This GPS looks interesting - made especially for the Prado?

[Higgsee Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Higgsee]

New car arrival and Roadrover fitting

Hoorayy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally recieved my Prado GXL. Ordered on 05/12/07 and receieved 01/05/2008. As they say good things come to those who wait. I have to say it is a bloody good thing. Couldn't be happier.

Fitted the Roadrover today. Very easy installation thanks to the matching wiring harness supplied. Followed instructions attached to this site and also LCOOL. For the interest of Mav, I managed to source a CDC cable with an 8 pin Sony type male configuration on both ends. Connected the cable between the Roadrover and the American Boss DVD stacker. The Roadrover was able to play the first disc but failed to communicate with the stacker as it should. It therefore will not change discs and just hangs. Don't know why?? Might have another play with it another time. Otherwise all systems are go and appear to be working fine.

Thanks to all for info provided in this post. It makes the job alot easier. Just one question. Can the roadrover play the radio through the vehicle speakers and still play the DVD through the roof mounted DVD with IR headphones?

Thanks, Higgsee. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: New car arrival and Roadrover fitting

Can the roadrover play the radio through the vehicle speakers and still play the DVD through the roof mounted DVD with IR headphones?

Thanks, Higgsee. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yes Higgsee it can but I think you are having a lend of us with that question. :lol:

Thanks for the heads up on the cable situation, where did you end up getting the cable from?

[Higgsee Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Higgsee]

re cable

Mav,

Went to a vehicle audio supplier called Living Entertainment in Morayfield (North Brisbane). I was going to purchase an Alpine M-Bus cable from them which was 8 pin male to 8 pin female. Kind of like an extension lead. It was $55. I had already purchsed a male 8 pin din plug from Dick Smith electronics for $1.80 with the idea of cutting of the female end and soldering on the male end. Whilst I was there the salesman went out the back and found a used male to male lead which saved me the trouble of making one. Now if I can only get it to work I will be happy. The details for Living Entertainment is 110 Morayfield Rd Caboolture QLD 4510
ph: (07) 5499 3788. If you like I can go back there next week and see if they have another one which I could post to you. Let me know.

**I was serious about the DVD question as I am still playing with the head unit and haven't quite worked out all of the functions. :shock:

Higgsee.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: re cable

Mav,

Went to a vehicle audio supplier called Living Entertainment in Morayfield (North Brisbane). I was going to purchase an Alpine M-Bus cable from them which was 8 pin male to 8 pin female. Kind of like an extension lead. It was $55. I had already purchsed a male 8 pin din plug from Dick Smith electronics for $1.80 with the idea of cutting of the female end and soldering on the male end. Whilst I was there the salesman went out the back and found a used male to male lead which saved me the trouble of making one. Now if I can only get it to work I will be happy. The details for Living Entertainment is 110 Morayfield Rd Caboolture QLD 4510
ph: (07) 5499 3788. If you like I can go back there next week and see if they have another one which I could post to you. Let me know.

**I was serious about the DVD question as I am still playing with the head unit and haven't quite worked out all of the functions. :shock:

Higgsee.

Thanks mate, if you are in the area of that store then it would be great to get the cable. PM me if you find out.

The trick with playing the DVD and using any other function is that you need to start the DVD then when you switch to using the MP3 or anything else then you just use the remote control for the dvd player to get it to play cause the second you switch off the DVD function it will pause the DVD so you just press play on the DVD remote to get it going again.

I regularly have the DVD playing whilst using the satnav and listening to MP3s via the USB interface and it does it no problems at all.

Cheers

Mav

[Higgsee Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Higgsee]

Roadrover updates

Hey all,

Have been playing with the Roadrover this morning and have found a few annoyances. Still can't get the dvd stacker to communicate with the head unit via the CDC cable. I have decided to forget about the cable and just use the AV plugs. This works fine.

The biggest problem that I have at the moment is that the FM radio signal is very poor. Has anyone else experienced this?? I am going to see if I can get a signal booster from Dick Smiths. Hopefully this will improve the signal and stop the static.

The clock has a mind of it's own and keeps changing every time I start the car. Very annoying. Don't know if this is something to do with the Route 66 software installed as disussed earlier in this post. The version of Route 66 installed is 7.0.2709. I am not sure if this is the new version or the earlier version. Does anyone have an idea??

thanks, Higgsee :?

[Higgsee Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Higgsee]

Clock on Roadrover

Think I have just fixed the clock problem. The settings in the Route 66 program for the clock were incorrect so it kept changing to Pakistan time instead of Brisbane. One problem down, now it's just the FM signal.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Clock on Roadrover

Think I have just fixed the clock problem. The settings in the Route 66 program for the clock were incorrect so it kept changing to Pakistan time instead of Brisbane. One problem down, now it's just the FM signal.

