drray

Hi, I have a RX350 without nav and only have the standard audio system.
I saw here that someone has installed iPOD adaptor with aux input.
It is very good and informative.
However, I don't use iPOD, I just need an aux input.
Can someone tell me what kind of adaptor that I need? and where to buy it.
thanks.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

www.vaistech.com Just choose the interface adapter that fits your needs the best. There are other brands out there, but you have to search for them. Vaistech is a sponsor to CL so it pretty common among CL members.

Bill_GS3

The vaistech is a great setup. A cust came in with their info and I passed it on to my parts manager, now we install them. There are goup buys in the vender section at times, check it out.

-Bill

biff44

What do you guys think of this thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Toyota-Lexus-Sci...QQcmdZViewItem

AM1

iTrader: (6)

that thing on ebay seems a bit cheap...

biff44

Well, it is 1/4 the cost of the vais thing.

As far as I can tell, you only need something to fool your radio to think you have a cd changer ($3 microprocessor chip), and a cable to connect the two RCA jack audio inputs to the wiring harness output. It should be cheap. There is really little inside.

As I understand it, the Vais box does a partial control of the IPOD, but only a very limited set of instructions. I prefer to hold the ipod up and read its screen to select a particular album or artist, etc. I think I might prefer a simpler aux input, like this one on ebay.

maccpl

I agree that the Vais box is way over priced. They probably figure you paid $40,000 plus for the vehicle, so they have a sucker. I checked out the Grom Audio website and it appears that they have both a "generic" audio version of their box (it takes any audio input, but provides no control via the car's stereo system) and they have version that is specifically for the IPod that is a bit more expensive (but still in the reasonable range - I think it was $69).

Unfortunately the website says it works on the RX300, RX400, RX400h, etc. The RX330 is conspicuously missing. I sent their TechSupport an email asking if this was just a typo or was there some reason why it wouldn't work on the RX330. Did that last night and still waiting for a reply.

If anyone has actually tried one of these I would be extremely interested in knowing how you made out.

Cheers,
JR

RC_Av8r

The ebay one says it supports Lexus model years 01-03 & 04-06. Why not just say 01-06? Anyway, drray's 350 is probably 07 or 08 so I'd make sure before you buy it that it will work.

Dave

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I didn't take a long look at it, but the question is how are you going to trick the RX headunit into thinking it has a CD changer when the CD changer is built into the headunit? On separate CD changer units it is east since there is a connection you can hack or splice into to make this trick happen and people have been doing that for years. With the RX CD changer, all of that in internal.

drray

(1) Yeah, my 07 RX350 stock head unit has internal CD changer. I haven't tried to pull it out, so not sure if it has any connection in the back. Anyone has tried to install an aux input to the same model?

(2) Yes, I am interested in something like the one sold on ebay, but it said 98-06 Lexus. Mine is 07. I sent the seller an email over the weekend, but no reply yet...

drray

Another question is: after adding the AUX input, what button to press on the radio to switch to the aux?
Thanks for everyone.

biff44

Good point. On the 07 model the cd changer in built in.

But on the ebay site they say " The in-dash CD changer (if any) will remain working, but external CD changer will be disconnected. " So maybe there is a chance it will work.

biff44

This would all be soooo much simpler if lexus just had provided the aux input for us standard!

maccpl

I would bet that Grom uses the same techinique that Vais does for "tricking" the headunit into believing that a "second" cd player is present. I don't remember the button-ology for the Vais unit, but you select CD2 instead of CD1 to get your IPod. In fact, if I remember correctly, you have to set up playlists on the IPod because the Vais unit considers each "playlist" a seperate CD in the CD Changer. You can have as many playlists as you like, but the counter wraps around when you get to 99, so they recommend you only use 99 playlists so as not to get confused.

I have to admit an Aux Input on the front would have been so much nicer, but you wouldn't get your IPod charged and you would not have the control that the Vais and Grom units provide.

Cheers,
JR

rguilfoyle

I have the Dice unit. It plugs into the external CD changer plug on the back of the head unit. The ebay unit looks like it works the same. On mine the cd changer in the head unit shows up as CD on the display and the Dice unit is CD1. Both are operational. Pressing the "Disc" button toggles between them.