【Customer Review for Pumpkin】KD-C0224 Universal 6.95” Android 4.4 Double Din Car Stereo

I purchased this to replace an older Win CE unit. After a few weeks, I am very happy with the unit (KD-C0224) and have to say that it’s much better than I expected.

—-By Esso

Unit takes half a minute to boot up when you start your car, just like cold booting an Android phone. However, the video from the reverse camera (if you have one attached) appears immediately and is independent of the Android boot process.

0224

  • Radio

Standard AM FM with RDS and presets. If your original car radio came with a diversity antenna or an antenna amplifier, make sure they are accounted for in your installation, or you won’t get good reception.

  • DVD/CD player

I don’t use this much, but did test it when I received the unit to verify it worked. Played all the movies I tried without issue.

  • WiFi

Connects to my home WiFi without any problems when I’m parked in the garage. Can browse the web, use the Play Store to install and update apps, shop on Amazon, etc. I haven’t tried the unit with a portable hotspot yet. Note this unit is NOT a phone and there is no persistent internet connection unless you use WiFi (I haven’t tried the 3G USB dongle which is apparently as an option).

  • USB input 

I’ve put my music library on a 256 GB thumb drive and connected it to one of the two USB inputs. I use the PowerAmp app for an MP3 player, and it reads the drive and recognizes all of the 20000+ tunes available. It takes a while to read the directory (it also take a while on my PC).

  • Backup camera 

Works fine.

  • Torque (OBDII application) 

I have a mini ELM327 Bluetooth type unit that I plug into the OBDII socket under my steering wheel. The included Torque app displays OBDII engine diagnostic information from the vehicle computer. Supposedly some units are finicky about recognizing the OBDII adapter, mine works fine (luck?) .

  • Bluetooth 

Works great with my galaxy S3. Transferred contacts phone numbers list without issue. Initiates and answers calls without issue. It also supports music streaming from the phone, but on a somewhat limited level because the MP3 tag info isn’t displayed on the head unit. Similarly to the Win CE unit which is replacing, you can only play, pause, and skip forward or backward. To my ears the fidelity over Bluetooth in the music mode is good.

  • Micro SD Card 

I’ve only tried it with a 32 GB card and it worked fine. There are actually two Micro SD card slots, but one is reserved for the GPS.

  • GPS

I reused the existing GPS antenna I had  and it works well. Thus far I have only used the included iGo app and for basic navigation it works acceptably.

  • Front camera/ DVR app 

Haven’t tried. I already have a separate dash cam recorder.

The unit looks sharp after installation and so far the screen has proven to have good driver visibility day or night. Direct sunlight will wash it out to an extent of course, but it’s MUCH superior to the same size screen on the older Win CE unit it replaced.

For more stunning car stereos, please visit: autopumpkin.com




【Customer Review for Pumpkin】KD-C0224 Universal 6.95" Android 4.4 Double Din Car Stereo

This thing is amazing. There is so much more you can do. There are some minor issues that can be resolved with a little perseverance.
By M.Duus
0224

Pros:

  • WiFi Tethering: This unit connects up fine to my cellphone and tethers perfectly, everytime, without fail.
  • Bluetooth: While the head unit is connected to cellphone’s WiFi tether, it’s also able to connect to both my cellphone’s Bluetooth for audio and cell, as well as my Bluetooth OBDII unit which I use with the provided torque app.
  • Play Store: All apps work and I have not had any issues at all.
  • Radio: Signal in my part of the USA is fantastic. Sound is strong, and very little “hiss” for weaker stations.
  • DVD Player: Mine worked when tested, but I don’t use it, so I can’t comment extensively.
  • USB: I connected a 64 bit USB thumb drive and it has not given any issues.
  • 3G Dongle: I haven’t used this, but from reading at XDA forums, there are some issues with powering the device. A powered USB hub fixes this issue.
  • GPS: iGo app is not my favorite, so I simply downloaded Waze, and changed the setting in the GPS settings of Android to use the Waze app when Navigation button is pressed. You can do this with any GPS app, such as Google maps, which worked perfectly well with the satellite view as well.

Cons:

  • Tuner: Looses presets occasionally. Not sure why yet. It’s not a big issue for me.
  • Random: When I use certain apps, and don’t close them before I turn off the car, they force close when the head unit restarts. Not a big deal, but something to be aware of.
  • Fitment: Unit is about 1/4″ wider than USA standard double din head unit. You’ll need to trim the bezel on your car to fit. If you don’t want to do this, then this unit is not good for you.

In Summary

I have waited a long time for a head unit that could do everything I wanted it to do without issues. This unit does them all, with only very minor issues. All of which I feel will be resolved with future firmware and ROM releases. The manufacturers are constantly releasing updates and fixes, and are very hands on in the development and support. I highly recommend it !
For more highly recommended car head unit, please visit: autopumpkin.com



【Customer Review for Pumpkin】KD-C0713 Mazda 3 Android 4.4 Double Din 7" HD Touchscreen Car Stereo

0713

 

By Steve

I installed this stereo in my 09 Mazda 3. I say “stereo” but it really is so much more. It’s more like an entertainment center for my car, because it has changed the whole feel of travel. Simply put, I love this!
  • GPS
Great GPS included with accurate maps and still can use video outputs, so DVDs play to rear monitors for kiddos in the back seat.
  • APP 
All the apps I’ve tried work flawlessly and switching between them is very fast.
  • Quality
Not much else I can say other than if you are debating on this unit, take my word for it, you will be very pleased with the build quality and ease of install.
  • Audio
I should also mention the audio playback is well above stock car stereo sound and everything is crisp and clear.
  • Customer Service
On a side note, I contacted the seller to ask a question about SD card playback and was pleased to get response almost immediately. It seems that customer service is top notch as well.