Quote from Stuffa on 28.07.2023, 17:39

Quote from Guido on 28.07.2023, 17:19

To me personally, the advantage of such a unit is that

• the screen is better readable in the sun
• it's (a lot) cheaper if it gets stolen or damaged through vibration (cameras in the newer iPhones can get damaged by the vibrations although there are other solutions for that like vibration dampers)
• iPhones tend to overheat in warmer climates while constantly in the sun and GPS app running all the time. As a protection, iOS automatically dims the screen significantly, making it even harder (sometimes impossible) to read. Or if it's really overheated, the iPhone will shut down completely to protect itself.

Having said that, I fully agree that these Chinese units are not up for the task yet. As you can read above, I had overheating problems with this unit as well, and I'm experiencing connection drops every now and then. Only a matter of time before better / higher quality units will hit the market though I'm sure.

Thanks for those thoughts Guido. Personally I haven’t had heat problems with my IPhone and I ride in all conditions in Australia. I must admit that when I ride to tropical North Queensland and the interior I do it in the Winter when temps are  a bit cooler. I don’t tend to ride in extreme heat conditions. I use a dampener for my iPhone mount and have done 30,000km this year and have had no problems with my iPhones camera. I have my phone mounted in a position that it is very easy to see and have no problem in that regard. The only slight problem I have had is on my last trip in heavy rain rain drops were flicking back onto the IPhone screen and changing things on the IPhone. I always take my phone off the bike when I stop and this sometimes causes a problem with the Bluetooth connection to my headset when the phone goes out of Bluetooth range with my headset it doesn’t always reconnect and I have to turn my phone and headset off and on again to reconnect.

But I will definitely reconsider if a better CarPlay unit becomes available

 

Quote from 2BTSquared on 28.07.2023, 17:48

Plus... Plus... Reducing charging cycles --> Less battery wear. Add that factor to the battery wear and tear from heat etc.

Quote from msprygada on 28.07.2023, 18:44

Quote from Guido on 17.03.2023, 13:43

Second ride with the Maxca today. It was a ride of 1.5 hours. I did not experience any connection drops like on my first ride (see above).
I can only assume this is because I followed the recommendation of Maxca (to 'forget' my cardo in my phone's Bluetooth settings), see above as well. This is a bit of a nuisance because now I have to pair the Cardo to my phone temporarily every time I want to use it with the Cardo app and every time I want to use the Cardo with my phone, but without the Maxca (e.g. when I don't need navigation I don't need the Maxca for guidance, but I would like some music).

I did experience some very short audio drops just when I left my house. I'm not too worried about this though, because this also happens in my car (also wireless CarPlay) when I drive away. I'm guessing that's because my home Wifi is going out of range as I drive/ride away... or something related to that.

Before this ride, I updated the maxca firmware to the newest version. This firmware did not have any changes regarding the connection, but it did enable a customizable start-up screen and more detailed volume settings.

To get the latest firmware version you have to send Maxca a message through AliExpress. There's no link anywhere. They are pretty fast to respond though.

One small annoyance I found, but hopefully this was a one time thing. Because I installed the new firmware I had to reconnect my phone to get CarPlay. The first time it was pretty easy:... find the Maxca in your bluetooth settings on your iPhone, then connect. And rest went automatic. It wasn't automatic this time though. Not sure it was because I changed the default bluetooth name of the maxca, or if there was still some left-over bluetooth config on my phone. After about 5 tries I finally got it working. Not exactly sure why, but I turned off the Maxca. Then 'forgot' the maxca in my iPhone bluetooth settings. Turned off my phone, waited 2 minutes and turned it back on again. Then I turned on the maxca. Found it in my iPhone bluetooth settings and connected to it. That time everything went OK and iPhone asked me if I wanted to use the maxca for CarPlay...etc.

It would be nice if all the scenic CarPlay audio could be played through my Cardo connected to my phone instead of my Cardo having to connect to this device. I lose all my Cardo iPhone commands.

 

Quote from Stuffa on 28.07.2023, 18:44

Quote from 2BTSquared on 28.07.2023, 17:36

Plus...  Batteries no likey being charged (or run on a charger) in the cold. Matters to those of us that ride during the winter.

I've had no issues with mine. Heat or otherwise. And the thing is cheap ($125). I'd rather this cheap unit took the punishment vs. an expensive phone. Bonus... - as was mentioned - both CarPlay and Android Auto work really well for motorcycle applications.

Thank you for your views. If you ride in the cold on a long trip surely you still have to have your phone on charge. It is good to see everyone’s views on this and I’m glad it works for you. I have done 80,000 km using my iPhone as my GPS and for music in all conditions and my phone is fine. Personally my views haven’t changed and I will continue to use the iPhone until a better unit comes along.

Quote from 2BTSquared on 30.07.2023, 11:44

Quote from Stuffa on 28.07.2023, 18:44

Quote from 2BTSquared on 28.07.2023, 17:36

Plus...  Batteries no likey being charged (or run on a charger) in the cold. Matters to those of us that ride during the winter.

I've had no issues with mine. Heat or otherwise. And the thing is cheap ($125). I'd rather this cheap unit took the punishment vs. an expensive phone. Bonus... - as was mentioned - both CarPlay and Android Auto work really well for motorcycle applications.

Thank you for your views. If you ride in the cold on a long trip surely you still have to have your phone on charge. It is good to see everyone’s views on this and I’m glad it works for you. I have done 80,000 km using my iPhone as my GPS and for music in all conditions and my phone is fine. Personally my views haven’t changed and I will continue to use the iPhone until a better unit comes along.

