BadFish523

LOL ok maybe 100s is a stretch. I have installed probably hundreds for friends and family maybe 20 for myself. I have had a BOSS in my old 02 and it is now on year 4 or 5 in my wife's Explorer that was i think $120 and it has most of the common features on the big name HUs too. I agree price depends all on what you want. Quality can come at a cheaper price point. OP hope were answering some of you questions?

Blenderite

Thanks for the help guys! Today I slapped in a AUX port and soldered it to the input wires from the Sirius module. It isn't a permanent fix, but it will hold me over while I save the money for an aftermarket one.

I have been looking at some of the Android HU's on Amazon. I am extremely suspicious of the ones that cost $150 or so. Are they really any good, or just trash?

How does the mirroring work? Does it auto rotate with the phone (hopefully not!)?

Would it be possible to hook up a camera to a Andoid HU that would act, not as a backup camera (which is possible on a lot of them), but as a dash cam, using an app like AutoBoy Black Box. I have seen some radios support SD cards up to 128GB, so perhaps it would work. What do you guys think?

Lastly, battle it out. What is the best Android HU on Amazon? Preferably not more than $200. Retail budget.

Thanks again!

Jamieat

Well, Im a lover not a fighter!!!

I'm not even going to give an opinion on which one is best, second, third, or 100 far as that goes as I've only used 2 of them. The Clarion I have is great, supports google maps, that was my biggest want as far as apps go b/c I use it religiously..

Yes, you can hook up a camera to do whatever you want with. Even my $100 Dual unit has an additional Video in port along with a back up camera port. So, you could have multiple cameras connected.

I know I keep going back to the $100 unit. Honestly, I'm just blown away at the deal on the thing, it was just something to put in my work truck, which I use more than my personal, and it has held up really well. Don't get me wrong, it has minor nuances that bug me, such as, when the volume is adjusted, the volume level indicator pops up, then stays on for about 3 seconds after you stop adjusting, during this 3 second period, no other input function is recognized. But, it's 3 seconds man!!!

The mirroring feature is a must have to me. It allows you to use your HU as your phone's touch screen. The premise is to keep you from looking down at your phone and "heads up" toward the road atleast. With this feature, your HU automatically becomes a Nav system....or whatever app you desire, phone book, face book, you tube, pandora, pics, phone video, ......anything you see on the phone is displayed on the HU. Best thing ever to me.

For instance, I programmed one of my SWC switches to be the prompt to open the google voice command (I use voice commands for about everything, texting, calling, retrieving texts, emails, web searches ect) system. I now can use the built in microphone in the unit to do whatever I wish, say "search nearest......whatever, maps opens, displays destination, gives location, phone, reviews, ect. I can then press button to continue the command prompt to say "go to" or " call" or "more info" ect.... all while driving, with both hands, and get, and see all the information as though you had done a search through your browser for the same info.

Dont get me wrong, if you've never used a voice command system, it takes time to learn how to "talk to" the cpu and use the proper terms for the prompts. I've used a number of the voice command systems and again, I like google's the best. Use chrome, maps, and voice command all through google, and they function together and recognize the same terminology for the same prompts. It also "learns" your particular voice so, it is more responsive over time.

If your wanting a dash cam feature, there are several apps that allow you to "dump" the files or delete, after a set amount of time. So, your not recording non stop on a 10 hour drive. You can set it to say....30 mins....this way, your only ever allocating 30 mins worth of memory to store the video. if something happens, power input changes, brakes hit really hard, wreck, ect. it's supposed to auto save and will auto save the last file. You can set it where you can retrieve however many of the older files for a set duration before being permanently deleted.

I used to drive sometimes 1400 miles a week (my 08 had 272,000 miles on it when I sold it), so, I had lots of time to learn these functions and experiment with apps and so forth.

My mirroring feature auto sets to the widest display, so, no rotation at all needed. Never messed with it due to it's already how I like it.

I'm not gonna say the 100 dollar Dual is the equivalent of the Clarion I dropped almost 7 on, however, I will say there is NOT a 600 dollar difference to me, at all, don't think it's possible unless it had an endless tap of coors lite, cold, a hot waitress.........hol up....never mind, you get it.

So, the clarion has way more power.....however, running multiple external amplifiers, I do not use any of the power from either HU anyway. It simply acts a hub to transfer signals. I'm sure this would help the life of the unit as it's not powering anything and not getting hot either.

I dunno, that's what I got, don't know, and cant speak for others and not gonna bash any body's setup. All I know is, I can listen, search, see whatever I want on them both, and make the mirrors vibrate in the process !!!

Jamieat

One other thing, you can buy a bluetooth adapter that plugs into your newly installed AUX port for about $15.00. This then converts your unit to wireless, also allows for hands free calling and will utilize your speakers for talking.

Just fyi

Blenderite

Perhaps I missed it, but what brand HU did you get?

Thanks again.

Jamieat

I have a Clarion in my 05 Lariat and a Dual (the cheap one) in my 2016 XL Work Truck.

Blenderite

I am struggling to find it. The Clarion site certainly doesn't have a unit like what you are describing. Did you buy it online or locally? How long ago did you get it?

The Clarion ones that have the features you describe are quite a bit more expensive than the price you got yours at.

Thanks!

Jamieat

DaaaaaaSSSSSSssss RRRiiIIIIIITTTTTttttteeeee!!!!!

LOl, my cousin owns a stereo shop. His parents opened it, (aunt and uncle) they were the first ones in my home town to rent VCR movies. They used to rent VCR's, the movies, Nintendo's, games ect, and in the back, my cousin hooked up car stereo's since he was 15.

He's 50 now!!! So, I have been around car audio all my life. With all that said, kinda needless to say, he gets a hell of a discount, still does great business, and I reap the benefits of having a good system, even though im 38, I've never not liked having something that would produce some bass and good sound.

Not like the 4 15's I had back in the day or anything........lol, I got two car seats in the back seat now.....so I just squeezed two 12's under it. Thank God they came out with flat subs!!!!

Matter fact......I'm still running the same two rockford fosgate amps and crossover I purchased from cuzzz when I was 18!!! Guess they don't make them like they used to, cause they only half way up, crossover turned down, and the 12's can't handle the power!!!

Damn, I got to drop this subject, my last post bro, you got me reminiscing bout old days and .........I'm OLD!!!!!

LOL, I'll have to look at the specific model and let you know. I just tell him what I'd like to have, he gets what he feels is suitable, usually don't pay much attention to the details as I know he knows what's the best product at the best price at the time, I take it, like it, get good deal, mirrors shake, and I'm happy!!