Focus Fanatics Forum banner

New 10" Android HU for MKIII - GPS?

6K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  migraineman 
#1 ·
Hi all,
I just purchased and installed an Android-based audio interface with GPS (and many other functions). I didn't do the "Tesla-style" vertical screen, but chose the 10" horizontal version (without CD/DVD slot). It's a fully-functioning Android tablet with Google, Google Maps, GPS antenna, etc. and integrates into the car and Sync system very well. Of course, there are absolutely no install instructions but most of it was obvious plug-n-play with the help of a few YT DIY vids.

I searched these forums, but mostly found threads from many years ago with older versions of Android (and Focii).

For any of you who have recently done an install like this, why should I need to have WiFi (hotspot on my cell) to get GPS/maps? Is there a way around this? It's running Android OS 10, FYI. No other vehicle I've owned with GPS has needed WiFi to make the GPS work. One of the YT DIYs suggested downloading a different GPS/maps app, but it didn't seem too accurate.

Workaround? Recommend a different app?
 
#2 · (Edited)
Google Maps uses WiFi to get the location and driving directions. Once the GPS has the end location and directions it will not need the WiFi connection unless you want real-time traffic updates.

Also, let us know how that android headunit is. I have the old 10.4" tesla-style unit running android 8.1 and there's a lot of stuff that I wish was better - Bluetooth and audio quality being the first issue. I didn't realize a new version came out, your version looks much better.
 
#4 ·
No pics of the install, but here's the finished item. Didn't have parking sensors in the first place, but I've heard they work with this. Also, full Sync integration via some RCA cables connected with the included harnesses. I don't care much for the glossy black finish on the lower part. It's designed to mimic the Sony style, but this really doesn't suit the interior/dash. When I pull it out again, I may hit that area with some 2500-grit paper to make it matte/flat black (if those buttons will pop out).

What they don't mention:
there are little trap doors in the vent ducts (at the very bottom) that have to be removed with the ducts (they'll fall out) so the vents will fit in the new fascia. All this means is that when the vents are aimed completely down, a little of that air will simply blow in behind the unit because there's no escape vents in the lower edge of the unit; they include a snap-in piece that covers the entire lower (hidden) edge;
I still can't get it to use U.S. temperature and miles (instead of centigrade and speed in kilometers). I'll see if their customer service will tell me how to do this. The "settings" function for this with Android OS 10 is pretty basic and "cartoon-y"
If I do keep it, I'll install the back-up camera and buy one of those Apple CarPlay dongles ($50) so I can use my iPhone instead of this crappy GPS.

Cost $250 shipped w/tax. The ebay seller lied that it was shipping from Durham, NC - it came from China. If I have to return it, I'm not paying to send it back to China.


305636
 
#11 ·
The "glare" really isn't an issue for me. There's a little bit of reflection on the top-right corner (from where the windshield teflon shading edge isn't) but I can still see well enough.

But like I said above, if their customer service person (Chinese, of course) can't tell me how to change the base location to United States, I'll be sending it back. I've tried all of the GPS and Google location stuff, but no dice. He/they asked for a video of the problem, so I've sent a pic but haven't heard back in over 2 days. If they blow me off, they'll get the unit back and I'll buy something else. And seriously, I shouldn't have to use my cellphone hotspot to use the GPS. This will burn up my data plan, as well as the phone battery. It does have its own GPS antenna pod. I would hate to go through the hassle of returning it because of something stupid like not changing time zones. But I'm not gonna drive around with the wrong info on the screen. In the meantime, I'm holding off installing the back-up camera and wiring in a 12V key-on plug for my dash cam. I'll give them a couple more days, but that's it.

And jjhendri - once you've had back-up sensors, you never want to drive again without them! The back-up camera input looks easy with this HU - a well-marked RCA/in and a power lead - which is what the (separately bought) camera needs. Also, the HU already goes dark when I'm in reverse, so I know it's waiting for a signal from a camera.



305652
 
#12 ·
But like I said above, if their customer service person (Chinese, of course) can't tell me how to change the base location to United States, I'll be sending it back. I've tried all of the GPS and Google location stuff, but no dice. He/they asked for a video of the problem, so I've sent a pic but haven't heard back in over 2 days. If they blow me off, they'll get the unit back and I'll buy something else. And seriously, I shouldn't have to use my cellphone hotspot to use the GPS. This will burn up my data plan, as well as the phone battery. It does have its own GPS antenna pod. I would hate to go through the hassle of returning it because of something stupid like not changing time zones. But I'm not gonna drive around with the wrong info on the screen. In the meantime, I'm holding off installing the back-up camera and wiring in a 12V key-on plug for my dash cam. I'll give them a couple more days, but that's it.
Unfortunately their "support" left me at "we'll contact the manufacture and let you know." That was a year ago. My 10.4" Tesla-replica unit won't keep the timezone or DST either.

With the GPS, you have to remember this is still an android tablet. All phones (and tablets as an extension) use WiFi/cell service to find the end place and traffic updates just because they're receiver units. They do not have transmitters like a GPS unit you'll find in a factory car unit or Garmin. After the initial "finding" of the place you can turn your hotspot off and the GPS will still receive your coordinates from the satellites. You can also download "offline maps" of a region on google maps so you don't need to hotspot your phone for a few months. I'll download half the country for my offline maps when I go on my road trips so I can find my way around remote areas with no cell service.
 
#13 ·
If I keep it, I'll get the CarPlay dongle and use Siri for navigation. At this point, though, it's unlikely that I'll hear back from the seller which means they'll be getting a returned, used item because of a perceived malfunction. PITA, but I wouldn't wait a year to not hear from anyone. Return window is only 30 days. Their clock is ticking...
 
