Phoenix Automotive Head Unit

If you want a large "tesla-style" head unit AND have the patience/ability to deal with some minor technical issues, then this seems to be a great unit. I would not recommend this to anyone who is looking for full functionality and user friendly interface out of the box. It really seems to be a great piece of hardware, but the software is rather poorly designed. The good news is that it runs off of Android, so if you're savvy, you should be able to customize ANYTHING.

Edit: I got this at a very significant discount due to a 30% off sale and it being an open box. It's too early to say if I would buy this for full price. I'll try to post updates as I unlock more features of this unit.

I just installed it today, here's my experience:

There are NO instructions whatsoever. The kit came with the head unit as one assembly, and a whole rat's nest of wire harnesses. It wasn't too bad even without instructions, if you were one of the kids in preschool would could fit the square peg into the square hole and round peg into the round one, then it's pretty easy, albeit tedious, to match all the connectors to their corresponding connections. If you're like me though, you'll spend a while trying to shove the triangle peg into the circular hole.

I haven't had a chance to test out all of the hardware yet, but so far all of the hardware works. It looks like this head unit supports A LOT. There's connections for three USB ports, a GPS antenna, a wireless 4G receiver (you can use a cell phone sim card to connect it to a cell network), lots of camera and audio inputs, OBDii connection, etc. Furthermore, the head unit replaces the hazard/airbag control module and the entire AC control module. I've tested the latter two extensively and all functions work--the hazards work, the airbag system passes the self-test, and the physical AC buttons on the new head unit all perform their intended function.

I had some difficulty getting it to fit, but the problem was simple. I don't have a picture to show you, but around the periphery of where the OEM radio is mounted, there are what looks like tiny "standoffs" that blocked this head unit from going in. They were easy to cut away with a rusty box cutter. Other than that, installing it into the truck was a breeze. I'm super impressed with the look; it's super clean and looks OEM. My biggest complaint is that there is not much clearance between the lower edge of the bezel and the gear shift when it is in 1st, 3rd, or 5th gear. If I were to wear a bulky class ring on my right hand, maybe it would contact the bezel with my normal shifting pattern.

The physical controls on the head unit are GREAT. As mentioned, the buttons do as they are labeled. They also have programmable auxiliary functions when long-pressed. The two physical knobs are not labeled because they are programable. I have the left set up so that it controls volume upon rotation and audio on/off upon press, the right is set to control fan speed upon rotation and air on/off upon press. Unfortunately, figuring out how to do this took a while as there are ZERO instructions. I had to find a video on YouTube explaining how to do it (ironically published by Phoenix Automotive). Customizing other functions has gone the same way. The backlighting on the physical controls is customizable. I set mine to mirror the ambient color from the instrument cluster, further enhancing the OEM look. You can choose any RGB (0-31 ie 5-bit) color you want, although the intensity of the RGBs is not perfectly linear with the 0-31 value selected, so really the color palate is significantly diminished. If you want, you can program the lights to change color with vehicle speed, rpm, or throttle--all values pulled from the OBD connection.

Because its an Android unit at heart, there as a ton of customization that can be done without gaining root access and messing with system files. For instance, I downloaded "car launcher" from the google play store and set it as the default app launcher. I'm only using the free version and there's many more to explore on the app store, not even to mention the one's that are available outside of the app store. I've posted a picture below of my home screen (last pic) and I'm very impressed with how easy all my favorite functions are to find and how well it blends in with the rest of my interior.

The head unit supports wireless Apple CarPlay (I've extensively tested) and Android Auto (I can only assume it works). I've attached a picture of my unit running CarPlay below. I've gotta say, having the map on that large of a screen is a game changer; it's so much easier to ascertain important details about road network around you with just a quick glance.

My biggest gripe right now is the AC controls at the bottom. There are two temperature selections, as if my truck supports dual AC zones and there are controls for seat heaters, vented seats, etc. I'd really like to simplify this. I haven't attempted anything yet, but I'm sure it can be done. Not sure if that will require root access or not... On a positive note, I do plan on eventually adding aftermarket seat heaters, so it's nice to know that this head unit IS capable of controlling them.

On a random note, I've heard this can handle DVR functions from multiple cameras. I'd love to have it essentially function as a discrete dashcam by recording constantly from a front-mounted camera and the OEM reverse cam. I also picked up some certified 100% Chinesium side-view cameras for $40 on Amazon that could really spice things up (will print a basic circuit board with multiplexer to handle camera switching. ie L blinker = "reverse trigger" sent to head unit + swap rear feed for left camera signal).


Stock launcher

Running CarPlay. Default AC control color.

"Car Launcher" and customized AC control colors.

 

That really turned out well. My kudos to you!

I'm curious, as a 'limited techie" guy that loves this level of stealth o.e.m. guality detail, ... how user friendly would you rate this once its all sorted out? The wife has a 2019 prius prime with the big screen "tech package". Kind of Tesla level? Would you put its function/usability above that level.

Although I'm lacking most of the basics needed to accomplish this monumental install, I would love to have this in my 08 Tacoma. It presently has one of the worst factory engineened viewing angles of ANY vehicle I've ever owned.

