swedrows

yeah i may have to try some custom roms to upgrade my phone from Androind 8 to at least 8.1 and see if any of them work.

Currently my navtool unit is placed along the passenger side behind the carpet/trim along the side of the console...i jammed it as low as i could get it to go and tried to tuck it under the back of the console, but the stupid digital cable from the top screen to the unit really needs to be like 6 to 8 inches longer and then it wouldn't be a problem. i was able to snap the trim back in place along with the carpet and you can't tell there is a slight bumpout along that area..i'll grab a picture of it later tonight. i'm going to search and see if there is a longer cable somewhere online, although i 1st have to figure out what that cable is even called because i bet all those cables are proprietary to honda/acura

know610

swedrows

so here is where i have my navtool unit, it's located on the passenger side of the center console, back towards the front of the car. if you pull the side carpet from the trim area, you will see the open area where the navtool unit can fit (passenger side, below the glove box, below and to the front of the main console stack

This is where i hid the navtool unit

When you pull the side carpet back, you can see the unit and then you can just snap the carpet tab back in and there is no real noticeable bump out at all when it's all covered up

swedrows

so i just chatted with navtool and they said that a longer digital cable for the screen connection to the navtool unit is not available. looks like we are stuck with just mounting it where we can reach...kind of disappointing because i typically like to do clean and organized installs and the unit is just crammed into an area i thought would be temporary. oh well, i'll keep trying to find that connect type if i can and see if maybe i can make my own cable eventually

know610

Do you know what name of that cable so I can help google? Maybe that cable was a custom made by Navtool? Or if we can find/make extension plug for it?? I know most of their plug was from molex

Ram93

Hi Everyone,

I am new over here. I brought a 17 ILX with Premium Package recently. I ordered my Navtool the previous week Wednesday and I received it Yesterday. Thanks to all of you in this thread I got the confidence to buy Navtool after all the Negative reviews I have seen in other threads. I need some suggestions on where can I install the USB Flush Mount that connects to the Navtool in my ILX, my only concern is that ILX console is more crammed and doesn't have space like TLX or MDX to install the flush mount. Apart from it please suggest after installing Navtool which is the best place where can I cram the Navtool interface inside the console.

This is the first time I am opening the console of my car and I am very nervous. I am planning to install Navtool this weekend, Special Thanks to @know610, I ordered the RCA cable and Tape along with the flush mount.

Any suggestions are much appreciated.

swedrows

you should mount it inside the storage bin that is located below your temperature controls. if you see pictures of where we installed ours on the TLX, you will see that is the best place for it, and the ILX has a similar covered storage area that the TLX has.

as far as where to mount the navtool unit, you will just have to figure that out once you take your radio out and pull your trim and see where there is room for it....you will also have to confirm once you connect the navtool unit with all your connections as to where it can actually reach. ours is kind of hanging or jammed in an area because of the limited length of a few of the connectors (mainly the one that connects to the opt display to the navtool unit itself

Ram93

Thanks @swedrows . I will do that and will let every one know how that goes. BTW I got the same unit as @know610 . Where do you conncect the microphone for Siri or Google Assistant on the Navtool?

navhap

know610

Which mic you using? please link.
One person from MDX forum use and said it's way better.

See pic where the mic plug. The half yellow one.

@Ram93 I use Steel Step Bit to drill and try my best to make it rectangle. Small enough to push USB mount and sit tightly.

navhap

Ram93

Where did you place your microphone in the car? Does the other person in the conversation hear road noises?

know610

I have not test yet but I hear NavTool Mic is lower on the other side of the party. They said even Siri hardly hear you.

I return the amazon mic because it's a 2.5mm and I think NavTool is 3.5mm plug

know610

Maybe this can help answer most of your question, https://www.mdxers.org/forums/94-thi...se-sh-awd.html

know610

Ok I got mine back but they send me the same as what I mail them. They stated the unit I had was software 4.9 but hardware was already 5.0. They said now the software is 5.0. Anyway, we as a customer(s) cannot confirm because there is no way to tell or even from their NavTool Updater software. Just go by what they say. I even said to them, "so if u say 4 is 4 or 5 is 5 etc" Basically they can say whatever they want. To us, no proof. I asked for my shipping fee back. They asked me to send over receipt. I guess if I don't ask for refund they just kept silent. Good think i remember the unit or else I would loose the return shipping fee.

