Navi Hack Instructions

[dalocster]

Does anyone have the step by step instructions for the Navi Hack for my 2006 M35?

[antzrus]

[Nismo1182]

Im assuming you can get the DPDT switch at any radio shack.

Do you have the part# available? Or pics?

Some pics arent showing up on that write up.

[antzrus]

Im assuming you can get the DPDT switch at any radio shack.

Do you have the part# available? Or pics?

Some pics arent showing up on that write up.

I have not done the hack-watching TV while driving is kinda' like having no respect for your own life, much less that of others...

Ohmster @ the Carfag site is the fellow who came up w/same. Get a hold of him for any questions. He's got a nice Infiniti site also.

[Nismo1182]

I have not done the hack-watching TV while driving is kinda' like having no respect for your own life, much less that of others...

Ohmster @ the Carfag site is the fellow who came up w/same. Get a hold of him for any questions. He's got a nice Infiniti site also.

Its mainly for my passengers. Ive driven cars with dvd players before. My eyes stay on the road.

[antzrus]

Its mainly for my passengers. Ive driven cars with dvd players before. My eyes stay on the road.

Yeah, that's why I got the Premium Pkg-so they can sit in the backseat and watch-w/my eyes not distracted by all those naked women cavorting around etc., etc...

[ghstudio]

how about instructions for the 08 M35....it has different wiring to the nav control unit

[Nismodood]

im sure on the 08 all you would have to do is find the parking brake and vss wire the same as 06 - 07. it might be a different pin number and color than the previous.

ive wired up a few and heres some things ive noticed. to regain satellite tracking, eject the disc out of the dvd unit. otherwise everything else works. also the brake light flashes when you have the dpdt switch in off mode but thats because youre fooling the brake signal. leaving it on eliminates the brake flashing.

[The00Dustin]

I don't know if I will even hack my car, but I am trying to figure out what additional options I might have, so I wanted to see if anyone has tried any of the things I am thinking about.1) I know it is possible to do only the nav hack, and not the DVD hack, allowing the use of a SPST switch. Does anyone know if the same is true for the DVD? I mean, does the DVD use the nav signal and the parking brake signal, or only the parking brake signal? I ask because it would be nice to have accurate nav when a movie is playing for a passenger, and this could be done by only switching the parking brake signal. I could even see two separate switches potentially making sense. Obviously I am now considering the post just before mine regarding removing the nav dvd as another possibliity.2) Assuming the parking brake signal is the only thing necessary for the DVD, is there any reason the parking brake signal couldn't just be grounded without a switch? I mean, grounded only to NAV, open to the source. IOW, does the parking brake signal cause any other behaviors that might be problematic if it was permanently set to ground?

[jankenpo30]

how about instructions for the 08 M35....it has different wiring to the nav control unit

The wiring is technique is the same in that you have to bypass the same signals. However in the 08+, you have to remove the entire center console in order to gain access to the Nav wires. There is write-up on another forum. You just have to do a search for it.

eject the disc out of the dvd unit. otherwise everything else works. also the brake light flashes when you have the dpdt switch in off mode but thats because youre fooling the brake signal. leaving it on eliminates the brake flashing.

If your brake light is doing that, you have bad ground or your wires are grouding out in some way. My break light never does that. Ejecting the disk does not gain tracking back.

If you are getting these effects with above hack. Something is "miswired."

NOTE: I will note that another member on another forum took to aftermarket shop to get his done. They did such that you don' lose tracking at all. No write up as to how they did it yet.

Stuff......I don't know if I will even hack my car, but I am trying to figure out what additional options I might have, so I wanted to see if anyone has tried any of the things I am thinking about.1) I know it is possible to do only the nav hack, and not the DVD hack, allowing the use of a SPST switch. Does anyone know if the same is true for the DVD? I mean, does the DVD use the nav signal and the parking brake signal, or only the parking brake signal? I ask because it would be nice to have accurate nav when a movie is playing for a passenger, and this could be done by only switching the parking brake signal. I could even see two separate switches potentially making sense. Obviously I am now considering the post just before mine regarding removing the nav dvd as another possibliity.2) Assuming the parking brake signal is the only thing necessary for the DVD, is there any reason the parking brake signal couldn't just be grounded without a switch? I mean, grounded only to NAV, open to the source. IOW, does the parking brake signal cause any other behaviors that might be problematic if it was permanently set to ground?

1)Yes, you can do NAV w/o DVD but not vice versa. NAV needs a hacked VSS (vehcile speed sensor) in order to enter new destinations. DVD needs both VSS and parking brake hacked in order to operate correctly. Thus you see why by default you will get the NAV hack if you intend on using DVD in hacked mood.

