sadovnik
SILVER Star
Something like this? It's a bit rough, but since my eyesight sucks it looks perfect to my naked eye.
EC Offroad CarPlay Solutions For 2016+ 200 Series LC (NEW SEPT 2020 MODEL)
- Thread starter greynolds
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Something like this? It's a bit rough, but since my eyesight sucks it looks perfect to my naked eye.
- Thread starter
- #162
Yeah, that's exactly what I was referring to.
I have the gps on top of the speaker grill. Not ideal so I may try putting it underneath. I too want to maximize the signal so I’ll do some testing.
I like the idea of the microphone in the dash blank. What are people doing to attach it in place? Mine is currently on the A pillar.
One item that is not good for me right now:
1- When in OEM mode the video signal goes to black intermittently. Sometimes it’s gone for the duration of a short drive. Sometimes it’s fine for a long or short drive. Sometimes it comes and goes. I hope it’s not the internal video switch or this will end up in the round file. Although I use CarPlay almost exclusively I won’t tolerate not being able to have screen access to the OEM system. Unfortunately I think the only way to determine what is going on is to pull the system again and search for a loose connection etc. The EC screen never flickers or goes black. Anyone else experiencing this?
2- I think this is a Waze issue as it happens on the EC unit as well as my wife’s Highlander. Waze won’t launch when connected to CarPlay. It will eventually launch after 8-10 crashes. Same whether I launch on CarPlay or the iPhone. Very annoying.
3- Strangely enough the FM signal does not display correctly. Meh. Not a big issue but weird. 97.3 FM on OEM shows 96.6 FM on the banner display when in the EC Box.
I like the idea of the microphone in the dash blank. What are people doing to attach it in place? Mine is currently on the A pillar.
One item that is not good for me right now:
1- When in OEM mode the video signal goes to black intermittently. Sometimes it’s gone for the duration of a short drive. Sometimes it’s fine for a long or short drive. Sometimes it comes and goes. I hope it’s not the internal video switch or this will end up in the round file. Although I use CarPlay almost exclusively I won’t tolerate not being able to have screen access to the OEM system. Unfortunately I think the only way to determine what is going on is to pull the system again and search for a loose connection etc. The EC screen never flickers or goes black. Anyone else experiencing this?
2- I think this is a Waze issue as it happens on the EC unit as well as my wife’s Highlander. Waze won’t launch when connected to CarPlay. It will eventually launch after 8-10 crashes. Same whether I launch on CarPlay or the iPhone. Very annoying.
3- Strangely enough the FM signal does not display correctly. Meh. Not a big issue but weird. 97.3 FM on OEM shows 96.6 FM on the banner display when in the EC Box.
- Thread starter
- #164
1- I've had my screen go blank a few times, but while in EC mode. The only fix has been to shut the car off and start it back up again. This hasn't happened for quite a while now. I actually rarely use the OEM mode at this point, so it's certainly possible it's more of a problem that most of us just haven't noticed.
2- I have similar issues with some CarPlay apps. SiriusXM seems to be a troublesome one. Sometimes, the SiriusXM app will start playing the last station I was listening to once CarPlay finishes starting up. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes my favorites come up blank. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for the favorites to come up. The recently played list rarely has the most recent station I was listening to in the list. I sometimes have to manually launch the app on the iPhone to get it to work in CarPlay. I suspect this isn't an EC issue.
3- That one is really weird, though relatively harmless, I suppose.
The unit is definitely nice to have and works pretty well overall, but it isn't without quirks. I'm still tempted to go all in on a Tesla style full replacement of the OEM display and head unit at some point, but I'm still waiting to see others try it out longish term on a newer LC as I don't want to be the first one.
Thanks for the reply Geoff. I too am not a big fan of the XM App on this unit but it’s pretty much my only interaction with it. I experience the same behavior as you.
I’ve learned to just use the steering wheel controls to change the OEM source to XM while in CarPlay and use the info display in the center of the cluster no navigate.
I’ve learned to just use the steering wheel controls to change the OEM source to XM while in CarPlay and use the info display in the center of the cluster no navigate.
