I wanted to upgrade the head unit of my car without having to spend hundreds and waste the original one that is still working. I suddenly had the thought to use a TV stick and plug it into the car radio.
So before we get too excited, we need to acknowledge that this only works with a car radio or head unit that have a screen and HDMI inputs. You need to be familiar on how to access to your car radio. If you are not, you can follow my guide here for a Subaru Forester SJ 2018. The methodology should be similar which is to always use plastic tools and if it doesn't come off, it probably needs to be unscrewed.
Prerequisites:
- XiaoMi Mi TV Stick Android TV with ChromeCast
- HDMI Extender (1m) (optional but recommended to easily change HDMI accessories)
- Plastic tools - to open the dashboard safely
- Screwdrivers - to open the head unit
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| HDMI access is usually behind the radio / head unit |
Once you know you have a HDMI input available, you can now get a XiaoMi Mi TV Stick Android TV with ChromeCast. You will also need a usb power source to charge the stick.
Before starting, I would recommend you to plug the TV stick into another monitor or TV first to set it up (android first startup process). The process can take awhile and may be uncomfortable to do it from the car directly.
Once you have all the tools ready, open up your dashboard to access to your car radio. Refer here for a dashboard opening guide.
Remove any existing HDMI attachments to it. If you have a HDMI extender, plug this into your car radio.
Run the HDMI extender towards your glove box. This means you will be able to remove the TV stick anytime from the glove box and not having to open your dashboard again.
Powering your TV stick - check if your radio has an existing usb input. This can be used to plug the micro usb cable to charge the TV stick. Be mindful that if you are using this for USB audio, you may want to consider another way to charge the TV stick, such as a USB cigarette lighter charger. Run your Micro USB charger to the glove box as well.
Before closing up your dashboard, test the device connection to the radio. Turn on the radio and set to HDMI. Make sure the TV Stick is also charging. It will boot up automatically upon receiving power. Test it with Spotify or Netflix.
Once everything is done, do some nice wire management and close back your dashboard, and enjoy the ride.
FAQ
- Is this touch capable?
- unfortunately no, everything works only from the remote. - Does it need WIFI?
- yes, you need to provide it internet. The easiest way is to connect to your mobile phone hotspot. - There are some existing cabling for the HDMI on my radio already. Can I remove it?
- Yes you can. This is usually attached to your screen mirroring device provided by the manufacturer. Rule of thumb, dont cut any wires so you can put them back. - Will doing this void my warranty?
- yes it could, so do this on your own discretion. Much safer to not cut any wires and dont break any of the warranty stickers. - When my car is moving, the display is blank. But it shows when my car is parked. Why?
- Some cars have a safety system where it only allows videos to be played when the car is stationary. There is a wire that is either attached to the speed or the gears of the car. If you really want to bypass this, please go to a professional car electrician. Again, this is based on your own discretion, and always drive safely without distraction. - My radio only has a USB port. Can I use this device?
- Unfortunately no, it needs a HDMI input to feed the audio and visuals. - Can i use a USB to HDMI converter?
- also no, you need usb to power the TV stick and the HDMI to feed the AV. - Can this work with a headrest monitor?
- it depends on your headrest monitor, it needs to have HDMI input and has to be powered by micro USB. - How did you connect this to your OBD?
- I connected using a WIFI OBD device, which also means that there will be no internet. I wouldnt recommend it anyway because you cant touch the screen and most OBD apps wont work with the remote alone. - Have you tried installing android auto?
- no, i didnt want to custom flash my TV stick - Have you tried using navigation apps?
- yes i did and it didnt work well. Waze screen remains blank, and you need the touch screen for them to work. Also its a pain to type in the search with the remote. The device has no GPS as well.
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