Android Streaming boxes - MMB, Magic Box, Carlinkit, etc

[2022Bruce_L]

Has anyone run the OBDLink app through these successfully?

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[rwxr_xr_x]

Carlinkit has a new firmware, and they added a full screen button to the UI. It's not perfect, but it's there. Most likely it's still work in progress.

Is anybody else sometime having issues with the sound? Most of the time sounds OK, not great, but sometimes it's really bad - just the front speakers. When it sounds OK if I play with the volume it ways "Audio Volume" but when it's bad, it says "Phone Volume". I just need to reboot the box to fix it.

 

[FirstTimeFord]

Carlinkit has a new firmware, and they added a full screen button to the UI. It's not perfect, but it's there. Most likely it's still work in progress.

Is anybody else sometime having issues with the sound? Most of the time sounds OK, not great, but sometimes it's really bad - just the front speakers. When it sounds OK if I play with the volume it ways "Audio Volume" but when it's bad, it says "Phone Volume". I just need to reboot the box to fix it.

Thanks for the heads-up will get on it. Looking forward to fullscreen. I haven't had any audio issues since I removed all my unused apps. The car link it is my only audio source used. Wonder if it's because you are going from radio, Ford nav or some other source? In the past I would often have issues with audio when I was in and out of navigation.

On another note, assumed the new and improved box that comes stock with Android 13 is the same box that we all have already. However, I notice new box has different firmware updates than our 12 updated to 13 units

 

[rwxr_xr_x]

Yes, I have the new box, that came with 13 installed, this is my first update.

The full screen worked before the update, but 5-10% of the time it would not get into full screen. Now with the latest update, the full screen button overlays the clock, when you go to Home Screen but only for 2-5 seconds.

To be honest I’m still playing with the unit, so yes it’s very likely related to my switching from one app to another, switching between onboard tabs. But even when it works OK, I hear a quality loss with Apple Music - on some songs it sounds off. I didn’t notice that while using CarPlay. I have the basic sound system, hence but im expecting the same audio quality from CarPlay and through Carlink.

I’ll keep playing with it.

 

[FirstTimeFord]

Yes, I have the new box, that came with 13 installed, this is my first update.

The full screen worked before the update, but 5-10% of the time it would not get into full screen. Now with the latest update, the full screen button overlays the clock, when you go to Home Screen but only for 2-5 seconds.

To be honest I’m still playing with the unit, so yes it’s very likely related to my switching from one app to another, switching between onboard tabs. But even when it works OK, I hear a quality loss with Apple Music - on some songs it sounds off. I didn’t notice that while using CarPlay. I have the basic sound system, hence but im expecting the same audio quality from CarPlay and through Carlink.

I’ll keep playing with it.

Ahhh, I'm still on box Version - X9-SC138-8　A12. You have box X9-SC138-8　A13.

Maybe we all call it A12 or A13 to keep it straight The A12 still shows no new update as of yet. Now you have me wanting that full screen option Maybe it's time the wife's Jeep gets my A12 box.

 

[rwxr_xr_x]

Yes it’s X9-SC138-4 A13, I don’t know what -4 and -8 means, I should have the Max version.

Edit: the screenshot is with the old firmware.
Edit2: Changed the "Plus" to "Max"

 

[FirstTimeFord]

I have the 12 version "max" meaning 8/128. Wondering what, if any difference there is between the two boxes. They look exactly the same and appear to have all the same specs.

 

[rwxr_xr_x]

Corrected prev update, I have the Max as well.

 

[rwxr_xr_x]

I'm guessing that A12s can be upgraded to A13s
https://www.carlinkit.com/download/a13.html &

 

[FirstTimeFord]

I'm guessing that A12s can be upgraded to A13s
https://www.carlinkit.com/download/a13.html &

Oh yeah, I followed those steps a while back. I'm running Android 13 per the 6.30 update. You have A13 box where I have A12 box though.

If you get a chance, post a pic or two so we can see what the fullscreen button and fullscreen image looks like. I see Carlinkit has the newer 13 model for $160 with coupon right now from their website.

