Hacking a Dodge/Chrysler Nav head unit

Ge0 · 11-20-2007, 11:02 PM

Hello all. My sole purpose for this post is to ultimately add a massive music server to my vehicle. It is a 2004 Dodge Durango Limited with factory equipt CAN-BUS based navigation head unit. I don't want to yank the head unit out to add another option. It integrates well with the vehicle and is easy enough for my wife to understand. That, and a rear seat DVD player and Satellite radio connect to it. I don't want to loose control over these.

So, How can I control a Carputer using some interface to the Factory Nav head unit?

Option 1.) I can buy an ipod adapter that will allow the head unit to control an ipod. TO begin with, I could buy an ipod and be done with it. However, I want to put my ENTIRE music collection on this sucker in a lossless format. Not just a portion that is highly compressed. I'll need a much larger storage medium in the near future.

The nice thing about the ipod adapter is that it will allow me to not only control the ipod from the head unit, but, display time, track, and artist information as well. This is HIGHLY desireable.

Here is the golden question. Is it possible for a Carputer to emulate an ipod and fool the adapter into thinking it is a 500 gig ipod device?

Option 2.) Some other box that will bridge the gap between my head unit and a Carputer. I'm not sure if this exists. Where can i go to find out?

If yet another option exists, please by all means let me know. Keep in mind, I DO NOT want to mount some fuggly controller or external display on my dash. My vehicle comes equipt with an auxilary audio/video input. if I could settle on this, I would not be asking these questions. I want a clean looking vehicle without dongles and dinkuses hanging all over the place.

Ge0

Ge0 · 11-21-2007, 11:00 AM

No bites? Is this even the right place for this question? Help a newb out here. Lead the way...

Ge0

etsicc · 11-21-2007, 11:32 AM

check out PAC adapters they may have an audio and maybe even an video interface for your dodge.

Ge0 · 11-21-2007, 01:04 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by etsicc

check out PAC adapters they may have an audio and maybe even an video interface for your dodge.

Unfortunately their only solution involves getting rid of the connection between my head unit and rear seat DVD. Can't do that or my kids will get ****ed.

Mopar sells an adapter that allows you to integrate an ipod into the head unit using CAN-BUS commands. This is why I was asking if it is possible to have a carputer emulate an ipod.

I've heard rumors that another CAN-BUS device exists that would give me a line output from the head unit and allow me to bypass the factory amp altogether. This is highly desireable from an SQ perspective. But, I can't find this anywhere.

Ge0

jbors · 11-21-2007, 01:13 PM

We have Car2PC-CHR which should work for your vehicle.

Ge0 · 11-21-2007, 02:18 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jbors

We have Car2PC-CHR which should work for your vehicle.

Thanks for the heads up. However, this will not work with my system. The Nav head unit has a built in CD changer. Any communications it has with the outside world is via CAN-BUS. The CARPC device appears to work by emulating an external CD changer.

Continuing on my quest.

Ge0

jbors · 11-21-2007, 04:17 PM

It does not matter that stereo already has changer or not. All stereos can accept external devices especially the latest ones with CAN.

Ge0 · 11-21-2007, 05:44 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jbors

It does not matter that stereo already has changer or not. All stereos can accept external devices especially the latest ones with CAN.

I hear ya there. But, They did specifically mention it would not work with radios that have a CD changer so I stopped there.

Every last one of these adapter thingies have VERY vague descriptions. I guess i could call for more details.

Ge0

greatwhite · 11-21-2007, 07:38 PM

You're probably hooped for what you want...........

Even if you could get the puter to play through the radio, you would have to write your own software/drivers in order for the unit to control the puter. Unless you plan to put a tochsceen up front. But, ultimately, the end result this way will not be very satisfying. I've been down that road................

You could go with a my gig unit since the 04 durango runs a can bus, but then you're only getting a 20 gig drive. Even smaller than going withthe ipod option.

You best out there, for what you want, is probably "bellying up to the bar" and buying the Chrysler ipod adapter and a 160 gig ipod or so..................not cheap..................but it will integrate the ipod with the stock head unit seemlessly.

Like I said, that'll get pricy, but everything is pricey these days.

Ge0 · 11-21-2007, 09:34 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by greatwhite

You're probably hooped for what you want...........

