1) alex@evplay.net is the best and fastest way to get your issues resolved.
2) I have been pretty transparent that at the end of the day, this is largely considered a "workaround." I think it works really, really well, but as I have mentioned before, this is not an OEM integration.
3) While this has had a fair amount of beta testing, this is the first iteration of the software and is only now getting into wide release. The only way I can improve this and push software updates is if you let me know about the problems you are experiencing.
4) Given the above disclosures, I stand by this product and proud of where this project is given the obstacles thrown at us by you-know-who. I don't like being told "no" and I'm a big champion of at least having a choice. It's your vehicle after all, and you paid good money for it.
5) EV Play LT will improve as we move forward, with your feedback (good or bad). With that said, if for any reason this isn't what you expected, send the product back for a full refund, less the $5 it cost to ship you the hardware.
6) The product is only wired & wireless CarPlay for now. Android Auto just isn't reliable at this point, but it will get there soon. If you're hoping to use this for Android Auto, please let me know and I'll hold your order or provide a refund.
7) While I know everyone is excited to share their experiences online, we all know the first rule of Fight Club right? There is no Fight Club! The longevity of this project is largely based on keeping this somewhat quiet. Wishful thinking I know, but true nonetheless.
8) Speaking of longevity, I would imagine that if GM does try and block this, it will come in the way of a software update. You may want to hold off before applying any updates and make sure to turn off auto-updates.
Finally, thank you again for all your patience and your support of this project. Reach out with any questions, comments, or just to say "hello!" Ok, let's get started!
Important: Before clicking the link, make sure the Google account you are logged in to matches the account you are logged in to on your vehicle's screen.
This email should also match the one listed under "Google Account" in your EV Play account (if it differs from your EV Play account email).
Note, that changing the Google account email we have on file is a manual process, and once you change it, the system sends me an message to make the necessary changes. Thus, it could take up to an hour to make the change during business hours, and longer if you make the change after business hours.This might be confusing, so to clarify: When you made the $55.00 pre-order deposit, it asked you for an email address for your confirmation receipt. You may or may not have used the email address that you use for your vehicle's Google account. Totally fine, but please log in to your EV Play account and enter that Google Account email where it says "Google Account."
Make sure you are logged in to the SAME Google account that you used in Step 1, above.
(Note that your assigned app name may differ from the picture below)
The app should appear in the list. Click on it and install it.
Click "OK" to any warnings - it's safe!
Log in to the app using your EV Play account information. Note that once you log in to the app, this will begin the $29.00/month billing cycle (just for the next 6 months).
Once you have logged in and get to the main screen, NOW you can plug in your EV Play device. Note that depending on your vehicle, you need to choose the data USB port, as some ports are "charge only." If you plug in the device and you don't see the dialog box below appear, try a different port.
If you have plugged the device into the correct port, the softwarwe will prompt you with a dialog box that says "Allow EV Play to Access EV PLAY-LT." Click OK.
If it prompts you again, just click OK again.
Make sure your phone's personal hotspot is turned OFF, and that Bluetooth and WiFi are turned ON.
Your screen will show you the name of the Bluetooth signal you need to pair your phone with.
Pair your phone with that Bluetooth signal, at which point the screen should show "Phone Connected, Launching..."
Right after that, you should have CarPlay! 🎉
1) Don't forget to check your phone for any CarPlay prompts the first time you connect. Also, ensure CarPlay isn't disabled (there was that security scare a while back and a lot of folks disabled it!).
2) For audio, your phone should be paired to your vehicle via Bluetooth and selected as the audio source, as it normally is.
3) If your phone has trouble connecting and/or disconnecte frequently, try restarting your phone. Also make sure your phone's hotspot is turned off - you cannot have wireless CarPlay and your phone's hotspot on at the same time (too much badwidth for your phone).
4) Steering wheel buttons work: track forward/reverse, volume up/down, pause/resume music (hangup button), and long-press the voice button to summon Siri.
5) You may find a better experience plugging your phone in to the EV Play LT device's USB port vs. using a wireless connection. To set this up, first unpair the EV Play LT's Bluetooth signal from your phone, unplug the EV Play LT device from your vehicle, plug your phone in to the USB port on EV Play LT, then plug the EV Play LT device back in to your vehicle. You should also re-start the app per the instructions below (tapping on the clock 5 times fast).
2) When you start your drive, CarPlay may disconnect once or twice. As you drive, things settle and it should remain connected for the remainder of your drive. We are working on reliability improvements in the next update. If things get "stuck" (you see CarPlay but touch doesn't work), you can restart the connection by tapping 5 times quickly on the bottom right corner (Sierras only) or top left corner (all other vehicles). This will re-launch the app and attempt to re-establish the connection.
