This is a review of iBolt xProDock car mount for Samsung Galaxy smart phones (Note 2, S3, S4): http://www.ibolt.co/ibxs-33603
After reviewing close to half a dozen of different car mounts, I thought I was done. They all typically have suction cup base and phone mount attached to it, with different variations of the mount/grip mechanism. Very straight forward stuff. I heard about iBolt, but never had a chance to review it in the past thinking it will be just another car mount variation. But with a number of people asking me about which car mount to use with Zerolemon extended battery, I started to research more about mounts capable to accommodate cases up to Defender size which also offer the best vibration-free support. Everything pointed to iBolt. What I didn't realize is that although priced at $39.95 which is higher than most of the car mounts - you get so many additional bonuses that it takes this car dock into a totally different category I would refer to as "smart car dock".
So lets start with suction cup base. This one is a standard piece with a new type of sticky-gel base that helps it being attached to textured area and some uneven surfaces. It's a new trend with a lot of premium car mounts, and I have demonstrated in pictures below it sticks upside down and sideways to textured surface without any problem. What I did like is an honest warning included with the instruction card about possibility of leaving an indent on soft leather or soft textured material dashboards. I have experienced that before with another brand, and wish I would have been informed ahead of time about it. The base has a standard universal ball joint mount so it's interchangeable.
Now to the mount itself. It a 3 contact point mount with two expendable rest feet at the bottom (will extend to a depth accommodating Zerolemon battery/case without a problem) and spring loaded latch in the middle at the top. I found the grip to be tight enough to hold the phone in landscape mode very sturdy, no wobbling or vibration. It is possible to use one hand to insert the phone by pushing it on the latch to expand it and sliding the phone in to rest on the support feet. To remove it, I had to use both hands. This 3-point support configuration with back plate not covering the entire back of the phone allows the camera to be open so you can use it as a dash cam. Also, due to universal joint connection, you can obviously rotate the mount 360 deg and tilt it to adjust to a better viewing angle. The quality of material didn't feel flimsy at all, and I hardly experienced any flex.
At this point I would be done with my review for a typical car dock, but iBolt provides you with a number of valuable surprises. First of all you get so called "charging arm" which is a flexible short piece of micro-usb male-to-female cable that secures in the back of the mount with cable wrapping around any side to be plugged into the phone. You can position it facing right or left, and with flexibility of the cable you can bend it at any angle. The cable is heavy duty, no need to worry about pumping 2A of current. Next you get 9ft (yeah, 9 feet!!!) of heavy duty charging/auxiliary cable to connect to your car charger and to extract audio output from HDMI interface. A lot of car stereos support bluetooth interface but for phone connection only. Audio output from the phone is not support. I learned it a hard way a week ago when my Sirius receiver unit (routed to car stereo) start acting up and I wasn't able to stream my audio from the phone. I had to use my little Anker bluetooth speaker connected to a phone which caused a conflict since it wanted to connect to both phone and audio while car head unit was fighting over phone connection. With this setup, I don't even have to power up bt speaker. Just use aux cable to connect to aux-in of the speaker and listen to streaming audio from my phone that way. This cable itself is high quality for sure. And if that wasn't enough, iBolt offers it's own custom dashboard app for driving. Very highly configurable app; I captured various setup screens for you to get an idea of it's flexibility. You can use it without iBolt dock, but with xPro dock as soon as you plug it in - you can have it start automatically and trigger certain evens like toggling BT or WiFi. I did have a small issue with my Note 2, when plugged in it was turning my display off requiring me to press Power button on the phone twice for it to come up. So, I need to investigate it further. I have seen on the Play market, iBolt guys constantly working on this app updates and resolving different compatibility issues.
Overall, this car dock turned out to be full of surprises. I found it to be a great value considering all the extra bonuses with included cables and capability to support Note 2 with large cases, including Zerolemon battery with it's TPU case (although spring loaded latch with it's rubber lining did put some marking on TPU case, but those were hardly noticeable and easy to wipe off). So for anybody who is on a road a lot and in need of a decent sturdy car mount with flexibility of audio output for streaming and included quality charging cable - iBolt xPro Dock deserves a serious consideration.
Here are the pictures.
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I would've bought this ages ago but ibolt seen to be intent on screwing over their UK customers. On amazon the samsung version isn't available on prime, it's almost £50 without it, seems a bit much for a car dock. I checked again today and was glad to see one samsung version on prime but it turns out that one doesn't include the aux cable, one of the reasons I want to buy the thing in the first place. They don't seem to be active on xda anymore either.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
What are you going to use the 9ft cable for?
nm8 said:
What are you going to use the 9ft cable for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flexibility of routing it in the car, snaking it around dashboard, windshield, center console, etc. It takes advantage of HDMI audio output so you can charge the phone and have audio output going to aux input of your stereo or external speaker. I know 9ft sounds like extreme, but it's better to have a longer cable rather then be short on a connection.