[The00Dustin]

I shouldn't have made my second question contingent on my first one, as I am guessing a snow or rear control toggle switch would work for only the NAV, and therefore work for both if the parking brake signal was always ground (parking brake on) to the nav system. That said, does the parking brake signal cause any other behaviors, especially any that might be problematic if it was permanently set to ground?

[jankenpo30]

I shouldn't have made my second question contingent on my first one, as I am guessing a snow or rear control toggle switch would work for only the NAV, and therefore work for both if the parking brake signal was always ground (parking brake on) to the nav system. That said, does the parking brake signal cause any other behaviors, especially any that might be problematic if it was permanently set to ground?

No problems but I think you're confused on which signal needs to be hacked for what.

DVD needs both signals. So in order for DVD to operate on front screen while moving, your Nav functions will be hacked too which = LOSS of tracking. If you do just the VSS signal in order to enter nav functions, you will never have DVD viewing while moving.

You want Nav tracking while watching DVD. From what I understand, the DVD unit only spits out video, the Nav determines whether that video is seen on the screen or not. The only I can think to do that is send the Nav both a positive and negative VSS signal. Howefver, I'm not sure how the Nav would interpret that. Again, its supposedly has been done. But efforts to find out how it was exactly done hasn't turned up anything as of yet.

[The00Dustin]

No problems but I think you're confused on which signal needs to be hacked for what.

Actually, I'm just trying to determine if/why the parking brake signal needs to be grounded out via a DPDT switch instead of being permanently grounded out.

The diagram looks to me like the VSS signal is broken by the switch and the parking brake signal is grounded (to the NAV unit, but back to the source) by the switch. Assuming I am correctly understanding the diagram, let me try to rephrase the question as follows:

If the parking brake signal wire going to the NAV unit went to a permanent ground and the real parking brake signal was taped off, one could potentially use a SPST switch to turn both the NAV controls and video on and off (instead of using a DPDT switch). This is because the parking brake signal would already be appropriate for video, and the VSS signal would be the only thing necessary to unlock the NAV controls and/or display video. I am guessing the Rear Control Cancel switch is a SPST switch... That would make for a clean (if inaccurately labeled) install, wouldn't it?

The only problem is this: I don't know what else might be affected if the NAV unit thinks the parking brake signal is grounded (parking brake on) permanently. This is what I am trying to determine.

[jankenpo30]

Gotcha. In that scenario the parking brake light would always be illuminated in the dash. If you can deal with that constantly being on, then yes, a SPST switch is all you would need to flip tween video and NAV tracking.

[The00Dustin]

So if I do the video hack, the parking brake light will always be on in the dash when in hacked mode? Good to know, in that case, I'd probably prefer to do only the nav hack anyway.

[jankenpo30]

So if I do the video hack, the parking brake light will always be on in the dash when in hacked mode? Good to know, in that case, I'd probably prefer to do only the nav hack anyway.

No. Lets try again...

If you constantly ground out the parking brake like I thought you wanted, It will be on all the time. I been trying rack my brain on why you want to ground it out. The I reread thread. We are referring to 2 different grounds. The one I refer to earlier in thread refers to grounding the parking brake signal on some metal within the car. This is why the previous poster says his light is always on. His wires or back the switch is touching metal at some point.

Ground you are refering to is the potential to ground the NAV uses to measure whether or not the parking brake is on. This has to happen at/thru the switch only.

To avoid 2 SPST switches or a DPDT switch, you will simply cut the p-brake wire. Dont ground it to any metal, just cut it. Then you will need a SPST switch on just the VSS wire. Your p-brake light will not be on.

Not sure of the point of doing that since the VSS is really the key for both NAV and DVD. If you want to do just NAV, just put on a SPST switch on the VSS and leave the p-brake wire alone since its not needed not NAV hack.

[The00Dustin]

Ground you are refering to is the potential to ground the NAV uses to measure whether or not the parking brake is on. This has to happen at/thru the switch only.

To avoid 2 SPST switches or a DPDT switch, you will simply cut the p-brake wire. Dont ground it to any metal, just cut it. Then you will need a SPST switch on just the VSS wire. Your p-brake light will not be on.

Not sure of the point of doing that since the VSS is really the key for both NAV and DVD. If you want to do just NAV, just put on a SPST switch on the VSS and leave the p-brake wire alone since its not needed not NAV hack.

