Well yesterday a call plugged in using android auto got fuzzy, I unplugged it and got better right away
Radio Upgrades... Let see them.
- Thread starter 4RunninMD
- Start date
Well yesterday a call plugged in using android auto got fuzzy, I unplugged it and got better right away
Same thing mine was doing. I ordered a DMX905S (Refurbished) for $420 as a replacement. It has wireless Android Auto so hopefully it works better.
If I like the wireless over the Wired, then I will get another wireless model for my other 4R and my Wrangler. If I could care less, I will just get another cheaper wired model. It's due in tomorrow.
Just to followup: Got the head unit installed. Took me a few hours but I did the parking brake bypass, went ahead and ran the amp turn on wire,(for future use) and ran the wiring for the backup camera most of the way. Also, I ran the mic wire up the lh A pillar and over to the center. I mounted the mic on the front of the map light/sun roof switch assy. Biggest problem I had was since the PO had installed a cheap JVC unit there were no factory brackets to mount the head unit. I ended up having to use two dash installation kits. One had the brackets, (which I had to modify), and the other had the trim bezel for the front. Now I just gotta install the camera in the hatch and make the connections back there. So far I love this unit. I can't believe the difference it made in sound quality. And so far everything is working like it should, (phone, car play, etc).
Bluesky 07
Senior Member
This doesn't do you any good now but for anyone doing a future install, I ran my mic wire up the A-pillar but stopped there and mounted the mic to the top of the A-pillar trim with that Scotch heavy-duty stuff that's similar to Velcro. Works fine and is just less of a pain, at least on my truck b/c the wire kept coming out from under the headliner near the windshield when it was in the middle.
I actually considered that but i was concerned that if my wife was riding with me and we were both trying to talk to someone on the phone that it might not be able to pick up her voice from the passenger side.
I ordered a DMX905S (Refurbished) for $420 as a replacement. It has wireless Android Auto so hopefully it works better.
If I like the wireless over the Wired, then I will get another wireless model for my other 4R and my Wrangler. If I could care less, I will just get another cheaper wired model. It's due in tomorrow.
Got the Kenwood installed yesterday.
I like it a lot better than the Alpine. More options by far and I much prefer the physical buttons on it. It came with a GPS antenna but I am not sure why since there doesn't appear to be maps built in.
There are a bunch of icons dimmed out like gauges, parking sensors, dash cam, radar detector, vehicle info, that looks like you can sync up with your car (if it has it).
I am on the fence for wireless android auto. It is so slow compared to the wired version.
I paid $420 for refurbished from Crutchfield but looking around online you can get them for $399 new from some sites.
My other 2 cars need updated radios so I will give this radio a little more seat time to see how I like it. On the positive side, NO MORE STATIC while on the phone & AA at the same time!
Bluesky 07
Senior Member
Definitely a valid concern. That situation would arise very seldom for us so I decided to go with the A-pillar.
evan1242
New member
Got the Kenwood installed yesterday.
I like it a lot better than the Alpine. More options by far and I much prefer the physical buttons on it. It came with a GPS antenna but I am not sure why since there doesn't appear to be maps built in.
There are a bunch of icons dimmed out like gauges, parking sensors, dash cam, radar detector, vehicle info, that looks like you can sync up with your car (if it has it).
I am on the fence for wireless android auto. It is so slow compared to the wired version.
I paid $420 for refurbished from Crutchfield but looking around online you can get them for $399 new from some sites.
My other 2 cars need updated radios so I will give this radio a little more seat time to see how I like it. On the positive side, NO MORE STATIC while on the phone & AA at the same time!
Nice! Glad you like it better.
Depending on the year of your runner you may be able to get some of the other functions like gauges and vehicle info working by using a idatalink maestro module.
It will also keep your steering wheel controls working. And you can customize how they work as well.
For instance on mine when I hold down the mode button it activated voice command (Siri)
When I hold the next track button it will answer an incoming call and hang up if I hold the previous track song. Volume is just volume obviously.
Can all see battery voltage, check engine light codes, tire pressure, and a lot of the gauges.
I had bought the cheaper steering wheel control option for the other radio, which is compatible with this radio. The idatalink looks pretty cool, but pricey ($150?). I don't think this car has any of those features to utilize it. The other 4R has nav, not sure if it stores anything on the nav?
