Navinc OEM RNS-E CarPlay Update - Anyone try this?

[Rocky182]

So I'm back, and I bought another Mugello Blue RS4 after selling my last one 7 years ago... And technology has come quite a ways since then. I want to add CarPlay functionality while maintaining as much of the OEM looks as possible. (All these head units I'm seeing are gloss black which doesn't mesh well with the stock matte black IMO)

Anyone have experience with this? https://www.navinc.nl/20195672

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPcqS8wkQ6I



I can't find any details of anyone who has installed it, but it looks like it basically updates the factory software to include CarPlay (or it could be a replacement unit, not sure). It's a MkII unit in the picture and I believe we all have MkI's from the factory, so not sure if it would still work.

On a side note, if no one thinks this would actually work, what is the closest to OEM looking aftermarket CarPlay unit out there?

[Quattro 4 Life]

Sub’d this is pretty interesting. There are some OE-style aftermarket units that run Android, amongst other more modern units with bigger screens.

See here: https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...nstalls/page83

[copperbricks]

I did some research on the available aftermarket/modernized head-unit options for B6/B7 when I picked up my car a few months ago. The main three options I found are as follows:

1) Various Android head-units that match the "OEM" look (often under the XTrons brand). These are available as RNS lookalikes, OEM-ish dual knob units and full touch screens. Reliability/build quality seems mixed and it seems like most of them require ground loop isolators to avoid interference/humming coming out of your speakers. Running on Android is also an advantage and a disadvantage - due to the customizability you can probably make it look 100% OEM, but I was concerned about lag and performance given the weak chipsets these come with.

2) Dynavin N7-Pro. The most expensive of the lot but has US based support and is supposed to be 100% plug and play. Looks like an OEM-ish radio with dual knobs (volume and tuner) similar to what came in a lot of VWs until recently. I believe it uses an operating system based on some older version of Windows or something strange. This is the unit I ended up buying and I've been happy with it except for two things. The tabs on the side of the radio were a little too short, causing it to sit really loosely in the slot in my car. I designed and 3D-Printed some new tabs that fixed the issue and can provide files if anyone needs them. Secondly, the UI is frankly pretty ugly and not at all OEM looking. You can customize the bootscreen but after that you're stuck with the hideous stock icons. My fix for this is to only use it in Carplay mode, leaving it off otherwise. Overall though install was extremely easy and I'm happy with the sound quality. It also seems to be able to figure out when I'm in reverse (manual) maybe through its CANBUS connection so that should make installing a backup camera easy when I get around to it.

3) Options like what you've linked above. I found a few variations but they all use the live TV mode of the RNS-E (tricked in some way to display while driving). They basically display carplay or whatever you want as a video feed to the RNS-E, and sniff the CANBUS to pick up on your control inputs (turning the knob etc). Honestly I like this option the most but would really like it with a touch screen as well. I believe it should be pretty doable to add a capacitive touch screen over the stock display (I've seen one person who did it) and connect that to whatever you're running carplay on. I ended up buying the Dynavin because I wanted functional Carplay for a roadtrip I'm making pretty soon but am planning on buying an RNS-E unit eventually to try to modernize it like this.

Also you can obviously buy an adapter plate + harness and install whatever aftermarket unit you want but I have to see an install that looked good to me.