@swedrows So I'm not sure your the same situation as mine with your Android, idk, cuz we cannot confirm what software was installed.

swedrows

yeah there is no way to tell what "version" the navtool unit is. mine actually had a sticker on the bottom of the unit that said nav3, but they said all units are version 5 now...who knows if that's true or not. anyway, hopefully you can test yours and it runs good. you had issues with your freezing right? mine runs smooth with no freezing with my android phone, but i am using an older android phone (Sony Xperia Z3) that is running android operating system 5.0, and the latest version of android auto, and that combo seems to be working. I'm also going to check wiht navtool every once in a while and ask when their next firmware update will be available, because maybe a better firmware on the navtool will help with everything also.

My newer phone, LG V30 still does not work when I plug it into navtool...it starts but then freezes almost immediately. i know this is an issue with Google and Android operating system 8.0 and 9.0 with many phones and Android Auto. I still need to check out the roms on XDA for at least Android 8.1 and load that on my phone and see if it will work. my buddy's iPhone worked perfectly with the apple carplay interface, but i refuse to get an iPhone, just not my thing.

know610

Yea mine freeze and map apple didn't give guidance, and few other issue. In order for map to give guidance, i had to play music then map guidance works.

Look what I found,https://www.ebay.com/i/352501484923?chn=ps
I took the pic of digital cable and saw a letter "GT17HNS".. not sure it the same.

mfg: https://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/p...S-HU&vendor=26

know610

Other case, I just get a 3M double sticky and stick somewhere so NavTool don't swing while car moved.

NavTool Dropbox, https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uioqzprwb...XQRnyqM9a?dl=0

I taped wire to NavTool, taped unused RCA. I will also taped audio (red & white) RCA once plugged. See dropbox pic

I will also test using RCA to 3.5mm AUX and see if no to less noise. Just ear test.

swedrows

so it looks like the harnesses were updated a bit because they no longer have that blue and white mini plug that was supposed to be for the knob...i am assuming it's all integrated into the main harness directly. anyway, hope everything works for you when you test it. i honestly can't even hear the buzzing since my volume is never turned up high if no music is playing. i am either listening to music or the radio, or it's completely off so no need to have the volume turned up if you aren't using the radio.

the next thing i am planning on doing is to buy a good quality microphone, and i am thinking of running it from navtool up inside the driver side pillar by the windshield, and then routing it to where the car microphone is located (by the overhead sunglasses storage, or i may pop it out behind the rearview mirror or in that area, then i'll be able to test out the bluetooth phone connectivity and see if it sounds nice and clear.

know610

know610

finish installing NavTool. I think I might have to solder the 14 wires since it very short, shorter than the top screen digital cable when drop it down to driver side. This causing the side panel not fully close. I have buzz noise even at a low volume. I will remove rca and use rce to 3.5mm plug. This mean I need to remove one of NavTool cable, see pic. Just plug to red and white cable.

or else move NavTool to passenager like @swedrows did.

know610

know610

know610

Ram93

Did you use RCA to 3.5mm or RCA to RCA cable?

know610

know610

If u plan to extend wire. Here's my diagram lol.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uioqzprwb...XQRnyqM9a?dl=0

know610

Okay, I'm all done and decided to use "RCA to 3.5mm" instead because too many wires in the back of the radio. I did not drill any hole for 3.5mm plug. I bought Acura auxiliary jack and unplug the old one and use this new one instead. All photo are in my dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uioqzprwb...XQRnyqM9a?dl=0

If using "RCA to 3.5mm", you do not need to use this cable. Just put in a safe place in your garage.

I also install new mic (not using NavTool mic). Siri can hear me way better.

One bug I found even with the one I exchanged. No sound while using Apple Music or Google Music. I had to unplug iPhone plug back in wait until CarPlay show on iPhone then finally I can hear music. Besides that, no freeze issue even with iPhone connected to bluetooth, & factory reverse camera work as it show be.

