... On a side note I've lost the speed limit sign since updating the map (traffic signs are turned on). Anyone else had this ?

In the link I posted above VW explain there are seven license's built into the card, one is used loading the maps leaving six for updates. As the updated maps are released every six months you will get three years.

As others have pointed out that is probably the usual VAG horse manure. If the system were licence bound then you could update only once a year and so get 6 free years. The system is time bound - and is marketed as such in all Skoda marketing materials.

The point is that I dont think simple counts work. I am of the opinion that the head unit actually has to write some information to the card following certain events (such as detection of a data update).

Why this matters to me is that my SD card was bricked following my very first map update. Skoda insist this was due to me doing something wrong on my PC and that could be the only feasible explanation. I was therefore faced with a £230 bill to replace the card after only owning the car for a few months.

But if there are read/write operations being performed on the secure area of the card by the head unit it is equally feasible that the Amundsen unit bricked the card.

Hence my interest in understanding how this works. It will probably never happen again but you never know.

Edited 20 July, 201411 yr by Minimoke

It has sense that the Amundsen unit makes the write operations to limit the number of updates. So I think that the unit bricked the card and not the pc. From my point of view, lack of responsibility from Skoda blaming you and not the unit.

The point is that I dont think simple counts work. I am of the opinion that the head unit actually has to write some information to the card following certain events (such as detection of a data update).

 

 

The only problem with that theory is that you are supposed to 'lock' the card before inserting it into the unit.  If you do that, it cannot write to it.

 

Unless, of course, the unit completely ignores the physical read-only lock and writes to it anyway...

I'm surprised there is not a way round this yet. Maybe in a year or so when the computer hacking peeps can't update their maps they will come up with something.

Unless, of course, the unit completely ignores the physical read-only lock and writes to it anyway...

Just so. The physical lock will only protect the user (map) data. The firmware in the head unit could be designed to ignore the lock and allow writes to the reserved area of the card.

Edited 20 July, 201411 yr by Minimoke

No, in Spain the card is not included with the Amundsen satnav. You have to order it, and it costs 220€.

Just to come back to basics how in hell's name do Skoda get away with selling vehicles with a Sat nav & then expect you to buy the SD card for it to work. What next will you go & pick your car up & the dealer tells you that you need to buy some tyres & don't forget you will need some oil!!!!!

If you have the Spanish equivalent of Skoda UK I would be inclined to ask them why?

[quote name="kalpat"

If you have the Spanish equivalent of Skoda UK I would be inclined to ask them why?

I think the answer will be that the vehicle is what VAG laughing call "sat nav ready". My memory may be awry but I think some UK Audi models were sold in that manner and you had to pay extra to activate if you wanted to use the sat nav.

Edited 20 July, 201411 yr by Minimoke

The DRM scheme embedded in the SD cards is the Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM or CPPM) specification of the 4C Entity, which features the Cryptomeria cipher (also termed C2). The specification is kept secret and is accessible only to licensees. The scheme has not been broken or cracked; however, this feature of SD cards is rarely used to protect content. DVD-Audio uses the same DRM scheme.

Google 4C Entity or VAG use 4C Entity.

The DRM scheme embedded in the SD cards is the Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM or CPPM) specification of the 4C Entity, which features the Cryptomeria cipher (also termed C2). The specification is kept secret and is accessible only to licensees. The scheme has not been broken or cracked; however, this feature of SD cards is rarely used to protect content. DVD-Audio uses the same DRM scheme.

Google 4C Entity or VAG use 4C Entity.

"...this feature of SD cards is rarely used to protect content." So if it is not protecting the content what is it protecting?

I did Google as you suggested and found several comments on Reddit. Some of them are just plain wrong - such as:

" From the manual [presumably the VW manual?]:For licensing reasons, once the copying has been completed, the memory card will be permanently assigned to this radio navigation system and CANNOT be used in other radio navigation systms of the same type any more".

I have genuine Skoda SD cards which I can freely interchange between different head units. keithvrs and a work colleage also performed a similar experiment about a week ago and proved you can freely swap cards between head units without let or hinderance.

I'm may be making heavy weather of this - perhaps I'm an "early adopter". But when a few more Skoda custoners start being forced to pay £230 to fix a SD card fault which prevents the Nav from working caused by a potentially dodgy firmware event in the head unit then the topic may shoot up the priority list.

I hope that an understanding of how this all works will help deal with Skoda in an informed manner concerning Nav/SD card problems in future. At the moment customers are totally at the mercy of whatever Skoda customer service say.

Edited 20 July, 201411 yr by Minimoke

I hope so. I'm not going to spend 200 every 3 years. The only doubt I have is if the 6 updates can be done in 3 years or in more (for instance once a year).

"...this feature of SD cards is rarely used to protect content." So if it is not protecting the content what is it protecting?

Trust me I'm no expert on this, only posted as I hoped it would help others more knowledgeable than myself.

I read it as it was rarely used to protect the content that users read/write, illegal downloads etc, but could be used to protect the section that is encrypted. When I searched I came up with, licensed users can access and dedicated hardware. as you say there is loads of about it out there and like anything you look up on the web most of it is cr*p (excluding this site of course)

I'm not planning to keep my car more than three years, but if I mess up an update.....

I read it as it was rarely used to protect the content that users read/write, illegal downloads etc, but could be used to protect the section that is encrypted. When I searched I came up with, licensed users can access and dedicated hardware. as you say there is loads of about it out there and like anything you look up on the web most of it is cr*p (excluding this site of course)

I'm not planning to keep my car more than three years, but if I mess up an update.....

 

You may have made a good point about protection of the reserved area on the card. I hadn't thought of that.

 

Your comment about possible issues with map updates is pertinent as this was exactly the position I started from!

sorry for waking this old thread.

 

Has anyone hit the 6 updates limit?

 

Does trying (i've never succeeded) to add POI data use up 'lives'?