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CarPlay CarPlay adapter to convert to wireless CarPlay?

VLud said:
I have the same behavior, after some time LEDs stop flashing and a permanent blue light is ON (on V1), the unit must be doing something but I don't know what (UART is not displaying anything), we should not expect anything from the manufacturer anyway :rolleyes:



Update using the image, then remove it (to avoid flashing the update each time you plug it) and use the USB key to export the logs from the unit (use CarPlay normally for some time then plug the USB key to copy logs - it is automatic -)
For CPU scaling: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/CPU_frequency_scaling
Click to expand...
Still reboots i wonder if it’s always more than likely hardware
 
VLud said:
I uploaded the full rootFS to the Github repo

I also released my first custom firmware :D

Se6lQU4.png


Changelog:


You can find it here:
github.com

ludwig-v/wireless-carplay-dongle-reverse-engineering

Carplay2Air / Carlinkit Wireless Carplay Dongle reverse engineering - ludwig-v/wireless-carplay-dongle-reverse-engineering
github.com github.com

It is not possible to do much since everything related to CarPlay is using binaries (source code missing) so don't ask me if I can fix notifications & so on o_O

All September updates are not updating anything, that's why it is still displaying 08.04.2020.1602 and that's why I used this firmware as a base.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your work on this! Tempted to give this a go on my usb c unit I assume I just flash as a normal USB update?
 
simps100 said:
Thanks for your work on this! Tempted to give this a go on my usb c unit I assume I just flash as a normal USB update?
Click to expand...

Yes !

Habibi Jenkins said:
Still reboots i wonder if it’s always more than likely hardware
Click to expand...

Modifications I made are too soft to fix your issue, but exporting logs and read them can give you a hint on what the issue is.

I also have an idea, I noticed that the userspace.log logging everything from CarPlay can grow really big (playing a music generate a new line every second inside logs for example), it is stored in /tmp/ so it is using the system RAM but the system only have 128MB ... Linux can start killing processes when too much RAM is used (so killing the CarPlay app) and even completely reboot the unit on last resort.

Using my firmware this file is automatically copied on the USB Key so you can appreciate its size and the content of it
 
Hi all.

I have a question to the owners of the v2 USB C version.
Were you able to install the firmware version 2020-09-17 without any problem or whish version is better?
Thanks
 
VLud said:
Yes !



Modifications I made are too soft to fix your issue, but exporting logs and read them can give you a hint on what the issue is.

I also have an idea, I noticed that the userspace.log logging everything from CarPlay can grow really big (playing a music generate a new line every second inside logs for example), it is stored in /tmp/ so it is using the system RAM but the system only have 128MB ... Linux can start killing processes when too much RAM is used (so killing the CarPlay app) and even completely reboot the unit on last resort.

Using my firmware this file is automatically copied on the USB Key so you can appreciate its size and the content of it
Click to expand...
Sorry if silly question! With your firmware should we leave a blank USB plugged in for the logs to collect or if we leave one out it will collect to /tmp/ as normal / or not copy logs anywhere?

Edit: Tired your firmware and unit was stuck not getting my radio name for some reason, flashed it back to 17/09/2020 and working again, odd!

08980AE6-9825-4583-B9A0-3E5EF9D7D4A4.jpeg
 
Last edited:
simps100 said:
Sorry if silly question! With your firmware should we leave a blank USB plugged in for the logs to collect or if we leave one out it will collect to /tmp/ as normal / or not copy logs anywhere?

Edit: Tired your firmware and unit was stuck not getting my radio name for some reason, flashed it back to 17/09/2020 and working again, odd!

View attachment 968709
Click to expand...
Had the same problem with the new firmware. Can't find any Bluetooth or WIFI.
 
I just uploaded new custom firmwares in the repo 19102020, you can find one based on 04082020 and the other one on 17092020 which should solve your issues @simps100 @WPoly

Both have the same modifications:
Cleanfully unmount USB Key
Fix update archive files permissions
Remove Windows style carriage return for U2W.sh
Save U2W.sh execution result in U2W.txt
Disable logs by default (unnecessary RAM used)
Click to expand...

I disabled logs which are enabled by default after each update, as I told before the file can become huge and crash the unit ! If you don't have any issue to report to the manufacturer it is better to keep it disabled (You can still enable/disable logs from 192.168.50.2)

@simps100 Logs are stored in /tmp/ as usual, when you plug some USB Key (empty or not) the content is copied

I also understood why the version number was not updated using September updates, they added a 1MB archive inside the update and the script refuses to update files due to missing space.
What I would recommend is to flash the 04082020 based firmware first then the 17092020 based firmware (if you can't get a device name), until I figure out to do this in one shot.
 
