Eonon Android 5.1 InCar Enetertainment unit - ALPconnect Testing

[shanetrainST]

DON'T BUY

These units will not support ALPconnect at this stage, the manufacturer has zero intentions of fixing it.

This GOES for ALL!! China made android 4.4 and 5.1 units
Joyous (JY)
HuiFei/Kai Ge Le (KGL)
Klyde (KLD)
Unkown (GS)
Kaiyide (KYD)
Hot Audio (HA)
RoadMaster (RM & YZ)
Unkown (BN)
Unkown (MZ)
Joying
NAVISKAUTO
Eonon
Erisin
Pumpkin
Navall
Xtrons



It's severely limited, when compared to any other Android device with BT. This is due to the OEM's choice of the BC5/BC6 module, and their poor BT implementation. Instead of routing BT audio traffic through the Android system, like a normal device would, they route it through the MCU. That would be fine on its own, except they route pretty much all BT interactions through the MCU, via serial AT commands, which is very non-standard. Simple things like pairing, or using SPP profile just don't work, or require a bit of finagling.

On top of that, there's code (at least in MTCB; dunno about newer MTCD) in MTCManager that filters which devices can pair via BT for OBD use. It checks the device name and if it starts with OBD, it will allow it to pass to the next step during pairing. I can only imagine they chose to do that so they could sell their companion BT OBD adapters with the headunits?

My XMTC module had accounted for this limitation in name-based filtering (apparently not the only limitation though; if your adapter was at least v1.4 it should work), but it hasn't been updated to work on any 2016 roms. Since I no longer have time to maintain that project, it's been open sourced on my github. The BT pieces could be extracted into their own module, but I thought I had read someone else (maybe MVG70?) had made a BT xposed module for these devices to try and address compatibility issues.


The MCU's embedded application program handles all the logics for operating the unit as a single device rather than many separate devices. For example, if we're listening to the I-pod and decide to push the radio button, the MCU and it's program is the one responsible to sense our decision, turn off the I-pod control, switch audio input to the radio, turn the tuner ON and 'tell' Android (or whatever device is responsible for displaying a user interface for example WinCE) to show us the radio interface. It communicates with all the other chips and boards in the system through a serial communication line, more than likely I2C or Asynchronous serial communication.

In the case of pure android units, it's important to understand that while Android is likely what we care about the most and all whe are really exposed to in terms of user interface, from a hardware standpoint, the android board is simply one of the other components of the unit, at the same level as the DVD player or the radio. Its audio and video outputs and inputs are switched as needed by the MCU. The MCU is hierarchically speaking above Android. The MCU is much simpler and smaller than Android, it handles only a set of core logics, and consumes virtually no power compared to the whole system. It remains powered when our ACC wire is disconnected and handles turning the rest of the system off and back on when the ACC is powered again.

[citrus]

If these are MTCD based units, which they appear to be, I can tell you that ALPConnect will NOT work. The MTCD units running 5.1.1 have huge bluetooth issues. Any applications that try to talk to a BT device are incorrectly told that "bluetooth is off" and force close / crash when trying to enable bluetooth. I've documented this extensively on other forums and it is a widespread problem that all these head unit manufacturers know about but seem unwilling / unable to fix. Even the custom Malaysk ROM has this issue. I haven't had a working ALPConnect with one of these head units since I got it in May and I'm pretty ticked off about it.

http://www.forum.carjoying.com/thread-52.html

http://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/mtcd-discussion-questions-development/rom-malaysk-roms-mtcd-device-t3385309/page3

[shanetrainST]

thankyou for the reply citrus.

Well my BT arrives today so I will be able to check, my MCU firmware revision is MTCC KDL6 2.97, and I can't seems to find much information on it.

From what i understand the MCU sets the make of BT under the factory menu, mine was set to WQ_BC6 and I change it too WQ_BC6S and it seems to allow ALP to power on the BT and scan ONCE, will find out today if it actually picks it up.

I seem to remember seeing on XDA something about a BT list, and they had issues with the picking up those OBDII adapters because the name was not in the list, seems the have a table and if the name is not on it, it will not connect.

I have been very tempted to try Malaysk, but I will wait, Eonon said they will look into it, and they seems to be active on a couple of forums so I might direct them to here and XDA, they are unaware of any BT issues.

What flavour of unit is yours? They all seem to be the same.
Might pay to flick a donation to Malaysk and just add a note 'could u please' add ALP to BT, cause that was my plan if Eonon could not get it to work

[citrus]

I'm fairly certain that the problem I spoke about only affects MTCD units, if yours is mtcc that is the equivalent of mtcb so you're results may differ.

[shanetrainST]

Well MTCC is a fail too :( Email sent to Eonon to see if they can fix it

I seen a few post over on other forums about this issue
http://forum.carjoying.com/archive/index.php/thread-52-2.html
And XDA

This is not good, wonder if anyone here or on RDF is a wizard at Android rom repair.

I did read something about xposed being able to fix it but I got no idea.

Anyone know what the ALP BT Module actual device ID is?? Possibly get that added to the 'BT name limitation'.

Eonon and carjoying should really get their butt into gear and fix this issue :)

[shanetrainST]

I would like to tell you that our products do not support ALPconnect or the OBD-2 which requires a password at present, so your kind understanding will be much appreciated.
But thank you so much for your great support to Eonon.



Well looks like it's a NO go for all flavours of this headunit currently being produced by 10 other similar company's.


Hopefully someone makes a custom rom to resolve this issue

[BestRadarDetectors]

Is there a USB port on these units? If so you might be able to try different BT dongles that support BLE but I was on this journey last year and wasted over $2000 trying different Chinese radios that all claimed they would work and all failed.

