fgarcor

I totally agree with you, the format is much better with 9.33". And this applies not only to Android auto. Also Spotify has too much gap. And the Google maps in the unit V2 doesn't hide the taskbar, and the bottom because of the low resolution is to thick. So that leaves very little space in the middle to see the maps.

I am looking for a second solution that is why I was considering a box like from sardincar that uses the original system and displays only carplay or Android Auto, No Touch Screen. Or even the 9.33" display, but it is hard to justify another 450€. But I have to admit that the launcher is much better than on my V2.

Where can you configure the button to use for Google assistant? Mine can skip the songs just by pressing the rotary knob long to the right or left, but nothing else.

Christion

Yes, for multiple reasons. With the dongle you can plug in your phone and android auto automatically starts on the screen. You don't need limited data hotspot, and you don't have to switch between apps while you're driving. If you use the android auto app from the play store, you lose the phone function of android auto, although if you have your phone connected to your car via bluetooth, you can still answer the call with your steering wheel or the screen's custom phone app. The main navigation bar that's usually on the bottom is on the far right when you use AA as an app through the play store (this might be good if you're in certain countries). Finally, with the dongle you can now program buttons to skip songs, activate google voice, etc.

The dongle fully uses android auto and replicates the real android auto experience if you had it as a stock option in any car.

Christion

You press settings on the top left of the CarPlay apk app. At the bottom you'll see an option to update the app and the box on the bottom left and right sides. You have to have the screen connected to the internet. The new update will have a setting called "key learning".

fgarcor

True! I just saw it! Awesome

The only thing that is missing is to be able to use the rotary knob to move through all the items. That way in the road there is no need to reach to the screen.

Oh wait! I just realised that if you program the left, right, up and down keys you can basically go almost everywhere. Very nice.

Christion

Yes, you could rotate left and right for left and right movements, and push upward and backward for up and down movements, and maybe push left for skipping a song and push right for bringing up google voice. The only problem I have is that if I directly push down on the command knob, the second confirmation push takes me to the home screen of the unit. That takes away the last option for a "select" button, so something has to be given up or maybe there's another button I haven't tried.

ShakyTom

Does anyone with a 9 incher have the latest software version? Have seen it running on some of the 10 inch screens but haven't seen anyone with it on the 9 yet.

(the latest has icons for "NTG MODE" and "Apps" is on the first page)

fgarcor

Unfortunately for me it didn't detect the up and down from the rotary knob. But it had preprogrammed the right and left. I managed to programme rotate right and left, and associated back button to trigger Google assistant.
I have seen what you mentioned with the select button, but I managed to work it around by pressing the knob once, then touching the screen on the select button and pressing the knob for the second time. That way it takes it.

Which screen do you have?

Christion

I have the 9.33" screen. I worked around the select button issue by pressing select on the touchpad instead of the rotary knob. Now select works with the rotary knob as well. I am able to navigate left, right, up, down and I'm able to select things.

I prefer to use the rotary knob to play/pause music, skip songs, and activate the Google assistant. Google assistant can switch stations on pandora and start navigation, so there's not usually a need to touch the screen much anyways. I find the non touch option too tedious and time consuming.

Christion

I have an MCU and APP update from my seller. I haven't been able to apply the APP update so far and they aren't responding right now. I asked for this update because I don't have mph and Fahrenheit options. If your screen already has the option to change those settings in the "individuation" menu, this update wouldn't do anything for you. It would be awesome if you need this update, because maybe you could understand their installation instructions or have enough software experience to know how to install it.

ShakyTom

I do already have those options, so probably no use to me

I am a software developer by trade, but I wouldn't want to take the risk and possibly advise you wrongly, bricking your screen. The Chinese often have their own (usually ghetto) way of doing things.

Christion

Why does that not surprise me, lol. My best friend is a programmer, so hopefully he can help me the next time we hang out unless the seller actually decides to help me. It's such a shame that we have to resort to these kinds of things just for a good infotainment system. If only I didn't love the way these cars look with the amg styling.

fgarcor

I can describe here how to update the 10.25" because I had to do it. Idon't think there would be much difference though.

1.UI upgrade method (4G奔驰UI02-2-国外-1280x480_v25_20181029.zip):
1, format the SD card, extract the file, and test the two files 3562.bin/3562.upd into the root directory of the formatted SD card.
2. After power off, insert the SD card of the test software into the SD card port of the machine (the SD card is on the card slot on the right side of the screen)
3, plug in the SD card after power-on, click reset hole and restart, the machine will automatically upgrade.it will automatically restart after the upgrade, then pull out the card and click the reset hole again, waiting for the machine to start OK.

