UConnect and Cluster Display - SXM

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wildneg

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2018
Engine
3.6L V6
So I loved the gas mileage on my 2019 GMC Canyon with the 2.8 turbo. I traveled once a week for work and then took my kids a few times a week to my parents house since they watch them while I work from hom. My trip up north is like 170 miles or so round trip. The GMC was just too small even with me just driving by myself. I have two car seats in the back for the kids. So it just wasn't practical. I ended up going back to a RAM 1500 but decided on going with the V6. Isn't the 29MPG the diesel got but it isn't the 16MPG the Hemi got.

So the GMC had the Adroid Auto. I could hook my phone up and use google maps which helped me choose the best route to/from work. It would change a lot because of the number of expressways I could take. I would leave the Android Auto on the radio screen while I listened to XM radio. What I loved about the GMC, I could flip channels via the steering wheel and the dash / cluster display would tell me the artist / song. So I could still flip around without having to actually switch back to the radio from anroid auto. It was one of the greatest things!

Now with the new Ram 2018 I have, it has Android Auto too. I specifically looked for a 2018 or newer just for the Anrdoid Auto. What I'm finding myself doing is having it on Android Auto but as I flip XM stations, I'm going back to the radio to see the artist/song. The GMC had it on the cluster display. I know on the Ram cluster, I can see the XM station but I didn't see any way to pull the arist/song up. I beleive it was the same way on my 2016 Ram w/ the Hemi.

So I'm looking for a way to keep the Android Auto up on the radio and then somehow get the song/artist to show up somewhere on the parameter of the UConnect radio (outside of the android auto) or on the dash cluster display. I don't know if anyone has a trick or if there is any kind of RAM update out there for the software to do this? I feel like this would be a HUGE thing to get it integrated between UConnect/Dash Cluster Display. It was such a simple thing in the GMC truck and had a huge impact while I drove, not having to switch back and forth. First world problems, right?

When I was looking for a full sized truck, I was actually considering some GMC/Chevy 1500s just because I knew the dash cluster display did this. My memory for the RAM said it couldn't, and of course I was right. But I didn't want to go with the V6 chevy engine and couldn't find an affordable Diesel 3.0L.

So here I am, just checking to see if anyone can relate and if any tricks of the trade can be shared to possibly solve this? I'm guessing if RAM doesn't have it coded this way in their UConnect, I'm SOL though.

Thanks all!
 

PaleFlyer

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Hemi 5.7
When I had XM, the cluster would show the channel at the top, but I don't remember anything like GMC has for the artist/song. I found out about that recently, as my work assigned me a '17 Silverado. I don't think there is any "good" way to do it. (I can think of a hacky way maybe...)

What you might be able to do is use XM on your phone as a streaming app, and then AA now has the "coolwalk" option where you can split the display, and show the media playing on the right side. But that kinda kills the purpose of XM, in that it doesn't eat data, and doesn't require a cell signal.

Only thing I can really think of that isn't just stupidly complex for no reason (basically creating a mini-install of something like Google Assitant/Shazam on a pi, and hotspotting it.
 
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wildneg

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2018
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I thought about that too. Last week even looked at getting the unlimited data plan for my cell and doing the split. I would have to pay more for unlimited and still pay for SXM to stream through their app. It is an option and been discussed! Wife didn't want to spend anymore money but I found her streaming music from her phone a few times in her car. Haha...
 

PaleFlyer

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I thought about that too. Last week even looked at getting the unlimited data plan for my cell and doing the split. I would have to pay more for unlimited and still pay for SXM to stream through their app. It is an option and been discussed! Wife didn't want to spend anymore money but I found her streaming music from her phone a few times in her car. Haha...
Ah, see, that is a difference. I went "true" unlimited as early as I could get it back, and I have fought the carriers to keep it. So that isn't part of the math for me. (I often have 40+ GB in a month on one phone on my plan, if not 2 of the 3.)
 
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wildneg

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2018
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3.6L V6
Ah, see, that is a difference. I went "true" unlimited as early as I could get it back, and I have fought the carriers to keep it. So that isn't part of the math for me. (I often have 40+ GB in a month on one phone on my plan, if not 2 of the 3.)
I've heard a lot of horror stories from people ... Fighting all the time to keep those old plans with unlimited! Don't give it up!!
 
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