ein Tier

I seriously doubt it. I have several friends with Infiniti G35's with nav, and we've researched this kind of topic pretty extensively.

On the G35, there is a fix -- however, it's a little more complex than the CAGS fix (requires cutting several wires and hooking them up to a switch), but the problem is that the car won't properly "navigate" while you trick it into thinking that it's not moving.

There's a wire that transmits a signal to the nav to tell it the car is moving. It's a little more complex than an on/off switch, as it carries the speed (and possibly direction) of the car as well. This is all used by the nav to help pinpoint exactly where you are while driving. When you disable that signal, the navigation gets confused because the nav satellites tell it that it is moving, but the software inside the unit says that judging by the transmission, you aren't moving at all.

It's really a software fix. And here's the problem: the software is mostly embedded in the chips or encoded on the DVD. It's also custom software and you likely don't have the decompiler nessessary to understand it. If it's fixable on the DVD (which I doubt), then it's just a matter of figuring out the source and re-burning the dual-layer DVD. If it's in the chips, its even more difficult. You've not only got to understand what the programming actually is, you've got to figure out how to either flash the nessessary chips (requires a relatively expensive programmer and access to the chips) or how to replace them with preprogramed ones.

Could it be done? Sure, but don't count on it, and if it is done, expect to have to do some fine lead soldering with solder suckers and all those fun toys.

I'm hoping that maybe the 2006 Nav will be "fixed", and I can transplant that into my 2005 nav-equipped corvette.

blittle

It's not limited to GM or Corvette......I have a new 05 Grand Cherokee with Nav and, guess what...........you can't manipulate the system while moving......except for the basics as in the Vette system. But.....it's all in the name of safety......because you know there would be some "less than brilliant" driver out there that would be watching the screen and puts the vehicle through someone's front door!

JJayzX

I doubt they will change it though cause they don't want people staring at the screen while driving. Even though you can have a passenger that can use it without causing a driving hazard. So the situation is sketchy. If it keeps going this way soon we wont be able to change the radio station or cd or even a/c or heating controls cause it can be hazardous.

skfurr

The Navigation/Entertainment unit doesn't play MP3s at all.

It does however play Audio CDs created on CD-Rs.

So it can read a CD-R, it just doesn't have the code to handle playing back MP3 files.

The 6-disc in dash CD changer that comes with the 1SB package DOES play MP3 files created on CD-Rs.

The $1400 "upgrade" to the Navigation system "demotes" you to a single disc only and with no MP3 playback capability.

Stephen

skfurr

Shopdog and the rest who poo-poo'd this idea:

I don't expect someone to engineer this from scratch. I know what the labor to reverse engineer the software in the unit and rewrite it would cost. I'm an engineer myself...

I was hoping to give an incentive to someone who either worked on the development of the unit, had inside knowledge of the code or the method by which it's "flashed" when fixes are found, or knew somebody inside Denso or GM who had done this. I'm SURE that Dave Hill's C6 doesn't have these limitations. As an engineer myself, I realize that my projects have "special" versions of code (for testing) that will be "sanitized" before it makes it to the end customer.

I specifically don't want an aftermarket solution. I like the integration with the HUD. I like the look and feel of the screen and buttons. I just want some extra functionality and one limitation removed. My wife's STS, which looks VERY similar in layout (because it's another Denso unit) DOES play MP3 files. It even uses the same Navigation DVD disc (I tried her "Cadillac" map disc in the C6, exactly the same.) So does the XLR, which shares a lot of development with the Corvette. What I'm looking for it NOT impossible.

Geez... why bash me? I'm putting up my own money to try to help find a solution to some problems that a lot of people are complaining about.

Stephen

skfurr

Yep, that was the intent... or to find someone who already had an inside connection with a fix.

Stephen

skfurr

And the NAV CPU has lots of power... just miss a turn one time and see how quickly it recalculates the new route. I'd suspect that given the amount of software the system appears to have that they didn't fill up all the available flash memory. They would have to leave room to implement fixes in the future when (inevitably) they find bugs.

Stephen

skfurr

The rear tires in my wife's 2005 Cadillac STS which does play MP3s, and DVD video, with DTS surround sound, for the same price as my Corvette.

It ain't impossible. It's already there in other GM cars with navigation units from the same OEM.

Stephen

skfurr

Yeah, I'm afraid that the unit uses the calculated speed from the GPS signal to determine when the car's in motion. Or perhaps a feed from the speedo. I thought I heard that the nav uses both GPS and dead-reckoning to help calculate your position. When you lose the satellite fix, it uses a compass and the vehicle speed to continue to track your approximate position.

Either way, I don't think it's gonna be a snipped wire to unlock the buttons. It should be easily accomplished via software though.

Stephen

skfurr

I love Alpine too... have their top end changer controller head unit and 12 disc changer in my GMC Jimmy. But I'm really looking for an integrated solution and the Vette should do this stuff to begin with!

Stephen

skfurr

I've been told by a reliable source that MP3 playback on the 2006 cars with Nav is a "maybe." Seems enough people have complained...

I still say there's someone at GM or Denso who has the code to do this already. It's (MP3 playback) part of several other Denso supplied systems, it just doesn't make sense that the Corvette doesn't it.

