[Android Head-Units] liamstears:
Ownice K6/C960 Android Head Unit

Information on this unit seems to be extremely sparse but it's without a doubt the best unit I have used so far so I am putting this thread together to get a universal one stop shop for this unit in English. A lot of the information displayed here is from a Vietnamese forum called: Icar Vietnam so thanks to everyone there for the help.

Unit Specifications:

K6 Standard Version: RAM 2GB ROM 32GB | Standard TFT Display

K6 High Version: RAM 4GB ROM 64GB | IPS Display

9" or 10.1" display, single or double din

SC9853 1.8GHz 64-bit 14nm OctaCore Processor

Android 8.1

Radio IC: Standard TDA7786, High TDA7708

Amplifier IC: Standard TDA7388, High TDA7851L

Glonass & GPS

Optical Digital Output!!

Optional extras (remember to pay your supplier extra for this if you want it)

AV-out

Autoplay

High Version (RAM 4GB ROM 64GB IPS Display)

Features:

1. Support 4G LTE Network: surf internet freely by inserting a SIM card

2. 6-Channel DSP: Improve your car audio system to a high sound quality

3. Android 8.1 Oreo OS: use your favorite Apps smoothly with 2G RAM plus 32G ROM configuration

4. Octa Core Processor: Intel 64-bit 14nm Foundry Platform gives quick response and high performance

5. Support both GPS & Glonass

6. Support AHD Camera

7. Wireless Car Auto Play (Optional): support both Android Phone and iPhone.

FM/AM Radio: FM X 18 & AM X 12 preset stations with built-in RDS Radio Receiver function

GPS Navigation: Support both GPS & Glonass sat. nav., support iGo, Navitel, Tomtom, Sygic, Google online map etc

Bluetooth Function: support BT Hands-free, support A2DP bluetooth music play.

Multimedia Player: support audio/video file play, with 3xUSB port.

Mirror Link: Connect to your smart phone via USB or WIFI hotspot to mirror display contents on your phone

Internet Connect: Built-in 4G LTE Network & WiFi, support using SIM card directly.

Colorful Button Light: Can change the button light color freely to match your car's interior

Multi Android Applications: Support downloading, installing, and deleting multiple Android applications.

Useful Information:

Codes to enter into "Extra Settings" in "Settings"

Only working codes I have found so far are;

Extra Settings: 123456

Client Settings: 1260

Known issues/limitations and solutions:

None known as of yet

Firmware and Recovery:

Stock Firmware:

All firmware comes from the Icar Vietnam forum found here: https://xethongminh.net/threads/huong-dan-chay-firmware-cho-dau-android-ownice-c960.2940/

Please note the below firmware is for devices with a resolution of 1024x600, if your device is 1280x720 please check post 4 first here: https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=82347937&postcount=4

- 23rd December 2019

- 15th January 2020 ( Checksum Code: B26484F45B059A9C06032AD85D2A507F)

- 2nd March 2020 (Check Code Code: 68CD79A761AACE6E8375A9674C0DDA97)

- 13th March 2020

- 21st April 2020

- 21st July 2020 (exactly same as 21st April,only 2 files to fix bluetooth have changed)

How to install firmware:

Extract and copy all files from the downloaded firmware zip into the root directory of a USB stick. Files must be placed in the root directory, do not put in a sub-directory/folder at all. Files for a full firmware for the Ownice C960 include the following 10 files (depending on the rom there may be less or more than 10 files):

408930e4-c1fc-11e8-8a06-2b5b8f8a7e48

4192eb4c-c1fc- 11e8-8f83-a7a51df1443b

427c4ecc-c1fc-11e8-b558-cb289b80f7d2.0

427c4ecc-c1fc-11e8-b558-cb289b80f7d2.1

427c4ecc-c1fc-11e8-b558-cb289b80f7d2.2

427-bcbc-bcbc-

11c -c1fc-11e8-b558-cb289b80f7d2.4

43864958-c1fc-11e8-b9ce-0701f06faf8a

4671e21c-c1fc-11e8-ac0e-7bb4334d40c5

6cdfbbd8-9a00-11e7-8c64-33bdecde7c40

The Ownice C960 has several methods to install the different firmware depending on the situation and the current operating status of the head unit, for example, if the head unit is still bootable into the operating system, it is possible to use method 1 to install the firmware from the software of the head unit.

