Group Buy / EOI new generation DNS head units (RNS-510 alternative)

[moda]

Just before I got mine unistalled.. I finished work at 7 pm.. I went to start me car and the battery was almost dead.. I finally got it started...
I know it was not my battery because the curves only 6 months old...
So be careful I think the unit does drain your battery.

^

I think everyone should be aware of this.

I've found that all the headunits i've had drain the battery (from cheap chinese units to euro/jp units).... I'm wondering if it's just because they're pretty high current draw devices.

If you're going to have them on for an extended amount of time have the car running so the alternator is kicking in.

Edit: Sorry, I thought you meant battery drain while the unit was on but car was off?

[swyner]

Ok so my unit arrived and I installed it.

I've started a spreadsheet here of bugs i've found:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ameax9FdclusdGZTWG05V0cxeGpGUWNIamdJdDBTeGc&usp=sharing

I encourage EVERYONE to add bugs they've found to the spreadsheet. It'll help Audiosources identify and fix the bugs faster, so we can just get on and use the unit.

Thoughts so far:

Radio reception is better than my chinese RNS510 copy. Not 100%, but pretty good. AM reception actually works.
iPod controls have some bugs in it, but the way I use it (let iPhone control playback, rather than unit), it's fine.
iPod playback is significantly better than my chinese RNS copy.
General usage is quick and snappy.
Screen is nice and bright.
BT call quality is good on my end, on other end has a slight reverb
BT streaming music quality is ok, has a bit of a crackle to it.
GPS locked on quickly, and iGo works as before, much quicker though.
AC controls need some work.
General menus need some work.
MFD information needs some work.

Found the dead radio bug you guys were talking about. If you turn the key to Acc, let the unit power on, THEN start the engine, radio module fails. Turn unit on and off fixes it. If you start the car straight away radio works as normal. This is repeatable.

Backlight works as normal. Max brightness, switching on headlights dims it.

One issue that I did find, that I have no idea how it happened, or why, is that twice, the unit stopped getting CANBUS data. No display on the MFD, no AC/Door popup, no information in car information, no change in backlight to headlights. On engine stop and key pull, the unit stayed powered on. Forcing the unit to shutdown turned it off, but the lights stayed on. Only way I found to fix it was to pull the canbus wiring forcing a reset.

On that, in the secret menu, what are yours set to in canbus version and car type? Mine is CAN-V and VW, but I swear when I first turned it on it was set to 'OFF' car type.

Also, it looks like mine is running a slightly newer version of the software (20131113).

So far it's about as usable as my old unit, just a lot faster, and sound quality is significantly better.

Awesome idea! One suggestion, make sure you make a column that lists the Firmware because I too have the 20131113 which is the newest firmware that has been VERY good and very little glitch. A note from Sandy on this firmware was the SD button, when hit on a DNS810 goes directly to DVD player instead of cycling through the SD, USB, Aux-IN, etc. Apparently this works find on a DNS610 has they have a media button which is the "same" as our DNS810 "SD" button and goes to the Media menu.

[moda]

Awesome idea! One suggestion, make sure you make a column that lists the Firmware because I too have the 20131113 which is the newest firmware that has been VERY good and very little glitch. A note from Sandy on this firmware was the SD button, when hit on a DNS810 goes directly to DVD player instead of cycling through the SD, USB, Aux-IN, etc. Apparently this works find on a DNS610 has they have a media button which is the "same" as our DNS810 "SD" button and goes to the Media menu.

Yea I added a firmware column.

Strange though, when I hit SD it cycles through all the various inputs (USB/SD/iPod etc)? I'd love an option in the menu to be able to change the behavior of this button, because it's a bit of a pain cycling through those options when I don't use them. I'd use SD or iPod, and that's it.

[swyner]

Also, where is the factory reset button? Just for future usage.

Second question, how exactly should I connect up the reverse camera? Bit confused, the instructions make little sense.

