Smart phone + FT86?
 

Hey guys, long time lurker, first time poster, blah blah...

So I was very excited when the FT86/BRZ was said to not come with any sort of stereo head unit and only an AUX input; since most people have smart phones for their sound and navigation needs anyways.

What kind of surprises me is the fact that there doesn't seem to be some specific place "intended" for the phone in the interior. Anyone else already starting to think of where they want to place theirs?

Also as the leaked training manual shows you can get the FT w/ just a blank filled space where the stereo is, yet the car will still have speakers and an AUX. So does that mean all of the volume control will just be worked off the plugged in device?

(let the newbie bashing commence, I will love this Forum anyway :thumbup:)

Welcome to the Forum!


In the states the cars will probably come with a stereo and have bluetooth connection for the phone. If not, you will want some type of aftermarket deck that has bluetooth and and or Iphone\ipod connectivity if you have apple devices.

The aux input thing would probably be in the glove box and they would have steering wheel mounted controls for it.

Really? Cell phone placement?
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If this topic holds value to you then i'd suggest just placing your smartphone in a cupholder. Problem solved.

Where is this stated? The interior pics show no wheel mounted controls what so ever.

I am just happy that besides the price this really is my only concern about the car at the moment. Thanks to drooling over this site everyday, with all we already know I don't have much more to worry about for another week till the reveal.

You are right tho the cup holder is probably where my phone will live anyway....

I just worry that the TRD version is going to come loaded with the navi unit and all the crap in there that I don't want. (don't need the added weight or cost) Plugging your cell into the car? Center console for your girlie to play DJ. That or buy a dash mount so you can use it for navigation as well.

The interior shot we have right now shows nothing on the wheels, they are clearly unfinished. As to how I know this it's kinda obvious, I mean where else are you going to put the controls? Plus this is a Scion, if you look at their cars steering wheel mounted controls and bluetooth both come standard.

Uhhhh on the radio?

The storage in front of the cupholders looks perfect enough for a phone to me.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...achmentid=2650

Finally people are forgetting that these leaked training brochures are just that, place holder training brochures. The car is still 7 months away from being released to the public and things in the interior and even exterior...ie tail lights...can change. And this brochure is for the Japanese FT86 which does not even have a real name yet. So in the states we could get a stereo with bluetooth and controls on the steering wheel.

Maybe we will know more in 8 days...

Ah once i look at that steering wheel, there is no place for and remote controls of the radio...

Also, I think that if you choose to have no head unit at all, you just have to control the audio directly with your smart phone/digital music player. Don't think there'll be controls on the steering wheel.

Actually I just realized that it's a USB port and not an AUX port, which means that you have nothing to control your audio with if you plug in a USB drive (or any smart phone/digital music player that simply acts as a USB drive and doesn't support music control via USB). I'm now thinking that means that if you choose to have no head unit, you get no stereo at all, period. The USB port and the pre-installed speakers will be useless.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...achmentid=2432

That little picture thing under the USB indicator means AUX input

iPod

Ah so it has both ports? Cool. Obviously with the AUX port you'll have to control the audio directly from your digital music player then.

I'm actually hoping they'll have an option to get just speakers and amps and no head unit. Then I can just control the music from my phone plugged into the aux port. Seems like a long shot but if they do have that option that's what I'll get.

There better be a headunit or I'm going to be irritated. How can you control the bass, treble, fade, balance, etc. from a phone?

There are EQ and audio settings in most phones/digital music players to control bass, treble and balance. As for fade, I think that if you choose to get the stripped version of the car with no head unit you're likely getting only 2 speakers anyway so fade is not a problem.

Yes it has both. Also, USB is for IPod, charging phones, etc.

My phone's audio capabilities are less than desirable. When streaming radio, the station just stops when someone texts me and it doesn't get very loud. I'll probably be getting the highest Scion version of the car they offer so it better have a head-unit or a spot for one that has wiring already set-up so I can put in an aftermarket headunit easily.

Most aftermarket amps have these controls. Obviously you can't set it while you're driving (other than maybe a subwoofer volume knob) but I'm ok with that. Smartphones now can do everything a head unit does, so the headunit is just a waste of space and weight. Now that I think about it I would just want it with wiring in place and I will just put in my own amps and speakers. I doubt they would sell it like that though.

