Yes, with the bluetooth module you can stream via a2dp and will be able to skip songs from the steering wheel controls. I notice no audio loss using bluetooth with my iPad mini. Cable or not bluetooth sounds perfect to me.

Not to steal the thread, but I'm doing a N7 mount as well, and I have no idea what to use to fab the cubby. I wrapped it in DiNoc Carbon, but it looks like ****. Have you found a good material to use?

I have not got to much into this part yet. My plan is to use fiberglass/bondo for a factory look. I may then send it to Tony to wrap in CF or try that myself as well.

I have not had much time to really work on it yet so I will be sure to keep everything updated as I go. The method I want to use will probably not work out it is just what I have in my head.

How ever I refuse to have a final product that does not appear to be factory or "rough around the edges". Even if it looks like I done it myself I want to to look clean.

Can't wait to see it

Once again up all night (at work) trying to get my scripts working. Wow the videos and write ups make it sound so easy. ITS NOT!

After hours of screwing around I have most of the things I want working, there are probably better ways to program it, but hey its working so I dont care lol.

Right now:

Car ON =

- Screen/Keyboard Locked ON
- Bluetooth ON
- WiFi ON
- Wait 7 Seconds (to give BT/WF time to boot up)
- Load Music Player
- Resume Last Track
- Run Torque
- Default to Live View

I may tweak and add some more options but hey thats a good start.

Car OFF =

- Bluetooth OFF (Help Save Battery)
- WiFi OFF (Help Save Battery)
- Torque OFF
- Pause Music
- Wait 7 Seconds
- Screen OFF
- Lock Device

Programing Tasker is not this cut and dry, that is what happens from the jumbled commands I have. When im done I will have video and my steps I have in Tasker. I actually had to get two extra Apps to make this work. One for deeper root options, and one for turning off the display.

It has been fun though and the more I read the more amazing Tasker is/can be.

Tasker is a fantastic program that's basically limited only by your knowledge of what it can do.

You can even make simple apps with it. Pretty amazing.

Got all the wires ran today. Im having second thoughts on how im going to mount this thing. Drove around and tested things out everything works right. The isimple gateway was not that simple to me. I figured it out but not without a few cross words, and not the fun ones in the news paper. Torque Pro is set up now with the data I want on screen.

The audio is ****, I have no Bass whats so ever. I have a few different ways of hooking things up to see if its the media gateway, or the N7. When I plug my iTouch into the front audio jack it sounds great. So im going to try the N7 in that port, then the iTouch in the gateway and see how crossing it up works. If its the N7 I will try buying the BlueTooth adapter, if it still doesnt work, trash can...then iPad mini lol.

Most BT channels on head units cut the low and emphasize mids, as they're calibrated to work with voices channeled through phone calls.

Is there any kind of setting on your unit relating to bluetooth that specifies which speakers are utilized or if they pass through any kind of filter?

My next suggestion would be to use an EQ program to bring up the bass on the BT channel.

Also, try different audio programs on the source unit.

Basically, you want to narrow down the issue. Most stuff I've seen related to bass quality over BT isn't the fault of BT itself, but of pre/post processing of the signal.

any pictures? :)

Use Power AMP. it has a full range EQ and tone control.

Best of luck brother, I'm looking into doing a ipad mini instal my self. However im still waiting for the new ipad mini to be released. If it isnt a huge difference over the current model (like most apple products) ill just get the current model at a cheaper price.
in for some pics and results :tiphat:

Im not using BT right now. Or do you mean the audio port im using may be the BT port? As far as a setting for passing through a filter...by my unit do you mean the N7? If so I have not noticed one and I have fumbled through the settings quite a bit. I will look into a EQ program as well. Thanks!

No pictures yet, pull out your center console, hang a couple wires out of it, set a tablet in, thats what it looks like right now :icon17:

I will check that out, is it an app? Does it always run in the background? Or does it work with Google Play? Thanks!

It is a music player app but doesnt work with google play. all the EQ programs that i have seen for Android are lacking at best. so if you're playing mp3/wma/FLAC files with your tab via BT PowerAmp is the best out there.

This works really well; sounds fine. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AFYYRL4

Finally got a chance to chip at this a little more yesterday. I plugged the N7 into the front audio jack like I do with my iTouch and the sound was better, I only had to turn it up to my normal driving level 8 (with speed sensor on high) to hear it. When I go through the Media Gateway I had to adjust it between 18-20.

BUT! I still have poor bass and overall bad quality, and if I can notice it, thats not good. I bet when I uploaded the music from my iTunes library to the Google Play cloud it reduced quality. Before anyone has to ask, no I am not streaming the music, I downloaded it from the cloud to my PC then copy/pasted it into my N7 directory.