Ah ok... I just use bluetooth in my car and just normal cigarette type cahrger..
nm8 said:
Ah ok... I just use bluetooth in my car and just normal cigarette type cahrger..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Newer car stereos connect to both phone and audio through bluetooth, while older units (like with my '07 GS350) only connect to phone but not audio. For me bringing audio out from the phone is the only way to stream it to my car stereo.
Can you remove the flexible charging arm completely so there are no cables at all? I think you can since it looks like you have to remove the cable to reverse it.
irishrally said:
Can you remove the flexible charging arm completely so there are no cables at all? I think you can since it looks like you have to remove the cable to reverse it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I believe you can.
Although if you're going to do that you may as well save someone and buy a universal car dock IMO.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
D3_ said:
Yes, I believe you can.
Although if you're going to do that you may as well save someone and buy a universal car dock IMO.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it's easily removable.
The audio cable has some issues like buzzing noise when my phone is 100% charged
xxxnewman said:
The audio cable has some issues like buzzing noise when my phone is 100% charged
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Click to collapse
I get the same noise, it isn't the dock's fault (the dock just provides some wires, basically). The noise you hear is called a ground loop -- the power adapter in the lighter socket is grounded to the chassis, while the ground line of the aux audio goes from the phone, through the stereo, and then to the stereo's electrical ground. In theory both grounds are at the same potential, but in reality there are many small sources of resistance which cause a slight differential between them. Ground loop filters for stereos are available, but you'll have to pull out the head unit to attach it inline with the power connection. The simpler solution is a filter which goes inline on the audio cable, between the phone and stereo aux input. They can be picked up on eBay for about $10.
Related
I use my Thunderbolt for GPS a lot. I love the sturdy car dock that HTC sells for it. Any word of a car doc for the Nexus?
Also, surprisingly, one of the things I find very useful on the Thunderbolt is the flip out stand. I thought this was a gimmick but find myself using it frequently. Would I need to buy a case to get this on a Nexus?
I'll just make another DIY one as per my GSII and Desire ones. I have a guide on LifeHacker which was posted a few times on this forum
There's going to be an official car dock from Samsung. MSRP is $49. It will take advantage of the dock connector on the side of the device. So you should expect to keep your phone in landscape mode.
atoy74 said:
There's going to be an official car dock from Samsung. MSRP is $49. It will take advantage of the dock connector on the side of the device. So you should expect to keep your phone in landscape mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the dock connector (micro USB) for the Thunderbolt is on the side also. There's nothing inherent in a side connector that sets orientation to landscape. Generally car mounts allow rotation in portrait or landscape.
http://phandroid.com/2011/10/25/galaxy-nexus-multimedia-dock-and-vehicle-mount-appear-online/
caffeineighted said:
http://phandroid.com/2011/10/25/galaxy-nexus-multimedia-dock-and-vehicle-mount-appear-online/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, here...
http://www.theaccessoryking.com/sam...s/ecs-k1f8beg/galaxy-nexus-vehicle-mount.html
Sent from my SGH-T959 using xda premium
TabGuy said:
Yes, the dock connector (micro USB) for the Thunderbolt is on the side also. There's nothing inherent in a side connector that sets orientation to landscape. Generally car mounts allow rotation in portrait or landscape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The dock connector I'm speaking of is not the microusb port. It's 3 contacts used for specific accessories. The links posted above show how you'll always be in landscape.
I can't help it but I love all the docks. I always get the car and desk dock for all my phones. I use my phone daily as my alarm clock and like the desk dock to see the time, and car dock for gps/music. I assume they will have both, seems like a staple now adays.
atoy74 said:
The dock connector I'm speaking of is not the microusb port. It's 3 contacts used for specific accessories. The links posted above show how you'll always be in landscape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But 3 pins isn't enough for USB or MHL, so what's the point of the dock? Just charging?
Chirality said:
But 3 pins isn't enough for USB or MHL, so what's the point of the dock? Just charging?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that's all you need in a car dock. I don't use the usb/hdmi plugs on my X, but I could understand people would be bit put off if they can't use them in the home dock.
What I really want is inductive charging support. Then a car mount with inductive charging so I'd never have to a car specific mount again.
Two pins are for charging and the third tells it which dock mode to go into (at least this is how it was on the N1 and the MyTouch 4G). If the middle pin is grounded it's a desk dock, and if it's around 3.3v it goes into car dock mode. It was also suspected that a signal was sent over that middle pin to tell it which bluetooth device to pair to for audio.
