Is there an alternative stand alone box for CARPLAY besides RSNAV?

[flyfishing]

I have a stand alone RSNAV box that i installed and put behind the hvac controls. It worked great till recently where the stock MMI screen views (media/radio/telephone/nav/etc) just bounces all around and I can no longer use the cameras to see.

I did some digging and it appears this occurs because LVDS decoder chip in the box is failing and thus the carplay screen passthrough works fine, but not the audi stock MMI views.

As such, I have to have this replaced.

Is there another brand stand alone box that works or do I need to now replace the screen too b/c RSNAV no longer makes it? Thanks a lot!

[Audibot]

I thought I had read they would service existing units. Have you reached out to see if they can repair?

Seicane is another brand

[WittyWookiee]

Had the exact same issues you listed with my RSNAV CarPlay box. It is in fact the LVDS decoder chip failing causing the MMI interface to flicker. Daniel Kim told me that when I reached out but he said they do not sell them anymore or fix this issue. For a time I just would press the screen down button to temporarily fix the flickering as it somehow reset the video signal. I was ultimately able to find a replacement Carplay box for cheap on eBay and no longer have the issue. All I had to do was swap the RSNAV box with the new one and solved my screen flickering. I have no clue who makes the one I bought but I’m sure any that appear similar in design to the RSNAV box and say they work for the A6 C7 should do the trick for you too.

[Botbasher]

Is there another brand stand alone box that works or do I need to now replace the screen too b/c RSNAV no longer makes it? Thanks a lot!

Lot's of them. All over AliExpress and other sites. I got mine, (standalone box type) for $240 off of AE and couldn't be happier with it!

Cheers!

KS

[Audibot]

Also OP, if your S7 is 2017 or 2018, I think there are ways to unlock OE CarPlay functionality

[WittyWookiee]

Also OP, if your S7 is 2017 or 2018, I think there are ways to unlock OE CarPlay functionality

Yes to this. Even with a 2016 C7.5 you can go to thenavman.com and purchase the update software to activate CarPlay

[flyfishing]

Had the exact same issues you listed with my RSNAV CarPlay box. It is in fact the LVDS decoder chip failing causing the MMI interface to flicker. Daniel Kim told me that when I reached out but he said they do not sell them anymore or fix this issue. For a time I just would press the screen down button to temporarily fix the flickering as it somehow reset the video signal. I was ultimately able to find a replacement Carplay box for cheap on eBay and no longer have the issue. All I had to do was swap the RSNAV box with the new one and solved my screen flickering. I have no clue who makes the one I bought but I’m sure any that appear similar in design to the RSNAV box and say they work for the A6 C7 should do the trick for you too.

I have a 2013 so no activation. I was considering buying the one with the screen, but it would be about a $1000 after install too.

I'll look for one that says c7 compatible. Kfumes -- do you have a link to what you bought?

[WittyWookiee]

Unfortunately I don’t have a link to the one I bought as the seller had taken it out of a car and was just reselling it. I do see many out there in the $225 range. Make sure to confirm you have the right MMI version as well for whichever you find.

[burlgoat53]

Definitely looking for another system other than rsnav for my 12 a7.....I'm debating on which systems are more reliable and less quirks....I expect them all to have some but don't want a pain in ass system that wastes our money

Sent from my SM-S918U using Audizine Forum mobile app

[Greenchunks]

Lot's of them. All over AliExpress and other sites. I got mine, (standalone box type) for $240 off of AE and couldn't be happier with it!

Cheers!

KS

Do you mind sharing which one you bought? With so many out there on AE, would be great knowing someone else has used it and had success.

Thanks!

[KhanBakki]

Subbing here with the same question for my 2013. I did not have a good experience with my RSNAV in my S4, and have been eyeing the Bremmen unit on ECS. It’s a bit pricier than some AE options, but it’d be covered under ECS’ Lifetime Replacement policy which sounds appealing. If anyone has experience with this unit, I’d love to hear about it, this thread seems to be an appropriate venue:

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bremmen-...1954la01-03~a/

[Botbasher]

Do you mind sharing which one you bought? With so many out there on AE, would be great knowing someone else has used it and had success.

Thanks!

Lots of success. So much so I converted my VW Sportwagen over without even a thought!!

I found it on AliExpress under the seller ZTUZAUTO. THIS GUY IS THE BOMB!!! Great customer service and SUPER quick response to questions and issues.

I'd seen the same box under other sellers but usually way more expensive. I also liked that it was a US warehouse and I got it in 5 days and didn't have to deal with customs or VAT issues! They also had a version for my sons C5 that we're interested in for him!

