Audio/Nav/iPhone BLISS! Finally!!!! (O-Car head unit review)

[S-2000 Roadster]

I am thinking of swapping my Alpine single DIN unit for one of these but one concern / question is the hand free phone option. Does this use the iphones microphone or an external input?

That should not even be a question. The most sensible way to use an iPhone in a car is with Bluetooth. That frees you from any concern about plugging in wires or using the internal speaker and mic. Besides, given the problems with car-mounted mics, you'll probably get the best performance from a clip-on Bluetooth headset or earpiece.

Did the installer use an adapter on the harness or did he cut the wires to put this unit in? If he used an adapter any idea where I could get one?

The Tesla Roadster does not have any kind of single-point harness connector that cars typically have. Instead, everything is standard RCA, USB, or something fairly universal. What few wires there are simply get crimped on and plug directly into the Alpine or JVC head. It should be easier to swap in a different radio than on just about any other car.

 

[TEG]

By the way, for what it is worth, Nissan Leaf customers seem to be finding that bluetooth music audio quality is better using iPhone than 'droid phones.
If you use bluetooth and find the audio quality lacking, you might want to try a different phone model.

 

[smoothoperator]

The Tesla Roadster does not have any kind of single-point harness connector that cars typically have. Instead, everything is standard RCA, USB, or something fairly universal. What few wires there are simply get crimped on and plug directly into the Alpine or JVC head. It should be easier to swap in a different radio than on just about any other car.

I replaced the head unit in my roadster from a Kd-nx5000 to a KD-NXD505 and there is a definitely a harness connector for the stereo. The VSS, radio antenna and gps antenna were the only loose leaf connections on the back of the unit.

 

[Alan]

That should not even be a question. The most sensible way to use an iPhone in a car is with Bluetooth. That frees you from any concern about plugging in wires or using the internal speaker and mic. Besides, given the problems with car-mounted mics, you'll probably get the best performance from a clip-on Bluetooth headset or earpiece.

I dont fully agree with that. I like the idea of this O-Car head unit primarily as I can use my iphone (via suitable apps) to display vehicle speed, for sat nav etc without it being so low down in the car.

I also want to be able to use the phone as a phone whilst on the move. In the UK you have to be hands free whilst driving, otherwise you will get stopped, fined and points on your licence. Using a bluetooth headset is a bit of a hassle (keep it charged, have to turn down the music when you get a call etc) and to be honest a bit old fashioned these days. I dont care how the phone connects to the car whether you plug it in as per this head unit or bluetooth as per the alpine but I want it to work with the head unit to give hands free use. Car mounted mics can work - the ones in my Lotus Esprit (aftermarket) and my Audi A8 (OE) are near perfect. The one in my roadster is useable provided you are driving at less than about 50mph. I am sure it would be better if the microphone was not near my knee though.

 

[TEG]

By the way, I really appreciate bluetooth integration in the Leaf. Cruising along at 75MPH in near silence, listening to the radio, then a call comes in, the radio cuts out, hand free call, then right back to radio. Good audio quality and people have no trouble understanding me. Modern convenience.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

I replaced the head unit in my roadster from a Kd-nx5000 to a KD-NXD505 and there is a definitely a harness connector for the stereo. The VSS, radio antenna and gps antenna were the only loose leaf connections on the back of the unit.

Ok then, I should point out that I have a Roadster 2.5 with the Infotainment system based around the Alpine IVA-NAV-10. There is no harness connector and nowhere to plug one in on the back of the radio. It's all just individual cables.

One important thing to keep in mind is that the Roadsters with the Infotainment system actually have a different dash, and I assume a different wiring harness as well.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

I dont fully agree with that. I like the idea of this O-Car head unit primarily as I can use my iphone (via suitable apps) to display vehicle speed, for sat nav etc without it being so low down in the car.

I use the Infotainment system for speed, nav, etc. The double-DIN display is larger than the iPhone. I suppose I might be singing a different tune if I had the single-DIN dash.

I also want to be able to use the phone as a phone whilst on the move. In the UK you have to be hands free whilst driving, otherwise you will get stopped, fined and points on your licence. Using a bluetooth headset is a bit of a hassle (keep it charged, have to turn down the music when you get a call etc) and to be honest a bit old fashioned these days. I dont care how the phone connects to the car whether you plug it in as per this head unit or bluetooth as per the alpine but I want it to work with the head unit to give hands free use.

As someone else has pointed out, if you're listening to music from the iPhone then it will always attenuate and then pause the music when a call comes in. This is true whether you link the iPhone to the Infotainment system via USB or Bluetooth for music. In my experience, everything is smooth except the microphone on the Roadster dash, so I expect that a Bluetooth headset would be an improvement there, while still allowing music to come over the Infotainment system when you're not on a call.

 

[JnC]

Josh,

Thanks so much for such an informative review. I have an Elise and have been following the O'Car since it was announced, only to cancel my order once I heard a new iPhone was in the wings. Now that the lid is off of the 4S, I placed my order for the O'Car. Your review was quite helpful as our 1DIN slots are similar and I wasn't certain if the phone & head unit dimensions would clear the recess in the dash.

