Car play goodness: too good to be true?

[dgmx5]

This is what gave the impression it has a reversing camera option. And the fact you can specify a reversing camera option for a little extra. But I can also see how it might actually be an always on rear facing camera that when the reverse light comes on, switches to look like a reversing camera.

Interesting concept though. Just be a 'mirror' and let your personal device do all the legwork re maps, phonecalls and music. I really don't understand why manufacturers spend so much devising their own UI. The 4200 console doesn't benefit from that approach, and I am sure there are lots of other manufactuers with clunky offerings.

 

[CatmanV2]

So not suitable for a white Lotus Esprit then?

Can't see why not. You can specify the screen set up to show either or both the camera feeds all the time, on one half.

C

 

[CatmanV2]

This is what gave the impression it has a reversing camera option. And the fact you can specify a reversing camera option for a little extra

Different model. Many do exactly that. This one not so much (at least I'm 99.9% sure it doesn't. Apart from anything else there's no connectors other than earth, permanent live and switched live. And the camera is a TSSR plug.

I really don't understand why manufacturers spend so much devising their own UI

Well, they don't much more. Carplay was only launched in 2014...... The new version will allow control of car settings. I'm sure there are still new cars that were designed before that date, and at the real budget end developing your own would be a bit spendy. Apple is hard to deal with sometimes, but these days I would imagine any manufacturer would just call up a Chinese software house and get a custom skin over an Android tablet. At a guess, unit price of sub £100 wholesal.

Check out the GT head replacements and digital dashes that Robin Elliot has driven forward.

C

 

[CatmanV2]

OK quick update: The rear facing camera does have a 12v trigger. Mea culpa. I assume it will flip to the rear view with the lines. I have that already built in so not worried about it.

Just need to do some more cable tidying and finalise some fixings.

C

 

[CatmanV2]

Well just as a quick update, post negotiation I have to say it's worth every penny of what I paid, and probably worth the Aliexpress price as well.
While in no way a substitute for a 'proper' upgrade, it does what I need admirably. Front and rear dash cam with recording.

Pros: Camera quality is surprisingly good. In fact I didn't realise I'd left the little bit of plastic over the front one for a couple of days!
Responsive display and a much larger screen for the Satnav.
It just works
Install can be ludicrously easy if you just plug it into your lighter socket. I've gone a bit more up market and hidden as many cables as I can. Rear camera is mounted inside with no issue.

On the downside, options to play music aren't really worth it. Internal speaker is only just about good enough for sat nav directions. FM transmitter is 'OK' at best.
There's no way to hide the cables that actually go into the unit which is a little ugly.
Mounting is not 100% rigid, but *peelable* VHB is doing a good job.

In short for a cheap and cheerful upgrade, I would again.

C

 

[Scaf]

Do you have pics of the finished install ?

 

[CatmanV2]

Do you have pics of the finished install ?

I'll grab one a bit later

C

 

[alastairb]

Here it was atop my QPV dash : https://www.sportsmaserati.com/index.php?threads/new-owner-qp5-sport-gt.34651/post-956857

 

[CatmanV2]

Right now I have a white USB-C cable which stands out a mile. I'll be replacing it with a black one, but have been tracking down some odd power issues and wasn't sure if I was going to have to connect direct to 12v, but you get the idea.



C

 

[alastairb]

This is where those "design gaps" between the QP centre console and the leather dash come in handy

Are you hard wired or wireless on the CarPlay / AA ?

 

[conaero]

Interesting. Is there not an Aux line in you can utilise instead of using those dodgy FM transmitters?

As for cable tidying, I am sure with a bit more effort you can go backwards and down through something to tidy that up???

Looks good though, well done.

 

[CatmanV2]

Edited cos I are an idiot!

 

[dgmx5]

45 years since the best account of an attempted crime. Edinburgh Evening News 1978 (apparently)

View attachment 117991

C

Epic thread drift there.

 

[CatmanV2]

This is where those "design gaps" between the QP centre console and the leather dash come in handy

Are you hard wired or wireless on the CarPlay / AA ?

Yes. I have lots of gaps to get the cable up to the bottom of the glove box, and I'll tack it into that gap later, but from there on, it's a solid piece.

