I do intend on installing the pay version of unchained as it includes gps injection so all apps can use the built in antenna for gps

Unfortunately, I think you may find yourself very disappointed there.  After talking to Area51 (the ARU Reloaded developer), Pioneer does not allow the transfer of GPS data from their unit to the phone (or Android stick in this case)  That blows this option right out of the water for me as I really need to be able to use Waze or Google Maps.  Now, if they were to include GPS capablilities with a stick, they would really get my attention!!

Unfortunately, I think you may find yourself very disappointed there.  After talking to Area51 (the ARU Reloaded developer), Pioneer does not allow the transfer of GPS data from their unit to the phone (or Android stick in this case)  That blows this option right out of the water for me as I really need to be able to use Waze or Google Maps.  Now, if they were to include GPS capablilities with a stick, they would really get my attention!!

What does the AR2 GPS antena does if it does not transfer the data to the phone? I mean, if you use waze or navfree, don't they get help from the head unit antena? If not, that's a scam?

It also means that the stick cannot be used for Google Map navigation, right?

Not showing much in the video, but my first impression is that it is very slow to boot... Seams like eternity!

But the GPS data was available somehow, not sure where they come from.

Unfortunately, I think you may find yourself very disappointed there.  After talking to Area51 (the ARU Reloaded developer), Pioneer does not allow the transfer of GPS data from their unit to the phone (or Android stick in this case)  That blows this option right out of the water for me as I really need to be able to use Waze or Google Maps.  Now, if they were to include GPS capablilities with a stick, they would really get my attention!!

Area51 just confirmed with me on the XDA forum that Appradio Unchained Reloaded does indeed work on AR2 & AR3 with Android sticks.  

It is AR4 that uses another message format that he said he is working on supporting as well.  

My Android stick should arrive by Friday.  Looking forward to tying this out!  

Waze uses the GPS data from your phone.  As does Google Maps.  AppRadio simply projects the results (the nav map) to your head unit.  What APR Unchained Reloaded does, is allow the GPS antenna of the head unit be used for the app.  (If you have Reloaded, it already comes with the GPS transfer software)  However, what I was told by Area51 was Pioneer does not allow that transfer to take place.  Here is information I received when I inquired about purchasing the app for using GPS from the headunit:

That app is not to be used with the Reloaded app as it is already included. However it only works with head units that can send GPS data to the phone. Even though your head unit has a GPS receiver, Pioneer decided to not allow sending of GPS data to the phone.

If you want to use navigation on your phone you have to use the phone's GPS. This will work, unless you store your phone under heaps of metal.

Please keep in mind he knows I'm using a NEX 8000.  Maybe the problem is specific to that model.

Humm, totally confused. But I guess an Android stick do not have a GPS included, so it cannot be used for Google Maps and other software.

But dI'd I understand that it is only an issue on the AR4?

Please keep in mind he knows I'm using a NEX 8000.  Maybe the problem is specific to that model.

Humm, totally confused. But I guess an Android stick do not have a GPS included, so it cannot be used for Google Maps and other software.

 

But dI'd I understand that it is only an issue on the AR4?

Appradio Unchained Reloaded built in GPS injection confirmed working on AR2 & AR3 by Area51.  AR4 and NEX have not. 

Unfortunately, I think you may find yourself very disappointed there.  After talking to Area51 (the ARU Reloaded developer), Pioneer does not allow the transfer of GPS data from their unit to the phone (or Android stick in this case)  That blows this option right out of the water for me as I really need to be able to use Waze or Google Maps.  Now, if they were to include GPS capablilities with a stick, they would really get my attention!!

I don't know what radio you have but GPS injection works with an android stick/any android device on the AR2 and AR3 radios, Thats what the GPS Injector is for. I can 100% confirm this.

Area51 is also working on GPS Injection for the AR4 but is currently unsupported

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=58461615&postcount=508

Not showing much in the video, but my first impression is that it is very slow to boot... Seams like eternity!

 

But the GPS data was available somehow, not sure where they come from.

Mine takes 90seconds from the time you turn the car on until you can stream a song from the internet(spotify). Yes it's a bit of a pain but worth it in my opinion. if you are using extensions with an iPhone4/4s and the iPhones off it's no different boot time. The Android stick responds much much faster to touch input than extensions, its exactly like using a tablet.

I am intending on installing a backup battery which should last a couple hours so maybe it would only have to boot up once/day in the morning and the battery should start charging on my first drive. I'm looking into the different options here, a few people have theirs plugged into an always on power source but I'd be worried of running the battery flat in the car.

Mine takes 90seconds from the time you turn the car on until you can stream a song from the internet(spotify). Yes it's a bit of a pain but worth it in my opinion. if you are using extensions with an iPhone4/4s and the phones off it's no different. The Android stick responds muc much faster to touch input than extensions, its exactly like using a tablet.

I am intending on installing a backup battery which should last a couple hours so maybe it would only have to boot up once/day in the morning and the battery should start charging on my first drive. I'm looking into the different options here, a few people have theirs plugged into an always on power source but I'd be worried of running the battery flat in the car.

I agree with you. I would not have it connected to the car's battery permanently, as it will be bad for your car battery. Especially after a long week end without using the car too much.

I was thinking about it, and I do not know if the batteries used to recharged iPhones, iPads and such via USB would be powerful enough.