So.....first thing I am going to do is try some of the apps you guy mentioned. I am afraid to spend 100.00 more on an BT setup if the Gateway is reducing the quality. Maybe it only effects it with the 3.5mm jack, who knows? If the apps do not help I guess I could lean towards a more permanent set up, but I really want to take it in and out of the car.

Do any aftermarket radios have audio inputs in the back? Maybe they have the power to boost the audio? I could always ditch the Bose head unit. Then I would need some other sort of kit to keep my Bose speakers though wouldn’t I?

Ugh! So many questions, thoughts, and ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For informal testing of stereos, I like to rip a few songs from CD to a lossless format (eg, FLAC). This eliminates compression artifacts from the chain. Try to use songs that were well-produced and have a wide dynamic range - Steely Dan's Aja album has several songs that work well for me. For ripping, I usually use EAC.

fwiw, i was having trouble with lack of bass and having to turn my radio volume up very high when i plugged my galaxy note 2 into the front audio jack. however, it turned out the media volume level on my note2 was turned down, and when i turned it up, these issues went away. so make sure the volume is turned up on your n7.

(i have the base radio)

The volume on the tablet should, as Drex mentioned, be very high, if not topped out. Some units will overdrive depending on the volume (not sure about the Nexus 7 in this regard), so if the sound quality gets bad (static, like a radio turned up too high), pull the volume back down on the Nexus a bit.

Def try an EQ program. Poweramp is a great program for mp3's, but the built-in EQ does not extend to other apps, hence my suggestion of a standalone eq program.

Thanks guys, I messed around a little more yesterday. I used my phone in place of the tablet and it was better sounding than the tablet. It is the same files and both devices are using Google Play. Very odd....I do put up the media volume all the way. Everything gets louder but not the bass levels. I tried a custom EQ on the tablet but it didnt seem to make a difference.

I sub'd this thread a while ago because I, too, have a Nexus 7 tablet. I'm sorry to see that it's not working as you had hoped. I will look into the quality of the tablet as a music playback device myself tonight. I can compare it to my iPhone both inside the house and the car. I'm going to try Poweramp, as it seems to be the consensus for best music playback app on the N7.

It'll be disappointing if Samsung really put as little thought into music playback quality as the camera on the device. I use N7 for work in the field all the time, but I hate that I have to use my iPhone for photos because the only camera is on the face of the device :shakes head:

Thanks JAR, when I tried my phone last night I got worried of the same thing. I was shocked everything being the same minus the device the difference in quality. I forgot to try my phone with the Bose audio port, I bet it will be comparable to the iTouch. That being based on the improvment over the N7 using the Media Gateway. Let me know how your test go, it may help us both in the right direction.

Sounds cool. Take pics of the results. Good luck

Have you tried setting the music streaming to high quality in the google play music app

Well, I did a simple test that tells me the capability is there, and the N7 can put out nearly as much bass as my iPhone 4S. I think the difference should be considered negligible for car audio applications, although it is noticeable on my office stereo system set up.

I performed the first test inside using a Pioneer Elite receiver and a pair of JBL Northridge E30 speakers. I did a simple analog direct input with an analog 3.5mm to RCA cable using the exact same file played by the native MP3 playback application on each device (I emailed the file to myself and played it directly out of the mail application). If anyone cares, I used 311 - Misdirected Hostility for my test song.

I performed the second test using the aux cable in the Z on the base stereo. The results of the first test were confirmed. In fact, due to the $hitty base stereo and speakers, I was unable to notice a difference in quality between the two devices.

When I have some more time, I will do some more tests with additional factors, including lossless file quality (easier to email a 128K MP3 file) and various playback apps available on the N7.

Guys I got my N7 working fine, including pristine audio, iPhone tethering, OBD II, etc... What questions do you have? I'll do my best to help everyone out.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/08/ymajyha7.jpg

:inoutroflpuke:Omg I want that. How do I do that! Please pm everything I need for that and software etc... Also I have an iPad I wanna mount

wow thats nice. do want...
I'd like to know what it takes to get that in too. might as well post here for everyone.

Please explain your audio setup and all items used. I see you have an aftermarket head unit, which means a possible AMP and maybe even speakers. Simply posting a pic and saying yours works fine does not give any information. Your also using an iPhone which as stated works fine in my car as well. It does look great though and is exactly what im trying to achieve. :tiphat:

I am having trouble with audio. #1 Bass does not exist, #2 I have to turn the volume up to 20 for a decent sound level, versus 8 using the front audio plug.

Well, I guess you already confirmed that the 3.5mm jack works fine. I don't really have a way to test BT playback quality at this time. If I can get my hands on a BT speaker module, I'll try that.

There are quite a few threads on forums that complain about volume on the Nexus 7 being broken with the 4.2 android update.

At this point, I would suggest flashing back to 4.1 and trying it.

