Cheap Android Radio With Rear & Front Camera

I put in the 7” BOSS as I wanted WIRED CarPlay
I wanted a clean look with functional vents

I cant stand radios hijacking into my phone via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay wirelessly. Bluetooth is not the same as what these apps intrude upon

Its unfortunately become the norm for all devices to be wireless now for intrusion.

QpsEtop.jpg
 
I love wireless Android Auto, but it's pretty easy to only have it connect via wired connection. I have mine set to connect to the Jeep wirelessly but my wife's van only wired (so her's can connect wirelessly without issue when we ride together).
 
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L J said:
IMO, blocking the HVAC vents makes that option a no-go.
Click to expand...

It slides up and down, completely unblocking the vents on mine. You can see that he mentions it in his other pictures. Very sturdy in any sliding position. It also tilts on the x-axis.
 
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ChasUGC said:
It slides up and down, completely unblocking the vents on mine. You can see that he mentions it in his other pictures. Very sturdy in any sliding position. It also tilts on the x-axis.
Click to expand...

I've seen those but I still don't get the appeal when double din head units and bezels are available.
 
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L J said:
I've seen those but I still don't get the appeal when double din head units and bezels are available.
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I guess the Appeal is quadruple fold, at least it was for me. #1, most importantly, you don't have to cut up your dash to have a nice large screen radio. #2, it is bigger than any double din radio, making it like a large screen TV in your Jeep. #3, unlike a double din, which is easily stolen and destroys your dash when it is ripped out by thieves, the Boss is easily removable with two buttons, for theft deterrent. All that is left is a small black box with a big hole in it. It is very unappealing to thieves. I carry my screen in a heavily foam insulated shoulder bag. My first screen cracked somehow and the company replaced it as a factory defect as it was impossible for me to have caused the Crack in the located area, with no visible impact. I also immediately put a screen protector on it which comes in both regular and anti glare. #4, it is a huge screen. 9 or 10.1 inches. It is bigger than anything on the market. Making it great for "old people" like me. Yeah, I never thought I'd say it, but I feel blessed to have lived this long and still be healthy.With all the setup options, this is a great, fun radio. I've compared it to similar offerings from major radio manufacturers, such as Pioneer, JVC, Blaupunkt, and Kenwood, and none come close. I never liked Boss car audio or its reputation until now. I have been pleasantly surprised by this radio.
 
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ChasUGC said:
I guess the Appeal is quadruple fold, at least it was for me. #1, most importantly, you don't have to cut up your dash to have a nice large screen radio. #2, it is bigger than any double din radio, making it like a large screen TV in your Jeep. #3, unlike a double din, which is easily stolen and destroys your dash when it is ripped out by thieves, the Boss is easily removable with two buttons, for theft deterrent. All that is left is a small black box with a big hole in it. It is very unappealing to thieves. I carry my screen in a heavily foam insulated shoulder bag. My first screen cracked somehow and the company replaced it as a factory defect as it was impossible for me to have caused the Crack in the located area, with no visible impact. I also immediately put a screen protector on it which comes in both regular and anti glare. #4, it is a huge screen. 9 or 10.1 inches. It is bigger than anything on the market. Making it great for "old people" like me. Yeah, I never thought I'd say it, but I feel blessed to have lived this long and still be healthy.With all the setup options, this is a great, fun radio. I've compared it to similar offerings from major radio manufacturers, such as Pioneer, JVC, Blaupunkt, and Kenwood, and none come close. I never liked Boss car audio or its reputation until now. I have been pleasantly surprised by this radio.
Click to expand...

Completely agree with you. I didn't want to build hi end audio system in a TJ. Only way to do that is to get name brand double din head unit and then get into amps, speakers and subs. Probably $2K or more and then worry about if someone will steal it. With Boss head unit it's no worries plus you get modern features. Everything stays stock.
 
Rockytop said:
Completely agree with you. I didn't want to build hi end audio system in a TJ. Only way to do that is to get name brand double din head unit and then get into amps, speakers and subs. Probably $2K or more and then worry about if someone will steal it. With Boss head unit it's no worries plus you get modern features. Everything stays stock.
Click to expand...

