Alpine 6.1 fitted to new models "Buyer Beware"

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
41

 

TonyF is using the MCOL system - old small claim, now Money Claim Online. You pay a modest fee to make the claim online.  If the case is defended the matter will escalate to a court hearing requiring a further modest fee.  The defendant can also counterclaim.  As this is individual versus business, the case, should it get to the hearing stage, will be heard at the court nearest to the individual.  Lawyers cannot be involved in the hearing and costs awarded are very limited.

This is a good way of dealing with this issue.  I suspect they will settle out of court but may make you wait until the last moment.  

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Just to reiterate - Do not waste money buying external amps, subwoofers, DAB modules or reversing camera for the MX-5 ALPINE head unit. You will be wasting your time and money as they will not work. Extra functions on the head unit will not be available simply by connecting them up. The head unit is a special build by Alpine with many functions removed including the graphic equaliser function. Please read back through the forum posts for more details.
The only way to get the full Alpine head unit functionality is to replace the unit with an INE-W920R, it might be £900 but what a difference it makes to the audio quality and packed with features not available on the Mazda version.

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Great news to everyone, i have flashed my AVN2 to an Alpine INE-w920r.

Its realy simplle.
“maikel” from a german forum solved the problem.
(i dont know if i can link to other forum, but i’ll do)

http://www.mazda-forum.info/soundanlagen-euren-mazda-s/62462-update-mazda-avn-2-a.html

original Post
"Hallole zusammen, ich habe heute meinen AVN2 auf ALPINE “upgegradet”.

Also bevor Ihr das auch so durchführt, empfehle ich das Alpine-Verzeichnis auszulesen. Das dient nur dazu, wenn etwas schiefgeht und noch Garantie auf dem Gerät ist, alles wieder zurückzuspeichern.
Dazu ist eine autorun-Datei (a lot of thx to the gps-power forum, auf Wunsch sende ich diese Datei per PN zu) auf die micro-SD Karte (mind. 8 GB) zu speichern. Anschließend Karte ins AVN2. Zündschlüsel rein, auf ein. AVN2 startet. Nach ca. 30 in Navi wechseln. Nicht wundern, Navi ist nicht mehr da. dafür erscheint die Windows CE oberfläche, ähnlich dem Windows am PC (allerdings nur in englisch). Nun auf Fash drive wechsel und den Alpine Ordner mit “Copy” kopieren. dann zum SDMMC wechseln. Das ist die micro-SD-Karte. Dann mit “Paste” einfügen, dauert etwa 35 Minuten. Fertig.

Wem das zu lange dauert und nach dem Motto “No risk no fun” lebt, lässt das Beschriebene im obigen Absatz aus.

Nun zum “Update”. Auf der Alpine Heimatseite lädt man sich die letzte Firmwareversion für INE-W920R (FU_INE-W920R_08082013) herunter. Dann die ZIP-Datei entpacken. Es entsteht ein Verzeichnis welches BDAG104A heißt. Darin sind diverse Dateien. Dieses Verzeichnis einfach umbennen in BDAG405A. Dann das Verzeichnis auf einen USB Stick (FAT32) kopieren.
Nun ins Auto setzen. Wieder Zündschlüsel rein, auf ein.
Diesen Stick in den USB Anschluss stecken. Dann erscheint Meldung ob man updaten möchte. OK drücken und etwa 12 Minuten warten. Das Update geht in 3 Schritten.
Danach war die Welt bei mir in Ordnung. Nun ist es ein geiles Alpine-Radio. Das Mazda-Logo beim Start ist aber “leider” weg.
Wie ich darauf gekommen bin. Viel gelesen. Ich hatte früher auch mal mit Panels zu tun. Auf alle Fälle habe ich Typenschilder des AVN2 und des INE-W920R mir angeschaut. Und die Dateien für das Firmwareupdate kannte ich ja schon, nur gingen die nicht ja zu installieren. Also dachte ich mir da die Namen der Dateien und der Typenbezeichnung gleich sind, und es ist ja ein PC, einfach umbennen und testen. Das war anscheinend des Rätsels Lösung.
Ich hoffe bei Euch klappt es auch so.
Ich übernehme keine Haftung bei Misslingen !!! Alles geht auf eigenes Risiko. Ich kann auch noch Fotos nachliefern, wie alles optisch aussieht, sozusagen, das “Making of”. Aber nicht heute noch. "

I have done it too, and it works.

