Have been working with tabs for a few years now (originally Android and iOS, now Windows) and even though I do not have a Crossfire (yet) have been trying to figure out two difficulties:
1) Where to put it.
2) How to connect to amp (have nearly 300 albums on disk, as soon as I get a CD, it gets ripped and added)

Have found that a 7"-8" is the minimum size to be useful & working multiple displays for a special instance.

Do know the Crossfire supports OBD-II though have not dialed in yet I did use to check for codes (none), Display was set for my '12 WK2 so not all parameters are supported.

I am seeing indications that the stock radio does not support an aux input (surprising in something from this century) so need to know if there is an aftermarket unit (is it single DIN ?) that will look right.

Really just need am/fm/amp or do the speakers require something special ?

Tab handles music/sat-nav/engine diagnostics & if turn the hot spot on can surf the web and get e-mail. Pretty much one stop shopping.

Anyone else working in this area ?

Image below is when I checked a 06 Coupe but had not run the discovery program as yet to find the proper parameters.

 

5 things to look for in an aftermarket head unit ( IMHO )
1. single DIN
2. look for a 'marine' unit, they often have ALMOST matching silver faces.
3. look for 4v pre-amps out ( no big thing, you can use the speaker out wires if necessary )
4. bluetooth built in
5. ipod connection

this pretty well trims the list down to the Clarion M303 .......
Clarion M303 CD/USB Marine Receiver w/ Bluetooth & iPod Control
or
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_020M303....html?tp=61758

 

Thank you,

Amazon

Amazon

seems to have it a little less expensively. Two questions if you have one.
1) Is there a 3.5mm min phone jack for an aux input ?
2) Does it support "Hands Free" with a BT smart phone (Android) ?

If so will be my second purchase (Crossfire needs to be first).

 

Sorry, I don't have one ( wish I did ! ) - I have an old Alpine IDX-001 in mine.
Maybe some day I'll have enough in the car fund to get one .....

 

I just bought a 7" tablet that's I'm going to mount on my dash for diagnostics and I have an Eonon G1311 fold out head unit. There's a lot of modification you can do with the GPS program. Check out my progress in the Android Head Unit thread. I haven't done any modification in a while since I have the smaller tablet now.

 

Thank you but am working mainly with full Windows based devices now. Be nice if the G1311 could act as a VGA and touch input device for a remote system but being ARM based that is doubtful.

So far everything about the Clarion M303 looks good though am a little concerned about the power output. Can it really drive the Crossfire speakers or does it need a separate amp ( might mention am hearing impaired so need about 60 db of boost).

Handsfree is also important to me, the heep has U-Connect that works very well with the standard radio and the M303 seems to have that via BT also (and implies a built in microphone).

Also appear the Clarion styling would fit right in. Are adapters needed for the connections ? Anyone here have one installed ?

Biggest concern is that Clarion has been around since the '60s but was not known for quality then, hopefully that has changed.

 

The headunit should tap into the stock amp so pushing the speakers won't be the job of the head unit.

 

I didn't know the radio was two piece. Is that all Crossfire radios or just the premium ones ?

If all Crossfires is the chassis opening deep enough for the Clarion M303 and associated wiring ? Looks it needs about 8" of depth.

Has anyone tried a M303 ?

 

If the head unit has black ***** and the car seats are cloth, then that is a 'base' model and there is no external Infinity amp, or subs behind the seats.
Should be no problem with the depth.
I have had Alpine, Sony and Blaupunkt in mine with no problems.

 

With my Eonon I have and Ipod connector, GPS, USB port, aux cables, footwell lighting and additional speaker wire. Trust me there's lots of room back there.

 

I bought a limited coupe and the Clarion M303 is here. May get to it this weekend but need to fit an 8" tablet first. May use a CD flip mount and just cover the HVAC when using (flip down for access).

Might just try with an RF adapter first.

Am now getting a 2 week free Sirrus (let it lapse after the free year) and frankly the sound is pretty bad (no highs) compared to the mp3s and wmas on the tablet (have about 10 GB of albums on a SD card. Even at $25 for 6 months is just not worth it to me, tablet is that much better.

 

Well found I need a few more pieces for the Clarion (like a hands free mike, heep has it built into the mirror). Should be here tomorrow.

