. Try doing a factory reflash of your OS and see if that eases your issues. I also have numerous firmware updates that you can try; let me know if you want to try them and I'll get them uploaded somewhere for you.

Oh yeah current Gmaps versions just do not work with these headunits. It's the same case with the headunit in my Mazda and is what initially pushed me to Waze. I can never go back from Waze now, especially with how well it integrates with Spotify.

And really the unit works flawlessly for trips that are <2 hours. I mean I can load it down with apps running simultaneously and it doesn't even skip the music. Some slight lag in the DVR is the worst that I've seen under normal operation. It's just that when it goes down...man...it goes down hard and cannot get back up.

I'll check on my return window and see how long I have to keep messing with it.


Thanks for the update.

Maybe consider the new Dynavin N7?


Lol he’s got one of those too I think.

The wife's wagon has a Dynavin N6 and the preloaded nav is worthless. Give me Waze or give me death.

BMWCurves
12-30-2017, 10:53 AM
Is this the correct relocation mounting bracket for our cars? Part no. 51167001410

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/radio-mounting-bracket/51167001410/

Karl Lazlo
12-30-2017, 10:58 AM
Is this the correct relocation mounting bracket for our cars? Part no. 51167001410

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/radio-mounting-bracket/51167001410/

Yes, or the p/n ending in "08" instead of "10"

704sw
12-30-2017, 11:25 AM
Yes, or the p/n ending in "08" instead of "10"

What’s the difference between the two? Smokers package vs. non?

Karl Lazlo
12-30-2017, 11:36 AM
What’s the difference between the two? Smokers package vs. non?

Yes. The non allows for a larger compartment (separate p/n) with no provision for the light. All other supporting gear (button panel and lighter socket) work fine between the two.

Karl Lazlo
12-30-2017, 07:11 PM
Anyone futz around with the software? Been an Android user for a while, done plenty of rooting and loading custom ROMs... Wonder if anyone here has jumped in here:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/mtcd-discussion-questions-development/rom-malaysk-roms-mtcd-device-t3598908

Cabrio330
02-17-2018, 09:57 AM
Apologies if I missed this, but does this unit require any cutting for non-Nav HK cars? I understand the HVAC controls have to be relocated. Thanks.

holyc0w
02-17-2018, 12:03 PM
Apologies if I missed this, but does this unit require any cutting for non-Nav HK cars? I understand the HVAC controls have to be relocated. Thanks.

It should not. The unit was made to fit the existing space. You can see a side view with dimensions on the page below
http://xtrons.com/pb7646bp-7-hd-digital-octa-core-64bit-32gb-2g-ram-android-6-multi-touch-screen-car-dvd-player-custom-fit-for-bmw-e46-rover-75-mg-zt.html

ZHPizza
02-17-2018, 12:53 PM
Apologies if I missed this, but does this unit require any cutting for non-Nav HK cars? I understand the HVAC controls have to be relocated. Thanks.Nope it's easy peasy for non-nav cars

jonnyd330
02-20-2018, 04:59 AM
Do any of these units work with SXM radio?

ELCID86
02-24-2018, 05:10 PM
Do any of these units work with SXM radio?

That’s a good question. I don’t think I’ve seen an SXM module. BP or Cadeez?

az3579
02-24-2018, 07:04 PM
That’s a good question. I don’t think I’ve seen an SXM module. BP or Cadeez?No idea. With Internet radio, I didn't have a use for Sirius.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

ELCID86
02-25-2018, 05:58 PM
^ my wife has it and loves it in her current and previous car. I do like it on a long road trip. I take advantage of it in the ZHP when they offer free weeks periodically. The rest of the time it’s mostly podcasts for me.

Karl Lazlo
02-26-2018, 05:14 AM
Do any of these units work with SXM radio?

There is no provision for an external SXM rcvr. The online app is the likely best choice.

Cadeez
02-26-2018, 10:07 AM
That’s a good question. I don’t think I’ve seen an SXM module. BP or Cadeez?

No I do not believe it's an option

az3579
02-26-2018, 02:24 PM
There is no provision for an external SXM rcvr. The online app is the likely best choice.

If there's an app, then problem solved.

BMWCurves
03-24-2018, 12:31 PM
Any update on the Avin Avant 3 unit review?

ELCID86
03-24-2018, 01:53 PM
If there's an app, then problem solved.

That should work. As long as you aren’t as cheap as I am—I have a discount subscription I have to call and renew every 5-6 months (for 8+years). I refuse to pay the full price, only issues it doesn’t include the app/streaming.

