I took a chance and bought one of the Android-based units from Aliexpress, this one made by HengCheng. It did not come with any installation instructions, but I was sent the attached documents on request.
...and as a result, I am very confused. The language barrier seems also to be confusing to them: it isn't clear to me that this unit can actually integrate well with the existing system, since it seems to just have four outputs, which they seem to think are speaker level. When I asked them pointedly about that, the reply came back "Our machines have built-in amplifiers. You can connect the original car horn to our machine." Huh...I hadn't even thought about connecting the horn here. That's a thought...
I sent them the Powerful UK video, trying to explain that at least one other unit seems to only provide line-level signal to the OEM amp. That lead to the following from them:
"good morning dear We can't see the video you sent. As I said, you don't know anything. All Android machines have four audio outputs (including the original car radio as well). How many speakers the original car has has nothing to do with the audio output. Because they always belong to the front, back, left, and right. Why does the original car have an independent power amplifier: The reason is that the original car has too many speakers. The power of the original car radio or CD host is not enough to carry it."
Well, I never claimed to know anything, but even so that was a low blow.
Then the last communication from them was
"Your car needs to keep the original car amplifier. Because the original car with fiber optic amplifier."
I'm really not sure this will work at all, and I have a limited time frame within which to send it back for a refund. It's a shame, because this actually has analog knobs on it for volume and...something else.
...and as a result, I am very confused. The language barrier seems also to be confusing to them: it isn't clear to me that this unit can actually integrate well with the existing system, since it seems to just have four outputs, which they seem to think are speaker level. When I asked them pointedly about that, the reply came back "Our machines have built-in amplifiers. You can connect the original car horn to our machine." Huh...I hadn't even thought about connecting the horn here. That's a thought...
I sent them the Powerful UK video, trying to explain that at least one other unit seems to only provide line-level signal to the OEM amp. That lead to the following from them:
"good morning dear We can't see the video you sent. As I said, you don't know anything. All Android machines have four audio outputs (including the original car radio as well). How many speakers the original car has has nothing to do with the audio output. Because they always belong to the front, back, left, and right. Why does the original car have an independent power amplifier: The reason is that the original car has too many speakers. The power of the original car radio or CD host is not enough to carry it."
Well, I never claimed to know anything, but even so that was a low blow.
Then the last communication from them was
"Your car needs to keep the original car amplifier. Because the original car with fiber optic amplifier."
I'm really not sure this will work at all, and I have a limited time frame within which to send it back for a refund. It's a shame, because this actually has analog knobs on it for volume and...something else.