Hack the nav - enable trip computer and AC

[csimo]

Originally Posted by vernsully

Just wanted to ask question to the members that have more knowledge. My brother has an Acura MDX that has what I believe is the trip computer and A/C controls on the his factory nav screen. Could the answer lie in the nav disc and if so could we use the Acura navi disc also and have those features unlocked on the ridgeline and odyssey. If this has already been discussed I am sorry for bringing in the same info.

If it's a 2005 or 2006 MDX it uses the same exact DVD that the Ridgeline uses. You go by the color of the DVD. There's white, orange, and black (may be more). All that use the white DVD are the same, etc.

Each DVD contains the .bin files for all the models that use that color DVD. Your Ridgeline knows to only load the Ridgeline files, and the MDX will load different files... but all from the same DVD.

-Joe

[csimo]

Originally Posted by AIBIKR

Thanks for the work on this csimo. I know it has been a pain. I am curious, though, about something that I do not specifically remember being mentioned in the thread. If it was, I apologize for bringing it up again.

The navi disc is the same for a few different vehicles, but when booted up in the navi unit, the unit utilizes the information specific to that vehicle. Is it possible to replace the navi UNIT in the RL with one out of a Honda/Acura vehicle that does have the function and have it work? Many have said that it is the same system, just the trip computer in the unit was disabled. By now I am sure there are other H or A vehicles with trip computer navi systems that have found there way into a junkyard here or there. I would assume that the navi systems probe the vehicle electronics for the information to display on the screen (as stated earlier you can even use the OBD to access the trip information) and that the RL system is simply programmed to not ask or display the information. Did anyone try replacing the entire unit to see if that would work? If it would, then there is no need to violate any agreements or licenses by rewriting code, etc.

Sorry for the long drawn out question, but it got my wheels turning...

Sorry, but I have no idea if an MDX unit will work in a Ridgeline or not. Interesting idea, but I've never looked into it, or even heard of anyone looking into such a possibility.

-Joe

[jmsolt]

I wonder if Alpine, the manufacture would have the answer.

[schwejo]

Just more fodder for the fire: Lots of others out there working on this

http://www.linuxkiddies.com/bysin/navi.zip/

I'm not a "bit" level guy myself, work on the network side of things but I suspect any significant changes would require mods such as the ones discussed at the web link above. For me on a 1 month old truck it would have to be pretty much a turn key fix for me to try it. Never know when something gets written to a ROM or something else that requires a trip to the dealer. My hats off to anyone willing to experiment. I need atleast 6 months before I consider these kinds of hacks.

jon

[ridgeline2006]

Ok, Well I contacted a service person from Acura and he told me that the DVD unit in MDX is different then the one in the Ridgeline. I was really hoping that he was wrong however, he seem to think it will not work. I am upset about this hopefully someone will figure it out...

Also, I did make a working copy of the DVD and it seems to be working fine. I have not found any problems with the copy. The DVD used is a double layer disk and will hold 8.5 gigs instead of 4.7 gigs. I hope that Honda will reconsider and enable that part of the software.

[Whiteliner]

I don't know where the software for the trip computer is, but the display and controls for the trip computer in my 05TL are not on the navi display. This just might mean that there is no hack to provide this in the TL.

[Lingered_I]

I tried with a ripped DVD where I had switched the RL filenames for the MDX files, but it failed to load after about 30 seconds of looking like it was going to do something. I figured that it would ultimately fail anyway, but was worth a try. I wasn't too worried about messing up the firmware, as you can always baseline it again from the oem disk. It's annoying when you look at the diagnostic screen on the RL, as it clearly lists Trip Computer and AC under the installed software list, but with a dash for each instead of the version number.

[Lingered_I]

Originally Posted by schwejo

Just more fodder for the fire: Lots of others out there working on this

http://www.linuxkiddies.com/bysin/navi.zip/

I'm not a "bit" level guy myself, work on the network side of things but I suspect any significant changes would require mods such as the ones discussed at the web link above. For me on a 1 month old truck it would have to be pretty much a turn key fix for me to try it. Never know when something gets written to a ROM or something else that requires a trip to the dealer. My hats off to anyone willing to experiment. I need atleast 6 months before I consider these kinds of hacks.

jon

That software doesn't work with post'04 vehicles.

[schwejo]

thanks!

Jon

[Lingered_I]

I don't know much about the Trip Computer or the AC, but I think I can change the opening "Honda Navigation" screen. In the last couple of minutes I've managed to extract the image from the sjca2.bin file by using the bysin.exe program on one of the other forums. Next I need to try using the same program to replace the image with another, then burn a CD and see if I get the Navi to take it. I'll hopefully get time tomorrow.