Yes mate the clock problem, as you have found, is directly related to the Route66 software.

Yep as most have indicated the FM reception is poor, I believe the answer lies in the Ant Amp wire that comes from the back of the roadrover. I believe the Prado has a antenna amplifier that is used with the window pased antennas. I think this wire needs to be attached to the controll wire for the amplifier but I am not sure which wire that is in the Toyota loom or even if there is an antenna amp in the latest model Prado.

Let me know how you go with the booster.

Cheers

Mav

[Higgsee Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Higgsee]

Booster

Mav,

Purchased a booster from Supercheap this afternoon. I have hooked it up temporarily to see if it works. It has improved the reception greatly. The head unit now picks up about 23 FM stations instead of 11. There does not seem to be any interference. Could be fixed, will keep you posted.

Now for my Sunday afternoon joke. Whilst driving back from Supercheap I thought to myself, lets give the GPS a run and program in a route to Home. No problems all going well. I was travelling on a four lane road (2 lanes each direction) separated by a centre median. I then looked over to the good old Roadrover and saw that it wants me to travel on the right hand side of the road........what tha??????? This just added to my frustration. I have looked at the Route 66 settings and it is set to Aus. I guess they don't know we drive on the left side of the road. Unless anyone knows how to change this in the settings I will be forwarding some emails tomorrow to Route 66.

Cheers, Higgsee (about to have a breakdown). :cry: :cry:

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Booster

Mav,

Purchased a booster from Supercheap this afternoon. I have hooked it up temporarily to see if it works. It has improved the reception greatly. The head unit now picks up about 23 FM stations instead of 11. There does not seem to be any interference. Could be fixed, will keep you posted.

Now for my Sunday afternoon joke. Whilst driving back from Supercheap I thought to myself, lets give the GPS a run and program in a route to Home. No problems all going well. I was travelling on a four lane road (2 lanes each direction) separated by a centre median. I then looked over to the good old Roadrover and saw that it wants me to travel on the right hand side of the road........what tha??????? This just added to my frustration. I have looked at the Route 66 settings and it is set to Aus. I guess they don't know we drive on the left side of the road. Unless anyone knows how to change this in the settings I will be forwarding some emails tomorrow to Route 66.

Cheers, Higgsee (about to have a breakdown). :cry: :cry:

Good Ol' Route66 for ya Higgsee. It really is a poor cousin to Tom Tom software. The use of Navteq maps is its biggest downfall imo as they have not made an effort to do any more than their original mapping for Australia regardless of their claims of new map releases all the errors remain.

It constantly directs me up the wrong lanes of a dual carraigeway near my home in Port Stephens. I could only imagine what would happen if I were a Japanese tourist relying on these directions, there would be an almighty pile up.

I really wish that Roadrover had contracted Tom Tom to do their satnav software and then used the Sensis maps.

[mansour Member Find all posts View Profile Close mansour]

Mates : )

Mav Mate

A guy from the states might cause a pileup , Japanese Drive to the Right as Will - Am for my self is lucky to be Dual (I have to admit that my first spin in Aus I took to the Wrong side but ucky nobody was around 8) )

Speaking of the Roadrover and bad radio reciption , where did Higsee fixed the radio booster

And Speaking of Route 66 , I didn't get anything from Roadrover regarding the old software -although I emailed them twice :evil:

Is there is a way Mav that you could email me the File (Route66.exe) -

And Higsee Mate ; Congradulation for your new car 8)

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Mates : )

Mav Mate

A guy from the states might cause a pileup , Japanese Drive to the Right as Will - Am for my self is lucky to be Dual (I have to admit that my first spin in Aus I took to the Wrong side but ucky nobody was around 8) )

Speaking of the Roadrover and bad radio reciption , where did Higsee fixed the radio booster

And Speaking of Route 66 , I didn't get anything from Roadrover regarding the old software -although I emailed them twice :evil:

Is there is a way Mav that you could email me the File (Route66.exe) -

And Higsee Mate ; Congradulation for your new car 8)

Hi Mansour,

I can send you the old software but I am not sure it will work with the Dubai map. It may not work with your firmware revision either but if you PM me your email address I will send it through just use a different SD card so you don't blow away your current Route66 copy.

On the tourist front, I was meaning that if someone new to the area were to follow the directions given by my Route66 on that particular road they would find themselves in a lot of trouble pretty quickly cause there would be two lanes of traffic heading directly at them.

The problem stems from the mapping company Navteq not maintaining their maps hence where there was once a two lane road with one lane in each direction ther is now a four lane dual caaraigeway. In this instance the old two lanes are now converted to the same direction and they have added another two lanes in the opposite direction but Navteq still have it as a two lane road even though they have the new two lanes shown on the map.