Just installed this EC Unit on my new 2021 LC200. Super happy with the vehicle overall but clearly confused about the lack of native CarPlay. But I knew it before buying it. I’m hoping the new Lexus LX600s can win me over. This thread has been awesome so thank you to everyone contributing.
- Thread starter
- #167
Welcome to the club (both owning a LC and the EC unit). Let us know if you have any questions.
I also wanted to post an update on my mobile cellular hotspot solution that gives the EC unit an Internet connection without having to use the personal hotspot on the phone (which isn't available simultaneously with wireless CarPlay).
I had been using a Verizon mobile hotspot plan that is supposed to be 50% off if a phone on the account is on the Do More Unlimited plan. After several months of calling Verizon support to figure out why I've been getting charged full price for the plan without any success, I finally sent an email to a few of their executives and got a phone call from someone in their office on the next business day. Props for the quick response, but the answer was mind numbing.
The Verizon website BYOD (bring your own device) page asks you to enter the IMEI of the device you want to use. When I initially did that to activate my device, it told me the device was compatible and gave me the list of plans I could choose. The list included the 50% off options that can ONLY be purchased if a phone is on the Do More Unlimited plan, which more than suggests that the plan should be 50% off. The guy who called me back told me that my device (and presumably similar devices from companies like PepLink) shows up as something other than a mobile hotspot (essentially a device designed for low data usage, such as for a remote weather station to report the weather info), isn't a Verizon Certified device (saying I need to get the manufacturer to go through a certification process), and isn't eligible for the 50% off. I asked the obvious questions of why the BYOD page gave it the thumbs up, why their own site allows me to select mobile hotspot plans, and if he could give me the brand and model number of at least 1 Verizion Certified device. He couldn't answer any of those questions, including saying there are no certified devices (PepLink has a list of certified devices on their site and I don't believe they're lying about it). They did ultimately give me a credit for the 50% discount I should have been receiving and offered me a credit of 50% for the next 6 months, but I rejected that 6 month credit as it would leave me where I was 6 months down the road.
My main beef is that their website gives the green light and allows selection of the 50% off plans - if the BYOD page gave something like a yellow status saying "your device will work on our network, but doesn't qualify for discounts", that would have been perfectly fine. So I canceled my mobile hotspot plan with Verizon.
So I decided to give AT&T a try. I went to the local store and they gave me a prepaid SIM card at no charge, then I signed up online for their 20GB / month 12 month plan for $300 for the year (so $25 per month). It activated on my mobile hotspot without any issues and at least in the area I live in, I'm getting a better signal in my initial tests (at home and at a few local parking lots while running errands), and there aren't any shenanigans regarding discounts. Their website did have a snafu in that it initially signed me up for a different plan than I had selected, so I needed to spend some time on the phone with customer support to switch, but they did get it resolved.
- Thread starter
- #170
Yes, there's only 1 WiFi radio in the EC unit, but that's not the only way it can get a connection to the Internet
. I've got an Ethernet to USB adapter plugged into one of the EC unit's USB ports and an Ethernet cable between that and the mobile hotspot (which has 4 Ethernet ports). By doing this, the EC Android unit can have Internet access while the zlink application simultaneously uses the WiFi radio for the wireless CarPlay connection. This allows you to freely go in and out of CarPlay while simultaneously using Android apps that need Internet access. I've got a post somewhere further up that explains my setup in more detail with links to Ethernet to USB adapters that are known to work with the EC unit.
- Thread starter
- #171
You may not have enough posts to be able to edit yet, but at the bottom of your post, you should see some links for "Report", "Edit", and "Delete" once you do have enough posts. This one is different enough from the other question that it's probably best to have asked separately anyway.
Hmm, I'm not sure what could be causing that to happen unless your audio mode on the head unit is set to something other than AUX. Do music apps work OK in CarPlay?
Music is working perfectly. I know sometimes there are different volume levels based on what is playing. I'll try to turn it up when I know she's giving directions. I'll look into your hotspot idea because I have a MoFi router for my RV (takes up to 2 sims and a USB) but it also has a WAN and 4 LAN ports. Its wonderful for the trailer. I also already have some USB LAN adapters, so I'll give that a try as well for fun lol.
Thank you!
