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Nav Startup Screen Hack For 4.62 DVD

95K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  ALpHaMoNk 
#1 · (Edited)
I successfully changed the startup image on my 2008 Ody which uses the 4.62 ("White") DVD. I searched the web and didn't find any explanation for 4.62 so I figured I'd post what I did since it's different than instructions for previous versions.

- Remove DVD from car and insert into computer. (I used an XP system.)

- Create a folder on your Desktop. (I called the folder "navhack" and the instructions that follow will assume that.) Copy the following files from the DVD to the new folder.

08Touch2.bin
08Touch.bin
A0000_00.mng
dca0.evt
DCAO.reg
dca0_mod.evt
EDATA_ENUS.bin
EDATA_FRCA.bin
PRG_INFO.MNG
UPDATE_APL.exe

These are all the files you'll need from the DVD so you can return it to the car if you need to drive before you're done with the mod.

- Using a browser, download dumpnavi.

There are at least 2 different versions of dumpnavi. I used the one from http://guicide.com/cars/2006civic/nav/hacks/Bysin.zip. Don't bother saving the whole archive, just copy the two files (Bysin.exe and the dll) from the Release directory to the navhack directory.

- Create the screen image you want. It must adhere to the following:
Width: 480
Height: 234
Depth: 16
File Size: 224,712
Type: BMP
Name: OpeningBase.bmp

Note that the physical dimensions of the screen are:
Width: 6.875 inches
Height: 3.875 inches

The ratio of the physical width to height of the screen is roughly 7:4, so keep this in mind when choosing or designing an image.

Unfortunately, the ratio of the width to height in pixels is about 8:4, so don't just look for images of proportion 480x234. For better quality, start with an image that is a multiple of 480x270. I recommend the 270 because it's easy to scale because of the common factors it shares with 234, and its ratio to 234 is close to the ratio of 7:8 (that is, the ratio of 7:4 to 8:4). If that just went over your head, just look for an image with dimensions like these (or bigger if you can crop the image) for the best quality:
480x270
960x540
1440x810

Now scale the image down to 480x234.

I used Photoshop Elements (PSE). If you have PSE, here are the basic steps: Load the image and draw a rectangular selection of any of the dimensions I mentioned earlier. (Use the Info box to report dimensions in pixels as you resize the selection tool.) Then select Image->Crop. Now do Image->Resize->Image Size... Uncheck Constrain Proportions and enter Width 450 pixels and Height 234 pixels.

If the result looks a bit flat (i.e., vertically squashed), you've done it correctly.

Now save it in the correct format. In PSE, select Save As, select BMP and select Save. Then select File Format: Windows, Depth: 16, and click on Advanced Modes and select R5 G6 B5. I also tried the GIMP but it appears to lack the fine control over BMP formats.

If you've written the file in the correct format, the file size will be 224,712.

I understand that some people are using programs which produce 24-bit BMPs and then use a program called HCVT which converts it to 16 bit. I don't see HCVT where other people have said it lives so you may have to do some searching to find it or use a different program.

- Create a command window and go to the navhack directory

Go to Start->Run and enter "cmd" and press return.
In the new cmd window, enter: cd Desktop\navhack

- Find the unwanted BMPs

There are two BMPs (one is the automaker's emblem and the other is a title) that the software wants to overlay on the beautiful image you created earlier. Rather than redefining those two BMPs to hold a piece of the same image, it's simpler to corrupt them in such a way that the software will just give up and skip them. To do this, first get the old BMPs. You don't actually need them but because they're the right size already, it's easier to start with them.

In the cmd window, enter:
Bysin 08Touch2.bin extract Honda_emblem.bmp
Bysin 08Touch2.bin extract Navi_Title.bmp

- Corrupt the unwanted BMPs

Go back to the regular Windows file browser and, one at a time, open the BMPs with an editor. (I dragged each to a Wordpad icon on my screen.) Delete the first four characters at the beginning, save, and then check the file size to make sure it matches the following:

Honda_emblem.bmp: 13128
Navi_Title.bmp: 9352

If your new image is too large, delete some more characters until it matches.
If your new image is too small, add some X's until it does match.

By changing the first few bytes, the files will no longer be recognized and the graphics of the Honda emblem and nav title won't be overlaid. Crude but effective.