BMWCurves
04-06-2018, 11:08 AM
I've futzed around with the settings and have been able to make it so that audio doesn't cut out when I'm in reverse, but I still have been unable to find the settings to stop the unit from engaging the rearview camera when I go into reverse. Anyone know how to do that?
It seems the unit produces a fair amount of heat, does anyone else experience a mix of warm and cold air out of the center vents even with the AC on?
I'm not familiar with Android, is there a way to match one of the buttons on the side to open a specific app e.g. one of the buttons opening Spotify?

Appreciate any and all help!

az3579
04-06-2018, 11:29 AM
It seems the unit produces a fair amount of heat, does anyone else experience a mix of warm and cold air out of the center vents even with the AC on?


This is normal if you're using Auto on the climate control. It blows a mix of cold and warm air to reach the desired temperature.






I'm not familiar with Android, is there a way to match one of the buttons on the side to open a specific app e.g. one of the buttons opening Spotify?



Yes, there is a way to map buttons, but if I remember correctly, it's only for built-in functions. It's been a while since I had it, so my memory is very fuzzy about it. IIRC, you can't use it to do actions that are outside of the OS itself. For example, you can map the button to turn the screen off, or to remap it to change volume, or a host of other system functions, but I don't think you can map it to open a specific app.

You can play around with it in the settings menu, called "Factory settings".

Here's a video on how to do it. The password he enters in the video is correct for Xtrons, "126".


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_YRoP_DKYw

BMWCurves
04-06-2018, 12:27 PM
Thanks for the video, I had seen that, but was wondering if anyone knew specifically for an app. I'll keep plugging around.

As for the temp, I never use auto. I had it on it's coldest setting on the AC, and the fan switch on the center vents was set to cold. Side vents were cold, center vent was distinctly hot on the bottom, cold on the top, which I'm guessing was coming from the heat of the head unit. Granted, this was while streaming audio and doing navigation at the same time using WiFi.

az3579
04-06-2018, 01:04 PM
Thanks for the video, I had seen that, but was wondering if anyone knew specifically for an app. I'll keep plugging around.



While there may not be a way to map a button to an app, you can certainly map a button to the Home screen, then just have a shortcut to the app there. It is the next best thing.

ZHPizza
04-06-2018, 01:12 PM
FYI I played around with several options for reducing the brightness at night and settled on just manually activating the Twilight app. None of the apps I tried could recognize the time from the unit and adjust accordingly and I got tired of manually adjusting the brightness as needed. Twilight works great, just needs to be told when it's night time.

ZHPizza
04-06-2018, 01:23 PM
Also just ordered this Android 8.0 version since I installed mine into the wife's wagon to test and she ain't about to let me take it back

XTRONS 7 Inch Android 8.0 Octa Core 4G RAM 32G ROM HD Digital Multi-touch Screen OBD2 DVR Car Stereo DVD Player Tire Pressure Monitoring TPMS for BMW E46 M3 Rover75 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079QV5D2B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Gu-XAbYRDP6ZP

BMWCurves
04-07-2018, 09:24 AM
FYI I played around with several options for reducing the brightness at night and settled on just manually activating the Twilight app. None of the apps I tried could recognize the time from the unit and adjust accordingly and I got tired of manually adjusting the brightness as needed. Twilight works great, just needs to be told when it's night time.

I'll definitely check that out.


Also just ordered this Android 8.0 version since I installed mine into the wife's wagon to test and she ain't about to let me take it back

XTRONS 7 Inch Android 8.0 Octa Core 4G RAM 32G ROM HD Digital Multi-touch Screen OBD2 DVR Car Stereo DVD Player Tire Pressure Monitoring TPMS for BMW E46 M3 Rover75 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079QV5D2B/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Gu-XAbYRDP6ZP

Oh dub tee eff.

az3579
04-07-2018, 01:21 PM
I'll definitely check that out.



Oh dub tee eff.

My thoughts exactly when I was looking to replace the Eonon I had. lol
That came out right after I bought my Xtrons...

ZHPizza
04-10-2018, 05:13 PM
Taking notes while I install this Android 8.0 unit:

The radio antenna connection has been fixed to match the BMW cable which greatly improved fitment in the dash :)

The GPS connection is new and the antenna no longer magnetic :(

There are a ton of new input options including three different USB ports. I only connected the USB camera that I already had installed.

The unit is noticeably faster with typing and navigating menus. I'll need a few weeks to actually test the performance, but it seems like Xtrons made a few nice improvements with this version.