If the head suffers from being stuck at logos or other problems you need to move onto method 2 of installation using a recovery method. If both method 1 and method 2 do not work there is also a 3rd method but this is not listed here, please follow the instructions on this forum: https://xethongminh.net/threads/huong-dan-chay-firmware-cho-dau-android-ownice-c960.2940/

I. Method 1 (Rerun or upgrade the firmware of the C960 player via the installation interface)

Plug in the USB drive containing the firmware and go to Settings (Settings) - Car settings (Car Settings) - Update (Update System)

-If you need to wipe the system check the box to Clear data and format Flash, then check the box for USB

-If you want to flash without wiping check the box for USB only (if you have problems with this method try wiping first before moving onto another method)

Wait for the update process to complete the reboot is successful.

Installation Video: https://youtu.be/2JvAcrLPvRo

II. Method 2 (Rerun or upgrade the firmware for the C960 player when unit cannot boot)

This method is especially useful for those who root or unlucky and have system issues causing the head unit to be unable to boot into the system. There are 2 ways to do this method:

Option 1 (I have not been able to get this method to work, this is written exactly as translated from Vietnamese):

Trapping system errors, pressing into mode Update the firmware

Error traps are a simpler way to do the first way because you don't have to remove the head from the car to short the KEY-2 cable like the first way. How to do the following:

Proceed to plug the USB containing the firmware prepared in step 2 to the beginning.

Turn on the electric car to start the car, when the head has booted on the screen (including in the state of logo hanging), proceed to use the RST hole stick on the screen to restart the head, right when the head of the Ownice logo appears then immediately turn off the car keys to turn off the head. Wait for 5 to 10 seconds, then turn the car lock on again, this time, it will jump into the firmware update mode if it detects that the USB containing the firmware is plugged in.

Option 2: Short KEY2 cable to ground (the head unit cover or car chassis)

Connect a USB stick containing the firmware

Short/connect and hold the KEY2 wire to a suitable grounding point (holding to the metal chassis part of the head unit works fine)

Stick a pin or toothpick into the RST hole (RST stands for RESET) on the front of the monitor to reboot (while keeping the KEY2 wire grounded)

Wait until the screen turns on with text showing the firmware update process is in progress, at this point disconnect KEY2 from ground

Wait until the update process is completed, it will automatically restart and operate normally.

Decompiling Firmware:

Firmware files can be decompiled and edited however I'm not going to go into detail in how this is done as its very in depth and I am not 100% sure my methods work 100%, however for those that want to attempt this I do have a link for a tool that decrypt's encrypted files, you can download the tool here: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=4349826312261776408

Unfortunately I do not know much about the tool or who to thank only that it's called Kaier Support Tool and its by Darkleo - Thank you dev's whoever you are!

Custom Firmware:

There is now a custom firmware available for our units. This firmware is called RedMOD

Website for RedMOD is here: https://firmware-an21.wixsite.com/redmod

RedMOD is an all in one replacement firmware for our units. It replaces the stock firmware to give us more options, features and settings. To know more please look at the website link above but note that everything is in Russian. I have been able to download and use this firmware using just Google Translate.

This firmware is not free! You must pay the developer for access to the download and you must not share this firmware! If you share this firmware your post will be reported!