I'm glad that you agree with me, but that is kind of what I did. I wanted a high end audio system in my TJ, but I didn't want it stolen. I have an Alpine PDX-V9 amplifier in my system. Arguably the best car amplifier on the market. It is 5 channel 100 Watts per channel + 500 Watts for the sub. I added a special kit, for about 50 dollars, that hides it under the dash. Then, I got a molded Tan MTX dual 10" subwoofer box (500 Watts RMS) which hides in the trunk. I brought all this about ten years ago, and it is still working fine. Even with the top and doors off, nothing is visible. My Amp always stays cool and my subs haven't blown. Then, I went with 4-5.25" CDT U.S. California made Coaxials speakers rated at 150 RMS, and they haven't blown in 10 years either. The reason I chose the Boss was a lucky choice. I needed a good security HU and I wanted a large screen. Ten inches fit the bill, it didn't cost too much and it had so many options. Most of all, I was dying to try Android Auto. I had thought of cutting my dash up for a double din, and they do look nice installed, but I really didn't want to do that, mainly because of theft concerns. I don't live in the Metro area, but I do visit it and work there frequently, near Los Angeles. I've had my stereo ripped out of my dash in another vehicle in the San Fernando Valley by a Crack addict. I know it was a Crack addict because he left a Crack pipe and spilled bullets in my back seat, climbing through the rear folded glass of my convertible. Afterwards, I had to replace my convertible top, my dash, my console, my alarm system, and my radio. The thief cut my battery cables by climbing under my car to bypass my alarm. I learned a valuable lesson. Thieves won't bother with a head unit if there is no screen. But, leaving the screen in the car is a no no. I knew a guy who had thieves watching him when he had a high end stereo with a removable face or screen. The thief saw that the guy didn't take it with him, and the thief broke into the car and ripped out the stereo and took the head unit under the back seat. So, I always buy a bag for my pull out or screen and I always take it with me. I thief won't bother if the screen is gone, because nobody will buy the stolen merchandise and then have to pay an extra 100 dollars for a screen too. I didn't buy everything at once, but over the span of ten years. I first got the molded sub box and a cheap Amp. The cheap Amp kept overheating and frying. So, I researched, saved a few months, and I got the PDX-V9. I blew out my Infinity speakers in one week. So, I returned them under warranty and added just a few dollars for the CDT speakers. A good 50 Watts is all I really needed. I can't even sit in the vehicle if it is that loud, and you can hear it 200 feet away. At 70 Watts it is 300 feet. I tuned it, and set the proper polarity, and no one ever tries to test me on the road. One guy did when it was at a medium volume at a stop light once. I cranked it up so loud that he understood that he was out of his league. He turned his stereo down in defeat. I'm not a show off, I just like a good stereo. I just don't like being tested by novices with Impala's thinking they have a better stereo. There is no rattling with the molded sub box, and there is no distortion with the Alpine. The low riders don't even dare to test me anymore. So, it can be a lot of fun having a nice TJ with an awesome stereo system. Just take your time and build it right. Sorry for the long winded response. I digress.
 
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Rockytop said:
Completely agree with you. I didn't want to build hi end audio system in a TJ. Only way to do that is to get name brand double din head unit and then get into amps, speakers and subs. Probably $2K or more and then worry about if someone will steal it. With Boss head unit it's no worries plus you get modern features. Everything stays stock.
Click to expand...

