EC Offroad CarPlay Solutions For 2016+ 200 Series LC (3 Viewers)

[DomSmith]

I tested some of the AV interface stuff this evening and here are some preliminary findings:

With OEM Source set to AUX upfront and the CarPlay app running with Waze on the screen and Apple Music playing through the factory speakers I get the following...

Rear screen sources:

-HDMI: Works. Audio to wireless headsets and video to screens via HDMI cable to iPad.

-DVD: Works. Video from OEM head unit to rear screens and audio to wireless headsets.

REAR AV: NOTHING

AV: UPDATE: Withe rear screens connected properly this source displays the video and audio that is on the front screen. Netflix and CarPlay confirmed. I will test others. Gets no video but audio of what’s on front when OEM head unit on AUX. (If Netflix is playing up front you get the audio on wireless headsets).

These other Sources operate as they should per the Toyota NAV manual. None of these sources can be used in the rear if the front is using a different source:

BLUETOOTH: STATES SELECT ‘speaker output” to use.

USB: STATES SELECT ‘speaker output” to use.

SAT: STATES SELECT ‘speaker output” to use.

AM: STATES SELECT ‘speaker output” to use.

FM: STATES SELECT ‘speaker output” to use.

APPS: STATES SELECT ‘speaker output” to use.

AUX: STATES SELECT ‘speaker output” to use.

Any time I change the speaker output on the rear screens it changes the front output. This is normal behavior per the NAV manual.

Definitely not getting any video sources from the EC unit on the rear screens. Now I’m wondering if I ever really did get Netflix and was mistaken. EDIT: Obviously at this point it's clear that I was sniffing glue. Video now working once the correct connections were made.

Hope this helps provide some info for inquiring minds.

 

[RobRed]

Time to remove those rear screens - problem solved.

 

[greynolds]

Time to remove those rear screens - problem solved.

What rear screens; HE's don't get no stinkin rear screens...

Just to keep things current, EC Offroad sent me something to try for the CarPlay issue over the weekend. It didn't solve the problem, but it shows that they're taking the issue seriously. I also had a message from them yesterday morning apologizing that it isn't resolved yet, but ensuring me that they're still working on it. To me, this is extremely encouraging that they'll get the CarPlay and HVAC issues resolved.

The update procedure is pretty simple. You switch to Android mode, make sure you have a WiFi connection, then go to the App Launcher page and choose Settings > Application Upgrade > enter password (I'm not going to share the password on a public forum unless EC Offroad says it's OK to do so). At this point, you're presented with a list of available updates and simply select the app upgrade that you've been instructed to install. The process to install an update took something like 2 minutes, including the time to download the update.

 

[greynolds]

I received a 2nd update for fixing the CarPlay audio issue from @EC OFFROAD early this morning. I have only had time to run a quick test so far, but the fix looks good this time. I have asked if it's OK to share the procedure for installing the fix here or if I should direct people to contact them for the instructions.

 

[RobRed]

What rear screens; HE's don't get no stinkin rear screens...

Though true HE's do not have rear screens I replied to @DomSmith who said:

Any time I change the speaker output on the rear screens it changes the front output.

 

[greynolds]

Though true HE's do not have rear screens I replied to @DomSmith who said:

Yeah, I get it, I was just trying to add a little levity... I guess it's a good thing my day job isn't as a stand up comedian.

 

[DomSmith]

Well I just pulled my truck apart again and unless I’m drunk, blind, stupid (maybe) or just plain inept there are no RCA connectors to be found. I even put a small snake camera in there to look around.

I sent an email to ECOR. It’s early morning there so I’ll update when I hear back. I will say they have been responsive and they even have both phone numbers listed on the unit. Hopefully there’s a solution.

In the meantime my truck is back together again. I feel like every time I open this up I’m risking more scratches/damage.


EDIT: Maybe the OZ spec trucks have RCA? Seems unlikely.

 

[DomSmith]

OK I am that stupid.

The RCA is the one yellow RCA coming out of the EC harness and goes into the connector coming off the box.

I was looking for OEM harness RCA’s.

Wow. What a dip****. I’ll update the install thread.

Thanks to @psnyman for sending the photo he received from EC.

 

[greynolds]

OK I am that stupid.

The RCA is the one yellow RCA coming out of the EC harness and goes into the connector coming off the box.

I was looking for OEM harness RCA’s.

Wow. What a dips***. I’ll update the install thread.

Thanks to @psnyman for sending the photo he received from EC.

I'll update the first post with the details on this once they're clear to me as the exact connection at the box side hasn't been clear from the info I've been provided with to date and it seems like 3 of us have been confused about the correct connection until now.

