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What is the "actual Android Auto app" you mention that is opening full screen? When I tether I use the Car Link app on the Joying to connect to Android Auto on my phone, which does not fill the screen of the Joying (I asked on the Joying forum and they say it's not possible to do fullscreen). I went looking for another Android Auto app on the Play store, there is one called "Android Auto for phone screens," not sure what that is for, it gives me Google maps full screen but that's all it does.
What settings/themes do you have where you are activating dark mode? Do you mean in Nova or on the Joying settings itself? On the Joying I see a setting for Day and Night brightness levels, but don't see how to trigger it or set it to auto.
I did just now discover that when you swipe down to get the shortcuts at the top of the screen (why this thing has an Airplane Mode I don't understand), if you then swipe a second time, you get the brightness slider! That's a good shortcut.
I also installed an app called "screen filter." One tap and your screen dims about 50%. Very nice shortcut needing minimal interaction when driving. On the phone version you can customize the dimming level, but like many other apps when they run on the Joying, some app settings are not always accessible.
I'll take a look later for the brightness/dark mode thing I mentioned.
I meant downloading and opening Android Auto directly on the head unit, vs connecting it through your phone. Below is the play store link to install Android Auto directly. Click install and select the Joying unit. You should be able to just open that link from your desktop and install it on your car from there. It will auto-download next time you start up your car. Same with any other apps.
Easier than navigating on the Joying unit.
Regarding this Android Auto running on your head unit, You'll need an internet connection, since it wont need to be tethered to your phone. So make sure you have Google Maps and any audio software installed from Play store directly on the Joying unit (spotify, poweramp, pandora etc). If you don't have the 4G version of the Joying, you'd need to tether your phone's internet if you chose this route. So not entirely a fix depending on your circumstances.BUT, you can download your entire local area on Google Maps via your Wifi or tether internet (wifi hotspot), and then use Google maps offline using this stored map data(and therefore this version of Android Auto). GPS doesnt need to be online to work. And you could just fill up a USB with music... so with that combination you don't really ever need to tether. And you'll have full screen google maps working without an internet connection.
I also love downloading youtube videos in HD and playing them in the car on VLC media player. Like DJ sets and concerts, etc. Just copy and paste them onto a USB.
Some things to consider. I realize everyone's ideal setup is different. So it's up to you what works best. Just don't feel limited to tethered Android Auto.
You're right, the JOYING unit itself under settings has two brightness sliders. One for nighttime. Not the auto-brightness I was thinking of that must have been my tablet. You should still be able to set it up in a similar fashion with these sliders.
The light/dark theme bit was also removed for some reason by JOYING. It's normally under Settings, default on android 9 onward. Maybe their newer OS roms include it. Luckily by default all the JOYING UI stuff seems to be black anyways.
Nova Launcher has it's own night mode you can enable under settings, although I don't know how many different apps/programs/UIs this applies to.
Many other apps offer their own dark mode. Google Maps and Waze come to mind. They both have an auto light/dark mode that applies. I dont know if its enabled by default, but I use it often. It also works the same way when viewed through Android Auto.
It has the same screen you show in your photo - fullscreen Google maps with some buttons on the right. It does not require a USB cable. But it doesn't seem to do much else other than maps and some notifications. I'm not totally sure what this app is for.
Then there's regular Android Auto, which comes preinstalled on the Joying (or here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...hl=en_US&gl=US). That one must be tethered with a USB cable, it is then activated using the Car Link app on the Joying.
My phone then enters "Android Auto Mode." The Joying then runs any of the apps on my phone, not just maps, using a simplified display for driving. But it is not a fullscreen display. This is the one that Joying confirms cannot go fullscreen.
So far I've basically avoided both these Android Auto apps. With my phone broadcasting a hotspot, it's basically the same as having a SIM card in the Joying. I just run Google Maps or Spotify or whatever natively off the Joying, fullscreen, and it pulls the data off my phone.
It's a bit maddening how many ways there are to do essentially the same thing.
> But it doesn't seem to do much else other than maps and some notifications. I'm not totally sure what this app is for.
I use it like a central hub for the native apps on the joying unit. It will display any maps app like Waze or Gmaps, and any music app like Spotify, pandora, vlc etc embedded right into the UI. Cycling from google maps to your music is much easier, and vice versa. The buttons are all enlarged and you can toggle between the apps on the right side. It's basically just a standalone version of Android auto that you can use without a phone connected.
Think of it as a separate launcher just for when you're driving. Simplified UI and quick access.... A single spot for your most used apps, assuming they would be music and navigation.
It's not too far off from Driving Mode in Spotify, which enlarges the buttons and streamlines the UI, but that doesnt offer quick toggles to Gmaps, and doesnt look as good.
That big Mode button on my dashboard is binded to open Android auto so that makes things easier to return to that "home screen" when I'm driving.
Has anyone with the backup camera option installed found that the image is very noisy? From what I've read it can be engine interference. I found this product which is supposed to fix it, has anyone tried anything like this?
thank you. Glad to know this thread is alive. I’ve had the stereo for six months and have been messing with it since. Got plenty of insight with all the new posts.
Am I the only one experiencing lousy radio reception with this unit? Anything on the lower end of the FM dial is weak, and AM is so noisy it's almost completely unusable.
I checked the power to the antenna - the radio is putting out 10.6V and that's also the reading at the trunk where the power wire meets the antenna. Shouldn't this be 12V?
If anyone else installs one of these, I'd be curious to know what voltage you are getting.
