boostedsube Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Installed an Omori electric boost gauge(thanks to J-spec) + Garmin nuvi 780 GPS in cubby. Also installed cig lighter 12v receptacle in back of cubby to hide plug behind unit(which frees up my ashtray receptacle since my Sirius radio is plugged into my armrest 12v receptacle). I used a Audiovox Fm100a($45) modulator (since my '05 LGT doesn't have a aux-in) to hook up to my GPS audio out jack. Now I can have my GPS w/bluetooth cell handsfree play through the car speakers without that fm transmitter static. For anyone looking for an answer for adding aux-in to there LGT the Audiovox modulator has RCA inputs and is very easy to install. There is a very small on/off switch to control the modulator that I put in the ashtray for a concealed look. I went to Radioshack and bought a $6 RCA to 3.5mm cord and ran it to the cubby. GPS is removable from mount and door can be closed to hide connections. Boost gauge was very easy. Used a WRX Lamco rubber cup($25 from Nasioc) to mount on the column. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 Gauge + GPS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterJMC Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Nice. Wow, you have a lot of gadgets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 Nice. Wow, you have a lot of gadgets! One can never have enough gadgets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el5y Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 One can never have enough gadgets! LOL agreed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmarko Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Do some storm chasing on the side? :-p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 Do some storm chasing on the side? :-p LOL:lol: The storms are chasing me. Thats why I had to get a GPS with live weather updates. I'm getting real sick of winter already, constant snow(over 2 feet on the ground) + cold temps. Myrtle beach (74 this weekend) is sounding better by the minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 The funny thing is I only got the Sirius receiver because of the poor FM reception, especially when the defroster was on(I know it's the back glass issue but I'm out of warranty). Now with the Sirius it's crystal clear, and after two weeks I'm really loving it(best $39 spent yet). Next up, Cobb Accessport gadget! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urs1ne Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 I want to know more about the GPS install and how it is mounted/held in place. ^ n00bs below this line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 I want to know more about the GPS install and how it is mounted/held in place. On my 780 I couldn't get the mount to the correct angle to utilize one of those black plastic cubby inserts that someone is selling on the site because my screen was too big to squeeze under the door. I just angled it at 45 degrees and pushed it straight in. The lever to the suction cup mount ends up clipping perfectly under the inner groove in the cubby allowing the screen to tuck under the door. Very secure and easily removable by just detaching screen and rotating the winshield mount out of the cubby. With all the theft issues it's nice to remove the GPS and close the cubby concealing all the wires(no windshield mount for thieves to break in thinking you put the GPS in the glove box or arm rest). I installed a 12v receptacle in the back right of the cubby for power and drilled a small hole for the 3.5mm(1/8") stereo plug to RCA allowing the GPS to play audio through the car speakers. On the '05-'06 LGT's you need a FM modulator cause there is no aux-in for the stereo(goes in line with your FM antenna wire to a small box that has RCA's out). It works and sounds great(no static like the FM transmitters have and without hacking into the radio or soldering(has one wire to ground and one for 12v switched). Just have to flip a small switch to activate the module(pictured in above post) and tune to 89.1. Let me know if you have any more questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 I love cabin gadgets. Looks good - and I thank you for that info. on the Audiovox modulator....that'll come in handy, for-sure. And hey, time to update your speed-detection countermeasures, for even more useful cabin-gadgetry! <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 I love cabin gadgets. Looks good - and I thank you for that info. on the Audiovox modulator....that'll come in handy, for-sure. And hey, time to update your speed-detection countermeasures, for even more useful cabin-gadgetry! No problem. I know what you mean, that radar detector is 14 yrs old and still works great. I love the fact it's cordless, as you can see I hate seeing wires. I've been waiting for it to die to give me an excuse to buy a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted December 26, 2008 Share Posted December 26, 2008 Wires are easy - the modern hardwire kits make things a breeze, and many, either as a part of the hardwire or with the use of accessories, also allow for remote actuation of all functions. Typically, at-worst, you're looking at an exposed wiring run of only 1 to 2 inches - at best, you're looking at nearly nothing at all, just the end of the jack. Have a look at the pictures that I've included below.... [ Please pardon the dust...these were quick shots, designed