Plug n Play Aux-in mod for 2005 6cd radios

[amason]

Back to the idea of a CD that will keep playing, I was thinking about a low-tech solution: A really big scratch. I think it would just keep skipping, but since I'm not listening to the CD I wouldn't care. Do y'all think that would...

 

- work?

- cause any noise when it went back?

- cause any long-term harm to the CD player?

 

 

Andy

[jazzymt]

Unfortunately, that would not work with the current boards because any skipping mutes the audio channels completely (to prevent you from hearing it skip). Plus, I think if it skips for a certain period of time (pro'ly 30 seconds or so), it timeouts & ejects the CD.

[jazzymt]

-small update- I'm all caught up again. Everyone's orders are going out today. I have a some finished boards in stock & everything's A-Ok again. I got my 12V power supply yesterday & hopefully when I get back from turkey day I'll have some time to take out my radio & start playing with it...hopefully.

[mlloydlgt]

Someone mentioned that if you burn and play a mp3 CD it will play but produce no noise... Couldn't a 700MB mp3 file (or like 70 X 10MB -- you get the idea) play silence for much longer? That is about 1 min per MB of mp3 at 128 bit -- go even lower (if it'll work) and then you have a long-ass CD.

 

Any concern about burning up the CD motor or overheating the CD if played a lot on a long drive?

[mlloydlgt]

I purchased v1 of your board, and I'm anxiously awaiting v2.

 

version 2?

[NatesGr8]

i too am awaiting v2 and would be willing to pay 3x more for it.

[NatesGr8]

and i'm ripped out of my mind right now

[LegacyGT 05]

Someone mentioned that if you burn and play a mp3 CD it will play but produce no noise

 

That was me - didn't work It played - or at least the timer was going, but it blanked the signal, so nothing came out of the speakers. I've been playing with trying to make a longer cd since Jazzy mentioned someone had created a 3hr one (so it must be possible playing with bit rate and such. So far no luck...

 

Any concern about burning up the CD motor or overheating the CD if played a lot on a long drive?

 

Can't imagine how - what if you just listened to a cd across country? Wouldn't be any different. The fact that there is nothing playing shouldn't affect the cd mechanism - it wouldn't know or care. It's still sending a signal regardless.

[mlloydlgt]

What's version 2 all about????

[NatesGr8]

Lubeman & jsalicru, glad your new installs went well. Sorry for the confusion Lubeman on which side the contacts were facing on the ribbon cable, but it doesn't actually matter. The ribbon only has contacts on one side, but the plugs have contacts on both sides. The only thing you have to make sure of is that one plug lines up with the other plug.

 

A bit of an update for y'all - I'm almost out of my first batch of boards...time flys when you're having fun eh? 4800 soldered holes later... Anyway, interest is still plenty strong, but I'm nowhere near a "next step" solution, so I'm going to order more of these simple boards to keep up with demand.

 

Due to the resounding success of this board, I'm also committing now to make every possible effort to develop a next generation. One that is still 100% plug and play, and takes no silent CD...those are the only certainties so far. I'd like to also include:

1) Adjustable autosensing (1s, 5s, 10s or something like that for nav vs. music)

2) Song name display & control of iPods. I'll have to look into compatibility between the mini, nano & standard generations, but this is still a goal.

3) Serial in/out for mp3, dvd, mpeg4 or whatever control + display for the carputer folk (this is dead last on the priority list, but I'd like to use it myself some day)

 

Ideally, this will all be on a somewhat modular board so that I can get a working aux in first, then add other stuff to it like ipod & carputer compatibility with plug in, or solder on additions without holding up the show for people that just want a simple, clean aux-in and nothing more.

 

Thoughts, suggestions, comments are welcome... ?

[mlloydlgt]

ok.. i want one now too!

 

Happy Turkey Day all.

[lang]

..JazzyEngineering's AuxIn mod board. I just spent part of the afternoon waiting for the turkey to cook and installed mine. The Ipod sounds GREAT now although it will sound better when I set up for using the Line Out instead of the headphone jack. Gotta cruise the forum to see how others are mounting their Ipods for use, charging and LineOut use.

 

Anyway, the whole thing went well. Thanks for reverse engineering and developing the whole thing Nathan. Packaging, instructions, and parts were all great. I have some install instruction suggestions but I will give you those offline.

 

The ribbon cable female connector on the radio itself DOES have conductors on one side only which is different than the ribbon connectors on your mod board which can make electrical contact if the ribbon is inappropriately reversed.

 

My wish list for your next generation would also include:

1) no silent CD

2) use Aux In of front panel switch (present but not enabled)

3) include the patch cable in the kit

4) include female connector to install, optionally, surface mount on the radio bezel somewhere

 

Now you should hire some help to build your mod boards so you can start engineering us some more mods ! :-) (line outs from the head unit to bypass crappy bass compromised amplifier, reprogram the dang auto-environmental control, etc.)