Yes and no... Generally, rides in the winter are of shorter duration, so no I don't necessarily need to have the phone on a charger. It's wireless WiFi, so I could just keep the phone in my pocket. Alternatively, when I do have my phone on the charger, it's in the windshield bag - so it would be protected from the direct wind and cold. If necessary, I can wrap it - just normal operation and charging would keep it warm enough.

If I was running a navigation app on the phone, I would necessarily need the phone out in the elements so that it can be seen/used. Since navigation apps put a significant hit on the battery, it would need to be on a charger. Being cold, that would be no bueno.

Quote from demoderbydave on 12.08.2023, 17:03

New user here.. I found this forum while searching for info on my Ali express motorcycle unit that I purchased… it does everything I want it to do except stay on while riding. When I bought it it appeared that every seller is selling the exact same unit, even using the very same pictures to describe it so I just picked a seller and bought one… not from Maxca though. And like many of you here I have found out that it works perfectly in the garage before going for a ride and when I was playing with it when it first arrived. Unfortunately mine does what many of yours is doing… when out for a ride it starts powering on and off about 30-45 minutes into a ride and becomes unusable. While trying to diagnose what the problem could be I powered it up in the house off of a few different power supplies and it stays on and works for hours… so I figured it could be the voltage reducer that comes with it. I removed that and hard wired another permanent converter (also Chinese, like everything else in the world) and hoped that was the problem. So I headed out on my FZ1 for a nice ride and of course it does the same thing. I have 2 cradles since I have 2 bikes and hadn’t installed it on the Goldwing 1800 yet and used that to test it in the house. I removed the original cradle from the Yamaha and powered it up again in the house and it isn’t shutting off after an hour. I am starting to think it’s heat related…my next test will be heating it up with a hairdryer to simulate the sun’s warmth… I’ll keep you all posted… assuming anyone actually reads this. It’s a shame that there is no support for these… some company has to make them all and wholesales them to the various distributors. I have about 200 bucks into the whole thing including 2 cradles and the mount I bought to install it… worse case scenario is it ends up in the trash can… but I really like the overall idea and just want the damn thing to work…

Quote from Guido on 12.08.2023, 17:44

Definitely reading this. And very curious about your hairdryer test. My findings/feeling too is that it’s heat related. (See my posts above).

Quote from PeteRT on 13.08.2023, 03:16

I too have read your post with interest. I don't have a unit prefer to use my phone but am still interested in the concept. I like the idea of not having the phone on the bike but for me where it all falls down is that the phone still needs to be powered while riding. So how do you power your phone when it is in your pocket. If you power your phone with it tucked away on your bike, then I see very little benefit. When I don't want my phone on my bike I use a Beeline Moto. The nice thing about Beeline is that it plays well with Scenic. Plan in Scenic and send to Beeline. In fact often I use the two together. Beeline is mounted more in my line of sight, so I sometimes use it as a kind of HUD for the Scenic app. The simple answer to all this phone worry attached to the bike is just use an old one.

Quote from demoderbydave on 13.08.2023, 17:51

Pete, the problem with using an old phone is that unless it is an active phone it won’t do navigation or app streaming (as far as I know, anyways). Yes the phone has to be powered up to connect to these devices and for basically anything (other than music stored on a memory card) but I’ve found the battery drain is not to bad and I haven’t had my phone go dead on my rides thus far. To me the benefits of android auto on my bike are worth it. And you can keep the expensive phone tucked safely away from falling off and the elements.

as far as the issue with my unit powering on and off after 40ish minutes of riding… I have powered mine up on a table for over 3 hours without issue. I haven’t done my hairdryer test yet ( tomorrow hopefully) but I think it’d either heat or vibration causing my issue…

Quote from PeteRT on 14.08.2023, 03:56

Not sure you are correct about the requirement for phone to be active. My understanding is the phone just needs WiFi do get app and maps and then only needs GPS to navigate. The phone does not need an active sim card to work. However I could be wrong. Maybe someone who is using an old phone for navigation only can confirm this.

Totally get the benefits of phone in pocket which is why I'm following this thread. Good luck with your experiment.

Quote from mattsz on 14.08.2023, 04:19

Quote from PeteRT on 14.08.2023, 03:56

Not sure you are correct about the requirement for phone to be active. My understanding is the phone just needs WiFi do get app and maps and then only needs GPS to navigate. The phone does not need an active sim card to work. However I could be wrong. Maybe someone who is using an old phone for navigation only can confirm this.

Totally get the benefits of phone in pocket which is why I'm following this thread. Good luck with your experiment.

Getting off topic a bit, but I'll answer this one: you are correct, PeteRT - I bought a used, pretty cheap iPhone that I'm using on my handlebars, with no active sim card.  My "real" phone stays on my person.  Both phones have the app installed, so I can use either one for planning.  I use wifi to manage the nav phone off the bike, and when on the bike I can access data if I need to by connecting to my "real" phone as a hot-spot...

Quote from PeteRT on 14.08.2023, 05:17

Thanks for the confirmation. Yes sorry a little off topic. But it seems to me if you don't want your new expensive phone on the bike then a cheap old one would do the job instead of these Carplay units, which seem to be unreliable. Just a thought.

