GROM VLITE VT2 CarPlay Android Auto User Guide

VT2 CarPlay Android Auto
User Guide

USER GUIDE

CHAPTER 1 – Initialization

Once you have finished the installation of VLite VT2 to your vehicle, enter the VLite source of the stereo, as it is described in the installation guide that came with your product.
You can start using VLite VT2 once the stereo is in VLite VT2 source.

CHAPTER 2 – Using CarPlay®

Setting up the CarPlay® will allow you to connect your phone to the car and focus on the road while still having access to your phone for maps, music, messages, calls, and more.

2.1 How to setup wireless CarPlay®

1. Turn on the Bluetooth on your VLite VT2. Go to Support –> Bluetooth.
2. Turn on the Bluetooth in the iPhone® settings;
3. Select the grayed-out CarPlay® icon on the VLite VT2 home screen; your phone will be listed below “Wireless CarPlay Devices.”
4. Tap or select your phone in the list of Wireless CarPlay Devices; the VLite VT2 will start to connect to your iPhone®.
5. In a few seconds, you will see the “Tap to Pair” pop-up on the VLite VT2 screen. Check “Allow iPhone to access your contacts and call history.”
6. The iPhone will also receive two pop-up notifications- request to pair to VLite VT2 and then “Use CarPlay with VLITE?” Make sure to hit “pair” for the first pop-up and “use for CarPlay” for the second.
7. The message on the VLite VT2 screen under your iPhone’s name will change to “Connecting…”. In a few seconds, the status will change to “Connected.”
8. The CarPlay UI (user interface) will automatically show on the car stereo screen. If it does not appear automatically, tap on the “Show UI” button in  the upper right corner of the “CarPlay Settings” screen on VLite VT2.

VLite VT2 Bluetooth pairing request make sure to check “Allow iPhone to access your contacts and call history” On your iPhone screen you will get second pop-up. Tap “Use CarPlay”.

2.2 Common functions in CarPlay

1. Siri® voice commands
   To activate Siri, press and hold the “NEXT TRACK” button on the steering wheel or car stereo. In addition, you can “press and hold” the button on the lower left corner of the CarPlay screen to activate Siri if the factory screen supports it. Ensure you install the microphone supplied with the VLite VT2 kit, unless the system uses a factory microphone, and that the Siri function is enabled on your iPhone.

2. Phone Calls
   You can make phone calls using CarPlay. You can start the phone call via the CarPlay menu or Siri voice command. Make sure you connect your iPhone to the VLite VT2 for phone calls. Check your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings if you experience any difficulties. Unpair the iPhone from the factory Bluetooth, as the calls will route to the CarPlay.
   Ensure that you install the microphone that comes with the VLite VT2 unless your VLite VT2 allows using a factory microphone. Refer to the Install Guide for the microphone’s installation guidelines.

Tip: You can adjust microphone gain in VLite VT2 settings. The best performing position is usually around 45 for non-amplified / VLite VT2 microphones and 30 for amplified / factory microphones.

2.3 Using CarPlay® wired – via USB
Plug the USB cable into the USB1 port of the VLite. Use genuine Apple® USB to Lighting cables for the best connectivity. Any cable over 6FT long can cause issues.
2.4 Troubleshooting
If the CarPlay® does not connect, the below remedies are available:

1. Restart the iPhone®.

2. Make sure Siri is enabled:
   Siri needs to be enabled for CarPlay to work. If it’s not allowed, go to [Settings > Siri & Search] and activate the following options:
   A. Listen for “Hey Siri”
   B. Press Side Button for Siri
   C. Allow Siri When Locked

3. Ensure the CarPlay® is enabled when locked. If the CarPlay® isn’t enabled when locked, it can’t activate if your phone screen is off. To rectify this, go to [Settings > General > CarPlay] and tap your car from the list of available connections. Then toggle on “Allow CarPlay While Locked.”

4. If your iPhone® isn’t detected by CarPlay®, make sure that CarPlay isn’t restricted. Go to [Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions], tap Allowed Apps, and make sure that CarPlay is enabled.