[shanetrainST]

Thanks Tom, I have a BT USB I might try.

There is a lot of talented people over on XDA forum that are producing custom firmware for these units, just need to find the right one.
Have a few more flavours to try.

But the major problem at the moment is that the ALPconnect cannot turn the BT, looks like it has been locked out.

Hopefully I get sent the actual factory rom for my unit, which is the same as most of them just rebadged, would this be something AL might be able to have a look at to see if anything obvious is holding it out

[BestRadarDetectors]

Thanks Tom, I have a BT USB I might try.

There is a lot of talented people over on XDA forum that are producing custom firmware for these units, just need to find the right one.
Have a few more flavours to try.

But the major problem at the moment is that the ALPconnect cannot turn the BT, looks like it has been locked out.

Hopefully I get sent the actual factory rom for my unit, which is the same as most of them just rebadged, would this be something AL might be able to have a look at to see if anything obvious is holding it out

Engineering is backed up with items on their schedule through Q2 of 2017, They will not be able to look at any of this stuff anytime soon.

[shanetrainST]

It's severely limited, when compared to any other Android device with BT. This is due to the OEM's choice of the BC5/BC6 module, and their poor BT implementation. Instead of routing BT audio traffic through the Android system, like a normal device would, they route it through the MCU. That would be fine on its own, except they route pretty much all BT interactions through the MCU, via serial AT commands, which is very non-standard. Simple things like pairing, or using SPP profile just don't work, or require a bit of finagling.

On top of that, there's code (at least in MTCB; dunno about newer MTCD) in MTCManager that filters which devices can pair via BT for OBD use. It checks the device name and if it starts with OBD, it will allow it to pass to the next step during pairing. I can only imagine they chose to do that so they could sell their companion BT OBD adapters with the headunits?

My XMTC module had accounted for this limitation in name-based filtering (apparently not the only limitation though; if your adapter was at least v1.4 it should work), but it hasn't been updated to work on any 2016 roms. Since I no longer have time to maintain that project, it's been open sourced on my github. The BT pieces could be extracted into their own module, but I thought I had read someone else (maybe MVG70?) had made a BT xposed module for these devices to try and address compatibility issues


Some more information from one of the devs at XDA forum

[shanetrainST]

Thread started over at.

I will be will to donate some $ to the dev that can resolve this issue

http://forum.xda-developers.com/android-auto/mtcb-android-head-unit-general/mtcb-mtcc-rom-issues-alpconnect-app-t3454025

[citrus]

Malaysk (who wrote a custom ROM for MTCD) on XDA has been trying to fix this for some time now, with the help of his Russian friends at 4pda.ru
So far they have been unable to disable the internal bluetooth adaptor and also unable to inject BT USB drivers into the ROM due to the kernel version.
He hasn't given up yet, but I sincerely don't think its going to happen. The word is that the manufacturers are giving up on MTCD and starting a new SoC using Intel Atom processors and Parrot BT modules.
So, it looks like MTCC and MTCD are duds that never should have been released. Thankfully, they are rather inexpensive and basically disposable in their price range.

[shanetrainST]

Malaysk (who wrote a custom ROM for MTCD) on XDA has been trying to fix this for some time now, with the help of his Russian friends at 4pda.ru
So far they have been unable to disable the internal bluetooth adaptor and also unable to inject BT USB drivers into the ROM due to the kernel version.
He hasn't given up yet, but I sincerely don't think its going to happen. The word is that the manufacturers are giving up on MTCD and starting a new SoC using Intel Atom processors and Parrot BT modules.
So, it looks like MTCC and MTCD are duds that never should have been released. Thankfully, they are rather inexpensive and basically disposable in their price range.

Thanks for the info citrus

I am running malaysk rom, its far better than stock and quicker too.

tested out DSA rom but it was not as good.

I sent him a donation this today, nothing special just 30$ to see if that helps???
His PayPal is malay_75@mail.ru

Also sent emails to sales@szklyde.com (Klyde) that makes the MTCB and MTCC units with the KLD MCU.
God knows if they read English but I sent it anyway describing the issue.

I have also PayPal disputed Eonon for lying to me over 30 emails and misleading me about the Bluetooth functionally, they seem to be unwilling to help or cannot as they are just a re seller. They cant even send me the original Rom??

[citrus]

I sent Malaysk nearly $200, as I was one of the very first donators to his ROM, essentially I almost paid for his test MTCD unit entirely. I was that desperate for this bluetooth issue to be fixed. Its nice that you donated as well, but honestly, don't get your hopes up.

[shanetrainST]

I sent Malaysk nearly $200, as I was one of the very first donators to his ROM, essentially I almost paid for his test MTCD unit entirely. I was that desperate for this bluetooth issue to be fixed. Its nice that you donated as well, but honestly, don't get your hopes up.

Holy s$it! Big thumbs up

I don't hold to much hope but someone will work it out, just a matter of time

[Hazey82]

I know this thread is a year old now, just curious where things are at? I'm looking at 2 scenarios depending which car I end up with. 1 is the Android connect in the latest Volkswagen discover pro systems and 2. is using this unit https://avinusa.com/avant-3-for-bmw-3-series-e46-m3-android-multimedia-navigation-system.html which I spoke with support who said it uses the latest bluetooth technology and confirmed that it is not a MTCD based unit.

[winterbrew]

I think basically, Shane found that the Joying Intel Sofia units work out of the box ;

https://www.rdforum.org/index.php?threads/61270/