Many Android users are familiar with factory reset. Probably should avoid it on this (and other?) HUs. Some features such as Android Auto/Apple CarPlay may include license files that are probably erased with factory reset (see also here).
This is just a theory as one member did a factory reset and couldn't recover their Apple CarPlay feature.
I experienced some kind of Android reset (don't know how it happened) and ZLINK/X-Car activation license was recovered. Unfortunately details are somewhat ambiguous:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-86793207
Touch screen AND side icon touch coordinates can become wrongly calibrated (reversed, off centered) after firmware flashing. Here is how to re-calibrate:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-88516717
See here at Physical dial backwards.
To set the default navigation for hardware "Navi" button or supplied "Net navi" app, go to "Car Settings" -> "Navigation tab" (towards bottom so scroll up) and select your preferred navigation app.
There are 4 power modes although maybe only 2 is useful:
Usermode will put the HU to sleep when powered off drawing very little current. Wakes up quickly when powered on again. I believe most HUs are shipped in usermode.
Direct shutdown mode will shutdown the HU completely. Of course this draws the least amount of power (hopefully 0) but requires lengthy boot up before HU is functional including backup camera on every start.
Direct sleep mode seems similar to usermode, but one person notes that backup camera comes on faster with user mode.
Sleep then restart mode seems similar to direct shutdown mode.
See also this post at XDA:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-86174147
Probably best to just keep it in usermode unless parking the car unused for long periods.
If it's not a software issue, maybe it's capacitor issue, see here:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-89685493
HU in user/direct sleep power modes will just sleep when car is powered off and wake up when key is in accessory position again.
I had random crashes when powering on the car (or put in accessory mode). Failure was damaged voltage interrupt capacitor damage during hardware install. See here:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-88715831
See here: https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-86398311
Seems to recover with some combination of stopping app and restarting/reboot.
Source: https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-86398311
Day/Night Color
<= 1.80.1 solved day night color by
choosing mostly darker colors for background
allow user to adjust backlight brightness and orange tint
>= 1.80.2 have different day and night color schemes for common xyauto apps (launcher, radio, settings etc. This provide much wider color choices (no longer limited to dark background for day time colors) Post #4738 Read more background in Day Night Color Themes section
Themes
xyauto provided many launchers with different themes. They are scattered all over the place. Avoid updating without seeing other successful posts. There maybe display driver hidden inside that can brick the HU with different displays.
>= 1.80.3 seems to have combined most of the launcher themes and allow user to choose.
This is quite easy using Nova launcher. See post #4382
Note XYAUTO launchers was resolution specific and gradually supporting more resolutions so be sure to research and locate the right one. Wrong one will can cause blank screen with the wrong display driver. HU will boot but screen will be blank to make it useless.
It is best if uncertain which UI will work with which HU to be familiar with PC flashing and Display Driver Brick recovery before trying the UIs.
Some xyauto launchers have display driver file inside and some don't. If unzipped file contain logo.mrf, then it has display driver and may brick if mismatch your LCD display. Read more here
In addition, XYAUTO had displays with mipi/ldvs/6bit, don't know of these have issues using different XYAUTO UIs. May consider using aftermarket launchers (see below) which are all resolution independent.
WARNING: UI17/UI20 are resolution specific and will brick the system if installed on different resolution screen.
Check here if bricked from wrong UI and wrong display driver.
Look in directories with "UI" in the name:
https://mega.nz/folder/pHdwjKiY#y6MmVSiIPvnTRh7R9NFMrw
XYAUTO made UI Installation the same as OTA firmware installation. Just put on FAT32/exFAT formatted USB stick and press "Car Settings" -> "System Info" -> "Android upgrade" button. Make sure only 1 UI/firmware zip file is on the USB stick so HU upgrade selects it.
For common aftermarket Android HU UIs (CarWebGuru, AGAMA, etc.), just install APK from the Play Store. Don't recall if anything need to be set afterward to ensure its the launcher.
XYAUTO's latest firmware repository include UI17/UI20/UI23 and indicate supports several resolutions (all files are down at XYAUTO).
In the past, wrong resolution UI has bricked the HU, so be sure the UI you are interested in works with your display resolution.
Default launchers for this HU is quite ugly with limited functions. Can use aftermarket HU launchers from Google Play (CarWebGuru, AGAMA, etc.) but most don't have more native functions. The best XYAUTO produced launcher for this unit seems to be UI17 which includes radio, nav map, and user changeable app launch icons on the main screen.