Edit: This damn thing is starting up in radio or another function on its own, just like my first android headunit did. I hate it.

Dirt McGirt
07-04-2018, 11:19 AM
Alright, I've spent my entire 4th researching head units. @ZHPizza, how has it been living with the Xtrons 8.0? Any glitches, frustrations, etc?

ZHPizza
07-04-2018, 11:25 AM
Alright, I've spent my entire 4th researching head units. @ZHPizza, how has it been living with the Xtrons 8.0? Any glitches, frustrations, etc?A few lockups with the backup camera and the common issue of the headunit starting up in a random app (usually radio), but it's noticeably faster than the 6.0 unit so I'm going to try to make it work. I've been researching some custom firmware that a guy makes but don't yet understand it enough to make the change. I'm hoping that will alleviate the startup issue.

Dirt McGirt
07-04-2018, 11:30 AM
BP, question for you. How has it been living with the Avant 3? I asked @ZHPizza the same thing re: his Xtrons 8.0 unit. After a painstaking day of research, I've narrowed it down to the Avant 3 and the Xtrons 8.0. With the new 8.0 Xtrons, I am wondering if they alleviated the issues you had with your 6.0 unit. Can you provide any more color on the Avant 3 interface, start up, reliability on trips etc? I am essentially trying to justify spending 2x the amount for an Avin unit that is running an OS that is 2 generations old. Does Avin have any plans of rolling out an update any time soon? Plus, Xtrons offers a free backup camera (that IMO looks better than the Avin version).

This really is a question to both you and @ZHPizza. My head is spinning and I need answers.

az3579
07-04-2018, 02:59 PM
The Avin unit itself has been very good to me. It has been super reliable, and I don't have ANY of the weird glitches I had with my Xtrons and Eonon units.

The extra money you pay really does make a difference. It seems they focused all of their effort into creating an environment where everything just works. Eonon and Xtrons don't put nearly as much effort into "engineering" and it shows in the price point.

Yes, it costs a lot more and may be a bit behind in it's OS. I did ask up front about whether they planned on releasing Oreo for it and they said yes. I haven't followed up on that.

The accessories are lousy, at best. I have the TPMS, DVR, backup camera, and microphone. The mic doesn't work half the time, the TPMS always had at least two sensors that don't communicate, and the DVR has atrocious video quality.

I keep dragging my feet on writing up a review on this thing because there's quite a lot to talk about. I love the unit itself, and feel the heavily discounted price I received was worth it, but even at that price it is significantly more than the competing products.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

BMWCurves
07-04-2018, 06:59 PM
I like my Xtrons unit. My only real gripes are that the unit:

Does not autodim the screen in some fashion based on time or the headlights being on.
Does sometimes takes a while to connect to WiFi
It won't maintain my late-night viewing app, so I have to open it every time I'm driving at night.
The quietest volume setting is on the loud side.

ZHPizza
07-04-2018, 07:48 PM
I like my Xtrons unit. My only real gripes are that the unit:

Does not autodim the screen in some fashion based on time or the headlights being on.
Does sometimes takes a while to connect to WiFi
It won't maintain my late-night viewing app, so I have to open it every time I'm driving at night.
The quietest volume setting is on the loud side.
Yeah that sounds about right. For the last bullet about the volume, you can adjust that. You definitely want to if you have the HK system. Go into factory options, last page, scroll down and find something like about the amp or output or some shit. I can look and see what exactly it is tomorrow, but change it from 0db to -9db. It reduces the signal going to the amp so you don't have the volume issue you described.

BMWCurves
07-05-2018, 07:53 AM
Yeah that sounds about right. For the last bullet about the volume, you can adjust that. You definitely want to if you have the HK system. Go into factory options, last page, scroll down and find something like about the amp or output or some shit. I can look and see what exactly it is tomorrow, but change it from 0db to -9db. It reduces the signal going to the amp so you don't have the volume issue you described.

I'm not a particularly smart man, nor am I particularly stupid, but this seems far too logical after the effort I spent trying to find a solution. I am now in denial and do not believe you until you confirm / I have access to my car.

Dirt McGirt
07-05-2018, 03:18 PM
The Avin unit itself has been very good to me. It has been super reliable, and I don't have ANY of the weird glitches I had with my Xtrons and Eonon units.

The extra money you pay really does make a difference. It seems they focused all of their effort into creating an environment where everything just works. Eonon and Xtrons don't put nearly as much effort into "engineering" and it shows in the price point.

