So I just bought a 2013 Ford Focus with SYNC/MyFord (non-touch). As noted by other forum members here and elsewhere, and as confirmed by Ford's device compatibility page, my HTC One M8 (T-Mobile) does not seem to work with certain SYNC features; particularly the ability to change music tracks with the skip buttons on the center panel or on the steering wheel. I can pause and resume, but everything else has to be done on the phone. It won't even display track information.
Anywho, I was wondering if anyone has tried using an M8 with a custom ROM (CM or otherwise) in their Ford vehicle with SYNC and has had any luck getting these features to work. If the problem lies in HTC's software, then hopefully it has been resolved in one of the available ROMs. If it is for whatever reason related to the Bluetooth hardware in the phone, then I guess there's no hope. It really sucks that the safety factor which comes with steering wheel mounted music controls is completely negated by my inability to use them with one of the most powerful phones on the market.
Thanks in advance for any help.
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Just wondering whether anyone else has connected their phone (I have a HD7) to a car kit or similar?
Here's my experience with Parrot Mki9100.
Using the parrot controls:
Most things work. Play and pause work, voice control works either by syncing your contacts to the parrot or by not syncing and then using the phones voice control.
For some reason if you pause the music you cant press play on the parrot kit again, you have to go back into the phone to press play.
Forward and back for tracks works, the skip forward and back doesnt.
Of course you can control from the phone however you want. I'm sad that the promised voice control of the zune interface didnt come through.
But the biggest problem is a slight crackle with the music. It's not a massive problem and I've not used any other devices so it might be that I'm expecting too much of bluetooth a2dp and i'm happy using it like this. But at certain types during songs which have lots of guitar going on you get a crackle.
I was trying to work out if it was the phone or parrot, so i've connected my phone to my laptop, playing music now and the same lovely crackle. Anyone else experienced the same?
Thanks and hope this was helpful to someone
I just connected mine to my car for A2DP as well (Samsung Focus). It streams music fine but my play/pause/skip controls don't work (they did on my WM 6.1 device). I also have the same issue of having to use the phone to resume after a call.
I get the slight distortion as well at HF (just from tweeters). I believe this is b/c A2DP includes compression in the protocol (its not full 20-20k bandwidth). Its only on a few songs for me and something I can live with.
I am experiencing the same thing. However, the bluetooth stack on wp7 is way...way better and works with parrot better than any of the previous wm versions.
Just wondering if anyone could inform me -- is it a function of the firmware in your car radio, or software in the phone that allows for things like displaying track names on the car display and controlling tracks (play, pause, next, reverse, etc) via radio buttons in the car?
If it is the car radio, what specific protocols or features should you look for to ensure that you can do this? If it is the software in the phone, what app should I be looking for?
Pretty sure this cannot be done, unless some new model cars are more advanced or it is a high end BMW or something.
I could be wrong but have never seen it
I've seen it with aftermarket head units at least being able to have controls.
Friend has one in his truck that will interact with his iphone at least.
Just wasn't sure entirely though if it's in the firmware or if there are software workarounds. Guess was always firmware of the radio - but not sure if there's specific protocols regarding it.
I've seen kits to upgrade MyFord Touch to Sync 3, but I would love to do that with my Sync with Nav (gen 1 of Sync with a touchscreen) in my 2011 mustang. I'm not sure if the hardware in that same kit would fit my dash though, or if would even interface properly with my physical radio controls, climate controls, and steering wheel buttons.
I would love ANY tips for making Sync with Nav suck less, though, whether it's purely software hacks or other hardware replacements. I would especially love for it to just integrate better with my Android phone, but I'm guessing the existing hardware is too under-powered to just software hack in support for something like Android Auto.
On a side note, anybody know where I can download an ISO to burn a disc to update the Gracenote database?
I am sure this was asked and answered before somewhere in this forum, but I have yet to find a thread similar to my issue.
I have been doing a heavy amount of research about how to use my Google Pixel for USB audio playback like my iPhone did when I had one once upon a time. I am not necessarily shunning the fact that my car is also Bluetooth enabled, but the quality of audio playback is far greater via USB than over BT no matter how much I mess with the Bluetooth settings under Dev options. BT is as of right now, far away from being headphone/USB/dock quality and I'd like, no, LOVE to get back to using USB audio with my phone. But how?
Again, I have been doing the research and what I have found is either outdated articles, people who don't have any answers, or just irrelevant information. My brain is exhausted and irritated. So, I figured I'd head to the one place I know is full of knowledgeable people and hopefully once and for all get a straight forward 'yes' or 'no' answer or maybe even a workaround with root or something.
