Hualingan Replacement Headunit (Tested)

[nujon]

[quote=""kkodal78""]ok i am pretty inclined to buy the unit but i have a mixed feelings about this OBC part. i have a built in OEM SATNAV and from what i can remember my OBC is within the unit. i guess i have to confirm that when i get home. i just don't remember having a diffrent screen for mpg,all that info display. so would i still loose that option with this swap or is it only for those don't have the oem screen? if there is a group buy please count me in..i am planning purchasing this unit as early as within the next 7-10 days if i can. if there is a plan to buy as group i could wait little bit longer.please let me know.cheers , June will be a lot of modifications month for my X5[/quote]

Looked at this and the Dynavin long and hard - but after much agonising, have decided to buy an intravee as my sole OBD system upgrade. I like you am given to understand that the OBC hardware lives in the H/U and if you swap this out, you will lose all of your ibus peripherals and OBD features plus the dash alphanumeric (this is an OBC slave) - overall not worth it IMHO - as I posted earlier, some UK vendors of similar kit promise retention of OBD functions - omly prob is that such units currently and for some time past remain unavailable.

Apologies - after further reading, I now understand that the OBC bus controllers (i-bus & k-bus) are incorporated in the instrument cluster (IKE unit)- however as the H/U provides the principal user interface with the i-bus (limited s/wheel selections) - if you swap the H/U for one that doesn't 'speak i-bus' and enable function selection as per the OEM H/U, you lose those functions

[squeaky2]

I have just bought the advertised demo unit from car vision so will hopefully get it this week and get it in by the weekend

hopefully be able to give an opinion then too

[kkodal78]

hmmm.. i see. well i just got my X5 from my indy after 1600 well spent quids. now that i have the X5 back i am starting for mods. last week i bought a set of winter wheels and pirelli scorpion tyres on them. ready for winter.. i just e mailed carvision about the hualingan system and i will try to get the remapping done before i go to germany end of this month. i don't know what else i can do to my 4.6is
any ideas?

[squeaky2]

Right the Hooligan is in and mostly working.......Just a few initial thoughts as not been around long enough to play properly. Sound is considerably better than standard and works well with the pioneer speakers. Touchscreen satnav is great. Quite good being able to store stuff on a sd card and read from that.

Ok the huge down side is that the screen is totally washed out during the day........need to look more into it and trying to find an anti glare covering for it.

Overall am actually quite happy but once ive actually driven more and played will let you know and take some pics.

[Sanj]

There is a screen brightness in the settings menu, try that first.

Used an iPod with it? Or intending to?

[squeaky2]

Hi Sanj......Brightness is up full.....its just the reflectiveness of the screen and the angle towards the windscreen.

Plugged an ipod in decided i didnt like the way it just list all the tracks on the ipod and havent played with it since.......quite like being able to have stuff on the sd card though

[Sanj]

Yes - SD card interface looks dated but very ergonomic.

On the iPod menu, double tap the TOP field, that should take you out to the Chinese menu, 1 is for Artists and 3 is for Albums (or could be the other way round).

[CTRob]

Sanj can you please just confirm 3 things for me.
I know this has been answered in this thread but I would just like clarification.
I have the 16:9 monitor like you did previously, installed in my car.
If I upgrade to the Hualingan unit will I still have access to the OBC functions on the instrument cluster by pressing the bc button on the indicator or will all those functions be gone when a hualingan unit is installed?
Could you check this with your setup please?
I really don't mind losing the extra OBC functions the standard 16:9 monitor has but I would like to know if I can still use the "BC" OBC functions on the instrument cluster.
Second question is am I right in saying that the menus on the Hualingan are in chinese (like your refernce to the ipod section) and if that is the case can it be changed to english?
Last question do Hualingan release software updates for the unit and if so where can they be got?
Thanks Sanj i'm almost ready to buy

[Sanj]

[quote=""CTRob""]If I upgrade to the Hualingan unit will I still have access to the OBC functions on the instrument cluster by pressing the bc button on the indicator or will all those functions be gone when a hualingan unit is installed?[/quote]

Yes you'll have access to whatever you've selected to view (i.e. hold down the BC button and a menu pops up with all available options). But you can only view then, can't deselect what to view (as it was all on the OEM screen) and you won't be able to change the clock time either. But you do get one on the new unit.

