jacksonian

I have an '04 GX with NAV/ML and just had a system installed. My audio guy says it's from Kyocera, but either it's based off Vaistech or vice versa, the info screen says VaisTech SLX. He says he ordered it from Japan and the manual is in Japanese.

Anyhow, he's setup the XM to run through the MD changer mode. But I'm having a couple of problems:

1) Randomly, the # buttons for direct entry just gray out, so I can't tune direct entry. I have to cycle back through the inputs for them to reappear. Can't find a pattern to it. Just seems to happen sometimes when I flip back and forth between the direct entry screen and the song info screen.

2) I can't find a way to set any station presets. The instructions from the SLX manual don't seem to work. I see 2 different methods in the book for doing it, one was to hit Repeat 4 times in a row and it says the unit will sequentially assign presets. The other method was to press and hold the # button of the preset I want to assign the station to. Neither one does anything on my unit.

Does anyone have an SLX unit on a GX like mine that can make any sense out of this? I was hoping this would hold me over so I didn't need to upgrade the car any time soon. But I need my XM and iPod working better or I'm going to get frustrated.

NexVision

I would say u got a cheap knock off. I have been reading alot online trying to figure out a way to get around the vais piece, or locate another item which does the same thing and am yet to find it. Without taking one apart that is. I would just take the plunge and order the vais one and return the knock off.

BurgBoxstr

+1 here w/ '04GX w/ Nav/ML.

Same problem w/ direct entry #s disappearing after going to title. No way around other than to see if a firmware upgrade is available from VaisTech (I have 4.35 and I think they are currently on 4.37. You can see your firmware version by viewing MD/Aux-in screen).

For presets, since you have Nav/ML (as do I), there aren't really any 'preset' buttons. Those are the directions for the non Nav head units.

Presets for Nav/ML just run in order they were programmed and are accessed by using the track +/- button on head unit or holding steering wheel control < > button down until beep. Unlike the manual says, at least on mine, it will not memorize new presets in place of old. I needed to clear all and re-enter them in order I wanted. Procedure per manual I have is:

ERASING PRESETS:
Enter into “XM Radio Input Settings” Mode ( See “XM Radio Input Settings” for details)
Press the [DISC RPT] of [DISC REPEAT] button one time to activate the “DISC REPEAT”
Press the [DISC RPT] of [DISC REPEAT] button again to deactivate it.
SoundLinQ will produce a long beep as an confirmation of successful erasure.
Exit “XM Radio Input Settings” Mode ( See “XM Radio Input Settings” for details)

Adding a new PRESET
Select the desired channel
Press the [RPT] or [REPEAT] button 4 times (within 2 seconds) You will hear a beep.
SoundLinQ will store the current channel in the preset list. You can store up to 10 preset channels, and channels get recorded in sequential order.

NOTE: Beep indicates successfully accomplished operation. If you do not hear a beep, please repeat the above steps.

Here's a link to the full manual from their site:
http://www.vaistech.com/manuals/Manual_SLX_rev5.zip

and to their forum which VaisTech technicians sometimes answer people's questions in understandable english
http://www.vaistech.com/forums/index.php

jacksonian

Thanks Burgboxstr. The instructions for "Adding a new PRESET" that you had above don't seem to do anything on mine. Nothing happens. But you mentioned above that:

"Presets for Nav/ML just run in order they were programmed and are accessed by using the track +/- button on head unit or holding steering wheel control < > button down until beep."

So is that how you programmed your presets?

BurgBoxstr

no, i programmed presets by pressing the rpt/repeat button on my nav display 4 times w/in 2 seconds. It'll beep once it takes it. However, you should clear out all the existing presets before trying to add any as mine wouldn't replace existing presets (contrary to vaistech's instructions).

jacksonian

Hmm, ok, I'll try again, but so far hitting the RPT button has done nothing on mine.

jacksonian

Ok, Thanks to BurgBoxstr's help I got the XM presets working correctly.

My installer hooked up the auxillary input to an iPod connector. The cable connects to the iPod port on the bottom. But I'm only getting mono sound out of the left speakers with that. Anybody have anything similar?

BurgBoxstr

if I'm reading your post correctly........
you're only getting left channel sound out of system (thus mono). That would lead me to believe either:

- your iPod connector only supports mono output (most unlikely)
- vaistech unit aux-in bad (more unlikely)
- iPod connector bad (unlikely)
- you have a bad rca patch cable b/w iPod connector and vaistech unit (more likely)
- installer only connected one RCA plug lead (to left) channel input of vaistech unit or only one plug from iPod connector (most likely)

Solutions to try:
Check connection at vaistech box and where patch cable from vaistech unit meets iPod connector. If secure, then installer connected all.

Then switch left & right channel inputs from iPod at vaistech box. If sound switches over to only right channel, vais unit ok and might be patch cable.

Then try same where patch cable meets iPod connector. If switches back then patch cable OK and problem is w/ iPod connector.

Let us know the results.

jacksonian

Thanks for the troubleshooting tips. It appears that the iPod connector cable is bad. I played around with the cable for a while and was able to get the sound fixed if I held it in the right position. So the installer is ordering a new cable from Vais. Thanks for the help!

NexVision

Ordered mine got it yesterday and installed last night the unit has a couple quirks however for what it does I am happy. I am also pretty happy with Vais. I have called them a couple times once when I received it to verify a couple things then again after installation to ask about software and a couple quirks.

I have been informed of a couple things number 1 if you have a SLX as I do then your firmware version is 4.35 and will not be going higher unless they make a miraculous discovery. If you run into sound cutouts or grey out of buttons switch to your FM input and then switch back and all is good.

Just like above I cannot reprogram a preset without erasing them all. (I dont think they think about touch screen units when saying push the button 8 times fast :-p)

All in all I am very happy and will def do business again when they get the video ipod working with XM but my priority is by far XM...