2.MCU upgrade method (ts24x.bin):
1. Format the SD card, copy the file ts70.bin to the root catalog of the formatted USB, find the machine settings - version information - there is a small icon in the upper right corner, enter the password 0 click OK, upgrade.after upgrade，take off sd card.

3.CAN upgrade method as pictures attached (can_app.bin):
Copy the file name can_app.bin the SD card.，and then follow picture “CAN upgrade”.


One more question about the 9.33" display, if you don't mind. I have seen that there is no GPS or WiFi or 3G/4G cable connections to the back of the 9.33" screen. Is that right? if so, how is the GPS reception? Do you know where does it get the signal from? I think nobody has tried the 3G/4G sim card slot, yet, right?

Christion

There is a gps and 4g hookup on the back. It looks different with this screen. My gps works fine and I have the antenna under the dashboard speaker cover. I haven't tried a sim card and I haven't heard of anyone else doing it. There isn't much info out there for the 9.33" because the 10.25" blew up on YouTube, and the 10.25" screen has a better design and much better software update support. The 10.25" screen is great, android auto not supporting widescreen isn't so great.

ShakyTom

Does anyone know what "navigation mixing" is supposed to do?

Christion

I'm pretty sure that it controls how much your navigation sounds mix with the music sounds. Instead of muting the music, it lowers the music and makes the navigation sound louder.

Christion

Has anyone tried screen mirror through wifi? My new update fixed my inability to use the screen mirror app. With screen mirror through the usb cable you can use android auto and have the sound go through the cars bluetooth hardware. With this method you can use the steering wheel to skip songs and answer/hang up calls and you don't need the carplay dongle. The problem is that the usb port from the screen slow charges. With android screen mirroring through wifi you can have your phone charging elsewhere to keep up with the screen having to be on, BUT I can't control the phone with the screen when I'm using the wifi screen mirror. Has anyone else has success with the wifi screen mirror?

My solution to the slow charging issue is to try out a usb splitter that connects to the screen's usb port for data/power and one of the cars usb ports for power only.

If Google's android auto actually supported widescreen, we wouldn't have these issues. This is the first time I find myself wanting an iPhone. They finally one upped android in my eyes.

Christion

For those who desire more charging power, I am talking about this device: HIGHROCK 30cm USB 2.0 a Power Enhancer Y 1 Female to 2 Male Data Charge Cable Extension Cord(1pc) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NIGO4NM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_H6vpCb94795D4





I am ordering this and I will try it out. I will have the power only male end connected to usb port #2 inside the center console, and I will have usb power/data male end connected to the screen. The carplay dongle, or for screen mirroring, just a usb c/micro usb cable will be plugged into the female end of the adapter. This should not only keep your phone from dying when it's plugged into the screen, but actually charge the phone.

fgarcor

I guess you have seen this video from them as well, sharing it just in case:
and check out that the SD is formatted with regular fat32, no larger than 16gb, no other files in the card, and the upgrade file is not within a folder.

Christion

Yeah I saw it. The upgrade process for the 9.33" screen is completely different. They finally replied. They gave the the wrong directions initially. They were telling me to unzip the file when it didn't need to be.

Christion

I'm actually sick of this 9.33" screen. It came broken and I had to super glue the screws in and epoxy weld the metal parts together underneath. I didn't even realize this until after it was installed and it kept rattling.

The sd slot on the left side was damaged from someone prying into it with a flathead or something. Because it's on the side and not the back, it sticks out like a huge mole and my eyes keep reverting to it lol.

There's a light spot on the screen that's really noticeable when it's a darker image. I think it's a dead pixel.

The screen still buzzes a lot and that's after I've tried so many things to help it be more stable.

To remove this screen you have to pop open the dashboard speaker cover and unscrew it. You can easily remove the 10.25" screen to add additional hardware or just replace the screen if needed.

The harness connects to the top of the back flat part of the screen assembly and it requires you to push the screen with force into the dashboard, because the harness wires stick up. On the 10.25" screen the harness connects to the back of the screen horizontally and ensures no damage to the wires.

This 9.33" screen doesn't have anywhere near the support that the 10.25" one gets from really good, responsive sellers like Carlife mall. I think that the 10.25" screen has a better design and it gets a lot of software updates. I only bought this screen because of the android auto issue on the 10.25" screen, which isn't the screen's fault. Plus you can screen mirror android auto on the 10.25" and it displays correctly, and eventually android auto is supposed to have widescreen support.