We're getting closer to the same page. I am wanting to do this because I would like to hack the NAV and the DVD, but with only ONE SPST switch. If I cannot do this, then I would hack only the NAV with a SPST switch. I mentioned two SPST switches with separate functions earlier, but that was ruled out by your first response. The reason I am talking about grounding the pin to the NAV (but not back to the car) is because the posted schematic shows a ground going to one pin on the same side of the DPDT switch that has the other pin left open. Both signal wires from the car go to the other side of the switch, and the wires to the NAV go to the common points. Here's the catch: I am colorblind and have assumed up until now that the ground was for the parking brake signal to the NAV because the VSS is probably variable and not on/off (based on the fact that it is VSS and not VMS [speed, which varies vs motion which is on/off]). Is the ground for the VSS to the NAV? If so, then what you are saying makes sense, if not, then one of us has to be misreading that schematic, or it has to be wrong. Assuming I am right and it is the parking brake signal that is getting grounded by the DPDT switch, my question (the same one, rephrased again) is this:Why did the original hackers who worked together on this to come up with the best solution decide to run the parking brake signal wiring through this whole mess instead of permanently grounding the NAV parking brake signal pin and using a SPST switch? I ask because I am concerned that there could be a good reason we don't want the NAV unit to think the parking brake is permanently on, but assuming there isn't, a spare Rear Control Cancel switch (or the existing one, for that matter) might make for a very clean hack.

[jankenpo30]

Yes, you are reading the schematic correctly (I think). But I'm not sure you're understanding how a DPDT switch works. Also, I think you are still confused by earlier my mention of grounding referencing the "parking brake signal" and the inadvertent loop created that causing the previous poster's "brake signal" light to be on. When I say parking brake signal, I mean the signal that turns the light on in the dash, not the "parking brake wire" at the Nav. What causes the "brake signal" light flicker then becoming constant is if you ground the VSS side of the DPDT switch either placing the ground wire on it its ground pin or the switch pins are touching metal. I did that by mistake on one install I did.

I also mistyped on when I said cut pbrake wire. Meant to say cut and just "attach" to VSS wire. Again prolly confused you. I think faster than I can type at times. So maybe now that I will breathe & slow down....I'll stop confusing you..lol

The Nav unit does (and remember it controls screen visibility or both Nav and DVD) reads presence of voltage (12V) and that presence indicates the P-brake "on". Yes, the Nav unit reads the VSS voltage presence and I think the tolerance is +5V which is why u can edit destinations if you going really really slow. Any voltage below that, and the Nav unit thinks the car is stopped. This is also why if you loop the VSS to “parking signal light” by mistake..the light will flicker slow and then become constant as you drive faster.

Therefore and again, if you want ONLY Nav..leave the parking brake wire intact. NAV destination functionality is dependent solely on VSS signal. In this case, one SPST switch is all you need.

If you want DVD, you need both VSS and P-brake signals to be hacked at same time. Here's where the DPDT is key why you NEED it:In normal mode w/o switch, Driving = Voltage +5V on VSS & no voltage on Pbrake……Parked = Voltage -5V on VSS, voltage on Pbrake (engaged). Now you see what is needed in “parked - normal” mode to operate functions of Nav/DVD. W/ switch…(look at switch pic)..when switch is in “normal” position (closed circuit) = both legs (wires) of the parking wire are still essentially connected to each other and same for VSS legs (wires).W/ switch….when switch is in “hacked” mode = incoming VSS voltage gets transferred over to the outgoing (to Nav unit) parking brake wire. Inside the switch, the ground pin is connected that side thus providing your potential to ground needed. And vice-versa, parking wire incoming signal gets transferred over to VSS outgoing wire to Nav. So what you accomplish here is that in when you are in hack mode…the voltage potential to ground that is needed is derived from VSS signal…since it cant be derive from pbrake foot pedal because you are doing 90mph on the hwy (lol). Shifting the VSS voltage over makes the Nav think the pbrake is engaged. And vice versa, since the is no voltage coming down the parking brake wire (cuz u are still doing 90mph), there is no voltage +5V to the outgoing VSS wire and thus the Nav thinks you aren’t moving (which is why you lose tracking in hack mode). Actually it still picks up..just very very very slowly usually.

You can accomplish this with 2 SPST but it’d be a pain in the a** cuz you essentially have to build a DPDT out of them. But crap, now that I think about..just attaching the pbrake wire to VSS switch won’t work either…well wait, one switch may work….if splice the incoming VSS wire and cut the incoming pbrake wire. Splice the incoming VSS and take one leg and directly connect to outgoing (to nav unit) portion of the pbrake wire you just cut. Take the other leg of the VSS splice to a pole on the SPST and then connect the other pole to the outgoing VSS (to nav) wire. Still have to ground the switch though. The Nav always sees voltage on pbrake and thinks its always engaged. Never really thought of it with one switch. Still don’t see the point…you still have to do the same steps, cut the about same number of wires and locate the a switch in the same position...but should still work..try that, if it doesnt..u could always come back and do it "right" way. I might try on my next victim...errr I mean next person who asks me to do it.

