Another: Plug-n-Play AUX-In - 2005 6-CD Radio

Ok...so I have figured out all problems and it is ready for deployment. I need 20 people before I order a set of boards.

Right now this is how the board hooks up

Red Wire - Goes to 12V (Can be soldered onto the wiring harness)

Green Wire - Goes to Ground (Can be soldered onto the wiring harness)

Orange Wire - Goes to Momentary Switch (Can be soldered into extra button on AM/FM/CD buttons (aka SAT-button) - by cutting traces...more difficult.

RCA connector - Plug your Auxiliary Connection into this.

Plug CD Changer cable to CD Changer port on "new board"

Plug supplied cable to Radio port on "new board" and radio board.

This is how it works.

1.) Turn the radio on.

2.) Push the FM button.

3.) Push the momentary/SAT button

4.) Music will be playing off of your Auxiliary Unit (iPod, MP3, XM, etc...)

That's it...radio is totally bypassed no matter what other buttons you press. Try it, it is AWESOME. The CD doesn't spin in FM mode but the Aux-In plays.

Wow, cool. So you found the signals, huh? I was thinking about trying this once I got your board, but no need now!

Here's the pipedream....

I'm assuming you're going to be able to detect the signals for track forward/back and change CD buttons. Once you're there, you'll one small step away from converting that signal to one for an iPod to change playlists (1-6) and track forward/back. Just a thought. I know it'd be lots of work, but it may be one small step that'd add a lot of value.

Btw, you're awesome for figuring all this out!

I don't know if you could translate that into playlist change because it will be a digital signal and that would require using a dock connector for the iPod...that is far more complicated than I wanted to go.

But, by all means, if you wanted to do that with yours...go right ahead...the good thing is that the ribbon cable connection would be easy to add a scope to if you wanted to figure it out or whatever.

To help get you started.

http://www.maushammer.com/systems/ipod-remote/ipod-remote.html

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. I only have an associates in EE, but I can do a few things.

I don't know if you could translate that into playlist change because it will be a digital signal and that would require using a dock connector for the iPod...that is far more complicated than I wanted to go.

 

But, by all means, if you wanted to do that with yours...go right ahead...the good thing is that the ribbon cable connection would be easy to add a scope to if you wanted to figure it out or whatever.

I may do just that. Yeah, it looks like playlist change would be a whole 'nother ball of wax. What would be possible is something like all the disc buttons play/pause, and forward/next do the appropriate functions.

Funny thing, I don't even have an ipod, but I might have to get one just to play with this. I love projects...

Like I said, I would rather get this working before attempting something like that (1-step at a time).

The only thing is that because people want to use more than just the iPod, I don't want to limit the Aux-In solution or have 2 separate boards...so I would say that I am not going to do this.

Ok...so I have figured out all problems and it is ready for deployment. I need 20 people before I order a set of boards.

Right now this is how the board hooks up

Red Wire - Goes to 12V (Can be soldered onto the wiring harness)

Green Wire - Goes to Ground (Can be soldered onto the wiring harness)

Orange Wire - Goes to Momentary Switch (Can be soldered into extra button on AM/FM/CD buttons (aka SAT-button) - by cutting traces...more difficult.

RCA connector - Plug your Auxiliary Connection into this.

Plug CD Changer cable to CD Changer port on "new board"

Plug supplied cable to Radio port on "new board" and radio board.

This is how it works.

1.) Turn the radio on.

2.) Push the FM button.

3.) Push the momentary/SAT button

4.) Music will be playing off of your Auxiliary Unit (iPod, MP3, XM, etc...)

That's it...radio is totally bypassed no matter what other buttons you press. Try it, it is AWESOME. The CD doesn't spin in FM mode but the Aux-In plays.

This sounds good, so no blank CD to play at all? very tempting!

X

This sounds good, so no blank CD to play at all? very tempting!

 

X

Exactly...no blank CD...no CD spin at all!!!

OK i think I want it! How much is it??

X

Not sure...I have 2 extras right now after I hook it up and make sure it works before I commit.

Add your name to the list of the 20 minimum and that way I can order a batch of boards. There is a huge price break on boards when I order 20 or more.

$125: Completed board shipped

$500: Installed board using SAT switch since it requires cutting traces (of course usual disclaimer applies here).