Quote from msprygada on 14.08.2023, 06:17

An older iPhone is the route I am going to as well. I tried this CarPlay unit and I also have a Garmin Tread but I cannot get both units to work correctly with my Cardo helmet communication. I can get the navigation commands to my helmet but they both interfere with Siri commands. So placing/answering calls  and text messages is not possible and voice commands like open garage door will not work because the Siri commands are not recognized once the Garmin or the CarPlay unit is connected to the Cardo. Everything perfectly when I use a phone. And I can get a refurbished iPhone 8 max for $150 which is cheaper than the CarPlay unit any way cheaper than the Garmin cost.

Quote from mbirth on 14.08.2023, 06:56

A big plus of the CarPlay unit is that you are presented with a distraction-free display of the essential information you need to arrive at your destination.

A phone has too much going on, needs to be updated regularly, several apps don’t sync automatically so you have to remember to upload your routes, etc.

Also my plan is to mount the CarPlay device permanently to the bike so I don’t have to carry it with me when parking somewhere. The special locking screw and it being a dumb display make it perfect for that. (A cheap phone would be gone in minutes…)

Quote from msprygada on 14.08.2023, 10:24

If you are using it for just having your directions showing on the screen and it tells you directions and nothing else, then this set up for work for you.  But I lose all my Cardo unit functionality when it connects to the CarPlay unit as it renders the Cardo unit disabled and I didn’t pay $250 for Cardo unit just to be a microphone on speakers.  With a phone connected to my Cardo I can operate the phone completely hands free. Everything works.

Quote from mbirth on 14.08.2023, 17:15

Quote from msprygada on 14.08.2023, 10:24

But I lose all my Cardo unit functionality when it connects to the CarPlay unit

I only need Siri - and that works either via microphone or via their Bluetooth remote. And almost all Cardo features can be toggled using the keys on the unit or voice commands that don't need a phone connection.

Quote from Guido on 14.08.2023, 17:40

Music control is lost.

Quote from msprygada on 14.08.2023, 17:47

Quote from mbirth on 14.08.2023, 17:15

Quote from msprygada on 14.08.2023, 10:24

But I lose all my Cardo unit functionality when it connects to the CarPlay unit

I only need Siri - and that works either via microphone or via their Bluetooth remote. And almost all Cardo features can be toggled using the keys on the unit or voice commands that don't need a phone connection.

If that works for you then you know something I don't as I lose control of my Cardo. I cannot adjust volume of anything, I cannot answer the phone, or take text messages. I can say "Hey Siri" all day and it never responds. CarPlay was designed as a touch interface and not a voice interface.

Quote from msprygada on 14.08.2023, 17:55

Quote from mbirth on 14.08.2023, 06:56

A big plus of the CarPlay unit is that you are presented with a distraction-free display of the essential information you need to arrive at your destination.

A phone has too much going on, needs to be updated regularly, several apps don’t sync automatically so you have to remember to upload your routes, etc.

Also my plan is to mount the CarPlay device permanently to the bike so I don’t have to carry it with me when parking somewhere. The special locking screw and it being a dumb display make it perfect for that. (A cheap phone would be gone in minutes…)

I only use the Scenic app on the phone to show a graphic as to when I need to turn confirming what the voice prompts are telling me or to confirm how close I am to the turn and am I going to turn on the correct road. I have been on roads where it says turn right in a 1000 feet but I only see the road tuning left. But a quick glance at the map and I see the road makes a left turn and then shortly ends at a T where you have to go left or right which then the command makes sense. And since I can do everything I need on the phone with voice commands, other than glancing at the map for a visual of the upcoming road, I never need to look at it. Yes a phone can do so much more but I am not surfing the web, playing games, scrolling through Facebook while I am on the motorcycle. I just ride. no more distraction than a CarPlay device. And I don't agree that it was created to have less distracting interface. It was created to simulate the phone experience on a car dash without having to pay Apple to have the same iPhone screen show up on the dash.

Quote from PeteRT on 15.08.2023, 02:34

I agree I see no difference in distraction between iphone and CarPlay screens. I navigate in the reverse to you. I don't use comms. I like to ride without the nagging voice. So for me it is visual guidance only. This is where Scenic is so much better than other apps because you can customise the navigation screen. So I have change road widths, fonts and colours all to make it easy to read. When I use my phone I have notifications turned off and all other apps closed down. Never take calls. The biggest distraction to riding or driving is making and receiving phone calls. Remote conservations are dangerous. But I have gone off topic again. Sorry. I do understand the other benefits of having a Carplay unit attached to the bike.

Quote from motacyclist on 16.11.2023, 12:16

Quote from demoderbydave on 12.08.2023, 17:03

Unfortunately mine does what many of yours is doing… when out for a ride it starts powering on and off about 30-45 minutes into a ride and becomes unusable. While trying to diagnose what the problem could be I powered it up in the house off of a few different power supplies and it stays on and works for hours… so I figured it could be the voltage reducer that comes with it. I removed that and hard wired another permanent converter (also Chinese, like everything else in the world) and hoped that was the problem. So I headed out on my FZ1 for a nice ride and of course it does the same thing. I have 2 cradles since I have 2 bikes and hadn’t installed it on the Goldwing 1800 yet and used that to test it in the house. I removed the original cradle from the Yamaha and powered it up again in the house and it isn’t shutting off after an hour. I am starting to think it’s heat related…my next test will be heating it up with a hairdryer to simulate the sun’s warmth… I’ll keep you all posted… assuming anyone actually reads this. It’s a shame that there is no support for these… some company has to make them all and wholesales them to the various distributors. I have about 200 bucks into the whole thing including 2 cradles and the mount I bought to install it… worse case scenario is it ends up in the trash can… but I really like the overall idea and just want the damn thing to work…

Hi first post on here. I had this problem and found that the knurled screw holding the unit to the housing wasn’t tight enough and vibrations were causing momentary loss on contact on the power connections. I used a screwdriver to tighten it, rather than my fingers, and it’s been fine ever since.