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-86793217
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-87078953
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-87610187
XYAUTO also released UI20. Basically same functionality as UI17 just with different color and graphics theme:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-87568839
This member made UI20 with much better colors than XYAUTO, but of course it is not upgrade after this initial release:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-89223460
This seems to be a slight improvement over UI20:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-88748857
As of 7/11/23, UI2 for vertical orientation HUs will brick the display. Recovery is possible. Read here.
These UIs are dependent of the correct FW version. XYAUTO doesn't provide any dependency information. Best way is to make sure time stamp of UI files are >= firmware files on XYAUTO/XYGALA repository. See potential errors here:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-87622449
XYAUTO releases many UIs. Most aren't very good but probably all better than the default. Note XYAUTOs UIs seems to be resolution specific, so installing the wrong ones will brick HU's display (black) and require brick recovery.
Again, note the WARNING above on bricking display.
There are additional firmware bits in below 2 locations. Need to be very careful and generally not advised. Different hardware configurations are scattered about here and some will collide with the main firmware. One such collision I experienced is installing multiple launchers made by XYAUTO:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-86325079
Yes, there is a chance it will work as posted here:
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-84575187
https://xdaforums.com/t/ac8259-cpu-based-hu-problems-questions-mainly-yt5760.4171219/post-84919383
Some aftermarket Android launchers also have deep hardware integration which may not work with various features properly for this HU (and others). For example Fcc Car Launcher has deep radio integration and VIVID Car Launcher has fairly deep hardware integration. Here is link to both at XDA:
Fcc Car Launcher [official thread] | XDA Forums
[APP] [Launcher] VIVID: Best launcher for driving | XDA Forums
xyauto launchers stays RAM resident when HU sleeps and resumes instantly on wake. Aftermarket launchers do not stay RAM resident so have a slight deley on wake resume. These can be made RAM resident via directions in post #4139
This HU can be quite bright at night time use. There are several factors
Generally, to coordinate day and night color theme change, OS, desktop, and apps all need to have this adaptive feature.
HU's Android have night theme if developer mode is enabled. But the Android OS is not displaying on the screen most of the time.
xyauto launcher do not have this feature. They generally use mid level colors so not too bright at night and too dark during the day. They then rely on Settings adjustment to adjust backlight brightness and blue light reduction depending on day or night. This is what I use ( post #4389 link ) Note this does require HU to be installed properly and get a signal from the car parking/headlight is on to signal night time.
apps also need to have this adaptive feature. Unfortunately, Android 9 is quite old and apps are inconsistent. For example, google maps will adjust properly when in navigation mode. But when not in search mode, it uses day time mode which is too bright.
Can also check if aftermarket launchers and/or apps have day/night color modes. But given the feature inconsistency, best to just rely on Settings Brightness adjustments.
Alternative solution is to have launcher that can change wallpaper depending on day or night. None of the popular Google Play store launchers do this. Mainly because wallpaper settng seems to be controlled by Android.
Made my own launcher by customizing nova launcher. See the background color chosen (generally dark but sky can probably still be made darker for night time) See Make Your Own section ( link )
Many people have had various problems with this HU. Mine came with small area of delaminated touch screen glass from glass below. AliExpress sellers are trained to give you the run around so I filed a dispute eventually. Proposed and received $100 reduction from original $200 price.
AliExpress is pretty good at finding disputes in favor of buyer (since buyers are who keep the wide quality range selling website alive), but you do need to document your evidence well. Usually with video.
This effort is in prototype development stage and not meant for common HU users. If you have basic UNIX/Linux/macOS shell script background and low level binary file understanding. Then you can help contributing in this effort. And of course don't flash random logo.mrf into your HU unless you really know what you are doing :)
logo.mrf include LCD panel specific parameters. Wrong one installed into the HU (PC flash or even just a small xyauto package such as an UI containing logo.mrf) will brick the display. xyauto also made file server difficut so even if they provide repository for newer LCD panels, it is inaccessible to most HU owners most of the time.
It is possible newer HUs continuously receive different LCD panels simply due to HU manufacturer parts sourcing effort for lower cost and include newer features (high resolution)
Here is an effort to begin reverse engineering logo.mrf with the goal to eventually make tools and procedures to reduce display bricking.