So, moving on... I watched a video from Sid's Classroom and he directed me to a an option under the dev settings called "Select USB Configuration." I followed his steps to change my config to 'Audio Source' thinking this would work. Now, I drive a 2016 Honda Civic with BT and USB audio hookups. No 3.5 jack anywhere to be seen. My 2012 Focus only had a 3.5 jack. Quite the change, but nonetheless an easy adaptation. And when I bought the Honda, I still had my iPhone. A couple of months later, I find myself switching back to Android and getting the Google Pixel from Verizon (huge mistake). Fast forward to now, and suddenly I am finding myself wanting to upgrade to the Note 8 and still driving the Honda with the USB hookup teasing me in the background as I drive. Don't get me wrong, I love BT, but I also love true HD music, especially since I pay for Spotify and want to listen to my music at the Extreme bit rate they offer for streaming.
My dilemma is this: the USB don't work good with my phone. In saying that way, I feel as though the selecting 'Audio Source' under dev settings should have done the trick. Obviously it hasn't and here I am writing a story behind why I am here.... Redundancy at it's finest. Anyways, I need help. Is there any way possible to fix this issue or at least find a workaround so that I can go back to listening to audio over USB or am I just a pleb left in the dark for now until car manufacturers start collaborating with Google to get USB audio going?
P.S Point me in the right direction if anything. I know there is a small tech start-up called DROM developing a USB cable to allow for this but they have yet to release a product yet and I am skeptical of it.
Hi mate, not sure if I'm digesting all that info! But it sounds a little familiar with the Volkswagen MDI setup that I had. It has this "special" (read extra $$$) USB setup that most cars have stock. I used a generic USB drive, stuck music on that and presto - worked great including song data (on a very plain Volkswagen MCD-310 head unit). But - it wouldn't play music from my Moto G4 or my LG Q6 via USB. I believe the problem was it couldn't read exactly where the files were located. I tried them on both the internal and SD storage to no avail. From memory I *might* have had success running my Galaxy Tab 3 7" through it, but it just said "Media Player", no song data etc. Might also be what format the drive/card is, ie FAT.
Alternately one way I got around was going onto AUX on the head unit and just plugging a 3.5mm in from device into it. You can control your songs from device but depends on if you can/like touching device whilst driving.
I'm doing an aftermarket head unit/tablet install for something different. Similar to the Nexus ones but a little different.
Howdy,
I have a pretty straight forward question. I am about to dump some money on a new head unit for my car. This one to be specific: Kenwood DMX7704S
My question is: Will I be able to use Waze and Google Play Music at the same time with Android Auto?
A question requiring a bit more detail: If yes to the above, what is the experience like? Will Waze run in the background? Will Google Play Music run in background? What is the experience like?
Yes. But not sure Waze is out of beta yet. But yes it will play music and have Waze up on screen or have music up and give you both audio and visual notifications
Hey mate, I tried a few head units like this including our local version of this one as I wanted to do exactly the same. *From memory* you connect the Android phone via USB, run Android Auto and it will let you select if you want Maps or Waze on the screen. I know it did that on a popular Sony one and yeah it’s all good and stuff if you want an all in one unit. And I’m pretty sure you can run audio and Waze.
If you’re keen, this is what I’m doing:
After checking out several of these head units including generic double DIN Chinese Android ones I ended up going down a different way. I bought a single DIN head unit Sony MEX-N5200BT and am running Waze on my Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7” (T-210). I got it because I have planned on hiding the head unit in the dash and fabricating the Galaxy in the facia, then it gives me a dedicated Waze display. I did plan on also running music and possibly the FM radio from the Galaxy however it runs on 4.1.2 and multi window isn’t available until 4.2.2, which I got working. BUT – then I ran into the notorious GPS issues and just couldn’t get Waze happening (even when I pair it to my LG Q6 – something wasn’t working). So I’m running Infamous ROM 4.1.2 on it, and until I fabricate the mount I’ve just velcro’d it under the head unit. A bit primitive but it’s working fine. You can control the head unit from using a Sony app on your phone which is great, but will probably maintain access somehow, maybe a sliding unit.
Oh and also, I’m doing this on a 2011 VW Golf Mk6…which lets you maintain steering wheel controls with headunits, but the hardware is not cheap. Can provide more detail if you like – but when it’s all sorted it will be a great little system.