Internet for Android Head Unit?

GirlFriday on 07/04/2017 - 21:45
Last edited 07/04/2017 - 21:46

Hi,

Not sure if this is the right forum but here goes… I recently installed an Android Head Unit by Joying which I'm pretty happy with.. The HU supports wireless and I want to avoid using up all my data and battery by tethering my phone when streaming music.

I think I want to buy a 4G USB dongle which will plug into a USB car charger I have. Then I can connect the HU wirelessly to it and stream from there. (Yes the HU came with USB connection but I don't want to use that right now). I plan to buy a sim and data plan just for this modem (probably Optus 365 expiry).

Is it a usb 4G broadband modem I want? Or a usb 4G broadband wifi modem? I think its the latter. The two terms are so similar when I'm searching eBay and the like I'm not sure which is which. Is there something really obvious between the two types of USB dongle which will differentiate them?

The key thing I guess is that I won't be using the dongle on a laptop or PC so it needs to work without that.

Recently there was a discussion on a Optus E8372 vs Optus E3372 deals (https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/284966) and to be honest I couldn't tell a difference.

Any guidance gratefully received!

Automotive

Comments

  • spackbace on 07/04/2017 - 21:49

    Does the HU support a WiFi connection?

    • GirlFriday on 07/04/2017 - 21:52

      Yep Joying JY-UL124N2

  • djkelly69 on 07/04/2017 - 22:39

    I think a 4G router is what you need.

  • shapers on 07/04/2017 - 23:13
    +2

    4g broadband USB modem doesn't send out a WiFi signal and can only be used with the computer its plugged in to - 4g WiFi modem is what you want

    • GirlFriday on 08/04/2017 - 11:19

      Could I trouble you to link one either from ebay or officeworks or similar just so I can be sure I get the right thing?

  • altomic on 08/04/2017 - 09:30
    +2

    easiest solution is to buy an elcheapo 4g phone and pair it. something like the ZTE Zip 4G from Coles at $29.50 - though not currently available

    • sane on 08/04/2017 - 11:28
      +1

      With the advantage that if you are in the car and break down without your phone on you, you can use the elcheapo.

      And if you have an accident you can use the camera to take pictures.

      Can't do that with a USB 4G modem.

  • kywst on 08/04/2017 - 11:10
    +1

    Don't you get free music steaming with Optus?

    Surely the Android HU supports bluetooth connectivity?

    Can't you charge your phone in the car? Either through the Android HU's USB port or a 12V to USB adapter?

  • GirlFriday on 08/04/2017 - 11:17

    Yes but I don't want to charge anything or rely on a phone being in the car to get connectivity. Looks like it's a 4G WiFi modem that I need. Thanks everyone :)

    • kywst on 08/04/2017 - 11:47
      +1

      How will you charge the 4G WiFi modem? Surely your phone remains on your person almost always …

      Your choice but seems convoluted.

      • GirlFriday on 08/04/2017 - 17:45

        Its a USB Wifi Modem?

  • dylanando on 08/04/2017 - 13:51

    Can you not buy el cheapo phone and just plug it in your car with hotspot always on? So everytime you get in the car your headunit will just automatically connect?

    • GirlFriday on 08/04/2017 - 17:51

      still got to take the phone out of the car to charge it. No battery on the phone == no stereo in the car. I was trying to avoid having yet another device to charge if that makes sense?

      • dylanando on 08/04/2017 - 19:07

        cant you charge it in the car? (leave it plugged in a usb port)

      • sane on 11/04/2017 - 11:41

        But for a 4G broadband wifi modem you are going to have to have it plugged in anyway for it to work. So even if the cheapo phone was dead, you plug it in and turn it on.

        Boot time isn't an issue, since you are going to have to boot that Android head unit anyway.

  • plmko on 08/04/2017 - 15:10

    I use Optus E5573 for my car. Works great because reception is exceptional compared to a phone and will turn on automatically when the attached USB starts feeding power.

    Things like Optus E3372 will not work in my opinion, because most mainstream Chinese headunits only support 3G so you can't get a 4G modem. Also they only recognise CDMA, not GSM, so pretty much useless again for Australia. (China is CDMA)

    There are many newer generation headunits that do support 4G built in, but I don't think Joying has updated.

    • GirlFriday on 08/04/2017 - 17:46

      I emailed Joying and they said they only support 4G not 3G (for this head unit in any case).

      They have their own USB wifi modem but it costs $90 and I'd have to wait until it shipped so I thought it would be worth checking if anything will suit locally.

      The Optus E5573 looks like it might do the trick and ticks all the boxes of USB internet access without needing to charge anything. Thank you :)

      • [Deactivated] on 08/04/2017 - 20:49
        +1

        Get a WiFi modem without battery. That way you don't need to switch it on and off each time you get in the car. I used e5573 for a bit, but e8372 much more convenient.

  • Drifta on 10/04/2017 - 21:58

    @GirlFriday How easy/hard was it to install the HU? Is this something a person who doesn't know anything about cars do with an online guide etc? What has your experience been like as I'm keen on doing something like this.

    • Euphemistic on 11/04/2017 - 14:43
      +1

      It depends on your car and how much extra stuff you want to install (reverse camera etc).

      I've done a few and if there is a harness adaptor (wires between head unit and vehicle) available and the dash isn't too hard to pull apart you could do it in an hour . I took about 5 hours to install the unit in my wife's car, but that included reverse camera, wiring it to the front, finding the trigger wire, soldering in some stuff that wasn't connected to the harness, connecting to the handbrake for video disable. My ute took about an hour, I haven't finished the job with the reverse camera etc, but it plays music and turns on and off.

      • Drifta on 12/04/2017 - 00:20

        Great, that's really useful to know. I will do some research in pulling apart the dash and take a good look to see if a harness adaptor is available. If all of that's good I will start looking into some basic HU - all I am looking for is radio/Bluetooth/navigation/aux/USB as current radio is stuffed and doesn't work well, can't change frequencies/modes etc and doesn't have any of the other features either. I am not looking at putting in reverse camera or dash cams etc. Thanks! :)

        • spackbace on 12/04/2017 - 00:28
          -1

          Look out for the next JB sale. A brand name deck with Carplay / Android auto will fit the bill.

          For longevity and ease of use I much prefer a branded unit

    • GirlFriday on 06/06/2017 - 13:54
      +1

      Whoa I didn't see this comment until now - sorry for the late reply.

      I have a 1999 Mitsubishi Outlander. I needed to buy a new fascia because stock is huge and single DIN (the head unit I chose is DDIN).

      I followed YouTube videos but it was pretty easy. The HU came with a universal adaptor, so I got another universal adaptor specifically for my car model and just plugged them together - no wire stripping or any of that stuff.

      I did not replace anything else apart from adding a bluetooth mic above the rear view mirror and the GPS that came with the HU mounted under the dash. If I had to mount a reverse camera for example there were YouTube videos covering that.

      All up it took me about 3 hours but only because I didn't know what I was doing :) The second time I had to pull it all out (because I dropped a microSD card down a crack) it only took me < 30 mins.

      • Drifta on 14/06/2017 - 22:49

        Great thanks for the feedback - still haven't gotten around to doing this but it's on my to-do list. Doesn't sound too complicated

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