HowTo: Install GROM Audio VLine VL2 (NIS9VL2) Android Auto/Apple CarPlay Interface (2011+ Infiniti M/Q70)

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armybrat
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satown210 wrote:
Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:51 pm
Well I got my Grom in and....... I don't like it. I find it very cool but not very useful or efficient. Every app is different on how to get back to the Home screen. Some you hit the menu bar and then back to home. Some you have to touch the bottom of the screen and minimize and then hit a Home key. Others require lots of navigating just to get back to home. Carplay does not work. Grom doesn't offer support for it since it isn't supposed to be there. Spotify keeps crashing giving me weird error messages. Bluetooth audio is very buggy. Sometimes no audio. I downloaded updates and current apps instead of the weird pre-installed ones. But the final kicker for me was the reduction in sound quality. Spotify now has about half the treble and a third of the bass it had when I just USB in with the factory setup.

I see a lot of potential but I don't like the cumbersome nature and how much I have to take my eyes off the road to navigate screens and menus. The sound quality is a deal breaker for me. PLus with the $600 price tag plus now having an additional tether cost it's a no-go for me.
Interesting...the tethering was a dealbreaker for me...I used to root my phone and turn the tethering on without going through Verizon, but now I am running a stock OS. That's why I was interested in the other Grom VLite phone mirroring unit. I don't think you have to have tethering since you're just mirroring your phone. You do need the Chromecast dongle to make it happen though, but it's just $35 extra.


satown210
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Mirroring personally doesn't interest me. Literally just duplicates whatever is on your phone is on your dash. You still have to control it through the phone.

If the Vline was somewhere around $300 or less I'd keep it and use it on occasion. But for $600 and it being kinda complicated, no thanks. I find Apple and iOS boring but it is standardized. I guess that what irks me about the android experience. You have the android OS, then whatever skin that lay on top of it. Then you have the apps that all choose how they want to operate in Android.

I noticed with the Grom when trying to tweak it to sound better or adjust settings to get it to work better; sometimes hitting Settings would take me to the OS settings, sometimes it would take me to the app's settings. Sometimes it was a different setting page for what I assume is the software they running to host all the apps. Very inconsistent. If I was in a Google app (Youtube or Maps) I had a circle to the left to pretty easily return to the home screen. Spotify meant I had to click on the screen to get it it to it's default fullscreen, then hit the bottom to move a menu, then click to the left, then click a home. That's a lot of taking my eyes off the road to try and get to a map. You can press the Back button on the dash to move back screens which I found helpful but found sometimes it would take me back to a home screen and sometimes it wouldn't.

It doesn't help that in our cars the screen is a reach. I usually just use the scrollwheel on the dash instead of leaning forward to reach the screen. In cars like the Lexus IS with a much smaller dash and setup, the screen is right in front of the shifter and easier to reach.

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Ilya
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My thoughts on some of the comments...again I'm not being paid by them to say this but this is my honest opinion (I think over the years you all know I'm unashamed to say it how it is lol).
DoN_BLaZe34 wrote:
Fri Dec 21, 2018 8:34 am
Man Ilya, you have me really thinking about getting one...

If though I use an iPhone, as I mentioned previously I really want this for the ability to have Google maps and NOT have to use/drain my phone by using the app on it...this sounds like it'll enable me to do so, even if I don't use the CarPlay the module has..

At some point down the line I plan on getting the refreshed Q70...the coolest thing about this investment is you should be able to use it in there as well..
I can't comment on the iPhone/CarPlay bit as I don't have an iPhone, I just know my iPod worked fine in the Apple iTunes app they have.

As for moving to a Q70...I have the same plan (probably get the last model year before the next refresh once they start coming in off leases in like 2022) and I also agree even though they don't necessarily list all of the M or Q years, this should be plug'n'play in all of em as long as you have touch screen navigation.
satown210 wrote:
Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:51 pm
Well I got my Grom in and....... I don't like it. I find it very cool but not very useful or efficient. Every app is different on how to get back to the Home screen. Some you hit the menu bar and then back to home. Some you have to touch the bottom of the screen and minimize and then hit a Home key. Others require lots of navigating just to get back to home. Carplay does not work. Grom doesn't offer support for it since it isn't supposed to be there. Spotify keeps crashing giving me weird error messages. Bluetooth audio is very buggy. Sometimes no audio. I downloaded updates and current apps instead of the weird pre-installed ones. But the final kicker for me was the reduction in sound quality. Spotify now has about half the treble and a third of the bass it had when I just USB in with the factory setup.

