Stupid Bluetooth question

[WaterH]

So I got this stereo with Bluetooth. I’m in the process of wiring it up. It has all kinds of features that I won’t use, so there’s lots of wires I’m eliminating.
Theres also a fm antenna, a gps antenna and a WiFi antenna. I’m not sure what a WiFi antenna does in this application. There’s no internet. Is it required for Bluetooth? I do want to be able to play music off my iPad.

 

[Will Scarlet]

You don't need WiFi enabled for bluetooth to work.

 

[WaterH]

That’s what I thought. I guess the antenna is to pick up WiFi if your parked in range. I won’t be using it for that.

 

[Will Scarlet]

Hard to tell why they included WiFi as you didn't list the radio your installing. Some it's the ability to create a hotspot, others it's just for hooking up to the home network for updates, downloads, or the like. In any case if you're not using it, it doesn't matter what it's for. But if you're curious, then just look through the manual for your radio as it should tell you.

 

[bgaidan]

Gotta know the specs of the radio.

I have a "tesla style" android system in my truck and it's basically an android tablet with some extras to tie it in to the truck's systems. I turn my phone's hotspot on whenever I get in the truck to connect it to the web. It runs android apps natively so all my streaming is done directly on the tablet and not over bluetooth.

 

[WaterH]

This is a Atoto A6. It uses android stuff also. It’s starting to piss me off. I bought it for three reasons.

1. built in gps
2. backup camera
3. fm radio

So far I got the radio working after buying a antenn.

I bought a back up camera, but aparenty it’s not compatible.

The built in gps tells me my lat and long. That’s it! WTF.

The instructions suck. (What little there is) There’s no helpline to call. But if you go on utube everybody thinks its great. Of course, no one is making a help video.

 

[Stingray]

This is a Atoto A6. It uses android stuff also. It’s starting to piss me off. I bought it for three reasons.

1. built in gps
2. backup camera
3. fm radio

So far I got the radio working after buying a antenn.

I bought a back up camera, but aparenty it’s not compatible.

The built in gps tells me my lat and long. That’s it! WTF.

The instructions suck. (What little there is) There’s no helpline to call. But if you go on utube everybody thinks its great. Of course, no one is making a help video.

I have the same radio in my 3rd gen 4runner, the Atoto front facing camera, and their back up camera, both are cheap and plug and play.
If its going into an OBD2 car buy the bluetooth doggle and set up the torque pro app, It give you gauges.
My antenna used an adapter plugged into the radio and my factory antenna worked and will auto power it up and down.
And the wi fi is odd, it will make the car a hot spot if tethered to your phone, I never use it. but I do have it set up to tether my phone any time i get in the truck.

 

[WaterH]

I have the same radio in my 3rd gen 4runner, the Atoto front facing camera, and their back up camera, both are cheap and plug and play.
If its going into an OBD2 car buy the bluetooth doggle and set up the torque pro app, It give you gauges.
My antenna used an adapter plugged into the radio and my factory antenna worked and will auto power it up and down.
And the wi fi is odd, it will make the car a hot spot if tethered to your phone, I never use it. but I do have it set up to tether my phone any time i get in the truck.

I did get a front dash cam and it works, except I don’t know how to make it record. The rear camera is plug and no play. I have another on order. My project truck has no OBD. In fact, this radio is the first computer on the truck. (I’m kind of anti-computer) No factory antenna, but I got a stick on window antenna and works even in my metal garage.

I plugged the WiFi antenna in and parked the truck next to my house. I could get internet on my iPad sitting in the truck, but the radio wouldn’t get it. It did recognize WiFi was there, just wouldn’t connect. I did Bluetooth my iPad to the radio and I could play music from the iPad, but the radio still wouldn’t go on the net. If you lived closer, I would pay you to come here and sort this out.

So how do you get the gps to work? The non-egsistant instructions talk about google maps. When I push that button, I get just a search box. If I type in an address, it says “not available offline”. It’s always going to be offline unless I’m parked at home.

