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

[taddison]

Sorry, but take me off the list.

 

Hurricane Rita cancelled my weekend plans, so I spent the time connecting a DPDT relay in series with the tuner outputs, and a simple on/off switch. No need to have a CD in the drive, no electronic latching needed, no need to re-activate each time the car is started - but unfortunately I couldn't use the SAT switch for this, so I installed my switch inside the console compartment along with the RCA jacks.

 

It works great, but there is no way to hack into the tuner outputs without delicate soldering work and potentially voiding your audio system's warranty. Unless you are comfortable with all this I'd recommend buying the plug and play solution, which will save you a lot of time, too. Sorry, no photos or instructions, don't attempt this unless you are a serious geek who enjoys this stuff!

 

 

For Gringo: Ground loop hum is tricky to predict, best thing is to just try it and see what happens, if it hums then get an isolator.

 

In my previous car (that had an aux-in) I got ground loop hum on a Creative Zen running off a cigarette lighter power supply, and fixed it with an isolator transformer from Radio Shack. For other players it might not be a problem, and if you run your player from its battery it won't be a problem (because there's no loop).

 

I didn't even test to see if it hummed in my Subaru; I already owned the transformer, so I stuck it in anyway, and the transformer has a secondary benefit of protecting against the risk of injecting an inappropriate DC bias into the innards of your audio system (I doubt this is a significant risk, but using the transformer can't hurt).

[mvigneau]

Good questions...

 

Are you using gold contacts on the relays?

 

The relays themselves are the highest cost on the board at $10 each. I don't nkow if they are gold contacts on them or not, but the thruhole mount point is not using gold for it solder joint and the solder is not gold...and I heatshrink the entire thing, so I don't see why you would need gold?

 

Any concern about ground loop isolation?

As previously said, it is too difficult to predict or pretest for it. I didn't have any GLI problems until I hooked up the power to the iPod to charge it. I am going to put in a GLI and see if that fixes the issue.

 

Are you filtering the coil circuits?

There is a debounce circuit on the coil and the relay has a built-in filter and that is where the coil sits.

[gringo]

Thanks for the response.

 

I was thinking gold (for the relay contacts) would be a good idea because oxidation/sulphication of contacts supposedly causes a bad connection over time, which is why most high-quality cables have gold contacts. But if they are sealed, then it may not matter. <http://relays.tycoelectronics.com/app_pdfs/13c3236.pdf>

 

BTW, 4pcb.com just gave me a promotional coupon for $500 worth of boards free.

[mvigneau]

Hmmm....I will have to check it out?

[obxt]

I'm in if you will post instructions on doing the SAT switch modification. For me that's the biggest benefit of your solution

 

 

Well unfortunately it does play over the FM but it doesn't mute it. So if you are playing the iPod in FM mode, then you will hear FM stations (I didn't have anything connected to the antenna when I tested).

 

So the way to really use it is by hooking up a CD.

 

So...the hookup is basically is the same as jazzymt. The only difference is that you need to hookup something to the red, yellow and green wires (12V, Switch, Ground).

 

The $500 option includes me installing it into your radio.

 

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

 

Those connections are for the SAT switch setting.

 

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

 

The crosstalk only occurs in FM mode, not CD mode.

 

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

 

I don't think I want to post instructions because you have to cut traces on the board and solder 30 guage wire to the switch.

 

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?

 

Since the circuit uses a latch, that will not be possible and you will have to press the momentary button every time.

 

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

 

Free floating like JazzyMTs.

 

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

 

Yes, I will heatshrink all of the boards...

 

1.) laz

2.) noam

3.) diehardnicole

4.) rt78kp

5.) taddison

6.) 3tones

7.) Chappy

 

We will get a deposit after 20 signups similar to the group buy...then I can build them and work out the details.

[mvigneau]

I will include that if people want...it takes 30awg wire and cutting 2 traces.

[team23jordan]

i was so gonna get it..till i saw the price...

i think i'm gonna wait till some company to come out with the dash kit

 

good luck with your sale!

[3tones]

Any updates on the when these boards will be available?

[HoosierAri]

What's the status on this? Anyone....?

[mvigneau]

Since JazzyMT's seems to fit most people's idea for a Line-In Solution, I have decided to take this in another direction. I am working on a board that will switch the FM L/R outputs and use the "SAT" switch. It will be more reasonably priced and much cheaper if I install it. I haven't worked out all of the bugs and will have more details when I am closer to release...

[jonnyg113]

This scares me. I even do my own installs for speakers, lights ext. I dont know enough about cracking open my radio to do this. I AM A SOUND GUY not a engineer! Nice job figuring it out though.

[Lolo2805]

Will this work with the 1 CD unit? I'm in ManchVegas so If you need a beta tester let me know.

[sashi2]

Correct...the button is there, you just have to remove the "block" so you can press it.

 

That is why those 4 jumper wires are in that picture.

 

It's been a while since you posted anything on this project (at least from what I could find) and the information that I've got from your posts in different threads is somewhat confusing for me. Did you give up on the projecct and went back to Jazzy's blank CD solution? If not, can you summarize where you are? Is the project 100 % complete, tested? What are the functions, etc...

Thanks,

Alex

[mvigneau]

Yeah...I basically abandoned this project because of the success and availability of Jazzy's solution. I was still working out bugs in my version and decided to go another way with it.

 

Using the FM Tuner option in the other thread under "Walkthroughs", I am building a board that will be able to use the "SAT" button and therefore have everything internal. Unfortunately, the switching is a little different and am running into problems, so I am still working out those bugs on it. I may miss this one too because it looks like they may have AUX-in/iPod available in the near future (2007).

