Well, I had a mare of a morning so took some time out from working and decided to try connecting everything up.

I soldered the USB port onto the system board (tiny connections!) and there was just enough space to trail the USB cable out the back of the head unit without any "manipulation".

Connected the USB to the centre console USB and presto! It worked!

The top-right USB on the Media Nav also works, although when Android Auto is running it's difficult to get back to using media on that port. But when you disconnect AA, the other stick kicks in just fine.

 

Hi,

please I want to do the same thing, add a second as mentioned in the YouTube video that you posted,
aCAnthe you confirm if I can use the top-right USB with my flash drive that content mp3 and the seconde USB (the new one) for android auto with my smartphone at the same time.

Thanks a lot

 

have a look at this youtube video

That guy take a lot apart and you'll see a mod to add an additional usb charging! port. I wouldn't go for that, I'll just go mod the medianav (google medianav ulc4 and you find a french and russian forum that provides all the tools and information. one of the mods is that additional usb drivers are added so that usb hubs and other usb devices are recognized) and rewire from the usb port (top right) to add an usb hub.

I myself just let it be, way to much hassle to get a few additional usb data ports that would recognize all my usb sticks that I wouldn't use at all. And those 'free' maps update, well i still use my phone to navigate. However, if you go for it, i'm interested to hear the outcome

 

This is the video that got me thinking. I'm doing it this way to provide a single socket at the bottom of the centre console so there's no USB hanging out of the top of the unit, it's just for aesthetics and safety rather than having multiple USB devices.

I ended up using this video as my solution plan:

 

if you are using the converter to power both usb ports (one for charging and one for data input), you can just run 2 wires (d- and d+ being pin 2 and pin 3 i don't see you need pin 4) directly from the circuit board of your medianav to your panel with the usb ports. no need to first solder a micro usb port on the unit and extend it with different cables to your panel if you only need the 2 data lines.

I would look into the type of connector that goes into your new usb panel (the white connector), if you can buy a male connector that goes into that, you can solder everything into that connector and just hook it up that way. otherwise you will end up taking the connector apart (somehow) to solder the wires onto the exposed terminals. that by itself makes it a bit overkill to first solder a micro usb port, extend it with an usb extender cable (twice) only to cut off the usb connector in the end to splice it into the white connector on the back of the usb panel

For those that want to do the same, the easier way would be to just buy a couple of usb chassis mounts and drill a few holes just besides the 12 volt accessory socket and mount the usb chassis mounts and wire it up that way instead of using the usb panel from a newer model. It might look less stock, but less rewiring needed.

I look forward to seeing the end result

 

Thanks for the suggestions. The idea behind this is to make no additional holes or anything that looks after-market. The hardest part so far is identifying the white connector to try ordering online.

It's interesting to see different takes on the idea. The media USB port on the centre panel has a USB mini-b socket in addition to the power socket, and I believe the ports are illuminated which would explain the separate power and USB. I guess on the edition this panel comes on, the ports light up with the sidelights but I'll not go that far. Or maybe I will!

 

Now that i see the back of the connector, i see there is a micro usb connector in it. so no need to resplice anything, just solder a micro usb port and extend it to the back of the panel. that white connector looks like a standard 8 pin 0,6 mm (?) connector that is used with standard car satnavs.

pin 3 and pin 6 light up the led around the usb connector according to beneath post, what the purpose of those other pins are?

https://forumduster.ro/topic/5875-montare-usb-oem-duster/

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005003620604957.html?src=google&aff_fcid=1f301da662be4503b6a082beed5cc189-1705855966658-08888-UneMJZVf&aff_fsk=UneMJZVf&aff_platform=aaf&sk=UneMJZVf&aff_trace_key=1f301da662be4503b6a082beed5cc189-1705855966658-08888-UneMJZVf&terminal_id=09801ed1953f4ed699e4671f36b6d68a&afSmartRedirect=y

 

Fab, thanks for finding the connector! I've ordered so will see if they fit in a couple of weeks.

I'm assuming there's positive and negative for the usb power, and pos and neg for the illumination, not sure about the others.

 

I now have almost all the gear required. I thought I had a crimper but apparently not, so now have to wait until tomorrow!

I have the parts:

USB Connector: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004680157775.html
Plug and pins: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000830525528.html

All seems to fit ok

And a USB A -> Mini-B for the head unit to media USB:

One thing I didn't realise until today when doing initial tests. The inputs are 12v. I started off on pins 3 and 6 for the LED on the surround of each USB and connected to a USB cable at 5v, and it was dim. I put it down to a second-hand unit. When I put the connectors on 4 and 8 for USB, nothing happened. I connected a cheap ring light and nothing worked at all.
Next I tried a 9v battery and the ring light started to work. I'm assuming each block has a 12v -> 5v converter which means I bought two converters for nothing.

 

That's why I won't do my own!! 😁

 

Very impressive and awesome job. I like how stock and neat the usb panel looks.

By the way, are the pads of the usb port on the medianav pcb presoldered? (or to put it differently, can you just put the usb port on the pcb and head up the pins on the usb port?)