Any idea what the GPS antenna is for on this thing?
trd_v8_sport
New member
update: the sent out a brand new unit. AWESOME! however, it seems they changed the depth of the screen so now it doesn't fit. not awesome. I've emailed them with pictures to describe my issue. I will see what they come back with. At this point, I'm about to bite the bullet and just be ok with not having an oem look, and going with the sony xav or something similar just to have a more reliable, reputable brand. we will see what they say now
trd_v8_sport
New member
Update to my update:
Ditched the atoto unit as ive been fighting them for a week about why its not fitting and showing evidence why.
So, i took a chance and ordered the pioneer DMH-2660NEX. Im very pleased. Android auto runs flawlessly, the screen is responsive, and it retained the steering wheel controls and aux because i ordered from crutchfield with the toyota harness, and the backup camera picture is clear. The natika camera is holding up well. Obviously it doesnt fit the oem spot perfectly which is kind of a bummer, buuuut, with the metra dash kit it doesnt look bad at all. Plus the added functionality and the assurance of a pioneer unit more than makes up for it.
I rcommend this unit, and it didn't break the bank all in
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Ditched the atoto unit as ive been fighting them for a week about why its not fitting and showing evidence why.
So, i took a chance and ordered the pioneer DMH-2660NEX. Im very pleased. Android auto runs flawlessly, the screen is responsive, and it retained the steering wheel controls and aux because i ordered from crutchfield with the toyota harness, and the backup camera picture is clear. The natika camera is holding up well. Obviously it doesnt fit the oem spot perfectly which is kind of a bummer, buuuut, with the metra dash kit it doesnt look bad at all. Plus the added functionality and the assurance of a pioneer unit more than makes up for it.
I rcommend this unit, and it didn't break the bank all in
Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
IIRC, from the beginning, Android Auto headunits have been able to use an onboard GPS antenna to supplement the phone's built-in receiver. I guess the theory being the vehicle mounted antenna can be both more sensitive and also better positioned to see the sky than wherever your phone might end up sitting in the vehicle.
Another possible explanation is from their AA introduction, Pioneer included a navigation option in the description of their low/mid range AA units. At least once upon a time, the higher end AA units also had built-in navigation for use instead of AA maps, if you preferred. I've never actually seen the navigation add-on item(s) for sell anywhere, though.
One has to remember that when AA was originally introduced, Google Maps and Waze didn't have offline modes. No network, no navigation. I think earlier phone hardware also had less robust GPS reception making it more dependent on network location services and/or benefiting more from an external antenna than current phones do. As people became more dependent on phones for navigation, the hardware got better, just like the cameras.
Or I could have dreamed all of this...
Wait not all 4runners have the rear tail window up down option?Pioneer avh x4600. Toyota trim piece.
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Emperor_Po
New member
That would probably mean it was a 2-year only change? Seems odd.
cwilliams563
Member
Pionerr AVH-2550NEX head unit
Got my Pioneer AVH-2550NEX installed. Pretty nice unit overall and does everything I need it to I believe. Upgraded from my Kenwood DDX-471HD primarily only because I wanted apple CarPlay. Got the lights, scene, and background orange to match pretty close too.
The free wiring patch cables and kit from Crutchfield were super simple and color coded. It definitely sits deeper into the opening so it was a challenge to get all the wiring out of the way behind there. Took a few try’s in and out but got it.
It works well with new to me right hand side steering wheel Bluetooth buttons (while phone’s unplugged).
Used my Axxess ASWC-1 steering wheel controller that I already had and steering wheel controls work perfect.
Got my Pioneer AVH-2550NEX installed. Pretty nice unit overall and does everything I need it to I believe. Upgraded from my Kenwood DDX-471HD primarily only because I wanted apple CarPlay. Got the lights, scene, and background orange to match pretty close too.
The free wiring patch cables and kit from Crutchfield were super simple and color coded. It definitely sits deeper into the opening so it was a challenge to get all the wiring out of the way behind there. Took a few try’s in and out but got it.
It works well with new to me right hand side steering wheel Bluetooth buttons (while phone’s unplugged).
Used my Axxess ASWC-1 steering wheel controller that I already had and steering wheel controls work perfect.
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