On the N1 car dock, there was no audio out, but it had speakers built in. The desk dock did have 3.5mm audio out. In both cases a connection was made via bluetooth (automatically) to transmit the signal. Now that NFC is available, I'm curious if they'll change some of this.
Looking forward to getting a good quality car dock to go with this phone.
atoy74 said:
There's going to be an official car dock from Samsung. MSRP is $49. It will take advantage of the dock connector on the side of the device. So you should expect to keep your phone in landscape mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't keep it in landscape as I assume once again in ICS there'll be no in call landscape mode. Really hate that lack of option.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
It would be odd not to have a landscape call orientation since the dock pins are on the side making it a landscape dock.
Odd or not it's never been possible in Android except for a few custom mods here and there.
Really annoys me as well, just seems like a simple oversight.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
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Is this it?
yes it is...
Here it is $39.99 looks like available at the end of November
http://shop.htcpedia.com/samsung-galaxy-nexus-vehicle-mount.html
Does anyone know if it's got a built in Hands Free speaker?
No audio out for these docks? Am I the only one that likes to dock my phone and also have it play music?
I had that option with the Atrix, until the cable split. Then I couldn't find a replacement cable anywhere. Full-size USB, mini-USB and 3.5mm audio. I need this three-pronged cable!
HideYoKids said:
No audio out for these docks? Am I the only one that likes to dock my phone and also have it play music?
I had that option with the Atrix, until the cable split. Then I couldn't find a replacement cable anywhere. Full-size USB, mini-USB and 3.5mm audio. I need this three-pronged cable!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What HideYoKids said, I'm also surprised of the lack of interest for a line-out from those docks, line-out sounds a lot better than bluetooth streaming! Is there an MHL accessory that can charge and give an audio line-out via 3.5mm cable? I can do without the charging as well, anyone?
I just ordered this thought it was only $2.99 didnt see the shipping cost of $5.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330821472832?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619
Much easier only plugging the usb in for charging and audio
Cheaper link--5.99 free shipping
[http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Charger...ader_Chargers_Sync_Cables&hash=item53f0a73387
Audio Control App
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...W5kcm9pZC53aXJlZGhlYWRwaG9uZXJvdXRpbmdmaXgiXQ..
Build your own http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1395173
Diff. cable http://www.amazon.com/iBOLT-Samsung...&ie=UTF8&qid=1352264630&sr=1-1&keywords=ibolt
Not working for you http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=34335383&postcount=25
Review http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=34424682&postcount=27
Please do a mini review when you get it.
Wasn't Apple's justification for redesigning their dock connectors and not going with the USB standard that USB can't do this?
sd97cl said:
Please do a mini review when you get it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1, Please report back on the audio quality of the output.
kitsunisan said:
Wasn't Apple's justification for redesigning their dock connectors and not going with the USB standard that USB can't do this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well.... they also never really felt that a larger screen on a phone was needed, nor that a sub-10" tablet was wanted, sooooooo.....
kitsunisan said:
Wasn't Apple's justification for redesigning their dock connectors and not going with the USB standard that USB can't do this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
our phones already can output music via the micro usb port. it works through the multimedia dock and any usb OTG adapter. I think i'll be ordering one of these myself.
elementaldragon said:
Well.... they also never really felt that a larger screen on a phone was needed, nor that a sub-10" tablet was wanted, sooooooo.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, true. I figured it was Apple BS, just to keep a proprietary connector so their sheep pays a premium to them. I just can't figure out why some people are happy to bend over for Apple with a smile on their face singing its praises.
I have the iBolt cable from Amazon and I can confirm this works and now I dont have to unplug any cables to take bluetooth calls from my car. Only problem is, its sold out right now.
http://www.amazon.com/iBOLT-Samsung...&ie=UTF8&qid=1352264630&sr=1-1&keywords=ibolt
$5 infuse car dock
Just bought 3 of the infused car docks right after i bought this cable. I couldn't pass up 5$ car dock and the women just bought a att GS3. Oh well i'll let yall know how it goes with the cable vs the dock(if it ships).
Also anyone know why this wouldn't work with the note 2(it says it doesnt in the title) I thought the gs3 and note2 are pretty much the same when it comes to connections
Can someone with the ibolt or this cable can verify if it automatically enables "dock mode" ?
I am looking to use the cable in my car (no bluetooth) and been using phone headphone to aux input but apparently that forces s3 noise reduction OFF which during calls gives off echo to the other party (they hear themselves). With "dock mode" enabled the phone automatically turns off ear and phone speakers and keep the noise reduction ON, solving the echo issue I hope.
you guys sure audio out works? via microusb and puts the phone into car mode / dock ?
The best place to purchase that cable is on our Amazon site just like you saw. It is on back order right now but should be back in soon.
