# usb streaming with android jelly bean



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Android doesn't treat the SD card like it treats internal memory. In order to stream from the SD card and have your steering wheel controls work you need to use the BlueTooth A2DP interface on your phone. The Chevy MyLink has this. If you have a 2012 you can swap out the PDIM in the car with the bluetooth version. See the Bluetooth Stereo AUX link in my sig for a thread on how to do this.


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## abhirkmv (Oct 31, 2012)

I don't understand what you mean by streaming from SD card. I can play mp3 files on my SDcard when i connect my phone via USB and control the playback using steering wheel controls (next song/ previous song).
I want to play internet radio like pandora on phone and listen to it via car stereo and be able to control the playback via steering wheels. Many services do not allow us to download music(to SD card), but let us stream over internet.
The bluetooth PDIM idea is great!
I thought about it, but the chevrolet customer support warned me that it would void the warranty. Also, at this point, I won't like to spend $100 . I'm curious to know if someone tried the jellybean approach.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The only part of your warranty it might void is for the stereo's aux input. There actually have been dealerships in the US who have installed the BlueTooth PDIM because the mp3 interface is so poor in the Cruze. The replacement PDIM is the same one that's in the 2012 Sonic and Camaro. Although you can play the mp3s from the SD card, you lose the ability of you phone to also provide voice navigation, at least with Google Navigator. Google Navigator uses the SD card to store its voice files. Android is unable to share the external SD card with the device and USB port at the same time. Android doesn't share the external SD card very well. You can either have the SD card allocated to providing data to the device or to the USB interface, but not both at the same time.

The issue you're having with Pandora is that it doesn't play files from the SD card. Since Pandora plays directly from the device you need to use an interface the device supports to stream to your car. I'll try Pandora in my car via Bluetooth today and report back.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I just finished testing Pandora with mixed results. First - it does indeed play through the Bluetooth A2DP in my 2012 ECO MT. However, steering wheel controls only work when Pandora is the foreground app, which it normally won't be on a road trip. Google Navigator will be foreground. Also, on my phone, the prefetch download when you skip a song is just about two seconds too long. My car switches away from Bluetooth to radio FAVs about two seconds before Pandora starts to play the next song when you skip songs. On a 4G LTE or faster network I don't think this would be a problem.


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## XtremeAaron (Jan 22, 2012)

abhirkmv said:


> I don't understand what you mean by streaming from SD card. I can play mp3 files on my SDcard when i connect my phone via USB and control the playback using steering wheel controls (next song/ previous song).
> I want to play internet radio like pandora on phone and listen to it via car stereo and be able to control the playback via steering wheels. Many services do not allow us to download music(to SD card), but let us stream over internet.
> The bluetooth PDIM idea is great!
> I thought about it, but the chevrolet customer support warned me that it would void the warranty. Also, at this point, I won't like to spend $100 . I'm curious to know if someone tried the jellybean approach.


Another option you have is: Amazon.com: Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPod, Apple iPhone, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones, US Version: Electronics .

I however wouldn't worry about warranty issues, but if you wanted another option I hear this is the one. Lots of reviews on YouTube. Id like to get the PDIM but this would allow me to swap between cars. The choice is yours.


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## abhirkmv (Oct 31, 2012)

Most of the times, I only want to route the google navigation audio thru car stereo and listen to the usual FM/XM radio device of the car. For this usecase, this app https://play.google.com/store/apps/...=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5iZWRvaWcuQlRtb25vIl0. might be sufficient for phones that are compatible with it. My phone is not!. Intuitively, it simulates a "phone-call" to send phone audio to car. The sound quality should be sufficient for voice. Thanks for all the suggestions about buying bluetooth modules. I might do that later.
But for now, I'm looking for someone who tried the jelly bean approach to stream music from android w/o buying anything.


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## abhirkmv (Oct 31, 2012)

I had not read that XDA thread properly. My bad!
With Jelly Bean, android open accessory protocol(AOA) 2.0 is available Android Open Accessory Protocol 2.0 | Android Open Source 
It allows routing audio via USB: Building Audio Accessories | Android Open Source
If supported by a car/dock, It will also allow the steering wheel controls to control playback

"Note: The AOA 2.0 protocol also supports the human interface device (HID) protocol through a USB connection, enabling accessories such as audio docks to provide hardware play back controls such as pause, fast-forward or volume buttons."


But what I missed is that there is no hope that the chevy cruze 2012 supports AOA 2.0 . AOA 2.0 came with JellyBean, much after the cruze 2012 was released. Can we hope for a firmware upgrade? I read the cruze 2012 manual and found that they support even zune protocols via USB. 


For now, I gave up any hopes for a free option. The cheapest soln I could get is Amazon.com: Joe's review of Sprint Anycom FIPO Bluetooth v2.0 Stereo R... , which was available once upon a time for around $15-$20 and also lets us control the playback thru steering wheel.


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## abhirkmv (Oct 31, 2012)

obermd said:


> I just finished testing Pandora with mixed results. First - it does indeed play through the Bluetooth A2DP in my 2012 ECO MT. However, steering wheel controls only work when Pandora is the foreground app, which it normally won't be on a road trip. Google Navigator will be foreground. .


Thanks for this experiment, obermd. It would be useful in deciding whether I should buy the PDIM. I did not even expect the controls to work when a player app is in background. I think it should be possible to write an android app to relay these AVRCP commands to one of the apps playing music(even if in background).
If I don't find such an app, I might write one late in December/January.

For the first 6 months, I will be often using the onstar navigation. It's good enough. 
Initially, I hated the idea of talking to a human to get directions. But the onstar app obviates the need to talk to a human


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## abhirkmv (Oct 31, 2012)

XtremeAaron said:


> Another option you have is: Amazon.com: Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPod, Apple iPhone, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones, US Version: Electronics .


Thanks for the link,Aaron. I fear it connects using the 3.5 mm jack. So, there might be no way to control the playback on phone using steering wheel controls. I found some devices on amazon which connect using the ipod connector. Those guys should theoretically allow steering wheel control. I could only confirm that one of them does(link in my prev post), but it was out of stock


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## abhirkmv (Oct 31, 2012)

Finally, I found something which is in stock. iSkin A2DP Wireless Bluetooth Streaming Audio Adapter Receiver for $29(free shipping)
I have never used an ipod, but from it's descriptions, it seems that i can connect it to the usb port using an ipod to usb connector .
Then I should be able to stream music over bluetooth to car stereo and be able to control the playback using steering wheel controls.
If someone has used something similar, any advice about pros and cons would be appreciated


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## abhirkmv (Oct 31, 2012)

abhirkmv said:


> Finally, I found something which is in stock. iSkin A2DP Wireless Bluetooth Streaming Audio Adapter Receiver for $29(free shipping)
> I have never used an ipod, but from it's descriptions, it seems that i can connect it to the usb port using an ipod to usb connector .
> Then I should be able to stream music over bluetooth to car stereo and be able to control the playback using steering wheel controls.
> If someone has used something similar, any advice about pros and cons would be appreciated


------UPDATE------
It did not work


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## Joseph Ho (Jul 16, 2014)

I just got to know 2014 JVC Receiver support AOA 2.0 and USB Audio with a firmware update.

Below is the link:
JVC Smartphone Control | JVC

Hope this help.


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