Some of the features I have found useful so far in this new firmware:

Remapping Canbus Keys (Most keys can be remapped)

Better display dimming options (Auto Dimming)

More reverse camera settings (custom reverse lines etc)

Better automation settings for when the unit wakes up (choose apps to run at startup etc)

Customisation of status bar (Add or remove items like menu button, time, temperature etc)

Much much more

To get this firmware you must register on RedMod forum and then follow the instructions to download:

http://red-mod.ru/forum/viewforum.php?f=13&sid=e1d8a806c50a172dd889ccff62506225

The cost is 2000 Russian Rubles or 38 US Dollars. For me in the UK the exchange worked better to send Rubles and the cost was approximately £26. Once you send payment the admin will change your forum access so that you can access the download area. Make sure you register with the correct information and only get access to and download the firmware for "ANDROID 8.1 - Intel TS9" as this is our device.

I am not affiliated with RedMOD and cannot be held responsible for anything that may happen to your unit as a result of using this firmware.

Root:

All root files up to 15th January 2020 firmware come from the Icar Vietnam forum found here: https://xethongminh.net/threads/huong-dan-root-dau-android-ownice-c960.3115/

Root files after this date have been created by me

- August 28th 2019

- December 23rd 2019

- January 15th 2020

- March 2nd 2020

- March 13th 2020

- April 21st 2020 and July 21st 2020 (same file can be used, exactly the same for both firmwares)

How to Root:

First you must download firmware and root files that match.

Install firmware as described in the firmware section.

Extract and copy the files from the root zip file found above into the root directory of a USB stick and plug the USB into the head unit

Install MagiskManager.apk (the downloaded zip file includes this file) found on the USB stick using a file manager on the head unit

Go to Settings (Settings) - Car settings (Car Settings) - Update (Update System) (Do the same procedure as updating the firmware) and check the box for USB only

Wait for the update process to complete and the reboot is successful.

Open MagiskManager and check you are now rooted! (if you are not please rerun this procedure)

How to make your own Root file:

The root file is simply a boot image with Magisk. Nothing more nothing less. However the original boot image is encrypted so I will go through the steps of how to get the root file for each rom.

First download the tool here: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=4349826312261776408

Unfortunately I do not know much about the tool or who to thank only that it's called Kaier Support Tool and its by Darkleo - Thank you dev's whoever you are!

Download the firmware you want to root

Extract "4192eb4c-c1fc-11e8-8f83-a7a51df1443b"

Open Kaier Support Tool

Select the "4192eb4c-c1fc-11e8-8f83-a7a51df1443b" file and click decrypt

The tool will ask you to save the file, save the file as "boot.img" and transfer it to a USB stick

Put the USB stick into your head unit and open up magisk (you must have magisk installed)

Click install on Magisk (not Magisk Manager) and when it asks click to "Select and Patch a file"

Patch the "boot.img" we put onto the USB stick

When done Magisk will save the patched file into the downloads folder

Move that patched file onto your USB stick and head back to the computer

Open up Kaier support tool, select the magisk patched file and click encrypt

When it asks to save call the file "4192eb4c-c1fc-11e8-8f83-a7a51df1443b"

"4192eb4c-c1fc-11e8-8f83-a7a51df1443b" is now your root file!

Follow the other instructions to flash firmware and flash root but just place this new "4192eb4c-c1fc-11e8-8f83-a7a51df1443b" on your USB stick instead

Change Startup Logo:

For instructions on how to change the startup logo please follow the video here: https://youtu.be/V9xC6A41q7Q

Important things to note:

You must place the image on the root of a USB stick, it will not work if it's in a directory, you may even have to reboot with the USB plugged in before the unit will find the file

The image MUST BE an 8bit BMP file with a size of 1024x600

DISCLAIMER - PLEASE READ:

All information in this thread is provided for information purposes only, all the information has either been worked out by myself or found on another forum and although I try to verify all information this is not always possible. I must point out that I cannot be held responsible for any negative effects that may or may not occur from using the information in this thread, all firmware is not supplied by me and the process of flashing is as described by the maker of the unit and I cannot be held responsible for failed flashes or bricked units.