The issue about not being able to change the Nav while the car is in motion is a LEGAL issue tied to potential LIABILITY. Why do you think you have to sign off on the NAV system from the get go. Since they cannot control the drivers behavior they limit your degrees of freedom. It has nothing to do with programing or cost.

 

Oh, so in one post you have me all figured out. Impressive to say the very least. Ok you win. Have a nice day.

 

We are all trying to talk in this forum and gain info about our cars.
There is absolutly no need for you to belittle people here buy talking like a geek. Then responding with sarcasm!
You are like that annoying kid in high school who claims he's been there and done that.(One Upper)

If this is the case then lets see you DO it !

BTW I think your lunch money was stolen every day in High School!
The Above was ONLY Sarcasm!

 

Ok ok. What I was really trying to find is if someone had already, was working on, or knew of a way to get around these things I mentioned. If they exist I would like to have them. Yes, there are many of us who have the knowledge and the expertise to hack a system. I neither have the time or that great of a desire to do this one. Not to mention the time my NAV would be out of the car. And yes I perpetuated the pissing contest, sorry. I really don't care about the legal reasons, I am not asking GM or Delco to do this. But there may be some interested individual that has nothing better to do than figure this stuff out. Someone figured out how to play DVDs in a Caddy while moving, although not a good idea but they did it without tearing the unit up. It was just some sort of press this when the ign. is turned on.

Lets turn this into a productive discussion. I'll apologize first!

 

 

As far as #3 is concerned, in Texas it is illegal to EQUIP a monitor of any sort that can be viewed by the operator (Sec 547.611). Monitors used exclusively for Nav systems are specifically excluded in the law. In Texas, I would be surprised if you could view any DVD from the front seat of any car that was sold after this law went into effect in 2003. I didn't see any exceptions for moving versus non-moving vehicles even.

Personally, I dislike most of the protect yourself against yourself laws. If monitors are illegal because they may distract you then stereo's, cell phones, cigarette lighters and spouses for that matter should be outlawed.

 

come guys its not really such a big deal to play movies or change directions while driving... everyone is making it a federal case

 

Just for the sake of discussion, let's put legalities aside, folks, because there are thousands of Corvettes driving in front plate states without them, and that's purely for vanity.

Let's say we don't want the disclaimer screen when we start our Nav system, or can't tolerate the limitation that prevents changes while moving, or hate the fact that the monitor can't play video DVDs. And let's say we're willing to lose any warranty service down the road on it (or not, if they provide a way to return the software to factory condition). (And while I'm adding features, why not the ability to connect an external video source, like a TV tuner?)

How much is it worth to you? $50? $150? $300? And at what price point will other C6 owners jump on the bandwagon? Are you willing to pay that amount before the software is written? Or do you want the inventor to front not only the time it will take to develop and test the software but also the money required for hardware, DVD burning, packaging, documentation, and shipping?

Let's say there are 1000 C6 drivers just like you, and you're all willing to pay $300 each. Sounds like a fairly good bounty for an enterprising software engineer. But what if there are only 25, each willing to fork over only $50? (Put me down for $50, shipping and handling included. But only after it's proven to work and to be reversable.)

Let's give the car a chance to get more widely distributed and in the hands of tech-savvy users, and then figure out how much the annoyance factor of the "safety feature" really bothers you compared to what you're willing to pay to get rid of it.

 

Since I'm a naive waitee (TPW 9/20) can someone help with a few questions:

1) Is the disclaimer at startup IN ADDITION TO the inability to make changes while in motion? What's the disclaimer for then? Once you've said "Duh, OKAY, I'll keep my eyes on the road" why can't a passenger then play with the nav?

2) Is the XLR system really a different piece of hardware than the C6? You'd think GM, reusers of parts everywhere, wouldn't have bothered for two systems. But it seems that the XLR folks can play DVDs and MP3s and us C6ers can't do either. It also seems from what I've read that the Corvette's system is an EGA system (640x350x16 colors.) If this is the case then video is impossible... not enough color depth. Okay for displaying maps and radio stations, but not enough for video. From the shots I've seen on the Cadillac XLR web site, it looks like at least 4k if not better color depth. This would make the two units different at the hardware level.

3) I'd assume that firmware updates to the system would come via CD-ROM or more likely DVD-ROM. Set a special bit on the disc and the system says "hey, new code for me" and updates his onboard firmware. Sounds like this makes mp3 playback at LEAST a possibility? I find it hard to believe that GM would leave out the decoder logic in hardware since MP3 playback is SOOOO cheap nowadays with flash memory based players for a matter of a few bucks (with packaging, marketing, etc.)

I guess overall, I'm not looking for movie playback. I was warned about the loss of MP3 playback, but I'd pay for an upgrade/fix for that. Finally, there's gotta be a way to use the unit while in motion, assuming you can satisfy all the safety police. I have a Garmin StreetPilot III and I get the disclaimer at startup. I also have a setting on the menus to allow operation while in motion. I have to specifically set it to on. It stays that way between power cycles, but I still get the "eyes on road" disclaimer at every power up.

