ANS-810 / ANS-510 (PROPER RNS-510 alternative)

[bazzle]

My thoughts are you got a reasonable camera for $25. My one is called a Golf camera too BUT its not a boot handle type. They cost $100's.
Put it in and be happy if it works

Bazzle

[whiskywallah]

Just applied the new FW update.
Improvements in iPod are good.
You can now browse Album, Artist, Genre, Composer (!) and Songs.
Once playing back you get long names displayed .
Sometimes the track/album/artist names don't refresh but it's a massive step forward.
iPod browsing stops at top level; ie you can now select an Artist or Genre, but you can't then choose an Album within an artist, it just treats all the songs as a flat list and proceeds to play the first one. Would be nice to choose an album as well as play the whole lot.


Similarly with USB/SD you now get a similar set of playback info as new iPod (Track, Album, Artist), except that the track name is in fact the file name rather than the ID3 tag track name.
The browsing experience is not the same as iPod but is OK.

Browse timeout has been removed completely which is a massive improvement.

Still no RANDOM/SHUFFLE on iPod.
Still no PLAYLIST on iPod.
Still no quick way of navigating up or down a list quickly, just one page at a time.
Still drops '0's from iPod playack times.
No changes to radio functionality, ie RDS station name only shown on preset button.
No change in MFD functionality, ie still basically nothing.

Not tried Phone or BT audio yet.

Everything seems quicker, though I can't see the RVC appearance speed increase.
Overall a good step forward but still needs a few things tidied up before it's fisnished.

[schultp]

My thoughts are you got a reasonable camera for $25. My one is called a Golf camera too BUT its not a boot handle type. They cost $100's.
Put it in and be happy if it works

Bazzle

I don't like the quality of the Universal camera. It is very flimsy. I also like the OEM look of the boot handle camera. I hope they respond and I can get them to work with me on this. The OEM boot handle camera is over $100. The chinese product is at about $30 shipped if you buy from Aliexpress.com - Online Shopping for Electronics, Fashion, Home & Garden, Toys & Sports, Automobiles from China.. But, I don't know the variability in quality form the various manufacturers. I'd like to stick with audiosource on this one since Sandy has worked with them closely and indicated their boot handle camera is of decent quality.

If I find the time, I'll post a pic of the universal camera...it really isn't much at all.

Paul.

[DSGVW]

Just applied the new FW update.
Improvements in iPod are good.
You can now browse Album, Artist, Genre, Composer (!) and Songs.
Once playing back you get long names displayed .
Sometimes the track/album/artist names don't refresh but it's a massive step forward.
iPod browsing stops at top level; ie you can now select an Artist or Genre, but you can't then choose an Album within an artist, it just treats all the songs as a flat list and proceeds to play the first one. Would be nice to choose an album as well as play the whole lot.


Similarly with USB/SD you now get a similar set of playback info as new iPod (Track, Album, Artist), except that the track name is in fact the file name rather than the ID3 tag track name.
The browsing experience is not the same as iPod but is OK.

Browse timeout has been removed completely which is a massive improvement.

Still no RANDOM/SHUFFLE on iPod.
Still no PLAYLIST on iPod.
Still no quick way of navigating up or down a list quickly, just one page at a time.
Still drops '0's from iPod playack times.
No changes to radio functionality, ie RDS station name only shown on preset button.
No change in MFD functionality, ie still basically nothing.

Not tried Phone or BT audio yet.

Everything seems quicker, though I can't see the RVC appearance speed increase.
Overall a good step forward but still needs a few things tidied up before it's fisnished.

Just updated mine and there is no change on the timeout for browsing music.. what gives??

[schultp]

I tried to have my son watch a DVD while I was driving last night. Got to the DVD menu screen but when we tried to play the movie we got a "PROHIBIT" displayed along the top of the screen and it would not play. I am assuming this is a security feature so the driver doesn't get distracted?? Is there a way to override this, I have no interest in viewing my young son's videos and it would be nice to have this distraction for him while we are on a longer driving trip. I understand the safety angle but would like to know if there is a possibility to override...or am I simply not operating things properly to begin with??

Paul.

[bazzle]

Did an update to mine
MPU: M93
MCU: 121123

Sadly menus are now in chinese. Need to go back to school. Back to English again plus had to redo all radio settings etc.
Was a trying task getting the update done sucessfully Unit wouldnt recognise file until I put in an earlier one, reload sd card (in gps slot both times) then when turned on and it found file automatically?

Bazzle

[wai]

I tried to have my son watch a DVD while I was driving last night. Got to the DVD menu screen but when we tried to play the movie we got a "PROHIBIT" displayed along the top of the screen and it would not play. I am assuming this is a security feature so the driver doesn't get distracted?? Is there a way to override this?

You will find that the law on a screen (other than a driving aid) must not be visible by the driver. It is not whether the driver chooses to view the screen or not. If the screen is visible by the driver in the normal driving position, then it can only display static or navigation information that is an aid to the driver.

[whiskywallah]

Just updated mine and there is no change on the timeout for browsing music.. what gives??

I was testing an intermediate release that had this feature so maybe something odd has happened. Need to hear from others to determine if I'm lucky or your unlucky .

Menu reverting to Chinese is fully documented in release notes as is the radio presets issue. I agree it's a PITA but at least DkN documents this properly.

