Replaced the JayCommand display with a controller

[gobdeep]

The last of three Christmas week mods.

I snagged a JayCommand controller board model RVMC101B rev 13B on eBay for cheap. The controller board worked fine but the Android tablet did not.

I picked up a Lenovo Tab E7 TB-7104F which has the same dimensions as the factory tablet.

I replaced the tablet with my Lenovo and mounted it in the controller board housing. Because I didn't have the full housing, I had to mount the unit as best I could using four screws.

The hardware buttons work without issue - 1 for inside lights, 2 for awning lights, 3 for all lights, and 4 (although a light bulb symbol) turns the water pump on and off. Extend and Retract functions work too.

On the tablet, I have the JayCommand Android app but I also loaded YouTube Music, DI.fm, RadioTunes, Spotify, and Sirius XM. The tablet is paired with the bluetooth controller and with the IRV-36 radio so this area essentially becomes a control station for the travel trailer and the entertainment center too.

To help keep the screen alive, I installed the "Lucid DayDream Screensaver Full" app on the tablet which allows me to double-tap to wake the tablet after a period of inactivity. This way, I don't have to do the JayCommand reset "trick" or put a paperclip through the hole in the bottom to wake the tablet. It also allows the screen to dim without Android developer mode keeping the screen awake while on charge and blinding everybody sleeping in the bunk beds.

It looks a lot better in person and passes the wife's quality control checks with flying colors. Sorry for the crappy pictures.

Thor RV part number RVMC101B.
Jayco RV part number 2027290.

 

[TomC_AZ]

This is awesome! you are a few steps ahead of me on the JayCommand system. I just received notice back from BMPRO that this was compatible with the system that just had the display LCD screen. Were there any hiccups with this other than the tablet issue? i.e. was it mainly plug and play? It seems like it is a more feature rich controller than the LCD? It looks more impressive for sure

I will say I love my JayCommand system and everyone who see's it is in awe as well. I have the tire, propane and temp sensors as well and all work great! My trailer is the feather micro so the extender is not needed to get the signal in the TV.

Just one suggestion unless your happy with them, replace the USB ports with these - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09D34DTTZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The standard USB Ports in all trailers including my new 2022 just suck bad! It was still charging my iPhone Pro Max in the morning... I replaced with these, just a simple unscrew and connect with the WAGO connector and screw new in, works like a charm and have high speed QA and PD charging along with USB C. Tested this last weekend and had the phone from 20% to fully charged in 45min. If you dont like the doors over the ports just dont install them, not needed. I have a couple more of these that I will be putting over by our bed as these are 12v and the "tower of power" (junk) is 120v.

 

[jetlag]

The last of three Christmas week mods.

I snagged a JayCommand controller board model RVMC101B rev 13B on eBay for cheap. The controller board worked fine but the Android tablet did not.

I picked up a Lenovo Tab E7 TB-7104F which has the same dimensions as the factory tablet.

I replaced the tablet with my Lenovo and mounted it in the controller board housing. Because I didn't have the full housing, I had to mount the unit as best I could using four screws.

The hardware buttons work without issue - 1 for inside lights, 2 for awning lights, 3 for all lights, and 4 (although a light bulb symbol) turns the water pump on and off. Extend and Retract functions work too.

On the tablet, I have the JayCommand Android app but I also loaded YouTube Music, DI.fm, RadioTunes, Spotify, and Sirius XM. The tablet is paired with the bluetooth controller and with the IRV-36 radio so this area essentially becomes a control station for the travel trailer and the entertainment center too.

To help keep the screen alive, I installed the "Lucid DayDream Screensaver Full" app on the tablet which allows me to double-tap to wake the tablet after a period of inactivity. This way, I don't have to do the JayCommand reset "trick" or put a paperclip through the hole in the bottom to wake the tablet. It also allows the screen to dim without Android developer mode keeping the screen awake while on charge and blinding everybody sleeping in the bunk beds.

It looks a lot better in person and passes the wife's quality control checks with flying colors. Sorry for the crappy pictures.