Wireless, I have a mag safe charger on the lid of the central cubby at the moment. Also powered from the socket in the armrest. I might move that as it's a bit irritating when you're actually using the shift lever. It's only tacked down at the moment so easy to shift

C

 

[CatmanV2]

Interesting. Is there not an Aux line in you can utilise instead of using those dodgy FM transmitters?

As for cable tidying, I am sure with a bit more effort you can go backwards and down through something to tidy that up???

Looks good though, well done.

Actually this model doesn't have a line out. I'm not really worried anyway as I tend to listen to the radio nearly all of the time, and don't want to try doing that all the way to Leeds via my data. Lots of them do have a 3.5mm for line out.

It would be *nice* if it worked the same way as the old Parrots and sat between the speaker out of the NIT and the speakers, but that would make install a lot more of a faff. So I tend to listen to the radio and the Carplay just reads messages and directions for the Satnav. If my phone had to use it for calls, that would be less than ideal (the speaker really is that bad) but the phone routes to whichever device dials or answers

I'm going to have a look around but short of drilling through the dash, I'm not seeing anything. It's all (as I'm sure you know) one piece.

I guess I *might* be able to go from the passenger knee bolster up to the central speaker and then directly forward but not really appealing. That leaves behind the NIT and through the clock, or up through the passenger airbag (I don't think so!)

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[spkennyuk]

Right now I have a white USB-C cable which stands out a mile. I'll be replacing it with a black one, but have been tracking down some odd power issues and wasn't sure if I was going to have to connect direct to 12v, but you get the idea.

View attachment 117990

C

Can you run the cables back to the windscreen and across under the window to the passenger side or drivers side and down the side of the dash / glovebox / trim.

You could then cover the cable back to the screen with a suitable colour leather tape.

Not a perfect solution but should be neater than you have already.

Faux Leather Tape, 30mm | Various Shades

Flat Faux Leather Tape cut on the bias. Good sewability as so soft and supple. Perfect to bind seams inside bags plus as trim on the exterior as so resilient and idea for use on curved edges. Useful for repair work on leather garments, bags etc plus cuffing. Available in a variety of shades...

www.empressmills.co.uk

 

[CatmanV2]

Can you run the cables back to the windscreen and across under the window to the passenger side or drivers side and down the side of the dash / glovebox / trim.

You could then cover the cable back to the screen with a suitable colour leather tape.

Not a perfect solution but should be neater than you have already.

Faux Leather Tape, 30mm | Various Shades

Flat Faux Leather Tape cut on the bias. Good sewability as so soft and supple. Perfect to bind seams inside bags plus as trim on the exterior as so resilient and idea for use on curved edges. Useful for repair work on leather garments, bags etc plus cuffing. Available in a variety of shades...

www.empressmills.co.uk

Yes I had considered that. Annoyingly there's zero usable gap between the dash and the body panels or the windscreen. **** these modern production tolerances! Also the backup camera cable is too short for that route. I could get a TSSR replacement extension, or make one, but seems like asking for trouble carrying video signals.

That tape looks bloody useful, though! Cheers

C

 

[spkennyuk]

Yes I had considered that. Annoyingly there's zero usable gap between the dash and the body panels or the windscreen. **** these modern production tolerances! Also the backup camera cable is too short for that route. I could get a TSSR replacement extension, or make one, but seems like asking for trouble carrying video signals.

That tape looks bloody useful, though! Cheers

C

Self adhesive versions available of the tape as well in various sizes.

MastaPlasta Self-Adhesive Leather Repair Roll/Tape 150x10cm (60x4ins). Fix Rips | eBay

MastaPlasta products are self-adhesive with an amazing water-based toxin-free adhesive. Not suitable for machine-washing. Your repair patch can be easily wiped clean with a damp cloth and any other solution that is suitable to use on leather surfaces.

www.ebay.co.uk

Only thing that may be in issue is leather fade on the non taped dash parts if you remove the carplay at a later point.

Flat usb cable would help keep it neat as well. The back up camera cable can be extended.

The only other way i can think of is taking one of the A pillar trims off and running the cable up or down to pick up a power supply from somewhere.