InDashPC.org

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

I am building a carputer for my Jetta mkV.

Basing it on a Asus eeePC.

I am looking at getting VW / AUDI to Car PC adapter(Car2PC-VAG) for integration into the car.

I have a problem in that I dont have any other place to mount the screen than where the head unit is currently.

Will the steering controls and audio work if I remove the Head unit?

What other options do I have?

Thanks for your advice.

jbors · Site Admin Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 1675

Well, Car2PC device connects to head unit so it is needed for the adapter to work. Audio and steering wheel is controlled by headunit, so I guess you cannot simply remove it.

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

That is very unfortunate. I cant find a neat place to mount the LCD other than the spot where the current head unit is.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

Ok my unit arrived and I installed...

I cant seem to get the steeting controls to do anything...

The only usable buttons are Disk 1 through 6 on the head unit itself...

Am i missing something here?

Thanks

jbors · Site Admin Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 1675

Try grom_console and see what is coming through.

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

I had a look at the console application...

All the buttons Disk 1 through 6 on the head unit itself does work fine, however none of the other buttons on the head unit or the steering wheel does anything.

I own a 2007 VW Jetta with the Double DIN RCD 300 head unit.

Have I missed something here?

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

No one has responded to my problems...

I have purchased the VW / AUDI to Car PC adapter(Car2PC-VAG) and the only thing that works is the Audio, the USB is useless...

I want a full refund, its been nearly a month and no one has bothered to help.

I am really disappointed!

nihil · Newbie Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 8

The steering wheel controls in VAG vehicles (VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Lamborghini, Bentley, etc...) give control inputs to the head unit by way of the vehicles CAN bus. To get those controls to function with an in-car PC after removing the head unit, you will have to build or buy a device that listens to your vehicles CAN bus and responds to codes from the MFSW (multi-function steering wheel) module. I don't know of any such devices that are commercially available.

You may also have to recode your radio for external CD changer capability. Most units with the in-dash 6CD changer have this feature disabled, meaning any communication with the Car2PC adapter will be ignored. This can be done at a dealer, or you can do it yourself if you have access to a VAG-COM cable.

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

nihil,

Thanks for your suggestions.

You mentioned that I may need to recode my Head unit for cd changer capability....

Here is what happens:
If I press the CD button twice it goes into cd changer mode (it did not do this before installation of the device). Also... no buttons on the steering does anything on the usb, but pressing the disc buttons eg disc 1 or 2 etc does generate some activity.

What I want to know is: is this by design or not?

nihil · Newbie Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 8

I'm not familiar with your particular radio, so I can't comment on its design intentions. I will say though, that if the MFSW buttons work with a standard CD changer after correct module coding, then it should work with the Car2PC adapter just the same.

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

I would agree with you, but it does not work...

Another interesting observation is that pressing the next track buttons on the head unit does not generate an event on the usb, but disc cange does. This leads me to believe that there is something wrong with the unit.

I think it may be that the unit does not understand the jetta's commands??

nihil · Newbie Joined: 15 Nov 2007 Posts: 8

Is it possible that you ordered the wrong unit for your radio?

If it were my car, my first step would be to make sure the radio coding is set correctly for external CD changer. It's possible that some of the commands get transmitted over CD changer control channels by default, with the full feature set being available only after recoding.

jbors · Site Admin Joined: 12 Nov 2004 Posts: 1675

Try to enable debug mode: DB1 and see what commands come when you press next track.

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

duan-za · Newbie Joined: 25 Nov 2008 Posts: 12

Ok so I finally got around to testing it with debugging enabled...

It would seem that when i pressed the next / previous track buttons, it does generate some numbers, so that is good. Now how do I use that with centrafuse?

Also... the telephone button does nothing... how can I "Read" it?

Thanks,
Duan