Yes, it costs a lot more and may be a bit behind in it's OS. I did ask up front about whether they planned on releasing Oreo for it and they said yes. I haven't followed up on that.

The accessories are lousy, at best. I have the TPMS, DVR, backup camera, and microphone. The mic doesn't work half the time, the TPMS always had at least two sensors that don't communicate, and the DVR has atrocious video quality.

I keep dragging my feet on writing up a review on this thing because there's quite a lot to talk about. I love the unit itself, and feel the heavily discounted price I received was worth it, but even at that price it is significantly more than the competing products.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

| It seems they focused all of their effort into creating an environment where everything just works. Eonon and Xtrons don't put nearly as much effort into "engineering" and it shows in the price point.

Honestly, I do not mind the upcharge if it just works. I value peace of mind. I reached out to Avin and there were 2 things I liked:

1. They got back to me almost immediately, on a holiday..
2. They told me what they told BP. Avin will be rolling out an updated OS and will offer it free to their customers.

He said the new OS is at least 6 months out. So if you've been looking to get an Avant 3, there is no reason to wait. Plus, I like that they offer the free software flash. The way I see it, if I go with Xtrons or something similar, I'll eventually want a new OS. And have to go through the sale of the old one, and then installation of the new.

One more thing, BP - how is their backup camera? There doesn't seem to be a no-brainer, flush-fit cam out there. But Avin seems to have a focus on quality, so if it's good enough I suppose I'll pull trigger.

2 cents,
Dirt

az3579
07-05-2018, 06:02 PM
One more thing, BP - how is their backup camera? There doesn't seem to be a no-brainer, flush-fit cam out there. But Avin seems to have a focus on quality, so if it's good enough I suppose I'll pull trigger.



I didn't install the backup camera when I realized it's not totally plug and play. The connector for the actual backup camera functionality is P&P, but there is a wire I'd have to solder/crimp to an existing wire for something. I don't know what it's for, but I'm guessing it has something to do with reverse. When I plugged the camera in to test it, the only way I could get it to come on was if I turned on the DVR software, which records both front and back cameras at the same time. I could not get it to come on with reverse, so I'm guessing this extra wire is for that. I couldn't be bothered to figure it out, so it's still sitting in the box.

With all that said, I'm confident that if I was to message support, they'd have an answer for me very promptly. Their support has been phenomenal from purchase questions to actually supporting the product once it was in my hands.

Regarding the camera quality -
If I had to take a guess judging by the quality of the other accessories, I'd guess that it's quality is poor. The other accessories weren't very good. But, I haven't installed it so I can't really comment on its true quality.

ZHPizza
07-09-2018, 04:01 AM
I'm not a particularly smart man, nor am I particularly stupid, but this seems far too logical after the effort I spent trying to find a solution. I am now in denial and do not believe you until you confirm / I have access to my car.Factory settings (password is 126) > other > scroll down to "Amp volume" and set it to -9db or whatever works best for you

BMWCurves
07-10-2018, 06:44 PM
Factory settings (password is 126) > other > scroll down to "Amp volume" and set it to -9db or whatever works best for you

THANK YOU!

I fixed both the volume and the screen turning off when in reverse.

ZHPizza
07-11-2018, 06:25 AM
THANK YOU!

I fixed both the volume and the screen turning off when in reverse.You haven't installed a backup camera? Son...lemme know if you need some recommendations and install tips. Makes you look like a wizard when parallel parking.

BMWCurves
07-11-2018, 07:22 AM
You haven't installed a backup camera? Son...lemme know if you need some recommendations and install tips. Makes you look like a wizard when parallel parking.

Haha I thought about it, but haven't bothered. I do a decent job parallel parking, especially with PDC and my (intermittently functioning) passenger mirror scrolling down. That, and living in Philly for six years means it's an art fitting into tight spaces in a short amount of time...or else

Dirt McGirt
07-11-2018, 08:33 AM
I'll take some recommendations. BP says the Avin looks cheap. I was actually eyeing the one from xtrons. The black looks good and seems like itd fit well. There just doesn't seem to be a definitive winner. Enlighten me
You haven't installed a backup camera? Son...lemme know if you need some recommendations and install tips. Makes you look like a wizard when parallel parking.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

az3579
07-11-2018, 08:38 AM
BP says the Avin looks cheap.