And the speed related lockout... you'd think that the code for the Nav was written first and then the speed sensing lock added afterwards. Since Denso supplies several manufacturers, it'd be logical to think that they would "customize" stuff like speed related lockout to each company.

Stephen


Stephen

skfurr

I've been told by a reliable source that MP3 playback on the 2006 cars with Nav is a "maybe." Seems enough people have complained...

I still say there's someone at GM or Denso who has the code to do this already. It's (MP3 playback) part of several other Denso supplied systems, it just doesn't make sense that the Corvette doesn't do it.

And the speed related lockout... you'd think that the code for the Nav was written first and then the speed sensing lock added afterwards. Since Denso supplies several manufacturers, it'd be logical to think that they would "customize" stuff like speed related lockout to each company.

Stephen


Stephen

2000 green hornet

A wire that tells it that the emergency brake is not on and a wire that tells the nav system that the car is moving prevent my system from being utilized.

I also dont understand why my passenger is not able to update the system while we are moving.

I agree with the other post about why not just disable all controls like a/c and radio unless you are stopped. Our legal system is going to hell in a handbasket more rapidly than we would like. The other day I saw a sign on the road warning us that the road will become wet when it rains!

And don't forget the McDonalds warning that their coffee is HOT! No Kidding... Is our IQ slowly dropping????

skfurr

Unfortunately, the POI's can be selected via voice while driving but all that it does is show the icons for the type of POI you want. "The system is displaying the bank icons."

You still have to be at the 1/4 mile scale or smaller or no POI icons are displayed at all.

And then you have to find what you want on the screen in the maybe 1 mile radius around where you are.

So the voice doesn't really solve much. It doesn't allow you to select and route to a POI that you can't see on the screen... And if you can see it on the screen, you can probably figure out how to get there anyway!

A common scenario for me is that the wife and I are taking a trip and are on the Interstate doing 75MPH. Let's say we want to find somewhere to get a pizza. There's really no way to find an italian restaurant while moving. You can turn on the italian restaurant icons via the voice recognition, but you still have to sit there and scroll around the countryside looking for one of those italian flag icons... and find it in time to take the exit to get to it.

Anyone know how to handle this type of situation? In the end, we end up watching for the real exit signs on the side of the road listing what's at the next exit and just keep driving until we find something we want... the nav system is basically useless in this scenario.

Don't get me wrong, if you know where you're going by address, phone number or intersection and route before you start out the system is top notch. It does a great job (at least in my area) of taking you right to the doorstep. Literally! I put in my home address and it routed me right to my garage door: "You have arrived at your destination."

Stephen

skfurr

I think I read that there is a pressure sensor in the passenger seat to determine whether there's an adult or a child in that position. It's used to adjust the airbag deployment force. Why didn't they use that same sensor to unlock the menus when there's an adult sitting in that seat?

Or better, they already have put a 400 HP 3200 LB weapon in our hands. We are being trusted to drive responsibly and not do 150MPH everywhere. Why is it so much more difficult to understand that a driver who can operate this car has the skills to NOT be distracted by what is really a very useful tool (the Nav system?)

Is our IQ dropping? Nah, we were smart enough to buy a Corvette in the first place. We have to be towards the top of the scale in that regard. Heck, a lot of us are smart enough to find this forum and have a intelligent debate about this stuff. In the end, a workaround posted to the forum would tend to only make it to the elite owners (us) anyway!!! The rest of the owners who aren't forum members can drive along with their Nav safely locked out!

Stephen

JJayzX

I think in 06 will be mp3 compatible from what i've seen in the option sheets. I bet nav will be the same though. I don't really care if I don't touch the nav while driving though cause I don't like taking my eyes off the road cause of the idiots here, escpecially while driving in my vette. They try to run ya off the road.

skfurr

True... I have noticed a lot of people unknowingly trying to run into me! They see the car and sort of get fixated on it... "Wow, that's the new Vette!" followed by my response "Yeah, but you're halfway in my lane!!!"

Stephen

Z064life

You MUST take pics of this sign

b4i4getit

If you really want to watch movies in your car go buy one of those $100 DVD players at the discount store. Its a lot easier than trying to hack your NAV system.

skfurr

I'm sure you mean well, but you missed the point entirely.

I do NOT want to watch movies in my Corvette.

I want to be able to carry around more than 1 audio CD
worth of music in the unit at a time. Changing CDs is a
pain. The non-Navigation equipped 1SB cars get a unit
that will play CD-recordable discs that contain your MP3
files. This means that you can get upwards of 10 hours
of music on one CD.

I'm just asking for that ability in my single CD player.

I never said anything about watching movies in my car.
I did say that my wife's Cadillac STS not only plays MP3s,
but also plays DVDs with DTS 5.1 surround sound, so I
know GM has this capability. Heck, her STS was about
the same price as my Corvette!

I'm the last to ask for an override to allow someone
to watch a movie while they are driving!!! I just
disagree with GMs belief that we are unable to have
a passenger operate the Navigation system to find
a gas station or a restaurant while I drive.

Please take a moment to read the thread before you
post something sarcastic about putting a $100
home DVD player in my car...