Volkswagen RNS 510 New Firmware Release

[Maverick]

Version 2660 / 2662/ 2664/ 2666 / 2668 Firmware for the Volkswagen RNS 510 and the Skoda Columbus has been released and gives new features such as

Voice Control
Speed Limit Display
Stability Improvements
Faster Startup
Display OPS and RVC
SDHC 32 GB Support (HW04 and above)
Display Off on extras tab
Climatronic control if approriate climatronic fitted
Clock display if RNS 510 swtiched off
Excluded roads (under route options)

Details and links to the firmware can be found here

http://www.my-gti.com/1198/volkswagen-rns-510-firmware-upgrade-to-version-2660-2662-2664-2666-2668

[Swallowtail]

Excellent information Maverick - thanks for posting it.

Couple of questions...

1. How do I find out what hw version I currently have (I'd like the SDHC support). My car is a mid 09 build.
2. What can you voice control? And how does that work - is there a microphone socket in the back of the RNS510? What sort of mic does it need? How about those of us with Bluetooth fitted? I have the Fiscon one - can it pass-thru to the BT so you only need one microphone?
3. Cliamtronic control - do you mean you can control the HVAC from the RNS510?? That would be cool (oh dear, sorry about that).
3. What is Click display if the RNS510 is switched off? EDIT - aha, from reading the VWNavi forum, it's "Clock" on display when RNS turned off... that makes sense now.

Some brilliant improvements in there though - I'd be keen to try this I reckon....

[Maverick]

Excellent information Maverick - thanks for posting it.

Couple of questions...

1. How do I find out what hw version I currently have (I'd like the SDHC support). My car is a mid 09 build.

If it's factory fit it would be definitely higher.

2. What can you voice control? And how does that work - is there a microphone socket in the back of the RNS510? What sort of mic does it need? How about those of us with Bluetooth fitted? I have the Fiscon one - can it pass-thru to the BT so you only need one microphone?

On the back of the RNS 510 there are an input and output for the microphone. A while ago I rerouted my microphone to the RNS 510 and from the RNS 510 to the bluetooth unit in preparation for this.

3. Cliamtronic control - do you mean you can control the HVAC from the RNS510?? That would be cool (oh dear, sorry about that).

On the newer models like the Mark 6, I think the Jetta and some Passats? they have removed the climatronic displays from the AC controls and now display it on the headunits (RCD 310, RNS 310, RCD 510 and RNS 510), apparently this is an extension of this with some more features. It cant work with the current climatronic like the Mark V's as they are missing a CAN bus connection however I'll confirm this when I upgrade/brick my unit tonight

3. What is Click display if the RNS510 is switched off? EDIT - aha, from reading the VWNavi forum, it's "Clock" on display when RNS turned off... that makes sense now.

Ooooooops better fix that

[Swallowtail]

LOL... let us all know how you go bricking I mean upgrading your unit.

Means I'll have to haul out my unit and get another cable for my BT mike. So the mike from the BT goes into the RNS510 (should be a straight plug in - I think it's just a 3.5mm mono from memory) and then a new cable from the RNS510 into the BT's mike in socket I guess? Alternatively I guess just another mike straight into the RNS510 should work...

What can you voice control, do you know? Is it like the ads for the new Ford Mondeo's voice control system?

My VAGCOM cable is at a mate's at the moment, will have to get it back to enable the menu to see what version I have... do you have instructions on what to change to see that menu?

[Maverick]

LOL... let us all know how you go bricking I mean upgrading your unit.

hopefully it all goes to plan, it's a long 60 minutes!

Not many bricked their units with the 1100 firmware, it would be a tiny fraction of a percent I'd say.

Means I'll have to haul out my unit and get another cable for my BT mike. So the mike from the BT goes into the RNS510 (should be a straight plug in - I think it's just a 3.5mm mono from memory) and then a new cable from the RNS510 into the BT's mike in socket I guess? Alternatively I guess just another mike straight into the RNS510 should work...

The mic input and output on the rear requires some repair wire with the connectors. I'll put up some info this week about it with the part numbers etc etc. It's not a big job but in your case I'd try the kufatec mic and hopefully it's the same impedence etc as the factory one.

The way I'd wire it would be have a 3.5mm socket to repair connectors on RNS510 and repair connectors from RNS 510 to 3.5mm plug. This will let you revert back if the mic doesn't work and easily swap over to the factory mic just for the RNS 510 (or test cheaper alternatives easily).

What can you voice control, do you know? Is it like the ads for the new Ford Mondeo's voice control system?

I'd say it works better, not based on having used either but going by Ford's track record . Voice control has been in Japan on the RNS 510's for a while IIRC plus they also get 3D views with buildings, trees etc.

My VAGCOM cable is at a mate's at the moment, will have to get it back to enable the menu to see what version I have... do you have instructions on what to change to see that menu?

Actually the secret setup mode (aka test mode) has all those details, haven't been in there for a while.