Any help you could give me would be highly appreciated.

 

[Stingray]

I did get a front dash cam and it works, except I don’t know how to make it record. The rear camera is plug and no play. I have another on order. My project truck has no OBD. In fact, this radio is the first computer on the truck. (I’m kind of anti-computer) No factory antenna, but I got a stick on window antenna and works even in my metal garage.

I plugged the WiFi antenna in and parked the truck next to my house. I could get internet on my iPad sitting in the truck, but the radio wouldn’t get it. It did recognize WiFi was there, just wouldn’t connect. I did Bluetooth my iPad to the radio and I could play music from the iPad, but the radio still wouldn’t go on the net. If you lived closer, I would pay you to come here and sort this out.

So how do you get the gps to work? The non-egsistant instructions talk about google maps. When I push that button, I get just a search box. If I type in an address, it says “not available offline”. It’s always going to be offline unless I’m parked at home.

Any help you could give me would be highly appreciated

For the front cam to record you need a mini sd card installed in the camera, you can go into the settings and change the amount of time the camera records, as long as the camera has power it records, but it breaks it into 30 sec to 5 min intervals.. ( i used it to record a day of wheeling and it was 4 hrs of 30 sec clips) if you set up the power leads correct with it sees power ( key on running or whatever your using as ignition) it will default to record.

There is a way to download areas of google maps to use offline, but it deletes them after so many days, but you need an internet connection to download.

If you don't have an internet connect ( Via a cellphone) basically the only thing that works is the FM radio.
I bought it for the gauge setup, And when paired to a phone it's an android tablet.
First thing I would do is go to the Atoto website and get the latest update/firmware

My best resource has been creating an account with Atoto, registering the radio, and asking very detailed questions to them through the contact us link, they have been able to answer my questions.

I bought it for the OBD2 gauge setup, and that it works more like a tablet, all it needs is the phone for internet.
My son has downloaded a couple apps that are offroad trail maps that work off of GPS,
( right now the truck is sitting at work I can't help with the gps )

I did find this

Here’s how to download Google Maps for offline navigation

By now, you know that Google has recently improved offline maps navigation with search and more useful information. While saving maps for offline use is not exactly new, the app update allows more …

androidcommunity.com

 

[WaterH]

Today I got another backup camera and got it to work. I found the setting where you control the dash cam loop. So the only thing left is getting the gps to work. I’ll try your link.

 

[bgaidan]

Do you have a smart phone with wifi tethering? Turn that on and connect to it and google maps will magically work.

 

[WaterH]

Do you have a smart phone with wifi tethering? Turn that on and connect to it and google maps will magically work.

No, my phone is a dumb phone. That’s why i bought a sterio with gps built in.

 

[bgaidan]

No, my phone is a dumb phone. That’s why i bought a sterio with gps built in.

You bought an android tablet that happens to also have a radio connected to it. It has a GPS receiver and that receiver can give you your location in lat, long and elevation but without an app that can use that location data and put it in to a map and navigation system, all you're going to get is your location in numbers. Google maps needs data to work, period. Yes, "offline maps" is a thing, but that's generally for "i'm going out in an area today that doesn't have good data coverage so I'm going to download the maps before I leave". It's not meant to be a standalone gps navigation app. In fact you'll quickly find that the offline maps expire every 15 days and you'll need to re-download them before they expire or you'll end up with nothing. You'll also have to hope you download all the areas you'll be driving in or you'll have nothing when you leave the offline area you've downloaded. It's far from an ideal setup.

I'd google "Android standalone navigation apps" and read some of the articles there recommendations. There are options out there and you'll likely have to pay a nominal fee to get an app that's worth a shit.