Cheers

Mav

[mansour Member Find all posts View Profile Close mansour]

Map Integrity

You are ight Mav mate

But look at the case of SHK Zayed Road in Dubai , It has been a 4 lane highway each way since 1999 and until now it still shows on the route 66 as a tw lane high way and the voice commands keep telling me to "Veer Left, Veer Left"when I am already at the most extreme left hand side -the fats lane in my case- doing 160KM/Hr (The speed limit in this case- and the lovely voice of the guide warn you to - in 400m Take the exit :shock: - WTF

As they say Mav mate , you can't win them all

I shall PM you my contacts

Where did the radio booster get connected in the ROADROVER

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Re: Map Integrity

You are ight Mav mate

But look at the case of SHK Zayed Road in Dubai , It has been a 4 lane highway each way since 1999 and until now it still shows on the route 66 as a tw lane high way and the voice commands keep telling me to "Veer Left, Veer Left"when I am already at the most extreme left hand side -the fats lane in my case- doing 160KM/Hr (The speed limit in this case- and the lovely voice of the guide warn you to - in 400m Take the exit :shock: - WTF

As they say Mav mate , you can't win them all

I shall PM you my contacts

Where did the radio booster get connected in the ROADROVER

Mansour, the booster would be inserted at the connection of the antenna cable. Hence the prado antenna cable would go into the input of the booster and then the output of the booster would go into the RF Ant input of the roadrover.

I do not have one as yet as Higgsee is researching a better model I believe so I am waiting till he comes up with the definitive answer on the booster to use.

Cheers

Mav

160 km/h in a Prado :shock: You guys are crazy as. :lol:

[mansour Member Find all posts View Profile Close mansour]

Speed

Mate

You are right there it is tottaly dangerous but the others car will crash at you if you drive slower

Prado's are as stable as a rock until 130KM/HR , then things become more tricky and certain steering adjustments are needed at higher speeds

My top speed in my current car - Pedal to the Metal - Carrying my self and a mate + 170 Ltrs of Fuel against Head winds was 205KM/HR but I shall never repeat this in a Prado as long as I lived - You are simply floating on nothings- and If you Press Brakes the car sways so side was that you let go of the brakes

But Yeh 8) Sort of Used to Drive ar 160KM/HR on External Highways -Interstate- Everyone who ready this from Dubai Says I

Cheers Mav mate

[Higgsee Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Higgsee]

Booster findings

G'day all,

OK I have done a bit of digging in relation to boosters in an attempt to sort this crappy FM frequency. I purchased a booster from Supercheap auto. Low end brand but I thought I would give it a go. This is simply a 12 volt connection for power and the coaxial cable from the vehicle antenna plugs in one end and the other goes directly to the head unit. This did improve the recieved FM signal however after going for a drive found the signal dropping in and out and very scratchy.

So then did some more digging. The antenna in the Prado is a glass mounted antenna located on the passenger side rear window (we all know this). Apparently, according to my local car stereo suplier, most glass antennas require a booster to work as they only recieve a weak signal. I then pulled off the plastic panel located on the inside of the Prado directly under the antenna glass and I located a factory Toyota booster. This has the two wires going in from the glass mounted antenna and then has a coax cable coming out which leads to the head unit. The booster is powered by a 12 volt positive wire that also went to the factory head unit. Hope you are following.

Anyway traced the coax and single positive wire through the vehicle which then lead me to the plastic panel on the passenger side running down next the the windscreen. I think they call this the A pillar. To remove this you must unscrew the handle and then it will unclip from the pillar. Under this plastic panel you will locate the coax and the single positive wire. This has a joiner plug about half way down the pillar. I checked the voltage at the single wire at this point and came up with something interesting. When the factory Toyota head unit is fitted there is 12 volt positive at this plug obviously to power up the factory booster. When the roadrover is fitted there is no voltage at this wire. Therefore when the roadrover is fitted the booster is not powered which results in a poor FM signal. Makes sense I think.

I then ran out of time and due to work once again interfering in my social life did not have a chance to run a positive to the booster when the roadrover is fitted to see if this would work. I will hopefully give it a go on Saturday. Please don't rush out and rewire your Prado on this advice. Check it all out for yourself first. I did find another strange thing that I discovered with the prado coax. I disconnected the plug at the pillar and tested the coax between this plug and the fitting that goes directly into the head unit. (Coax is two core - braided shielding on the outer and a solid wire on the inside). The braided shielding has a circuit from the plug to the fitting but the wire did not. I dont know if Toyota have manufactured this for a purpose or if it is an open circuit in the coax. It works fine with the factory stereo.

When I get a chance I will run 12 volts to the factory booster and also run a complete new coax from the booster to the Roadrover. This will hopefully work and FM will be clear. I have also sent Maria an email voicing my concerns but as yet have not had a reply.

Will keep you all posted.
Higgsee.