Here's the link... https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803794008520.html

Pros...
-Seller asks for info after sale (Car, Year, MMI version...) very involved! Wants you to get the right product for a easy install.
-Works perfect. Pretty intuitive. Multiple ways to set it up display wise. Nearly identical to the BMW version I played with (without the touch screen portion).
-Music sounds better with on-board EQ!!! I only found this after install... did not know about it prior!
-Sit down, start car and it pops up!
-All buttons retain function except the on/off knob. It turns off the MMI, but does not pause the CarPlay. Also, the OK for the Dash (Econo, Lap...) works the CarPlay AND the Dash! I'm going to ask about that and see if an update is available for that! UPDATE: He's currently working on this for me.
-MMI buttons on console jump areas on screen. Knob scrolls within window. Up/Down MMI Button move from window to window. Once learned it's VERY easy to navigate. UPDATE: If you get touchscreen versions, this is moot, but I hate fingerprints on screens, so I chose to stay knob driven! Still no regrets as I've driven a few cars with TS versions and find myself wanting a knob to scroll with!
-Has USB IN for SSD drives and such for Jukebox options within the CarPlay and firmware updates.
-Dirt Cheap. It's 33% off right now (Reg 335 Now 224)
-Works for either phone (Andy/Apple)
-Single button to bounce back and forth between MMI/CarPlay. OEM remains FULLY intact and it even interacts with it. * see cons
-After taking away the time to figure out where to hide the Big A$$ plug, the whole install took about an hour. The -instructions were pretty clear** see cons
-Everything needed supplied *** See Cons

Cons...
-** *** GET THE AMI CABLE!!! He offers it as an ASKED FOR FREEBIE, but if you don't have it, you CANNOT hear audio from the box. Took me about 2 hours of fiddling and re-reading the instructions that only passingly tell you no audio without AMI plug! I did finally, by going step by step and rereading every single statement, figure it out. That was the only install issue!
-Cables could use a little more length. The MMI plug is massive and it took a lot of figuring, cussing and a long screwdriver manipulating the plug while pushing the MMI back into place to make it all work. Take you time and go slow... it all fits! The Box ends up behind the glove box which only takes 6 bolts to remove!
-Takes a few seconds to boot as it boots the MMI, the Box, then the Carplay. about as much time as your high idle takes to drop! UPDATE: This time has gotten shorter. I think I was simply expecting it to be instant but it does take a second. That second seems nearly invisible now though. By the time I put it in drive, I'm listening to the music!
-Reverse Cams - It uses the OEM MMI interface for this if you have one. Works great, but sometimes takes a few seconds to restart the CarPlay after dropping it into D. So if you a doing a multi-point turn, it'll go back and forth a few times. Non-OEM option if you wish to add it (additional parts needed). UPDATE: Same as Boot Time. With time it seems to be much faster so it's really transparent now.
-Has gotten out of sync (not connecting) 1x in a dozen trips, but I think that was me turning on/off the BT and WiFi on the phone for unrelated reasons. I reset it (only takes a few seconds) and it was good to go! It has had no issues with swapping from my home to car to work to car to home over the last few days! UPDATE: Hasn't done this in weeks... it's been flawless connecting and playing from the phone by the time I hit the end of the driveway. I just don't turn off my Car BT on the phone anymore (setting in phone) and it's been perfect ever since!
-Uses AUX IN for it's permanent input, so that's on the screen when the car play swaps. If you want your MMI Jukebox, you would need to dial up to JUKEBOX and then remember to return to AUX IN when you go back to CarPlay. UPDATE: Haven't used the jukebox much in weeks. Just don't need it anymore. It takes about 3 seconds to swap to it, so it's not an issue at all.

I couldn't be happier with it really. Those are minor gripes and only in the sense of total transparency. I would HIGHLY recommend it as a great, low cost option to get late model features without hacks and drama. If you want 100% integration, then there are other much more expensive options available.

It's one button (Media for 3sec) to go back to the MMI, but I haven't used it in nearly a week. I'm super happy with it!

If you have any other questions or want to see something in particular, ask away. Happy to help!

Cheers,

Ken

[WittyWookiee]

Sounds exactly like the one I have. All I need is consistent wireless carplay. These little boxes do just that without having to disassemble the display/AC just to install a factory-rooted android tablet that could have any sort of nefarious code hidden in it.

[KhanBakki]

-** *** GET THE AMI CABLE!!! He offers it as an ASKED FOR FREEBIE, but if you don't have it, you CANNOT hear audio from the box. Took me about 2 hours of fiddling and re-reading the instructions that only passingly tell you no audio without AMI plug! I did finally, by going step by step and rereading every single statement, figure it out. That was the only install issue!
…
-Uses AUX IN for it's permanent input, so that's on the screen when the car play swaps. If you want your MMI Jukebox, you would need to dial up to JUKEBOX and then remember to return to AUX IN when you go back to CarPlay.

Is there a possibility of using the hidden (green) menu to circumvent the need for the cable? I was able to do this is in my 2016.