I see a lot of potential but I don't like the cumbersome nature and how much I have to take my eyes off the road to navigate screens and menus. The sound quality is a deal breaker for me. PLus with the $600 price tag plus now having an additional tether cost it's a no-go for me.
I guess to each their own. IMO, I do remember that issue of some apps having to exit a different way but those were only with the apps that had the "DashlinQ" logo. If I used the 'built-in' Google Play Music, it behaved that way. But after I downloaded the 'official' Google Play Music app off the playstore, it exits (with the back button in the top left corner) just like any other app.

I can't comment on CarPlay and honestly you people should just switch to Android. It's better. :chuckle: :gapteeth:

As for sound quality, I 1000% disagree but again, to each his own...but it's subjective. Granted, I didn't try Spotify as I don't have an account, but my Google Play Music, BT Audio and even Internet Radio (via RadioGarden app that I downloaded) is 100% identical to how it is if I stream it via BT directly from my phone. The ONLY thing I don't like is that I can't root the VLine and install Magisk/Viper4Android to have a truly powerful EQ. Audio from WatchESPN and Plex is the same for me as well.

I consider myself an audiophile and have professional music training (8 years of music school + nearly 20 years of singing in the church choir and various other church groups). I have ZERO complaints about the audio provided by the VLine.
armybrat wrote:
Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:11 am
satown210 wrote:
Fri Dec 21, 2018 9:51 pm
Well I got my Grom in and....... I don't like it. I find it very cool but not very useful or efficient. Every app is different on how to get back to the Home screen. Some you hit the menu bar and then back to home. Some you have to touch the bottom of the screen and minimize and then hit a Home key. Others require lots of navigating just to get back to home. Carplay does not work. Grom doesn't offer support for it since it isn't supposed to be there. Spotify keeps crashing giving me weird error messages. Bluetooth audio is very buggy. Sometimes no audio. I downloaded updates and current apps instead of the weird pre-installed ones. But the final kicker for me was the reduction in sound quality. Spotify now has about half the treble and a third of the bass it had when I just USB in with the factory setup.

I see a lot of potential but I don't like the cumbersome nature and how much I have to take my eyes off the road to navigate screens and menus. The sound quality is a deal breaker for me. PLus with the $600 price tag plus now having an additional tether cost it's a no-go for me.
Interesting...the tethering was a dealbreaker for me...I used to root my phone and turn the tethering on without going through Verizon, but now I am running a stock OS. That's why I was interested in the other Grom VLite phone mirroring unit. I don't think you have to have tethering since you're just mirroring your phone. You do need the Chromecast dongle to make it happen though, but it's just $35 extra.
Yeah, that's what I did (root + unlocked tethering). I can see that as being an issue vs $30/mo or $35 one time for Chromecast. I hear ya on that.
satown210 wrote:
Sat Dec 22, 2018 8:34 am
Mirroring personally doesn't interest me. Literally just duplicates whatever is on your phone is on your dash. You still have to control it through the phone.

If the Vline was somewhere around $300 or less I'd keep it and use it on occasion. But for $600 and it being kinda complicated, no thanks. I find Apple and iOS boring but it is standardized. I guess that what irks me about the android experience. You have the android OS, then whatever skin that lay on top of it. Then you have the apps that all choose how they want to operate in Android.

I noticed with the Grom when trying to tweak it to sound better or adjust settings to get it to work better; sometimes hitting Settings would take me to the OS settings, sometimes it would take me to the app's settings. Sometimes it was a different setting page for what I assume is the software they running to host all the apps. Very inconsistent. If I was in a Google app (Youtube or Maps) I had a circle to the left to pretty easily return to the home screen. Spotify meant I had to click on the screen to get it it to it's default fullscreen, then hit the bottom to move a menu, then click to the left, then click a home. That's a lot of taking my eyes off the road to try and get to a map. You can press the Back button on the dash to move back screens which I found helpful but found sometimes it would take me back to a home screen and sometimes it wouldn't.

