RNS-E questions

[71camaro]

Hello all, I've got my S8, and now have purchased my RNS-E, harness adapter, antenna adapter, and GPS antenna. I'd like to add a backup camera AND DVD integration, but am not very good with electronics, and therefore am having issues deciding what I need to buy (I'm also in the USA). If I could get some help with determining what I need I'd be most appreciative. Thanks all.

[RanjS8]

I am yet to do this...however I believe you need a tv tuner analog ro digital to feed the dvd or back up camera link to the rns e on the av input connector.

You might want to have look at a kufatec multimedia adaptor and alpine kce products. I think the kufatec adaptor acts as a tv tuner emulator...however I am not sure on this.

[Nollywood]

Sorry to go off-topic here. Ranj, did you manage to get your hood open? You had a bust cable.

[RanjS8]

It is open...I took it to Ben in Burton to do it...

I managed to get to the passenger side hook by going through the wheel arch....however I couldnt for the life of me find a way to the hook on the driver's side as there is an airbox behind the wheel arch.

Hence I took it to Ben.....turns out that behind the grill the you can actually see the bonnet cable and if pull on it towards the centre of the arm you can actually open that hook....

Well 30-45 mins with him and the job was done....the man really does know the A8 inside out....

Thanks for asking

[notorious]

>> now have purchased my RNS-E, harness adapter, antenna adapter,
>> and GPS antenna. I'd like to add a backup camera AND DVD integration

Two paths:

1. Get Audi hybrid TV tuner for RNS-E (this will get out analog AND digital TV channels PLUS DAB hugh quality radio). Hybrid tuner has two AV inputs. Connect Rear View Camera to AV1 and DVD player to AV2. If you already have RNS-D with analog TV tuner this is easy job as you can reuse wiring between boot and center console.

I went this path, although it is not perfect, since when RNS-E switches to TV tuner when reversing there is no way of telling the tuner to switch to AV1 input with rear view camera, so you have to leave TV tuner in AV1 mode each time you stop watching/listening anything other than AV1 channel with your reversing camera. This happens because standard "Audi" approach is to connect reversing camera directly to RNS-E and not via TV Tuner.

But it doesn't bother me. As I'm not a big DVD fan I'm actually thinking of installing second camera in the car and connecting it to AV2. This barge requires careful maneuvering when parking

2. Get third party kit from kufatec.de. It is more flexible, but it is not Audi OEM.

Kufatec only switches to rear view camera automatically by looking for reversing signal on infortainment CAN bus. A8s have only analog reversing signal. You will need a CANGATE product from Bjarne to "inject" analog reversing signal into infotainmanet CANBUS.

I'd suggest to install RNS-E first and then think about Bluetooth, phone preparation in armrest (i've connected both by using both slots for microphones in overhead panel), activate AUX input (is it available in US version of RNS-E software?), then activate SDS (Speech Dialog System), install Hybrid TV Tuner with DAB, install Rear View Camera, etc.

Links:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1640
http://audiforum.us/threads/right-ap...-camera.14767/
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3148

...and of course you can find here Ian's post about retrofitting the RNS-E itself.

What year is your CAR? Does is have CAN bus at all?

P.S. Soon I'm going to upgrade my RNS-E to so called "2010 RNS-E". Which one you've got?