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A Brief Guide to In-Car Technology
We at XTRONS are passionate about keeping up with technology. We are constantly looking to update our range, and to give our customers the edge when looking for the latest functions. Furthermore, we are constantly concerned that even the best tech can be lost in jargon.
To that end then, we thought we would cover a few basics of technology, a checklist of usual features you would find in an aftermarket car stereo.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth has many uses in-car, and many of our car stereos come equipped with it. There are many uses for this, when paired with your smartphone.
Hands-Free Calling
Bluetooth is the perfect tool for using your phone safely. You can connect your phone to your stereo for outstanding sound, either using your speakers and an external microphone, or a bluetooth headset. Voice control options mean you can access your address book without taking your eyes off the road, or your hands off the wheel.
Music streaming
You can access audio on your smartphone, and play it through the superior system in your vehicle. Even better, with an aptX equipped stereo, you can access bluetooth audio at near-CD quality, meaning convenience and fidelity are at an all-time high. Either stream music directly using a smartphone app, or access downloaded content saved to your device.
Convenience
With many different connectors available, and the clutter that cables necessarily create, it can sometimes be a struggle to keep hold of the wire you need. Bluetooth eliminates the need by providing a reliable and stable connection between your smartphone and your head unit.
Remote App Control
A two-way feature. This allows you to share apps between your stereo and your smartphone, allowing you to control your device directly from your car stereo.
Bluetooth vs WiFi
Both are ways of transmitting data between devices wirelessly. Bluetooth is best for connecting two devices – it works by pairing them together and sharing data. This is probably best for pre-downloaded material. While in the past audio quality could be compromised, many of our stereos now incorporate aptX, which compresses material less and sounds much, much better.
Wi-Fi works by creating a network from your Head Unit, which you can join from other devices. Providing the signal is strong enough, you can access a world of streaming audio and video, with no need to download anything. Wi-Fi is dependent on a good mobile data connection however.
USB vs Aux
Apart from a wireless connection, you can expect at least one of these wired connections in an aftermarket stereo. USB, familiar as a computer connection, offers more possibilities, being used to handle data as well as audio, and can even charge your smartphone’s battery. An Aux (or auxiliary) port uses the headphone out of your smartphone to connect to the stereo’s more powerful audio. Of course, if you are an iPhone user, you will need a lightning to USB/lightning to Aux adapter, and indeed the headphone port has been absent from these devices for a while. While an Aux in has been standard in many stereos for some time, more and more now come with a USB connection as standard.
Apple CarPlay
Most of the products XTRONS make are geared toward Android users. However, we are not forgetting about their Apple owning cousins! Apple CarPlay offers a great way to integrate your iPhone apps with your car stereo. This means that instead of running your car stereo’s software, you can use the familiar iPhone interface, right on the screen of your head unit! This allows for greater app integration, easier system navigation and a wealth of entertainment options. From BBC Sounds and Audible, to Google Maps and Waze, both functionality and enjoyment are accessible as part of your dashboard. Shop our range and you’re sure to find something to suit your needs.