Back of the unit has:
Video In
Reverse
BBattery
Ground

Camera Has:
Yellow Connector -> Long cable with Yellow connectors on either end, but then a short red wires coming out of each connector and then ending in bare wire (???)
Red Connector -> Long cable, one end red connector, one end bare red and black wires.

So it's obvious that the yellow connector is video in, but what are the short red wires? and then what does the bare red/black wires coming out of the red connector get connected to? Black is obviously ground, but what do the red wires go to?

It shouldn't be this hard, but apparently it is haha.

Edit: Nevermind, worked it out... All I need is the yellow... red wire on the unit side connects to reverse, and isn't connected to anything on the camera side. That's all I need, right? Will test it out tomorrow and see how it goes.

Check my earlier posts on this. This is for the Latch Replacement Camera only....not sure about the other types. The only connectors coming out of the DNS you use are the RCA Video In and the Battery (red). The Ground and Reverse wires DO NOT TOUCH. From the camera you need to connect the 3.5MM plug male into the female end (this is the RCA). Connect the Blue/Red wiring loom to the only other connector that accepts these. Connect the short but thick black ground wire to a bolt in the hatch. Wire the RCA, red/blue wires to front of car and connect the blue wire to the Battery red wire out of DNS, connect the RCA to the Video in (don't worry about the little red wire coming out of the RCA...this is useless). Finally, connect the red wire which should have come with an inline fuse to an ALWAYS ON connection in the fuse panel...there should be a few empty fuse slots that give you 12V power when car is off.

Edit: the red/blue wiring loom may be red/black but either way, there is a 2 wire "loom" coming from the camera and the red should be always on connection and the blue/black is your reverse trigger which has to be connected to Battery red wire from DNS, not the reverse labelled one (I know...strange).

[swyner]

Yea I added a firmware column.

Strange though, when I hit SD it cycles through all the various inputs (USB/SD/iPod etc)? I'd love an option in the menu to be able to change the behavior of this button, because it's a bit of a pain cycling through those options when I don't use them. I'd use SD or iPod, and that's it.

Weird, maybe there were a couple of versions of this firmware and I got mine from Sandy rather than on the unit itself. Oh well, I don't use the SD or other media functions now so I am cool with it. Especially since it dramtically improved some menu functions and button behaviors from earlier versions.

[moda]

Check my earlier posts on this. This is for the Latch Replacement Camera only....not sure about the other types. The only connectors coming out of the DNS you use are the RCA Video In and the Battery (red). The Ground and Reverse wires DO NOT TOUCH. From the camera you need to connect the 3.5MM plug male into the female end (this is the RCA). Connect the Blue/Red wiring loom to the only other connector that accepts these. Connect the short but thick black ground wire to a bolt in the hatch. Wire the RCA, red/blue wires to front of car and connect the blue wire to the Battery red wire out of DNS, connect the RCA to the Video in (don't worry about the little red wire coming out of the RCA...this is useless). Finally, connect the red wire which should have come with an inline fuse to an ALWAYS ON connection in the fuse panel...there should be a few empty fuse slots that give you 12V power when car is off.

Cheers mate

I think the difference between the latch camera and the license plate camera is the latch camera needs always on power. Looks like all I need to wire through is the video cable. I'll have to test this theory tomorrow, though. I couldn't be bothered pulling half my car apart today and fitting it, having spent most of today on other fiddly stuff (replacing a broken iPhone button, what a mission haha, and pulling half of my girlfriends car apart cleaning up a spill she had, urgh).

Weird, maybe there were a couple of versions of this firmware and I got mine from Sandy rather than on the unit itself. Oh well, I don't use the SD or other media functions now so I am cool with it. Especially since it dramtically improved some menu functions and button behaviors from earlier versions.

Yea I dunno. Apart from the canbus thing (which was my fault), it seems pretty solid. Still some residual weirdness going on, but nothing really mission critical.