- Thread starter
- #173
Yeah, it could possibly be different volume levels base on what's playing, but I don't recall anyone else running into a problem with that yet. If/when you figure it out, please post the solution.
Since you already have the router available, it definitely makes sense to experiment with it a bit. I have mine mounted in the compartment in the cargo area that's intended for a first aid kit, hardwired for switched ignition power, and I ran a network cable from that location the compartment under the glovebox in the front where the Ethernet to USB adapter and 1 of the EC unit USB ports is located. I've also got a USB flash drive (for music and map storage) and wireless keyboard dongle (a wireless keyboard makes some of the activities much easier in the Android apps versus using the keyboard on the screen) hooked up there. I routed the other EC unit USB port to stick out at the far edge of the passenger side under the glovebox so I have easy access if I want to temporarily hook up a USB device.
Something I have not yet been able to get working is being able to use the VeePeak WiFi OBD-II scan tool concurrently with CarPlay - I haven't found a WiFi to USB adapter I can get working with it. I would ideally like to find a way to get the VeePeak to connected on the Mofi's network so that CarPlay, Internet, and the OBD-II dongle can all be used at the same time. Unfortunately, there's no access on the VeePeak to assign it an IP address to have it show up as a client device on the network that I can figure out as the VeePeak essentially wants to be the router with its own isolated network.
Did you tap into something else for ignition power or run it to ACC behind the head unit? I have a normal 110v outlet adapter, 12v cig type adapter, but also just recently found a hardwire adapter with an inline fuse, so I could tap into the ignition power, just trying to figure out where would be easiest. The routing of the cable is an easy enough one as I love thin CAT6, for instance, Ubiquiti and other companies make them so thin now, very easy to run in a vehicle.
I'll work on the mapping problem later today.
I'll work on the mapping problem later today.
- Thread starter
- #175
I used an add-a-fuse (rather than using one of those taps that widens the gap in the factory fuse connector) in the passenger side fuse box (under the glovebox) to get an ignition feed. I ran a wire from that along with the network cable to the cargo area to provide power for the Mofi unit (I also purchased their 12V voltage limiter as it seemed like cheap insurance to protect against any power spikes and also made the wiring a little cleaner). I also previously ran 2 8 gauge wires from the battery (fused at the battery) to the cargo area to run power for some 12V power ports and USB ports that are installed in the little panels that normally contain the releases for the 3rd row seats (each power port has an inline fuse in addition to the bigger fuse at the battery end). There are other threads on mud that cover running wiring from the battery to the cargo area and I posted pictures of how I installed the power ports in one of them.
Great idea on the fuse box, I'll probably do the same. Great location for the Mofi too, (they have a new 5g version....).
The navigation problem was exactly that. The volume while giving directions was basically zero. Got that sorted now.
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- #177
I considered getting the 5G version of the Mofi, but those models are quite a bit bigger than the 4500 4G routers and probably wouldn't fit in the same location. I can't really think of anything I would want to use on the EC unit that would benefit from the faster speeds (which often aren't even available anyway, especially when you get outside the city areas). So I decided it made sense to hold off on 5G for now. If I change my mind and want to get 5G right now, I would probably go with the Netgear MR5100 that AT&T uses. It has a single LAN port that could be used for the EC unit connection, and can be used without the battery (which I would prefer to not leave inside the LC all the time in hot and cold weather) and get power via USB C, so I would just need to wire up an ignition switched USB C port near it.
Cool - glad it was that simple
.
Just to update my recent issues with Waze: if I launch from the iphone before connecting to CarPlay it works every time. EC box or our Highlander with OEM CarPlay.
With the most recent iOS update yesterday (15.02) which was to fix audio apps launching on CarPlay Waze works every time from the EC box or the Highlander. XM opens now too. No need to launch before connecting.
With the most recent iOS update yesterday (15.02) which was to fix audio apps launching on CarPlay Waze works every time from the EC box or the Highlander. XM opens now too. No need to launch before connecting.
- Thread starter
- #179
I had been holding off a bit on upgrading to iOS 15, but this feedback may result in me upgrading sooner than later
. Thanks Dom!
I may have missed it...what do I need USB 1 for if USB 2 is for CarPlay/Android? Just need to know how accessible to make USB 1. Thanks