Apple Car Play/Android Auto add on Adapters

[Cutaway]

Is anyone here familiar with https://www.niftycity.shop/ I have recently come across a couple of videos where people installed the product and it seems legit? I do not really have the option of changing out my Nissan factory HU so this seems like a viable option. However I’m not sure if Apple Car Play or Android Auto integration is worth the cost of this piece… I think it comes down to my lack of exposure to using either CarPlay or Auto and what the benefits truly are?

[jrwalte]

Looking at their prices which seem to be $700 plus, I'd think not worth it.

How do you currently listen to your music?

[Cutaway]

I mostly stream music from an iOS device via converting the Lighting to Coax to a DSP. It seems that the only thing i would really be gaining is that i could have my mobile maps (Google or waze) up on my factory display and be able to use my factory controls to interact with my mobile device, this has a cool/fun feature but im just not sure its worth the money and i am not sure if i would loose out on the bitperfet i get now from my device to the dsp

[jrwalte]

You would be lowering the quality, as carplay may be 24/48 max. Not entirely sure on its support tho. You also aren't sending that audio signal straight from phone to DSP and your car's unit would be the DAC and it may be limited to 16/44 and do a bad job at that.

Doesn't seem worth it in your case.

[bbfoto]

Is anyone here familiar with https://www.niftycity.shop/ I have recently come across a couple of videos where people installed the product and it seems legit? I do not really have the option of changing out my Nissan factory HU so this seems like a viable option. However I’m not sure if Apple Car Play or Android Auto integration is worth the cost of this piece… I think it comes down to my lack of exposure to using either CarPlay or Auto and what the benefits truly are?

What jrwalte stated above is true and would apply in your setup. With Apple CarPlay, the digital audio from your iPhone would be sent to your OEM head unit and it would act as the DAC, and then send the output over your OEM stereo's ANALOG outputs to your DSP via however you have it connected, i.e. high-level speaker outputs from the OEM head unit or Line Level (RCA) into your DSP. So you would lose that Direct Digital connection that you currently have with your setup.

Yes, you would have integrated Apple/Google/Waze NAV on your OEM display as well as music playing/control, including Siri Voice Commands and your OEM SWC and Touchscreen control. Note that only a select group of music playing apps are compatible with Apple CarPlay, and the same applies to Android Auto. But most of the more popular music apps are supported.

For $750 for the "Nifty City" product, I would definitely give it a pass. IMO it is not worth that much money just to gain Apple CarPlay or Android Auto!


If you already have WIRED CarPlay but want the convenience of WIRELESS Apple CarPlay through your OEM head unit, check out the new ZZ2AIR-CP WIRELESS Apple CarPlay/Android Auto interface at https://zz-2.com/products/zzair-cp

YouTube product promo video...

https://youtu.be/A1OokA5V0oU



If your OEM head unit doesn't have Apple CarPlay at all, ZZ-2 also make CarPlay/Android Auto interfaces for OEM systems and aftermarket stereos that don't have it at all. Check out https://zz-2.com/collections/c-play-...uto-interfaces

They are currently listed as "C-Play" interfaces because they are currently an "unofficial" product, i.e. not Licensed by Apple. Get them while you can because if they receive Apple Licensing approval the price will most likely go up.

Dean over at 5 Star Car Stereo YouTube channel recently tested this add-on WIRELESS Apple CarPlay interface with his iPhone in a rental Chrysler Pacifica on an ~11 hour road trip from Clearwater Florida to Tennessee.

He said that it worked flawlessly and he still had plenty of battery remaining on his iPhone after ~11 hours.

Watch the video where Dean describes this...

https://youtu.be/nxIoZv7A10A?t=186

[Cutaway]

What jrwalte stated above is true and would apply in your setup. With Apple CarPlay, the digital audio from your iPhone would be sent to your OEM head unit and it would act as the DAC, and then send the output over your OEM stereo's ANALOG outputs to your DSP via however you have it connected, i.e. high-level speaker outputs from the OEM head unit or Line Level (RCA) into your DSP. So you would lose that Direct Digital connection that you currently have with your setup.

Yes, you would have integrated Apple/Google/Waze NAV on your OEM display as well as music playing/control, including Siri Voice Commands and your OEM SWC and Touchscreen control. Note that only a select group of music playing apps are compatible with Apple CarPlay, and the same applies to Android Auto. But most of the more popular music apps are supported.

For $750 for the "Nifty City" product, I would definitely give it a pass. IMO it is not worth that much money just to gain Apple CarPlay or Android Auto!


If you already have WIRED CarPlay but want the convenience of WIRELESS Apple CarPlay through your OEM head unit, check out the new ZZ2AIR-CP WIRELESS Apple CarPlay/Android Auto interface at https://zz-2.com/products/zzair-cp

YouTube product promo video...

https://youtu.be/A1OokA5V0oU



If your OEM head unit doesn't have Apple CarPlay at all, ZZ-2 also make CarPlay/Android Auto interfaces for OEM systems and aftermarket stereos that don't have it at all. Check out https://zz-2.com/collections/c-play-...uto-interfaces

They are currently listed as "C-Play" interfaces because they are currently an "unofficial" product, i.e. not Licensed by Apple. Get them while you can because if they receive Apple Licensing approval the price will most likely go up.

Dean over at 5 Star Car Stereo YouTube channel recently tested this add-on WIRELESS Apple CarPlay interface with his iPhone in a rental Chrysler Pacifica on an ~11 hour road trip from Clearwater Florida to Tennessee.

He said that it worked flawlessly and he still had plenty of battery remaining on his iPhone after ~11 hours.

Watch the video where Dean describes this...

https://youtu.be/nxIoZv7A10A?t=186

That is great information thank you

[Kb86]

Hi,

Can i use iphone=> DAC portable => coax to Helix ultra while connect iphone to OE head unit via bluetooth or usb to have music display on OE display? I see somebody on Diy forum say it but not completely understand.

in case use ZZ-2 wireless carplay, what is music bit rate? Thank you.

[dumdum]

You can’t use a dac to get coax, you need a usb to spdif bridge, like a topping d10s or a douk something or other I forget the name of, but yes you can use those to get digital audio from an iphone

and yes you can control track on the stereo while connected by Bluetooth generally, but not usb as the usb will have a usb3 lightening cable converter plugged into it

[Kb86]

Is there a way to mod the cable so i can leave spare iphone in car, all wired to dsp and to carplay HU, thus everytime i get into car, just instant ready? I said mod the cable because my car is wired carplay.

Basically i need everything permanently set up and controllable via OE HU .

DAP coax to dsp? How to make OE HU control DAP?

Could be professionally custom route. I just need to find a way.

thanks.

[Kb86]

You can’t use a dac to get coax, you need a usb to spdif bridge, like a topping d10s or a douk something or other I forget the name of, but yes you can use those to get digital audio from an iphone

and yes you can control track on the stereo while connected by Bluetooth generally, but not usb as the usb will have a usb3 lightening cable converter plugged into it

https://youtu.be/zBke7K13BeA

8:07 preset 2. Connect phone to dsp streaming 24bit/48hz
at the same time connect phone to HU via bluetooth for music display, control, skip song, etc..

how is it possible?