Thor RV part number RVMC101B.
Jayco RV part number 2027290.

If you go on YouTube you will find videos on keeping the screen awake all the time. I have only used the paperclip if needing to reset the JayCommand tablet.

 

[Bjones211]

Where did you get the controller tablet cover?

 

[gobdeep]

@TomC_AZ - The JayCommand unit, at least on mine, has two CAN BUS 4-pin connection points. One of them is used for the Display or the Controller. The other one has a resistor across pins 1 and 4 (it may be 2 and 3). If the CAN BUS plug with the resistor is removed, I noticed that the charging doesn't work on the tablet. I am wondering if the resistor is there to "trick" the JayCommand unit into detecting a device and sending the charge voltage down the CAN BUS wire. I'd image if I had the Controller (which is what I modded) and added my Display back to the JayCommand unit, it would still work. Long story short, mine is designed for two hard-wired devices. If using one, the second CAN BUS needs the resistor.

No hiccups other than modding the case in a few spots to align the power button. I needed to drill a hole in the case and remove a plastic clip for proper fitment.

RE: USB ports. Yeah, I agree on the minimal charge voltage/amperage. The USB outlets are manufactured by American Technology Components and their USB lineup can be found here: https://shop.atcomp.com/search?keywords=USB
There are two reasons why I used the AV1-5SI-UP style USB outlet for this project. 1) it keeps the factory look. I am very much on keeping up factory-like appearances when I can. 2) the USB ports that you see in that picture are for powering the Verizon MiFi which never comes off of that homemade dock. I wanted to keep voltages and amperage at a minimum for the MiFi.

@jetlag - Yeah, YouTube helped here. I tried Android developer mode but the screen was on full brightness and it faces the bunk beds. That would have become annoying pretty quick. I found somebody using the Lucid Daydream screensaver. It dims the screen to 10% and I can double-tap to unlock. This is good because the power button isn't the easiest to get to.

@bjones211 - eBay. See my first post and I have some model numbers in there that might help. You could always ping your local Jayco dealership with that part number or we use Rocket City RV in Alabama for parts ordering.

All in all, I like the hardware buttons, but they are more of a convenience. The only needed part was the USB power, but that would have been an easy mod if I couldn't get the hardware buttons. Just an Android tablet wall mount and would have sufficed.

 

[TomC_AZ]

@gobdeep could you please get a closer/clear picture of the jaycommand node? That is the exact same one I have, but ours is inside the end of a cabinet and a pain to get out to fully look at. I will say I can tell you cleaned up the wires! I will have to take some pictures of ours, its pretty sad!

I have been told that the node and controllers should also integrate with the GoPower solar and I suspect possibly other solar solutions, have you looked into this at all yet?

On the USB ports, I looked at the ones from ATC however that is what came standard in ours. I am pretty sure its limited to only 5v/2amp if that. I needed a higher power port to simplify my life for powering a MacBook using the USB C, the one I got barely does it. I would love one that is ever higher power but cannot find one.

I have added some other toys that stay perm mounted in the trailer such as a full 12v powered windows computer thats mounted to the back of the TV along with a USB drive and DVD drive and use for running PLEX or playing DVD's since our TV does not have one. Of course it also does anything else needed and is always available. Basically I needed more ports and better ones.

Here is a couple pictures the first is of the USB port I added for the laptop and the second is of the sensors screen on the phone for the JayCommand for those who have not seen it. I only wish that the water tank sensors were as good as the others !!

 

[gobdeep]

Yeah, I have an option in the controller to add "Solar" but I have no idea how it integrates or what it does. I have the GoPower charge controller mounted near the slide out wall, but it is "standalone" and only connects the panels to the battery bank. I'm not sure how it integrates with the JayCommand but I am curious.

Let me snag some pictures and I'll upload them shortly.

 

[gobdeep]

Here is a combination of newer and older pictures before I put an ICOM 2730A radio on top of the JayCommand unit. I didn't want to uninstall the ICOM for pictures, so this is the best I could do.