Right - as some may realize, you can't plug in an iPod to only speakers. There needs to be an amplifier in between to power the signal to the speakers. Head units usually have built in amplifiers, though not as good as a stand alone amp. While it may be possible to just mount an amp under the seat or in the trunk and hook an iPod up to that, it wouldnt be the ideal setup, for lack of on/off button, Eq, and volume controls.

I would be surprised if the car didn't come with a factory head unit in the US - though I guess there could be a "tuner" option of "stereo delete".

here is to still hoping you can use the usb port to link to the ECU directly :D
and i will be making a mount that holds a iphone somewhere close to the shifter, im hoping that the car doesnt come with a headunit, but rather a small controller/amplifier that takes digital in from USB and makes it in to amplified analog out for the speakers :D

You know this would be cool, and you could control the phone with Siri...if you had a Iphone 4s, or Iphone 5 (by the time this car comes out...hehe)

Remember this [huge] picture?

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...4&d=1319903205


This head unit will likely be the EU offering. I imagine the USA offering will be similar, though I can only hope it adds at least simple bluetooth that can answer/hang-up and stream audio. With any luck they'll stick in the head unit from the tC, as that does have some sort of bluetooth.

That thing is an eye sore. Hopefully we get the option to have no radio and the gauge pack that is on the right here

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...3&d=1321381169

The Gauge pack is good and all....but will you really use it? You really need a stereo in this car, at least something that has bluetooth so that you can do hands free calling on the phone. This is 2012 by the way...

The gauges should have been built into the dash, like they were in the 350z...This gauge pack looks kinda cheap anyways. Will have to get better pics...

I would have liked the gauges installed in the A pillar :l

The useless and expense adding nonsense known as push button start completely removes what would have been the ideal phone storage directly next to the AUX in. Good job. Without Bluetooth, expect a wire running past the shifter to the center console.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...3&d=1322629636

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...4&d=1322629636

To be honest, "FT-86" would not be much of a name for a car if they are expecting to sell a heap.
They will brand it Celica most likely because people can relate to the brand and it has a whole heap more 'mainstream' history than the ae86 (I mean this in terms of sales, not motorsport [although that could be debated also]).

To half the world 'ae86' means absolutely nothing. The people who know what it means, will have been following the production of this car from the get go anyway, and will not give a craaaap if it's named celica, supra, or something completely different. They will just enjoy it (or hate it depending on the success of the production car). Take the Original FT86 concept, and add a little more flavor from Scion project's FRS Concept, then smooth down the lines so that it's less tuner looking, and more OEM finesse. Retain the 2000GT C-Pillar, sharpen the tail. And that's how a final version will be. What if I told you that FT86 has NO CD player, and no Navigation screen? It's entirely possible...
He figured we'd all have smart-phones to tell us where we're going by 2012, and all we need is an FM radio to tell us if the world is ending. And for all other times on the road, he's like us to listen to your favorite iPOD, or the beautiful sounds emanating from the exhaust system specifically designed for this car by the best ears at Yamaha Acoustic Instruments company. All this, while sitting in seats made in collaboration with the best aftermarket and OE racing operations and sports car makers.

Horrible design confirmed

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...0&d=1326266427

Good, run wires past the shifter to the center console rather than directly adjacent where there was a perfect storage slot that's destroyed by an absolutely useless feature.

AGHHHH!!!! I've been away from the forums too long! Did not notice they had controls on the steering wheel along with push button start.:thumbdown:
When did this picture show up? lol

Yesterday at CES.

It looks like there is still enough room there for a phone...

And a wire running past the shifter will not prevent you from changing gear, but it does look fugly...

Negative. It's good for a pack of gum only now.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...7&d=1326266735

Stupid place to have an AUX/USB port too. Should be back towards the center console. Having a loose wire around my gear lever and handbrake would just irritate me.

OCD kicking in at that point I suppose

That hole seems about 5 or so Apple USBs wide (using that for reference), and my 3GS is about 4 USBs wide, soooooo perhaps it will fit, just fit.

I'll usually use my nano so it'll fit easily :) I prefer to keep the devices hidden though which is my annoyance with it.

I just got my FRS, its not really to hard to bury the USB cable under the center console and back to the cup holder area, I might even drill an access hold for permanant installtions. I think its a nice feature just for charging, since I use "rented" music I cant play directly from a USB anyway. Rhapsody is really nice on my andriod phone, When you start the car, the blietooth connects and starts playing, and when you leanve the car the phone stops. Always ready to go!