Quote from maxdamage00 on 18.11.2023, 14:54

Hello
I just want to share with you latest firmware for this device I found out. For me its far the most stable one.
Also, there is nice update feature , in sound option you can reroute media audio to your phone - that means there is no need to connect your intercom to device, instead you connect it directly to phone as usual but this time you hear all media audio via phone/bluetooth. Many advantages with this for sure. Also, you can choose WIFI channel if it interfere with other EMF around.

Here is the link
https://drive.usercontent.google.com/download?id=1891NsX0prna7frgAqghee-Fj2CsZ59MF&export=download&authuser=0&confirm=t&uuid=38267f09-e29d-4a71-bb6c-0350e8ad7ae4&at=APZUnTVTblaFMAYGEQiOd5-m3iAT:1699745262823

Quote from massi on 18.11.2023, 18:39

Sounds good, will try it in the next days, thank you for sharing it. Where did you get it from?

Quote from massi on 19.11.2023, 19:31

Hi,

I tried this version now, as far as I see, it seems not to be the new firmware from November, it's from April 2023.

regards

Quote from maxdamage00 on 01.12.2023, 19:17

Here is another japanese page with several firmwares (same device)
https://mitsukin.info/support/manual/pda-05b

Quote from mbirth on 05.12.2023, 19:22

Maxca has now released a new model for permanent mounting and with a remote. Also looking on AliExpress, there are now lots of motorcycle units available starting at very affordable ~$70.

Quote from Dae on 06.02.2024, 06:43

I see that there’s a new Chigee unit coming out that can use the BMW control wheel as a remote, and Maxca already have their X6 with a separate remote out (6” display).

Has anyone tried these units with Scenic?  I’d be interested to know how the remote control interacts with CarPlay, and more specifically Scenic.

I love using Scenic with my WunderLINQ controller on the BMW, but wouldn’t say no to a bigger/brighter screen.  My concern is that I use the BMW wheel quite a bit (zooming in/out, pause/resume music, skip waypoint etc.) and wouldn’t want to have to resort to touching the CarPlay screen if I could avoid it (I mount my phone on the BMW nav mount bar above the dashboard so it’s quite a reach forward to touch the screen).

Quote from massi on 11.02.2024, 08:42

Hi,

 

does anyone know the difference between a Maxca C5 Lite and a Maxca C5 Pro?

Quote from Dae on 11.02.2024, 09:43

If I remember correctly the pro has two Bluetooth connections whereas the lite only has one

Quote from mbirth on 11.02.2024, 12:13

Quote from Dae on 11.02.2024, 09:43

If I remember correctly the pro has two Bluetooth connections whereas the lite only has one

No, that's not it. The C5 Lite was also marketed as having 2 independent Bluetooth connections.

The newer firmware for the "Pro" allowed individual volume control for the different channels (System/Media, Navi, CarPlay). But I'm not sure whether that needs hardware support or whether there's no physical difference between the "Lite" and the "Pro". However, they are always mentioning that their "Pro" firmwares are only for devices sold after April 2023. So who knows...

Quote from massi on 13.02.2024, 05:55

So who knows...

The one who loads an actual "pro"-firmware on a "lite" device.;)

 

Quote from Dae on 23.02.2024, 01:17

Quote from Dae on 06.02.2024, 06:43

I see that there’s a new Chigee unit coming out that can use the BMW control wheel as a remote

Has anyone tried these units with Scenic?  I’d be interested to know how the remote control interacts with CarPlay, and more specifically Scenic.

 

Just to answer my own question, a reviewer here in the UK has posted a couple of videos and in them  demonstrates complete control of CarPlay with just the BMW wheel (can also be done with their Bluetooth remote if you don’t have a BMW)

https://youtu.be/ofbCuTQzLOA?si=J8XXiWfktU-Cg7UH

https://youtu.be/pnCAfMtkpww?si=Jp9J7887L-EBzDDV

 

Quote from Marts on 08.03.2024, 00:34

Hi

First post on these forums. Just installed Scenic on my iPhone. I have also installed the Chigee AIO-5 Lite and have been trialling a number of iOS based nav apps and how they perform in CarPlay mode on the Chigee AIO-5.

Scenic is the best, so far. Google Maps is probably a close second mainly for actual navigation. But it doesn’t have the bike related features of Scenic.

the unit works well. In the bright Australian sun it’s clear and legible.

it comes with front and rear cameras and TPMS and wireless remote control as optional extras.

I have it fitted to a Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT. So, no fancy built in remote control like the Beemers have. But it’s remote unit does the job.

in conjunction with Scenic it does a good job controlling phone calls, audio streaming and so on.

I have a Cardo Packtalk Edge which is paired to the iPhone. And the iPhone is paired to the Chigee. The 3 devices work perfectly with each other.

it’s not cheap. $1,100 AUD all up. No local retail outlets here so I ordered directly from Chigee.

The unit has its own screens if you’re not in CarPlay mode which can display the GPS speed, direction, tyre pressures and temperatures as well as the front and rear camera views. But I don’t use that feature. Too distracting. But when stopped you can review footage. Or download it from the device to your phone via the Chigee app. Or you can remove the MicroSD card and put it in your computer to view the video files directly.

It also has a mini-trip computer. Not much info except for distance and riding time.

It is waterproof.