 

[rwxr_xr_x]

Based on the video, they started with A12 at 0:16 and they ended up with A13 at 2:18.

I think the "full screen" was misunderstood, maybe I used it incorrectly, what I meant was that it's "Full Screen" just like the regular CarPlay's full screen, same space, but they now added the "Full Screen" icon that we have in regular CarPlay.

Sometime I ended up with:

The new "Full Screen" button would only make the right side will retract and allow the full screen to be:

From the screenshots you can see the new icon in the top left corner, and the icon in action - I displayed and hidden the side bar multiple times so I can take the pictures. The new icon, it will disappear after a few seconds and will show the clock.

 

[FirstTimeFord]

Based on the video, they started with A12 at 0:16 and they ended up with A13 at 2:18.

I think the "full screen" was misunderstood, maybe I used it incorrectly, what I meant was that it's "Full Screen" just like the regular CarPlay's full screen, same space, but they now added the "Full Screen" icon that we have in regular CarPlay.

Sometime I ended up with:

The new "Full Screen" button would only make the right side will retract and allow the full screen to be:

From the screenshots you can see the new icon in the top left corner, and the icon in action - I displayed and hidden the side bar multiple times so I can take the pictures. The new icon, it will disappear after a few seconds and will show the clock.

Gotcha, thanks! Pic makes perfect sense of it all. That's still a very nice direction to see them going. Anything to avoid the need to go to stock Carplay and back to Carlinkit to get full screen. I might hold back and I'll post if/when we see that trickle down to the A12 boxes. They seem to be always working to improve the firmware. That's always a good sign in my book.

 

[minirx7]

Based on the video, they started with A12 at 0:16 and they ended up with A13 at 2:18.

I think the "full screen" was misunderstood, maybe I used it incorrectly, what I meant was that it's "Full Screen" just like the regular CarPlay's full screen, same space, but they now added the "Full Screen" icon that we have in regular CarPlay.

Sometime I ended up with:

The new "Full Screen" button would only make the right side will retract and allow the full screen to be:

From the screenshots you can see the new icon in the top left corner, and the icon in action - I displayed and hidden the side bar multiple times so I can take the pictures. The new icon, it will disappear after a few seconds and will show the clock.

OMG that is exactly what i am looking for. From time to time i have to use my android auto to hit that very similar button to expand it then flip back to Carplay Androidbox to get rid of the right side. THIs is a huge update and hopefully it hits my box too since i have the older Android 12 style box

 

[rwxr_xr_x]

A quick warning so that others don't fall in the same trap as me

I found this on the Facebook "CarlinKit Official Group", https://www.facebook.com/groups/carlinkitservices/

CarlinKitCarPlay is not our official website!
If you ordered from them, you may not get technical support and after-sales service.

For reference: www.facebook.com/groups/carlinkitservices/permalink/1668842636952040/

I don't know how good the CarlinKitCarPlay support is, but if they are just a redistribuitor then they will not be able to do much if it's a bug or something.

If anybody bought from them and used their support line, please share your experience.

 

[FirstTimeFord]

A quick warning so that others don't fall in the same trap as me

I found this on the Facebook "CarlinKit Official Group", https://www.facebook.com/groups/carlinkitservices/

CarlinKitCarPlay is not our official website!
If you ordered from them, you may not get technical support and after-sales service.

For reference: www.facebook.com/groups/carlinkitservices/permalink/1668842636952040/

I don't know how good the CarlinKitCarPlay support is, but if they are just a redistribuitor then they will not be able to do much if it's a bug or something.

If anybody bought from them and used their support line, please share your experience.

Thanks for doing the research. For the record, I bought my A12 TBox Max box from that same Amazon store in the link from their FB page. After sending them a requested copy of my proof of purchase, they never replied to my repeated requests for service. They want you going through Amazon if bought from Amazon. Guessing the actual Carlinkit Store as linked in that FB page is the one they sale products for direct support. That being said, the firmware updates have always worked and are free on their support page. How OTA updates impact the firmware updates in the future, I have no idea.

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