Car-Net and USB Sockets

[Sootchucker]

Hi All - Long time no speak

Just a quick question. In my new GTD I opted for the Advanced Phone prep, so I have a second USB socket under the arm rest in the cubby box as well as the standard one ahead of the gear stick in the forward storage compartment.

I usually use my Android phone for App Connect and Car-Net and have it connected via the rear USB socket with the phone in the inductive antenna slot in the armrest.

Well the other day, I didn't have my Android in the car, but did have my works Iphone 6. Rather than pull the cable out of the rear cubby hole, I plugged the Apple phone into the forward USB socket. Immediately it came up on screen "Reading USB 1", so it obviously saw the phone and I could access the music on it to play, but according to Car-Net and App-Connect, under the device list, the Apple phone wasn't shown. No amount of plugging and unplugging cured this. I then plugged it in to the rear socket and hey presto, it connected and Apple Car Play booted up.

My question (eventually), would be is this behaviour right - i.e. does only the rear USB socket work with Car-Net and App connect and not the front one - seems weird to me ?

[Talk-torque]

Sounds like you only get one phone connect usb socket, so that the APC option moves it to the armrest compartment. I don't have APC, so my only usb, in the front cubby, connects the phone and CarPlay.

[fredgroves]

When you go into media and hit the source button, do you see more than one USB port selectable?

If you don't then it is only wired for data on one of them - which would be a bit weird I think, but possible.

[Sootchucker]

Both USB sockets are shown under media Fred, as below



When connected to USB 1 (the rear one under the arm rest) I get this



Then this (all normal and as you would expect)



However, when it's connected to USB2 (the front one behind the gear stick), I get this in devices



Seems weird that only one is Car Play enabled ?

[fredgroves]

Ok, so you have a proper data connected port on both, but carplay only runs from USB1 - that must be a software coded thing (in the MIBII unit) rather than a hardware one.

Weird, but not impossible.

I hate how the carplay/mirrorlink etc stuff only works when the phone is hard wired. Apparently that is a safety thing to force you to not try and use the handset on the move. Its not like that with other car manufacturers, where this stuff will work over bluetooth.

[Bungleaio]

It's probably something to do with the APC in the arm rest boosting the signal which the phone will need to pull the data required for android auto/carplay.

I tend to have the lead hanging out of the armrest anyway and leave the phone on the cupholder cover. If I'm losing signal I'll chuck the phone in the arm rest cubby.