Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for Audi MMI 2G

Summary on what you need to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto installed on Audi MMI 2G

1. Your MMI Head Unit  must have FBAS (video input) connector circuit installed (needed on 2004-2006) or 4E0 035 729 A (2007+)

2. Audi Analog TV tuner – 4E0 919 146 and cables for power, AV1 and AV2 inputs (composite video + 2 audio) and an optical splitter. Fakra video cable from TV tuner to Head Unit or RVC controller.

3. An Android TV box – Tanix TX3 mini is proven to work with capacitive touch screen on Ebay. Must have analog AV output – correct cable is needed. Search on aliexpress.com, 2GB/16GB is preferred.

4. Android CarPlay/Android Auto USB dongle: Wired and Wireless, I recommend wireless –

5. USB extension, USB 12V-5V, Ground Loop Noise Filter.

What you can do with Q7 MMI 2G Audio System

So, finally I got the system to work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto perfectly with Capacitive TouchScreen that works. Thanks to FuChengWu on Youtube, showed me how to do it with the hid-multitouch.ko that enable the touchscreen module.  For people who don’t want to mess around with Android Coding, just download the Android module loader and run it with the hid-multitouch.ko.

• Components I’ve used that work:
• My wireless CarPlay Dongle.
• Audi MMI that don’t have FBAS (original backup camera) – 2004-2006 US cars, must have FBAS circuit installed to be able to use this CarPlay system. The best way to upgrade is to buy a MMI head unit with “A” in the end – 4E0 035-729A and swap the i2c 24c64 from the old to the new one, this will prevent Component Protection.
• An analog TV tuner 4E0 919 146 must be installed for AV1 and AV2 to come through the FBAS.
• VIM must be enabled to watch videos on the go.
• MMI software version must be at least 3360.
• 12V to 5V Usb Converter. or if you don’t want to solder use these already made.
• This is the Android Box I used (3) – they work well.
• USB microphone – Plug and play.
• Capacitive touchscreen – 

Rotary Encoder to navigate CarPlay

To get the touch screen area to display correctly on the 7″ screen, we may have to set the position with zoom out function (90% is optimum). For the color to display well in 720×480, the resolution must be set with 480cvbs and not 560.

There are many Android USB CarPlay dongle out there, but I’m not sure if all dongles will support Android Auto, but mine did and it’s made to work as Zjinnova-carplay. You need the latest zbox.apk from this website, the latest version is 4.5.13.

Touchscreen for A8 D3 Installation.

If you can find a thin screen, just mount it outside the original frame, if not, a thick one like mine, just let the MMI sit in the open position and disable the switch for the motor from opening and closing. It will have a little gap but with a nice black or carbon fiber tape, it will look nice. No more gearing problem, noise and stuff from the motor. You do need the touchscreen for CarPlay and Android Auto.

This video shows how to remove the display screen very well. We don’t need to remove everything, just the front LED panel to access the screen for TouchScreen installation.

Apple CarPlay is a great program for car iOS devices. For older MMI 2G, there aren’t much choices since it’s an old technology. There’s a program by third party who claims to mimic the Apple CarPlay from Apple, but it doesn’t work as well as Apple original software.

CarOS

If the App can access the iMessage data and work like the original Apple CarPlay, it may worth the money, but without the iMessage hand free feature, it defeats the purpose. I’m glad that they have 7 days trial.

 

 

Apple CarPlay exists in 2017 eGolf and it works wonder with the touch screen, but since Audi MMI 2G doesn’t have touch screen but we can use the Analog TV tuner to mirror the iOS screen to MMI screen and use our iOS device as touch screen.

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