brerrabbit

Okay, so I did the DIY to add an AUX port to the factory radio (non NAK) and am currently dealing with the whine issues of a ground loop problem. Got a part on the way, so that should be taken care of.

BUT... I want BT in my car, dammit!!! I mean, we should be able to figure something out- right?

Was looking on Engadget at their new toys (more like dreaming) and stumbled across this new little dongle for the upcoming HTC One X. This looks promising.

http://www.htcaccessorystore.com/uk/...8&phone=223175

I give this URL to you guys because it took several hours of searching to even figure out if the darn thing will work with anything other than an HTC product. But apparently all it requires is an A2DP profile and BT 2.1+; all phones made in the last three years should have it.

I have an HTC EVO 4G (old Skool, I know) that I'm currently trying to integrate. I've tried all kinds of BT adapters (some with FM modulation, some without) and was just about ready to give up. I was thinking of starting a thread of a DIY once my dock arrives so you can see the progress.

Any thoughts, group?

My plan is to have the dock integrated so that it looks OEM and all you have to do is place the phone directly into the dock and it will charge and play through the AUX input. This dongle I mentioned above will let me hide the wires in the glovebox or center console, and the dock's power will probably be routed so as to hide the wires.

I'll keep you updated, but is there anyone else out there who despaired of the same problem?

Dougspeed

iTrader: (2)

Actually, Blackberry has had a BT dongle for a few years now and it also works with all BT enabled phones. It's called the Blackberry sound gateway and does pretty much the exact same thing the HTC one does and you can find em on amazon. I had it on my G35 hooked up to the aux-in and it worked pretty well.

edit, I just looked up the pricing and it appears that the item has been discontinued and the prices for them have gone up, I got mine for $40 but now they're selling at $98ish..

cameratoaa

iTrader: (2)

I have the same custom AUX port setup you do but on the NAK unit, and I have ground loop interference as well. Have you found a fix? I just kinda dont charge and play at the same time to get around it. Does the BT dongle fix the ground loop?

pieisgude

iTrader: (2)

I never didn't have a grounding issue when i first did it. But then again i never charged my phone/ipod while i had it plugged in. Hope you figure it out.

flsc300

I did this a while ago and only my left side speakers play idk what I have to do to make both sides work I gave up lol

brerrabbit

camera-

I looked on Amazon (after checking out the forums for this fix). I tried the plugin without the power connecting; sure enough, crystal clear music. I mean, every little chord and drum beat is there (I love Boston!)

Here's what I decided on, will let y'all know if it solves the issue when it arrives. It's a variation on what the forum mentions, but without the excessive pieces- kind of an all in one.


50 reviews gave it 5 stars- that's enough for me to take a chance, for $10 anyway. And I wired my AUX for hidden application, so all it's going to take me is about 5 minutes to take the shift plate off.

FLSC, did you try flipping the connection around? I read on the forum that if you put it in the wrong way, it can flip the speakers; maybe it can also keep one side from playing. Just a thought, hope that helps. It's a pain in the a$$ to take apart, but it might be worth it.

brerrabbit

Doug-

UPDATE: I was getting tired of waiting for HTC to get on with it (their brand new phones just got delayed on the docks thanks to an Apple intervention - go to Engadget if you're curious, makes for a hilarious read)... I liked their solution because it was portable and tiny- but I'm planning on leaving it in the car, so who gives a Yugo?

Anyway, the Blackberry solution looks cool- but I don't want to spend that kind of $$ on a problem that I've tried multiple solutions on. I'm thinking of trying the Belkin solution here:


For about $58, 106/131 users gave it 4 or five stars. That's a pretty significant percentage: 80.9%, That's a B no matter how you stack it.

Thoughts to the group? I'm willing to pull the trigger and try it.

Dougspeed

iTrader: (2)

I've tried one brand of the in-line noise filters and they do work well BUT there were times where it would only play through one channel, and the problem was intermittent until I unplugged the BT unit and plugged it back in. I also tried flipping the ends that plugged in and it made no difference. Signal quality was great when it was working however, just annoying that it would only play through the speakers on one side at times until I would physically unplug and plug the connector back into the aux output.

Dougspeed

iTrader: (2)

And the Belkin appears to be a nicer solution to the Blackberry unit I have, since the Blackberry only allows you to stream audio over BT, not make and receive phone calls. The Belkin appears to let you take calls and stream music.

brerrabbit

Will let you know. Just ordered it from Amazon (54 + free Prime shipping), should be here by Friday. I'll install it and I have a long drive on Monday. Will post a full review then.

flsc300

I did and no better and i just gave up I might try doing the cut and solder method and not use the gyro cable and see if that works.

brerrabbit

What's funny about that hack was that I didn't end up soldering anything. I'm an old school computer geek, so it was simple plug and play for me.

