Tesla head unit install (pre2016 LC) - first impressions and a couple bugs to figure out

[greynolds]

After getting my OBDFusion all set up on the head unit, I decided to see if I could fix my Apple Car Play. CarPlay would work via ZLink app but it wasn't stable. After a few hours of use (as in road trip) the controls would get laggy and it would eventually lock up completely. I posted about this above and on the PX6 FB Group and Sergey suggested that I just reinstall ZLink as it is usually very stable. So I deleted the Zlink app from the HU and downloaded/installed Zlink from Play Store but the current version of ZLink is different from what had been installed on my EC Offroad HU. It doesn't work at all. Also the Car Audio icon at the top of the HU used to just open ZLink but now doesn't do anything.

I sent an email to EC Offroad telling them what I had done and asking them how to fix it. The response is not as helpful as I had hoped. They said "Will need to come back to us and we will have to build a app for it for you." Ugh. Previously they had to "build a new MCU file" for me and it took weeks but they at least sent it. There is no way I'm sending the unit back to them in Australia. I'll try to get something better out of them but I'll likely just forget about CarPlay. I haven't tried to use it since last July anyway (because it would lock up) plus I don't like most of the CarPlay driver friendly app versions.

I would like to upgrade to Sergey's firmware but I'm just afraid there will be some glitch with something EC Offroad has done to the unit or other operating files that will break things or brick the unit. This is just more of the same "love/hate" relationship I have with this HU.

Try installing the Zlink app apk file from here:

T-Style Apps - LinksWell, Inc.

Below are all the system applications that come loaded to your T-Style from the factory as well as some fun 3rd party applications that might enhance your

www.linkswellinc.com

The EC Off-road guys should know about the availability of these apk files and this is one of the reasons why I bypassed them for the T-style unit.

To improve wireless CarPlay by a huge margin, I’m using an Ottocast wireless CarPlay adapter intended for OEM CarPlay that plugs into the wired CarPlay port. It made a huge improvement for me.

Amazon product ASIN B09Q65SX47
You end up pairing the iPhone to the Ottocast instead of Zlink. It also has the added benefit that you no longer use the head unit’s Bluetooth or WiFi for wireless CarPlay.

 

[kcjaz]

Try installing the Zlink app apk file from here:

T-Style Apps - LinksWell, Inc.

Below are all the system applications that come loaded to your T-Style from the factory as well as some fun 3rd party applications that might enhance your

www.linkswellinc.com

The EC Off-road guys should know about the availability of these apk files and this is one of the reasons why I bypassed them for the T-style unit.

To improve wireless CarPlay by a huge margin, I’m using an Ottocast wireless CarPlay adapter intended for OEM CarPlay that plugs into the wired CarPlay port. It made a huge improvement for me.

Amazon product ASIN B09Q65SX47
You end up pairing the iPhone to the Ottocast instead of Zlink. It also has the added benefit that you no longer use the head unit’s Bluetooth or WiFi for wireless CarPlay.

Thanks. I need to decide how motivated I really am to get CarPlay. At this point, the APK file can’t “not work” anymore than what I have….

The Ottocast thing looks like the best solution. It’s been a while but I don’t recall any “wired CarPlay” port on the HU. Got a pic by chance?

 

[poppe]

Not sure if mentioned but on the Tesla headunit facebook group, there is a "Sergei" firmware update that essentially corrects almost every bug people have out there. I've never tried it as I don't own one, but its mentioned consistently enough that it'd be the first thing I do when I do eventually get one.

 

[greynolds]

Thanks. I need to decide how motivated I really am to get CarPlay. At this point, the APK file can’t “not work” anymore than what I have….

The Ottocast thing looks like the best solution. It’s been a while but I don’t recall any “wired CarPlay” port on the HU. Got a pic by chance?

Installing the APK file should be pretty easy. Copy it to a USB drive, plug it into a USB port on the headunit, open the Files app, find the APK, tap the APK to open it and say "yes" / "ok" and what ever other affirmatives are needed to give it permission to install. The first time you run it, you'll need to have Internet available so it can activate the license. You will probably also need to give the Zlink app some elevated permissions to access GPS, etc. (it should ask for them when you run it the first time). Once activated, you won't need to have Internet access available in order to run it.