Thanks for taking the time and shedding some light my way!

Stephen

 

You assume I had money. I didn't. I had to earn everything I have today. So if you think my blunt honesty is my trying to belittle people, so be it. But you are the second person to be so far off base it isn't even funny. So you are a winner too!

 

And I apologize for not making myself clearer and rising to a challenge that probably wasn't even intended by you in the first place

I won't be getting a C6 for at least three years. My '04 only has 14K miles on it. Haven't even broken it in yet. But first chance I get I will pull the docs on the nav and see if it is a firm ware or true OS loading system. True OS means an easy hack. Firm ware and all bets are off unless a flash can be done.

 

Exactly what Honda/Acrua does.

My understanding is they are different. The C6 is a generation earlier than the XLRs. But I am still researching.

If they don't have the decoder for AC3 and MPEG, then MP3 will be impossible.

Yeah, my Garmin 2610 is exactly the same way. I should know more about the C6 Nav in the comming weeks. I like side projects to keep my mind occupied.

 

Tell that to the families that are already trying to sue drivers that were on a cell phone or watching a DVD that killed their love ones.

 

You can bet on non-hands free cell phone bans in Texas next.

 

"B) The second you modify the system, you will void the warranty on the NAV and possibly put yourself in the position of a civil suit (that you will lose) if something should go wrong."

I can say you're wrong because you are. What part of the text above are you confused about?

 

Ah there in lies the confusion. I thought you were refering to the lawsuit.

This time I will address your original concern.

Every piece of software on the market today now has an EULA that specificialy states that the user has no legal right to reverse engineer, modify or copy any part of the products code. Doing so invalidates the EULA. Which means at that time you are no longer legally able to use the software. Further more when said EULA is revoked automatically (by modifying said software), the hardware that runs is also now in non-compliance of said EULA and is now no longer under any warranty expressed or implied.

I pulled this off of Garmins web site (Denso doesn't have software updates with disclaimers posted yet). This is the current standard phrase used:

"You acknowledge that this Software is the property of Garmin and is protected under United States of America copyright laws and international copyright treaties. You further acknowledge that the structure, organization, and code of the Software are valuable trade secrets of Garmin and that the Software in source code form remains a valuable trade secret of Garmin. You agree not to decompile, disassemble, modify, reverse assemble, reverse engineer, or reduce to human readable form the Software or any part thereof or create any derivative works based on the Software"

It goes on further to state that the EULA is revoked if you do any of that.

GM has no interest in this other than if the modification is found and they can reasonable prove that it caused the unit to fail, then they don't have to replace it under warranty. But if you think the laws that govern engine mods, cover software mods to a non GM product, you are sorely mistaken.

If you can prove me wrong on this, please do. I have a few projects I would love to be able to legally touch that at present I can't, due to the same exact issue as described above.

 

This Skull guy clearly gets off on TRYING to sound like a prize scholar here!
We all know that we are not supposed to mod tamper with this ( This is a given) We are just curious on how to do it.
I also agee that people should not drive while watching movies there is enough distractions on the road!

Once again we are all looking for info here

NOT a pissing contest!!

NO one cares how big you think your cranium is!

For all we know you work at the tech desk at the local Comp USA.

MY 2.5 Cents

NO more posts on this one for me.

Don’t feed into this guys

 

There is another POV possible.

These laws protect us from you.

If you want to increase the safety risk to only yourself when driving
I would not object to that. IMO, most people wouldn't.

On a public road your behavior is not private. The right to privacy that you have in your home does not apply in public. On public roads the safety of the public has precedence over the freedom of the individual.

~john

 

I just don't get you people.

A) Never once have I made a personal attack here. Not even close.
B) I have been slammed now three times by people who have had NOTHING to add other than to slam me.
C) I have stated nothing but facts as I know them. And done my level best to do it with no emotional factors.

So I am curious, how am I the bad guy in all this when it is you that are doing the personal attacks and not adding anything to this conversation? Because last time I checked that is called being a hypocrite.

I am starting to understand why the three other corvette forums regularly discuss the social clique issue here and how it effects the general posting tone. It seems right now I am not part of that clique and hence I get singled out for personal attacks (even though I haven't done any). Hell from my perspective, if you post here and you are 100% right, you get slammed.

So do me a favor and do one more post and answer the question. Because I don't think you can logical back up your stance.

 

Skull... Truthfully, you came of arrogantly initially, to some including me it seemed like you were Mr.KnowItAll. You are obviously smarty enough to back yourself up and make some good points on the past two pages, i pretty much think you came around, and are just saying what you gotta say without pointing fingers. So dont sweat it, let it be...

As for the safety issues and such, my simple minded theory is if its ok for others to have it, then its ok for all to have it.

If some sort of flashes are offered in the future it would be cool. i think pulling out a system out of your car is nuts unless you are electrically and mechanically inclined! Cars with alot of electrical tuning in them are dangerous to play with IMO. You never know what you can set off, nor what problems you can cause. Either go aftermarket, or leave it alone. Thas my .02.