I sucessfully, I think, performed the software bypass to my AVIC-F500BT. When I put in the SD card with the modified data.zip file, testmode, and miticap the unit started up, displayed "copying files" for a few seconds then gave me a green box in the center and OK in the upper left of the screen. Now, I can have the video and NAVI functions while moving but eventually (sometimes 1 minute, sometimes 20) the "parking brake is wired incorrectly" message will pop up and after I hit "OK" then I immediately lose video and NAVI functions (as if the bypass were never done). I have the parking brake wire grounded with the unit ground wire. Do I need to put it on a switch or something? Have I not done the bypass correctly? Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks for any and all advice!

Seems like you've done the same as me and I have no probs with my 500. What speed have you changed to in the s/w bypass?

Did you use 128 as the speed value? Do you get the warning when you are at about 80 MPH (128 KPH)? If yes, then change the speed value to 250 or 300.

I changed the speed to 256.

From your description it sounds like you never actually copy and pasted the data.zip file after you cleared the copying files screen. You need to do that manually.

From your description it sounds like you never actually copy and pasted the data.zip file after you cleared the copying files screen. You need to do that manually.

Yeah, it's not going to do it for you - you will need to copy and paste the data.zip.

Without knowing how fast you are going when you see the message, nobody can really tell you what's going on. Are you going 5 mph or 80 mph?

I think you also have to ground the parking break wire to something, I could be wrong though

From your description it sounds like you never actually copy and pasted the data.zip file after you cleared the copying files screen. You need to do that manually.

 

Yeah, it's not going to do it for you - you will need to copy and paste the data.zip.

 

Without knowing how fast you are going when you see the message, nobody can really tell you what's going on. Are you going 5 mph or 80 mph?

OK, here is what I've done. I've made an SD card with the modified data.zip, testmode, and miticap files/folders on it. I insert this card into the F500BT and press the reset button. Once the unit powers up, it goes into WIN CE mode and gives the little gray box w/ blue progress line that says "copying files". This takes only a few seconds then a little gray box with "OK" in it appears in the top left corner and a green box appears in the center of the screen. I then remove the card and reset the unit once again. Then I can start up a video from the I-Pod and have it going while the car is moving (at any speed). Eventually, (could take 1 minute, could take 15 and again, speed doesn't seem to matter here but may happen more if I'm going faster then slow down and speed up again), I will get the "parking brake is wired incorrectly" message and when I clear that by hitting "OK" I get the viewing video while driving is not allowed" message.

If the way I've loaded the data.zip files onto the unit is not correct, what do you mean by manually copying and pasting them?

Thank you all for all of your help.

The data.zip that you put onto the SD card is just sitting there. All TestMode does is get you into a windows environment. It would be like putting a CD in a computer, then taking it out and wondering why the data on the CD isn''t on the computer. You need to actually copy the files over, that's the point of the windows environment.

The "copying files" dialog is a bit misleading. It's not copying *your* files to the unit, it's copying over some system files necessary for test mode. That dialog is simply part of the bootup process.

Once you're in windows, try Start -> Windows Explorer and look around. You should see My Flash Disk (that's the AVIC's memory) and Storage Card (that's your SD card)

You need to select the data.zip file on the storage card and copy it into the proper place on your AVIC, overwriting the DATA.zip file that's already there. I will write up an article with photos on the Wiki tomorrow, but right now, look around a little on the forums here for instructions on installing a hacked data.zip.

OK, that was a big help. THANK YOU! I wasn't sure how to really get into the Windows mode but found it in the WIKI section. I copied/overwrote the existing data.zip file with the modified one. Now I am getting ready to go out and see if it works. Thanks again!

In order for this to work, do you have to have the parking break grounded? Where can I find the download for this? Thanks in advance

If you search around the forums, you will find what you're looking for. The very first sticked topic in this forum contains answers to most questions of that nature, try there.

OK, I got into Windows and pasted/overwrote, the existing data file in the Igo folder with the data.zip file in which I had modified the parking break speed from "16" to "256". I am still getting the "parking brake is wired incorrectly" message, followed by my video and navi funcions being blacked out. What the heck am I doing wrong now?!? I am getting ready to use the my F500 for target practice. Any ideas? Thanks.

The next question would be, are you sure that your modified file made it into the zip file properly? Open the zip file on your sd card and see if the file is actually modified.

The next question would be, are you sure that your modified file made it into the zip file properly? Open the zip file on your sd card and see if the file is actually modified.

...exactly what I was going to suggest. Open up that DATA.zip and open the file - just make sure that your changes are on that file.

The next question would be, are you sure that your modified file made it into the zip file properly? Open the zip file on your sd card and see if the file is actually modified.

 

 

...exactly what I was going to suggest. Open up that DATA.zip and open the file - just make sure that your changes are on that file.

OK, I opened the data.zip file on the SD card using "explore" then went to the into project-config folder, to the pioneer.ini file and opened it using "notepad" and below is a copy/paste of the exact line (straight off the card)where I changed the speed. Is this correct? Thanks everyone not only for the help but for your patience.

[pioneer]

parking_break_speed=256.0

hide_logos=1

Did you modify the data.zip file or get a copy from somewhere? The reason I ask is that you need to modify this file in the proper way or it will not work right. Can you explain the process you used to modify the file if you did the mod yourself?

Did you modify the data.zip file or get a copy from somewhere? The reason I ask is that you need to modify this file in the proper way or it will not work right. Can you explain the process you used to modify the file if you did the mod yourself?

I "explored" the original data.zip file I saved on the desktop of my computer and got to the "project-config" folder which contains the Pioneer.ini file. I opened that file in Notepad, changed the speed value, then saved it as "Pioneer-bak.ini". I then placed the new modified .ini file into the project-config folder and closed everything up. I never unzipped the data.zip file when doing any of this and when looking at the files on the SD card I stored all of this on, the file shows the modified speed value.

There have been many problems when people use the native windows zip functionality. You might want to try using 7zip (free software) to modify the data.zip file. It has always worked well for me and has solved some strange problems related to modding these units.

Also, are you sure that the parking brake wire is properly grounded? Sometimes when people use tap lock connectors they do not squeeze them hard enough for good contact to be made. If it is not the data.zip file giving you a problem it has to be the grounding on the parking brake wire.

Good luck.

There have been many problems when people use the native windows zip functionality. You might want to try using 7zip (free software) to modify the data.zip file.

Agreed. I used 7Zip and if you open the .zip file you can drag and drop files into the place exactly like you would if the entire directory wasn't zipped at all.