EC Offroad CarPlay Solutions For 2016+ 200 Series LC (NEW SEPT 2020 MODEL) (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter greynolds
- Start date
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Received and installed my EC Offroad unit in my 2016 LC yesterday. Wireless Carplay works great, but I'm having issues installing and running apps. Is the Google Play app the starting point for installing new apps?
Specific issues:
tried to start Netflix - "This device is not supported by the app" - emailed EC Offroad and the reply was "This version of Netflix is no longer supported need to download a older version." So I deleted the current version of Netflix but now I can't find it on the Play store (digging in HERE to see if I can figure it out)
tried to open Chrome - "Chrome failed during startup with an unexpected error" - EC Offroad advised that it may need updating in the Play store, so I tried that, but was unsuccessful - appeared to be attempting to install the app, but never completed. I've tried this on two different wifi networks
Appreciate any tips on installing/updating/using apps - that's a big reason why I went with this unit over the Naviplus.
Thanks!
Specific issues:
tried to start Netflix - "This device is not supported by the app" - emailed EC Offroad and the reply was "This version of Netflix is no longer supported need to download a older version." So I deleted the current version of Netflix but now I can't find it on the Play store (digging in HERE to see if I can figure it out)
tried to open Chrome - "Chrome failed during startup with an unexpected error" - EC Offroad advised that it may need updating in the Play store, so I tried that, but was unsuccessful - appeared to be attempting to install the app, but never completed. I've tried this on two different wifi networks
Appreciate any tips on installing/updating/using apps - that's a big reason why I went with this unit over the Naviplus.
Thanks!
greynolds
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #23
You can download an older version of the Netflix APK file here:
You searched for netflix - APKMirror
You searched for netflix - APKMirror Free and safe Android APK downloads
www.apkmirror.com
If you can get Chrome to work, you can do it directly on the unit. Otherwise, download the APK file to a USB drive, hook the drive up to the EC unit, and then use a file manager app to find and launch the APK file to install it. It may take a few tries to find the latest version that will install.
I really do hope the device manufacturer provides updates to fix things like apps that crash or apps that won't install because the device isn't supported (most likely more about the version of Android isn't supported). This unit is really good overall, but there are a few relatively minor things that take a few points off. And I agree that the ability to install apps is THE reason to choose this over the Naviplus.
Thanks for the quick reply, very helpful and I'll format a USB flash drive (FAT32?) and try this. As of now, I can't get Chrome to work at all, hopefully I can find a version of it that will boot up on the device.
greynolds
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #27
I don't think I've installed it yet, but I'd be happy to install it and see how it goes since I have a Gaia account. I'll try to remember to do that sometime soon - if you don't hear back, give me a nudge.
One limitation with any map apps is that the 2 finger pinch gesture isn't supported by the touchscreen, so alternatives need to be available in the apps. For Google Maps, you double tap the screen, keep your finger on the screen, and slide up or down to zoom in and out. It's definitely kind of awkward while driving - I wish there was an easy way to get zoom in/out buttons to show up in the app.
Knowing you don't use Netflix because of the lack of rear screens - does your version of Netflix boot up? If so, can you tell me the version?
CharlieS
GOLD Star
Thanks! I use my phone on a suction/ram mount but the screen is too small to see (and my eyes are getting old). I'd like a full screen version of Gaia (or similar) for navigation. Google is ok for roads, but I really like the additional details (contour lines, peak names, trails) on Gaia. The rest of CarPlay is cool too, but I really want an integrated map more than anything else.
Gaia GPS works with CarPlay and Android Auto, have not tried the unit directly. Runs optimized for the screen and pattern.
greynolds
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #32
So I just checked the above items on my unit.
@CharlieS - Gaia GPS installs and appears to work just fine. I was able to login to my account without any problems and it brought in my recorded routes. But the app does have the ability to enable zoom in/out buttons for the map, it picks up the GPS signal, and scrolling around on the map works. The dark mode looks like it will work better in general as the other mode seems kind of washed out. I only played around with it for a few minutes in my driveway, so I haven't done anything resembling extensive testing. But so far, I have found that apps either crash pretty much immediately or they work just fine, so Gaia GPS is probably fine. Obviously, a cell data connection of some sort will be needed if maps aren't downloaded and downloading maps may be tedious since the car shuts itself off every ~15 minutes when in accessory mode. It would be nice if there was a way to download maps to a USB drive and then plug it in to save that hassle.