At least on mine (keeping in mind that we may have slightly different hardware since mine is for a 2020), there are 2 USB ports. One is labelled "OTG" - that's the one the Ottocast (or your iPhone if you just want to use wired CarPlay) would connect to. You still need Zlink running on the head unit as the host for the Ottocast device to connect to (Zlink essentially makes the Ottocast think it's connecting to OEM CarPlay).

 

[kcjaz]

Not sure if mentioned but on the Tesla headunit facebook group, there is a "Sergei" firmware update that essentially corrects almost every bug people have out there. I've never tried it as I don't own one, but its mentioned consistently enough that it'd be the first thing I do when I do eventually get one.

yes, I'm well aware of Sergey. He's super nice and responsive to questions. Plenty have used his firmware but I haven't found anyone who has used his firmware with an EC Offroad HU. EC sure seems to have done some things that the Phoenix units don't. Expect for Apple Car Play, my HU works pretty good. Like I said above, I'm afraid of unintended problems associated with the EC unit.

I'd love to hear from anyone who has upgraded to Sergey's firmware on pre 2016 LC, with an EC Offroad PX6 unit.

 

[kcjaz]

Installing the APK file should be pretty easy. Copy it to a USB drive, plug it into a USB port on the headunit, open the Files app, find the APK, tap the APK to open it and say "yes" / "ok" and what ever other affirmatives are needed to give it permission to install. The first time you run it, you'll need to have Internet available so it can activate the license. You will probably also need to give the Zlink app some elevated permissions to access GPS, etc. (it should ask for them when you run it the first time). Once activated, you won't need to have Internet access available in order to run it.

At least on mine (keeping in mind that we may have slightly different hardware since mine is for a 2020), there are 2 USB ports. One is labelled "OTG" - that's the one the Ottocast (or your iPhone if you just want to use wired CarPlay) would connect to. You still need Zlink running on the head unit as the host for the Ottocast device to connect to (Zlink essentially makes the Ottocast think it's connecting to OEM CarPlay).

View attachment 3216588

I'm pretty sure that I only have one USB port on the back of the HU. They provided a splitter that gives me two USBs but they both connect to the same USB port on the back.

 

[greynolds]

Not sure if mentioned but on the Tesla headunit facebook group, there is a "Sergei" firmware update that essentially corrects almost every bug people have out there. I've never tried it as I don't own one, but its mentioned consistently enough that it'd be the first thing I do when I do eventually get one.

Sergei's firmware does fix a lot of problems and also adds a TON of new features. He just added a feature that can turn the heated steering wheel on when you start the car. That's something one would want to turn back off in the summer, obviously, but just an example of some of the features he has added. If one searches through that Facebook group, there are a few posts that list all the features - it's a pretty long list. He's also incredibly helpful spending time to help people with problems. He spent several hours with me one night helping me do a full factory reset of my head unit to resolve reboot issues - it's a relatively complicated procedure because some licenses need to be regenerated, which required sending some files back and forth. The $100 investment for his product is well worth it IMHO.

 

[greynolds]

I'm pretty sure that I only have one USB port on the back of the HU. They provided a splitter that gives me two USBs but they both connect to the same USB port on the back.

I would be shocked if EC didn't include support for wired CarPlay. If you turn off Bluetooth on your iPhone and plug it into the head unit's USB port, you'll know for sure.

 

[kcjaz]

I would be shocked if EC didn't include support for wired CarPlay. If you turn off Bluetooth on your iPhone and plug it into the head unit's USB port, you'll know for sure.

they did, and it worked (well sort of). I'm just saying all I did to use it was connect the iphone to one of the two USB connectors that ultimately ran to a single USB on the back of the HU.

 

[kcjaz]

My Google maps occasionally goes all black rendering it useless. Shutting the ignition off and restarting fixes it but that isn't always convenient. Hitting the reset button also fixes by forcing a hard boot but I hate doing that. I get a lot of load pops like I'm unplugging and replugging speaker or amplifier wires. As I have set Googlemaps as my default nav app, I don't know how to kill it and restart it. Anyone experience this?

 

[kcjaz]

Another thing I can't figure out is how to move/relocate app icons. I think it should be just a press and hold, then drag operation but holding a button press just brings up a "do you want to delete app" dialog with the only choices being OK or cancle.

 

[kcjaz]

third question, which I have asked before but not ever seen a reply, is there anyone out there there with an EC Offroad HU that has successfully installed Sergey's firmware? I want to do this but I currently don't have the guts to do it as I'm afraid of hidden EC Offroad customizations that won't play nice with Sergey's firmware.

