I couldn't afford Alpine Halo and Entune sucks...

[SOOTRD]

I installed this android auto head unit that is very similar to the T9 by Cartrimhome. I have no experience with the T9 assuming it's the same idea that it's android based. I was tired of the famous reboot for no reason.

The 11.6 unit is plug and play everything and retains all the steering wheel functions. It comes with a silver dash kit mounted with the head unit but I replaced it with a Metra dash kit that had a similar paint match to my graphite black interior. The unit also takes a sim card or you can tether off your phone for internet. I can watch movies, use whatever navi app i choose plus many more. What ever you can download off Play store is what you can use.

**I forgot to mention it also have carplay and android auto. I don't even use carplay because all the feature it has, i don't need to mirror my phone. Also the OEM rearview camera will also work along with the sensors if you have them like my Tacoma. The only downfall is that OEM camera is not HD so it will look grainy on the screen due to being stretched. OEM camera are 400x600? HD camera are 1080P. I also tested out a front camera and there is a function on the head unit to view the front camera while driving. You do not need anytime camera/germes lab unless you want to switch to rear view without putting the car into reverse.

So far the downside is that I have to use an aftermarket mic since the OEM mic is amplified. Someone does make a $60? harness on TW but this will just add to the cost. The kit comes with a gps antenna but I purchased a idatalink adapter along with an rf adapter so I was able to use my factory gps antenna.

I hate entune so much that I purchased one for my Tacoma but in 10.5 screen size.

There are other companies that I've read people are using such is Dasaita or Ownice K7.

I have no affiliation to this company and have done many hours of research to see what will work for me.

Here is the link:

Joying Android 10.0 Car Stereo,Car Head Unit,Car GPS Navigation System

OEM mic adapter:

3rd-Gen (2016-2019) Toyota Tacoma Mic Adapter (ATC/ATO Fuse Type) – Tombit

 

[krypto89]

thanks for sharing. i was looking at joying as well since they include additional audio enhancements that other comparable units don't. plus i heard that their customer service is pretty good for company based in china. glad to know i can use the black Metra dash kit because i was wondering if i could swap it with the included silver kit. my question is the$60 mic harness? i don't mind paying $60 if it will help in using factory mic.

 

[Cheers!]

the Alpine Halo9 is not so great. I ended up ripping my out and getting a refund from Crutchfield.

 

[L1011]

the Alpine Halo9 is not so great. I ended up ripping my out and getting a refund from Crutchfield.

Curious. What didn't you like about it? Just wondering

 

[SOOTRD]

thanks for sharing. i was looking at joying as well since they include additional audio enhancements that other comparable units don't. plus i heard that their customer service is pretty good for company based in china. glad to know i can use the black Metra dash kit because i was wondering if i could swap it with the included silver kit. my question is the$60 mic harness? i don't mind paying $60 if it will help in using factory mic.

You can order the unit without the dash kit, just order the headunit only instead of the built option for 4runner.

Here is the link for the oem mic. I believe Tacoma and 4runner has the same harness.

3rd-Gen (2016-2019) Toyota Tacoma Mic Adapter (ATC/ATO Fuse Type) – Tombit

 

[SOOTRD]

the Alpine Halo9 is not so great. I ended up ripping my out and getting a refund from Crutchfield.

Wow, this makes me feel like i spent my money well. Alpine Halo is $1500?

 

[Cheers!]

I could not get the GPS to lock.

I used the Toyota OEM GPS module with the supplied adapter harness. It didn't work. Alpine sent me tehir own GPS module. I even temporarily ran it through the open window and double side sticky taped it to the roof of my 4runner. Didn't work. Same problem.

Alpine sent me a badly scratched up refurb unit as a core exchange, it didn't work. I complained to Crutchfield and they said I still had about 1 week left in my 60 days no questions asked money back guarntee, so I said, I want an RMA.

This is the video... the Alpine Halo9 is sending erronenous GPS to my iphone12. I tested this with IphoneXR, Pixel4, Pixel4a, and an old pixel 3 same effect. I tested with Google Maps (iOS and android), and also Apple Maps (on the iphones). Both decks are like this (the brand new one I had originally got from Crutchfield, as well as the core swap from Alpine).

I also tried different USB - lighting cables (original Apple brand new from Apple, older original Apple lighting cable, 3rd party monoprice lighting cable, I then had original Google Pixel USB-C cable, 3rd party USB C cables)...