Even if you could get the puter to play through the radio, you would have to write your own software/drivers in order for the unit to control the puter. Unless you plan to put a tochsceen up front. But, ultimately, the end result this way will not be very satisfying. I've been down that road................

You could go with a my gig unit since the 04 durango runs a can bus, but then you're only getting a 20 gig drive. Even smaller than going withthe ipod option.

You best out there, for what you want, is probably "bellying up to the bar" and buying the Chrysler ipod adapter and a 160 gig ipod or so..................not cheap..................but it will integrate the ipod with the stock head unit seemlessly.

Like I said, that'll get pricy, but everything is pricey these days.

Price is not as much of a factor as is seemless integration. Besides, I won't be buying it, putting together a quick x-mas list for my family to fund my adventure

.

Whaat is this my gig you're talking about?

You have a 300M, did you have a similar issue with CAN radio? What have you done top your car?

Ge0

greatwhite · 11-22-2007, 09:25 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ge0

Price is not as much of a factor as is seemless integration. Besides, I won't be buying it, putting together a quick x-mas list for my family to fund my adventure

.

Whaat is this my gig you're talking about?

You have a 300M, did you have a similar issue with CAN radio? What have you done top your car?

Ge0

The 300m doesn't run on can bus, it's called PCI bus. Chrysler's proprietary bus before Can bus came in.

For "my gig", just google it and you should get lots of hits. here's my first hit on google:
http://www.technoride.com/article/Ch.../183407_1.aspx

I'm going full carputer setup. I had the rb1 but wasn't satisfied with it.
The usual stuff for the carputer,
Touchscreen in dash, hd radio, p4, dc-dc converter, gps, video, wifi, etc, etc.

But you gotta build it yourself and like everything else, it has it's compromises........

If you're just looking to integrate mp3 music (of flac), I'd probably go with the ipod integration kit.

well, if the ipod will recognize "flac" that is.............

*edit, check into the my gig very closely if you go that way. It seems to have an aux in for all dap's and may not allow ou to control an ipod through the headunit*

HiJackZX1 · 11-22-2007, 09:54 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ge0

Hello all. My sole purpose for this post is to ultimately add a massive music server to my vehicle. It is a 2004 Dodge Durango Limited with factory equipt CAN-BUS based navigation head unit. I don't want to yank the head unit out to add another option. It integrates well with the vehicle and is easy enough for my wife to understand. That, and a rear seat DVD player and Satellite radio connect to it. I don't want to loose control over these.

So, How can I control a Carputer using some interface to the Factory Nav head unit?

Option 1.) I can buy an ipod adapter that will allow the head unit to control an ipod. TO begin with, I could buy an ipod and be done with it. However, I want to put my ENTIRE music collection on this sucker in a lossless format. Not just a portion that is highly compressed. I'll need a much larger storage medium in the near future.

The nice thing about the ipod adapter is that it will allow me to not only control the ipod from the head unit, but, display time, track, and artist information as well. This is HIGHLY desireable.

Here is the golden question. Is it possible for a Carputer to emulate an ipod and fool the adapter into thinking it is a 500 gig ipod device?

Option 2.) Some other box that will bridge the gap between my head unit and a Carputer. I'm not sure if this exists. Where can i go to find out?

If yet another option exists, please by all means let me know. Keep in mind, I DO NOT want to mount some fuggly controller or external display on my dash. My vehicle comes equipt with an auxilary audio/video input. if I could settle on this, I would not be asking these questions. I want a clean looking vehicle without dongles and dinkuses hanging all over the place.

Ge0

YEaaaaaaaa, another durango!!!!!!!! Well if you really want to spend the time and money, install a 100% carPC. It will have a ton more features then that head unit. If I am not mistaken, isnt that the Nav that requires you have a DVD in it? Mine came with the CD player in it, but because I am a technosexual, I had to install a PC and the Durango has more then enough room. Just think of all the things you can have. Mine has Nav, Regualr TV, Sattelite TV with 518 channels, DVD, XM, Engine diagnostics, Full time high speed internet (via Sprint EVDO rev A), bluetooth, Phone connectivity and tons more.

Now i know what you want, you want to connect a PC to your reguklar headunit. Well i have seen it done this way... you connect the pc audio via auxilary, and you have a small keypad so you can push a button. Then you install voice recognition and of course have a mic connected and you simply say what you want to hear. If you were looking to be able to see what was going on, that would require moding of the headunit its self. Anyways I hope this helps.