Hi, I have a Golf 7.5 with an 8 inch screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels... From what I see the 6225 performs better than the 660 but you like the 660 more for the quality of videos on RUclips but my screen doesn't even reach full HD... Do you still recommend the 660 over the 6225? Regards
It really depends what 6225 Ai Box. There are fine functioning Ai boxes that I mention in this video with 6225 chips in that don’t have this issue. On paper the 6225 is the better option. It’s just some brands have this issue and I think it’s CarlinKit and brands that share their platform (Binize, Linkifun) that suffer with this issue. Outside RUclips I also find issues with gaming over 660 and 6125 boxes. There is just more visible stuttering. That said, the 6225 boxes that don’t have the issue run better with games too. So it feels like a memory leak or something that’s software based. I’ve been working with Linkifun to trouble shoot this issue on their GT7H. But with Chinese new year holiday, I have to wait until feb until I hear back how they getting on and if this issue is fixable via software updates.
@CarPlayLife Well, I had just noticed Carlinkit because I don't know any other brands, I'm from Spain and I search for ai box and only that brand comes up and AliExpress, which I don't trust much... if you know of any other brand apart from carlinkit that is compatible with my golf I would appreciate it.
Well, I had just noticed Carlinkit because I don't know any other brands, I'm from Spain and I search for ai box and only that brand comes up and AliExpress, which I don't trust much... if you know of any other brand apart from carlinkit that is compatible with my golf I would appreciate it.
@CarPlayLife Thanks, my friend! One last question... do all the brands and devices you mentioned have 3 in 1? I mean Android Auto and wireless CarPlay in addition to Android? Greetings!
Usually it’s in the floating button menu. Either as a rocket or trash can symbol. You can also go to multi task button in that menu and then select clear all to remove all running apps.
Hi mate I got an otto cast cartv mate pro adaptor. It has LAG! look like its going at 30fos, a bit like a slideshow. is this normal for the HDMI conversion adapters? I got a carlinkit one but it won't work with my Mercedes EQS. I tried upgrading software but it won't let me. says 'retry' on the page to update it. what's the best box you've tasted? Is the SDM 660 the best option/shout or are there better options?
These hdmi to CarPlay adapters are pretty new so I still think they are figuring it out. 30fps sounds about right, but slide show certainly doesn’t. The CarlinKit is really picky with what car system it can work with and upgrading them is pretty useless. There plenty of Ai boxes out there. The best fastest chip is the QC6490. Then QC6225, then QC660 then QC6125. Anything less than this you’ll want to avoid. The MMB 5.0 packs the 6225 as does the ApplePie AI 996E. You might notice in this video the ApplePie has a very high DPI setting which can make some apps appear very small but also be better for navigation in some apps. Something I might touch on in a future video. Hope this helps
It is interesting that you mentioned this. I too have recently purchased a carmate pro. The C4 carplay/AA model. Using a firestick, the framerate seems to go at 25fps. Duplicate and drop frames. Firmware has been updated as well. Very disappointed in the C4. I want to try the carlinkit version but am afraid the results will be the same. I am using a 2023 Genesis G80
Wow these boxes are still using the floating dot? My 3 yr old box isn't much different... been waiting for a reason to upgrade, but they just don't want my money I guess.
You can disable the floating button, and use back control on your steering if you have one to get back. If you want an upgrade go with Apple Pie rocket.
@@Vanessa-dk6bj I have been looking at the Applepie Rocket. My hold up is the 5G network compatibility. I am in the US and keep seeing conflicting info if it works here or not. I can't find a video that states or demonstrates this working in the US.
That would be great on an Ai box but I can’t see them doing it. I’m not sure if you have to licence each box to have androidTV on them, and that would cut into their chunky profits :)
I rented a car yesterday that experienced the same video lag and audio problem. Never had the problem with my car and I am using a box with the 6125 inside. I am going to try it again inside my car to see if it happens again. I don't know if it was a car compatibility problem or something software-wise that affected my box yesterday.
the lag in audio sync can be very car system-dependent. My VW Golf had some varying levels of lag, and in my newer Born system, I don't experience as much lag in some of the boxes I've tested (aside from the AI Boxes with the issues reported in this video). I'll need to revisit the CarlinKit 6125 to see if it is a common issue with this family of chipsets, but as I pointed out in the video, some other brands don't have this trouble with the same chipset. Very odd behaviour. 🤔
I'm a little confused 😂😅 I have never had an adapter before and don't know where to start. I'm in Australia, have a Kia Stinger, have a Samsung/Android Auto phone and want to be able to access Kayo, Netflix RUclips... Your videos are great but some of it is over my head 😅 Where do you suggest i begin?