I, however, have some problems with my gloves and the touchscreen. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

so, yeah, that’s my review on the Chigee AIO-5 Lite.

Quote from Dae on 23.02.2024, 01:17

Quote from Dae on 06.02.2024, 06:43

I see that there’s a new Chigee unit coming out that can use the BMW control wheel as a remote

Has anyone tried these units with Scenic?  I’d be interested to know how the remote control interacts with CarPlay, and more specifically Scenic.

 

 

 

 

 

Quote from Dae on 08.03.2024, 03:21

I fit my Chigee this week, so hoping to test it out this weekend.  It'll be interesting to see how well the Blind Spot Detection system works.

I went for the BMW wheel remote adapter.  One thing I did notice in the garage was that it doesn't use the up/down rotation of the wheel for anything.  I think that'll be the biggest thing I miss from using Scenic with WunderLINQ - being able to rotate the BMW wheel and immediately zoom in/out.  With the Chigee it will be using left/right to move to the overview icon in Scenic, pressing OK, then left/right again until I get to zoom in/out and then pressing OK a few times.  With WunderLINQ it was twist left/right and job done.

The unit feels very well put together and the screen certainly seems like it'll be better in the sun, although I did 2,000 miles in 2 weeks in Spain using the iPhone XS Max with a matte screen protector and although at times I had to cast a shadow with my hand it wasn't totally unworkable.  I'd say for 90% of the time it was OK.

I know a lot of people have said they wish the Chigee was removable, but at least it's all security screws they've used.

Quote from Marts on 08.03.2024, 03:33

Quote from Dae on 08.03.2024, 03:21

 

I know a lot of people have said they wish the Chigee was removable, but at least it's all security screws they've used.

That’s a good point, too. Tip: when you assemble to mounting bracket use a bit of Locktite on the screws. Mine came loose under vibration.

Quote from mbirth on 08.03.2024, 03:42

Quote from Dae on 08.03.2024, 03:21

I know a lot of people have said they wish the Chigee was removable,

Why, though? It’s an external display for your phone and basically just an extra “gauge” for your motorcycle’s gauge cluster.

With basically all recent motorcycles having digital screens and dials, it won’t even look out of place on most of them.

Quote from Dae on 08.03.2024, 03:46

Quote from mbirth on 08.03.2024, 03:42

Quote from Dae on 08.03.2024, 03:21

I know a lot of people have said they wish the Chigee was removable,

Why, though? It’s an external display for your phone and basically just an extra “gauge” for your motorcycle’s gauge cluster.

With basically all recent motorcycles having digital screens and dials, it won’t even look out of place on most of them.

Although some cite security, I do know a few have said it’s because they have multiple bikes. They wouldn’t benefit from the cameras etc, but at least they could move the CarPlay function quickly between bikes.

Chigee could also have sold kits with additional cameras and mounts if the unit was removable. You could put the cameras and mounts on multiple bikes and just move the (expensive) screen between bikes.

Quote from Marts on 11.03.2024, 20:03

Quote from Dae on 23.02.2024, 01:17

Just to answer my own question, a reviewer here in the UK has posted a couple of videos and in them  demonstrates complete control of CarPlay with just the BMW wheel (can also be done with their Bluetooth remote if you don’t have a BMW)

Those guys and their videos is what convinced me to buy the Chigee. And I have to agree with their assesment of the unit, too.

 

 

 

Quote from Marts on 11.03.2024, 20:13

Quote from Jimmy999 on 17.02.2023, 01:00

I just tried it out and you need the dots on the glove. The leather glove on its own doesnt work, but with the dot it works perfect. I have these.

https://smartmoto.com.au/products/glovetact

Just to resurect an old post, I'm new to this forum. I recently bought the Chigee AIO-5 Lite carplay unit. Its touchscreen doesn't like my gloves so when I found this thread and your post I ordered those dots.
Thanks for posting the link.

 

Quote from Marts on 11.03.2024, 20:22

Quote from Guido on 27.02.2023, 06:08

 

 

Apple CarPlay (and probably Android Auto as well, no experience yet), is more or less an extended display for your phone. Most of the processing (including GPS receiver) is still done on the phone.

[Chomp...]

In other words, if reducing battery consumption is your reason for getting such a unit, you’ll probably be disappointed.

I use a Quadlock mounting system which has the vibration dampener and the wireless charging head to keep my iPhone charged.

But, if it's a hot day and it heats up the iPhone then it'll reside in my tankbag with a USB cable running from the bike's USB outlet into the tank bag. That seems to keep it reasonably cool.

 

Quote from Dae on 24.03.2024, 13:47

Quote from Dae on 08.03.2024, 03:21

I fit my Chigee this week, so hoping to test it out this weekend.  It'll be interesting to see how well the Blind Spot Detection system works.

I went for the BMW wheel remote adapter.  One thing I did notice in the garage was that it doesn't use the up/down rotation of the wheel for anything.  I think that'll be the biggest thing I miss from using Scenic with WunderLINQ - being able to rotate the BMW wheel and immediately zoom in/out.  With the Chigee it will be using left/right to move to the overview icon in Scenic, pressing OK, then left/right again until I get to zoom in/out and then pressing OK a few times.  With WunderLINQ it was twist left/right and job done.

The unit feels very well put together and the screen certainly seems like it'll be better in the sun, although I did 2,000 miles in 2 weeks in Spain using the iPhone XS Max with a matte screen protector and although at times I had to cast a shadow with my hand it wasn't totally unworkable.  I'd say for 90% of the time it was OK.

