MarkP888

Following...

@Wires , sounds like you are a programmer? I'm an embedded programmer as well, primarily audio related.

Mark

Wires

Yes indeed.... I have traversed many industries in my career coding embedded firmware (kind of like a Gypsy. ) So I do understand pain like the root of this thread when you make something, but have no control over what happens on the other side.

ribeye

FYI, the project owner of the AAWireless stated on his site that the Motorola uses the exact same technology as his uses. He solved someones issue with the Motorola one for them, which speaks a lot for the AAWireless company. I can't speak for the one your talking about here, but thought some people would like to know.

RhinoDoc

I got my Carsifi last night and spent about 30 minutes trying to get it to work. It would connect to my phone, the car would recognize it but it would never fire up AA. Starting digging through the settings and under "Troubleshooting" is "USB connection mode" and that is where it says there are problems with some cars, such as Volkswagen. I changed that to "accessory" and it started working. Now, I don't know if it will work tomorrow. I was glad to see the info about the hubs staying powered for a few minutes. When it didn't turn off when I stopped the car and opened the door, I unplugged it for fear it would drain the battery.

Wires

You don't have to worry about the battery. The car will only supply power to those ports for about 10 minutes. At that point it goes to full sleep, and everything is powered down.

Only downfall of leaving it plugged in is if your phone is within connection reach to the car, then it is linked to the car for that 10 minutes and would try to ring in there should you receive a call.

RhinoDoc

Welp, the next morning it fired up immediately. I drove 20 minutes and left for an hour. Got back in and it again fired up immediately. Same thing 10 minutes later. Went to work for 8 hours and when I came out it wouldn't sync. I haven't been able to get it to work the past couple days. It seemed like it was fighting the Bluetooth connection - the car and the Carsifi were trying to decide who was primary. I turned off the Bluetooth to the car and it didn't help. I have fussed with the settings to no avail. I am ready to write this off as a bad Kickstarter investment

hirsch014

I owe an update... even after a couple firmware and app updates, I tried many times with all the different combinations of settings, deleting every connection, and resetting everything, but could not get it to reconnect again at all to the car. As soon as the Motorola MA1 arrived, I plugged it in and it worked 1st try, without an app, and has worked ALMOST every time since (the couple times it didn't work, I unplugged it and plugged it back in to the car and it worked again). Unfortunately it's just hanging out of the USB A port up front and will have to find an adapter to hide it in the console. Plus, the wireless charger doesn't keep up...after 1.5hr drive, my phone battery drops by about 20% while on the charging pad (for reference, while plugged into the USB C port, my phone battery drops by about 5% on the same drive, but charges quickly on the front USB A port). So it's great for shorter trips around town, but I still plug it in when going farther.

Wires

Isn't there a USB port in the center console you can just plug into and leave it there? The range on these types of devices are pretty high (at least my AA Wireless one is). I have it plugged into the USB in my BMW glovebox, and my phone can "kind of connect" through the closed car, garage wall, and 30' of house. If I'm 10' from the outside of the car, it still worked fine.

Wires

Phone battery life is a thing tough. Your phone has to run wifi (expensive on battery) for any wireless CarPlay / AA device. Closer the phone is to the dongle will help but still will drop.

hirsch014

Yes, but it's only USB C in the console ('21+ I think?). Carsifi comes with 2 choices of detachable cord, either USB C or USB A ends, which was nice. The Motorola one has only a permanent cord thats USB A only. Just need to find an adapter to be able to move it into the console, now that it appears to work reliably without adapter. Looked briefly for a small down-right-angle male C to female A (to reduce risk of breaking the port in the car), but didn't find one easily yet.

Thought it was nice of Audi to update to USB C, except now I wish they hadn't tried...even with phone plugged into the console USB C port the phone discharges slowly. There's a a long thread here somewhere about the dismal power output of that port...was originally hoping it would be enough power for a wireless AA box (it is), AND the wireless pad might be able to at least keep up with Android Auto use, but nope. USB in the glove box would be nice since the center console is so tiny.