I'm glad that you agree with me, but that is kind of what I did. I wanted a high end audio system in my TJ, but I didn't want it stolen. I have an Alpine PDX-V9 amplifier in my system. Arguably the best car amplifier on the market. It is 5 channel 100 Watts per channel + 500 Watts for the sub. I added a special kit, for about 50 dollars, that hides it under the dash. Then, I got a molded Tan MTX dual 10" subwoofer box (500 Watts RMS) which hides in the trunk. I brought all this about ten years ago, and it is still working fine. My Amp always stays cool and my subs haven't blown. Then, I went with CDT U.S. California made Coaxials speakers rated at 150 RMS, and they haven't blown in 10 years either. The reason I chose the Boss was a lucky choice. My professional installer recommended it and said he could install it, with the HU, for 500 dollars with a two year warranty. I needed a good security HU and I wanted a large screen. My old one was cheap and worn out. Ten inches fit the bill, it didn't cost too much and it had so many options. Most of all, I was dying to try Android Auto. I had thought of cutting my dash up for a double din, and they do look nice installed, but I really didn't want to do that, mainly because of theft concerns. I don't live in the Metro area, but I do visit it and work there frequently, near Los Angeles. I've had my stereo ripped out of my dash in another vehicle in the San Fernando Valley by a Crack addict. I know it was a Crack addict because he left a Crack pipe and spilled bullets in my back seat, climbing through the rear folded glass of my convertible. Afterwards, I had to replace my convertible top, my dash, my console, my alarm system, and my radio. The thief cut my battery cables by climbing under my car to bypass my alarm. I learned a valuable lesson. Thieves won't bother with a head unit if there is no screen. But, leaving the screen in the car is a no no. I knew a guy who had thieves watching him when he had a high end stereo with a removable face or screen. The thief saw that the guy didn't take it with him, and the thief broke into the car and ripped out the stereo and took the head unit under the back seat. So, I always buy a bag for my pull out or screen and I always take it with me. I thief won't bother if the screen is gone, because nobody will buy the stolen merchandise and then have to pay an extra 100 dollars for a screen too. I didn't buy everything at once, but over the span of ten years. I first got the molded sub box and a cheap Amp. The cheap Amp kept overheating and frying. So, I researched, saved a few months, and I got the PDX-V9. I blew out my Infinity speakers in one week. So, I returned them under warranty and added just a few dollars for the CDT speakers. A good 50 Watts is all I really needed. I can't even sit in the vehicle if it is that loud, and you can hear it 200 feet away. At 70 Watts it is 300 feet. I tuned it, and set the proper polarity, and no one ever tries to test me on the road. One guy did when it was at a medium volume at a stop light once. I cranked it up so loud that he understood that he was out of his league. He turned his stereo down in defeat I'm not a show off, I just like a good stereo. I just don't like being tested by novices with Impala's thinking they have a better stereo. There is no rattling with the molded sub box, and there is no distortion with the Alpine. The low riders don't even dare to test me anymore. So, it can be a lot of fun having a nice TJ with an awesome stereo system. Just take your time and build it right. Sorry for the long winded response. I digress.
 
Rockytop said:
I have 2005 TJ that came with stock radio, speakers and it has the factory sub in the console.
For a jeep it's OK and I didn't expect anything more. Only issue was with the volume knob.
It wouldn't work all the time. You have to keep turning the volume button left/right to get the volume to respond.
I read that there was a fix for it but I didn't feel like removing the radio apart to fix it.
I started to look at cheap android radios so I can have larger display paired with the phone
and install rearview camera.
My criteria was
- Inexpensive but known brand.
- Sigle din since I did not want to cut any part of the dash interior and wanted to use existing
Front dash panel.
- Large touch screen.
- Android Auto
- Rear Camera
- Has to have physical volume knob
- European tuning option for FM (might export the Jeep to Europe)
- Removable touchscreen display so it can be hidden out of peoples view when Jeep is parked

I ended up buying from Amazon Boss Audio BCPA9. I got it for $200 on discount.
It's basic android radio but pretty much checks all the boxes. It has 9" display.
Size of 9" display looks/fits very nice with the TJ dash it's not too large.
I also purchased 2 cameras since the radio has also option for the front.
Install is very simple for the radio I just ended up buying Metra wiring harness 70-6502
Metra Pocket Dash kit 99-6502 & Antenna adapter Metra 40-CR10
Camera are also from Amazon PixleMan PMD2A each was $40
Below are some photos of the install of the rear camera and wiring option I chose.
Metra wiring harness matches up with Boss radio harness very good.
I don't have full install details but hardest part was running the rear camera wiring.
I wanted rear camera to have both options to come on when Jeep is reverse and also
to have it on when driving if choosing to do so. You have to run wire from the rear
reverse light to the head unit so it triggers the camera when backing up.
Radio provides dedicated front camera power wire so it can be viewed when driving any time.
Front camera was a nice to have option with Boss radio. I installed it under the license plate mount.
Both cameras can have grid lines off if choose to do it.
Display quality is very good. Touchscreen is responsive. Radio reception is excellent.
Sound quality is on par or better then factory radio since it has built in equalizer.
Overall I like it a lot for the money spent.




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Have you had any off road trial with this setup? Does it move around at all with the bumpy roads?
 
MPD100 said:
Have you had any off road trial with this setup? Does it move around at all with the bumpy roads?
Click to expand...

I just got it installed and haven't been off road yet. City driving on semi-decent roads there is no vibration or any issues.
 
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