[sashi2]

Yeah...I basically abandoned this project because of the success and availability of Jazzy's solution. I was still working out bugs in my version and decided to go another way with it.

 

Using the FM Tuner option in the other thread under "Walkthroughs", I am building a board that will be able to use the "SAT" button and therefore have everything internal. Unfortunately, the switching is a little different and am running into problems, so I am still working out those bugs on it. I may miss this one too because it looks like they may have AUX-in/iPod available in the near future (2007).

 

I bet there going to be some people who'd get the new radio then. It's going to be pretty expansive though.

[mvigneau]

After 7 months of hibernation, I have come out of my cave with a solution. It has cost me months of time and MONEY. The solution is currently installed in my radio and I will test for the next week or so. Then I will install it in DV8ingVector's car for a week.

 

This is how it works:

 

1.) Using the Tuner audio outputs, I cut the traces (Had to do it since there was bleeding from the radio stations) and soldered on 4 wires (2 for input and 2 for output) to the radio board that I screw down onto my custom fabbed board that does the actual switching.

 

2.) Using my 4th position hack of the "SAT" button/4th position on the AM/FM/CD button, I wire up a wire and screw down to my custom board to act as the momentary switch.

 

3.) Solder Power and Ground wires to the boards power and ground points and screw them down to my custom board.

 

Put everything back together and VOILA, Aux-in by pressing the unlabeled "SAT" button.

 

The pricing has yet to be determined but should be more reasonable than the previous solution because the custom board requires fewer parts that are cheaper. Takes about 3-4hours of my time to install the board and test it.

[noam]

Mmm... Sounds interesting. I can handle another trip up to NH.

[sashi2]

Finally!

By the way, thanks for your help to make mine work. I do have a couple of issues with mine though.

1. I got thump/clicking sound that could be somewhat loud depending on the current volume.

2. My momentory switch always returns to Ipod position after ingnition cut off. I bet we used a wrong power source for the switch, we whould of used the "Always on" wire.

3. Some music comes out too loud from my Ipod and is distorted by the stereo's amp. The same music plays fine at home.

[sashi2]

Are you going to order boards or are you going to do them manually one by one?

[mvigneau]

I am going to order boards because they can do a much better (and faster) job than me and they can label things to make them easier to install.

 

answer to questions:

1.) I haven't had a chance to install my modded headunit into my car, but in my testing, I have noticed a thumping or clicking.

2.) Similar to question 1. I haven't installed it so I don't know what the effect will be in real life testing. Hope to have it installed today or tomorrow.

3.) What music specifically. I would have to test with a specific MP3 in order to duplicate the issue. Are you using the dock connector or the headphone connector? The headphone connector has an amp on it and could be causing the problem. The dock connector is a direct line out and should remove that issue. Try it and get back to me.

[sashi2]

I'm using a dock connector, I think, by Belkin. The connector has volume knob, and I guess I could adjust the volume to a lower level. The worst (but unlikely) would be if the amp of the connector itself destorts because of the high volume input. I never got around to test it properly.

If a musuc piece encoded with Itunes, it does not seem to be a problem. Some downloads that I have play significantly louder and that, I think, couses the problem. The solution is identify the loud songs and make individual adjustments in Itunes. By the way, you can test it if you adjust a song volume in Itunes to make it louder. The adjustment is under the "Options" tab in a song Info.

[mvigneau]

Are you manually "boosting" the songs in iTunes? That is an artificial way to do it and it could be one of your problems.

 

I would run at 75% volume on the belkin...again since it has volume control, I wouldn't trust it. I would rather have a direct line-in and control the volume from the radio.

 

Hope this helps and maybe my board will be better?? Don't know since I don't have the same setup as you.

[zuczek]

Any updates on this??

[mvigneau]

Well...I put everything in and it works. Only problem is, if the cable is fully inserted, then the radio's cutoff frequency gets rid of anything above the higher frequency range and therefore the signal sounds muted.

 

Need to figure out how to match the output or what the problem is. Any ideas?

[mvigneau]

Well I figured out the full insertion problem...I was using a bad ground. Works fine now!!

 

So, I have created my own board (a change on my non-silent-CD board) since Jazzy's board seemed to fit people's idea of what they wanted.

 

This one uses methods from here but also some methods that I was trying to incorporate into my previous version.

 

Such as:

 

1.) Uses the Tuner outputs, so when using the Aux-in (iPod), it will look like there is a radio station playing...either FM/AM.

 

2.) To switch to Aux-in, you press the 4th (unlabeled button) on the AM/FM/CD button. It is directly across from CD. You can't press it unless you remove the bumper behind it. If you have me install this, this will be done for you.

 

3.) I have noticed the thump on this solution. It is because of the relay switch I am using. I decided to go with the Relay instead of an audio switch because it is a more robust solution.

 

4.) It requires cutting traces (4) on your radio - Tuner R/L and behind the switch.

 

I will be installing this into DV8ingVector's car either this weekend or next weekend and we will take pictures and create a write-up. This is NOT an easy solution and requires cutting traces as well as opening up the radio.

 

If you are not comfortable with that, I am offering my services to install this for people. You send me your radio, I modify it (can take up to a week depending on how busy I am) and I send it back in the box that you sent it in. The cost of this will include a Ground-Loop Isolator and your choice of 1/8" or RCA outputs on the end of it as well as return shipping. Not sure of the price for this as I don't know how many hours it will take. When I finish up DV8ingVector's install, I will have a better idea. But expect the installation to cost ~$250.

 

I understand this may be a little steep for people, but I need to offset the time and difficulty of this method.

 

I am putting together a final price list for a completed board because I have had the boards made through a PCB firm so that every board is the same - but expect a completed board for YOU to install to be ~$75.