Keeping the TV active while driving

Now I have the TV activated on my MFD, I've noticed the warning message that comes up while you're travellling. Normally I wouldn't worry about it, but I was thinking about getting some small computer wired up to the OBDII socket, and have a permanent VAG scope display on the screen or something.

Is there some way of telling the MFD not to display the warning message and allow a signal through while driving? I'm guessing it's something to do with the GALA settings as well but I don't mind losing that.

The standard MFD doesn't operate on the handbrake. The message disappears when I just stop at lights, then switches on as I start moving. All without me operating the handbrake.

That's why I'm thinking it's the GALA speed signals that are controlling it.

TV is greyed out until you plug in a TV receiver. However, I wasn't bothered about TV in at the moment, I wanted audio in. With the help of this;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110478005086

I was able to connect an audio feed to the TV input. The important thing is that if you look at the picture on that auction, there is a blue wire in addition to the standard red/white for left/right audio. That has to be spliced into a 12 volt feed. Once that feed is there, the TV option becomes solid, you can select it, and the TV starts playing the audio feed.

I tried looking into making the lead up as I was sure I could do it cheaper, but I couldn't find anywhere that sold mini-DIN connectors any more.

By the way, I can't take credit for this, I was 'shown the way' by another member of this board.

S3 AKR said:

It runs off the gala signal I believe, so you can put a switch into that but it obviously impacts the MFD operation.

Have you visited the forum vwnavi.com ? Very good source of info.

Click to expand...

I will have a look now, thanks for the pointer.

The whole system comes out with the aid of four keys, also available on Ebay for about 50p... It does have to come out though, there's no way around the back.

I have the lead coming out below the MFD, above the ashtray. I don't smoke so the ashtray is not used. You could just plug the lead in to have the display correct, but if thats all you want to do I'd bodge it.

If you take the unit out, you can see all the pin designations for all the connectors printed on the back. There is a 'signal' wire on the TV socket, feed a 12 volt wire directly into there and that should give you what you want without having to mess about with the full lead. A bit of insulation tape to hold the wire in place and you're sorted.

There's a permanent feed and a switched (ignition feed), both can be spliced into. I think I went for the switched option. Again, the connector diagrams on the back will show you which ones are 12 volts. They're not hard to find though, I seem to remember they're substantially thicker than the other wires in the same block.