Hi, for this kind of functionality, you should be looking at what they call AI boxes. These are basically Android boxes that use the car system to display their content, be it Netflix, RUclips etc. All these boxes require your car system to have either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. So basically, if you can plug in your phone and see Apple CarPlay or Android Auto auto in your case, you're halfway there. Most of these boxes use CarPlay however this particular one in the video can be switched to work on Android auto-supported car platforms.
@CarPlayLife Thank you so much for such a quick response, i appreciate it!! Do you really need to spend a ton of money for one that does the job? I've seen some for $70 on Amazon and some for $500. I've never heard of the brands before and most don't have many reviews to go on. Is there a couple of brands that you suggest i look for (or avoid)? 😅
@@meljayXYou get what you pay for when in comes to these boxes. Trust me, tested alot of them. If you only need to go from wired Android auto to wireless android auto i would buy aawireless two for around 60 us dollar.
@meljayX search my channel for Linkifun GT6 Pro, also CarlinKit UHD 660, and MMB Max 5.0. These boxes don’t break the bank and perform well for the type of use you wish to use it for. You can’t go cheaper but the more power these devices are the more costly they are, and it is a case of you get what you pay for.
It’s mostly down to how both CP & AA works on these boxes. It’s done through software layer via an App on the Android platform of the box than being done on chip through a dedicated adapter or native on a car display. Only then does pinch and zoom work on Android Auto.
If we’re talking CarPlay, Carplay doesn’t support pinch and zoom. The closest way you can do at least in Apple maps is to double tap the screen and on the second tap hold and swipe up and down to zoom in and out
Thanks for your great comparison video! If budget isn’t an issue, would you go for the ApplePie Rocket (with the 6490 chip) or one of Carlinkit’s models (6225 or 660)? I’ve heard Carlinkit’s system might offer a better experience. I mainly plan on using it for Spotify and RUclips Music, and maybe watching a few RUclips videos now and then. What’s your recommendation?
Both adapters you mentioned will do RUclips Music and Spotify as well as RUclips videos very well. Lag is very dependent on the car system that is plugged into and you’ll find if it lags on one it will lag on the other. It’s just how the car system is working with the box in general. So if you want to save some money, I would go for the carlinkit 660, or MMB 5.0 or ApplePie 996E or the Linkifun GT6 I reviewed recently on this channel. The 6490 will certainly have the grunt to do many other things and play games without breaking a sweat, but if you really are just watching video and listen to music then it doesn’t have to be the fastest box available.
I’m pretty much say why in the video. The 6225 version has a bug with it that makes RUclips video of 720p or higher go nuts. Plus gaming isn’t as smooth. 660 can do 4K 30 where as 6225 can only do 1080p 60. Granted most car systems aren’t that high resolution but shows you there is an issue with video performance in its playback support.
Thanks these comparisons. What do you think is the fastest boot up AI box ? I won't often watch video and I want to have a smooth unobtrusive experience
@CarPlayLife it is impressive but a bit pricey! Anything sub-200Eur to recommend? Seems like this is the on AI Box to use this chip. Maybe it is worth waiting for more and at a lower price. Saying that progress doesn't seem incredibly fast.
Geekbench 6 - they swapped to version 6 and with that the numbers could be off. So I was marking them when I tested them to make sure the values between them were done with the same version of the app. AI Boxes seem to only improve when someone adopts a new CPU, then every other brand jumps on the same. I think RAM and ROM has peaked, you don't really need much more. It is the CPU and the 6490 is likely too expensive to make the box profitable for them. So I am guessing we will still a step up, not a leap up from the 6225 in 2025. Whatever that is I don't really know.
So, in digging about, I THINK the difference may be that while the 6225 is nominally newer and faster than the 660, the Adreno 512 GPU actually has better marks across the board compared to the 610 if you look at the aggregate scoring on Notebookcheck. I'm not sure as to WHY, I know there are higher shading units, cache and memory bandwidth listed for the older GPU, so might very well be application specific. In either case, I think I'll be sending my 6225 box back for a 660 rather than bank on a software fix. ;)
That’s a wise choice. Also you may have to make sure the Adreno info is the mobile version and not the desktop/laptop version which could have more horses behind it. Still it doesn’t really explain the bug some 6225s are having and some that do not have the playback issue. I also learnt very recently that the 6125 can playback video up to 4K 30 whereas the 6225 can only do up to 1080 60. I have downloaded some samples to test this in my future adapter tests.