I could not see how the microphone was mounted on the steering console in your review. Can you include a couple of shots of how it's mounted on your car? Thanks!

 

[JnC]

I'm curious if the OP verified that the circuit for the radio could supply 15A. The O'Car has a 15A fuse in the head unit.

On the Elise side of things, the radio circuit only uses a 7.5A fuse. Might be worth verifying what's in the fuse box. I'll likely try swapping out the fuse, thinking that the wiring should be up for the task.

 

[JoshG]

I am sure it would be better if the microphone was not near my knee though.

Yes, if you look at my pics of the O-Car installed, it came with a wired mic for Bluetooth calls handsfree... I mounted it on top of the steering column and it works MUCH better there than down by my right knee where Tesla installs them. It works OK at highway speeds with top on... if it's a noisy type of road surface, not so much... and if the top is off, forget about it.

 

[JoshG]

I'm curious if the OP verified that the circuit for the radio could supply 15A. The O'Car has a 15A fuse in the head unit.

I've not had any electrical problems since installing the O-Car unit... works great, and the installer didn't do anything special with fuses, so I assume the radio circuitry can supply the necessary amperage.

 

[JoshG]

A quick update... I've had no problems with the O-Car and love it as much as I did on day 1. It's a joy... I use Navigon for Nav, the normal iPod app, MOG... all work great. The mechanism for the extension arm is very solid - no loosening up, no weak parts... and I retract and extend the thing probably 5-6 times a day. holds the phone great at any angle.

The ergonomic advantages are great - the unit is just closer to you and tilts when you want. It just seems right at hand when you want to change audio or whatever.

THERE IS ONE ANNOYING THING O-Car should address, however. If you start your car WITHOUT the iphone installed, the built-in unit defaults to radio on, on the last channel you were on. Not a big deal, except the radio input must be at a lower level than the iPod's audio (the O-car wisely uses LINE-out from the dock connector, not headphone out)... so if you were listening to mid-loudness ipod audio, and leave the car, when you come back and start the car without the iphone in the O-Car, it will go to radio at a much higher volume level than you left the car when it was on ipod Audio. This happens even if you used the app they give you to shut the radio off before you left the car. It STILL comes on loud, tuned to radio, when you come back if there's no phone connected. It's scared the hell out of my on several occasions and has become an annoyance. Sure, you can turn the volume down quickly or turn it off with the built-in volume knob, but if you forget, it's quite unsettling. I'm getting used to just inserting the iphone regularly before starting the car to avoid this. Becoming a part of my startup routine.

Other than that, all is great... was at Tesla Motors MP today and the service guys all loved it.

 

[JoshG]

Looks great, but the rumor mill just released today that the Iphone 5 due out next month will have larger and different dimensions. I would wait until they catch up with current release.

ahem... well... we won't be needing a new adapter or harness from O-car anytime soon!

 

[JnC]

Yes, if you look at my pics of the O-Car installed, it came with a wired mic for Bluetooth calls handsfree... I mounted it on top of the steering column and it works MUCH better there than down by my right knee where Tesla installs them.

I've been studying your pics quite a bit and I still don't see anything perched on the steering column. Can you post a pic showing where they placed the mic? Mucho thx!

 

[dadaleus]

JoshG, this looks great! I spend a lot of time in the Roadster and I basically only use the JVC as an amp for my iphone. But it would be nice to have the iphone up in this position rather than looking down all the time.

I'm curious if you can still reach the headphone/headset plug on the iphone while it's docked? I have an awesome (and expensive) headset that let's me hear and be heard while on the phone even going 80mph with the top off.

(If anyone's interested, here it is: http://theboom.com/v/products/theboom-e.asp. I recommend getting the mic on the left so the cable comes down your right side where the phone is. I did the opposite and wish I could change it. Note I also had to add a small extra windscreen over the mic end to get all the way up to 80mph with the top off. They are avail at Radio Shack for a few $.)

I just want to make sure I can still use it while docked with the O-car before I consider making the move.

 

[Mycroft]

I wish Etymotics and TheBoom companies would merge. TheBoom has the best mic, but Etymotics has *THE* best ear pieces in the biz, hands-down. I tried TheBoom, but I didn't like the ear piece at all so I returned it.

 

[dadaleus]

I wish Etymotics and TheBoom companies would merge. TheBoom has the best mic, but Etymotics has *THE* best ear pieces in the biz, hands-down. I tried TheBoom, but I didn't like the ear piece at all so I returned it.

That Etymotics earpiece does look nice. Which Boom did you use? They have some very different options. The one I have is the closest to the Etymotics by the look of it, but even then the Etymotics looks like it would be easier to get in and out and would better seal out the outside world.

 

[Mycroft]

I had the one that hangs around the neck with a hollow tube going up to the ear.

 

[JnC]

I'm curious if you can still reach the headphone/headset plug on the iphone while it's docked?

That is not possible. The portion of the O'Car that secures the top of the iPhone has a plastic nub that slides a few millimeters into the headphone jack. It uses it like a pin to anchor it.

 

[dadaleus]

Yep, that's the one I have. Better than anything else I've had at least. First time I can do conference calls on the freeway.