Also, I just wanted to let you know that the cable will only work with the dock for the Galaxy S3. You can plug it into the phone, but it will only charge it. You need the dock to use all the features and benefits that it offers. You can purchase the entire kit on our Amazon site. The product number is IBPF-33307.
Have a great weekend.
Dee Amick
iBOLT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think anyone has received their order yet but the ebay customers left positive reviews after they bought the cable. I received my three infuse car docks yesterday audio output works you have to select it in the accessories setting but there isn't much of a car dock mood besides horizontal home screen
hollisnh said:
Can someone with the ibolt or this cable can verify if it automatically enables "dock mode" ?
I am looking to use the cable in my car (no bluetooth) and been using phone headphone to aux input but apparently that forces s3 noise reduction OFF which during calls gives off echo to the other party (they hear themselves). With "dock mode" enabled the phone automatically turns off ear and phone speakers and keep the noise reduction ON, solving the echo issue I hope.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the iBolt cable and I can confirm audio out works through micro usb. Only problem Ive found was the cable is 9ft long and i had to zip tie it and its ugly as fuq.
It enables dock mode.
yes please post a review I would love to order this cable and use it with my universal dock. My car does not have bluetooth or a usb port. So what i'm hoping to do is use the usb and plug it in my cig lighter slot (has USB ports) and then the 3.5mm jack in the aux out.
I'm hoping i can use the car speakers for music and to take calls (using built-in mic in S3), Hopefully it works and does not have any echo.
I actually build such a cable for my GS2 a while ago, it worked great. I guess it should work with the Galaxy S3 also.
In case somebody is interested: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1395173
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elementaldragon said:
Well.... they also never really felt that a larger screen on a phone was needed, nor that a sub-10" tablet was wanted, sooooooo.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple also thinks that any kind of drive that you can burn disc with or back up on or transfer data from on their devices is soooooo Yesterday's technology, that they removed the optic drive...lol...I think that they ran out of design Ideas and needed space to change the look of the Same Ole Same Ole...LOL
---------- Post added at 04:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:54 PM ----------
kitsunisan said:
Wasn't Apple's justification for redesigning their dock connectors and not going with the USB standard that USB can't do this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that was true then how are the iphones etc plugging into vehicle sound systems and playing pod crap???....lol....
Nah, that's how you listen to music in newer vehicles with Infotainment systems etc, usb cord to Music player etc or usb flash....In fact Samsung has teamed up with Radio manufactures and the S3 is able to Mirror everything the phone can do onto the screen in your cars.....Samsung calls their app Drive Link....Technology is called Mirror Link...
Thanks for the link, just ordered one .
Hope it arrives, cause i always seem to get extremely slow deliveries
My phone calls aren't coming through the infuse car dock(which should be the same as the ebay cable) is there a setting I'm missing? Also what's the best app for auto starting apps/settings once it's in car dock mode?
Largeprint48 said:
Also what's the best app for auto starting apps/settings once it's in car dock mode?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tasker(google play) or using an NFC tag and one of the apps you can get from google play that works with NFC.
I can confirm that it works. Audio-out via USB is something that's been around for quite some time. Samsung's own OEM charging cradle also has an audio-out in the back. I am using one of these cables wired up to a 2.1A USB out inside the car to quickly charge the phone, and using the tip/ring wire leads to feed into my AUX input in the car (when BlueTooth is disabled).
The "geniuses" at Apple will tell you otherwise, so you can fork out $30-40 for a "new" proprietary adapter....and also put in a decoder chip so no aftermarket company can make chargers without Apple's licensing and consensus. Scandalous bastards, but it's the American way--and there are people willing to pay the premium. Long-live Capitalism. sigh....
Hi everybody! I've seen a few threads about figuring how to use the Nexus Wireless Charger as a car mount/dock for our Nexus 5 phones and this is the solution that I've come up with. It's not the cheapest option as this charger costs more than most others out there. However, I wanted to utilize one of the standout features of the Nexus 5 which is being able to use the wireless magnetic charger out of the box without any modifications. I also didn't want to do any drastic mods to mount that to my car. I've seen other threads showing how some of you smart engineer types can rig some cool setups using paper clips and rubber bands. I'm no Macguyver (though I wish I was that smart).
I actually have tried to mount a wireless charging dock. This was a few years ago when I had the Palm Pre, which had the wireless charging (and also magnetic) Touchstone. To keep it short, I used this moldable plastic stuff to fix it to a car mount, which was then screwed onto my dashboard. It was not pretty at all. Plus, that moldable plastic ended up melting on a hot summer day. Shortly after that Palm got sold to HP and webOS went the way of the Dodo. I moved on to a Samsung Galaxy SII and have been missing the webOS cards and the Touchstone ever since.
