[scoobie]

Is there anyway to add custom points of interest to a backup DVD disk. I'm thinking along the lines of the UK speed camera database which is a POI file for PDA's and other nav units. Would be useful to get audio alerts when approaching these license endorser units at high speed. :roll:

 

[QuattroLee]

Can I just second that request. :lol:

Has anyone looked into how the Nav system works and records POI?

 

[waterpetter]

Interesting. I have exactly the same question and my in my search on www have not found any clues so far. Anybody any ideas?

 

[AudiA4B6US]

The Euro software 0330 and newer is now using a signature on the DVD which doesn't allow alterations anymore. Even if someone figures out how to add POIs, the updated DVD may not be readable anymore.

 

[PetrolDave]

The Euro software 0330 and newer is now using a signature on the DVD which doesn't allow alterations anymore. Even if someone figures out how to add POIs, the updated DVD may not be readable anymore.

Unless we can also work out how the signature is calculated.

It's silly that I have to have a GPS speed camera warning device (Cyclops) in my Audi, in addition to the (more accurate) RNS-E.

In the UK there are many speed camera database available for both PDA based sat nav systems and stand-alone sat nav systems from e.g. Tom Tom and Navman.

It's a poor show that Audi didn't think ahead and include something like using one of the SD card slots for custom POIs.

 

[waterpetter]

I fully agree in this. After all we payed a lot of money to purchase the Audi Navi compared to a stand alone system. Maybe we can unite as Audi Navi users and together request Audi to make it possible to use camera poi thrue the sd memory card!

 

[QuattroLee]

great idea (consumer influence on audi) but can't see us making any headway on that one.

just though someone like checkpoi could make a program that runs over the top of the audi system - like it does on Tom Tom, it could be loaded up from the sd card. Maybe an email to checkpoi?

 

[waterpetter]

I don't think that the RNS-E is able to play anything else then MP3 files from the SD memory at this stage. I have read that it is indeed difficult but possible to copy the DVD. If one could modify the POI file and add the fixed camera locations, which are indeed well known and available in many formats, then we would have what we want. If anyone would have more information on this POI file structure I can have someone have a look at it and maybe make some progress.

 

[Stoodo]

On a somewhat releated topic, has anyone explored the data written by the RNS-E to the SD cards?

 

[PetrolDave]

On a somewhat releated topic, has anyone explored the data written by the RNS-E to the SD cards?

???????????

AFAIK the RNS-E can only read from the SD cards.

 

[craigyb]

The RNS-E can write diagnostics to the SD cards when in Engineering mode.

It leads me to think that it could also be possible to read the SD cards for POI data as well.

Craig

 

[PetrolDave]

It leads me to think that it could also be possible to read the SD cards for POI data as well.

Music to my ears!!!

Then I could throw out the Cyclops (GPS camera warning system) that's sitting on Velcro on my dash and occupying the cigarette lighter socket!

 

[QuattroLee]

well we'd need to modify the underlying program first..

 

[hackeron]

Anyone managed to get anything at all?

 

[PetrolDave]

Anyone managed to get anything at all?

If they had they would have posted it here ...

 

[zx81-sp]

I was thinking about this some time ago, but even if we add POIs to the DVD, the RNS-E does not have any "poi warner" so we would need to drive looking to the navi to see if there is a camera in your way, I think this is not very useful.

Too much work for just see a icon in the screen.

There is a easier way to do that, we know that we can send TMC events to the RNS-E, probably we can modify a MP3-to-FM adapter and send POIs info to the RNS-E locally (in TMC format), and in this case, if there is any camera in our route, the RNS-E will warn about it.

It's just an idea, probably easier than modify the firmware or spend a lot of $$$ trying with the DVDs.

 

[PetrolDave]

In an earlier discussion we came to the same conclusion! A POI of a camera is no use without early warning, and that's a feature the RNS-E doesn't support - so it would be 2 SW mods - custom POI plus POI early warning.

An interesting idea, but I don't think (I may be wrong) that the TMC tuner will "find" the TMC signal from the adapter since AFAIK it only looks on frequencies that are listed on the broadcast channels, and the adapter won't be in that list.

 

[zx81-sp]

In an earlier discussion we came to the same conclusion! A POI of a camera is no use without early warning, and that's a feature the RNS-E doesn't support - so it would be 2 SW mods - custom POI plus POI early warning.

An interesting idea, but I don't think (I may be wrong) that the TMC tuner will "find" the TMC signal from the adapter since AFAIK it only looks on frequencies that are listed on the broadcast channels, and the adapter won't be in that list.

It's easier try to change the TMC settings with a patch/CAN repro that modify the firmware, and think that with this system you can modify the POIs with a PC for free while the "DVD option" needs a new disc every time you update the POIs.

Anyway I still think that this is too much work for that feature, today you can introduce the speedcams in your mobil phone/smartphone (a lot of them use GPS) and it will warn you while you're driving, really don't need any other hardware in the car...

 

[PetrolDave]

today you can introduce the speedcams in your mobil phone/smartphone (a lot of them use GPS) and it will warn you while you're driving, really don't need any other hardware in the car...

Hmmm, I don't agree.

I have a smartphone with GPS but I don't use it for this purpose - I have a separate detector (a Pogo Alert).

Why?

1) I would have to have a mount for the phone on the dash, which I don't want. I have the Audi Bluetooth kit so my phone stays in my pocket, where it's not visible to thieves.

2) it takes so long for it to get a GPS fix - several minutes at times (much slower than either the RNS-E or my Pogo Alert) - that I would be "at riak" when in a strange area.

 

[zx81-sp]

Hmmm, I don't agree.

I have a smartphone with GPS but I don't use it for this purpose - I have a separate detector (a Pogo Alert).

Why?

1) I would have to have a mount for the phone on the dash, which I don't want. I have the Audi Bluetooth kit so my phone stays in my pocket, where it's not visible to thieves.

2) it takes so long for it to get a GPS fix - several minutes at times (much slower than either the RNS-E or my Pogo Alert) - that I would be "at riak" when in a strange area.

I don't use it in my Audi but I also have a car with a Parrot 6100 (with A2DP), with a HTC cruise it works in real time, and don't need any mount in the dash, just the phone in my jacket, probably it does not works with all mobiles, really don't know.

Also there is a "thirth" way that works ok but needs some extra hardware, we can get the GPS position asking RNS-E (through CAN or K-Line) with a simple PIC, compare it with a database stored in a flash and send a command to the cluster for beep and warn in the dish, when I was working in a CarPC project for my A4 I tested it and works fine, but this needs a small pcb (similar to CanGate).

Anyway the hardest way is to try to modify the firmware, I think that it's a no-way-end for this feature.