Also curious where your plug is located- glove box? I’m new to the C7 but it looks like the only AMI plug location I have is in my center console, not the glove box.

Thanks for the update & info!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WittyWookiee]

Is there a possibility of using the hidden (green) menu to circumvent the need for the cable? I was able to do this is in my 2016.

Also curious where your plug is located- glove box? I’m new to the C7 but it looks like the only AMI plug location I have is in my center console, not the glove box.

Thanks for the update & info!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes. You can enable external aux to bypass AMI cable. I have my carplay box plugged into an aux adapter and do not use an AMI cable

[Botbasher]

Is there a possibility of using the hidden (green) menu to circumvent the need for the cable? I was able to do this is in my 2016.

Also curious where your plug is located- glove box? I’m new to the C7 but it looks like the only AMI plug location I have is in my center console, not the glove box.

Center console. When I pull the console to do my WMI setup this winter, I plan to pop it out of it's mount and hide it in the loom. My phone doesn't even have a phono plug, so it's really useless for any reason other than this.

I thought I might hate it, but really... when was the last time you plugged a phono plug into your car? The 90s?? And swapping from AUX IN to Jukebox or another input is so fast it wasn't worth the original gripe I made about it. You only have 74gb between the SDs and MMI drive... I have 512gb on my phone by itself and Pandora. I'm good with this setup as it is now. It's way more than the car ever had and all I need!

Additionally, I can connected my 16TB SD Drive to the USB IN. You can access it like a folder to play music. Haven't figured out all the details to that but that gives me more than I'll ever need (current music collection is 4TB). You need an CarPlay approved app and I simply haven't looked for it yet. Hopefully WinAmp is on there... That's my go-to music player on regular computers. One day when I get tired of Pandora I'll look into it!

I don't know about the Green Screen. Unlike my B8.5 A5, the Green Screen in the C7s doesn't have the same effects and it's even less documented than the B8 version. It's caused me no issues since install being in the AUX, so it's fine without the possibilities that tinkering in the Green can do!

Glad this helps!

Cheers,

KS

[Botbasher]

Yes. You can enable external aux to bypass AMI cable. I have my carplay box plugged into an aux adapter and do not use an AMI cable

AUX Adapter? So you still need something to get your audio to the MMI??

Got the map for setting this? What Entry and Value needs to be modified??

Cheers,

KS

[WittyWookiee]

I do not recall the specifics of this, sorry. There should be a prior forum post to help with this though. But by enabling external aux in the green menu my audio from the carplay box just worked when I selected external aux in my MEDIA options.

[Botbasher]

I do not recall the specifics of this, sorry. There should be a prior forum post to help with this though. But by enabling external aux in the green menu my audio from the carplay box just worked when I selected external aux in my MEDIA options.

Nice!!! I'll have to investigate a bit. It's a FREEBIE, but you have to ask for it, so it didn't cost anything, but if you forget...

Thanks!

KS

[KhanBakki]

I do not recall the specifics of this, sorry. There should be a prior forum post to help with this though. But by enabling external aux in the green menu my audio from the carplay box just worked when I selected external aux in my MEDIA options.

If I remember correctly- and that's a fairly big "if"- it was as simple as that, just enable AUX in the green menu, but enabling the green menu itself will require some sort of external OBD device/interface like OBDEleven or VAGCOM. I believe the way these CarPlay/Android Auto units are designed, they're going to go through AUX by default.

That being said, and for posterity, I'd say that after some moderate digging into google, forums, and looking at what's for sale online, this technology looks to be very similar across the board in the methodology and hardware/wiring layout and build for these behind-the-dash units that go through the OEM interface (as opposed to full on tablets that take the place of the Audi hardware). Naturally, there are going to be newer vs. older versions, and software may vary more than hardware, but I can find similar features (CP/AA, screen mirroring, some native apps, HDMI in, support for third party cameras and/or automatic switching to native cameras, etc.) as well as problems (intermittent boot failures, black screens, dip switch discrepancies, phone echo/mic issues, etc.) for many/most of the options I've considered. With that in mind, support from a seller seems to be the biggest selling point for a lot of customers.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Botbasher, I think I'm going to try that unit. It looks to be just as good as any other, and it sounds like it's coming with some support assurance, and the price is competitive to say the least.

[WittyWookiee]

It’s been about 4 years since I actively researched this process for installing the small Android auto/carplay boxes for the A6 C7 but if my memory is right I believe the external aux ability is tied to the MMI version you have. The HN+ version which has the jukebox option in media being the one that has the ability to use external aux and have audio pass through without any additional wiring (one enabled by in green menu).

[fahrfrompuken]

I just bought the 12.3" RSNAV unit for my 2015 C7.
Looked at Aliexpress and at Seicane, but wanted to not have any issues and was hoping to have less issues since RSNAV in Canada has sold a bunch of these and has customer service and a community to help if I do encounter any issues.