It doesn't help that in our cars the screen is a reach. I usually just use the scrollwheel on the dash instead of leaning forward to reach the screen. In cars like the Lexus IS with a much smaller dash and setup, the screen is right in front of the shifter and easier to reach.
As I mentioned above, it sounds like you're using the 'default' spotify app. Did you try downloading the one from the Playstore? It should have the same circle in the top left to go home. I saw the exact same thing with their GPM app and the Play store GPM app.

I do agree that the screen is too far back...but that's what we get for trying to 'retrofit' modern tech into a car that wasn't designed to be used that way. Infiniti never thought someone would do this lol.

satown210
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I did download Spotify from the Play Store. I went into the Equalizer settings in Spotify and also defaulted to bitrates up. There was hardly any Bass and minimal Treble. I suspect it is probably more related to the Android app than the VLine. However the setting for apps, settings for Dashlinq, settings for the OS are complicated. I wish that was more streamlined.

If this was a $300 unit I'd keep it and try tweaking it, see what future updates bring, etc. But for $600 I want it to be more refined.

pieguo
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satown210 wrote:
Sat Dec 22, 2018 5:08 pm
I suspect it is probably more related to the Android app than the VLine. However the setting for apps, settings for Dashlinq, settings for the OS are complicated. I wish that was more streamlined.
Did you try going to Android Settings and adjust Media volume from Sound ? These are standard audio volume for the whole system. Apps usually do not have their own volume level.

satown210
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Yes I adjusted every audio setting i could find. There are settings for dashlinq, settings for android, settings for the app, plus the equalizer settings on the car. Maybe it only affects Spotify and that is what I use. i mentioned to them how some apps lets you back home with one click, others take a few clicks, all while trying to drive. They said there is always a return to home button on the left. When I said mine didn't always have that option, they then said it could be addressed in future releases.

Spotify also kept saying something like app is already parsed and closed try again. It took several tries to get it running again.

D7my
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WOW, thank you very much Ilya!!

I can see that you don't own an iPhone , but if you can try with a friend's phone if possible to test CarPlay functionality.

I want to check if the GPS antenna and microphone are necessary for navigation using CarPlay.

Also, when you put the car in reverse, does the back up camera turn on automatically?

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Ilya
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I'll see if I can bug someone with an iPhone to test out the functionality but as for the rear camera, yep, this works just as it does from factory. You're basically replacing the iPod screen with the VLINE. All other stuff works just like factory.

satown210
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On my unit, it kept detecting my iPhone as an Apple Music player. It refused to launch carplay. I tried several times and several ways. Went into carplay settings on the phone to make sure it was authorized.

My backup camera acted weird the first time I tried it, but then corrected itself. The first time the image was zoomed in and low. Half the screen was the top of the bumper. After that though, the image seemed normal.

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Ilya
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Hey all, I just got word that the Android 8.1 update will be out in February so I'm going to hold off a bit before I do a video review of the unit. I'm still very happy with my purchase and I think it'll get even better when its running on 8.1. It does have occasional hiccups and random reboots, but I've only had like 3 in my 1.5 months of ownership.

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Any update on iPhone compatibility? I would love to have CarPlay.

There are dongles available (combined with an android app) that give any android head unit CarPlay, but it was clunky and worked like s*** in my old 3-series. If GROM has a baked-in solution I would totally buy their product.

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Ilya
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I haven't been around someone long enough to test their iPhone. Next time I see my in-laws I'll try to remember. Sorry David! Soon! I'm working 60hrs a week right now so I have no life :( (as well as traveling to clients).

As for the unit itself, I'm waiting for the 8.1 update and I'll do a review video.

