huyuci

This thing runs on Android 5.1. So why mirror your phone when you can run your apps directly on it. With apps in Google Play, the sky is the limit.

Mike5215

That thing is so fricking cool. The form factor is a little different from the other widescreen upgrades I've seen where the screen is so tall the bottom edge almost rests on the air vents. This one looks more in scale with the car.

Get ready for a billion questions 😁

dieseldoc

This looks awesome!

MASSC450

Wow! I'd love to have a system like this! Nothing faster navigating through the menus or more intuitive than a touch screen.

Why couldn't Mercedes have come out with a touch screen set up like this?

huyuci

Totally agreed. I can't understand why Mercedes and car manufacturers are dragging their feet on their infotainment system. Except for the voice command, this is even better than Command in my opinion. It is so versatile with so much potential.

cidtek

The horizontal resolution looks too stretched for my taste. It needs a better screen driver.

Mike5215

No car manufacturer is going to let purely open source software like Android run on hardware that they're responsible for providing a warranty for and customer support for. (I say "purely" because Infiniti used a modified imbedded version of Android in the Q50 but it's been a nightmare for them.) I think smartphone integration is as close as they'll get and they do that reluctantly. A lot of the hold up by MB on CarPlay between them and Apple was, if we need to run your CarOS on our hardware and the OS crashes, who's going to fix it when the customer calls? Apple says it's your hardware, your problem. MB decided at least at that point (2014) it wasn't worth the hassle. Although it appears they worked it out.

Generally the infotainment system integrates with the car on a number of levels (Agility settings, HVAC operation, cameras, navi, voice control, etc) and the manufacturer needs total control over the OS for that reason.

That gizmo there is cool but it'll kill resale value and any hope of the car being resold as CPO. But as long as it's plug and play and you hang on to the original gear it looks like a huge upgrade on the A20. I'd get it for the multi band EQ alone.

huyuci

Honestly, I felt the same way at first, that the screen is too stretched. But after a while, it's become normal to me. It's pretty much the same way you would feel when you switched from standard TV to widescreen TV.

huyuci

Good point, Mike. Regarding the resale value, I don't intend to sell back as a CPO because selling to a private party always seems to get me more money than selling to a stealer. So, it's not much of a concern for me. Personally, I think it even brings more value to the car as opposed to the original screen, which has no GPS.

Sam Manuel

That GUI would have me depressed lol I need a good font and simple clean design. I hope it's possible to run a skin on it

cidtek

+1

Mike5215

I'd like to run a COMAND skin on it.

Randy Toro

huyuci

Lol. Believe it or not, it's just a matter of getting used to. You guys used Comand first, so you're used to it. Just like my first smartphone is Android, I'm used to it and I can't stand IPhone, hahah.

Mike5215

I'm just kidding around. COMAND isn't especially slick. On a Droid you can pretty much change whatever you want.

auditoamg

Can someone post a link to info???
Can't find one.
Will this still allow all the OEM functionality, including the NAV?
If not, how have the directions been and where do you get updates/cost?

Mike5215

This would be for an A20 upgrade that has no built in navi ideally. There usually is a way to toggle back and forth between the OEM and aftermarket display but I don't believe they're integrated seamlessly. Also, the OEM display likely will not scale up to fill the screen, so it becomes a little image with a lot of black space around it.

I wouldn't replace COMAND with this. But with the A20 there's nothing to lose.

auditoamg

Totally agreed.
But would like to contact manufacturer to determine viability of a version for COMAND.

huyuci

Built-in screen mirror capability, no extra hardware needed.

huyuci

I bought it from Ebay. Here's the link

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...AMEBIDX%253AIT

Even though it's listed for about $600, you can make an offer for less.

NYbenzzz

that screen still looks like garbage to me.

honestly, if i were to revamp the infotainment in my car it would be with a carputer system.

just grab a cheapo g4620/g4650 + a cheapo h110 based itx, 8gb ram, and a SSD on a SFF platform. hook it to battery terminal.

Get a proper ips touchscreen with at least 1080p.

the system i could probably build it for around $400 + cost of screen (not sure how much for touchscreen ips these days).

this would make that that system look like garbage.

heck i could slap a usb receiver for a ps4/xbox controller and a wireless kb/mouse even.

run emulators, tether to my phone's LTE connection as well.

then again, i'm not into car modding anymore. last car i modded was such a waste of money now that i think of it. you never get that money back.

huyuci

Just like the saying goes, "one man's garbage is another man's treasure"

huyuci

...

NYbenzzz

i wouldn't mind that screen on a honda civic.

but on a benz?

hell no!

cidtek

Hey Civics are getting pretty nice these days so no I wouldn't even put that in a Civic