So the RCA connector on the main thick harness that's labeled "V-IN" connects to the connector labeled "V-OUT" on the DTV/V bundle? I'm guessing that's got to be correct, because the EC guys had mentioned using the DTV/V bundle. If that connection is only required for rear screen functionality, I'm not going to bother to connect the DTV/V bundle at all unless I need it for something later (at which point I'll open things up again and connect it then) it as it won't do anything for me.

 

[DomSmith]

Here’s the pics supplied by EC....

Thanks to @psnyman for the pics from EC.

Makes perfect sense now. I was thrown off by the supplied white RCA cable and the assumption that I would find an RCA on the OEM harness.

One single yellow RCA connector from the supplied main EC harness connects to supplied white RCA cable and goes into one of the yellow RCA cables into the EC Box. Not sure how I missed it. Doh!

I’ll update the install thread tonight once I have it all working.

 

[FerrisBueller]

Whoa, not obvious at all! I looked over the instructions you posted during your installation, and it doesn't show that connection or have any text referring to it! Looking forward to hearing how well this unit functions / multitasks with the rear screens.

 

[greynolds]

Whoa, not obvious at all! I looked over the instructions you posted during your installation, and it doesn't show that connection or have any text referring to it! Looking forward to hearing how well this unit functions / multitasks with the rear screens.

It is referred to in the last paragraph on page 2 of the PDF instructions, but it isn’t well worded at all.

 

[DomSmith]

Just finished the video cable install...

Netflix.

 

[brasskey]

Just finished the video cable install...

Netflix.

View attachment 2409854

When you play Netflix on the rear screens does passenger select AUX? So, can other screen be on HDMI?

 

[DomSmith]

I have not messed with this at all yet. But the SOURCE in the rear is set to AV. That gets audio and video. I imagine since it’s running on Android you wouldn’t have controls from the rear like you do with DISC. Or whatever device you have plugged into HDMI but I can’t confirm that yet.

I’ll try some testing tomorrow.

 

[psnyman]

I have not messed with this at all yet. But the SOURCE in the rear is set to AV. That gets audio and video. I imagine since it’s running on Android you wouldn’t have controls from the rear like you do with DISC. Or whatever device you have plugged into HDMI but I can’t confirm that yet.

I’ll try some testing tomorrow.

Thanks for leading this Dom

 

[FerrisBueller]

This is all good stuff, thanks for investigating. If support from EC and debug updates keeps advancing like this, then I might be convinced to go ahead and purchase before my road trip at the end of September.

 

[DomSmith]

OK guys I updated the install thread and some of the AV Source info above. Geoff, you got it on the connections listed above.

I was also able to perform the NAV voice update that EC provided to @greynolds via the Android environment. Easy peasy and working now with no cutoff voice.

Now that the rear screen fiasco is behind us, and Geoff got a fix for the voice cutout I'm happy that I can concentrate on functional tests.

I can tell you I already like the option of the stand alone Android environment for playing music etc without a phone and for Torque Pro.

 

[greynolds]

OK guys I updated the install thread and some of the AV Source info above. Geoff, you got it on the connections listed above.

I was also able to perform the NAV voice update that EC provided to @greynolds via the Android environment. Easy peasy and working now with no cutoff voice.

Now that the rear screen fiasco is behind us, and Geoff got a fix for the voice cutout I'm happy that I can concentrate on functional tests.

I can tell you I already like the option of the stand alone Android environment for playing music etc without a phone and for Torque Pro.

I agree with your assessment. I'm hoping they can fix the HVAC issues that are listed in the known issues list in the first post, but otherwise, this is a really nice solution. Given the quick turnaround for the CarPlay audio issue, I'm reasonably confident they will get the HVAC issue resolved, but it's going to take some time since the issue appears to be isolated to USA spec Land Cruisers, which will make troubleshooting more difficult for them.

The standalone Android environment is almost perfect on its own without the need to use CarPlay. The main limitation is that some of the native Android apps, such as Google Maps, don't have a driving friendly user interface (think simplified user interface and big buttons).

I attempted to try Android Auto with my Samsung Galaxy S8 (which is an "extra" phone I bring with me primarily when traveling) yesterday afternoon, but it wouldn't "pair" with the EC Offroad device (I plugged a USB > USB-C cable into the same USB port I'm using for CarPlay). I'm not sure if I was doing something wrong on the phone or on the EC Offroad side. The S8 has Android 9, so I had to install the standalone Android Auto app. I'll play around with this some more, but it looks like it's possible to just run Android Auto on the phone itself and get the simplified UI for supported apps, so it may be possible to install the Android Auto app directly on the EC Offroad device and then use Google Maps within that. I may have time to experiment with this some this afternoon.

 

[psnyman]

Any further news on Bluetooth?