Mar 25, 2015, 01:53 PM
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Android Head Unit & Backup Camera Installation
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 3
Well bad news to report. My Head Unit stopped working correctly. It will no longer boot up past displaying the car's logo. It will still popped into video mode and correctly display the rear view camera but as soon as the car is out of reverse it just goes back to displaying the car's logo forever. The reset button on the front has no impact.
Anyone else heard of this issue? It's really disappointing to have to take the dash apart and remove the unit and send back to china so I'm hoping there's some troubleshooting tips to try that I haven't run across yet and a way to use one of the available ports to reload the android OS or whatever can be done to get past the hangup. Just stopped working one day. Nothing happened to the car so can't for the life of me find any other reason why it stopped working other than manufacturer defect.
Anyone else heard of this issue? It's really disappointing to have to take the dash apart and remove the unit and send back to china so I'm hoping there's some troubleshooting tips to try that I haven't run across yet and a way to use one of the available ports to reload the android OS or whatever can be done to get past the hangup. Just stopped working one day. Nothing happened to the car so can't for the life of me find any other reason why it stopped working other than manufacturer defect.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 578
Likes: 39
From: Mount Airy MD
No, but the vendor should be responsive with suggestions. It sounds more like a software problem than a hardware one, which is certainly not unheard of with mobile devices of any flavor, so if you haven't updated the OS, then (in an attempt to put a positive spin on the situation) perhaps this presents an opportunity to do so!
I recently updated my Android headunit with a new MCU (the part of the operating system that drives the non-Android components like the radio) and a custom ROM created by Malaysk at XDA Developers.
Last edited by bjmsam; Apr 23, 2016 at 12:06 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 3
No, but the vendor should be responsive with suggestions. It sounds more like a software problem than a hardware one, which is certainly not unheard of with mobile devices of any flavor, so if you haven't updated the OS, then (in an attempt to put a positive spin on the situation) perhaps this presents an opportunity to do so!
OK, I'll bite, where are the instructions for 'updating the software' and no, the vendor hasn't responded yet either.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 578
Likes: 39
From: Mount Airy MD
The vendor may have a newer link than the one I posted below. What Trios posted above was referring to the XDA site. And depending on the problem, something like OneClickRoot might be useful.
the following video shows how to update this HU from 4.2.2 to 4.4.4 using this firmware update. My HU works great as is, and the enhancements are not particularly relevant to me, so I will likely wait for 5.0.
update from 4 2 to 4 4 - YouTube
update from 4 2 to 4 4 - YouTube
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 3
The vendor may have a newer link than the one I posted below. What Trios posted above was referring to the XDA site. And depending on the problem, something like OneClickRoot might be useful.
thanks for the info but my hunch is it's a hardware problem. If you can't boot it up into even the Debugging Mode you can't even attempt anything else. Every 15 to 20 seconds I hear a faint internal motor trying to do something for a second or two then it stops and then all quiet for 15 to 20 seconds then repeats. In other words, about the time the normal logo would go away and the thing would boot up is about the time I hear the faint sound of a motor then nothing again until it repeats. The corvette logo stays up the whole time without any interrupting.
just for grins I did connect it to my laptop and my laptop never saw it. You can't execute oneclickroot on a device if you can't get the device into debugger mode.
Last edited by lucmac; Apr 23, 2016 at 09:14 PM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 578
Likes: 39
From: Mount Airy MD
Bummer. I don't know what components other than the DVD drive and the cooling fan would involve a motor. Sounds like it might need to be replaced (presumably under warranty; I bought mine earliest and it remains covered for another few months with no signs of trouble). Good luck, and keep us posted!
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 632
Likes: 69
From: GA
Ok guys looking for some help here.
Car is a 1lt with no bose.
I got this guy for Christmas from myself and just got around to installing it.
Dennis at double D hooked me up with the RP3-GM11 PAC harness.
I sliced off the RCA ends on the PAC per instructions and wired up the speakers and the power. Nothing worked other than the PAC chime.
I then wired up the blue amp trigger and I have sound, but it is INSANELY loud. A beep or a keystroke on the android unit will deafen you, and the radio at volume 1 is too loud for a conversation. There is also a very loud constant hiss when the radio or any other music app is activated.
I have tried playing with several settings and even the sound levels in the factory setup page. Nothing helps.
Found it weird I needed an amp trigger wire with the 1lt non Bose setup. Funky???
Any ideas?
Car is a 1lt with no bose.
I got this guy for Christmas from myself and just got around to installing it.
Dennis at double D hooked me up with the RP3-GM11 PAC harness.
I sliced off the RCA ends on the PAC per instructions and wired up the speakers and the power. Nothing worked other than the PAC chime.
I then wired up the blue amp trigger and I have sound, but it is INSANELY loud. A beep or a keystroke on the android unit will deafen you, and the radio at volume 1 is too loud for a conversation. There is also a very loud constant hiss when the radio or any other music app is activated.
I have tried playing with several settings and even the sound levels in the factory setup page. Nothing helps.
Found it weird I needed an amp trigger wire with the 1lt non Bose setup. Funky???
Any ideas?
Last edited by Naldinator; May 3, 2016 at 09:16 AM.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 632
Likes: 69
From: GA
Ok guys looking for some help here.
Car is a 1lt with no bose.
I got this guy for Christmas from myself and just got around to installing it.
Amazon.com: Pumpkin Quad Core 7 inch 2 DIN Universal Android 4.4 Car Stereo Radio HD 1024*600 Muti-touch Screen GPS Navigation Without DVD Player Support WIFI/3G/Bluetooth/OBD2/DVR/Mirror Link with Backup Camera: GPS & Navigation
Dennis at double D hooked me up with the RP3-GM11 PAC harness.
