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Map DVD editing

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by sketchstudios, Jan 7, 2009.

  1. sketchstudios

    sketchstudios Hypermiler

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    Hi all, first post.

    I searched the forums for a similar thread to what I was going to ask but didnt find one, if there is one forgive me and a link to that thread would be generous.


    I wanted to see if it would be at all possible to eject the Map DVD (I have ver.07.1) and copy it to my computer. I know this is possible because I've seen threads of people doing this for backup reasons. However I want to take it a step further. I'm quite good at coding, designing and modding files, so I figured why not do the same to my Map DVD?

    What I had in mind was simple things such as changing the default icons to my own. (for example: instead of a "$" icon I could change that to a icon/logo of my bank, etc)
    Basically make it more personalized. Im assuming since Im changing simple things like the images it *shouldnt* effect the way the MapDVD operates after I save the edited DVD as an ISO then re-burn it to put it back in the Nav system.

    Does this sound like it would work, at least theoretically? I assume it would, but would like to hear from others who have had experience with the Nav System and Map DVD tweaking.

    Any info such as the type/make of the DVD-R used to reburn, the format to compress the data to (.ISO I'm geussing) and any other tid-bits would be very helpful. Thanks in advance!
     
    #1 sketchstudios, Jan 7, 2009
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    In theory it should work. In practice the lack of documentation will make it a bitch to do.

    Tom
     
    #2 qbee42, Jan 7, 2009
  3. tundrwd

    tundrwd Member

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    Well, from a coding perspective, I'd suspect it to be a cast-iron bitch (this from a coder of more than 30 years experience, and a "white-hat" hacker), having past experience at playing with this kind of thing (well before the DMCA, more on that later).

    The data will be compressed, and probably have some level of encryption. Then the fun REALLY starts. The icons may be embedded in the program (which probably isn't PC compatible, probably ARM or MIPS, something like that, not X86 architecture), and you'll need something to extract and replace the icons (which will depend on what was used to build the program, may NOT be Micro$oft, may be something else). Many times, those icons are in funky formats (not ICO/ICN/BMP), that may well be proprietary.

    Realize that to decrypt anything will make you run afoul of the DMCA (if you are in the US), which is a federal offense. It ain't legal to reverse engineer copy protection, and you would also run into the issue of copyright violations (extracting, and replacing the icons, especially if it's within the executable).

    You ARE allowed to make a backup (provided you don't have to decrypt it to do so), and usually any old program that will give you an ISO image will work. The thing is probably a dual layer DVD (I don't have one, so I really don't know).

    My advice - if you have lots of time to burn, and run the risk (slight, but it's there) of running afoul of the Feds - go ahead. Otherwise, get used to the way it is.
     
    #3 tundrwd, Jan 12, 2009
  4. oly_57mpg

    oly_57mpg New Member

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    Blah blah blah. It can be done. The issue is re-authoring a DL-DVD that the nav. DVD drive can read. That's a FPITA.

    Check out Taking Things Apart - Home for info on the nav. file formats. There's a version of the unpacker that will get parts of the older generation nav. formats apart.
    Talk to Otaku (usually over on the Mitsubishi forums), he's the guru. He helped a friend and I write an update patch, and eventually a disc, to over-ride Mistsubishi's stock radio/nav system to allow DVDs to play while the car is in motion.
     
    #4 oly_57mpg, Jan 29, 2009
  5. oly_57mpg

    oly_57mpg New Member

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    It is. It's CE based. Think of the NAV as a plugin module to the Prius' MFD [which is not much more than a monitor].
     
    #5 oly_57mpg, Jan 29, 2009
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