While Gaia GPS does work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, I would assume (and I could easily be wrong...) that the feature set would be cut back by quite a bit. The tradeoff, of course, will be that the user interface will be easier to use while driving.
@jwmNC - I don't have Netflix installed on mine. I'm pretty sure I uninstalled it by mistake when I first received the unit and haven't pursued figuring out which version will install as I don't really need it. My suggestion would be to download a bunch of images onto a USB drive and work your way backwards until you find one that installs. Please report back with your findings and I'll add a note to the first post.
@CharlieS - Gaia GPS installs and appears to work just fine. I was able to login to my account without any problems and it brought in my recorded routes. But the app does have the ability to enable zoom in/out buttons for the map, it picks up the GPS signal, and scrolling around on the map works. The dark mode looks like it will work better in general as the other mode seems kind of washed out. I only played around with it for a few minutes in my driveway, so I haven't done anything resembling extensive testing. But so far, I have found that apps either crash pretty much immediately or they work just fine, so Gaia GPS is probably fine. Obviously, a cell data connection of some sort will be needed if maps aren't downloaded and downloading maps may be tedious since the car shuts itself off every ~15 minutes when in accessory mode. It would be nice if there was a way to download maps to a USB drive and then plug it in to save that hassle.
While Gaia GPS does work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, I would assume (and I could easily be wrong...) that the feature set would be cut back by quite a bit. The tradeoff, of course, will be that the user interface will be easier to use while driving.
@jwmNC - I don't have Netflix installed on mine. I'm pretty sure I uninstalled it by mistake when I first received the unit and haven't pursued figuring out which version will install as I don't really need it. My suggestion would be to download a bunch of images onto a USB drive and work your way backwards until you find one that installs. Please report back with your findings and I'll add a note to the first post.
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DomSmith
SILVER Star
Sorry for the bad pic but here’s the version of Netflix that’s working on my truck...
as
Also, since I'm having trouble getting the system to install apps, how to I get the APK Installer installed?
I have been emailing with EC Offroad about this - they recommended logging out and logging back into the Play Store. Guess I'll try that as well.
Thanks! Will download that and give it a try. Have you tried downloading Netflix movies/shows to an external USB drive?
Also, since I'm having trouble getting the system to install apps, how to I get the APK Installer installed?
I have been emailing with EC Offroad about this - they recommended logging out and logging back into the Play Store. Guess I'll try that as well.
CharlieS
GOLD Star
@greynolds Thank you.
DomSmith
SILVER Star
I have not tried downloading anything to a USB. I did a quick download of a movie in my driveway on Netflix via home WIFI network and it went quickly. I also streamed Netflix via hotspot iPhone connection on a short drive for my daughter. She watched on the rear screens via HDMI and I listened to the OEM XM source. That’s about all I’ve tried.
Not a lot of driving or trips the last 6 months.
Not a lot of driving or trips the last 6 months.
greynolds
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #37
Yikes, that version of the Netflix app is from 2015 and on page 55 of 58 on the APK mirror site. If that happens to be the newest version that works, it would have taken a while to figure it out.
I'm pretty sure the EC unit comes with a file explorer app preinstalled (I can't remember for sure, because I've installed a decent number of things now). Just use that app to find the APK file, then tap on the APK file and you should be given an option to install it. It's a bit concerning that you're having so much trouble installing apps - I wonder if you have a different firmware version on the unit itself than the rest of us do.
greynolds
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #39
Something went wrong in the quotes above so I can't quote it, but some of the Android apps treat USB drives and SD cards as folders off of the main volume, so they may be hidden inside a folder rather than show up as a separate drive. If you post a picture of what you have in the file browser at the top folder level, I may be able to guide you to where the USB drives are. I'm kind of new to Android too as I've been primarily a Windows and iOS person for a long time. I've had a Samsung S8 kicking around to "play" with for a few years, but never spent much time poking around with it until I got the EC Offroad unit. But I am a software developer, so I can usually figure this stuff out if I spend some time with it (and some quality time searching on Google...).
Hopefully if more of us in the USA get these units, we'll start to get some better support for them.
Hopefully if more of us in the USA get these units, we'll start to get some better support for them.
Thanks for the offer to take a look - here's what I see in the browser inside the APK Installer:
And here's what the APK files look like in the native Files browser app - now that I look at them, they're nowhere near as large as when I downloaded them, so maybe that's part of the problem, but still doesn't explain where to find them within APK.