Ram93

My Android auto is also freezing with Note 8. Well tried One plus 6 and it just charged it and the same with Pixel 3. I tried to chat with the Navtool customer care and they are saying it is the issue with Android Auto and Android 8 or 9. I am trying to return back my Navtool, I don't have any spare phones to use just for Android auto and it is a headache to do that. Really disappointed that I don't have Android Auto.

know610

Maybe you can try custom ROM from XDA Forums and see if it works. @swedrows also had issue with Android version but he had an old phone with Android 5.0 OS and AndroidAuto ran just fine.

swedrows

i still haven't tried a custom rom through the XDA forums but am going to try that soon because it is kind of a pain that most new phones that run Android 8.0 and 9.0 crash Android Auto...i know what the issue is, it's when you plug your phone initially, the USB function on the phone does connect correctly for data transfer, but due to a glitch in android auto software when it interacts with Andrond 8.0 and 9.0, the USB connection changes to "charge only" and that is when android auto crashes. when you check the status bar of your phone after your phone is connected to the car and android auto, you will see that the usb connection shows "charging only", and if you manually change it to "data transfer" or "picture transfer", it will restart android auto and connect, but then it flips the usb connection back to "charging only"...this is the ONLY thing preventing phones on 8.0 and 9.0 from working with android auto correctly, and i have no clue why Google has not been able to resolve this for us already.

know610

@swedrows and @Ram93
at XDA, android pie beta firmware (exynos) work on Android Auto. Or try this, https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78373491&postcount=80

Quote:
" An (inconvenient) workaround is to 1. bring down your screen resolution and 2. use Google Assistant to open your desired app on the screen. "

Ram93

@know610 and @swedrows the odd thing of all is that when I chatted with customer care person he says that the samething is happening with all honda cars which is not true. My friend has a Honda Accord 18, and his AA on OnePlus 6 with Android Pie works like charm in his car. I am totally confused with that, where as the same phone when connectes to Navtool is just charging, which brings me to a question that, is there something wrong with Navtool on AA that the people of Navtool are not willing to share with us?


what's your thoughts guy's??

know610

Sorry, I don't have Android phone. The last Android I had was T-Mobile HTC One. XDA forums had a lot of good info when it comes to Android OS. You can try and ask them which work with AA.

OnePlus 6: Unlock Bootloader | Flash TWRP | Root | Nandroid & EFS Backup !!
https://forum.xda-developers.com/one...-twrp-t3792643

Custom ROM:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-6/development

swedrows

that could very well true, that the firmware for navtool has some bug in it with the USB connection. when i chatted with navtool, they were kind of useless, because all they said was it was an issue with either my phone, the software on the phone, or with android auto, but not navtool. when you think about it though, navtool is a pass-thru that allows android auto on our cars, but the navtool firmware is the source software that transfers android auto from our phone to the car. so if the code they wrote for the navtool interface does not correctly transfer all the components of android auto, then that could be the problem. my old phone works, so maybe when navtool updated their firmware, they did not do a good job of writing it for android software versions 8.0 and 9.0, but it still works with older versions (my old phone is 5.02 which is ancient android software lol) ...the only way to confirm this, is if navtool actually had all the previous firmware versions available for us to download and install, and then we'd be able to tell if one of the earlier firmware versions of navtool worked with android auto. then i'd be able to see if it still worked with my old phone, and a phone running android 8.0 and android 9.0, since i have phones running all those versions.

teelx2015

Thanks for all the comments, photos and guides! i was very interested in getting navtool for my 2015tlx but I might pass since i use an android9 phone. I like running stock android on my pixel and would not consider a custom rom just to get around this issue. If Navtool did provide an update that fixed issues with recent android devices/OS, perhaps I would reconsider.

know610

NavTool don't really like to say their software had bugs. They will points you to forum with issue on either iOS or Android. Also. if new firmware released, you won't see any change logs or previous firmware version available. It would be nice if we can save backup firmware to our desktop.

Besides that's i'm happy with CarPlay.

Ram93

Thanks @know610. I own a Samsung Note 8 and bootloader is locked on it (The OnePlus6 is owned by my friend) and it doesn't allow me to install custom ROM's. If I try to do something stupid it will trigger the Samsung Knox security and the entire phone will lock down. So I am trying not to touch it.

know610

I hope they will not charge u 25% restocking fee.

Try to dispute with them if they want 25% restocking fee because on their YouTube advertisement, they said it works and in reality it's not with latest OS..

Ram93

just a FYI guys, Navtool refunded the full amount without a hiccup. It was a breeze atleast to work with the sales department.

I will check with them back 6 months from now to see if they fixed the issue!!

Thank you everyone for the suggestions.