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Hello all, today I had a chat with Carlinkit support through Aliexpress customer support. A zip file with an updated firmware was shared with me. Now my radio name is shown everytime I start the car instead of manually disconnect and connect the Carlinkit 2.0 USB-C dongle to get it working. I have a Volswagen Passat with Discover Media. They told there will be an official update but I don't know when. It shows as version 2020.09.23.0109

see zip file post
forums.macrumors.com

CarPlay adapter to convert to wireless CarPlay?

my mistake, as I first received the autobox update from carlinkit and then the U2W_Update.img See attached the right file
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com


IMG_3601.jpeg
 
Last edited:
VLud said:
I uploaded the full rootFS to the Github repo

I also released my first custom firmware :D

Se6lQU4.png


Changelog:


You can find it here:
github.com

ludwig-v/wireless-carplay-dongle-reverse-engineering

Carplay2Air / Carlinkit Wireless Carplay Dongle reverse engineering - ludwig-v/wireless-carplay-dongle-reverse-engineering
github.com github.com

It is not possible to do much since everything related to CarPlay is using binaries (source code missing) so don't ask me if I can fix notifications & so on o_O

All September updates are not updating anything, that's why it is still displaying 08.04.2020.1602 and that's why I used this firmware as a base.
Click to expand...
hello! thanks for all your great work. When I click the link to your repo I get 404 error ?!? please help, I would like to try out your custom firmware with my Carplay2air unit. I’m currently on 09/17 working very well with my Alpine aftermarket wired carplay head unit. thanks again
 
Wallytax said:
Hello all, today I had a chat with Carlinkit support through Aliexpress customer support. A zip file with an updated firmware was shared with me. Now my radio name is shown everytime I start the car instead of manually disconnect and connect the Carlinkit 2.0 USB-C dongle to get it working. I have a Volswagen Passat with Discover Media. They told there will be an official update but I don't know when. It shows as version 2020.09.23.0109


View attachment 968969
Click to expand...

This expands as Auto_Box_Update not the usual U2W_Update
 
Thank's for sharing @Wallytax

I also uploaded the custom firmware based on this version on the Github repo :D

04082020 based: 2020.10.19.0001 custom FW
17092020 based: 2020.10.19.0002 custom FW
23092020 based: 2020.10.19.0003 custom FW

All these custom firmwares have the same modifications:
- Disabling logs to save RAM
- Performance CPU scaling governor
- Script execution with result saved on USB Key (U2W.sh on the root of the USB Key)
- Save .log file to USB Key
 
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VLud said:
Thank's for sharing @Wallytax

I also uploaded the custom firmware based on this version on the Github repo :D

04082020 based: 2020.10.19.0001 custom FW
17092020 based: 2020.10.19.0002 custom FW
23092020 based: 2020.10.19.0003 custom FW

All these custom firmwares have the same modifications:
- Disabling logs to save RAM
- Performance CPU scaling governor
- Script execution with result saved on USB Key (U2W.sh on the root of the USB Key)
- Save .log file to USB Key
Click to expand...

Can you please post the link from which we can download the above firmwares.

Thank you
 
Wallytax said:
Hello all, today I had a chat with Carlinkit support through Aliexpress customer support. A zip file with an updated firmware was shared with me. Now my radio name is shown everytime I start the car instead of manually disconnect and connect the Carlinkit 2.0 USB-C dongle to get it working. I have a Volswagen Passat with Discover Media. They told there will be an official update but I don't know when. It shows as version 2020.09.23.0109

see zip file post
forums.macrumors.com

CarPlay adapter to convert to wireless CarPlay?

my mistake, as I first received the autobox update from carlinkit and then the U2W_Update.img See attached the right file
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com


View attachment 968969
Click to expand...
just wondering what year is your volkswagen? My carplay works but doesn't always connect buy itself, so thinking to try this firmware> I have a 2017 gti.

Thanks
Wallytax said:
Hello all, today I had a chat with Carlinkit support through Aliexpress customer support. A zip file with an updated firmware was shared with me. Now my radio name is shown everytime I start the car instead of manually disconnect and connect the Carlinkit 2.0 USB-C dongle to get it working. I have a Volswagen Passat with Discover Media. They told there will be an official update but I don't know when. It shows as version 2020.09.23.0109

see zip file post
forums.macrumors.com

CarPlay adapter to convert to wireless CarPlay?

my mistake, as I first received the autobox update from carlinkit and then the U2W_Update.img See attached the right file
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com


View attachment 968969
Click to expand...
What year is your volkswagen? I have carplay working but it doesn't always connect on its own, so wouldn't mind trying this update. I have a 2017 gti.
 
Zombie Woof said:
just wondering what year is your volkswagen? My carplay works but doesn't always connect buy itself, so thinking to try this firmware> I have a 2017 gti.

Thanks

What year is your volkswagen? I have carplay working but it doesn't always connect on its own, so wouldn't mind trying this update. I have a 2017 gti.
Click to expand...
I have a Passat 2016 (B8), with latest discover media firmware.
The carlinkit firmware version is also not yet perfect for me. It will show the radio type VOLKSW-E3B5 100% of the time (which it did not before) and when using this firmware for the first time it also automatically connected to my iPhone. But after testing several times the automatic connection from carlinkit to my iPhone does not always work, strange. I used the modified version from above but that has the same behavior.
I think the testing with newer firmware will continue. I knew it was a risk buying this device from Aliexpress after having red the limited information that was available on the web.
 
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Hi everyone, thank you @VLud for your work, it's great! Has anyone tried any of their new firmware on Mercedes A class? Does this solve the problem of permanent disconnections? have a good day
 
I received a message from Carlinkit that seems to indicate they are working on the Mercedes MBUX support. I received the message 1 month ago. I suppose I’m far to be the only one to wait this support.. I hope we won’t have to wait one more year.
 
dca78 said:
I received a message from Carlinkit that seems to indicate they are working on the Mercedes MBUX support. I received the message 1 month ago. I suppose I’m far to be the only one to wait this support.. I hope we won’t have to wait one more year.
Click to expand...
Ok but I have not Mbux system, my A class is from 2016
 
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