Just download the alpine 1.3 INE-W920R (FU_INE-W920R_08082013)
unrar it
rename the Folder BDAG104A in BDAG405A
copy the renamed folder to an USB stick (FAT32) (my first stick doesnt work and aborted with an error, then the AVN2 only booted and asked for an update but the second try with an other stick worked great)
Start the AVN2
weight some seconds and put the stick in
the it asks if youwant to update
klick yes, wait 10-20 min
thats it, now you have an w920

everything i have written is just for information, if there goes something wrong,its on your responsibility
all props goes to “maikel”

1 Like
44

Hi, has anyone else tried successfully to update their firmware as per Lochi’s link please?

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I believe a number of people have tried this successfully and gained at least the missing audio setup functionality successfully. Whether or not it then allows a dab unit, cameras or sub to be added I don’t know, it depends whether Alpine were fibbing when they told me that the insides are not a 920R.
The only risk you have in trying is Mazda might not refresh it back for free if it all goes wrong but if you can get hold of the Mazda AVN stock firmware then you should be able to recover it.
The place to ask for more details is on the 25th Anniversary edition Facebook group as thats where I read about it being done some time back.

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I have just updated my unit successfully to firmware version 1.3, following these instructions. It now boots as an Alpine unit and seems to have all of the functionality. I have a 3.75 sport venture RC

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Apparently ou can add a mazda logo back on by following this procedure -

Alpine Boot Screen instructions (as usual, attempt at your own risk)
-Picture: Save as BMP, 24bit , 800x480 (24bit = 8bit x 3 color channels)
Save onto fresh formatted USB drive and connect to USB port of radio

-Press and hold the “Band” soft key on radio screen for 2+ sec
-Press the dual screen soft key once (lower right)
-Press telephone hardkey once
-Press volume down button
Please Wait will appear and it will automatically reboot with your logo

Please ensure the BMP type and size are adhered to or it will fail for sure

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Tried this but it didnt work, maybe the image is wrong: https://dsanz88.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/mx5.jpg

I saved it as a bmp file with above specs but couldnt get past 1st step of holding down band screen - just changed the radio band!

thanks anyway

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I haven’t tried it myself as my dealer put my logo on the 920R for me. I do remember that timing is essential on this process though.
It can’t be a jpg file though. Open this file up in windows paint and save as a .bmp of the correct pixel width and height and the correct

or try this one I converted for you -https://www.dropbox.com/s/d73lgch0zppy4l8/mx5.bmp?dl=0

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Hi. When attempting the update, does it work via the USB in the slide tray or do you need to remove the head unit? Thanks

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As far as I know it works in the USB in the slide tray, you do not need to remove the head unit.

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Confirmed. I used the usb port in the tray to update mine successfully.

(Still no joy on reverting the splash screen though but I can live with this)

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Hi. Done it this morning. All works great. Alpine start up screen is no issue for me. At least now I can adjust the graphic equaliser. Too tinny on factory default. Cheers guys! 

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For anyone who is still looking at this thread, the Alpine Software is an easy update and improves vastly over the Mazda software. The splash screen can also be easily done but it took some searching on google to get it to work. The instructions contained earlier in the thread were correct but it mentioned nothing of the filename for the splash screen.

To enable the splashscreen update to work, you must name the file:     apn_pa_opening.bmp

 

Here is mine.  :slight_smile:

 

3 Likes
55

Didn’t like the splash screen, so made another!

 

1 Like
56

Hi first post so be gentle!.

I’m looking at an NC with this unit and I had the actual alpine version in a previous car.

If I do the software update will the time alignment and the active crossover be available?

Also had anyone had the unit out? Are the pre outs on the back?

Cheers.

57

HI

Apologies for responding so late to this post but I’ve recently bought a 25th Anniversary Edition which comes with this AVN2 unit. Which are the firmware files you successfully managed to install?

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Sorry for late reply. Yes, by flashing the Alpine firmware, you get the system menu as an Apline head unit, including the time alignment and active crossover.

It’s been nearly 2 years since I have done this so I cant remember that clearly what I had done, more annoyingly the PC I used has now been junked so I cant even find the files.

Please take a read of the full thread, I think I have mentioned what files I have done.

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In addition, I managed to screw up my satnav when playing around with mine. I got a bit greedy and tried to update the NAV MAPS. In doing so, I lost the keyboard on the NAV. It doesn’t really affect me as I never use it. They problem I have is, when I want to input an address, it can’t bring the keyboard up on the screen (everything else works fine!).

I got an idea what is wrong and just need the Root files from a standard 25th Anni headunit. If anyone can help me out, then I’ll start looking into how to get the files.

Thanks in advance.

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I have an AVN2 in my Sport Tech Nav (it wasn’t only the 25th Anniversary which got it). I haven’t done the update to Alpine firmware yet, so if you let me know which files you need I can probably get them to you.