Review of the Caska CA3012 (PolarisGPS) Mazda6 GPS

[aaronmihe]

The Caska CA-3012 GPS/DVD/MP3 player for the 2003-2008 Mazda 6 is an interesting unit, its appearance and functions are hotly debated on Internet forums (such as this one) and while there's plenty of discussion there's very little factual information about the units.

In the end I'd read pages of forums, hundreds of comments but made the purchase decision based on Price and warranty support.

My unit was sourced from Poron, through their PolarisGPS (www.polarisgps.com.au) arm. Poron is the Australian distributer and are currently running out units at a legendary AUD895 plus freight.

I ordered via phone on a Monday and received the unit via Australia Post on the following Wednesday. Prompt and courteous service on the phone, instantly knowledgeable and capable phone staff set Poron ahead of many of these seemingly "unknown" importers of boutique electronics.

Out of the Box Experience:
It's quite clear that PolarisGPS are doing more than just reselling a Chinese market product. The packaging, manual and GPS software all reflect a company that is Australianising the product at the point of manufacture. The units have the appropriate Australian Standards ("C-Tick") approvals and the manual is more than just a google translation.

The Sygic DRIVE GPS software comes loaded with the latest Sensis Maps for Australia & New Zealand and while it's not immediately easy to use like Destinator or Tom Tom personal navigation devices it's a very capable package that rewards those who read the manual and take the time to learn the interface. Unfortunately a manual for Sygic isn't packaged with the unit, instead you'll need to download and print off the manual from the PolarisGPS website.

The unit itself is well packed, and once freed it is obvious that this is not a cheap device. The plastic grain texture is detailed and the pattern matches the factory "dog-nose" dashboard pattern perfectly. The internet forum conjecture about colour is mostly unfounded. Yes the unit doesn't always look to be the same colour as the dashboard around it, no it isn't the same soft-touch material as the cars dashboard, or the same hard plastic as the console bin it replaces. Instead the Caska CA-3012 unit is a good match, one that works, one that doesn't look out of place and most importantly one that still looks 100% OEM when mounted in place.

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Another omission from the box is an installation manual, however it's clear that anyone who's into DIY on their Mazda6 will be able to quickly install the unit, and Poron has a large number of installers across Australia who can do the job for any Mazda6 owner not willing to take up the tools.


Installation
I installed the unit in my driveway, in the dark using nothing but the map-lights and a torch for illumination. I think that gives a clear indication of just how easy the install is.

I should point out due to time pressures (I needed to drive the car from Canberra to Adelaide the following day) I did not install the included Reverse camera or connect up the handbrake and reverse trigger lines. Instead I opted to leave these for later when I will also photograph the process.

Installation itself goes something like this:
1. Remove the cup-holders around the handbrake (un-clips upwards).


2. Remove gear selector trim (un-clips upwards, disconnecting Cigarette lighter and removing the gear knob lets this be moved out of the way)


3. Remove two screws in the lower covers of the Stereo/climate control fascia.


4. Remove the Glove-box bin
5. Remove the 10mm bolt from the side of the stereo unit (acessed from the glovebox)


6. Pull up and out from the bottom of the unit to disengage the clips. As they start to come free gently pry the unit out and give yourself access to the rear. I left everything connected for the moment.


7. Remove the two screws holding the upper storage bin and climate/radio display screen in place. Disconnect the single wiring loom to the display unit.


8. Now un-clip the display from the upper console bin.


9. Clip the display into the Caska CA-3012
10. Connect the yellow wire tail into the Stereo loom (Battery wire - typically blue/red red stripe). This allows the Caska to close after the ignition is turned off and also maintain its settings.
11. Connect the Caska integration loom to the CD-Changer port on the rear of the factory stereo.
12. Connect the Caska Audio (L2 & R2) to the integration loom so we get sound through the factory stereo
13. Connect the Battery power tail tot he Caska Power loom and plug the Caska looms into the Caska unit.
14. Connect the GPS antenna and feed the antenna out the glovebox area.
15. Install the Caska unit into the space vacated by the console bin.
16. Install the factory stereo.
17. Test everything powers up OK NOW (why fiddle with clips and trim more than we have to, so make sure it all works now).


In use:
The Unit is easy enough to use, It activates automatically on a second press of the "CD" button (bringing up EX 1: on the radio display) or can be powered up at anytime by pressing the power button. Interestingly the power button is the only button illuminated with the dashboard lighting when the unit is off.

When the unit is active the other controls light up in a matching red tone to compliment the red theme used throughout the Mazda6. This is a great sign of attention to detail.

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The clever motorised action of the cover and screen will keep children and geeks entertained and the "self-stowing" ability means that passengers will linger around in the car while the unit tucks itself away 10 seconds after the ignition is switched off.

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The units biggest failing would be the basic On-Screen interface, each power-on the unit defaults to the DVD function, a quick press of the "NAV" button on the lower right of the unit will activate the GPS function and take you to the default warning screen.

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At any time you can switch between the DVD(MP3/MP4) playback and Navigation using these quick bottons.