Just to clarify, only the Avin accessories are cheap. The actual head unit itself is of a very high quality.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

ZHPizza
07-11-2018, 10:16 AM
I'll take some recommendations. BP says the Avin looks cheap. I was actually eyeing the one from xtrons. The black looks good and seems like itd fit well. There just doesn't seem to be a definitive winner. Enlighten me

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

I didn't use the Xtrons camera. I had one that came with another headunit that was supposed to fit into the license plate light socket, but it was for sedans only. I ended up ordering like 6 cameras on Amazon and stuck with this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UHG2MIA/

I chose it for a few reasons:
1. It's centered. My wife's wagon has the backup camera offset to the right and it sucks. The wide angle makes it impossible to figure out where the car really is, so backing into a spot or parallel parking is still a bit of a guessing game. I wanted my camera to be smack dab in the middle of the car so that the lines on the screen meant something.
2. It's cheap and puts out a good image.
3. It had the smallest connector to route. I don't have actual pics of the connector, but you can see in the link below how small the hole was that I went through when I wired it. No need to drill a 1/2in hole in the sheet metal or some crap just to feed a giant connector through.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?19536-ZHPizza-s-red-car&p=542553#post542553

az3579
07-12-2018, 04:35 AM
I didn't use the Xtrons camera. I had one that came with another headunit that was supposed to fit into the license plate light socket, but it was for sedans only. I ended up ordering like 6 cameras on Amazon and stuck with this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UHG2MIA/

I chose it for a few reasons:
1. It's centered. My wife's wagon has the backup camera offset to the right and it sucks. The wide angle makes it impossible to figure out where the car really is, so backing into a spot or parallel parking is still a bit of a guessing game. I wanted my camera to be smack dab in the middle of the car so that the lines on the screen meant something.
2. It's cheap and puts out a good image.
3. It had the smallest connector to route. I don't have actual pics of the connector, but you can see in the link below how small the hole was that I went through when I wired it. No need to drill a 1/2in hole in the sheet metal or some crap just to feed a giant connector through.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?19536-ZHPizza-s-red-car&p=542553#post542553

Did you have to do any splicing or was it plug & play? Works perfectly with reverse?
It looks like there's a bare end to the wire, so I'm guessing some splicing is involved...

ZHPizza
07-12-2018, 06:08 AM
Did you have to do any splicing or was it plug & play? Works perfectly with reverse?
It looks like there's a bare end to the wire, so I'm guessing some splicing is involved...

Nah, no splicing really. That wire is there to tap into the reverse light, which is how you trigger the camera to come on if you're a pleb. The Xtrons (and likely Avin) units have a reverse signal wire coming out of the headunit that you can connect to the wire coming off of the camera input cable. I put a butt connector on those so that I can just disconnect it like any other plug when I want to pull the headunit. Works perfectly.

az3579
07-12-2018, 07:38 AM
Nah, no splicing really. That wire is there to tap into the reverse light, which is how you trigger the camera to come on if you're a pleb. The Xtrons (and likely Avin) units have a reverse signal wire coming out of the headunit that you can connect to the wire coming off of the camera input cable. I put a butt connector on those so that I can just disconnect it like any other plug when I want to pull the headunit. Works perfectly.

Hmm. Mine doesn't work this way; when I plug it in, the only time the camera turns on is when the DVR is running. Putting it into reverse does nothing. :(

ZHPizza
07-12-2018, 08:04 AM
Hmm. Mine doesn't work this way; when I plug it in, the only time the camera turns on is when the DVR is running. Putting it into reverse does nothing. :(

Is it an issue of your headunit not going into camera mode or the camera not sending a signal when in reverse?

az3579
07-12-2018, 12:34 PM
Is it an issue of your headunit not going into camera mode or the camera not sending a signal when in reverse?No idea...

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

ZHPizza
07-16-2018, 08:47 AM
No idea...

Sent from my Pixel using TapatalkWhen you put the car in reverse, does it switch to the backup camera screen? Might have to check an option somewhere like we do in the factory options on the Xtrons units.

BMWCurves
06-16-2019, 01:20 PM
Am I thick, or do you have to have the relocation bracket or a different bracket than the stock BMW Business radio bracket to get the AC control unit to fit into its relocated spot aka the old cubby hole? I thought I had read somewhere that you didn't need the appropriate relocation bracket, the only downside being there would be a gap underneath the relocated AC control unit after installation. I'm trying to install this on my dad's car, but he did not get a relocation bracket and it really doesn't look like the AC unit will fit where the old storage cubby was.

az3579
06-16-2019, 02:09 PM
You need the bracket to do it right. I have not heard of such a thing, doing it without the bracket.