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Ilya wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 5:13 pm
I haven't been around someone long enough to test their iPhone. Next time I see my in-laws I'll try to remember. Sorry David! Soon! I'm working 60hrs a week right now so I have no life :( (as well as traveling to clients).

As for the unit itself, I'm waiting for the 8.1 update and I'll do a review video.
No worries! It hadn’t even occurred to me that you’re the same person I’m talking to in the other thread. Cut me some slack, I’m new here :chuckle:

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Get that update! I need to see this in action.

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wideopn11
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So is the separate GPS antenna required? It can't run off the GPS from the car? Same with mic; it can't use the built in mic in the car?

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Ilya
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wideopn11 wrote:
Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:59 pm
So is the separate GPS antenna required? It can't run off the GPS from the car? Same with mic; it can't use the built in mic in the car?
Haven't tried, but I'm guess no. I'm guessing they include it in this kit because Nissan/Infiniti's need them.

They said update is supposed to be out sometime this month.

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I'm wondering if I could splice in the OEM GPS wire? Is that possible. I've spliced in all kinds of other connections over the years but never tried a GPS wire. Does it work the same? Is all GPS antenna signal basically the same?

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I don't think you ever want to cut/splice GPS antenna wires as they are very sensitive to outside noise and carefully shielded. You can find online GPS splitter cables that may work. The challenge is that as you extend antenna cables you can sometimes either see signal strength loss or additional signal noise, both of which could cause both devices to have problems.

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Update on the VL2...the 8.1 update finally released...but you need to pay $20 for a SD card to load it as the company didn't feel comfortable doing the upgrade in other more traditional Android ways (OTA). So, I've purchased mine and it'll be here 3/7-3/9 give or take. Review video is finally going to happen, lol. I'll give a decent overview but if there are any particular questions you guys want answered, let me know.

Thanks.

Yoda's Master
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Can you switch between this and the oem apps?
Can you unlock and root?

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Yes you can switch between this interface and the OEM interface (maintenance, navigation, etc.).

No, you cannot unlock and root (I tried ;) ). It is running the TWRP recovery, but they haven't allowed it to be unlocked.

I got the 8.1 update a week ago and will be recording the review video tonight I think. The update is great...made it perform much better.

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Thanks. I await the review :).
As long as it's on twrp, there may be a way :)

satown210
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Yoda's Master wrote:
Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:23 pm
Can you switch between this and the oem apps?
Can you unlock and root?
One thing to note is that you will loose the USB in the center console.

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Ilya
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satown210 wrote:
Sun Mar 24, 2019 9:37 pm
Yoda's Master wrote:
Sat Mar 23, 2019 8:23 pm
Can you switch between this and the oem apps?
Can you unlock and root?
One thing to note is that you will loose the USB in the center console.
It'll just move to the glovebox...just have to reach a little further.

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Ilya wrote:
Mon Mar 25, 2019 7:13 am
satown210 wrote:
Sun Mar 24, 2019 9:37 pm


One thing to note is that you will loose the USB in the center console.
It'll just move to the glovebox...just have to reach a little further.
That's not an issue for me. I don't use it much and was thinking of buying a usb port extension to surface mount it somewhere.

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Ilya
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All, here is the video review:


emm3seven
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Ilya delivers! Thanks for the great techie review!

Yoda's Master
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nice video review.

kmiles
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Ilya - thanks for posting the video. It looks like a great add-on to the car and has a ton of functionality. Now I need to decide if I want to try it with my iPhone. What are you using for your ODB connection - both software and interface? Do you recommend it?

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kmiles wrote:
Mon Mar 25, 2019 8:44 pm
Ilya - thanks for posting the video. It looks like a great add-on to the car and has a ton of functionality. Now I need to decide if I want to try it with my iPhone. What are you using for your ODB connection - both software and interface? Do you recommend it?
I keep forgetting to try with an iPhone. My father in law is a long distance courier so he's rarely home and when he is I don't remember to try it lol. Everyone else in my family is Android.

I use the following ODBII adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AA ... UTF8&psc=1

For the app, before this VL2 unit, I used the same Torque app on my phone as I do on the car: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... e&hl=en_US

Both are worth their money as I get a lot of real time information.


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