1.) laz

Ok...so I am not going to give away all the secrets as it took many months of investigative work and thousands of dollars of investments (extra radio, parts, boards, prototypes, prototypes, prototypes, etc...)

But basically, I found the pin that controls the audio output selection of the radio. It doesn't matter which input you are on...doesn't have to be FM, you could switch to the Aux-in while a CD is playing or even when AM is playing...pretty crazy and lucky to find it.

It was actually easier than I thought and am surprised that Subaru didn't include this as an option. Oh well, hopefully I can recoup my investment back...but I would need to sell at least 50 boards before my investment is back, but I initially did this for my own good and amazingly it has progressed into this!!

1. In AM mode and press the momentary button it switches to Aux-In. Press Momentary button again and it switches back to AM.

2. In CD mode and press the momentary button it switches to Aux-In. Press Momentary button again and it switches back to CD.

3. In FM mode and press the momentary button it switches to Aux-In. Press Momentary button again and it switches back to FM.

I have updated the price list again because I forgot about the discounted boards in quantities of 20.

mvigneau -> I told you you'd finish it up once I bought my fm transmitor and metra cables. I should get a discount for doing that!

In any case, I'll happily buy one.

Hi. My friend just told me about this site. Count me in. Been wanting to ditch this crappy fm transmitter for a long time.

ROFLMAO!!! That was awesome Thanks I needed that.

1.) laz

2.) noam

3.) diehardnicole

4.) rt78kp

This looks awesome, I really didn't want to have to deal with keeping a blank CD in the player all the time. It's cool that, centerpunch's original thread has spawned two available solutions, almost simultaneously. Yours is quite a bit more expensive but looks like a much more sophisticated solution.

Sign me up!

I did have some questions, though:

1) One of your photos shows some jumper wires soldered on the main board - we don't have to do that, right?

2) Did you solve the crosstalk/bleed-through issue that you encountered a while ago?

3) Will you be able to post instructions and photos for the SAT switch modification?

4) I'm assuming your circuit resets after cycling the power. If I didn't like that behavior, could I attach a non-momentary switch to your switch input so that the aux input remains active whenever the switch is on, even when I turn the ignition off and back on? Or, does your circuit only activate when it sees a high-to-low (or vice-versa) transition?

5) What are your mounting recommendations? Free floating? Mounting holes & standoffs? Double-sided sticky pads?

6) Will you be providing some kind of insulating sleeve (heat shrink, perhaps?) to prevent contact with casing and other components?

Sorry, that's a lot of questions but I like to know everything there is to know before shelling out cash :-)

Thanks,

Tim.

$125: Completed board shipped

I'm in. How should I send you the money?

Not sure...I have 2 extras right now after I hook it up and make sure it works before I commit.

 

Add your name to the list of the 20 minimum and that way I can order a batch of boards. There is a huge price break on boards when I order 20 or more.

 

$125: Completed board shipped

$500: Installed board using SAT switch since it requires cutting traces (of course usual disclaimer applies here).

 

1.) laz

Sorry - I'm not sure I am understanding the difference between the $125 and $500 options. The $500 includes YOU installing and doing everything to get this thing up and running?

This looks awesome, I really didn't want to have to deal with keeping a blank CD in the player all the time. It's cool that, centerpunch's original thread has spawned two available solutions, almost simultaneously. Yours is quite a bit more expensive but looks like a much more sophisticated solution.

 

Sign me up!

 

I did have some questions, though:

 

1) One of your photos shows some jumper wires soldered on the main board - we don't have to do that, right?

 

2) Did you solve the crosstalk/bleed-through issue that you encountered a while ago?

 

3) Will you be able to post instructions and photos for the SAT switch modification?

 

4) I'm assuming your circuit resets after cycling the power. If I didn't like that behavior, could I attach a non-momentary switch to your switch input so that the aux input remains active whenever the switch is on, even when I turn the ignition off and back on? Or, does your circuit only activate when it sees a high-to-low (or vice-versa) transition?

 

5) What are your mounting recommendations? Free floating? Mounting holes & standoffs? Double-sided sticky pads?

 

6) Will you be providing some kind of insulating sleeve (heat shrink, perhaps?) to prevent contact with casing and other components?

 

Sorry, that's a lot of questions but I like to know everything there is to know before shelling out cash :-)

 

Thanks,

Tim.

I think an installation walkthrough is in order