704sw
06-16-2019, 02:19 PM
Yo @zhpizza didn’t you just shove the HVAC in where the sunglasses bin goes for a while?

ZHPizza
06-16-2019, 03:45 PM
Am I thick, or do you have to have the relocation bracket or a different bracket than the stock BMW Business radio bracket to get the AC control unit to fit into its relocated spot aka the old cubby hole? I thought I had read somewhere that you didn't need the appropriate relocation bracket, the only downside being there would be a gap underneath the relocated AC control unit after installation. I'm trying to install this on my dad's car, but he did not get a relocation bracket and it really doesn't look like the AC unit will fit where the old storage cubby was.
You need the bracket to do it right. I have not heard of such a thing, doing it without the bracket.
Yo @zhpizza didn’t you just shove the HVAC in where the sunglasses bin goes for a while?Yeah it'll sit in there just fine. It won't like click into place or anything, but it'll just chill. I installed mine and picked up a relo bracket a couple months later just because a cheap used one popped up. I wouldn't pay retail for something that's (mostly) aesthetic.

Eugene
06-17-2019, 09:26 AM
I've heard several people just put it in without a bracket...I ended up getting the bracket, as it looks a bit nicer and it came with 2 USB ports to plug the ones from the navi into.

az3579
06-17-2019, 10:05 AM
Just the thought of y'all shoving the HVAC unit in there without the proper bracket has got me making strange faces. lol
It was only $100-110 IIRC when I bought mine - what are they going for now?

704sw
06-17-2019, 10:13 AM
It was only $100-110 IIRC when I bought mine - what are they going for now?

Two hundo.

az3579
06-17-2019, 04:15 PM
Two hundo.Damn.

Well here's the cheapest I found:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-BMW-E46-330-M3-Interior-Front-Ashtray-for-Navigation-Double-Din-Brand-New-/254027767033?nav=SEARCH

About $180 shipped from Croatia.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

sparky300
06-17-2019, 04:49 PM
Keep your eyes peeled for used on Fleabay. Picked mine up for $45 shipped, ashtray and all and it barely looked used, lid wasn't even scratched. Better than the one it replaced for sure

Eugene
06-18-2019, 02:31 AM
Paid $70 for this one and am pretty happy with it

BMWCurves
07-07-2019, 04:52 PM
Thanks for all the responses! I just shoved it in there for the moment, my father found one on eBay for ~$150. He isn't a snobbish guy by any measure, but this was one thing he wanted new. C'est la vie.

Also, the newer Xtrons unit has a different UI that comes from the factory. I can't tell if I like it more or less than the one mine/BP's.

az3579
07-08-2019, 02:11 AM
Thanks for all the responses! I just shoved it in there for the moment, my father found one on eBay for ~$150. He isn't a snobbish guy by any measure, but this was one thing he wanted new. C'est la vie.

Also, the newer Xtrons unit has a different UI that comes from the factory. I can't tell if I like it more or less than the one mine/BP's.The launcher can easily be changed, so that isn't an issue if you don't like the homepage layout.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

BMWCurves
07-09-2019, 09:58 AM
The launcher can easily be changed, so that isn't an issue if you don't like the homepage layout.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Yeah, my father's fine with it. Just interesting the layout changed.

BMWCurves
07-25-2021, 12:41 PM
Update:
I installed this head unit about three years ago, and updated the apps (Spotify, Google Maps, and a handful of others) maybe six or seven months ago. That was a mistake. The whole head unit has slowed to an absolute crawl. Where switching between apps had minimal delay, it can now take upwards of 10 seconds. Google Maps frequently stops responding and I have to restart it. The weird one is that it frequently drops connection to my WiFi hotspot. Any thoughts? I'm genuinely considering trying to sell it and getting a replacement unit.

ZHPizza
07-25-2021, 06:57 PM
Update:
I installed this head unit about three years ago, and updated the apps (Spotify, Google Maps, and a handful of others) maybe six or seven months ago. That was a mistake. The whole head unit has slowed to an absolute crawl. Where switching between apps had minimal delay, it can now take upwards of 10 seconds. Google Maps frequently stops responding and I have to restart it. The weird one is that it frequently drops connection to my WiFi hotspot. Any thoughts? I'm genuinely considering trying to sell it and getting a replacement unit.Mine recently started dropping the hotspot too. I was prepping to update it with a custom rom that's supposed to make it function much better, but don't even remember the name of it now. That was like a dozen imaginary projects ago.

az3579
07-25-2021, 07:28 PM
Do a factory reset and try again.