5. Make sure to turn ON the Bluetooth on your iPhone® and VLite VT2.
   Make sure the iPhone® is also not in Airplane mode.

6. If connecting via USB, ensure the cable is high-quality, genuine Apple® cable. If using the USB extension cable, try to connect without it. Try to change the cable or use a shorter cable.

7. For a wireless connection, you can try to completely “forget” the VLite VT2 and pair and connect again.
   On the iPhone®:
   a) Go to [Settings -> General -> CarPlay -> VLine2 -> Forget this Car] b) Restart the iPhone® On the VLite VT2:
   a) Go to [Settings -> Network & Internet -> 3 Dots in the Upper Right -> Reset WiFi/ Bluetooth/Mobile -> (confirm the reset)]

8. Restart the VLite VT2 [Settings -> System -> VLine System Updates -> Reboot ] Once done, re-pair the phone and VLite VT2, and make sure to accept permission for Contacts and for Wireless CarPlay to work. It should be the first two pop-ups you get after pairing the iPhone® to the VLite.

9. For USB connection, if the VLite VT2 stopped “seeing” CarPlay connected, reboot the VLite VT2 [Settings -> System -> VLite System Updates -> Reboot VLite VT2]

10. If you experience CarPlay pairing or audio issues, ensure the iPhone is disconnected fully from the vehicle’s Bluetooth / Hands Free connection.

11. CarPlay® does not connect automatically every time. Under CarPlay® settings locate the option “Activate CarPlay UI”. Make sure that the option is selected to activate “Automatically (upon connect).” Tap to switch between Automatic and Manual activation.

2.5 Going back to the VLite VT2 main screen.
Use GROM icon/app in the CarPlay® app screen to go back to VLite VT2 main screen.

CHAPTER 3 – Using Android Auto®

Setting up Android Auto® will allow you to connect your phone to the car and focus on the road while having access to your phone for maps, music, messages, and more.

3.1 How to setup wireless Android Auto®

1. Turn on the Bluetooth on your VLite VT2. Go to [Support –> Bluetooth].
2. Turn on the Bluetooth in your Android® smartphone settings.
3.  Select the grayed-out Android Auto® icon on the VLite VT2 home screen; your phone will be listed below “Wireless Android Auto Devices.”
4. Tap or select your phone in the list of Wireless Android Auto Devices; the VLite VT2 will start to connect to your phone.
5. In a few seconds, you will see the “Tap to Pair” prompt on the VLite VT2 screen. Check “Allow access to your contacts and call history.”
6. The phone will also receive the pop-up request to pair to VLite VT2. Hit pair on the pop-up.
7. The message on the VLite VT2 screen under your phone’s name will change to “Connecting…”. In a few seconds, the status will change to “Connected”.
8. The Android Auto UI (user interface) will automatically show on the car stereo screen. If it does not appear automatically, tap on the “Show UI” button in the upper right corner of the “Android Auto Settings” screen on VLite VT2.

Going back to the VLite VT2 main screen
Use the EXIT icon/app on the Android Auto apps page to go back to the VLite VT2 main screen.

3.2 Wired Android Auto® connection – via USB
Plug the USB cable to any USB port of the VLite VT2. Use high-quality USB cables for the best connectivity. The maximum recommended length of the USB cable is 3FT.
3.3 Common functions in Android Auto®

1. OK Google® voice assistant commands
   To activate the Google voice assistant, press and hold the “NEXT TRACK” button on the steering wheel or car stereo. You can also use the button on the lower right corner of the Android Auto screen to activate voice assistant. Make sure you installed the microphone that comes with the VLite VT2 kit, unless your VLite VT2 system allows using a factory microphone, and make sure to enable the Google® voice assistant function on your smartphone.
   Tip: You can adjust microphone gain in VLite VT2 settings. The best performing position is usually around 45 for non-amplified / VLite VT2 microphones and 30 for amplified / factory microphones.

