Tablet Head Unit

[ryaleon]

In trying to decide on a new head unit for the deuce I have come to discover that these things are pricy as hell. However....pretty much the cheapest and simplest tablets are more feature rich than the top tier Double din head units.

So I want to Install a tablet as my main head unit. Has anyone done this? Only major issues I can think of are volume controls and maybe retaining door chimes and rse.

[jsbihn]

I am subbing in on this too since other then the loss of the radio, I think this is a great idea. And have seen it once before on a TV show, cant remember the car or the show but still....

[guruerror]

Before you go modding to get a tablet in the dash, check this out: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/AppRadio/AppRadio+3+(SPH-DA210)

It uses the apps in your phone, and puts them on the big screen. Less modding involved as it is a standard double-DIN unit.

[ryaleon]

Actually most android tablets come with an FM tuner so the radio is no problem.

Guruerror that link is dead but I'm really curious what it is

[ryaleon]

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Car/AppRadio/AppRadio+3+(SPH-DA210)

Crutchfield claims this will not fit the deuce. But the head unit I installed in my 04 also was not supposed to fit but it did just fine.

[guruerror]

I'm sure it will fit...
...I'm currently running a custom built head-unit, but I'm thinking about converting over to the AppRadio. If the sucker would work with Netflix and Hulu I think I'd be completely sold. I need to troll the Pioneer forums to get more info...but it's pretty low on my priority list right now.

[ryaleon]

Did you bypass the bose amp

[Rico001]

Did you bypass the bose amp

that is the question I have too,, do you ,or did you kill the Bose amp and speakers too.

I really love Bose for surround sound in the home but the 2003 Hummer Bose is crappy and has no bass or highs either imo

~Richard

[guruerror]

No. I kept the Bose amp and speakers. I used a generic harness for a GM WITHOUT Bose so I could avoid using one of those interface modules (the ones designed to maintain the factory chimes , OnStar, and whatnot). I recall having to adjust some of the pin locations, but it was a piece of cake once I had the pin-out diagrams for both cables.

So my head unit wires directly to the line ins on the Bose. Works great! Loud! No engine whine with RPMs. Search 'carpc' on the forum and you should find my thread that has more details.

Regarding the Bose quality...the 03s had a different Bose then the later models. I forget all of the differences between the two.

[ryaleon]

I know the Bose in my 04 was awful. The Bose in the 08 is much improved but still too quiet for me.

[jsbihn]

just to chime in here for second on Bose for cars.
I had a friend who work for Bose and he told me that the technology that goes into the home stuff isnt the technology that goes into the car stuff.

basically what was said is that you are just getting very little technology with regular speakers using the Bose name. In the older 300zx that came with Bose units, it was exactly that. the horrible headunit failed so I replaced it with a simple 100 dollar pioneer unit (which was actually an upgrade - serious had more features and such), but the speakers were a nightmare. crappy speakers in a crappy plastic enclosure each individually amp'ed.
once I bypassed the amp and played it off the headunit they actually sounded better then they ever had.
thats when my friend told me that most "big company" car stereo upgrades arent worth the 1000 plus bucks you pay at the dealer.
He said it is better to get no stereo, spend 500-1000 bucks and get a much better aftermarket setup with a sub.

just my two cents

[ryaleon]

could not agree more with that. I swapped the bose speakers in my Denali for some $30 Sony Walmart ones. Vast improvement.

[PzYkED]

Been looking for the same thing myself. Was thinking about mounting an android tabled but doing some searching on the subject i found this:

http://ca-fi.com/en/

Looks very promising. Search for it on youtube and you will find lots of videos of their systems.

[jsbihn]

Wholley Smokes 700-1000 bucks?
Kind of defeats the purpose of feature rich AND economical

[guruerror]

Wholley Smokes 700-1000 bucks?
Kind of defeats the purpose of feature rich AND economical
I don't know...that puts in in the same price range (or maybe a hair below) the top end Nav units; and since it's running Android you'd have flexibility of adding apps, 3/4G/LTE data, integration with other services (Google maps, contacts, etc.).

If Apple made a double-DIN, iRadio that ran iOS I wouldn't think twice about dropping as much as $2,000 on it.

[jsbihn]

I don't know...that puts in in the same price range (or maybe a hair below) the top end Nav units; and since it's running Android you'd have flexibility of adding apps, 3/4G/LTE data, integration with other services (Google maps, contacts, etc.).

If Apple made a double-DIN, iRadio that ran iOS I wouldn't think twice about dropping as much as $2,000 on it.

Well I agree it is in the price range of the top end stuff. I mean honestly I would put in an AVIC before putting in a name I never heard of before and with very little US sales and support.
With that said, the one you brought to our attention isnt too bad. Pioneer brand and low cost and many many functions

Given it bugs me to all belief I cant remember where I have seen the write up on the car that is using an iPad (and one thats using a Android tablet) are at.

My own opinion is that head units, unless they have lots of frequency control and ZERO output gain, are all the same. You can fine tune them with the speakers and amps.