This is preferable to using the crude touch interface that while being functional and easy to use will not impress your friends and is out of step with the smooth OEM style of the rest of the unit.

Enough of this downside, everything else is delivered as promised, insert a DVD and sit back and be entertained, the unit coped with a standard array of run-of-the-mill MP4 encoded video and MP3s were no problem. The Steering wheel controls can be used to select tracks and step around, but the unit also has a comprehensive IR based remote that can be used.

Audio quality is as good as expected for a directly connected unit and at no time did it appear to introduce hums, hiss or crackling in the factory stereo.

The GPS function uses Sygic (www.sygic.com) DRIVE and runs from an SD-Card - it's Windows CE based so the enthusiastic user could work out how to run their preferred software.

I found the mapping to be as good as my other Sensis mapped GPS, and the Sygic software to be functional and capable. It's not always going to take you the "best" route, like any GPS it doesn't understand local traffic and roads like you might, but it will get you there.

My test was quite simple. The morning after installation I powered up the GPS, tapped the screen and selected "Navigate to...", I entered my destination address (1 South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia) and in less than a minute the unit had plotted the ~1200km journey from my East Canberra location.

Following the route through the city and open road proved the software was up to the task with clear directions issued on-screen and verbally. The unit appears to get good accuracy from the included antenna, although it may be a little less tolerant to "shadowing" than some other units out there, either that or those other units "buffer" their lack of signal to maintain the image of solid tracking.

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After 11 hours of cross-country driving I was approaching the city of Adelaide and once again the timely directions, on-screen lane indicators, current speed and speed limit information as well as street name information are all very easy to read and understand on a 7" screen. The route chosen through Adelaide was clear and simple, I'm not unfamiliar with the city but appreciated the "stay on main roads, keep it simple" routing that got me to the hotel with no fuss through evening peak-hour traffic.


Ups and Downs:
This particular unit seemed to exhibit some strange glitches and I must be honest and say that ultimately it failed on my return journey. Being technically minded some finger poking about the rear of the unit brought life back to the screen but a pot-hole or restarting the unit brought the fault back. It appears that the ribbon driving the screen is not attached securely on my unit.

A call to the PolarisGPS folks quickly got me connected to their technical team who came up with the diagnosis and a return code was arranged for me to get the unit repaired or replaced.

Despite the failure I am confident that the replacement/Repaired unit will deliver many years of service in my Mazda6, the 1 year warranty offered by PolarisGPS will see me we clear of any further assembly related failures.

The screen itself is clear and sharp playing back DVD content, however brightness and clarity does suffer in daylight conditions. The GPS is affected to a lesser degree, and while I make mention of it I do not see the screen as a problem.

For those keen on extending their system, the DVD player video output is available so you can add more screens around your car. These will always display the DVD or external video inputs and won't be affected by reverse camera or GPS which display on the main-screen only.

Leaving the handbrake detection disconnected allows DVD content to be played on the main screen with the vehicle moving. This may be illegal (it is here in Australia) and puts the decision in the drivers hands.

Sure it would be nice to have Bluetooth, or a better On-Screen interface, or iPod connectivity and there is another unit that promises these things, but the Caska is here now, and it's backed in Australia by solid customer service that I've also had the (mis)-fortune to test.

[Spidy]

Cool. Thanks for taking the time to do a thorough review.

Do you know if other maps, like Canada or USA are down loadable or do they have to be bought?
Does the GPS offer "voice" guides or is it just text based that you have to read?

Also, any pics of what the MP3 player looks like?

[Happy Hunter]

Nice review.

More questions about GPS:

• Does it have voice prompts?
  Does it mute the MP3 when it says the directions?
  How is the quality of the routing? Did you try different options like shortest or fastest route?

Does the unit have SD or just USB for MP3?
What about screen resolution and quality?

Any info on North American maps?

Thank you.

[bobbinka]

is there anyway to replace the basic on screen interface?

[aaronmihe]

QUOTE (Happy Hunter @ Dec 16 2008, 10:58 AM)

More questions about GPS:

• Does it have voice prompts?
  Does it mute the MP3 when it says the directions?
  How is the quality of the routing? Did you try different options like shortest or fastest route?

Does the unit have SD or just USB for MP3?
What about screen resolution and quality?

Any info on North American maps?[/b]

Voice Prompt: Yes it gives voice prompts and has a good range of languages and accents to choose from. The prompts are well timed and spoken clearly, hoever like any voice-prompt GPS sometimes the highway numbers or road numebrs don't quite match the way they appear on signs etc. There's also a "sign" prompt that shows you what the road sign should look like - I turned that off because I'd rather read the signs by the road and listen to the GPS and make my own choices.

When playing MP3 or DVD it will mute the MP3 or DVD (or CD) to give the instruction. You can also have it change from the DVD/MP3 playback screen to the Mapping when it gives instructions. Personally I found that distracting. You can also play MP3/CD/DVD in the background while the Maps are showing. This seems to be the best combo in my opinion.