Now comes the Nexus 5. To my surprise Google/LG also announces the awesome Nexus Wireless Charger. FINALLY something equivalent to the amazing Palm Touchstone. I just HAVE to have it.
Once you use something like a Touchstone and the Nexus Wireless Charger, it's tough to go back. Yes, you can still plug in the microUSB cord and yes it's not a big deal. But once you start using a nice magnetic wireless charger, you'll know. You just pop the phone on, it holds in place, and charges. Simple. In the car it makes absolute sense. Now I wish that the stock Android homescreen supports landscape mode by default and that there was a better interface for car use, but those are software issues which I think will only get better with time. As far as hardware goes though, the Nexus 5 along with the Nexus Wireless Charger on a good car mount works amazing. No need to modify the phone or your car dashboard and the magnet holds the phone on strongly. The only main disadvantage hardware-wise is that the phone has to be naked for the magnet to hold strongly. I also wish the Nexus 5 has the Touchless Controls of the Moto X; that would seem like the perfect thing to do have while the phone is docked on the car.
TLDR version: Magnetic wireless chargers are friggin awesome and are even more awesomer to use as a car dock. List of stuff, pics and video below.
Please excuse my dirty dusty car, poor speaking skills and shaky camera.
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List of items:
Nexus Wireless Charger
Price: $49.99
https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_Wireless_Charger?id=nexus_wireless_charger&hl=en
Arkon Sticky Suction Mounting Pedestal w/ 3" Articulating Arm
Item #: GN079WD-SBH
Price: $14.95
Use with
Arkon Vertical Female Dual T-Slot Adapter w/ 3M Adhesive Back
Item #: AP016-3M
Price: $7.95
http://www.arkon.com/
The 'Sticky Suction' items are new and don't seem to be on the site yet, but they're listed in the 2014 catalog PDF. I was able to order directly from them and pick up since I live nearby in Southern California. I like their modular approach to the car mounts by having the ball and dual T adapters and I was glad to find something that I could easily stick the Nexus wireless charger to for my setup.
Also if you're wondering, this is the USB Car Charger I'm using and it seems to not have any problems so far.
Scosche Dual 10 Watt 2.1A USB Car Charger
http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-USBC202M-Charger-works-iPhone/dp/B0077PM3KG/
I don't know how much I trust that magnet did it fall off on anyone im really tempted to try this out
I really want to do this, but I feel like you can only do this if you don't use a case. Even though the wireless charger should work with thinner cases, I don't think the magnet will hold very well unless the phone is naked.
PsychDrummer said:
I really want to do this, but I feel like you can only do this if you don't use a case. Even though the wireless charger should work with thinner cases, I don't think the magnet will hold very well unless the phone is naked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct. I haven't seen a magnetic one yet that can hold this phone with a case on. It's kinda weird considering phone cases are the norm. Why not make it with stronger magnets to compensate?
Sent from the jaws of my Hammerhead!
Better question is why can't someone make a case with metal tabs in the same locations as the phone?
That way the magnets wouldn't have to be stronger.
They'd have my money instantly.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Nice project man! Very clean!
Can you do me a favor? When the phone is attached, can you measure the magnetic field? Just use an apk that measure with the magnetic field sensor of the phone.
Thanks a lot!
Enviado do meu Nexus 5
I have done pretty much the same thing (just a different mount) but I had had issues finding a USB cable that will work. Can you tell me which one you used?
mrro82 said:
Correct. I haven't seen a magnetic one yet that can hold this phone with a case on. It's kinda weird considering phone cases are the norm. Why not make it with stronger magnets to compensate?
Sent from the jaws of my Hammerhead!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Google LG Brand Quick Cover (the flappy one) actually has steel bits to align with the magnets. It actually holds on stronger than without the case!
This is VERY cool! Thank you!
Quick question, do you get any vibrations when driving, or when you hit a speed bump? I drive a truck and the dash vibrats... I wonder if it would hold. I guess I could always connect it to the glass...
Is your phone charging when you are using navigation app (Google maps for example)?
I've tried with Chinese cheap wireless charger and performance for this case isn't amazing.
At least it's not discharging, but not able to charge with navigation on.
Redwid said:
Is your phone charging when you are using navigation app (Google maps for example)?
I've tried with Chinese cheap wireless charger and performance for this case isn't amazing.
At least it's not discharging, but not able to charge with navigation on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wanted to know the same, as I have a similar setup as the op but when I use gps the battery drains faster then it charges, trying to work out if the 2a car charger isn't supplying enough current or gps just isn't possible with wireless charging?
I need the different links to the apparatus, one of arkon items cannot be shipped to india.
DONE! (kinda, still waiting on my magnets)
Behold, wireless charging in your car! No more tacky wires(well, in a way), no weird looking dock.