P.S. To anyone, if you get the 10.25" screen, request the harness that uses your usb port for sound instead of the bluetooth box. You should have better quality sound. You can use android auto with your phone connected to the cars bluetooth and utilize the app fully, and hang up and answer with your steering wheel.

Christion

TorbenK

10.25
It seems that the newest UI update fixes the echo in phone calls and the delay between audio and video.

4G Mercedes-Benz UI02-2-Foreign-1280x480_v35_20190104

Please contact your supplier for a copy and installation instructions ...

fgarcor

If it makes you feel any better I will let you know some of my disappointments with the 10.25" display V2. For this what you commented above I think to ask for a replacement would have been appropriate. I read that somewhere had to much Backlight-leakage and had it replaced and was much better.

This is in fact a big pain in the *** with the V2, because you have to remove first the dashboard speaker cover just to remove the OEM speaker, and then you have such a bundle of cables with the display that it is quite hard to remove or add anything afterwards, especially because the adapter has the holes for the plugs and all has to fit perfectly before you push it in. And there is a big bunch of cables and connectors to store. So for me adding or removing stuff is an expensive task.

I guess the problem comes here with the white plug, because I had expected to be easier in the 9.33" than the 10.25", as the harness is the same as the OEM one. Thanks for the info.
The support came with all the hype, but you can see there are different versions of the 10.25" display. I bought the V2 that comes with 2gb ram, because it was double than the V1 and some people complained about lack of space to store applications and being sometimes slow.
Regarding Android Auto, the V2 doesn't detect all the keys, I checked it with a key press logger and it only detects the scroll right, left and back button of the knob. That leaves me half way. Most likely a firmware update could fix it, but unless you requested directly to the manufacturer or you are a reseller with a number of customers I have little hope that it will be escalated.

Additionally on the V2, the screen is super reflective and on the day light is hard to see it well.

The launcher in the V2 looks to me like an attempt to copy the functionality of the v1 by somebody else but having reached only half of the way, icons are not OEM like, fonts are different from each other, information displayed is quite useless, and it keeps the top task bar for many applications active.

The resolution of the display, 10.25" makes many applications to display in a funny way, like Spotify does it quite good but you can see a wide gap between the cover of the current song and the next one. So a third of the display is empty on the middle.

Additionally with the current resolution, that I guess it is tied to the picture of the NTG picture by the 480 pixels, it could well do 1920x720 and be crisp (I tested it) and the Android applications display well, but the question remains what to do with the NTG picture. It would need to be escalated.

In fact when I received mine with the Bluetooth adapter I complained that the usb box was missing but they said this was the newest way of connecting to the Audio. I understand is less intrusive and ok if you just play music on it, but with Android Auto is a pain because of the 2 seconds delay.

So I would gladly go for 9.33" display because nowadays is the only retrofit that provides me with touch and knob functionality. And because of the anti glare display and because of the software.

In the V2 hidden menu there is a parameter that lets you specify the size of the display where it is running, 10, 9, etc. That means to me, they develop software and they deliver it to all the screens. But maybe it is just this V2 software. The same firmware on a 9.33" display you can see that has an ugly blue slide bar on the left side that hides the context menu with the car icon and the opened doors, the clock, etc.

So I would not recommend the 10.25" V2 2gb+32gb display either.
The support I have to admit it has been very good, but they can do what they can do only.

Christion

Thanks for the info. Fortunately the newest "4gb" 10.25" screen has the antiglare screen.

The 9.33" screen has the same harness and installation method as the 10.25" screen.

Would you mind letting me know how you changed the resolution to 1920x720? I could care less about the NTG picture because I already have the settings the way I like them. When you have the screen on that resolution, what happens when you view the NTG picture? If it's viewable and you can at least change the settings, that would be fine with me.

fgarcor

The newest 4G have the same crappy firmware as the V2 as well.
To change the resolution is quite simple, I found an article that describes all the steps for a non-root user.
https://joyofandroid.com/change-screen-resolution/
I changed it when I was testing it on a bench before installing it in the car, so I cannot tell how the NTG picture will look like, but the launcher was all messed up, background picture not fitting, the left side with the car, clock items was moved upwards...

I used it to install Google assistant that required at least 720p. Once installed it can be reverted. But I haven't had this issue again once I updated the firmware and had to reinstall everything, so I am not sure.
Basically hardware wise it has the potential but it would be better to adapt the launcher. Oh, and the launcher is not fully black in the settings for example, what makes it look, like well, pure Android.