I seem to spend a lot of time replying to myself, but here I go again 😁

Today I used the Chigee for the first time.  I can confirm all my initial thoughts in my previous post:

• I really, really miss the WunderLINQ up/down to zoom in/out.  The Chigee/CarPlay combo requires far too much pressing right, right, right, select, right, right, select etc. to get to the zoom in/out options.  On the WunderLINQ it was a quick up/down twist.  This is compounded by not having the roadblock/detour option.  If I arrive at a closed road, or take a wrong turn, with WunderLINQ I’d quickly zoom out to get my bearings and then decide where to go to pickup the route again, or I’d hit the roadblock option and let Scenic work things out for me.  Neither of those options are available when using the Chigee/CarPlay option as there’s not roadblock and zooming out takes far too long.
• The screen in the sun is phenomenal when compared to the iPhone screen.  The Chigee screen is crystal clear even in direct sunlight.
• The blind spot detection works really well, and I never had a false alert or no alert when there was a vehicle alongside.
• Battery life is surprisingly good.  I was out for 4.5 hours and just had the iPhone 15 Pro Max in the tank bag.  CarPlay was connected wirelessly for the whole time.  I finished the ride with 80% battery.  Before I got the Chigee I would use the phone in a Quadlock wireless charger mount and control it with a WunderLINQ.  Even with the charger I would often find the phone would be down to 20% charge and want to go into power save mode.
• I had my Keis heated gloves on, which are touch friendly.  The Chigee screen is only 5” and the gloves are quick big on the fingertips.  Using the Chigee by hand was not particularly easy and often resulted in clicking the wrong icon.  I’m not sure I’d use the CarPlay screen if the option of the BMW wheel integration (or the Chigee remote for non-compatible bikes) was not available.
• The Chigee doesn’t connect to your headset.  You keep your headset connected to the iPhone.  This is fantastic, as other CarPlay screens have to act as a “man in the middle” and have both the phone and the headset directly paired with them, which often results in issues.  The only drawback I’ve found to the Chigee approach is that I often say “Siri, volume xx%”.  With the Chigee I simply get the response “I can’t help you with that, but you can change the volume using your vehicle stereo”.  Obviously I can’t change the volume using the car stereo as the Chigee has no control over audio and definitely has no volume controls.

Will I keep the Chigee?  I’m not sure.  I really wish I could have the Chigee screen but use WunderLINQ to control it - that would be perfect.  I’m not sure if the lack of quickly accessing zoom in/out will bug me too much.

Quote from Marts on 27.03.2024, 16:32

Good report on the Chigee.

I got to test mine properly this past weekend. Had a 4 day ride with some friends.

The unit itself worked great, just as you've reported. I own a Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT so there's no bike to Chigee option. Mine is mounted on the accessory bar above the dash. Nice placement.

I run a Cardo Packtalk Edge. Streaming audio via the iphone works well and in CarPlay controlling it all was easy. I had issues with some phone calls, so I don't know if it's the Chigee or the way that the iphone and Cardo interact. More testing required.

I have the wireless remote unit. Shouldn't really have bothered with it, I think. Hardly used it. It's fiddly to use and it scrolls through each option on the screen. It's easier and I think safer to just quickly tap the option you want rather than pressing the "next" button and watching the screen as you ride to see it select the correct function (menu, phone, audio, whatever).

As far as Scenic goes the app works fine on the Chigee. Easy to read, windows pop up where they should (for turn guidance, etc.) without blocking stuff. In the car, the guidance, speed, speed limit indicator, compass and turn instructions were all piled on top of each other making it all but useless to safely use. But on the bike, or using it on the iPhone (which I didn't do other than to test it), it's perfect.

I bought it as a possible replacement for the Garmin Zumo XT. I currently have the Chigee mounted so it sits in front of the Zumo's mount. I didn't want to remove it just yet in case the Chigee turned out to be a PoS. But, after four days on the bike, nothing broke, vibrations didn't make it fall apart and the screen itself was clear thanks, I think, to the built-in vibration dampener, I think that I'll shortly have a Zumo for sale.

It has some basic trip computer functions, some of the data though, looked wrong. Eg. on startup and going to the Meter screen, it shows, for example, 1hr 0m run time, even though it's been turned off for hours and only been active for seconds.

On shutdown it shows a bit more trip info but it's only on display for 10 seconds as the unit powers down. So, I get the camera ready to take a photo of it. It shows current trip time from when the unit was last turned on and distance and average speed as well as max speed, I think. Or that might be on another screen. Can't remember exactly, and distance covered so far for the day.

I wish that they gave you an option to save that info, or to give you more time, say, to pause shutdown (it's still got power from the hardwired battery connection) so you can review the info longer or whatever.

All of this has been passed on to the developers for consideration. That and the issue of Mac computer unable to see the 256gb MicroSD card as a valid drive when connected (my wife's Windows PC sees it OK) which the developers are also looking at.

At $1,100 all up (inc. the optional TPMS and wireless remote) it's not cheap, but it does a lot of stuff compared to the cheaper ones, some of which have issues with headsets such as Cardos and one of them doesn't like your Smart Watch being paired with your phone as they have to act as the "hub", whereas the Chigee only wants to see a connection with your phone.

 

Quote from Dae on 28.03.2024, 01:18

As I said in my review, the remote is clunky. You get the same functions whether you use the BMW version or the generic one. I wouldn’t say useless though, but definitely not smooth. I think the lack of up/down is what makes it as bad as it is; it means far more button presses are required. I also noticed that if you press the "select" button (using the BMW integration this is the indicator cancel button) too quickly, for example to rapidly select zoom in/out, the Chigee thinks you've pressed the "back" button and takes you out of Scenic and back to the CarPlay Home Screen. I do still think it’s useful though. My Chigee is mounted above the dash and it’s a bit of a stretch to touch the screen. The icons are also a bit too small when wearing heated winter gloves. The remote really helps here.

