Poor FM reception after aftermarket install

[Shinare]

I installed an aftermarket Atoto Android stereo and the FM reception is poor compared to the stock head unit. I thought I read here to be sure to connect the power antenna cable on the metra harness to the stereo's power antenna lead. I did that before I installed,but reception is still poor. Did I miss something?

[06YarisRS]

I don't think you missed anything. I have installed several of these overseas manufactured radios and generally the radio reception is not as good as the stock head units. I never pursued improving the radio reception as I normally use the unit to listen to pre-recorded music.

[Shinare]

*sigh* OK. I still would like the option to listen to terrestrial radio now and then, but my SiriusXM app will need to suffice then. Heh. I also just discovered "Spotify", and yes, I'm an old geezer. lol

I look at Amazon and found some "car antenna amplifiers" but they seem sketchy. Not sure I want to take the chance.

[Shinare]

PS> Here is the headunit I purchased from Amazon. This is the amazon link:

http://a.co/5qiDwDi

I give it at best a 3 star review. Its nice and cheap but it has some real annoyances.

Pros>
1)Really fast boot time. From switching on the key to fully ready is less than 5 seconds.
2)Bright screen
3)adequate power for stock speakers
4) Lots of connectivity in the back
5) Fast charge usb port
6) Well marked cable harness

Cons>
1)Sometimes I have to touch 2-3 times to register my touch
2)FM reception is not good
3)Would rather have a volume knob rather than touchscreen buttons on the side. It takes attention away from driving to change the volume. Half the time it doesn't "see" my touches.
4)It might have "too good" of a resolution. Aside from the main screen icons, everything is tiny on the screen. Especially text in apps is very tiny. Not great for someone who need bifocals.
5)When using google maps for navigation, the first second or two of the verbal directions are always cut off, so instead of hearing "in 500 feet, keep left at the fork." what you hear is "...at the fork." which is really annoying.
6)Backup camera shows "lost signal" every now and then if you put it in reverse just after turning on (like most people do). Video is not smooth but "hiccups" a bit.

[06YarisRS]

PS> Here is the headunit I purchased from Amazon. This is the amazon link:

http://a.co/5qiDwDi

I give it at best a 3 star review. Its nice and cheap but it has some real annoyances.

Pros>
1)Really fast boot time. From switching on the key to fully ready is less than 5 seconds.
2)Bright screen
3)adequate power for stock speakers
4) Lots of connectivity in the back
5) Fast charge usb port
6) Well marked cable harness

Cons>
1)Sometimes I have to touch 2-3 times to register my touch
2)FM reception is not good
3)Would rather have a volume knob rather than touchscreen buttons on the side. It takes attention away from driving to change the volume. Half the time it doesn't "see" my touches.
4)It might have "too good" of a resolution. Aside from the main screen icons, everything is tiny on the screen. Especially text in apps is very tiny. Not great for someone who need bifocals.
5)When using google maps for navigation, the first second or two of the verbal directions are always cut off, so instead of hearing "in 500 feet, keep left at the fork." what you hear is "...at the fork." which is really annoying.
6)Backup camera shows "lost signal" every now and then if you put it in reverse just after turning on (like most people do). Video is not smooth but "hiccups" a bit.

Missed this post. That's a nice radio, especially with 32G or onboard memory. Mine have all been 16 and I have had to remove some apps to install new ones.

My new one - yet to be installed - has the touch volume buttons as well. I hadn't thought about driver distraction when I bought it. I guess I liked the idea of more screen real estate associated with a knobless model.

One of the Andriod head units I had - the one that sold with my Rondo - also had a high resolution display and the print was difficult to read. I much prefer the 800 x X as opposed to the 1024 x X resolution.

The only vehicle that I bothered to install a back up camera with one of these units was the Dodge van. The screen was so small as to make the backup camera view almost laughable. It worked well though with no lag or image fracturing etc.

Re: Google maps - It's worked well for the most part on my radios. I rarely use the onboard GPS system. I installed WAZE and enjoyed it, especially on long roadtrips and large urban areas.