#14 ·
Filmy, the issue with me was the camera was working for like a day or two then the unit said no signal, power was hooked up via the fuse box in the rear and grounded on the frame so not sure if the camera itself took a dive and it was a PITA to get the panels off and losing some of the clips, so I didn't want to go to the hassle again of uninstalling the camera. So it is just unplugged at the moment until I get a better camera and have the time to hassle with it again.
 
#15 ·
Update on the Android HU:
Because I can't get the home location to adjust to me here on the west coast (there's no settings secondary/sub-menu either) and the seller has now blown me off for three days (ostensibly because they have no suggestions on how to overcome this) I'm returning it. I'm glad it wasn't too much of a PITA to change out, so it should be easy to restore my dash to the OEM Sync system - sad, but true. Talk about a buzzkill... :(
 
#20 ·
IrishBrewer,
It's annoying, yes. But it also smacks of other potential problems that aren't being fixed/addressed and may crop up down the road after the return window has closed. But it's also principle. If we buy and pay for things that don't work as advertised, and we accept that, things will never be "fixed" or corrected - even the cheap shite from China. IOW, if everyone who buys this unit (or anything) has the same problem and returns the item used/defective, the seller (and/or) manufacturer would be out of business immediately. OR, they could fix the problem, which is certainly fixable. I dunno, maybe that's an age thing - I'm in my 50s; I've learned to not put up with being ripped off, no matter how much.

AdhesiveTeflon,
The fact that these are so easy to install makes them also very easy to UN-install. The change back to OEM would have taken ten minutes if I hadn't had to screw around with those little vent trap doors before snapping them back into the OEM fascia. (God, what was Ford thinking?) And this is also why I hesitated to install that back-up camera and to buy the CarPlay dongle. I didn't cut any wires or damage anything; other than peeling off the protective screen mask and peeling off the plastic adhesive paper for the GPS antenna, it all went back as I received it. Packed their stuff up in the original packing (always keep the original packaging for stuff until the return window is closed) and had it to USPS in less than an hour. And it's not shipping back to China, but to somewhere here in the US.
 
#22 · (Edited)
305696
I run an Ekiy unit. It has the same physical design, but different specs. The canbus to analog converter box included is defective. The illumination/dimmer output is always hot with accessory on, meaning the auto dim function doesn't work. I paid less than 200 USD, about what my old dash kit and harness/canbus kit cost me (Scosche FD6200 dashkit and Scosche FD02AR harness/canbus kit). I didn't retain SYNC, I've always hated SYNC anyways. As great as it is at night I would advise against any Android Head unit of the same physical design due to the angle of the screen. At first the hazard button wouldn't illuminate. I had to wire a pigtail that plugs in to the circuit board of the hazard and lock button to ground and accessory. I also connected the pink wire from the SYNC display connector pigtail to the "KEY 1" wire on the stereo. Now, instead of the pink wire feeding into the canbus adapter and defaulting 5 of my steering wheel buttons to the correct function, the function is customizable. I some how set the stereo up to get the time from GPS only and display the correct time for my time zone. As for navigation, I've grown too accustomed to using Waze and Google Maps to use any offline navigation solution. I would definitely run another Android head unit, but would avoid custom fit unit of this physical design. It spent a lot of time on setting up Nova Launcher and changing a lot of settings.
 
#23 ·
My vintage-2013 ACM crapped the bed recently. After repeated attempts to repair the craptastic lead-free solder problems, I decided to just replace the thing. Prices on new Ford-branded ACMs were $600-$700, and I have zero confidence they've addressed the soldering issues. I stumbled upon the Android facelift kits, and dug in a bit. Chose one from eBay vendor jmc-navi01 and set to installing.
Car Motor vehicle Vehicle Automotive design Steering wheel

Car Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive design Steering part


Initially, I had issues with the bottom buttons not working, or the steering wheel buttons not being recognized. Solution - connect ALL of the provided connectors. Specifically, the connector from the old display (with the cam-over retention bar) needs to be inserted into the matching socket in the harness to get the steering wheel buttons active. There are two 8-pin connectors that are almost identical. The 4-wire one (mine has purple and gray pairs) goes to the top of the unit. The 3-wire one connects to the back of the button bar and enables visibility of the Back, Menu, Navi buttons.
Circuit component Electrical wiring Audio equipment Computer hardware Electrical supply


Hood Motor vehicle Bumper Gas Automotive exterior


My blue CAN-BUS module was already connected to one side of the harness. The other in-the-harness block connects to the other side. The free-hanging "aux input" assembly goes to the back-panel connector. I'm not using the AUX harness, so it's omitted in the pics.

Light Circuit component Electrical wiring Electronic engineering Electricity


There's a 10-pin connector harness that has two wire stubs and a yellow RCA hanging out of it. Those stubs are antennas for Wi-Fi and presumably BT. That goes in the back-panel connector on the right (didn't get a pic, it's the right-most beige socket in the above photos under the fan wire.) Still don't have a home for the fan wire.

It's still a work in progress. However I have the basic set of what I want. System is running Android 11. GPS gave me the correct numbers for my home - checked that in the config menu under the GPS tab - shows number of satellites it can see and provides lat/lon coordinates.

Had issues with the time zone being off - stuck on "China." Had to disable the "use GPS" selection in the Android config menu (under "System" if I recall correctly.) Set the date, time and zone manually. Let it run like that for a while, then reverted to GPS and the time zone remained correct. Will see if that stays persistent tomorrow morning.

I want to connect the USB cables, but don't have a good destination for them (yet.) Didn't have enough daylight today to fish the center-console connector out and repurpose it. I'm trying to get to the glove box or the A-pillar on the passenger side, but haven't identified a clear route under the dash yet. There's sharp stamped metal under there ... did a little bleeding for the cause.
 
Top