Thanks for the comparison. Even though the 6225 was recommended, I went with the 660 because of the USB port. I drive an Audi -tron. Everything works fine, no lag in audio or video, good gaming. Only thing I cant get to work is Android Auto. The T-UHD says in my menu system that I am connected through Carplay (Even though my phone is a Samsung S21 Ultra android) When I switch the box to android auto ( Blue led light), it shows up as "Android Auto-Google Pixel". But when I try to connect to it says: " Connection could not be established. Please ensure that you have selected a device, thats is compatible with Audi Smart phone interface" So I continue to use it in apple carplaymode (green led light) I dont notice a difference. Is there a difference at all when connecting through Apple carplay, instead of android auto? Some apps I love using: Retro Arch / Security cameras Reolink / Doorbel / IPTV/ Smarthome system. The TUHD is now the focal point in my car!
You lucked out there with the 660. Phew! ☺️ It doesn’t make much difference between running it on CP or AA. In my test here ruclips.net/video/YTHFJZVPYDo/видео.htmlsi=oYsSCR8G_O4nhx6V I found CP was slightly faster than running it on AA platform.
Hi, I have a Golf 7.5 with an 8 inch screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels... From what I see the 6225 performs better than the 660 but you like the 660 more for the quality of videos on RUclips but my screen doesn't even reach full HD... Do you still recommend the 660 over the 6225? Regards
It really depends what 6225 Ai Box. There are fine functioning Ai boxes that I mention in this video with 6225 chips in that don’t have this issue. On paper the 6225 is the better option. It’s just some brands have this issue and I think it’s CarlinKit and brands that share their platform (Binize, Linkifun) that suffer with this issue. Outside RUclips I also find issues with gaming over 660 and 6125 boxes. There is just more visible stuttering. That said, the 6225 boxes that don’t have the issue run better with games too. So it feels like a memory leak or something that’s software based. I’ve been working with Linkifun to trouble shoot this issue on their GT7H. But with Chinese new year holiday, I have to wait until feb until I hear back how they getting on and if this issue is fixable via software updates.
@CarPlayLife Well, I had just noticed Carlinkit because I don't know any other brands, I'm from Spain and I search for ai box and only that brand comes up and AliExpress, which I don't trust much... if you know of any other brand apart from carlinkit that is compatible with my golf I would appreciate it.
Well, I had just noticed Carlinkit because I don't know any other brands, I'm from Spain and I search for ai box and only that brand comes up and AliExpress, which I don't trust much... if you know of any other brand apart from carlinkit that is compatible with my golf I would appreciate it.
AI Box brands to look for would be CarlinKit 660, MMB Max 5.0 6225, Linkifun GT6 Pro 6125, Exploter AI-996E 6225.
@CarPlayLife Thanks, my friend! One last question... do all the brands and devices you mentioned have 3 in 1? I mean Android Auto and wireless CarPlay in addition to Android? Greetings!
how do u clear the memory, where do u find that option?
Usually it’s in the floating button menu. Either as a rocket or trash can symbol. You can also go to multi task button in that menu and then select clear all to remove all running apps.
Hi mate I got an otto cast cartv mate pro adaptor. It has LAG! look like its going at 30fos, a bit like a slideshow. is this normal for the HDMI conversion adapters?
I got a carlinkit one but it won't work with my Mercedes EQS. I tried upgrading software but it won't let me. says 'retry' on the page to update it.
what's the best box you've tasted? Is the SDM 660 the best option/shout or are there better options?
These hdmi to CarPlay adapters are pretty new so I still think they are figuring it out. 30fps sounds about right, but slide show certainly doesn’t. The CarlinKit is really picky with what car system it can work with and upgrading them is pretty useless.
There plenty of Ai boxes out there. The best fastest chip is the QC6490. Then QC6225, then QC660 then QC6125. Anything less than this you’ll want to avoid. The MMB 5.0 packs the 6225 as does the ApplePie AI 996E. You might notice in this video the ApplePie has a very high DPI setting which can make some apps appear very small but also be better for navigation in some apps. Something I might touch on in a future video.
Hope this helps
It is interesting that you mentioned this. I too have recently purchased a carmate pro. The C4 carplay/AA model. Using a firestick, the framerate seems to go at 25fps. Duplicate and drop frames. Firmware has been updated as well. Very disappointed in the C4. I want to try the carlinkit version but am afraid the results will be the same. I am using a 2023 Genesis G80
@@CarPlayLife Thanks. Sure, it's about 24-25FPS. not a slideshow but for a video game, in my opinion not playable! for something like Mario Kart.