to facilitate discussion among my fellow hobbyists/enthusiasts in the speed-detection countermeasures community. ] The left-most picture is my old Escort 8500x50 (blue display, an old S7 platform, Rev.5 model), hardwired in my wife's WRX. The next picture, to its right, is my 9500i, also hardwired. You can see, in each case, how little exposed wiring there is to be seen (in the case of the 9500i, in my LGT, that setup is complicated by the Cheetah GPS-Mirror, which is why you see more wiring at the mirror "stalk"). The next two pictures are, again in-order from left to right, my center console, with the switchgear to my various speed-detection countermeasures highlighted (LED indicators for two of my jammers are up in the CubbyPod, next to my wideband, and my some of my switchgear are surface mounted [the mute for the 9500i/ZR3] while others are in a panel I made to go into my ashtray), and next the remote "SmartCord" mute button for the x50 setup in my wife's WRX, which is buried in the ashtray. With your level of forethought, as seen in your project, I think you'll be able to achieve very, very good results. [ Note that while I use Escort products, this same kind of installation - and even more customized/integrated installs - can also be achieved with also many Bels as well as the V1, and this is not even counting the totally "remote mounted" subset of modern radar/laser detectors and laser jammers. ] ----- In terms of performance - Your old unit should still work well for basic X- and K-band detection, but you'll see a significant improvement in overall sensitivity, as well as in your ability to pick up farther-away instant-on instances (particularly with a corded unit, which will not utilize power-conservation techniques), with a modern unit. And that's not even saying anything at all about false-rejection, for which the algorithms have drastically improved since your old unit's manufacture, and now, in many cases, even support innate use of GPS-technology (Escort 9500-series, or the Bel GX65) or can be coupled with such technology (i.e. a V1/Cheetah GPS-Mirror/C100 combo). <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 Wires are easy - the modern hardwire kits make things a breeze, and many, either as a part of the hardwire or with the use of accessories, also allow for remote actuation of all functions. Typically, at-worst, you're looking at an exposed wiring run of only 1 to 2 inches - at best, you're looking at nearly nothing at all, just the end of the jack. Have a look at the pictures that I've included below.... [ Please pardon the dust...these were quick shots, designed to facilitate discussion among my fellow hobbyists/enthusiasts in the speed-detection countermeasures community. ] The left-most picture is my old Escort 8500x50 (blue display, an old S7 platform, Rev.5 model), hardwired in my wife's WRX. The next picture, to its right, is my 9500i, also hardwired. You can see, in each case, how little exposed wiring there is to be seen (in the case of the 9500i, in my LGT, that setup is complicated by the Cheetah GPS-Mirror, which is why you see more wiring at the mirror "stalk"). The next two pictures are, again in-order from left to right, my center console, with the switchgear to my various speed-detection countermeasures highlighted (LED indicators for two of my jammers are up in the CubbyPod, next to my wideband, and my some of my switchgear are surface mounted [the mute for the 9500i/ZR3] while others are in a panel I made to go into my ashtray), and next the remote "SmartCord" mute button for the x50 setup in my wife's WRX, which is buried in the ashtray. With your level of forethought, as seen in your project, I think you'll be able to achieve very, very good results. [ Note that while I use Escort products, this same kind of installation - and even more customized/integrated installs - can also be achieved with also many Bels as well as the V1, and this is not even counting the totally "remote mounted" subset of modern radar/laser detectors and laser jammers. ] ----- In terms of performance - Your old unit should still work well for basic X- and K-band detection, but you'll see a significant improvement in overall sensitivity, as well as in your ability to pick up farther-away instant-on instances (particularly with a corded unit, which will not utilize power-conservation techniques), with a modern unit. And that's not even saying anything at all about false-rejection, for which the algorithms have drastically improved since your old unit's manufacture, and now, in many cases, even support innate use of GPS-technology (Escort 9500-series, or the Bel GX65) or can be coupled with such technology (i.e. a V1/Cheetah GPS-Mirror/C100 combo). What's your opinion of choice Escort 8500, 9500 or SOLO2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSiWRX Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Unless you're a true frequent-flier, and just hate to tote around a cord, the SOLO2 should be eliminated. Yes, it'll just fit into your pocket and is uber-convenient for the rental car, as you come out of the airport lot, but its power-conservation techniques (which cannot be bypassed) causes it to be more vulnerable to Instant-On attacks than comparably-priced corded detectors. Truth be told, both the x50 and the 9500-series detectors come with a nice (hard) carrying-case, about 3/4 the size of an average laptop computer and with slots