2. Phone Calls
   VLite VT2 does not support phone calls via Android Auto®. Instead, you will need to use factory Bluetooth to make or receive phone calls.
   You can start the phone call using the Android Auto® phone call menu.
   To make or receive phone calls via the factory Bluetooth system, open your phone’s Bluetooth settings and pair and connect your Bluetooth to the factory car stereo. See the vehicle’s owner manual if you experience any difficulties.
   Once you pair your phone to the factory car stereo, tap on that connection in your Bluetooth settings, and remove check marks from everything except “Phone calls.”

3. Other apps in Android Auto®
   You can use any other apps supported by Android Auto® while using VLite VT2. Note that you must install apps to your smartphone so they will display on the VLite VT2 Android Auto® screen. Check the Android Auto® support page to see what apps are compatible with Android Auto®.

3.4 Troubleshooting
If the Android Auto® does not connect, the below remedies are available:

1. Restart the smartphone.

2. Make sure your smartphone supports wireless Android Auto®.
   Check the phone’s Settings and search for Android Auto®. If it does not support wireless Android Auto, you will need to connect via USB instead.

3. Make sure you turn ON the Bluetooth on your smartphone and the VLine VL2.

4. Go to Android Auto® Settings –> Connected cars and make sure the option “Add new cars to Android Auto” is enabled on your phone.

5. If using a USB connection, try using a different USB cable. Make sure to use high-quality USB Android® cables. If using a USB extension, try to remove the USB extension cable and plug the “USB to Android” cable directly into the VLite VT2.

6. If using a USB connection, try to unlock your smartphone before connecting it via USB to VLite VT2.

7. If you are using a Samsung smartphone, you might need to set up the “routines” for the wireless Android Auto to connect automatically. Check the article at https://bit.ly/samsung_routines to learn how to set up the routines for your Samsung smartphone.

8. For wireless Android Auto® connectivity issues, reset the connection:
   A. On your Android® phone:
   1. Forget VLite2 from Bluetooth Settings
   2. Reboot/Restart Android® Phone
   B. On your VLite VT2:
   1. Forget Android phone from Bluetooth Settings
   2. Reboot/Restart VLite VT2 (Support -> All Settings -> About -> VLite System Updates -> Reboot VLite)

9. If none of the above helps, clear the Android Auto® cache and storage.
   To clear the data for Android Auto®, head to (Settings > Apps & notifications

   See all X apps > Android Auto > Storage & cache). Select “Clear Cache” first.
   Clearing the cache only removes temporary files, so deleting the cache will not erase any of your Android Auto preferences. If that did not help, clear the storage next. Clearing the storage deletes all the data for the app, so you will likely need to configure settings for Android Auto® again.

10.  For USB connection issues, if your VLite VT2 stopped “seeing” Android Auto connected, try to reboot/restart VLite VT2 (Support -> All Settings -> About -> VLite System Updates -> Reboot VLite).

3.4.2 Android Auto® does not connect automatically every time.
Under Android Auto® settings, locate the option “Activate Android UI.” Select the option to activate Automatically (on connect). Tap to switch between Automatic and Manual activation.

Chapter 4 – Bluetooth Audio

4. 1 Setting up the Bluetooth for A2DP music streaming

1. Open up the phone’s Bluetooth settings and set the phone to search for available Bluetooth devices.
2. Select the BT Audio icon at the bottom of the VLite VT2 home screen.
3. Your phone will be listed below Bluetooth audio devices with the option of “tap to pair.”
4. Tap on the phone you wish to connect to, and wait for it to connect fully.

4.2 Streaming Bluetooth Audio
The VLite VT2 will display the current song information on the upper left corner of its home screen.
Selecting the song in the upper left of the screen will take you to the Bluetooth player with music skip/ repeat functions. The arrow at the page’s bottom will navigate back to the VLite VT2 home screen.
You can use the steering wheel controls and car stereo buttons to skip to the next song or return to the previous track.