I sliced off the RCA ends on the PAC per instructions and wired up the speakers and the power. Nothing worked other than the PAC chime.
I then wired up the blue amp trigger and I have sound, but it is INSANELY loud. A beep or a keystroke on the android unit will deafen you, and the radio at volume 1 is too loud for a conversation. There is also a very loud constant hiss when the radio or any other music app is activated.
I have tried playing with several settings and even the sound levels in the factory setup page. Nothing helps.
Found it weird I needed an amp trigger wire with the 1lt non Bose setup. Funky???
Any ideas?
Car is a 1lt with no bose.
I got this guy for Christmas from myself and just got around to installing it.
Amazon.com: Pumpkin Quad Core 7 inch 2 DIN Universal Android 4.4 Car Stereo Radio HD 1024*600 Muti-touch Screen GPS Navigation Without DVD Player Support WIFI/3G/Bluetooth/OBD2/DVR/Mirror Link with Backup Camera: GPS & Navigation
Dennis at double D hooked me up with the RP3-GM11 PAC harness.
I sliced off the RCA ends on the PAC per instructions and wired up the speakers and the power. Nothing worked other than the PAC chime.
I then wired up the blue amp trigger and I have sound, but it is INSANELY loud. A beep or a keystroke on the android unit will deafen you, and the radio at volume 1 is too loud for a conversation. There is also a very loud constant hiss when the radio or any other music app is activated.
I have tried playing with several settings and even the sound levels in the factory setup page. Nothing helps.
Found it weird I needed an amp trigger wire with the 1lt non Bose setup. Funky???
Any ideas?
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 15
From: Seattle WA
Yes, the non-Bose has an amp. You should've used the RCAs instead of chopping them off. You should be able to buy some RCA ends you can solder back on if you want to re-use the harness.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 632
Likes: 69
From: GA
Already on it figured with as many misc RCA cables I have sitting around I would try it out.
Thanks man!
p.s. Glad to post my mistake up here to hope someone else does not make it.
Last edited by Naldinator; May 3, 2016 at 11:35 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 15
From: Seattle WA
Everyone, lets save ourselves some $$$ on this upgrade, hmm?
We're all buying the 'RPX-GM11' which includes the steering wheel control interface, and then we're cutting out the SWC control because it doesn't work with our Android headunits.
The OS-2X from PAC is over $100 less, still retains Bose (and works without it, too!), RAP, Onstar, etc; and doesn't include the SWC that we don't need.
I know what I'm buying when I upgrade my C6.
We're all buying the 'RPX-GM11' which includes the steering wheel control interface, and then we're cutting out the SWC control because it doesn't work with our Android headunits.
The OS-2X from PAC is over $100 less, still retains Bose (and works without it, too!), RAP, Onstar, etc; and doesn't include the SWC that we don't need.
I know what I'm buying when I upgrade my C6.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 632
Likes: 69
From: GA
OK got everything working.
Have to do the backup camera. Just have to figure out the wiring there. The head unit has the reverse input and the pac harness has the output. I hooked them up.
Now will I just have to run power and ground to the camera itself? or do I still need to have a "trigger" wire to the reverse lights for the camera?
Have to do the backup camera. Just have to figure out the wiring there. The head unit has the reverse input and the pac harness has the output. I hooked them up.
Now will I just have to run power and ground to the camera itself? or do I still need to have a "trigger" wire to the reverse lights for the camera?
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 48
From: CT
OK got everything working.
Have to do the backup camera. Just have to figure out the wiring there. The head unit has the reverse input and the pac harness has the output. I hooked them up.
Now will I just have to run power and ground to the camera itself? or do I still need to have a "trigger" wire to the reverse lights for the camera?
Have to do the backup camera. Just have to figure out the wiring there. The head unit has the reverse input and the pac harness has the output. I hooked them up.
Now will I just have to run power and ground to the camera itself? or do I still need to have a "trigger" wire to the reverse lights for the camera?
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 632
Likes: 69
From: GA
Got her in and running great.
Has anyone had any luck loading a custom boot animation on this unit? I tried the bootanimation.zip process and wound up locking the device up and had to reload the firmware. AutoPumpkin was great at getting me the firmware and very helpful there.
Not sure about the boot animation.
Has anyone had any luck loading a custom boot animation on this unit? I tried the bootanimation.zip process and wound up locking the device up and had to reload the firmware. AutoPumpkin was great at getting me the firmware and very helpful there.
Not sure about the boot animation.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 632
Likes: 69
From: GA
Navigation that is built in is great or you can tether it from you iphone and use google maps or waze.
Sound is OK by me but I can see where a real audio nut may not agree. I like listening to my engine with the cutouts open more than the radio anyway.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 284
Likes: 2
Ok thanks. I'm not all that up on radio tech. How is everyone adding the apps to the h/u? Do you just use your phone as a hotspot and downloaded them to the h/u or load them off of a thumb drive? Also anyone installed one in a c5 with Bose? What is needed as far as pac connectors wire harnesses etc?
Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 632
Likes: 69
From: GA
Call Dennis at double d mods to get the stuff you need to hook it up. He will do you right.
As for adding apps. I either tether it to my iphone via wifi hotspot or normally just connect it to my home wifi and update everything sitting in the garage. saves on data usage.
As for adding apps. I either tether it to my iphone via wifi hotspot or normally just connect it to my home wifi and update everything sitting in the garage. saves on data usage.