Watch ATSC OTA TV On MMI 2G

2015-01-10 The Amazing unit is still working.

2014-01-11 I’m tired of watching 1 or 2 mobile channels, I got a new tuner, stationary to watch many channels while waiting for my family shopping or attending events. Now I’m happy, I can watch sports or shows in the parking lot where the family shops.

So, I added FBAS to the Head Unit for the RVC retrofit, now I want to have TV OTA (Over The Air) when I need to. Ordered a Analog TV Tuner (4E0 919 146) and an ATSC MH Tuner and here it is. The system has to be tweaked somehow. The display on AV2 is BW and ony color when put in parking mode. The stereo is 5.1 channel from HD TV, it’s so beautiful with Audi Bose surround sound mode. 

Anyhow, there is no ATSC tuner in Audi Hybrid tuner that costs 3 times the analog TV tuner. There is no mobile ATSC tuner in Audi Hybrid tuner, so it’s a waste of money to buy a hybrid tuner for ATSC (US) TV. Just buy an inexpensive ATSC + ATSC mobile tuner combo for less than $150 to tune with the Analog TV tuner. The best is to hook up a laptop to the TV tuner.

Adding the analog TV tuner is painless. Just plug it in using connectors from the Satellite Radio that we don’t use. The MOST bus actually adds the TV tuner to the CD list.

Satellite connection     3 connectors

There are 3 connectors needed – 20 pins (left) custom make – MOST optical middle (from satellite connectors) – FBAS from RVC controller.

From the 20 pins pin out schematic – The brown is ground = pin 2, the Red/Black = pin 1, the Yellow/White = pin 3 (pin 3 is used to turn off the analog tv tuner when it’s not used).

power from satellite radio     FBAS to RVC controller

ATSC tuner

20-PINS CONNECTOR CUSTOM WIRING.

If you can find a 20-pin connector any where, it should fit this 20-pin connector. I found 2 and they both work, so I made up 2 sets of cables. Solder the wires on the connector itself, make sure all the pin positions are correct. Follow the 20-pin connector pin diagram.

20 pins connector     20-pin connector

20-pin connector 2     20-pin connector 2

20pins Connector     connectors av1av2

For power pins: 1,2,3 I got some male flat long pins and solder to the wires on the 20-pin connector. Connect Orange(pin1) to Red/Black(satellite), Purple(pin2) to Brown(satellite), White(pin3) to Yellow/White(sensor).

power pins     Red, brown and yellow

power connector satellite     power from satellite radio

After hooking up everything correctly, everything should works as the video below. I bought the ATSC MH tuner, I should buy the ATSC + ATSC MH tuner combo which can tune HDTV stationary (like OTA for home) and ATSC mobile also. The ATSC MH tuner I have only tunes mobile channels which NOT many available at this time and MOBILE TV is DISTRACTING for driver which should not be used.

I also want to connect an old laptop to AV1. I do need the VGA to RCA converter.

TV Tuner Pins Out

TV Tuner 20-Pins Connector

The reason for BW on AV1 or AV2 is because the setup was PAL instead of NTSC. 

18 Comments

  • Do you know what the part number is for the fakra/fbas cable that goes from the TV Tuner to the MMI ECU? If not, what type of cable do I need fakra type e, male to female?

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