Update: See this post for changing the floor plan to "unlock" the additional features of the JayCommand unit.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/...vel-trailer-is-hideous-92074.html#post1014172

 

[JuniperMS]

So it's a plug n play modification? I found the entire device for $120 and it appears to have the same plug as the smaller unit currently in my travel trailer. If it helps, I have a 2021 WhiteHawk 32RL.

 

[gobdeep]

So it's a plug n play modification? I found the entire device for $120 and it appears to have the same plug as the smaller unit currently in my travel trailer. If it helps, I have a 2021 WhiteHawk 32RL.

Appears to be, yes. The plug will power and control the PCB buttons. The tablet uses bluetooth to connect to the board for app control.

Can you send a picture of what you have in your TT and the unit you found?

 

[JuniperMS]

I have the small display. I found the larger model here but someone bought it. I went and looked at my RV and it appears I do not have enough space for the full size display.

https://imgur.com/a/3yUFogA

 

[gobdeep]

I have the small display. I found the larger model here but someone bought it. I went and looked at my RV and it appears I do not have enough space for the full size display.

https://imgur.com/a/3yUFogA

Yeah, that’s a tight squeeze. I imagine that your JayCommand node is behind that panel?

You can go a different route and just get an Android tablet with the JayCommand app and mount the tablet somewhere with USB power if you still want the app control.

 

[JuniperMS]

I may just do that. I can print a bracket and fix it to the wall. Thank you for your replies.

 

[Tom B-JAY]

Nice write up and install! I have a question about the ability of this system to use cellular, will your setup work or are other parts required?

Thanks!

 

[gobdeep]

Nice write up and install! I have a question about the ability of this system to use cellular, will your setup work or are other parts required?

Thanks!

If you replaced the tablet with a cellular-enabled tablet and had cellular service, then you might be able to setup a remote connection (Meraki MDM comes to mind) or something similar for remote access.

 

[TomC_AZ]

@ Tom B, What Gobdeep says would work, you could also use that tablet as a mobile hotspot with the right plan.

I was also wondering if what you are asking is if adding this controller will allow you to manage the Winegard hotspot/wifi? If that is the case I think that it can, at least according to the manual, however I don't know if it will work with the smaller node. I don't see any connection on it for that device, and I don't have the larger node to look at. I believe it needs the bigger node module to have that capability, I also think if you have that bigger node you also already get this larger controller.

What I am saying is I don't know if its a function of the node or the controller or even the controller software. It might honestly be the controller/tablet software that adds this over the smaller controller. Again I don't have a 4g/wifi enabled winegard. Mine is only TV/FM radio.

 

[Tom B-JAY]

I currently have the small controller and would like to be able to monitor remotely. Some of the units have that ability. I am not sure if I would need just the larger controller or if it is a function in the base unit that is behind the panel. I do have the winegard with the Wi-Fi ability, but would probably just use a hotspot. Sorry for the slow reply,but we are leaving for Texas in the morning.

Thanks

 

[gdumas01]

If anyone is looking to purchase the JayCommand ProTablet controller.
I reached out to Jayco Parts for the part # and description. Cost for the part was from my local dealer.

Part # 0340940 - PANEL, CONTROL 7" TOUCH SCREEN WITH MOUNTING BRACKET J1-1 BMPRO
Price $428.60 + tax.

If anyone can find this cheaper, please post info on this thread.

 

[Bjones211]

I would probably do this mod if they sold the bracket to hold the controller for less than $100. Just can’t justify that much for a bracket with a $150 tablet in it.

 

[gobdeep]

Yeah, I can't imagine that a PCB with some hardware buttons cost $300 with the tablet being $100. They have some serious markup.

Essentially you only need to already have the "display" or the "controller" as either of those include the bluetooth component within their assembly. Post that, any bluetooth-enabled "smart" device (tablet, phone) that can run JayCommand can be used as the new controller.

Any tablet wall mount could be used as long as the bluetooth function exists within your JayCommand system.

I have no idea how 3D printing works, but I have seen some folks here in JOF make 3D printed brackets. Perhaps somebody on these forums could print a few brackets for those wanting to add a new controller to their rig for a small fee?