I only use Carplay for now.
- Order
1) Placed order with 10% coupon for the Acura MDX 2014 Carplay on Sunday. $549.99 * 0.9
2) Arrived on next Thursday, BUT 2x4pin digital cable (for display) were missing. Contacted them, and they resent it and got them on Sunday.
- Installation
1) I mainly follow this youtube video for installation:
2) You will need to buy male RCA to male RCA for audio. I'm not sure why they don't include this required cable in the package. something like: RCA to RCA
3) Tools needed (+ Phillips screwdriver):
4) Install
5) Finish initial installation with the Mic provided in the package (under the dash), but there are a lot of static/hiss from the mic provided. I tried to move it near the rear view mirror. Similar/same result.
Note: Don't connect your phone via both Carplay and Bluetooth at same time, it caused a lot of problems for me, including completely froze the navtool screen.
Note: You will need to change the audio input to "AUX" to hear sound from Carplay.
Note: if you get screen asking you to "Enter Code", press and hold the "Green" power button for about 5s (Next to the volume knob on the CD player)
6) Finish final installation with Rode Shotgun mic VideoMicro. The Rode mic is much better at removing static/hiss than the one provided in the package, but the loudness is about the same (volume is still too low). The navtool I got has about 3.18V output from microphone jack, so it is able to power the Rode VideoMicro mic (requires min 3V plug-in power).
Some other small things to connect the Rode mic to the Navtool mic: TRS to TS, shoe stand for mic
- Conclusion
1) I'm very happy with the result so far. Will update this post if I see more issues.
2) I wish they had a way to boost the microphone input further like on computer. Even with the Rode gunshot microphone, the microphone volume is still low. From the test I did, it uses the mic from the Navtool in the following scenarios:
*) you start the Siri using the "Phone" button on the dashboard
*) when you enter interactive conversation with Siri after you use "Hey, Siri" to start Siri. For example - Me: Hey, Siri. Call [name] (picked up by phone). Siri: Which [name]?. Me: [this response will go through the Navtool mic].
- Issues so far
1) The whole screen got stuck when I was in carplay mode twice for me. Only the carplay screen freezing, you can still switch back to factory screen by pressing the back button. I have to either wait for the car to shutdown the power supply to Navtool (around 5min after you shutdown your car) to reset it, or I need to open the dash to disconnect the power to Navtool. This issue seems to only happen when I connect my iPhone XR to both car bluetooth & Carplay.
2) It doesn't automatically switch to backup camera when I put car to reverse in carplay mode occasionally.
3) You can't use those buttons on steering wheel to start/stop Siri (only though the "Phone" button on dashboard and "Hey, Siri" if you have it turned on on your phone)
- Wishlist
1) Use car microphone to talk to Siri
2) I wish there is a way to further boost the microphone volume in the device setting
3) I wish they have the change log for their Navtool software updates, so that we can decide when to take out the device and update for the feature/bug fixes we want.
- TODO
1) I will try to install front-camera for parking, but I don't know how to do it yet. Will do more research and see how it works with Navtool.