Yeah it won’t be good for Mario kart 😂
Hi, is it possible to connect ps5 for gaming throw hdmi ? Thanks
It’s hdmi out not in so connecting a ps5 wouldn’t be possible. Check out this one instead ruclips.net/video/JiwludIaCyI/видео.htmlsi=UDX8IDHt8vQN_99T
Wow these boxes are still using the floating dot? My 3 yr old box isn't much different... been waiting for a reason to upgrade, but they just don't want my money I guess.
Haha yes still going strong. They don’t spend much resources on the software side of things, unfortunately.
@@CarPlayLifedo you know if there is a way to get the home and back buttons back?
You can disable the floating button, and use back control on your steering if you have one to get back. If you want an upgrade go with Apple Pie rocket.
@@Vanessa-dk6bj I have been looking at the Applepie Rocket. My hold up is the 5G network compatibility. I am in the US and keep seeing conflicting info if it works here or not. I can't find a video that states or demonstrates this working in the US.
can you connect a firestick to the HDMI
It’s only HDMI OUT so that wouldn’t work
Are there any of these boxes with google tv built in with out any other adaptors needed?
That would be great on an Ai box but I can’t see them doing it. I’m not sure if you have to licence each box to have androidTV on them, and that would cut into their chunky profits :)
I rented a car yesterday that experienced the same video lag and audio problem. Never had the problem with my car and I am using a box with the 6125 inside. I am going to try it again inside my car to see if it happens again. I don't know if it was a car compatibility problem or something software-wise that affected my box yesterday.
the lag in audio sync can be very car system-dependent. My VW Golf had some varying levels of lag, and in my newer Born system, I don't experience as much lag in some of the boxes I've tested (aside from the AI Boxes with the issues reported in this video). I'll need to revisit the CarlinKit 6125 to see if it is a common issue with this family of chipsets, but as I pointed out in the video, some other brands don't have this trouble with the same chipset. Very odd behaviour. 🤔
I'm a little confused 😂😅
I have never had an adapter before and don't know where to start.
I'm in Australia, have a Kia Stinger, have a Samsung/Android Auto phone and want to be able to access Kayo, Netflix RUclips...
Your videos are great but some of it is over my head 😅
Where do you suggest i begin?
Hi, for this kind of functionality, you should be looking at what they call AI boxes. These are basically Android boxes that use the car system to display their content, be it Netflix, RUclips etc. All these boxes require your car system to have either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. So basically, if you can plug in your phone and see Apple CarPlay or Android Auto auto in your case, you're halfway there. Most of these boxes use CarPlay however this particular one in the video can be switched to work on Android auto-supported car platforms.
@CarPlayLife Thank you so much for such a quick response, i appreciate it!!
Do you really need to spend a ton of money for one that does the job?
I've seen some for $70 on Amazon and some for $500. I've never heard of the brands before and most don't have many reviews to go on.
Is there a couple of brands that you suggest i look for (or avoid)? 😅
@@meljayXYou get what you pay for when in comes to these boxes. Trust me, tested alot of them. If you only need to go from wired Android auto to wireless android auto i would buy aawireless two for around 60 us dollar.
@meljayX search my channel for Linkifun GT6 Pro, also CarlinKit UHD 660, and MMB Max 5.0. These boxes don’t break the bank and perform well for the type of use you wish to use it for. You can’t go cheaper but the more power these devices are the more costly they are, and it is a case of you get what you pay for.
Can I use this device to connect my Android phone to my Apple Carplay screen? (my car supports Apple car play only)
Yes that’s possible with this adapter. You can also try CarlinKit 4.0 wireless adapter for just wireless Android auto
@CarPlayLife thanks for feedback 👍
Why is there no pinch to zoom on google maps?
It’s mostly down to how both CP & AA works on these boxes. It’s done through software layer via an App on the Android platform of the box than being done on chip through a dedicated adapter or native on a car display. Only then does pinch and zoom work on Android Auto.
@ so you’re saying as long as im using an iphone i can never get the pinch to zoom?
If we’re talking CarPlay, Carplay doesn’t support pinch and zoom. The closest way you can do at least in Apple maps is to double tap the screen and on the second tap hold and swipe up and down to zoom in and out
Thanks for your great comparison video! If budget isn’t an issue, would you go for the ApplePie Rocket (with the 6490 chip) or one of Carlinkit’s models (6225 or 660)? I’ve heard Carlinkit’s system might offer a better experience. I mainly plan on using it for Spotify and RUclips Music, and maybe watching a few RUclips videos now and then. What’s your recommendation?
