Hacking VE Colour LCD HVAC and Radio

[ZerOne]

Important Update !!!

The following is a very old thread which contained information on the processes involved to dump the EEPROM contents from a VE Commodore Colour LCD Radio / HVAC Module

We now have a detailed document covering all the relevant information from this thread, which can be viewed here..

VE Radio and HVAC EEPROM programming document, located in our Documents section.

Also, we have created a new thread for continued discussion on this topic.
This thread assumes that you have read the above document, as this document forms a baseline for the knowlege required to hack / reprogram these modules.

The new thread can be found here
VE Radio and HVAC EEPROM reprogramming information

Cheers,
Matti

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi everyone,

I took my calais radio / HVAC facia off couple of days ago to properly clean the screen, and check some things out.

One thing of interest that I THINK I found was a 24C016 EEPROM (I cant be sure, because the writing was very small, and the face of the chip was a little bit scratched)...

I will try and post pictures up of the chip tonight.

Anyway, I have an EEPROM programmer that should be able to read this chip.
I tried using my SOP8 Clip to connect and read the chip onboard, but that was a no go....
So it looks like the chip will need to be removed to be read.

I am currently wondering if there is another EEPROM inside the VE Radio unit itself, or whether it is using only 1 EEPROM, and to program you simply remove the face, the chip, and re-program the radio to work with your car...

Anyone have any thoughts or ideas ?

[ZerOne]

Ok I successfully dumped the 24C0xx EEPROM. Its a 256 Byte EEPROM, with very little data.
IT does not look like there is VIN information in there, and I cannot be sure if the 4 Digit Security PIN is stored in there as well.

The other problem I have with this EEPROM is that it needs to be desoldered and removed in order to be read.
Because this car is my daily driver, this is going to limit playing around with the values, unless I can get my hads on another fascia to play with.

[ZerOne]

HVAC / Radio Faceplate EEPROM

From a Calais Faceplate with Sat-Nav Option
Software Version 4.2

[ZerOne]

I have bought a second Colour LCD HVAC / Radio from eBay.
This module was advertised as being from a HSV model, but upon arrival I found it to be from a Calais V (Sat Nav Option).
So now I have two radios that are exactly the same.

Good news, this will make finding the memory locations to get the things to work a lot quicker.

Bad news is I was hoping to find the memory locations to change the start up screens, enable disable the sat-nav VGA input, and possible park assist stuff.

I dont have the required tools to get to what I think is the EEPROM on the main board of the radio module.
(I will need to work something out, and it looks like a fair bit needs to be disassembled to get to the chip.

I will try an dump the Fascia eeprom tonight, and post it up here.

I have also tried to swap fascias (No programming, just direct swap), and found that the radio displays Vehicle Mismatch. THe HVAC functions work fine, but any audio functions / Sat Nav functions do not work.

[ZerOne]

I have dumped the Fascia EEPROM of my second VE LCD Radio.

I do not know the VIN number, nor the security code for this radio....
I will be soldering a socket to the EEPROM pads on the main board, and begin playing around.
I have yet to disassemble the main unit to get access to the EEPROM on that, but I am pretty sure of the location of it.

[ZerOne]

Oh, and the Software version of the Second Deck is 5.5 (Calais V with Nav option)

[ZerOne]

I have located the second (Main) EEPROM for the VE Colour LCD Infotainment system.
It is a 24C16WP, component number D810, and is located on the bottom main board (Near the lower LCD connector).



When I get a chance I will attempt to desolder and dump the EEPROM.
Hopefully we find some easy to work out stuff like the VIN Number.

[ZerOne]

Partial Disassembly of the VE Infotainment Radio / HVAC Unit





Removal of the CD Stacker Mechanism





Removal of the LCD Lamp Inverter (Im guessing )





Another view of the Main Board (The EEPROM is the small chip to the far left of the board)

[ZerOne]

Some more EEPROM Goodness

From this dump it should be pretty obvious what needs to change to get the deck working in other vehicles

[crackers01]

Hey mate, very interested in this. I have a SSV LCD stereo in need of programming. Will the VIM be a option on the eeprom or is that another module.