Items Needed for this exact project
Lexus IS300, any year, without navigation
Nexus 5 (or pretty much any other QI enabled device)
Soldering iron
Qi Charger
Lots of patience, 30 minutes to an hour of time
Small amount of soldering skills (just 2 soldering points)
A power source behind the "scenes" (panels), in this case, a GROM Audio device with a 5V output USB (female)
Micro USB cable that you are fine with leaving in the car
I think that's it.
Now, here's how I did it.
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This is a wireless charger($11 cheap one off eBay, they have tons on there, output is 1A), torn down to its bare essentials. No more plastic. With the help of a soldering iron, I desoldered the plugs from the charging area to the middle piece that has the light to fit into...
This!
Well this, my Center console vent that is in my IS (No navi )
Top View.
Bottom Views, last one with the cable plugged in.
Now, it is installed! Notice that the panel fits on top without any modifying to the panels, except for the actual charger itself.
Now how does it power up you ask?
With the help of my Grom audio device (which also gives me aux on my stock Lexus Stereo.) I left the USB plug in access in the glove compartment, just incase anything bad happens, or to not waste energy on the charger when I don't need it. Trying to figure out how to make my glove compartment less messy, but so far this is the best that I can do.
Note, no video. I will have that posted sometime, I just recorded it off an iPhone, so I will need to edit it so you get the full effect. Or not, I will probably just upload it, it will just take a few days.
Now, I want someone to do this, but even better than I did! Anything is possible!
Best of luck m8! That does sound amazing
Make sure the magnets are strong, otherwise a simple speed bump will toss away your nexus
You could try some HDD Neodymium magnets taken out of a HDD.
daniel_loft said:
You could try some HDD Neodymium magnets taken out of a HDD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turns out the magnets I ordered are Neodymium, so I shall see how it works in a few days.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Bumping because it is pretty much finished.
iLikeTurtuls said:
DONE! (kinda, still waiting on my magnets)
Behold, wireless charging in your car! No more tacky wires(well, in a way), no weird looking dock.
Items Needed for this exact project
Lexus IS300, any year, without navigation
Nexus 5 (or pretty much any other QI enabled device)
Soldering iron
Qi Charger
Lots of patience, 30 minutes to an hour of time
Small amount of soldering skills (just 2 soldering points)
A power source behind the "scenes" (panels), in this case, a GROM Audio device with a 5V output USB (female)
Micro USB cable that you are fine with leaving in the car
I think that's it.
Now, here's how I did it.
This is a wireless charger($11 cheap one off eBay, they have tons on there, output is 1A), torn down to its bare essentials. No more plastic. With the help of a soldering iron, I desoldered the plugs from the charging area to the middle piece that has the light to fit into...
This!
Well this, my Center console vent that is in my IS (No navi )
Top View.
Bottom Views, last one with the cable plugged in.
Now, it is installed! Notice that the panel fits on top without any modifying to the panels, except for the actual charger itself.
Now how does it power up you ask?
With the help of my Grom audio device (which also gives me aux on my stock Lexus Stereo.) I left the USB plug in access in the glove compartment, just incase anything bad happens, or to not waste energy on the charger when I don't need it. Trying to figure out how to make my glove compartment less messy, but so far this is the best that I can do.
Note, no video. I will have that posted sometime, I just recorded it off an iPhone, so I will need to edit it so you get the full effect. Or not, I will probably just upload it, it will just take a few days.
Now, I want someone to do this, but even better than I did! Anything is possible!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pircture links are broken. Try imgur album.
Update on pics please
Andrew149 said:
Update on pics please
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I have some info to offer that may help people with this project. I did the same in the center console of my Miata, and here's a few things that may help people. First my setup.
Qi charger laying flat in center console, foam around the edges to keep the phone from moving (with a hole in the foam at the bottom, this is important). Immediately behind it I installed a fan because the phone would otherwise overheat because: I'm also running appradio unchained to an appradio head unit AND using a netgear push2tv for wireless display to the head unit.
This is a very nice setup, with a few flaws and considerations:
1. Phone likes to get hot and either barely charge or just maintain charge: the fan certainly helps, but also the phone being in a closed space with very low auto brightness helps keep this manageable
2. Must QI chargers will not accept straight vehicle voltage. My energizer pad would stop working as the voltage varied up to 14.3v when the car was running. As a result I added a simple few dollar voltage regulator inline to keep the voltage as close to 12v as possible. I should have tried to add in a delay as well since sometimes restarting tthe car will cause a momentary voltage drop big enough to confuse the charger, but it won't restart after the car does, leaving it flashing at me in error. This can also be solved by just going straight from off to start, and it doesn't happen all the time, so I'm dealing with it till I open it back up again.