Also, In my car, I have a remote starter that have an AUX button. Maybe if I can trigger that auxiliary function to switch on the contact on the Android stick before I get into the car. Even if this would be done from the car's battery, that should not affect it too much I guess.

From reading some reasearch on various forums the stick draws about 2amps when booting up initially but once booted only requires 500ma to stay on, I was looking at something like this

Now the one thing I'm unsure of is if the unit takes a charge while suppling power to the android stick as in does it act like a UPS or do you need to switch it on when you are tuning off the car which would be unresonable, I'm going to buy a cheap chinese €10 one for testing 

I think it's that the AR4 sends GPS data differently to the phone than it doesn't send it at all. If that were the case, what would be the point in it at all, given that everything is done from the phone. Area51 just needs to decode it I think. I hope so anyway because for the sake of 30 quid, I've just bought one!

That's what I understood as well. The data exists, but is not of the same format as previous units.

^^That is correct, it is confirmed here

http://forum.xda-dev...5&postcount=508

The issues mentioned by 03Aviator are because his radio is an NEX model

The issues mentioned by 03Aviator are because his radio is an NEX model

Which is not an AR2 or AR3, right? LOL

That said probably pioneers used the NEX GPS format for the AR4, as the 2 firmware are closer to each other than the previous AR firmware. In fact, the AR4 is probably a very low end NEX system.

Does anyone using this combo manage to get Bluetooth working for voice and audio streaming?

I've got it up and running well, but it seems the android stick is "Stealing" the BT as I can't stream anything from BT audio or make calls.

I use my iPhone to make voice calls, I'm on an AR2 so not possible to bluetooth stream audio but here's what I did.

Disconnect the hdmi dongle and click the phone icon, then the settings cog wheel, delete everything except the HDMI Dongle. now go back to settings - special device - other and add the phone, when your phone is paired it should be device 2, no power everything off/back on again.

If you go into the phone-cog wheel a checkbox should only be in the Bluetooth device you are using for phonecalls

See here for more details

I'm pretty sure on the AR3 there is bluetooth profiles which is similar

The Android stick solution looks like a very nice path to the issue of AR2-3 compatibility, but also requires lot of "investment" and trickery that may not be for everyone.

I'm still concern about moving that way vs going AR4 or wait for the Parrot head unit eventually. Time being something precious as well, how much time do we have to invest into this versus a unit design for our end goal...

Still an interesting discussion...

Yes, there is some investment involved but for me it was a no brainer, I'd a pretty useless AppRadio2 so my options were to upgrade to an AR4 which was a huge investment and I was relying on selling my AR2 to fund it or to invest a couple of euro and see how it goes with an android HDMI stick.

In the end I used the free version of appradio unchained, spent €5 on the GPS Injector, €35 on the HDMI Dongle and I now have more features than the latest and greatest radio available. I like to mess about with technology so rooting the android dongle was a bit of fun and if it didnt work out I would use it for something else. It's not really that difficult to setup, in 1 hour you could have the whole thing running perfectly without any special expertise.

From the reviews I've read on the AR4 and carplay in general it doesn't seem all they've cracked it up to be with alot of bugs and stupid things showing up on the forum which really should have been fixed before releasing. I don't think I'd buy another Pioneer radio after the disasters they've made with all the AppRadios, from new radio releases each year to delays in releasing fixes, or in some cases not releasing fixes at all and just removing features.

They dont seem to be able to settle one format, is it AppRadio, AppRadio Live, AppRadio one or Carplay, it's getting ridiculous. the next year or two will be interesting to see where parrot go with their radio, and if apple allow more carplay compatable apps 

Parrot is really intriguing, for sure. If it can do everything they advertise, it will be an amazing device. Maybe too pricey...

I may try the Android stick one day. I'll see how the markets goes. But right now, at -30 celsius outside, it is less appealing to test this in the car...

Let me ask you guys this.  What is the difference between AppRadio, and Mirrorlink?  Won't Mirrorlink do everything you are after?  Project your phone to your screen, allow the use of steering wheel controls, sound system, etc?  It seems to me that is a very viable solution to this.  After reading about all the issues people are having with Siri and Carplay, it looks like you better not count on that feature to be seamless...or even usable in some situations.

Parrot is really intriguing, for sure. If it can do everything they advertise, it will be an amazing device. Maybe too pricey...

 

I may try the Android stick one day. I'll see how the markets goes. But right now, at -30 celsius outside, it is less appealing to test this in the car...

I think the Android stick is a very viable solution to a lot of things...it just has to have GPS to make it work with a lot of things.  I'll get that happens soon.

My son integrated a Samsung tablet into his CTS-V.  We put in a premium amplifier so whatever he listens to through it sounds incredible.  He has a ton of apps that offer so much.  He can use Google Maps, or whatever else he finds available...but he pretty well sticks with Waze.  It would take me a couple of days to explain all this thing will do.  And it it totally integrated with the vehicle.  Turns on and off with the ignition...will boot on remote start...and will come out of the car with a simple push of a button.  Yet it looks like it came from the factory that way as he built the holder by hand.  It really is an incredible piece of work that offers more than any other system I have ever seen. 

Pictures please

I'll have to see if he has any.  Of course, I can't post any pics here...and the other options are such a pain in the ass.