 

Art

[skabaru]

My sister has a forester with the in-dash 6 disc, no options for inputs.

 

Any change this will work on that unit? I don't have the model number in front of me...

 

I would be willing to buy it and be a test mule even... $35 is worth it to see...

 

it has been driving ME nuts, and I am never in the car. So if you are sure it won't work, I won't get it, but if you are unsure/not tested, I'll get one...

[finse]

Just finished this little mod on my car . The instructions were very concise and easy to follow. Once again, I am rolling with my XM Radio. Thanks Jazzy!!

[RockyMtnGT]

I ordered mine and am patiently awaiting delivery. Thanks for the feedback everyone!

 

^^^A Spec B in Denver! I haven't seen any YET. I'll keep my eye out for you, hehe.

[NY Dragon Slayer]

i think this question was asked earlier but is the circut board enclosed ? if not how do you suggest we prevent metal contact?

[rony]

The circuit board is in a clear heat shrink wrap.

[jevans]

My sister has a forester with the in-dash 6 disc, no options for inputs.

 

Any change this will work on that unit? I don't have the model number in front of me...

 

I would be willing to buy it and be a test mule even... $35 is worth it to see...

 

it has been driving ME nuts, and I am never in the car. So if you are sure it won't work, I won't get it, but if you are unsure/not tested, I'll get one...

 

If its the same 6 disc unit as the forester XT, it has a 13pin DIN connection on the back of it, all you need is an appropriate cable to connect to it. Look on scoobymods for a write-up about it. See link.

 

http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3357

[StringFellow]

Jazzy sent me a blank CD that contains 2 files on it (a pdf file and the 75 minute blank audio track). The problem is that the data CD is the first track on the CD. So, when I select that CD in the CD changer I have to advance one track to start playing the 75 minute track. Then, when the 75 minutes is over, it tries to change to the next CD in the changer before I have a chance to start the track over again.

 

Does anyone know how to make the first track the 75 minute track and the second track the data file (PDF)? In this setup, after the 75 minute track has completed, the CD player then tries to play the data file (pdf). Since the player can't play this data track, it is silent for 15 seconds. This 15 seconds would catch my attention and allow me to select the first track again before the changer tries to switch CDs.

 

I know I can just push track "down" every hour or so, but some times I forget. The repeat function is useless because it resets after you restart the car.

 

I tried using the multi mode Nero option, but it always creates the first track as the data file.

 

Anyone know of a way of doing what I want?

 

-S

[mlloydlgt]

Burn a CD with only one file, the blank audio song. No need for the PDF file in your car, it doesn't use it!

[StringFellow]

Burn a CD with only one file, the blank audio song. No need for the PDF file in your car, it doesn't use it!

 

I understand that. But, if I have the data file at the end of the 75 minute track, the music will stop and it will then give me about 15 seconds to hit track down and start the 75 minute track over again before the changer tries to change CDs.

 

If I just have the 75 minute track, at the end of that track, the CD changer will change to the next disk. I don't want that.

 

-S

[mlloydlgt]

I didn't see things that way. Good point. Nonetheless, all you have to do is enable the disk repeat function and it will simply got back to the begining (with no 15 sec silence so long as the data file is not present).

[rabydanimal]

I got jazzy's board last week and just put it in today. Excellent write up for the dash removal and it works like a charm. I only ended up with one extra screw too!

[lang]

NY dragon slayer,

 

Nathan encloses the board in clear shrink wrap but this allows the shrink wrap to over shrink and expose some leads by having them poke through. He is working on a design iteration to eliminate this but in the meantime examine your board if you have any leads poking through the board and compensate appropriately. The board is trapped between the head unit and the changer and could easily short out. I recommend using electrical tape to further insulate and duct tape to capture or restrain the headphone lead you have plugging into it to keep it from flopping around. It is too much trouble to disassemble the dash again to fix it in the future.

 

Art (very satisfied JazzyEngineering customer)

[mudfoot]

:jedi:ive had my board for at least 2 months or more. my ipod sounds great through the aux mod. i dont charge my ipod while in the car. my sirus sat radio was another story. i had a ground loop noise when the power was plugged into the cigarette lighter or in the arm rest. A friend suggested tapping from a stronger source such as the ignition.. i did that by hard wiring a accessory adapter to the ignition wiring and the stock power adapter kept blowing fuses so i bought a after market unit from bestbuy. the after market unit hasnt blown a fuse yet. if i selected a output voltage below 12 volts like 9 or 6 volts the noise was signifcantly reduced but my sat radio requires 12 volts and would shut off some times at the lower voltage. so i finally broke down and went to radio shack and purchased the ground loop isolator that connects with the rca cables.. they do make another one that connects to the power and ground in the car with a third wire that connects to the ground of your pwer source you want to isolate .the rca version is about 17 bucks and the other is around 23. with the rca version you'll also need a double female rca connector and a 1\8 stero mini to rca the whole setup will run you about 30 bucks... ground loop noise finally gone:munch: