Retrofitting Active Info Display in Golf 7

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vrod

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Hi all,

I have a golf 7 gti from 2014 and I will be retrofitting the discover pro and active info display from the new facelift edition next week. The discover pro is already "taken care of" as the seller will get it unlocked and ready for use. However I am wondering about the Active info display. As far as I know, it should be possible to code it to the car but I have found that I will need to connect a fiber optic cable from both my dynaudio amplifier and the navigation to the cluster.

Does anyone have experience with the active info display? As far as I can see on pictures (haven't received the piece yet), it only has one fiber optic plug and not 2 I would believe that I would need to connect both amplifier and Navigation.

Part# of the cluster is 5G1920791

I am thankful for any information that might clear this up. :)
Chris
 
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m87a

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fiber optic works in series one plug, 2 fiber optics input and output, so you will need Y fiber optic spliter adapter, connected to original plug that goes to dynaudio, new plug to dynaudio and extra one longer to the cluster / active info display, for the coding to the car, if it's brand new dealer can code it no problem
 
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vrod

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fiber optic works in series one plug, 2 fiber optics input and output, so you will need Y fiber optic spliter adapter, connected to original plug that goes to dynaudio, new plug to dynaudio and extra one longer to the cluster / active info display, for the coding to the car, if it's brand new dealer can code it no problem

Thanks for your input! Sorry, I'm not sure if I understand your solution though. I already have an optic cable running from the dynaudio amp to the discover media. Does this need to be replaced? How does the Y-splitter work and would you have it's part number perhaps? :)

Unfortunately the cluster is not new, 12000km old. I don't hope this will pose a problem?
 
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vrod

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I decided to use good old paint to better ask my question... Since each device has one optic ports with 2 connectors, this would perhaps be the way to wire it?

I work with fiber optic cabling in networking and are used to that the cables are RX/TX, but it's maybe different here?

Edit: Google drive are being ridicilous, posting direct link to the image here...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_GP_BgsZYL0N2JfNWhUTVM4WHc/view?usp=sharing

Edit2: I've been thinking a bit about it and looking at TV audio systems for example, the optic connection only contains one fiber because the TV sends audio signals to the receiver... I bet it will be something similar here, since the unit just sends audio signals to the amplifier, then communicates over the CANBUS about other stuff. As far as I can see, the new unit (as well as my own) has 2 optics which means it also sends out on that one..

So in theory, I will need to attach a second optic cable to the plug going to the main unit (since it has 1 out of 2 right now) and plug the other end into the cluster as the cluster will be receiving data from the unit (like the map), not sending it. After thinking it through, I don't know what the cluster and amplifier would send/receive to "each other", so perhaps the cabling between "them" are not needed at all?
 
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m87a

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for used cluster it depends on dealership, from my experience they didn't even want to touch it, but your dealership could be ok and adapt everything except kilometers/miles
yes, rx tx, same system
nope, 2 fiber rx tx
yes, either on dynaudio or discover pro which could be easier to route
here

best free image hosting site
 
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vrod

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Awesome, thank you. I do know various mechanics who works at volkswagen who could eventually try it. :) When you say "except kilometers", does that mean that my mileage would not be able to be changed? My car has gone about 78000 km's and that would be nice to also have displayed.

Cool, thanks for your diagram, now it makes sense! Where could I get this splitter, would you have a part number? I'll get the cables ordered, thanks a lot for your help so far and sharing the information!
 
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GaSelle

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Ask "Watcher" on Vagcars regarding the mileage of the new speedometer. Dealers can´t change that unless it´s a brand new unit.
 
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vrod

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Ask "Watcher" on Vagcars regarding the mileage of the new speedometer. Dealers can´t change that unless it´s a brand new unit.

Will do, I already have a chat going on regarding the discover pro unit I purchased.

I bought a Y-splitter on ebay for 26€. Part of a audi retrofit cable bundle but should work anyways sice it's all standard connectors. https://www.ebay.de/itm/371347692743
 
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m87a

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you have all the info you need and are on a right track, keep us updated
 
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vrod

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you have all the info you need and are on a right track, keep us updated

I certainly will, thanks a lot for your help!
 
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DV52

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fiber optic works in series one plug, 2 fiber optics input and output, so you will need Y fiber optic spliter adapter, connected to original plug that goes to dynaudio, new plug to dynaudio and extra one longer to the cluster / active info display, for the coding to the car, if it's brand new dealer can code it no problem

m87a: Interesting................. I assume that the cluster swap for the Active Display isn't just a MOST coupling connection - is it? The instrument cluster module J285 is run from the convenience CAN, but the MOST facility is driven via J794 which hangs off the Infotainment CAN. Somehow, signals from the fuel gauge sender still needs to be processed (I would think)? Also, are there Component Protection issues with retrofitting an Active Display - as there would be if a new "normal" cluster were installed (or is this somehow avoided)?

Don
 
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m87a

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yes MOST is just a coupling connection, there is still a regular connector (new connector different shape) which needs to be connected to everything else to work, including power, CAN, fuel gauge, etc...
In mk7 every cluster has CP which needs to be adjusted to vehicle, Active Display is the same it has CP it needs to be adjusted to car, key (immobilizer) needs to be adjusted to Active Display ECU etc...
This can be avoid only by immo OFF but that would require some other stuff to be messed and car would be easily stolen, started with screw driver...
 
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vrod

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Hey all.

As promised an update. I drove to Belgium where I met the seller and the guy who was going to unlock the components and code it. The plan was to be done at 21.00 but the firmware took a while to fix so we ended up being done at 30 past midnight. Now, the digital speedometer is installed and working. Right now though I haven't cabled the optics and I am still waiting for the mib 2 amplifier to get in through the door. Until then the map function does not work on the cluster.

Overall I am very happy with the upgrade, the digital speedometer is so awesome! Since we decided to stop before everything was through there's still a few things to code, one thing is for example that the speedometer things my car is an e-golf so the range calculation gives a warning when starting the car.

If anyone wants to know, Roy from MMI Repair Center in belgium did the modification. That guy is a wizard! I'll make a writeup once all of the stuff is completely done
 
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Spacewalker

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Not a secret. Loot of people who have official ODIS with GEKO / SVM can do that even remotelly, just use laptop and VAS equipment
 
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Blade3562

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Curious to know if I can just drop in the cluster without the head unit or display for now. I just want the digital speedo and tach!
 
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vrod

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Curious to know if I can just drop in the cluster without the head unit or display for now. I just want the digital speedo and tach!

If you already have a MIB 2 discover pro you shouls be able to drop it in. You need to do the optical cabling though
 
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Blade3562

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If you already have a MIB 2 discover pro you shouls be able to drop it in. You need to do the optical cabling though

I still have MIB 1, I've been waiting for the relase of MIB 2.5/3 to come out for that massive touch screen. Maybe I should just wait and do both of these simultaneously?
 
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If anyone wants to know, Roy from MMI Repair Center in belgium did the modification. That guy is a wizard! I'll make a writeup once all of the stuff is completely done

I´m really happy for you this worked out.
In my opinion this guy is a complete joke, and despite hundreds of long distance phonecalls, text messages and emails he still owes me the money I spent sending my RNS 850 unit to him for upgrades and recieved it with the green screen of death.

If you´re not in within the distance to physically visit his shop - my best recommendation is to avoid doing business with him.
 
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m87a

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I´m really happy for you this worked out.
In my opinion this guy is a complete joke, and despite hundreds of long distance phonecalls, text messages and emails he still owes me the money I spent sending my RNS 850 unit to him for upgrades and recieved it with the green screen of death.

If you´re not in within the distance to physically visit his shop - my best recommendation is to avoid doing business with him.

I wouldn't even mention it but since you did I have also a bad experience with that guy, after a thousand calls, messages, threats, he "sent me my device which got lost", also for cheaper postage he put value 10$
 
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vrod

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I'm sorry you had those experiences. In my case he went the extra mile and stayed up until past midnight on a wednesday to get (mostly) all my stuff working. :) As said there's still a few things to be done but we all just wanted to get home to bed, I'll drop him a visit on wednesday. When I had to make the next appointment I got him on the phone right away and we made it.

@Blade3562 - The new MIB2 facelift unit is hard to get and def. more expensive (a few hundred €'s). From my short-time experience with it (just got some sound working this evening as I installed my MIB2 amp for dynaudio), it's a really nice unit. Nice big screen, it's fast and the "home" view shows both nav, radio and phone. Something I really like. It's simply taste, if you are mainly after the digital cluster, it might be worth it just going for the "old" MIB2 DP. :)
 
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