Hope this helps someone
thepoetlives89 said:
Pircture links are broken. Try imgur album.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fixed, thank you for the idea.
compuw22c said:
Qi charger laying flat in center console, foam around the edges to keep the phone from moving (with a hole in the foam at the bottom, this is important). Immediately behind it I installed a fan because the phone would otherwise overheat because: I'm also running appradio unchained to an appradio head unit AND using a netgear push2tv for wireless display to the head unit.
This is a very nice setup, with a few flaws and considerations:
1. Phone likes to get hot and either barely charge or just maintain charge: the fan certainly helps, but also the phone being in a closed space with very low auto brightness helps keep this manageable
2. Must QI chargers will not accept straight vehicle voltage. My energizer pad would stop working as the voltage varied up to 14.3v when the car was running. As a result I added a simple few dollar voltage regulator inline to keep the voltage as close to 12v as possible. I should have tried to add in a delay as well since sometimes restarting tthe car will cause a momentary voltage drop big enough to confuse the charger, but it won't restart after the car does, leaving it flashing at me in error. This can also be solved by just going straight from off to start, and it doesn't happen all the time, so I'm dealing with it till I open it back up again.
Hope this helps someone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The cable that I bought from grom audio outputs 5v (does not list the Amps.) Knowing a little bit of info about car chargers and how it pretty much rushes the power to the device before calming down after a second or 2, I made sure the USB is accessible in the glove compartment, as shown in picture 10. The wiring is a little messy, but I barely had time to install the unit.
Regarding the heat, I have an iPhone that I used for music (it was cheaper for me to buy it than buying an iPod), and a stock stereo so I don't have to worry about the heat too much, but being on the dash will definitely heat it up, along with the charging itself, especially during the heat. I'll most likely be using it at night, or on long trips, mainly because I have not got magnets to hold it down. I tried the hard drive magnets, however the ones I received were too small (the said 1x3, so I assume CM but it was MM.) I have a dead hard drive, which I might use for the magnets. I am looking for a magnet thats like the size of a quarter and 1mm thin, so pretty much a magnet quarter or penny hahah. If the magnet from my HDD don't work, then back to eBay again!
This is a Review of Galaxy Note 4 Qi Wireless Solution.
I was never a fan of wireless charging especially if it requires adding parts to a smartphone. It’s different with my Nexus 7 HD where Qi receiver is built in: just place it on a charging pad and off you go. Adding Qi receiver coil/pad and making sure it still works with my preferred case, not to mention without making case bulge out, seemed to me like a hassle. Back in the days when I had my Note 2, it wasn’t even an option since my provider (Verizon) disabled access to wireless charging contacts. With my Note 4 I was on a fence and the only driving force behind it was my use of the phone as GPS everyday to/from work where I have 1hr of driving each way and need to have my phone plugged in. Constant plugging and unplugging of micro-usb cable takes a toll on that port. So here I was, looking for a wireless solution for my Note 4 and accepting the fact that I will only be able to charge my phone at a maximum 1A (current limitation of a common inductive coil charging), which is half the speed of a typical 2A wired charger and even less in comparison to rapid charging.
I start looking into 3 common pieces of this solution: a wireless charging receiver pad to add under the battery cover of my Note 4, a wireless charging transmitter pad/stand, and a car mount with a wireless charging transmitter. Starting with a receiver coil/pad, you will find dozens of parts under $10, but unfortunately they don’t work the same. They all have an inductive receiver coil, some converter circuit, and two sets of contacts. They all will add thickness to your phone, making your battery door bulge out a bit, but not significantly. The problem, they all introduce a heat to the back of your phone (you have a high current going through a metal coil), but some make it very hot and others more tolerable. The one I found to be work the best for me is this Qi receiver pad: http://www.dx.com/p/newest-hot-sale...amsung-note-4-n9100-black-358059#.VM1OF7B0z3g - $7.99, 1A output, and about 62mm x 40mm in size. It was very easy to install, and had a little sticky strip on the back so it holds the pad in place once you align it with pins. Plus, it didn’t add too much bulge to my UAG case.
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The most important thing – it actually WORKED with a transmitter/charging pad through my UAG case. Keep in mind, there is no physical contact between transmitter coil and receiver coil, that’s why it’s called inductive charging. The distance between coils will affect your charging speed, but I actually found this particular charging pad to work really well with my charging stand and car mount.
