Welcome to 9to5Mac Gearbox. Whereas Gearbox is primarily written for motorcycle riders, you’ll discover that driving know-how isn’t all the time only for bikers. Keep protected and benefit from the experience!
Apple CarPlay is turning into extra frequent on bikes, however infotainment programs are sometimes solely provided on high-priced touring bikes. Happily, there’s a unbelievable aftermarket answer for including CarPlay to virtually any motorbike. I’ve been testing the CHIGEE AIO-5 Lite, an all-in-one system that features a CarPlay/Android Auto show, entrance and rear cameras, and an built-in security system to maintain riders alert.
Straightforward sufficient improve
Particularly, I put in the CHIGEE AIO-5 Lite on a 2020 Honda Insurgent 500, a normal cruiser that’s spec’d effectively for brand spanking new riders.
With its entrance and rear cameras, the AIO-5 Lite makes for a terrific security enhancement for brand spanking new and skilled riders. Set up is easy sufficient in case you’re snug with working wire and accessing your battery. A number of YouTube movies helped me alongside the best way.
Digicam advantages
My pal and fellow rider Jon had a terrific description for one profit I described. AIO-5 Lite permits you to see your rearview whereas sitting at an intersection and searching ahead towards the cease gentle.
Or as Jon put it, AIO-5 Lite offers a rearview mirror. And he’s precisely proper. Facet mirrors can provide you a glimpse of your environment, however there’s nothing like a rear-facing digital camera that may warn you of oncoming site visitors. Happily, I didn’t want to check how rapidly I might evade a car racing towards me. Nonetheless, the peace of thoughts of a 360-degree view whereas sitting at a cease gentle offered reassurance.
Each cameras additionally act as presence sensors together with whereas driving. That is helpful when driving in site visitors or teams. When a car or bike will get too shut, each visible and audible cues will warn you.
Document each a part of each experience
However the one factor that riders I met whereas testing the AIO-5 Lite appreciated was the onboard digital camera system for all the time capturing video.
The AIO-5 Lite has 32GB of onboard storage, and you may broaden it with extra storage. The unit accepts as much as a 256GB microSD card that’s secured with a rubber door that latches with hex screws. The unit consists of the required screwdriver. The unit additionally attaches to your bike in such a method that somebody can’t simply stroll by and steal it.
Now again to the always-on video seize: As long as the bike is powered on, the AIO-5 Lite is mechanically recording video from the back and front cameras. This offers two separate video recordsdata which you could wirelessly ship to the iPhone or Android app.
Whereas it was CarPlay that originally caught my consideration, it’s this always-on video and audio recording that made me love the AIO-5 Lite. Critically, recording begins moments after you interact the ability swap in your bike — earlier than you even crank the engine. When paired with a excessive capability microSD card, this allows you to use the digital camera system as each a splash cam for capturing incidents and a approach to report your rides with out fascinated with it.
Concerns
The Sony sensors utilized by the digital camera are rated for 1080p, and the footage it captures consists of overlays on the high and backside, however you possibly can simply crop in barely and have a clear video clip to share on social media. For those who’re on the lookout for greater high quality to seize and share your rides, although, a good motion digital camera could also be a greater match. Moto vloggers, in fact, sometimes seize a number of angles for extra attention-grabbing views.
If there’s a approach to disable the video overlays, I missed it. I additionally had no luck transferring the video utilizing the microSD card and a card reader on my iPhone or Mac; app switch solely. But when I might add one function, it might be some onboard low energy video seize to watch your bike when parked in public locations. Whereas the unit all the time information whereas powered on, it could possibly’t report when your bike energy is switched off.
Bike CarPlay
And eventually, the CarPlay expertise. CHIGEE helps wi-fi CarPlay so there’s no requirement to mount your iPhone and join a cable. As an alternative, the AIO-5 Lite will mechanically and wirelessly connect with your iPhone and show CarPlay on the 5-inch LCD display screen.
Whereas this was definitely the smallest CarPlay show I’ve ever examined, it was additionally completely usable and positively helpful. There’s not a lot fiddling round with a show that you should do whereas driving, however having a compact CarPlay display screen made utilizing Apple Maps pretty much as good as in a automobile. Google Maps and Waze additionally work with CarPlay.
As for audio, I used my typical setup with my iPhone in my pocket and a single AirPod in my ear. Having visible entry to the Music and Podcasts at cease lights was a lot faster and safer than pulling out my telephone. Spotify, Overcast, and different music and podcast apps are additionally suitable.
Alternatively, I might have powered up the Sena headset with my helmet — it pairs to my iPhone similar to Bluetooth earphones — and used CarPlay to manage and listen to navigation, leisure, and telephone calls.
All in all, CHIGEE makes a formidable all-in-one answer for including CarPlay or Android Auto to virtually any motorbike with out paying touring bike costs. Simply cruising round with the AIO-5 Lite attracted some potential clients as fellow riders had been impressed with the worth.
You possibly can take dwelling the CHIGEE AIO-5 Lite for $598 for the complete digital camera expertise. For those who solely need the CarPlay/Android Auto expertise, CHIGEE gives the AIO-5 PLAY with no cameras/security options for $399. Study extra or buy from CHIGEE.
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