Supercharge Your Spotify Car Thing: Unleashing Macro Deck for Ultimate Control

Spotify Car Thing, while designed for streamlined music control, has untapped potential. For those looking to extend its functionality beyond the basics, integrating Macro Deck opens up a world of customization. This guide will walk you through the process of installing Macro Deck on your Car Thing, allowing for a more personalized and powerful in-car Spotify experience. While initially complex, the steps are straightforward for anyone comfortable with basic command-line operations. Transform your Car Thing Spotify experience today!

To delve deeper and access community support, join the Car Thing Hax Discord: https://discord.gg/CwwrT6xPEF

Explore further developments and resources on the GitHub organization: https://github.com/Car-Thing-Hax-Community

Note: The following instructions are based on community-developed methods and may require adjustments for future software versions. Currently, compatibility with the latest Macro Deck version is being actively addressed by developers. Check the Discord for the most up-to-date information and troubleshooting.

Steps to Install Macro Deck on Spotify Car Thing:

This process involves using Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to push necessary files to your Car Thing. Ensure you have ADB set up on your computer before proceeding.

1. Mount Car Thing as Read-Write:

   adb shell mount -o remount,rw /

   This command remounts the root file system of your Car Thing with read and write permissions, allowing file modifications.

2. Backup Original Web Application (Optional but Recommended):

   adb shell cp -r /usr/share/qt-superbird-app/webapp/ /usr/share/qt-superbird-app/webapp.bak/

   This step creates a backup of the original Car Thing web application. This is crucial for reverting to the original state if needed.

3. Remove Original Web Application Files:

   adb shell rm -rf /usr/share/qt-superbird-app/webapp/*

   This command removes all files within the current web application directory, preparing it for the Macro Deck files.

4. Push Macro Deck Web Client Files:

   adb push Macro-Deck-Web-Client-main/* /usr/share/qt-superbird-app/webapp/

   This pushes the Macro Deck web client files to the Car Thing’s web application directory. You’ll need to download the Macro-Deck-Web-Client-main files beforehand from the provided GitHub link or relevant source.

5. Replace Index File:

   adb push index-edited.html /usr/share/qt-superbird-app/webapp/index.html

   This step replaces the default index.html file with an edited version (index-edited.html). This edited file likely contains modifications for easier connectivity, such as auto-filling the IP address for Macro Deck.

6. Push Configuration File:

   adb push supervisord.conf /etc

   The supervisord.conf file is pushed to the /etc directory. This configuration file is modified to disable certain Car Thing processes (like software updates and phone communication) to potentially free up system resources for Macro Deck.

7. Reboot Car Thing:

   adb reboot

   This command reboots your Spotify Car Thing, applying the changes.

8. Connect to Macro Deck Web UI:
   After rebooting, the Macro Deck web UI should load on your Car Thing screen. To connect your PC to the Car Thing’s Macro Deck interface, run the following ADB command on your computer:

   adb reverse tcp:8191 tcp:8191

   (Adjust the port number ‘8191’ if you are using a different port configuration.) This command sets up port forwarding, allowing communication between your computer’s Macro Deck software and the Car Thing. You’ll need to run this command every time you reboot your computer or disconnect and reconnect your Car Thing. Press “connect” within the Macro Deck interface on your Car Thing.

Limitations and Considerations:

Currently, physical button functionality on the Car Thing is limited when using Macro Deck. This is believed to be a constraint of Macro Deck itself, but community investigation into keyboard key mapping is ongoing.

• Preset Buttons (1-4): Correspond to number keys 1-4 on a keyboard.
• Menu Button: M key.
• Back Button: ESC key.
• Wheel Button: Spacebar or Enter key (experiment to confirm).
• Wheel Dial: Mouse scroll wheel functionality.

The index-edited.html file primarily automates IP address input, as Car Thing lacks direct keyboard input. The supervisord.conf file is tweaked to optimize resource allocation by disabling background processes.

Updating Macro Deck Web Client:

To update the Macro Deck web client on your car thing spotify setup, simply re-edit line 104 of the index.html file with the necessary modifications and re-push the updated files via ADB to the /usr/share/qt-superbird-app/webapp/ directory.

By following these steps, you can unlock a new level of control and customization for your Spotify Car Thing using Macro Deck, enhancing your in-car entertainment and car thing spotify interaction. Remember to consult the Discord community for the latest updates, troubleshooting tips, and to share your experiences!