Meanwhile been checking out locations and best (well easy/quick) seems to be a CD mount.

Meanwhile something seems to be holding up the Bay Trail 8" tabs but two (Lenovo and Toshiba) are said to have built in GPS. (Are four things I consider critical for a tab to be useful besides the obligatory BT and WiFi.: Sockets for USB, HDMI, microSD Card, and GPS).

With that and a few docking stations, I can do anything.

 

Been somewhat sidetracked but finally go to the Clarion. Picture is of it finally installed, playing music through aux and running Torque on my phone.

Tomorrow will figure out how to connect via Bluetooth for the hands free phone part.

One issue with the clarion is all of the wiring in back - regular connector to car connector with a jumper harness using the VW connector, external mike (found out it has an internal mike as well but since I have it...), USB cable, Aux in cable (kinda big but the rat shack was having a $3 closeout on a min phone to dual RCA 6' cable). And then the four sub outs, remote connector, Sirius connector.

Problem was getting the radio into the cavity with all of those wires in back. Finally wiggled and jiggled and got this far in. When the service manual CD gets her (07 is different) I plan to remove the glove box and see if I can sort things out a bit better. Came very close to just cutting off what I did not need. (Car has Sirius Antenna but the sound in my heep was like not great AM, mp3s on phone sounds much better and I have about 300 albums on a SD card.

Do think it blends into the Crossfire interior nicely and adds the modern stuff my '12 has and I've gotten used to.

All of the info on pinouts and color coding on this site was really helpful, only two real changes needed. yellow to red and red to yellow (permanent power vs switched power). Also Clarion had a amp power out for the blue A5 wire needed to turn the amp on.

Next step - 8" windows tab adding sat-nav and a few other things. May also shorten the tightening screw on bottom of mount. Note it is in the gap between the dash and the top of the radio molding rather than the CD slot.

ps Kinda warm today - was 77 degrees at 10 pm in garage.

 

Got over to Home Depot and found a sheet of .025" Aluminum 24x12" for less than a sawbuck. Got out snips and hammers, little radial arm saw and brake action and made a mount that just slips on the glove box door.

Had to make fit both Acer W3 and Toshiba Encore in case so a little extra space allowed. Can still open the glove box if needed. (.025 slips in crack nicely and formed to fit contour inside).

Seems like the only place there is room without carving up the console.

Still interior is small enough for everything to be visible and ads about 300 albums, Sat-Nav, engine monitor and diagnostics, plus anything you can do with a Windows (8.1 NOT RT) box.

More functional than pretty but about an hour and a half. Notched and slid over a bit further after sat-nav pic.

 

Nice.. just got out to meet my son and took the TomTom out with me.. put it on the windshield and that blocked the radar detector.. not good, so just sat it in the seat. No place on the car for the suction cup to mount.. and thought "you know.. a little plate that slips over the glove box edge would give me a nice surface to suction cup that to"...
Thinking adhering the felt side of a Velcro kit to the side next to the glove box would prevent any scratching too..

 

Have several sat-navs now including one in my phone and a separate 5" device. One of the mounts I have acquired is a little

CD slot mount

CD slot mount

that works nicely for both my phone and the sat-nav. I did have to shorten the screw so it did not obscure my radio display.

Have been experimenting with automotive computers for a very long time and one role for the Crossfire is a rolling test bed. Am having to drag the electronics into the century of the friuitbat but is not that difficult. Do wish the digital dash and EVIC in the concept car had made it into production though.

My goal has always been is to have just one device that does everything. The new crop of 8" Bay Trail tabs come close provided they can get the charging issues straightened out.

 

I have a CF interior dress up kit and while maybe a bit tacky, actually looks pretty nice. It has a smooth surface and will take a suction mount nicely. I have my TomTom mounted on the glove box door.

 

Just to see (and since I had the rest of that Al sheet. I made a "suction cup mount" for the glove box.

With a few more bends could make a raised surface to screw something on the surface (I don't entirely trust suction cups.). Dimensions to slip in glove box door are on the face.

Note the angle of the first bend is about 120 degrees and second is about 60.

.025" is pretty strong yet thin enough for the glove box door to latch.

 

Cool deal.... thanks for taking the (even though easy..LOL) R&D out of the equation for me..