vw golf mkv head unit options.

[watson83]

Hello people, have recently bought a 2007 gti which I should be receiving the end of this week or start of next.
It's got a lot of mods but two things I'd like to have aren't done yet. One of those is up grading the standard stereo head unit.

So am after something touch screen that I will also be able to use the steering wheel controls plus Bluetooth.

Use android phones so am thinking about this one and am wondering if anyone has used them

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=281376792074&alt=web

[moda]

Depends what you want/how much you want to spend, to be honest. So many options, OEM VW (RNS510), OEM-Style (Generic Chinese WinCE/Android, or there are WinCE units that are more expensive/better designed/better built from the likes of Audiosources (ANS/DNS), Zenec, Dynavin etc), or Third Party (Pioneer/Alpine/Kenwood etc + fascia faceplate + idatalink adapter which gives you all OEM features, nav in mfd etc).

But yea, depends on how much you want to spend/what you want out of it. Personally i'd avoid the cheap, generic, ****ty chinese WinCE/Android units. Build quality is usually ****, software is usually crap and you won't see much in the way of sound quality increase.

[kamold]

But yea, depends on how much you want to spend/what you want out of it. Personally i'd avoid the cheap, generic, ****ty chinese WinCE/Android units. Build quality is usually ****, software is usually crap and you won't see much in the way of sound quality increase.

I have a cheap, stty Android unit in my wife's Golf and if it weren't for the lack of MFD and OEM BT integration I would pull the RNS out of my car...sound quality and software are a big step up over stock. The flexibility of having Android on your head unit and all associated apps w internet access via your tethered phone is a HUGE plus.

[moda]

I have a cheap, stty Android unit in my wife's Golf and if it weren't for the lack of MFD and OEM BT integration I would pull the RNS out of my car...sound quality and software are a big step up over stock. The flexibility of having Android on your head unit and all associated apps w internet access via your tethered phone is a HUGE plus.

I guess my comment was more on the WinCE units, man the generic chinese software they come with is awful. Android 4.2+ would be better, but still, IDK, Android is pretty ugly/annoying to use for me haha. The hardware should still be the same, none of the generic units I ever used really wowed me in the sound department, my DNS is a serious step up, and the more premium (read: expensive) units will have better hardware (faster CPUs, better DACs/Amps etc etc), so should sound and work better

[kamold]

Yeah agree with WinCE. I pulled out a WinCE unit and replaced with the Android 4.2 unit.
Being android you can use the launcher of your choice, as well as music app, nav app etc of your choice.
And you aren't frozen in time if some newer, better app comes out that supersedes what you have. eg Nokia maps is apparently going to be available soon for Android which I am looking forward to as there are some small issues with my current preferred nav app iGo Primo.
The interface is smooth, multitouch enabled. Dual core 1Ghz with a proper video chipset unlike OEM and 4x50w rather than 4x25 in OEM with a good (as far as they can be at the price) DAC setup.

[watson83]

So the android would be marginally better than the stock non touch screen one anyway. And would be able to use Google maps once down loaded onto it?
As these units have Bluetooth intergrated into it saves me buying additional items to plug into a OEM model upgrade.

Stupid question what it's the appreviaton MFD?

[Martin]

MFD = Multi Function Display

[kamold]

If you have a half-height MFD like this:


Then you don't gain as much from an RNS as the full height MFD that can display directions, song titles, phonebook etc.
Makes the decision to go aftermarket easier (as it was in my case with the Golf).
Also has built-in Bluetooth which makes it cheaper and easier to install, at the expense of voice quality as there is no external mic.

With the Android unit, you can use google maps, or any number of 'offline' GPS apps such as Sygic which have the maps loaded on to the SDcard like an OEM unit. But with internet access via you tethered phone, you get access to live traffic which can make much more intelligent routing decisions.

The other big plus for me is streaming music, as you can use Pandora, Rdio etc, or in my case stream your home collection from your home NAS (network attached storage).

[watson83]

Will have to wait till my car arrives to check that.

[watson83]

Just found this, at least a oz dealer

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=300881594937&alt=web

Has external Mic, so far a lot have people have said the Mic on most isn't the best. Least with this one could mount the Mic on the A pillar somewhere.

[kamold]

I would guess that's a wince based system. Ask the seller. Dead end platform in my opinion.

[watson83]

Another stupid question, I'm learning here!
What's wince? Software or the hardware?

[moda]

Another stupid question, I'm learning here!
What's wince? Software or the hardware?

Windows CE (Embedded version of Windows for low power devices). As a platform its quite old, usually custom built for its intended use, very limited app selection, doesn't support multitouch or multi-cored CPUs (at least in the versions that are used commonly) etc etc.

How much are you wanting to spend? That way we can point you in the right direction.

[watson83]

It runs window ce 6.0

[watson83]

Windows CE (Embedded version of Windows for low power devices). As a platform its quite old, usually custom built for its intended use, very limited app selection, doesn't support multitouch or multi-cored CPUs (at least in the versions that are used commonly) etc etc.

How much are you wanting to spend? That way we can point you in the right direction.

Looking around the $500 mark.