Both adapters you mentioned will do RUclips Music and Spotify as well as RUclips videos very well. Lag is very dependent on the car system that is plugged into and you’ll find if it lags on one it will lag on the other. It’s just how the car system is working with the box in general. So if you want to save some money, I would go for the carlinkit 660, or MMB 5.0 or ApplePie 996E or the Linkifun GT6 I reviewed recently on this channel. The 6490 will certainly have the grunt to do many other things and play games without breaking a sweat, but if you really are just watching video and listen to music then it doesn’t have to be the fastest box available.
Which of these do you recommend I buy?
The 660 version
Can u tell me why u choose the 660 version over the 6225?
I’m pretty much say why in the video. The 6225 version has a bug with it that makes RUclips video of 720p or higher go nuts. Plus gaming isn’t as smooth. 660 can do 4K 30 where as 6225 can only do 1080p 60. Granted most car systems aren’t that high resolution but shows you there is an issue with video performance in its playback support.
Thanks these comparisons. What do you think is the fastest boot up AI box ? I won't often watch video and I want to have a smooth unobtrusive experience
Fastest is this one ruclips.net/video/I7X-qJr0Vuc/видео.htmlsi=Xw661lvn2hXGXejB
@CarPlayLife it is impressive but a bit pricey! Anything sub-200Eur to recommend? Seems like this is the on AI Box to use this chip. Maybe it is worth waiting for more and at a lower price. Saying that progress doesn't seem incredibly fast.
Also what does GB6 mean in your tables?
Geekbench 6 - they swapped to version 6 and with that the numbers could be off. So I was marking them when I tested them to make sure the values between them were done with the same version of the app.
AI Boxes seem to only improve when someone adopts a new CPU, then every other brand jumps on the same. I think RAM and ROM has peaked, you don't really need much more. It is the CPU and the 6490 is likely too expensive to make the box profitable for them. So I am guessing we will still a step up, not a leap up from the 6225 in 2025. Whatever that is I don't really know.
Hi,
is there a solution to read sms and mms without sim in it.
I would like to have the messages from my phone on it
Sincerely
I don’t think that’s possible unless there’s an android app that can do what you’re after that can share messages between your phone and Ai box
@@CarPlayLife THANKS
but I can't find an APK
I don't know of an app, sorry.
So, in digging about, I THINK the difference may be that while the 6225 is nominally newer and faster than the 660, the Adreno 512 GPU actually has better marks across the board compared to the 610 if you look at the aggregate scoring on Notebookcheck. I'm not sure as to WHY, I know there are higher shading units, cache and memory bandwidth listed for the older GPU, so might very well be application specific. In either case, I think I'll be sending my 6225 box back for a 660 rather than bank on a software fix. ;)
That’s a wise choice. Also you may have to make sure the Adreno info is the mobile version and not the desktop/laptop version which could have more horses behind it. Still it doesn’t really explain the bug some 6225s are having and some that do not have the playback issue.
I also learnt very recently that the 6125 can playback video up to 4K 30 whereas the 6225 can only do up to 1080 60. I have downloaded some samples to test this in my future adapter tests.
Thanks for the comparison.
Even though the 6225 was recommended, I went with the 660 because of the USB port.
I drive an Audi -tron. Everything works fine, no lag in audio or video, good gaming.
Only thing I cant get to work is Android Auto.
The T-UHD says in my menu system that I am connected through Carplay (Even though my phone is a Samsung S21 Ultra android)
When I switch the box to android auto ( Blue led light), it shows up as "Android Auto-Google Pixel". But when I try to connect to it says: " Connection could not be established. Please ensure that you have selected a device, thats is compatible with Audi Smart phone interface"
So I continue to use it in apple carplaymode (green led light)
I dont notice a difference.
Is there a difference at all when connecting through Apple carplay, instead of android auto?
Some apps I love using:
Retro Arch / Security cameras Reolink / Doorbel / IPTV/ Smarthome system.
The TUHD is now the focal point in my car!
You lucked out there with the 660. Phew! ☺️
It doesn’t make much difference between running it on CP or AA. In my test here ruclips.net/video/YTHFJZVPYDo/видео.htmlsi=oYsSCR8G_O4nhx6V I found CP was slightly faster than running it on AA platform.
What is better in youtube ?
The 660