[Swallowtail]

Cool... keen to see the info on connecting a mike to the RNS510 with the repair wires and connectors. From your comments I assume the connection is part of the quad-lock plug, not real mike sockets or anything?

Secret setup / test mode doesn't work on my RNS510. The reason I mentioned VCDS was that from memory I think you have to set something (50 rings a bell) to enable it on the new units?

[Swallowtail]

This is in German, but shows the voice control for the nav system:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNEga4omg_E

It would appear from the first half a second that he hits the speaker button to initiate voice control of the RNS 510...

[Swallowtail]

OK, CD is in and updating...

This thread is interesting, although thru Google translate it's a bit painful at times.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.motor-talk.de%2Fforum%2Fneues-firmare-update-fuers-rns-510-v2660-t2388341.html%3Fpage%3D0

Discusses microphones and how to activate the voice control. There is a post a page back that has pictures showing VCDS activating mike options for the RNS510. Also some discussion about just throwing in a standard VW mike into the ceiling console space... I imagine that should already be wired to the RNS510? And then presumably just having to take Mike Out from the RNS510 to the input of my BT system. Hmmm, will have to do some playing. Mav - let us know how you go too.

[Swallowtail]

Update completed. At first glance I see the options to switch off the display which is nice, and show the clock when it's off...

Voice Control - will need me to sort out hardware (mike and wiring) and code in VCDS.
Speed Limit Display - not sure that Aussie maps have this info, will find out this evening...
Stability Improvements - cool
Faster Startup - yes
Display OPS and RVC - don't have RVC
SDHC 32 GB Support (HW04 and above) - will try this tonight
Display Off on extras tab - yes, works
Climatronic control if approriate climatronic fitted - need Passat CC or Golf Mk6 I think
Clock display if RNS 510 swtiched off - yes
Excluded roads (under route options) - yes

[Swallowtail]

Reads SDHC cards fine... Thanks Mav for pointing this out!!! Kudos....

New OPS showing areas of coverage:



New "Switch off display" function:



Which does this:



Also shows time:



If the Aussie maps had speed limit info this is how you activate it:



New HDD Capacity screen:



Ability to load destinations from SD card directly:

[Maverick]

The voice commands are fantastic, you can control every part of the RNS 510 and even enter a frequency for the radio. Just need to get the knack of the commands as I was jumping all over the place for a while much to my wife's bemusement when she found me taking photos whilst talking to my car in the dark garage (sensor lights turned off)

Notebook ran out of power so I'll have some photos etc up shortly once I get into the test mode.

[Swallowtail]

Cool!

Some of the guys on the German forum are just putting a VW mike (3B0 035 711 B) in the ceiling console, I think plugging into an existing socket there? That is then already wired back through the harness into the RNS510 quadlock pins already I think. If I do that then I don't need to do any wiring changes at all - the Fiscon can just continue to use its own mike, or if I want to I can go Mic Out pins into the Fiscon's socket and share the mike. Would a VW dealer be the best place to get one from?

Can you post up details of the VAGCOM coding changes please that are needed so it recognises and uses the microphone?

[Maverick]

Cool!

Some of the guys on the German forum are just putting a VW mike (3B0 035 711 B) in the ceiling console, I think plugging into an existing socket there? That is then already wired back through the harness into the RNS510 quadlock pins already I think. If I do that then I don't need to do any wiring changes at all - the Fiscon can just continue to use its own mike, or if I want to I can go Mic Out pins into the Fiscon's socket and share the mike. Would a VW dealer be the best place to get one from?

Can you post up details of the VAGCOM coding changes please that are needed so it recognises and uses the microphone?

There's no wiring in place already, what I did with my skoda kit was chop the microphone cable off near the skoda kit and run this to the RNS 510 and using a handy spare microphone cable that I had off my spare harness I used this to run from the RNS 510 to the skoda kit.

I'll try and find the spec for the microphone cable as matching it will avoid any problems. The voice controls work excellent and there are no errors with the microphone (it does diagnostics on the mic).

The mics from memory are around $40 or $50 in Aus.

I've taken a screen shot of the change (only one required) and it kept my setting as I turned it on ages ago so just worked when powered up. All you need to do to activate is press the i button (near the light sensor top right) and she talks to you.

[Swallowtail]

Handy tip for you Mav - hit the star button on the steering wheel twice in quick succession and she should talk to you as well.

Bummer on the no existing cabling...

OK, so if I get a Skoda kit, what parts do I need to wire the Skoda mike into the RNS510 properly and from there to the Skoda kit, and where do I get them from? I'm going to do it I think. I like the idea of voice activated everything - including phone...

[Maverick]

Handy tip for you Mav - hit the star button on the steering wheel twice in quick succession and she should talk to you as well.

Excellent, it's press one for voice commands for the bluetooth so that makes it easy. My hands will never have to leave the wheel again!