Customize Start Up Screen on 2017 Kenwood
Searched a bunch to find out how to customize the Startup (Boot, & sometimes referred to as "flash") screen (not the "Background Screen"). Finally found clear instructions on How To Do It at
https://goo.gl/YVLC6m
If I understood it correctly this works for all the new 2017 units.
As others have posted, the image has to be 800 x 480 pixels, 16bit R5G6B5.
BTY a good free image translator to produce 16bit format is GIMP. Use the "File: Export as" tool, select "Windows bmp" file type and then "advanced "options to specify 16 bit R5G6B5
I used Windows Paint.net to create image, then GIMP to translate to 16 bit.
This is what I changed mine to
The first one is the bit map image file named image1.bmp
The second one is a text file named OpeningCustomize.txt
image1.bmp is the image that you want to customize to
OpeningCustomize.txt is a text file containing the following(shown in red only for identification purposes):
Opening Customize
[FILE]image1.bmp
[VERSION]9876
~END
The text file appears to be a inline command file to link the image file name to the actual .bmp image fle name. I suspect that you could change the second line to read: [FILE]yourname.bmp
and the then name the bit map image file as yourname.bmp and it would still work. But I didn't test it so why mess with success?
Last edited by Pump77; Sep 6, 2017 at 04:42 PM.
My friend did this on his factory BMW, got a pic of his wife and kids, every time the radio burst on... TIA.






i have a 8gb flash drive
i tryed doing this on photoshop.
ive saved the file name to image1.bmp
ive added the opening customize file to the flash drive
still no luck....
is there a better sight to do this for Dummys? meaning me! lol
ive tryed several time to follow youtube videos NO LUCK! and even Carbon Car systems. still NO LUCK!
'what am i doing wrong that everyone else can do it?
thank you for any help....
Last edited by Bill Treible; Feb 1, 2018 at 05:04 PM.
A good free image translator to produce 16bit format is GIMP. Use the "File: Export as" tool, select "Windows bmp" file type and then "advanced "options to specify 16 bit R5G6B5
Since my install, I developed a another start up image that I like better.
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Can you send pic for pic on how and what your doing??? maybe im not doing it correctly. could you send pics on how and what your clicking on???
thank you!
i know it sounds like alot but i would really like to learn... its easier to see step by step what your clicking on and what comes on the screen...
http://carboncarsystems.com.au/diy-c...-screen-image/
Follow instructions to a t.
You stated that you had an 8GB usb. It must be formatted FAT32 (This might be your problem as many large, over 4GB, are not FAT32.)
And have nothing on it except two (2) files. The first one is image1.bmp (the bit map image file which must be 16bit R5G6B5 format), and the second one is OpeningCustomize.txt. Note: only R5G6B5 will work no other type of bit map will work as that is all that the Kenwood recognizes at that point. If the image size is not 800x480 pixels results are unpredictable.
If you view the directory of the USB you would see only:
Image1.bmp
OpeningCustomize.txt
The file, OpeningCustomize.txt, contains the following 4 lines of text:
Opening Customize
[FILE]image1.bmp
[VERSION]9876
~END
If you are getting a red screen it means your image bit map format is not as specified above or the usb is not formatted FAT32. I.e., the factory default splash screen is getting changed, but the image on the USB is not being read correctly.
Hope that this helps
and the only files on the flash drive is my image and the openingcustomize.txt file
yes its at R5g6b5
and i renamed the file to image1.bmp
not sure what else it could be????
The odd thing is that at first boot up, the image shows up as 4 small copies of the image across the bottom of the screen for a second, then it fills the whole screen. A little weird, but better than the "Kenwood" screen. When I feel like changing to a different image I'll see if I get the same result.
The firmware update was a piece of cake too. Check the online kenwood support site for details. Just make sure the power to the radio doesn't shut off during the update or you probably just bricked it!
The odd thing is that at first boot up, the image shows up as 4 small copies of the image across the bottom of the screen for a second, then it fills the whole screen. A little weird, but better than the "Kenwood" screen. When I feel like changing to a different image I'll see if I get the same result.
The firmware update was a piece of cake too. Check the online kenwood support site for details. Just make sure the power to the radio doesn't shut off during the update or you probably just bricked it!
The USB containsonly the two files:
Image1.bmp
OpeningCustomize.txt
Note: If your using a PC/Laptop with windows 7, 8, or 10, the default file explorer display is to hide file extensions.
So the directory view of the USB would be:
Image1
OpeningCustomize
Several people made the mistake of naming the files Image1.bmp.bmp and OpeningCustomize.txt.txt
so that upon viewing the USB directory (with Windows default file display configuration, i.e. hidden file extensions) what they saw was:
Image1.bmp
OpeningCustomize.txt
instead of:
Image1
OpeningCustomize
Last edited by Pump77; Jun 4, 2018 at 03:08 PM. Reason: corrections/clarifications
Searched a bunch to find out how to customize the Startup (Boot, & sometimes referred to as "flash") screen (not the "Background Screen"). Finally found clear instructions on How To Do It at
https://goo.gl/YVLC6m
If I understood it correctly this works for all the new 2017 units.
As others have posted, the image has to be 800 x 480 pixels, 16bit R5G6B5.
BTY a good free image translator to produce 16bit format is GIMP. Use the "File: Export as" tool, select "Windows bmp" file type and then "advanced "options to specify 16 bit R5G6B5
I used Windows Paint.net to create image, then GIMP to translate to 16 bit.
This is what I changed mine to
Instructions for DDX9905s
Since the 9905s is so new, the instructions floating around the net don’t work for it, after 2 days of trial and error I was able to figure this out. The 9905s has a High Def screen, the pixel ratio is better. So in order to get the boot image changed to what you want do as follows:
Using Pixelformer load up your image, change the image properties (set the width at 1280 and height at 720, set the target color to RGB color (24 bpp), click ok, click export, rename image to image1 (make sure it is .bmp format), when the bmp options box pops up set this to R5:G6: B5 (16bpp), click ok.
Now you have the picture formatted correctly and able to be loaded onto usb along with the OpeningCustomize .txt file. Make sure image name matches the image name in the .txt file. Put radio in Standby mode, tap the top left twice, tap the bottom left twice, tap the top left once, tap the bottom left once. This will open the menu needed. Then insert USB stick with files on it. (make sure files are placed in the root of the usb, don’t put them inside folders). Tap startup image and it will add the photo on the usb. Restart radio and there you have it.