The second half of the update only works for me when I power cycle the unit with the update SD in the GPS slot.
Apart from that I was done in less than five minutes.

[schultp]

You will find that the law on a screen (other than a driving aid) must not be visible by the driver. It is not whether the driver chooses to view the screen or not. If the screen is visible by the driver in the normal driving position, then it can only display static or navigation information that is an aid to the driver.

So I am going to assume that the output for a headrest lcd monitor at the back of the ANS units would not be restricted? I do recall that there is the option to run a dvd movie to the back seats while the driver has a different display (navigation) showing on the many screen.

How does the ANS unit distinguish this and allow the dvd to play if it is being activated from the head unit's main screen?

Paul.

[DkN]

So I am going to assume that the output for a headrest lcd monitor at the back of the ANS units would not be restricted? I do recall that there is the option to run a dvd movie to the back seats while the driver has a different display (navigation) showing on the many screen.

How does the ANS unit distinguish this and allow the dvd to play if it is being activated from the head unit's main screen?

Paul.

As far as I am aware the ANS can in fact play DVDs while driving. Most generic headunits come with a wire to the handbrake or similar that is supposed to detect when the brakes are released and then restrict DVD, but honestly if someone wanted to play DVDs while driving all they had to do is wire it to ground.

Obviously though if you get caught with DVD playing by a cop then you would have to deal with the consequences. Not sure about US laws.

Are you sure the DVD was okay? Have you tried to play it while stationary? And since you are in the US and I don't know which unit you bought I have to ask is the unit an ANS series or the updated AS-7609?

[schultp]

I played a dvd while stationary. I have the ANS-810 unit. I did notice that we grabbed the "widescreen" version from the dvd container originally. However, this should have worked since it is not blue-ray but simply a different viewing format that was provided in the box.

I might have found the reason it did not play while driving. It is very difficult to hit the small on-screen play button/icon. My wife was attempting this while I was driving. When I went back out to the car in the driveway last night it was even difficult for me.

The warning "PROHIBIT" I mentioned previously comes up when I attempt to use some of the steering wheel buttons to activate the dvd.

I'll try again later when I am driving to see if this was just a case of difficult on-screen buttons/icons to press. Is there any head unit control that will scroll through and activate the dvd home screen menu options that I am not aware of...haven't tried the right knob yet, another thing to try today.

I'm sure the US laws must be similar with regard to safety and dvd playing. I am only trying to get this going for my son, and only for prolonged trips. The dvds he has interest in definitely don't provide any appeal to me! I just don't want to buy a headrest lcd screen and wire this up for the few times we would be using the dvd feature.

BTW, great forum thread Sandy! It is THE resource for Audiosource ANS info!

Paul.

Paul.

[DkN]

I played a dvd while stationary. I have the ANS-810 unit. I did notice that we grabbed the "widescreen" version from the dvd container originally. However, this should have worked since it is not blue-ray but simply a different viewing format that was provided in the box.

I might have found the reason it did not play while driving. It is very difficult to hit the small on-screen play button/icon. My wife was attempting this while I was driving. When I went back out to the car in the driveway last night it was even difficult for me.

The warning "PROHIBIT" I mentioned previously comes up when I attempt to use some of the steering wheel buttons to activate the dvd.

I'll try again later when I am driving to see if this was just a case of difficult on-screen buttons/icons to press. Is there any head unit control that will scroll through and activate the dvd home screen menu options that I am not aware of...haven't tried the right knob yet, another thing to try today.

I'm sure the US laws must be similar with regard to safety and dvd playing. I am only trying to get this going for my son, and only for prolonged trips. The dvds he has interest in definitely don't provide any appeal to me! I just don't want to buy a headrest lcd screen and wire this up for the few times we would be using the dvd feature.

BTW, great forum thread Sandy! It is THE resource for Audiosource ANS info!

Paul.

Paul.

Thanks Paul

I don't think the scroll wheel can switch between buttons in the DVD menu, but you could try pressing the right wheel as a button, I think (I don't have the version of ANS with scroll wheels) this is the play/pause button and maybe it will just play the DVD as default.

Just updated mine and there is no change on the timeout for browsing music.. what gives??

Sure you flashed the right files? Check your MPU after the firmware flash, if it does not say M93 then you didn't flash the new firmware.

[schultp]

I have the M93 firmware on my new ANS-810 that I received last week. I was hoping for an active OBD screen...sadly still nothing but a demo static screen shot. Any hope of active OBD still? Was this the last firmware update prior to audiosource jumping to the newer hardware platform?

I don't use an MP3/iPod so cannot help out and check the musics shuffle/select updated features.

Paul.

[DkN]

I have the M93 firmware on my new ANS-810 that I received last week. I was hoping for an active OBD screen...sadly still nothing but a demo static screen shot. Any hope of active OBD still? Was this the last firmware update prior to audiosource jumping to the newer hardware platform?

I don't use an MP3/iPod so cannot help out and check the musics shuffle/select updated features.

Paul.

OBD requires another module that will use the OBD port to read the necessary info. This should be made available before the new unit comes out, I'm told they have already tested beta modules and found them to work.

afaik this is not yet the last firmware for the current platform, there should still be some improvements to come.

[kccortez]

So any update on when the new unit will be available?