Speaking of charging stand, there are tons you can find on the net in round puck shape or a more traditional flat rectangular shape. The problem is that you need to align your phone with a charging coil inside of that charging pad and make sure you don’t move or shift it for duration of charging. That is a big challenge which has been resolved by infamous Tylt brand angled charging stand. But just like anything in this world, when you have an expensive brand name product, sooner or later you will find a similar looking (read: identical) alternative at half the price from China! This is a wireless charging stand I got: http://www.dx.com/p/itian-a6-3-coil...let-pc-mobile-phone-black-325355#.VM1O_rB0z3g ($33.73, 1A output, 3-coil design) or as a better alternative you can get it bundled with Note 4 wireless receiver for only $4 more: http://www.dx.com/p/itian-a6-3-coil...msung-galaxy-note-4-black-364016#.VM1YSrB0z3g
It works like a charm!!! No need to slide around for the correct position or to worry that someone will walk by and knock it off the stand. That stand is upright so it’s easy to position the phone, and 3-coil design covers a larger area so you don’t have to micro-adjust the position to find a sweet spot. Plus, phone is in upright position so it’s easy to view the screen if you have to. Also, there is led indicator when power is connected to the stand (red light) and when you make a charging contact (blue light). This way you know for sure phone is aligned and charging wirelessly. The most important, it works well with a charging pad on the back of my phone, it doesn’t get too hot, and you get close to 1A charging speed. Don’t forget, it also comes with a quality usb cable and 2A wall charger. I think for $37 plus change it’s the best solution you can get to have everything you need to setup your Note 4 with wireless charging. Plus, the same stand can be used for any of your other devices supporting Qi charging.
But why limit yourself to only in-home wireless charging? In my case, I was also interested for in-car charging as well. That is also challenging because you are not only looking for a wireless charging solution, but also for a sturdy grip for your phone so it won’t slip out while you are driving. I have reviewed a lot of regular car mounts, probably everything under the sun, and always find myself coming back to Arkon mounts. But when it comes to wireless charging, I found this one to work the best with my Note 4: http://www.dx.com/p/qi-vehicle-moun...xy-s3-s4-s5-note-2-note-3-335226#.VM1OTrB0z3g ($37.19, 1A output, with a bonus of usb cable, car charger, and a vent mount). The base has a typical suction cup with a rotation lock, taking very little room.
The actual mounting part is attached to the base through a common universal 17mm ball joint which means you can use it with any of your current mounts supporting the same connection. Those familiar with iOttie car mounts will see this one uses the same push button lock mechanism where you separate the holding “jaws” by pushing on the sides, and once the phone is placed into the cradle it pushes the back button to lock it in. Just keep in mind, if you have a bulky case like a Defender – it will not fit. It worked with UAG case but had a small margin, just enough. Also, since now you are a dealing with a single coil transmit charger – you will have to find a sweet spot to position your phone. The bottom of the mount has an adjustable shelf which is very convenient to set for that sweet spot to align it perfectly. Also, there is led indicator when power is connected to the mount (red light) and when you make a charging contact (blue light). This way you know for sure phone is aligned and charging wirelessly.
Overall, this solution works 100% with my Note 4 and UAG case (not the slimmest case to begin with), and provides a reliable charging, not too much overheating though it gets a bit warm (but not “hot” like I’ve seen with some other charging pads), and it’s very reasonably priced. Keep in mind, your charging speed will be at half speed due to 1A charging limitation. Still, gets my high recommendation!!!
So is the wireless charging fast enough to keep up with the battery drain of using GPS in the car?
Great review!
i'm wondering, when we will get faster charges, based on this solution:
Freescale's WCT1012/WCT1111 transmitter chips -- offered in standard and premium versions -- and its WPR1516 receiver chip are geared for mobile devices with bigger batteries. They enable a recharge that's up to three times faster than 5W predecessors, said Freescale's Randy Ryder.
"In a typical 5W system that's producing 1 amp current, you can charge in one hour. With 15 Watts, in theory, you could cut that charge time by a third by improving power," Ryder, wireless charging lead for Freescale's microcontroller division and a representative on the Power Matters Alliance, told EE Times.
Very Nice, Thank You.
vw671 said:
So is the wireless charging fast enough to keep up with the battery drain of using GPS in the car?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes sir!
vectron said:
Yes sir!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will the Note 4 fit into the Otterbox Defender or Commuter cases with this receiver installed?
felloffthetruck said:
Will the Note 4 fit into the Otterbox Defender or Commuter cases with this receiver installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should fit, not a problem, but I'm afraid the distance between coils will be too far apart thus you will be charging probably at 0.5A rate
Is this the same thing? http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EP-HN910IBUSTA
arjun90 said:
Is this the same thing? http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EP-HN910IBUSTA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same wireless car charging idea except it cost $100 and designed for a naked Galaxy, or maybe with a very thin TPU case.
Thanks for pointing that out! Much appreciated.
vectron said:
The same wireless car charging idea except it cost $100 and designed for a naked Galaxy, or maybe with a very thin TPU case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NVM, found the answer.... thanks
Hi. Did you notice if the phone gets hot while using the dx receivers? Also, now that you've used it for a bit do your still recommend this setup? Thx!