[polski_ogurek]

Cheers mate

I think the difference between the latch camera and the license plate camera is the latch camera needs always on power. Looks like all I need to wire through is the video cable. I'll have to test this theory tomorrow, though. I couldn't be bothered pulling half my car apart today and fitting it, having spent most of today on other fiddly stuff (replacing a broken iPhone button, what a mission haha, and pulling half of my girlfriends car apart cleaning up a spill she had, urgh).

Let us know how you go. Maybe throw up some pics if u can. As I was wondering how that camera would wire up.

Sent from my galaxy spaceship

[kwalsh24]

Found a new glitch, will report it to the Google docs spreadsheet, turned the car on, everything worked, went to change the radio preset and dead air, hit the preset again and it worked....

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[Mattlock]

I think the difference between the latch camera and the license plate camera is the latch camera needs always on power.

From the Google searching I've done on reversing cameras for Golfs, the regular note is that the latch camera does need an always on feed. I don't recall the reason why but most DIY install guides mention that it needs to be this way.

[kwalsh24]

Just before I got mine unistalled.. I finished work at 7 pm.. I went to start me car and the battery was almost dead.. I finally got it started...
I know it was not my battery because the curves only 6 months old...
So be careful I think the unit does drain your battery.

How long were you at work for? I left my car over night from 10:30pm to 8am and my car was fine? That's slightly concerning hearing that these non battery draining units, actually are,draining batteries. False advertising there, but what advertising for this thing has been true to word.

Mind you, my car may have a bigger battery as it is the tdi version

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[swyner]

How long were you at work for? I left my car over night from 10:30pm to 8am and my car was fine? That's slightly concerning hearing that these non battery draining units, actually are,draining batteries. False advertising there, but what advertising for this thing has been true to word.

Mind you, my car may have a bigger battery as it is the tdi version

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

Never had that problem here. I have had in installed for a bit and nothing to speak of on battery drain.

[kwalsh24]

Interesting, that's good to hear, I'll keep am eye on this and will post if I see anything. Wonder if the installer ran the remote turn on for Raymond's amps to a constant 12v feed. I ran Mine to a on at ignition at the fuse panel, as annoying as that will be in the future it will have go do till something is done about a remote turn on line for external amps

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[swyner]

Raymondtrudeau...just a thought seeing that you had so many issues with yours. It's always a possibility that you got a dud but seeing that you had camera, battery and some other issues, I am seriously wondering if your installer didn't wire properly (in fact I know for the camera but the battery drain issue....dunno). You mentioned your sub (assume Bazooka tube) didn't work? Again, wondering if the remote turn on was causing a battery drain. If I had more time (and wasn't puking my guts out on Friday) I would have come and helped you. If you are still interested we can try to take a look again.....just seems weird....you had A LOT of issues, not just these common bugs...

[kwalsh24]

I agree, I installed mine to see if I had any issues similar to Raymond's, so far no, just the minimal ones that are mentioned. I'm thinking there's a install fault there as well....

Mind you I didn't install a camera so my install slightly differs...

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[raymondtrudeau]

Thanks. What I mean by the bazoka subwoofer not working is..if I turn the radio on the sub has bass but when I turn up the radio or sd card music the bass does not increase it remains the same level...I asked the installer and he said it is installed properly.. it must be the head unit...
but sure swyner if you have time we could meet and you could have a look..
Thanks just pm me..

Raymondtrudeau...just a thought seeing that you had so many issues with yours. It's always a possibility that you got a dud but seeing that you had camera, battery and some other issues, I am seriously wondering if your installer didn't wire properly (in fact I know for the camera but the battery drain issue....dunno). You mentioned your sub (assume Bazooka tube) didn't work? Again, wondering if the remote turn on was causing a battery drain. If I had more time (and wasn't puking my guts out on Friday) I would have come and helped you. If you are still interested we can try to take a look again.....just seems weird....you had A LOT of issues, not just these common bugs...