to store not only the detector, but also the coiled SmartCord and the windshield suction-mount, and you can easily take it along in your carry-on baggage. It's virtually plug-and-play in any rental-vehicle, so unless you truly need the extreme portability of the SOLO2, I do not see it as a viable alternative. Between the 8500 (I'll assume we're speaking of the x50 version, and will start just calling it x50, from now on) and the 9500i (or ix, but more on this separation/distinction, later), the chief difference is the GPS-enabled capabilities of the 9500-series, for which, as you can see, there's a rather steep additional dollar-investment to be made, over the x50. Escort's detectors are known for their filtering algorithm - capable of excellent false-rejection, while still maintaining very-good to excellent overall performance. The 8500-series, now with the x50, was what really made this leap for Escort, back in the late 90s. From that time forward, Escorts became the choice of drivers who either were city or dense-suburban bound or, alternatively, otherwise wanted more "quiet" in their vehicles. With the 9500-series, the use of GPS-enabled technology further increases this threshold - whereas my x50, in my dense-urban and suburban surroundings, on "City Lo-X" sitting, is very quiet, and not subject to an annoying level of falsing, my 9500i, with use of TrueLock (on "Auto" mode, with no further band-deactivation), is ERRILY quiet - and this is something that more than just a few 9500-series owners have said. Basically, when the 9500 goes off, you should simply ACT NOW, and then figure out if it's a false, later, 'cause more often than not, it's gonna be a real threat. So what the extra dollars you're investing into the 9500-series for, over the x50, is basically even more "quiet." If you're like me, and you've got a wife (or other passengers) who absolutely hates all the noisy gadgets in the car, and you live in a false-dense area, the 9500-series detectors become a Godsend. Whether this extra quiet, and the other GPS-mediated features (i.e. the 9500i versus 9500ix - more in just a moment) is worth the added dollars is something that you'll have to decide for yourself. [ Aside: Escort is still offering a "30-day test-drive" with the x50, if you're un-sure of which you want, this may be a good way to explore whether or not if the filtering capabilities of the x50 proves sufficient, already. ] Within the 9500-series, the i has only the basic GPS-enabled features - the "speed-sensitive/real-time threat monitoring," location marking (i.e. so that you can note points-of-interest for yourself, and TrueLock. The ix adds additional AI-enabled filtering, with AutoLock, and also, even more importantly, Trinity database access (with updates at nominal cost), which becomes of-value if you either travel a lot in Red-Light Camera/Speed-on-Green Camera/Fixed-Camera areas or, alternatively, live/commute primarily in such an area. And with this last feature, I'll add that the V1 plus SpeedCheetah products combo should also render both your commute rather painless, in terms of false-alert intrusions, and will also allow you to have access to the Trinity database (lifetime, free). Hope this helps! <-- I love Winky, my "periwinkle" (ABP) LGT! - Allen / Usual Suspect "DumboRAT" / One of the Three Stooges '16 Outback, '16 WRX, 7th Subaru Family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dammitjim Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Can you post a pic of this? I have a 760 and haven't been able to figure out what you're doing. On my 780 I couldn't get the mount to the correct angle to utilize one of those black plastic cubby inserts that someone is selling on the site because my screen was too big to squeeze under the door. I just angled it at 45 degrees and pushed it straight in. The lever to the suction cup mount ends up clipping perfectly under the inner groove in the cubby allowing the screen to tuck under the door. Very secure and easily removable by just detaching screen and rotating the winshield mount out of the cubby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGTLW Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Do some storm chasing on the side? :-p haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 Can you post a pic of this? I have a 760 and haven't been able to figure out what you're doing. Just take the bottom(suction cup part) of the mount and bend it so it points straight back into the cubby while leaving the part the GPS presses on to facing forward. The lever you would use to suction it (while released and facing up) would clip under the inside cubby lip. I will try to take some pics later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eraudill Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Where did you wire the 12v recepticle into? Is there a nearby 12v always on or switched wire that can be spliced into nearby when you pull the cubby out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedsube Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Where did you wire the 12v recepticle into? Is there a nearby 12v always on or switched wire that can be spliced into nearby when you pull the cubby out? Spliced onto the ashtray cig lighter wiring below radio. Already had the radio out for the sub and FM modulator install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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