[quote=""CTRob""]Could you check this with your setup please?[/quote]

I had it for 4 months before I decided it wasn't for me. It went back to CarVision.

[quote=""CTRob""]Second question is am I right in saying that the menus on the Hualingan are in chinese (like your refernce to the ipod section) and if that is the case can it be changed to english?[/quote]

No, only the one menu in the iPod interface is in Chinese, when you want to select Playlist/Artist/Album etc. Once selected, your songs will display in English.

[quote=""CTRob""]Last question do Hualingan release software updates for the unit and if so where can they be got?[/quote]

In the time I had it and tested it, we asked for updates but got none. You may get lucky and see one released, but don't hold your breath. John at CarVision ends up emailing China, he'd be your best bet - if you intend to buy through him.

[squeaky2]

[quote=""Sanj""][quote=""CTRob""]If I upgrade to the Hualingan unit will I still have access to the OBC functions on the instrument cluster by pressing the bc button on the indicator or will all those functions be gone when a hualingan unit is installed?[/quote]

Yes you'll have access to whatever you've selected to view (i.e. hold down the BC button and a menu pops up with all available options). But you can only view then, can't deselect what to view (as it was all on the OEM screen) and you won't be able to change the clock time either. But you do get one on the new unit.[/quote]

I currently have on order from the purveyor of all things second hand a low level trip computer out of a 7 series which will hopefully allow me access to the obc settings........hopefully it turns up this week and will let you know how i get on installing it

[kkodal78]

i got a quote for 1008 gbp for head unit,head rest monitors and rear back up camera including installation from carvision.. i am waiting for a date to get this done. i need this upgrade before the 29th to drive to Germany. hopefully i can get this done next week... after that next will be the remapping.one thing makes me think though.. i currently have a IPOD connection where the ashtray goes and it is thru the CD changer connection. i assume once i get the new head unit i won't need that correct? or do i still have to use the same way to connect my ipod touch? if i don't need it anymore i'd rather sell the ipod connection doc with the module that came with it and get a OEM CD changer since i don't have one.
how much would i get for the OEM SATNAV system if i wanted to sell it,any ideas?i have the CD type satnav system.

[kkodal78]

well, john came out to do the installation on the headrest dvd system,rear back-up camera and the head unit. everything is done except the headunit. apparently he brought the wrond type of headunit which doesn't fit mine or not compatible with mine. therefore he is coming back next week to finish the rest. the headrest dvd players are pretty good. i know my kids will love it on the way to germany this week. i'll find out about the rear back up camera when we have the head unit hooked up and wired to it. he will also linkthe head unit dvd player to the headrests as well just incase the headrest ones go bad or something. i'll try to post some pics after the full installation.

[Waka]

Interesting. would love to know how you get on with the new head unit when it gets fitted.

And, er, have I missed the pics

[mizen296]

Hi I have recently purchased one of these headunits on eBay thinking it was a bargain but not realising u needed the loom that goes from back to front and have Phoned John and he would not supply the lead because I didn't buy the headunit of him does any one know how to fit the headunit otherwise and how do u remove the original screen I have the one with the small screen to the left thanks

[kkodal78]

ok everthing is fitted and seems to be working pretty good. i did take some pics but i will have to post it when i get back from my trip to Turkey. so far the head unit is powerful and easy to use. the rear back up camera works great. ipod connection is on the spot no issues finding or selecting songs. and all my steering contorls are working. i get to see my obd functions in the instrument cluster so there is not much to loose from that part either. i still have to play with the gps and dvd player and all that to give a better feedback. John spent quite a bit time to get everything working and had to go thru a couple of rear back up cameras to make sure i got a good working one. on the other end i would have liked to have this unit fitted before i went to Germany last week. the top speed i achieved according to my tomtom gps was 250km/h. THAT WAS FUN.
i think that equals close to the governed top speed of my vehicle. 500 miles total driving distance and used 1+1/2 tank of petrol is not bad with the average speed i did i guess.

i'll be posting some pics this weekend hopefully to include my angellight headlight assembly,headrest dvd entertaintment,rear back up camera and the hualingan head unit upgrade.