- Store all three BMPs back in the bin file

In the cmd window, enter:

Bysin 08Touch2.bin update Honda_emblem.bmp
Bysin 08Touch2.bin update Navi_Title.bmp
Bysin 08Touch2.bin update OpeningBase.bmp

- Create a new CD

Insert a new CD (I used an inexpensive CD-R). Open the D: folder (or wherever your CD is) if it hasn't opened already. Copy the following files from navhack to D:

08Touch2.bin
08Touch.bin
A0000_00.mng
dca0.evt
DCAO.reg
dca0_mod.evt
EDATA_ENUS.bin
EDATA_FRCA.bin
PRG_INFO.MNG
UPDATE_APL.exe

Click "Write these files to CD" and follow the dialog to write just the one CD.

Take the CD to the car.

Turn on the car (the accessory position works too), eject the factory DVD if it's in the drive, insert your newly-created CD, give the nav a few seconds to initialize and then hold down the MAP/Guide + Cancel + Menu buttons until you get the Diagnosis screen (should take about 5 seconds).

Press Version and select Download. This takes 5 or so minutes. (If you stay and watch the download, you'll see the new image briefly appear on the screen at the end.)

Once it's done, eject the CD and replace it with the original DVD. Restart the car.

You should see the new image on the screen.

You're done!

Here is a test image I tried based on the pirate fish at venganza.org .

It works fine with no rescaling since fish come in all difference shapes and sizes that it's unnoticeable that the fish is too tall.

Here's another I tried (also from venganza.org ): Touched By His Noodly Appendage. Since the image contains a human figure, I applied the adjustment mentioned earlier to keep the human figure from being distorted. (The FSM, on the other hand, is quite flexible. Yummy, too.)

Any remaining distortion is either due to the original image (thanks Leonardo!) or using my cheap point and shoot camera without proper lighting and a secure base to steady it on. In reality, the quality of the image is pretty good!

 
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#3 ·
LD500 said:
Great to see someone has succesfully hacked the 4.62 to get rid of that nag screen. The link to download dumpnavi doesn't work. Do you have an updated link?

Thanks!
Oops, made a mistake in the link; ok, I've fixed it now in the original post.

But I'm afraid you've misread the purpose of the hack. It does NOT get rid of the nag screen - that's not yet solved.
 
#5 ·
I have a 2005 Acura TL with Navi and I have successfully hacked it changing the wallpaper, deleting the OK button and adding a bunch of features that were not there in the past, such as a trip computer. I currently use the orange disc in my TL navi, I think the version is 3.62 or something like that. I am going to play around with it this weekend and see if the hack disc I made for my car works in my 07 ody. I'll let you guys know. Also, I will be happy to share any info to anyone who wants to work with me on this.
 
#6 ·
I thought the latest version DVD is 4.62 and nobody has hacked the OK screen yet. The previous version had hacks posted elsewhere. Wish someone would figure out 4.62. The OK screen is really a pain in the butt.

Mr. Honda, I promise I won't call my lawyer if I hit a pole while my passenger is using the navigation system :)
 
#7 ·
LD500 said:
I thought the latest version DVD is 4.62 and nobody has hacked the OK screen yet. The previous version had hacks posted elsewhere. Wish someone would figure out 4.62. The OK screen is really a pain in the butt.

Mr. Honda, I promise I won't call my lawyer if I hit a pole while my passenger is using the navigation system :)
Care to post links on where you read about the OK button hack? I have never been able to find any information about that for the Oddys. The only hack I have heard of and read about and found is the startup screen change.
 
#8 ·
dvpatel said:
Care to post links on where you read about the OK button hack? I have never been able to find any information about that for the Oddys.
It's been discussed many times and, to summarize, it's been accomplished for the version 3 disks but no one's modified it for the version 4 disks. The guy who developed the version 3 solution said all you need is a disassembler. I know how to use disassemblers and so I looked around for a disassembler, but for the processor we have, it was something like $500 and I decided I couldn't justify it.

There are tons of posts on this and many of them lead back to Acura boards where the hack was originally developed. (But it's the same disk and software.) To save you the trouble of searching, the most definitive postings (I think) can be found here:

http://www.vistabug.com/bb/viewtopic.php?id=6
http://www.vistabug.com/bb/viewtopic.php?id=41
 
#9 ·
donlibes said:
It's been discussed many times and, to summarize, it's been accomplished for the version 3 disks but no one's modified it for the version 4 disks. The guy who developed the version 3 solution said all you need is a disassembler. I know how to use disassemblers and so I looked around for a disassembler, but for the processor we have, it was something like $500 and I decided I couldn't justify it.