The map routing is also interesting, you can choose a number of ways to route, but ultimately they all seem to be a little more practical than my Destinator powered GPS uses. The Destinator will take you the shortest route no matter how many turns etc, while the Caskas Sygic Drive software likes to stick to the simplest route whenever possible. This sometimes doesn't make it the shortest, but when you're in a strange town it is very much easier. We generally don't use the GPS when we know where to go, but as a comparison it will always tend to the "easy" route over the geographically shortest. Unless you have a 1000km+ trip in the system re-routes when you make a wrong turn are very quickly worked out.

There's USB for plugging in sticks, hdds or card readers BUT it can only access a single drive volume so multi partitions, and multi-port card readers won't work. The SD card is only for the navigation software card.

Screen resolution and quality could be a little better, but I think the current range of hardware decoders etc couldn't drive a better screen if there was one. Certainly it's great for Navigation and adequate for movies etc, but could be brighter. Personally I'm happy enough with it.

I have no idea about USA maps, but would presume that they'd be a fairly good quality as the Australian Importer worked with Sygic to use the best Aussie maps (Sygic has a vested interest in having good mapping).


QUOTE (bobbinka @ Dec 16 2008, 11:12 AM)

is there anyway to replace the basic on screen interface?[/b]

I have no idea, but be honest with yourself, you'll either be playing a movie or in the MP3 menu or in the Navigation system. You don't see the on-screen interface much.


A.

[Happy Hunter]

More questions about MP3 player.

When you turn off the engine/GPS and then later start it, does it restart playing song from the same position as you left or it starts playing from the beginning? Beginning of the song of play list?

What about shuffle/randomize function, is it present? Does it re-randomize the songs always different ways?

Does it play MP3s from DVD disk or CD only?

Could you post some pictures of the media player interface playing MP3s.

Do you know the screen resolution 640x480 or 800x600 or ... ?

I'm checking the manual from Sygic the GPS functionality looks complete.

What about the responsiveness of the unit? Does it have any lag/delay between touching the control/button and actual response?
Is it the same when you run it in DVD/MP3 mode and GPS mode?

[aaronmihe]

QUOTE (Happy Hunter @ Dec 17 2008, 03:10 AM)

More questions about MP3 player.

When you turn off the engine/GPS and then later start it, does it restart playing song from the same position as you left or it starts playing from the beginning? Beginning of the song of play list?

What about shuffle/randomize function, is it present? Does it re-randomize the songs always different ways?

Does it play MP3s from DVD disk or CD only?

Could you post some pictures of the media player interface playing MP3s.

Do you know the screen resolution 640x480 or 800x600 or ... ?

I'm checking the manual from Sygic the GPS functionality looks complete.

What about the responsiveness of the unit? Does it have any lag/delay between touching the control/button and actual response?
Is it the same when you run it in DVD/MP3 mode and GPS mode?[/b]

MP3 Player: Yes it seems to resume where it left-off. But I haven't had a mega full disk of MP3s in it. I haven't bothered/tried a shuffle yet, but I think it was mentioned in the manual. I'll check the manual in an hour or so and post again. MP3/Media from CD or DVD is fine. Can't do MP3 pics until I get my unit back from repair.

Screen: I thinkit's the lowest res 7" - would not be surprised if it is 320x240 or something. It's 16:9 though and quite acceptable for movies and GPS stuff. If you're thinking or running a CarPC into it I wouldn't bother and would instead go for the Holy Grail.

Sygic: The Sygic I have is as good as any other GPS I've used (Destinator, Tom Tom, Route66) and possibly a bit better once you get used to it.

Responsiveness: No real lag as such, depends on the function but most stuff is instant (some Video playback fucntions do lag but I presume that's processor and buffer related). GPS mode doesn't lag, and MP3 mode doesn't lag. Flipping between modes is easy and instant. GPS runs in the background once started and will overlay audio on the MP3/CD/DVD playback.

A.

[bobbinka]

do you have any pictures of what the MP3 screen looks like?

thanks for posting this review, and answering our questions, man.

[Happy Hunter]

Thanks for the answers.

I checked Sygic. You can find version for Windows CE in many places around internet, including USA,Canada,Europe maps.
So the GPS software should not be an issue.

I already had my fun with home entertainment PC, so I think car PC does not add any benefits comparing to the functionality this unit offers.

What is really important:

• The unit integrates into dashboard
  The unit plays music well and supports resuming
  The unit has GPS functionality (Windows CE means you can install pretty much any GPS software TomTom, Garmin, etc)
  Bluetooth would be nice but it is not a must

[aaronmihe]

OK - No mention of Random play in the manual so I must have been mistaken.

Pics of the rest of the interface will come when I get my unit back from repair. At that point I'll also test MP3 DVD stuff like resuming and navigation etc more thoroughly.

Happy to keep answering stuff, and keen to doco everything fully when I've got to re-fit my unit.

As I installed it in a rush for GPS function only it's what I have most experience with.

Glad to see you've taken the time to look at Sygic, it's actually quite neat once you're used to it (I've done about 4000km with it and still getting used to it over my previous Destinator GPS)



A.