[The00Dustin]

jankenpo30, since I haven't said it yet, thank you for the many detailed responses you have provided.

I think I am reading the schematic correctly. However, I am certainly confused by how you are saying the DPDT switch and Parking Brake signal work.

Also, I am not confused about a previous poster with the brake light on, and haven't been, I'm not even concerned about that because I know other users have the hack working. Also, I think that is from a totally different thread, if not a different forum (though I have seen it).

I totally understand how to do only NAV, I believe I understand how the instructions say to do both.

Another way to rework my initial question (assuming I actually understand the schematic) would be these two questions:1) "If I install the hack for the DVD functionality (hacking both wires, per provided directions), would there ever be a scenario where I needed to flip the switch away from the hacked position due to altered/degraded functionality of anything in the M other than the NAV?"2) "If I was stupid enough to drive around with the parking brake on in an unhacked M, would the NAV work properly?"

Those aren't by any means the question I asked (or intended to ask), but their combined answers should tell me what I believe I want to know.

All of that said, I will go on (even though perhaps I shouldn't seeing as how we are really dirtying up this thread). Regarding my understanding of DPDT switches (from some electronics classes several years ago, wikipedia, and my interpretation of the schematic above (and a discussion I read in a thread regarding someone using the wrong the wrong type [on-off-on instead of on-on] of DPDT switch [more accurately, a DPCO switch instead of a DPDT switch]), the schematic and instructions call for a switch that offers these two unique positions:

(drawn in ASCII, legend follows)

Position 1 (normal operation):

B-~-A-o-CoooooooooE-~-D-o-F

Position 2 (hacked operation):

B-o-A-~-CoooooooooE-o-D-~-F

Legend:A = NAV/VSS signal wire to NAV plug/pinB = NAV/VSS signal wire from vehicleC = Open pin on switch DPDT switchD = Parking Brake signal wire to NAV plug/pinE = Parking Brake signal wire from vehicleF = Vehicle Ground- = internal switch patho = open/no connection~ = connection created by switch position

If this were accurate, 2 SPDT switches would not be a PITA; the A-B-C switch would hack NAV, and the D-E-F switch would hack DVD (but only when the ABC switch were also in the hacked position based on an earlier post by you indicating that both signal hacks are necessary for DVD). Moreover, a SPST switch and a SPDT switch would work, as A-o-C is the same as the OFF position of a SPST switch. My thoughts with a single SPST switch only inolved leaving E permanently disconnected and D permanently connected to F with no switch. At this point, the parking brake signal would always be hacked, and potentially allow full hack functionality whenever the NAV/VSS signal was hacked. However, your description of the functionality of the switch causes me to visualize something more complicated that sounds more like a relay that I honestly can't come up with a clean way to draw and I am not 100% certain I fully comprehend. That said, I am curious, have you actually checked the signals at the NAV unit plug/pins (accessible while the NAV unit is functional via the appropriate soldered points on the DPDT switch) in the hacked and unhacked positions? I would assume this would require a multimeter (volt and ohm tests would be necessary) and a driver (while you sit in the passenger seat) in order to fully verify what is happening there.

[jankenpo30]

Another way to rework my initial question (assuming I actually understand the schematic) would be these two questions:1) "If I install the hack for the DVD functionality (hacking both wires, per provided directions), would there ever be a scenario where I needed to flip the switch away from the hacked position due to altered/degraded functionality of anything in the M other than the NAV?"2) "If I was stupid enough to drive around with the parking brake on in an unhacked M, would the NAV work properly?"

1)Other than the losing Nav tracking? No.

2) Yes, because again, the parking brake as nothing at all to do with Nav functionality, SOLELY DVD

stuff...

This is why I said I don't think you understand DPDT, your schematic is representative of a SPDT switch. Read down on this page....http://www.1728.com/project2.htm

Using your model...hacked mode is..

Position 2 (hacked operation):

B-o-A-~-EoooooooooE-o-D-~-B

No haven't had a need to check voltage on the several installs I've done because they've all work. The only time it didn't is when I installed the switch too high in the "wallet holder" and the switch pins were making contact with the metal snap-in connect that holds the cup holder assembly in place.

Again, I dont' get why you're hung up on using one switch when the labor and wiring is virtually the same as using a single DPDT switch. I could understand if you were attempting to make such that you don't lose tracking while you watch DVD, but far as I know you can't since the DVD needs VSS hacked and screen visibility is control at Nav unit.