Chapter 5 – Wi-Fi and Periodic Updates

You will need to connect VLite VT2 to the internet to perform periodic firmware and software updates.
5.1 How to connect the VLite VT2 to the Internet
5.1.1 Smartphone tethering and Hotspot:

1. On the iPhone: Settings — >Personal Hotspot. Please turn it on and set up a password.
2. On the Android phone: Settings –> Connections–> Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Please turn on the mobile hotspot and select it to set up the network name and password. Make sure your smartphone supports Wi-Fi tethering.

5.1.2 Dedicated modem – hotspot with SIM card and data plan, or vehicle Wi- Fi.
Check with the carrier of your choice on the availability of internet-only data plans.
You might need the USB modem to provide the dedicated Wi-Fi hotspot.
You can also connect the VLite VT2 to your home Wi-Fi, but please ensure you have a strong Wi-Fi signal to connect VLite VT2.
5.1.3 Connect to Wi-Fi
Once you set up the hotspot, or are ready to use a pre-established network, you can connect the VLite VT2 to the internet.

1. Once on the VLite VT2 home screen, go to Support –> How to connect to Wi-Fi and select ”To connect to Wifi please click here”.
2. Select the Wi-Fi network to connect, enter the password, and hit “Connect.”

Note: Please check with your mobile carrier for hotspot data usage limits (if you use your smartphone to tether the internet to the VLite VT2).
Some mobile providers’ plans are subject to mobile data and tethering charges.

5.2 VLite VT2 System Updates
You need to connect the VLite VT2 to the Internet to perform the system updates.
Once you connect the VLite VT2 to a hotspot or Wi-Fi network, go to the Support app on the VLite VT2 home screen.
Go to “How to update VLite VT2” section and tap on “Check for updates.” Once you select “Check for updates,” you can download and install the latest firmware and software versions.

5.3 Firmware update troubleshooting

Q.: I am connected to Wi-Fi but can’t download the update - what can I do?

A.:The VLite VT2 s not getting a strong Wi-Fi signal. Move the VLite VT2 and the vehicle closer to the Wi-Fi signal, or use the hotspot/smartphone internet tethering in your car.

Resources: https://gromaudio.com/blog/2018/09/how-to-get-internet-to- car/

Chapter 6 – Settings

6.1 Adjusting Sound
The VLite VT2 audio settings are adjusted by your factory head unit’s sound settings.
To access the factory settings select “CAR SETTINGS” in the lower right of the VLite home screen, and it will take you to the Factory UI, where you can adjust the audio settings. Next, return to the VLite VT2 stereo source by pressing FM –> VLite VT2 source.
6.2 System Language
To change the Android Menu language, select “SUPPORT,” then scroll to the bottom of the page and select “All Settings,” find “Language & input,” and change to your preferred language.

6.3 Date & Time
To change the Date &Time, select “SUPPORT,” then scroll to the bottom of the page, select “All Settings,” and find “Date & Time.” If you wish to manually set the date and time, turn off the “automatic date & time.”
6.4 Factory Reset
To factory reset the VLite VT2, select “SUPPORT,” then scroll to the bottom of the page, select “All Settings,” and find “Backup & reset.” Select “Factory Data Reset” to reset the VLite VT2 to the factory settings.
Please note that a factory reset will erase your settings and connections. You will need to reconnect all devices and change your settings back again after you perform a factory reset.

6.5 Adjusting screen brightness and contrast
You might need to adjust the screen brightness and contrast for the VLite VT2 stereo mode on some stereos, mostly in older vehicles.
If the image of VLite VT2 CarPlay and Android Auto is unsatisfactory, use the original factory settings to adjust the brightness and contrast for the VLite VT2 stereo mode. On the VLite VT2 home screen, select “CAR SETTINGS.” It will take you to the factory UI, where you can adjust the display settings for the VLite VT2 stereo mode. Return to the VLite VT2 screen by pressing FM –> VLite VT2 stereo mode.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Technical support: https://gromaudio.com/support.html
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All trademarks or registered trademarks used in this manual are for informational purposes only.
All trademarks are the property of the respective owners and are in no way associated with GROM Audio. CarPlay®, iPhone® , Siri® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc.® Android Auto® , Android® , Google® are registered trademarks of Google, Inc.® Copyright © 2023 GROM Audio 1

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