Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
I personally think its worth the $1500 just to get away from all/any MCU1 problems. Even though newer cars get bells and whistles on top of shedding MCU1, leaving all MCU1 problems behind is enough.
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To MCU2 or not to MCU2?
- Thread starter domodan
- Start date
dmicah
Internet Weasel
I "but then had to pay" because it wasn't free, not because I felt it wasn't worth $1500. I was just trying hypothesize as to why some folks got HW3 free with their MCU2 and some didn't.
So I put a call into my service center. I am told that the 1500 MCU2 upgrade DOES include 3.0 HW upgrades for 2.x Model S/X. He read me the information directly from their internal documents (internal because I asked him to email it to me and he said he couldn't because it was internal).
So...that answers that.
So...that answers that.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
@dmicah, I guess I was just mis reading your first comment. I got the impression someone was forcing MCU2 on you.
Elon had said and its been posted many times that anyone that paid for FSD would get HW3. All this was said long before he even agreed Tesla would work on providing MCU2 to older cars. And during that timeline, we owners did not know how bad MCU1 would eventually be with HW3. Its understandable we would not know, because Tesla had not started replacing HW2/2.5 with HW3. My point is, we thought MCU1 would run as fast as MCU2. But we are all smarter about it now.
Elon had said and its been posted many times that anyone that paid for FSD would get HW3. All this was said long before he even agreed Tesla would work on providing MCU2 to older cars. And during that timeline, we owners did not know how bad MCU1 would eventually be with HW3. Its understandable we would not know, because Tesla had not started replacing HW2/2.5 with HW3. My point is, we thought MCU1 would run as fast as MCU2. But we are all smarter about it now.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
That's good news. Its more official than any one or place has provided or shared before.
Hookemhorns
Member
Just finally got mine (took almost 5 weeks for them to get the part). Works great: maps are fast, voice commands are much much faster, internet browser actually works, and I'm not afraid I'll be left stranded when my MCU1 fails as it was headed toward for several months now.
One problem, if I start up Netflix or other videos/games, the "X" to close it is tucked so far in the upper right corner that my finger can't be detected pressing it. If I use my little finger and push it into the corner, it will close. A new skill to learn.
They kept all of my settings...every single one. I did have to re-pair my phone, and reconnect the homelink garage door opener. There was no camera calibration period. As is always the case, SC was great once I finally connected with them and they got the part. Turned the car in one morning, picked it up the next. I miss the good old days when I could depend on a Tesla loaner. Driving a rental minivan reinforced my appreciation for driving electric.
One problem, if I start up Netflix or other videos/games, the "X" to close it is tucked so far in the upper right corner that my finger can't be detected pressing it. If I use my little finger and push it into the corner, it will close. A new skill to learn.
They kept all of my settings...every single one. I did have to re-pair my phone, and reconnect the homelink garage door opener. There was no camera calibration period. As is always the case, SC was great once I finally connected with them and they got the part. Turned the car in one morning, picked it up the next. I miss the good old days when I could depend on a Tesla loaner. Driving a rental minivan reinforced my appreciation for driving electric.
sharkcom
Member
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
We'd rather call it Teslacam, because it unlike any single dashcam you have heard of. Its not just front or just rear. Its all four sides. Its front, left and right side at the repeaters on the fenders, and the rear. And you can review the video clips in the car on the main screen. And unlike most dashcams, you are not limited to micro SD media or flash drive. You can add a low power hard disk - a SSD - Solid State Drive, maybe secure it in the glove box, and save many more times of video than micro SD media. Not your grandpappy's dashcam 
I had/have a 2017 MS with MCU1/AP2.5 and I had the dashcam/sentry function, although it was mostly unusable since much of the moving video was heavily pixellated. And I could not view them on the display. Since the MCU2/HW3 upgrade, it's been working great.
Since it appears that HW3 is still included in the MCU2 upgrade price anyway, you SHOULD get full dashcam/sentry function if you upgrade.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
You can see the difference between AP2 and AP2.5 cameras by looking at some of my videos. I upgraded my cameras to get a better color image.
I wasn't aware that the AP2 and AP2.5 cameras were different. I always thought they didn't do dashcam on AP2 because the AP2/MCU1 HW combo just didn't have enough horsepower. Heck, even AP2.5 didn't really have enough horsepower.
Recent feedback from service centers have indicated that Tesla's current policy IS to upgrade all AP2 and AP2.5 cars to HW3 as part of an MCU2 upgrade, even if you didn't buy FSD. That was my case as well, and it makes sense that when the customer is paying to upgrade, might as well install the HW anyway, which they would have to do for free if someone buys FSD later.
You could order the upgrade, and when they provide you the estimate, you can tell from the ordered parts whether it includes the HW3 part.
Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
Thanks for this link - very helpful. From reading it it seems that it is the shift from HW2 - HW3 that enables dashcam and sentry and this is independent of the MCU version fitted. So what would be helpful would be to hear from any UK based MS owners in the same position as me ie HW2, MCU1 and "standard" AP....when you upgraded from MCU1-2 at the lower price (£1400 I think in the UK) did you get an upgrade to HW3 thrown in?
Not UK specific, but every upgrade to MCU2 I know of included HW3, regardless of any autopilot purchased.
And although Dashcam and Sentry technically exist on MCU1 (as of HW2) their usability on MCU2 is soooo much better.
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Akikiki
A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
Search on TMC for more threads about MCU2. The differences are remarkably improved with MCU2. Its been discussed to death here.
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