A few ISO/Headunit questions..

-westy-

-westy-

-westy-

Soldato
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Hey,

I'm planning on doing a bit of extra wiring tomorrow when i fit my headunit into the car (Rover 214). I'm planning on fitting an extra connector that a laptop/iPod can be plugged into.

Now,

1. How simple would this be? Could I just add another wire to the ISO connector and send the signal straight to the speakers? Or would it need to run through the headunit so its amplified?

2. My headunit has an auxiliary input, however this only goes to the rear speakers, Is it possible to modify my headunit so it goes to all 4 speakers?

3. Is there anything else I need to take into account? There's already a place on the dash that i can put a connector, just a 3.5mm jack socket.

Thanks :)
 
For my Pioneer headunit I bought an extra Pioneer box that connects to the ISO which allows me to connect two RCA plugs and has another ISO connection incase you want a CD changer too. I then have an 2xRCA to 3.5mm Stereo Jack cable to my MP3 Player.

The problem is the box I bought should have been £150 but I got it new for £50 as it was ready there and then to buy in the shop I enquired for it. It also needs to be hooked up to a power source inside the car. I used the headunit power connectors.

On CarAudioSecurity.com they do sell ISO to RCA female cables for about £20, which do the job just as well I presume. I've not heard much about them though so cannot comment on quality.

I have fitted the box in my 206 underneath the headunit and fed the wire through past my steering column like so:

206sounds.jpg


The headunit is connected up to a 4 channel JBL amp with Infinity sub and speakers. Sounds great.
 
something like that would be ideal, although i'd intend to make it myself, with a bit of help from my dad - who's an electronic engineer.

What i really need to know is - would the connection between the iPod/Laptop and speakers need to be amped?
 
Yes it will need to run through the internal amp of the HU, the output on your Ipod will be very low voltage, and nowhere near enough to drive the car speakers, even if it outputs any sound at all, it will suck the life straight out of the ipod.

You need to wire it to your AUX in.
 
paradigm said:
Yes it will need to run through the internal amp of the HU, the output on your Ipod will be very low voltage, and nowhere near enough to drive the car speakers, even if it outputs any sound at all, it will suck the life straight out of the ipod.

You need to wire it to your AUX in.
Click to expand...


The only problem is, the AUX in on my headunit only outputs to the rear speakers for some reason :mad:
 
Sounds like a problem with your HU then, as the AUX in is just that, an input. Its the driver within the HU that outputs to the speakers.

Question: Does your HU support different speaker/equilizer settings for each input/source. If so, its possible that the fader is set to 100% REAR for just the AUX.
 
i bought an adaptor that gives you 2 phono sockets from the cd changer input, add this to a 3.5mm to phono adaptor and i can use my iriver no probs :)

wouldnt be able to use a cd changer though but the head unit plays MP3 cds anyway

all i need now are the steering wheel control adaptor and a fascia adaptor, but they're both a bit pricey and im skint:(
 
paradigm said:
Sounds like a problem with your HU then, as the AUX in is just that, an input. Its the driver within the HU that outputs to the speakers.

Question: Does your HU support different speaker/equilizer settings for each input/source. If so, its possible that the fader is set to 100% REAR for just the AUX.
Click to expand...

Well, the unit itself doesn't have an option for Aux input - there's just a couple of phono sockets on the back, with 'rear' above them. I've plugged a mate's iPod into it before, and its just played in the back.
 
In that case, how do you choose to stop playing AUX and switch to radio for example? Surely you dont have to pull the cable out to stop the feed?
 
paradigm said:
In that case, how do you choose to stop playing AUX and switch to radio for example? Surely you dont have to pull the cable out to stop the feed?
Click to expand...

Whatever's connected into the aux socket plays over the top of the radio/cd.
 
Except it wont play out of the front speakers in AUX mode, and that AUX mode is un-switchable, thats 2 problems right there ;)

I would say then, your only hope of getting all 4 speakers playing when using AUX would be some kind of switching circuit built around the 3.5mm jack, that bridges (via relay) the fronts and rears.

I could knock up a schematic for it, but it seems an OTT solution to a problem that shouln't be there in the first place.
 
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