I’ve not used the trip meter as my bike connects to my phone and the BMW app makes all the trip info available there. Scenic also has the useful trip info. What I did realise though is that the 2 times I’ve glanced at the trip screen it’s said I’ve been riding for thousands of hours🤣

I need to figure out the volume too. As I said above, I can no longer use Siri to control the phone volume. Using the volume control on the Cardo adjusts the Cardo volume, not the phone volume. I also noticed that the Cardo didn’t keep separate volume levels for the music (audio) and Scenic instructions (nav), whereas it did before without the Chigee. Scenic is set to output instruction as “voice”, which the Cardo has normally interpreted as a separate function to music and retained its own volume level.  It avoids having the music at the right volume and then the Scenic instructions being too loud/quiet  I’m sure I’ll figure this out though

I definitely wouldn’t go back to a dedicated GPS. My wife and I have done 12,000 miles arrive the UK and Spain using Scenic and neither of us have had a problem. We’ve both had an old iPhone XS Max connected to a WunderLINQ on our bikes. The biggest drawbacks were the screen brightness and power consumption.

I’m torn between keeping the Chigee and going back to the phone. The Chigee is easier to see and means I can do things like change the Spotify playlist I’m listening to much more easily. It also means I only need one phone (no way I’d use my iPhone 15 Pro Max mounted to the bike).  But it is clunky and the lack of quick access to zoom is frustrating. The phone/WunderLINQ combo is much more easy to use in terms of assigning movements of the BMW control wheel to Scenic controls, but the screen can be an issue in bright sunlight and it means carrying two phones around. The WunderLINQ control is also app specific, so no options for controlling Spotify, other than play/pause and skip track, which I assigned as WunderLINQ actions in Scenic.

I’m interested to see how others get on. I’ve noticed Chigee threads popping up on most forums lately.

I struggled to find a mounting place for the front camera that I liked, so I downloaded FreeCAD, learned how to use it in a basic manner, designed a mount and had it 3d printed for me:

Quote from Guido on 10.04.2024, 19:25

@dae

I paired the WunderLINQ with my phone and enabled the WunderLINQ option in Scenic. I also installed the WunderLINQ app on my phone.  I then launched Scenic on CarPlay. When I scroll the Wonderwheel the map doesn’t zoom in and out on the CarPlay screen.

I looked into this and I managed to get this working. It will be available in the next update v3.58. It's a bit of a hack though, and it has a disadvantage: Your iPhone can not be locked. It has to be unlocked and on this screen:

I've made sure that your iPhone does not auto-lock when on this screen while a handlebar controller is connected.

Here is some background if you are interested:

Why is this necessary? Well, Scenic 3.5 sees handlebar controllers as external Bluetooth keyboards and responds to certain "key presses". However, external keyboard presses don't arrive on Apple CarPlay. Apple is preventing this. (probably not intentionally, but just because it would be pretty weird to enter text on CarPlay with a Bluetooth keyboard). The key presses do arrive on the iPhone, though, and so I "catch" the keyboard presses with the screen above (as if you were entering text on this screen) and then tell the map on the CarPlay screen to zoom in/out.

So why is this different from Scenic 3.19?  To support more types of handlebar controllers in Scenic 3.5! I changed the Bluetooth handling to a more universal setup. 3.19 was reading the raw Bluetooth signals from a connected Bluetooth device (not interpreting them as keyboard key presses), and so, these did get through to CarPlay. The problem with that approach is that the signals are specific for every handlebar controller type, so a separate piece of code would be necessary for each handlebar controller type.

Seeing handlebar controllers as an external keyboard is a much more accepted and universal way, which cleared the way for other handlebar controllers to work with Scenic too. (https://scenic.app/help/handlebar-controllers/) Even when you connect an actual bluetooth keyboard to your iPhone, it can control Scenic (arrow buttons, return and escape buttons, and + and - buttons) now.

 

 

Quote from maxdamage00 on 11.04.2024, 01:14

Dear @guidomm

 

 

Can you please share newest firmware for MaxcaC5 with us ?
Newest one is V1.1.6.4.1955

Here is the link
https://facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=744836261048976&id=100065678251410

 

Thank you !

Quote from Dae on 11.04.2024, 06:14

Quote from Guido on 10.04.2024, 19:25

I looked into this and I managed to get this working. It will be available in the next update v3.58. It's a bit of a hack though, and it has a disadvantage: Your iPhone can not be locked. It has to be unlocked and on this screen:

 

I've made sure that your iPhone does not auto-lock when on this screen while a handlebar controller is connected.

Here is some background if you are interested:

Why is this necessary? Well, Scenic 3.5 sees handlebar controllers as external Bluetooth keyboards and responds to certain "key presses". However, external keyboard presses don't arrive on Apple CarPlay. Apple is preventing this. (probably not intentionally, but just because it would be pretty weird to enter text on CarPlay with a Bluetooth keyboard). The key presses do arrive on the iPhone, though, and so I "catch" the keyboard presses with the screen above (as if you were entering text on this screen) and then tell the map on the CarPlay screen to zoom in/out.

