Best suited car radio for Android phones

smartblaa

Hi,
Just wondering if any of you currently use your Android device in conjunction with you car radio.

I want to use it for:

1. Bluetooth call handling
2. Bluetooth A2DP streaming

What has your experience of it been like? Are there more glitches in android than normal phones via Bluetooth? ..and more importantly, which car radios work best with the android platform.(eg. phonebook import etc.)

Thanks a million

_Kaiser_

Well I don't know about car stereos themselves, but my Desire is connected to my Parrot Handsfree kit via Bluetooth and from there it's routed through the car's speaker system.

Few points:

- It does copy/update the contacts but just the basic name and number (although the pics seem to work if the Contact has a GMail/Chat pic - not Facebook though).

- A lot of "format not recognized" errors come up when the phone first connects and syncs but these stop after a few mins (presumably all the extra profile/contact info).

- The phone can take an age to connect to the Parrot kit (although this seems to have been fixed since I upgraded to Froyo)

breeno

I have a Sony stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. Pretty handy for music and calls. Got it 2 years ago in Halfords for about €120.

Edit - This one would be the business
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_774681_langId_-1_categoryId_212600

Also if you go to http://axaplus.ie/halfords_index.htm and print off the voucher and put in "your" policy number - make up one such as 55/21xxxxxxx you'll get 15% off instore in Halfords.

smartblaa

breeno wrote: »

I have a Sony stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. Pretty handy for music and calls. Got it 2 years ago in Halfords for about €120.

Edit - This one would be the business
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_774681_langId_-1_categoryId_212600

Also if you go to http://axaplus.ie/halfords_index.htm and print off the voucher and put in "your" policy number - make up one such as 55/21xxxxxxx you'll get 15% off instore in Halfords.

Cheers Breeno,
I'll give that headunit a serious look.
There's good reviews of it from HTC Desire owners, so that has to be good!

rubensni

I have had a Sony MEX-BT2500 (http://www.sony.co.uk/product/ica-cd-tuners/mex-bt2500) for over three years, and I must say it's been absolutely brilliant. Bought it first day for the Bluetooth hands-free and auxiliary input jack, but since it's got Bluetooth audio built in it's synced up perfectly with my Samsung Galaxy Spica (Android 2.1) for calls and audio with no cables. Used it previously with an LG KU990 Viewty, and a Samsung U600, but the Spica is by far the best phone I have used with this model of car stereo.

Audio quality is excellent for MP3s and Youtube and other streaming video works perfectly, particularly if you select watch in High Quality, which is great for when your passenger* really wants to hear a song in the car, or a stand up comedy sketch.

Another great feature is the Google Navigate app which gives the directions through the car stereo!

Breeno's model seems to be an updated version of my one, so I would buy that or another Sony model. 10/10.


*Not that I'd ever use my phone to access the web when driving, Garda :rolleyes:

subway

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Well I don't know about car stereos themselves, but my Desire is connected to my Parrot Handsfree kit via Bluetooth and from there it's routed through the car's speaker system.

Few points:

- It does copy/update the contacts but just the basic name and number (although the pics seem to work if the Contact has a GMail/Chat pic - not Facebook though).

- A lot of "format not recognized" errors come up when the phone first connects and syncs but these stop after a few mins (presumably all the extra profile/contact info).

- The phone can take an age to connect to the Parrot kit (although this seems to have been fixed since I upgraded to Froyo)

which parrot model?
i have a ck3100 (black green lcd) so i know i wont get pictures, but it doesnt play ring tones etc off my desire, but does my 6303
im thinking about upgrading it

_Kaiser_

subway wrote: »

which parrot model?
i have a ck3100 (black green lcd) so i know i wont get pictures, but it doesnt play ring tones etc off my desire, but does my 6303
im thinking about upgrading it

Mki9200 - it's actually a great kit I think and the ability to connect an iPod/MP3 Player/USB stick is invaluable as I just have a 2GB key in the glovebox with all my music on it

Got it supplied/fitted through a fella here on Boards and he did a great job.

Oh, it won't play the ringtones set on my Desire either - it uses its own default ones.

subway

can you play music through it / hear sat nav instructions etc?
can you pm the installers name and some details about how much you paid (if you dont mind?)

smartblaa

breeno wrote: »

I have a Sony stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. Pretty handy for music and calls. Got it 2 years ago in Halfords for about €120.

Edit - This one would be the business
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_774681_langId_-1_categoryId_212600

Also if you go to http://axaplus.ie/halfords_index.htm and print off the voucher and put in "your" policy number - make up one such as 55/21xxxxxxx you'll get 15% off instore in Halfords.

Thanks to all who recommended the Sony.
I got one installed today at Halfords.(MEX-BT3800U)
It works a treat, sounds fantastic and call quality very good.
I can even skip through tracks on my HTC Hero music app through my steering controls!

and thanks for the AxaPlus link Breeno!
I filled out my "Policy Number" and got my 15% off.

He did ask for my Axa-plus card! I just said I hadn't received it yet!
(I was brickin it that he'd look at my insurance disk when installing it!)

hardCopy

Apologies for the zombie thread.

I'm looking at handsfree options for my car that will work with my HTC Desire.

The parrot MKI9200 seems to be highly recommended -here

The only reason I'm hesitant is that I could get a new stereo with bluetooth built in for less than the price of a parrot, like this

What are the advantages of a parrot over a built in system?

groom

I bought an Aldi one for €60 about a month ago that works pretty flawlessly. I think some Aldi stores still have these hanging around

hardCopy

groom wrote: »

I bought an Aldi one for €60 about a month ago that works pretty flawlessly. I think some Aldi stores still have these hanging around

Was that a handsfree kit or a Head Unit?

groom

A head unit. It has cd/usb/aux/sd card/bt/radio. I installed it myself. I needed to get an aerial adaptor (€3 I think) and I also got a fascia board (€5) to cover the gap left by the old stereo

hardCopy

groom wrote: »

A head unit. It has cd/usb/aux/sd card/bt/radio. I installed it myself. I needed to get an aerial adaptor (€3 I think) and I also got a fascia board (€5) to cover the gap left by the old stereo

Thanks,

Will have a look for one of them at lunchtime tomorrow.

I had an Aldi one in a previous car and it was great.