This is what it is like driving with the Halo9 and my iphone12 and iphoneXR (the android auto w/ pixel 4/4a/3) is the same effect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfBzxcbjXw0&feature=youtu.be

inside adv settings the GPS would indicate "GOOD" with like 4+ satellite locks, and 1 excellent usually. There is also no FW updates from Alpine that are avaiable as confirmed on their website and as well as Alpine technical support. Crutchfield told me to not use the car's GPS antenna (either the Alpine or Toyota), and to remove the connection at the back of the Alpine HU. But the iPhone and Pixel Android looks for the GPS signal when connecting carplay/android auto and without the GPS signal in the data stream to the phone, the Map apps (google maps/apple maps) it take forever for it to initialize.

For $1500 I gave up and said no thanks and ripped it all out and sent it back. To get the GPS to work, you have to constantly plug and unplug the USB cable going to your phone and pray that the apple maps or google maps routing gets reset.

 

[SOOTRD]

Here is what the 10.5” will look like if anyone is curious. Joying also just released their 13.3” rotating verticle/horizontal after I ordered my 11.6”

(Don’t mind the oem dash kit that I hacked up because I was going on a long distance trip and wanted to use the unit)

Pictures of the Oem dash, joying dash (silver) and metra (black) dash kit.

I was able to install the cubby on the bottom of the unit which will be covered after installing the screen. Sorta like a hidden compartment.

 

[Cheers!]

That looks good. Does the Joying use android?

Lastly I have a limited trim level 4runner so with the factory JBL. I felt the sound quality with the halo9 going to the JBL factory amp and JBL speakers to be flat.

I even used a reference mic with audiocontrol mobile tools app on my iPad to tune the EQ with the RTA. It sounded good at high volume. But at low to mid it sounded horrible. The JBL head unit must use some sort of fancy algorithm to tweak the freq response at lower volume.

I guess if the alpine halo9 costs say less than $400 and the GPS worked would say whatever. But at $1500 + tax I felt this was ridiculous.

 

[SOOTRD]

I could not get the GPS to lock.

I used the Toyota OEM GPS module with the supplied adapter harness. It didn't work. Alpine sent me tehir own GPS module. I even temporarily ran it through the open window and double side sticky taped it to the roof of my 4runner. Didn't work. Same problem.

Alpine sent me a badly scratched up refurb unit as a core exchange, it didn't work. I complained to Crutchfield and they said I still had about 1 week left in my 60 days no questions asked money back guarntee, so I said, I want an RMA.

This is the video... the Alpine Halo9 is sending erronenous GPS to my iphone12. I tested this with IphoneXR, Pixel4, Pixel4a, and an old pixel 3 same effect. I tested with Google Maps (iOS and android), and also Apple Maps (on the iphones). Both decks are like this (the brand new one I had originally got from Crutchfield, as well as the core swap from Alpine).

I also tried different USB - lighting cables (original Apple brand new from Apple, older original Apple lighting cable, 3rd party monoprice lighting cable, I then had original Google Pixel USB-C cable, 3rd party USB C cables)...

This is what it is like driving with the Halo9 and my iphone12 and iphoneXR (the android auto w/ pixel 4/4a/3) is the same effect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfBzxcbjXw0&feature=youtu.be

inside adv settings the GPS would indicate "GOOD" with like 4+ satellite locks, and 1 excellent usually. There is also no FW updates from Alpine that are avaiable as confirmed on their website and as well as Alpine technical support. Crutchfield told me to not use the car's GPS antenna (either the Alpine or Toyota), and to remove the connection at the back of the Alpine HU. But the iPhone and Pixel Android looks for the GPS signal when connecting carplay/android auto and without the GPS signal in the data stream to the phone, the Map apps (google maps/apple maps) it take forever for it to initialize.

For $1500 I gave up and said no thanks and ripped it all out and sent it back. To get the GPS to work, you have to constantly plug and unplug the USB cable going to your phone and pray that the apple maps or google maps routing gets reset.

I do not have this problem at all while using the supplied aftermarket gps antenna. I was waiting for my adapter plugs to arrive to use my oem antenna. Now I’m using my oem antenna now and do not have any problem at all.

 

[SOOTRD]

That looks good. Does the Joying use android?

Lastly I have a limited trim level 4runner so with the factory JBL. I felt the sound quality with the halo9 going to the JBL factory amp and JBL speakers to be flat.

I even used a reference mic with audiocontrol mobile tools app on my iPad to tune the EQ with the RTA. It sounded good at high volume. But at low to mid it sounded horrible. The JBL head unit must use some sort of fancy algorithm to tweak the freq response at lower volume.

I guess if the alpine halo9 costs say less than $400 and the GPS worked would say whatever. But at $1500 + tax I felt this was ridiculous.

I don’t have JBL and I’m glad I don’t have it. There is an additional harness that you need if you have jbl. I think jbl uses some very low frequency, so when you change out the speakers, your system will sound horrible. The additional harness joying says they have to make jbl work. I would contact them about jbl system as I do not have any info on it.

Joying does have a built in digital sound processor tho.

 

[Cheers!]