There are tons of posts on this and many of them lead back to Acura boards where the hack was originally developed. (But it's the same disk and software.) To save you the trouble of searching, the most definitive postings (I think) can be found here:

http://www.vistabug.com/bb/viewtopic.php?id=6
http://www.vistabug.com/bb/viewtopic.php?id=41
Thanks. That's what I thought. That our disks cannot be hacked to remve the OK button. All the research I did on Honda and Acura boards was pertaining to verion 4 and up so no wonder I couldn't turn anything up. Mostly I fired searches for 4.56 and went back as and when I found a new or mostly old disk verion number. Version 3 hacks do no good for us but I might take a peek when I am inclined. Thanks for the links.

The way I read LD500's post, it seems they saw a hack for the OK button for the 4.56A version of the disk (previous version to 4.62). Which clearly I do not believe is the case. Now, if they meant version 3 then I suppose I was mistaken by their post.
 
#11 ·
Re: Wow

rcpd34 said:
Very cool. Would love to put a pic of my kids on there. Dunno if I could find the time to do what you did. Kudos.
It doesn't take much time if you follow the steps. 10 minutes to edit the pic and create a new DVD and 10 minutes to do the update.
 
#14 ·
Anyone with a 4.64 disk try this mod?
 
#16 ·
Works for 4.73A

dvpatel said:
Anyone with a 4.64 disk try this mod?
I successfully modded my 4.73A disc adding my custom screen. I only changed the "08Touch2.bin" to "09Touch2.bin" and Violas!

Now it's in my 06 Accord, but the gist of the system appears to be the same. I had the 4.31C navi disc and was able to mod it using a previous method. Tried 10 times before learning of the 'corrupt the other bmps' step. That was the trick ;)

Thanks Don worked like a charm on the first try!
- David


 
#18 ·
OK screen

I used the search but could not find anything to alter the need to use the "OK" button to use the Navigation system on an 09 Touring. Can anyone help me to override the system?
Thank you!
R
 
#19 ·
Re: OK screen

rvphd said:
I used the search but could not find anything to alter the need to use the "OK" button to use the Navigation system on an 09 Touring. Can anyone help me to override the system?
Thank you!
R
As far as I know none exists as of yet. It is my understanding some people on the Acura MDX forums have had luck in doing this on that vehicle though.

The startup screen hack does work per the instructions on this thread.

Andy
 
#20 ·
rvphd said:
I used the search but could not find anything to alter the need to use the "OK" button to use the Navigation system on an 09 Touring. Can anyone help me to override the system?
Thank you!
R
Ironically, you found the right thread as the OK button thing was discussed right in this thread. Perhaps you didn't read the whole thread. ;)

Its not possible. Not even in Acuras. It was possible in the old disks. Once version 4 came out, the OK hack has not been achieved. If you read that its possible, odds are that the person saying that is talking about the older disks and/or different color disks that were there in the older Acuras.
 
#24 · (Edited by Moderator)
Use Photoshop's Pixel Aspect Ratio to help preview it

thanks for the list of the files - I made an image and replaced the Honda_emblem.bmp and Navi_title.bmp emblems with 1 pixel images and it works great.

(I attached a jpg image of what mine looks like in correct scaling - I tried to attach the actual BMP but I can't upload a 220KB BMP apparently)

A photoshop tip:
If you go to "View" and then "Pixel Aspect Ratio" you can select "Custom Pixel Aspect Ratio" and enter in 0.80 for the value and you can work in the native resolution and be previewing it as it will appear in your car (with the squished non-square pixels) - that 0.80 value is just an approximation, but it's pretty close.

I'm going to try to get my hands on a 4.92 disc soon and I'll see what I can come up with for that one (if I can get the $99 deal I might get one - $185 is way too much though)
 
#24 ·
Raising this thread from the dead, I tried to do the image change but when I start the car I only get a black white background and not my pic....is my image not formatted correctly? the size I now is not correct I don't know how to get it to the right file size but the dimensions are 480x234. my disc is also 4.73 file modded was 09Touch2.bin
 
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