 

I thought I had a large screen until I saw this. I have Joying Auto's 11.6" display. I like the large screen, but the software leaves something to be desired. Both Phoenix and Joying appear to run the same underlying version of Android. My unit seems a little buggy, but I deal with it. Not sure how much of that is the hardware vs software. I thought Joying was a good deal at just over $500, but the Phoenix unit is under $500 (on sale), offers a larger display, and integrates nicer into the dash. Joying just slaps a display on the face of the dash which doesn't necessarily look bad, but Phoenix actually looks built-in or custom.

I do see a video on their website detailing all the cables, what they are, and where they go on the back of the unit which is nice. I don't see actual installation instructions.

I have a feeling Phoenix is one of those companies where their products are either always or frequently on sale. I see that fairly often with Chinese products. I'm temped to swap out mine for Phoenix...

 

so far I wouldn’t say it’s been “buggy” but I’ll wait a bit longer before vouching that it isn’t. The biggest gripe really is just the “one size fits all” stock software/UI, but it looks like there’s lots of ability to change this.

 

It's bee a week since I got this unit so I figured I'd post an update based on my experiences so far. I was pleasantly surprised to start with, and this thing has really grown on me. The worst thing about the unit at first was the "one size fits all" UI that just really felt like it cheapened the unit, but this was fixed easily by downloading "Car Launcher" from the Google Play Store; this app allows you to change the default launcher, effectively replacing the factory-loaded UI. You can customize it to your liking, but I'm perfectly satisfied with one of the pre-loaded versions. I feel like I didn't really elaborate on what made the original UI so lousy, so I've added details in the pro/con list below.

After one week, here are the pro's and con's I've noticed with this unit so far.

PROS:
-Other than the unsupported features listed below, everything has worked almost flawlessly so far.
-Wireless CarPlay is fantastic. It disconnected once in the middle of a three hour trip, but reconnected quickly and never happened again. I've probably used it 10 hours total and only had that one hiccup.
-Radio audio quality is good. Sends decent power to the speakers, way louder than my old aftermarket head unit. I wish that one of the knobs could be programmed to control radio tuning but I haven't found a way so far. There is a "slider" on the touchscreen that controls radio frequency and despite my general disdain for touchscreen controls, precisely tuning a frequency is actually not too difficult. There's room for plenty of presets and the UI of the radio app is pretty good.
-Support for any app. Because the unit runs android, you have access to any and all android apps. I've found that this is the perfect platform for fast food apps
-Customization. Not only can the UI be changed to anything you want, but the LEDs on the unit can be changed to just about any color. This unit can be made to look OEM in any vehicle regardless of what the ambient lighting is.
-Extensions: I've looked at the website and there looks to be a fair number of add-ons that are plug and play. I'm particularly interested in the 360 panoramic view. I'm not exactly made of money so I'll have to wait a bit to try this out but my curiosity is definitely piqued.

CONS:
-The screen doesn't get as bright as I would like during the day, nor as dim as I would like at night. It doesn't render it unusable by any means, but the brightness control leaves more to be desired.
-Images on stock UI was of Jeep SUV, not a Tacoma. This can be remedied fairly easily, but for an expensive head unit, it shouldn't have to be
-Headunit does not come loaded with ability to pull DTC's and custom PIDs despite having OBDii connection
-Most options in "car settings" are not supported on Tacoma. This is fine, but it's annoying for all of the unsupported settings to be listed.
-There's a page on the stock UI that is supposed to show distance traveled, mpg, etc. It's not supported at all despite these being values that could easily be pulled from OBD and computed.
-Inclinometer app is out of calibration (perhaps this can be fixed though?)
(I should mention so far that the above unsupported functions are like 90% of the stock home screen, so it's pretty annoying for most of the stock UI to not work. This was easily fixed with the new launcher though)
-General lack of instructions for operating the head unit. It took me a while to figure out how to reprogram the buttons and knobs.
-Due to the proximity of the lower edge of the bezel to the gear shift, I would knock my knuckles against it when shifting. SUPER ANNOYING. I've adjusted my form such that I'm essentially "palming" the gear shift into 3rd and 5th which is probably a better technique than a death grip anyway (geez that sounds dirty). At this point, this is probably the worst thing about this unit (only applies to MT owners).

 

Most of the UI issues you describe aren't unique to this Phoenix system. My Joying unit is also full of settings that appear to do nothing for me. Are you able to link to the launcher you downloaded? Interested to see which one it is.

I suspect the shifting issue is a bigger deal for you with MT. I wonder how close the AT shifter would get to the bezel.

Having a little trouble picturing which parts you cut and wondering how this would affect transitioning back to a more standard sized head unit. There are a couple of pictures in this thread of the open dash. Do these pics show the parts you cut? Could you annotate one of these pics to clarify?

 

link to car launcher:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.autolauncher.motorcar.free&hl=en_US&pli=1

 

I just ordered mine. The 12GB was on sale. My atoto is decent but it disconnects to many times and tried of emailing them ever 4-6 months for updates. Hoping my USB fr / re cameras can be used as not sure it comes w/ any. Also, hoping they offer regular updates as these seem popular in Toyotas and jeeps. Lastly, got the screen measurements? I want to get a tempered glass screen protector. My dogs are all over my truck.

 

I used Phoenix system two years ago, and I changed to Linkswell last month. The Linkswell unit is a 12.1-inch T style screen radio with Android 10. My favorite feature are the wireless Carplay connection, downloading a lot of apps on Google Play and connecting to the 360° camera.

I heard that Linkswell has released an Android 11 version with 15.6-inch vertical screen. I wonder if there are any suitable models.