So why is this different from Scenic 3.19?  To support more types of handlebar controllers in Scenic 3.5! I changed the Bluetooth handling to a more universal setup. 3.19 was reading the raw Bluetooth signals from a connected Bluetooth device (not interpreting them as keyboard key presses), and so, these did get through to CarPlay. The problem with that approach is that the signals are specific for every handlebar controller type, so a separate piece of code would be necessary for each handlebar controller type.

Seeing handlebar controllers as an external keyboard is a much more accepted and universal way, which cleared the way for other handlebar controllers to work with Scenic too. (https://scenic.app/help/handlebar-controllers/) Even when you connect an actual bluetooth keyboard to your iPhone, it can control Scenic (arrow buttons, return and escape buttons, and + and - buttons) now.

 

 

That’s great news @guidomm, you’re a star.

Providing nothing unexpected comes up I’ll have a tinker in the garage at the weekend and put the WunderLINQ back on the bike (I removed it when I got the Chigee).  I think I’m going to have to also figure out where to put the Quadlock charger back on as well as I’m not sure how long the phone battery will last if the screen has to be on.

With regards to you saying you trap keypresses from Bluetooth keyboards - is that any Bluetooth keyboard, or do you limit it to known Bluetooth keyboard emulators by querying device ID/Type/Name?  A friend likes to tinker and is considering building his own ESP-32 based keyboard emulator to connect to his phone with buttons to use on the bike.  Not sure what it’s for, possibly he mentioned volume/media control, but he did say that if Scenic could catch the keypresses (assuming it’s the foreground application with focus) then it would be a bonus and he could add a couple of extra buttons. I think it’s basically a custom version of something like BarButtons or Media Monkey.

Quote from Guido on 11.04.2024, 06:17

Quote from maxdamage00 on 11.04.2024, 01:14

Dear @guidomm

 

 

Can you please share newest firmware for MaxcaC5 with us ?
Newest one is V1.1.6.4.1955

Here is the link
https://facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=744836261048976&id=100065678251410

 

Thank you !

I don’t have the latest update. My Maxca overheated / broke on my last trip and I haven’t used it since.

Quote from Guido on 11.04.2024, 06:20

Quote from Dae on 11.04.2024, 06:14

Quote from Guido on 10.04.2024, 19:25

I looked into this and I managed to get this working. It will be available in the next update v3.58. It's a bit of a hack though, and it has a disadvantage: Your iPhone can not be locked. It has to be unlocked and on this screen:

 

I've made sure that your iPhone does not auto-lock when on this screen while a handlebar controller is connected.

Here is some background if you are interested:

Why is this necessary? Well, Scenic 3.5 sees handlebar controllers as external Bluetooth keyboards and responds to certain "key presses". However, external keyboard presses don't arrive on Apple CarPlay. Apple is preventing this. (probably not intentionally, but just because it would be pretty weird to enter text on CarPlay with a Bluetooth keyboard). The key presses do arrive on the iPhone, though, and so I "catch" the keyboard presses with the screen above (as if you were entering text on this screen) and then tell the map on the CarPlay screen to zoom in/out.

So why is this different from Scenic 3.19?  To support more types of handlebar controllers in Scenic 3.5! I changed the Bluetooth handling to a more universal setup. 3.19 was reading the raw Bluetooth signals from a connected Bluetooth device (not interpreting them as keyboard key presses), and so, these did get through to CarPlay. The problem with that approach is that the signals are specific for every handlebar controller type, so a separate piece of code would be necessary for each handlebar controller type.

Seeing handlebar controllers as an external keyboard is a much more accepted and universal way, which cleared the way for other handlebar controllers to work with Scenic too. (https://scenic.app/help/handlebar-controllers/) Even when you connect an actual bluetooth keyboard to your iPhone, it can control Scenic (arrow buttons, return and escape buttons, and + and - buttons) now.

 

 

That’s great news @guidomm, you’re a star.

Providing nothing unexpected comes up I’ll have a tinker in the garage at the weekend and put the WunderLINQ back on the bike (I removed it when I got the Chigee).  I think I’m going to have to also figure out where to put the Quadlock charger back on as well as I’m not sure how long the phone battery will last if the screen has to be on.

With regards to you saying you trap keypresses from Bluetooth keyboards - is that any Bluetooth keyboard, or do you limit it to known Bluetooth keyboard emulators by querying device ID/Type/Name?  A friend likes to tinker and is considering building his own ESP-32 based keyboard emulator to connect to his phone with buttons to use on the bike.  Not sure what it’s for, possibly he mentioned volume/media control, but he did say that if Scenic could catch the keypresses (assuming it’s the foreground application with focus) then it would be a bonus and he could add a couple of extra buttons. I think it’s basically a custom version of something like BarButtons or Media Monkey.

Exactly for the people that like to tinker (like your friend) O have made it universal. It’s not checking for any identifier anymore.

Quote from maxdamage00 on 11.04.2024, 14:41

Quote from Guido on 11.04.2024, 06:17

Quote from maxdamage00 on 11.04.2024, 01:14

Dear @guidomm

 

 

Can you please share newest firmware for MaxcaC5 with us ?
Newest one is V1.1.6.4.1955

Here is the link
https://facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=744836261048976&id=100065678251410

 

Thank you !

I don’t have the latest update. My Maxca overheated / broke on my last trip and I haven’t used it since.

Sorry to hear that 🙁 !
Thing is, seller only provide firmware to users who bought it from their store, so can you please ask for new firmware and share it with us here ?
AliExpress and to your account 👤 and find your purchase info with order number from Maxca, and write a message to Maxca and ask for the update.

Many thanks !