 

[WaterH]

I agree your right. The issue is that’s not how it was advertised. I read stuff that says “the stand alone gps works great, but for a better experience you can download apps.“ From a practical approach, the stand alone doesn’t work at all. As far as them expiring, I have a fifteen year old garmen that works great. (They don’t move roads very often) I’m happy to pay more than a nominal fee, but I want the whole country in it. If you know app I can buy that works on android, I would appreciate it. (There’s lots of gigabytes available)

 

[Will Scarlet]

Unfortunately I could only find information about your radio is from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/ATOTO-Double-Android-Navigation-Bluetooth/dp/B07B3TX6MF

They have no formal website that I can find. No site and no phone number means no ease way to contact the manufacture, this alone makes it to where I wouldn't even consider purchasing it.

Anyway, the Amazon page states using Google Maps off line. It also mentions that it's using Android Marshmello (6), which means it will be difficult to find applications that work on it.

My only suggestion that I can make is try loading up the F-Droid repository app:

F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device.

f-droid.org

There are a couple of navigation apps where you download the maps that may work for you in there as they support older Android versions.

Good luck... 😉

 

[WaterH]

Unfortunately I could only find information about your radio is from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/ATOTO-Double-Android-Navigation-Bluetooth/dp/B07B3TX6MF

They have no formal website that I can find. No site and no phone number means no ease way to contact the manufacture, this alone makes it to where I wouldn't even consider purchasing it.

Anyway, the Amazon page states using Google Maps off line. It also mentions that it's using Android Marshmello (6), which means it will be difficult to find applications that work on it.

My only suggestion that I can make is try loading up the F-Droid repository app:

F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository

F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. The client makes it easy to browse, install, and keep track of updates on your device.

f-droid.org

There are a couple of navigation apps where you download the maps that may work for you in there as they support older Android versions.

Good luck... 😉

I’m inclined to agree, I should have bought something else. I read lots reviews and spec sheets on all kinds of units and still I got the wrong one. I hate to change now, but I won’t rule it out. As far as downloading some app on there with an SD card, it has to be simple or it’s over my head. I may just take the truck to a computer store and tell them to do it.

 

[bgaidan]

Funny thing, Amazon shows I actually bought an A6 in Feb 2020. I don't remember that....must have returned it. I have a similar android unit in my off-road rig, but it's go a bigger screen that sits outside the double din bezel. I don't drive that thing on the road and mostly use it with Backcountry Navigator for trail maps....but I just wifi tether it download maps.


I'll ask in my FB group for standalone nav apps. I know there are a few out there but I've never had the need.

 

[WaterH]

Ok, I got everything installed …..dash cam, rear cam, radio antenna, gps antenna. Now do I install the WiFi antenna? I’m guessing it will allow this to go on the net if I have a WiFi source. I don’t believe this thing makes WiFi. My wife can make her phone a hot spot. (which I believe is WiFi) So should I install it for that? Or does blue tooth work the same, better or worse than WiFi?

If I should install it, would it be ok to put its antenna right next to the fm antenna?

 

[Will Scarlet]

If you're around your house, the WiFi will make it convenient for updating your radio's firmware, downloading apps, or downloading maps for whatever navigation app you have loaded. On the road, it would help with streaming multimedia or downloading a map you need once you're connected to a hotspot.

As AM/FM radio operate on different frequencies compared to WiFi, so placing them close to each other shouldn't cause interference. However I would not place them next to each other..

Bluetooth and WiFi are for different purposes. Bluetooth is low power and low transmission rate where WiFi is high transmission rate. WiFi will always be better than Bluetooth when it comes to speed.

This all comes down to convenience for you if you want it setup to work or not. My only suggest is if you do set it up, don't leave it enabled all of the time. Disable it when you're not using it.

 

[bgaidan]

Yes, you'll want that wifi antenna hooked if for nothing more than updating the system. The phone's hotspot is exactly what you want though. Mine is running 100% of then time in my truck. As I said before, it's effectively an Android tablet with some extra hardware so an internet connection makes it way more useful.