 

Thanks! It was fun to do, ultimately.

There is solder there, in the video I watched the guy quickly runs the soldering iron over the pins so I did the same, however I'm not 100% sure it did anything as they are so small and close together I didn't linger too long on the pins. As the port is vertical, the cable kind of folds over when you put the lid on which also gives a little downward pressure.

With our roads I've put it through its paces and so far no drops or disconnects.

 

i don't have any knowledge of the connectors, but afaik (and tried) you can't put an usb hub on the usb port on the mn2 (i've read that the modded mn2 takes many more usb devices like portable hdd, usb hubs and so on. but if you run stock software on the mn2... you're out of luck).

so even if you can put in this panel, it won't give you an additional usb port that you can use for data purposes with your medianav2.

If the only goal is to get a few additional 5 volt usb charging point, i'd suggest the well known "12 volt sigarette plug to two usb ports" that you can buy for a few euro's on ebay or a local car parts shop.

but i gladly stand corrected by someone on the forum.

 

i don't have any knowledge of the connectors, but afaik (and tried) you can't put an usb hub on the usb port on the mn2 (i've read that the modded mn2 takes many more usb devices like portable hdd, usb hubs and so on. but if you run stock software on the mn2... you're out of luck).

so even if you can put in this panel, it won't give you an additional usb port that you can use for data purposes with your medianav2.

If the only goal is to get a few additional 5 volt usb charging point, i'd suggest the well known "12 volt sigarette plug to two usb ports" that you can buy for a few euro's on ebay or a local car parts shop.

but i gladly stand corrected by someone on the forum.

Thanks. From what I can see it's a standard Media Nav with the USB top right, but the firmware version suggests Media Nav Evolution. It's not the new style unit. I'll have a play.

 

That panel was for the late 2021 facelift model that came with the newer screen/headlights

 

So it won't fit physically, or will need some mod to get the power set up?

 

Why not plug in a digital voltmeter to the acc socket, something like this

Amazon.co.uk

loads of configurations and much cheaper from China

 

I'm using that one (on my 2019 Duster), but if the OP wants an additional data port it won't do him any good. from what i'm guessing, he wants an additional data port

 

assuming that micro usb also has the data points mapped out on the circuit board, you'll probably get an additional usb port. kindly let me know if that's the case, meaning you can use both the top front and the 'newly added' usb port.

Since you have the plate, i would just add an additional 12 volt socket and use a converter one that is posted earlier one. that one gives 2 usb 5 volt charging points that are taken directly from the accessory. the least hassle and easiest to do.

If you want to get an additional 5 volt point so you can attach the usb charging plug on your new faceplate, you can splice that off the 5 volt usb point on the newly created micro usb. i'd take it from the usb extension cable (as per the video you posted), and that is the red wire. Just splice another wire onto that one, and run it alongside the usb extension cable that comes out of the back of your medianav (after you modded it). you do have to keep track that the usb port probably only outputs 500ma.

Or buy the converter posted earlier, take that apart. connect the 12 volt to the accessory point (you current cigarette plug) and rewire the usb port to your charging port on the new faceplate. i think there is enough space behing the new faceplate, and if you take the converter apart you only end up with a small circuit board that can easily be hidden behind te faceplate. more work, but it looks nicer.

 

I can confirm that both USB ports work for media etc!

 

Thanks everyone for the valued input.

I'll document how this mod goes when the USB port arrives.

I'm going to go down the route of spurring off the accessory socket behind and using a 12v to 5v 3a converter to provide voltage for the two USB ports. One will be just for charging, as marked, and one will be for the Media Nav. Assuming this is wired how the higher models work, it should provide two working USB ports for the head unit, but this TBC. As long as the bottom one works, this is the goal achieved.

As my radio is DAB, there is another connector already where the second video shows the USB coming out from the Media Nav, so will most likely need to adapt the chassis of the head unit.

If I can't locate the plug connectors for the two USB ports I'll work on another method, but hopefully I will be able to locate them to make this truly modular and easy to take apart.

Will post results when done (or not done...)!

Parts being used:

Rest TBC...

 

USB port arrived today, plugs tomorrow. Am preparing to make a start tomorrow afternoon. Could be fun. Or the end of a Media Nav...

 

I've been a bit busy the last couple of days so have only done part of the job. I'll do a full run-down when I do the scary part at the weekend...

Today I pinned up the connectors, made up a small loom and decided initially to Scotch-block the feed for the two USBs from the accessory socket, and spurred the LED surrounds to the dashcam cable in the fuse box.

LEDs come on with the ignition, cool. Power-only USB makes my phone vibrate to say charging, excellent. I've not checked the output power as yet.

The media USB, not yet connected to the Media Nav (the scary part), does NOT make my phone vibrate. Now it could be one of the two power pins is not fully seated, a swap of the two connectors may prove or disprove that, or it could be duff, or it could require the USB from the Media Nav to complete the circuit. Will hopefully find out in the next day or two...