Another Tablet Cubby Thread (Nexus 7)
 

I'm on 4.2.2, no issues. Okay, first off, nobody should be doing audio mods without replacing the speakers on a base system. For a little over $100, no amp necessary, you can get a great set. Installation not difficult if you have a modicum of discipline and patience.

Bluetooth signals do carry volume information, but the bulk of the amplification comes from the head unit. Once again, the base unit is horrible. $140 for my HU, built-in BT. No amp, but not needed. OBD II BT transmitter was $25 on Amazon. Ask me for the link if interested; there are 15 bad ones and 1 good one.

The AUX jack on any receiver likely wont sound as good as BT, since it's mainly an afterthought analog input, which means crap quality; this is the biggest weakness of the stock HU, and the volume will need to be turned way up on any input; loss of frequencies tend to occur at this connection.

My N7 is mounted on a heavily cut down stock cubbyhole. I used wire cutters to dig into the felt/plastic material and cut out the borders until the tablet fit snugly. Use the red (extra strength) 3M double-sided tape from a place like AutoZone to mount. A micro USB cable is permanently fixed to the N7; the rubber casing on the cable had to be stripped to allow for angular flexibility of the cable because of the right HVAC vent blocking the path. The wire goes down to the passenger side power jack, which I unmounted from its awful stock position under the glovebox and moved it up under the glovebox overhang. Power supply is absolutely key; N7 is very picky. PowerGEN 3.1A dual charger (NA port) highly recommended for steady supply of power.

I'll go into more detail upon request. Bottom line, components are the make-it or break-it of a functional setup. It can be done under $300 including speakers/HU and tools. Took a lot of trial and error (>30 hrs).

Good info and some good points. Speakers are definitely an easy upgrade (and can be inexpensive, too, if that's your goal), but I would argue that adding the N7 should not be defined as an "audio mod". Many people are going to do this for the Torque app; those that are interested in true audio mods are going to go for the real audio gear like a new HU, speakers, and amp(s).

That being said, if the stock HU is the weakest link in the chain and the culprit affecting music quality, I won't hesitate to upgrade my HU. However, if I was interested in only audio, I probably wouldn't bother with the N7 at that point. A solution that does not require replacing the stock HU, would be ideal for many people.

I am interested to see where people will go from here. I am still interested in the N7, but having to purchase a new HU will significantly alter my thoughts on the matter because I will likely purchase the Pioneer AVIC flagship model or similar whenever the time comes. After spending that much money, I probably won't bother investing in anything for the N7 except the Torque app and a way to mount it with power.

You're right, it all depends on your goals. If audio quality is your main beef, replace the audio components. I installed the N7 for the torque app and Internet capabilities; the audio through spotify\youtube is a bonus (not while driving, of course).

If you want torque and a mounted N7 for relatively low cost, key components are as follows:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005NL...sr=8-1&pi=SL75

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0088U...sr=8-5&pi=SL75

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002JO...sr=8-1&pi=SL75

Standard Phillips screwdriver
#00 Phillips screwdriver
Magnetic tray for screws (helpful, not necessary)
Wire Clippers
Rotary Sanding Tool
Eye protection and a respirator <---- the plastic on the cubby smells nasty when cut and probably isn't too good for you
Vinyl to wrap cubby (I used SimCarbon vinyl, but anything will work. Functions to cover gaps and anything looks nicer than the felt material on there stock.

:tiphat: Thanks for the BT OBDII module link. It's the one thing I don't have yet, and that's an excellent price :tup: Also, I plan to use my iPhone for tethering the N7 while driving. I think upgrading the HU and speakers will be sufficient for my audio needs (meaning I won't need the N7 for music because the HU will do everything I need including store music).

Thanks for the info I am not going to give up on the HU yet, because I really do not want to take out the factory unit. If all else fails I too will just use it for torque and tether it to my phone.

@Mr&Mrs

I just bought an N7 with a standard OBDII Bluetooth.

Coincidently I read this topic and I learn that you have ODBLink MX Scantool that cost 4 times more than a standard...

I ask you, Have you tried if it is really 4 times faster also?

Thanks.

Hey sorry for no updates I have been really busy moving to a new home. The scan tool I purchased is able to run more information quicker than the cheaper ones. However I found that im only really using 3. A cheaper unit can probably refresh that amount just fine. When im showing it to people though it is fun to pull up a page with as many gauges I can fit on it.

Lets see some pics! I need to get tasker to try out... I just did this with a Galaxy tablet

Tasker is amazing! Do not give up on it either. Getting started with it can be quite a PITA. Once you start figuring some of it out you will have fun with it though. To leave the screen on while charging you will need to hack the OS and use an add on for tasker that uses roots.
Sorry but this has been put on the backburner from my issues with the install so I have no pics.

This app has a stay-awake toggle that i used on my tablet and it worked out just fine.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...tendedcontrols

This one may also work:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d....eclairwidgets