 

[greynolds]

My Google maps occasionally goes all black rendering it useless. Shutting the ignition off and restarting fixes it but that isn't always convenient. Hitting the reset button also fixes by forcing a hard boot but I hate doing that. I get a lot of load pops like I'm unplugging and replugging speaker or amplifier wires. As I have set Googlemaps as my default nav app, I don't know how to kill it and restart it. Anyone experience this?

There should be a few "buttons" at the top of the screen, one of which will show a scrolling list of the current running apps. Just find the offending app and click the X at the top right of it to kill that app. Then re-open the app.

Another thing I can't figure out is how to move/relocate app icons. I think it should be just a press and hold, then drag operation but holding a button press just brings up a "do you want to delete app" dialog with the only choices being OK or cancle.

Touch and hold works on mine, but yours may have a different launcher app running.

third question, which I have asked before but not ever seen a reply, is there anyone out there there with an EC Offroad HU that has successfully installed Sergey's firmware? I want to do this but I currently don't have the guts to do it as I'm afraid of hidden EC Offroad customizations that won't play nice with Sergey's firmware.

I have a hunch you aren't going to find someone if you haven't yet. I really REALLY doubt that EC Offroad has any special stuff that you'll care about losing. Stuff like the HVAC controls, backup cameras, apps you use, etc. should all continue to work. If they installed a different app launcher, you might lose that, but ultimately it is just an app, so should still be there. Installing his stuff isn't the equivalent of re-installing the operating system from scratch. It's more akin to installing a Windows update, so you might find some settings get changed and some features change, but the important stuff will still be there.

 

[kcjaz]

There should be a few "buttons" at the top of the screen, one of which will show a scrolling list of the current running apps. Just find the offending app and click the X at the top right of it to kill that app. Then re-open the app.


Touch and hold works on mine, but yours may have a different launcher app running.


I have a hunch you aren't going to find someone if you haven't yet. I really REALLY doubt that EC Offroad has any special stuff that you'll care about losing. Stuff like the HVAC controls, backup cameras, apps you use, etc. should all continue to work. If they installed a different app launcher, you might lose that, but ultimately it is just an app, so should still be there. Installing his stuff isn't the equivalent of re-installing the operating system from scratch. It's more akin to installing a Windows update, so you might find some settings get changed and some features change, but the important stuff will still be there.

That icon on the top to see all active apps is there but it didn’t show the nav as an app. However after rebooting it is there so I either didn’t see it or something glitchy was happening.

You are probably right about Sergey’s firmware. It’s just things like my head unit needing a special version of Zlink that only EC Offroad has (but won’t give me) spook me. Simply deleting Zlink to try reloading it to fix buggy CarPlay resulted in no CarPlay. And no, I never tried the APK file as I just didn’t want CarPlay enough to keep messing with it. I admit some of this is me and my willingness to mess with it and risk breaking stuff that works.

 

[linuxgod]

That icon on the top to see all active apps is there but it didn’t show the nav as an app. However after rebooting it is there so I either didn’t see it or something glitchy was happening.

You are probably right about Sergey’s firmware. It’s just things like my head unit needing a special version of Zlink that only EC Offroad has (but won’t give me) spook me. Simply deleting Zlink to try reloading it to fix buggy CarPlay resulted in no CarPlay. And no, I never tried the APK file as I just didn’t want CarPlay enough to keep messing with it. I admit some of this is me and my willingness to mess with it and risk breaking stuff that works.

Is the OS for the unit on an SD card inside the device or is it soldered to the board? If it’s removable, pull it and clone it, then work off the clone so you can always go back.

 

[kcjaz]

Is the OS for the unit on an SD card inside the device or is it soldered to the board? If it’s removable, pull it and clone it, then work off the clone so you can always go back.

There is an internal hard drive. Not on SD.

 

[linuxgod]

Either way if it’s removable you can clone it. You’d need to pull apart the dash and then open up the unit which would be a PITA, but you’d be able to get a bit-for-bit backup

 

[kcjaz]

I just noticed that Phoenix is now selling Sergey's firmware from their web site.

 

[sadovnik]

I just noticed that Phoenix is now selling Sergey's firmware from their web site.
View attachment 3267304

They've had it for a few months now.

 

[greynolds]

They have also been listing it with newer units that his firmware doesn't work on yet, so be careful...