I think I might try the pioneer 8800something something or the Kenwood dmx1057xr post silicon chip shortage.

I looked at seeing if a 2021 Toyota Panasonic OEM 4Runner deck would work. But it looks like the plugs in the back are different than the pre2021 decks.

 

[Cheers!]

I don’t have JBL and I’m glad I don’t have it. There is an additional harness that you need if you have jbl. I think jbl uses some very low frequency, so when you change out the speakers, your system will sound horrible. The additional harness joying says they have to make jbl work. I would contact them about jbl system as I do not have any info on it.

Joying does have a built in digital sound processor tho.

JBL speakers are 2ohm Speakers. The JBL amp is designed for 2ohm load speakers. When you put typical aftermarket speaker that are 4ohm in with JBL amp the output is drastically decreased. P=(V^2)/R. But also speakers have efficiency rates of db/watt so not quite linear.

 

[summit21]

I installed this android auto head unit that is very similar to the T9 by Cartrimhome. I have no experience with the T9 assuming it's the same idea that it's android based. I was tired of the famous reboot for no reason.

The 11.6 unit is plug and play everything and retains all the steering wheel functions. It comes with a silver dash kit mounted with the head unit but I replaced it with a Metra dash kit that had a similar paint match to my graphite black interior. The unit also takes a sim card or you can tether off your phone for internet. I can watch movies, use whatever navi app i choose plus many more. What ever you can download off Play store is what you can use.

**I forgot to mention it also have carplay and android auto. I don't even use carplay because all the feature it has, i don't need to mirror my phone. Also the OEM rearview camera will also work along with the sensors if you have them like my Tacoma. The only downfall is that OEM camera is not HD so it will look grainy on the screen due to being stretched. OEM camera are 400x600? HD camera are 1080P. I also tested out a front camera and there is a function on the head unit to view the front camera while driving. You do not need anytime camera/germes lab unless you want to switch to rear view without putting the car into reverse.

So far the downside is that I have to use an aftermarket mic since the OEM mic is amplified. Someone does make a $60? harness on TW but this will just add to the cost. The kit comes with a gps antenna but I purchased a idatalink adapter along with an rf adapter so I was able to use my factory gps antenna.

I hate entune so much that I purchased one for my Tacoma but in 10.5 screen size.

There are other companies that I've read people are using such is Dasaita or Ownice K7.

I have no affiliation to this company and have done many hours of research to see what will work for me.

Here is the link:

Joying Android 10.0 Car Stereo,Car Head Unit,Car GPS Navigation System

OEM mic adapter:

3rd-Gen (2016-2019) Toyota Tacoma Mic Adapter (ATC/ATO Fuse Type) – Tombit

Personally not a fan of the oversized look. First thought was if a 4Runner and Tesla mated! Is there a more streamlined (OEM look) option for in dash replacement?

 

[SOOTRD]

Personally not a fan of the oversized look. First thought was if a 4Runner and Tesla mated! Is there a more streamlined (OEM look) option for in dash replacement?

If you like the Oem look, they also have one that will fit within the screen area. You will be looking at 7-9” model. For 2016+ Tacoma, I know 9” fits perfectly within the stock housing.

I think I didn’t go with the Oem look because you are buying some what of an old technology and maybe smaller pixel screen size.

* I guess the 9” units are similar, android 10 but a little bit slower on processor and rom.

Android CarPlay Single 1 Din Car Radio Navigation System - Joying

 

[Big Daddy K]

Does anyone have pics from the side? I'm kind of interested but it looks like it sticks out and blocks A/C vents and controls some. In AZ blocking the A/C vent, even a little bit, is a no-go. The A/C is borderline adequate in the summer already.

 

[honda250xtitan]

Does anyone have pics from the side? I'm kind of interested but it looks like it sticks out and blocks A/C vents and controls some. In AZ blocking the A/C vent, even a little bit, is a no-go. The A/C is borderline adequate in the summer already.

agreed, although ours kicks butt and will freeze you out. but i cant imagine blocking those vents

 

[SOOTRD]

Does anyone have pics from the side? I'm kind of interested but it looks like it sticks out and blocks A/C vents and controls some. In AZ blocking the A/C vent, even a little bit, is a no-go. The A/C is borderline adequate in the summer already.

I can get a better picture later today. I’ll slap on the 10.5 screen also.

*The 11.6 screen just goes up to the bottom of the vent’s bottom horizontal trim.

The 10.5 will sit right under the vents.

 

[Saker]

I like the concept, but this one appears just a tad too large for the given real estate.
Maybe the 10 or 10.5

 

[61hawk]

To each his own, but I'm not a fan of the iPad on the dash look. Give me a 1965 dash with knobs, levers and switches. God help me if I have to buy an electric vehicle.