As for the rest of y'all, I'm going to set this up with the Belkin part to see if we can actually get a decent BT setup in our cars and maintain the stock radio. From what I've been reading on this part, it seems that iPhone users seem to have distinct issues with them...

So I've enlisted another member's assistance and I'm going to try it with both Android and Iphone. I don't think his has Siri, but my homie has an Iphone 4 he might let me borrow for this test. He's a geek too, so I can sell it as an experiment.

I'll get back to you guys within a couple of days, and see if it solves my dilemma. Out of curiousity, since my tape deck doesn't work; has anyone who tried the CD hack had the same result as flsc and doug?

I've moved the AUX cable over so that I can route the cigarette lighter adapter through a power strip I have mounted under the steering column. So if I have to end up yanking it, it will be a pain in the a$$... but not too much.

Input welcomed, but if I can solve this- we've got a good BT solution that not only lets us play music and answer calls, but we don't have to place wires and dongles all over our cars and make them look like crap.

brerrabbit

Okay, so an update...

Amazon used a bargain shipper for the Prime customer service, and I didn't end up getting it before I had to leave town. But it was waiting for me when I got back, and they gave me like $30 in credit- so no hating on them, just some lame-a$$ shipper I've never heard of (Lasership? What, do they deliver on a moped?)

Anyway, got it installed no issues and then took a few tries to find an optimal place. Their recommendation of next to the ignition key caused echo issues. I finally ended up settling on the ashtray flip up cover, and will run the wires underneath for the OEM/VIP feel.

But in a nutshell, it's awesome. Just about any phone made in the last four years with BT can work; that's A2DP streaming and wireless calling, and all it needs is a punch to the button to sync up. Not bad for about 65 dollars worth of parts (not what I paid, but I'm quoting Amazon parts prices).

I have found that you will need a ground loop isolator, though. This solution will develop a noticeable whine that becomes really annoying- I hit 95+ MPH on the highway and Stone Temple Pilots never sounded that horrible. But I got it fixed!

Photos to follow- I rerouted my phone holster to the driver's visor and the button to sync to the ashtray cover. Looks nice and costs a heck of a lot less than those aftermarket decks- plus, those of us that still dig that OEM look can rejoice (or those that can't afford to do the new head unit upgrade).

Bottom line, though: ~4.00 for AUX input mod to the NAK head (+4 beers and about 1 hour of my time- totally worth it), 53.00 for the Belkin solution, 11.00 for the ground loop isolator.

Can YOU say you solved an issue that thriftily???

brerrabbit

And finally, a picture.

I've had a little bit of time to catch up, and I still have to reroute the wiring so you can't see it (I hate exposed wires with a passion). Again, to remind everyone of the status:

$4.00 for cable for AUX Mod (running on CD input, just stuck a blank DVD into the cartridge)
$10.75 for ground loop isolator (really makes a difference) [Amazon]
$53.00 for Belkin solution (though take my advice and don't get a refurbed one- trust me) [Amazon]

Total to date: $67.75

Advantages: an awesome sound to the speakers from a BT enabled A2DP player. The phone picked it up immediately, and all was good to go. I even played a few FLAC files from the phone- and you can seriously tell the difference.

As far as the phone goes, it's pretty awesome to hear the call coming from the car speakers. The device will pause music when the call comes in, and then start playing again when it ends. A bit of advice, though; make sure the volume is turned up through the phone- it really helps. Also, occasionally the phone will lose track of the calling feature on the BT unit- annoying, yes, but only requires a quick 5 second repairing. Not enough to make it an issue, IMO.

I've attached a picture so y'all can see for yourselves. Essentially, the unit is a small button that I mounted on the ashtray. It has a magnetic backing so you can take it off and still use the ashtray. It glows blue when active (matches my Escort 8500) and orange when unconnected. As I said, still have to reroute the wires.

I'm also thinking of adding a remote control so I can have hardware buttons to switch tracks. The button itself acts as pause and play (for music) and a long press activates the phone feature. It should work with all phones enabled with BT 2.1 and A2DP; I can confirm it works with the HTC EVO 4G (and an iPhone 3). Also, my Iconia A500 played a movie with no problems (I've got two little grandsons that sometimes need entertaining on car rides).

So for those of us with Android/Apple phones, a cool and convenient solution for about the cost of a fill-up.

Thoughts? PM me if you want to know more about it. Basically, as long as you've got an AUX input (on any stereo), you now have a BT speakerphone and wireless music.

Thanks to my friend BSanders and his father for all their help and pointing me in the right direction. Still jealous of his new camera, though.

brerrabbit

EDIT: I meant to say godsons. I'm not old enough to be a grandparent yet - I think. ;->