jainla

As I have done on three other cars I decided to upgrade my SC400 for Bluetooth calling and audio and iPod streaming. As with the other installs I chose to retain the stock headunit as I didn’t really want to upgrade the stock Nakamichi head unit and deal with ripping out the amp or trying to wire around it. Plus I just like the stock look.

Additionally in the other installs I didn’t cut into the stock wiring harness but instead built my own so that if I ever had to remove or replace the unit it would be relatively straightforward.

I’ve had good experience with Parrot products (I’ve installed a 3200LS in my LS430 and an MKi9200 in my MB 560 SEL) and they made a now-discontinued model called the Parrot Asteroid Mini. The mini has a screen that fits perfectly next to the climate control vents; and the controller is wireless so it can be placed anywhere.

Having done this and built my own wiring harnesses for the last two implementations I decided to buy a harness; which didn’t really pan out (see below).

My plan was to pipe the output from the Parrot into an Aux input that was selectable from a custom installation. This would retain use of the CD player (which oddly still works) while adding Bluetooth streaming, USB/iPod access and an additional Aux input.

The pieces:

• Parrot Asteroid Mini (discontinued, but still available)
• Soundgate SDSTOYO – adds 2 Aux inputs to the CD changer connection; also discontinued but still available. This is an easy bolt on install.
• Metra BT1761 Harness – wiring to bring power and sound to the BT kit.
• Axxess AX-GMUSBAUX-3 – a connector and jack panel to bring 2 usb ports and a phono jack into the center console compartment. It has an aux and 2 USB inputs; plus an HDMI connector that I covered over.
• Pro Trucker CB Radio 2 1/4" 5 Watt External Speaker – connected to the Parrots external speaker output; used instead of the inline wiring to pipe the call sound into the cabin.
• A box of pre-built wooden boxes from Michael's crafts for fabricating the jack panel and stand for the wireless controller.

In theory the setup seems pretty simple; connect everything together; plug into the back of the stereo, and go.

I mounted the little screen on the Mini to a pack of rare earth magnets; and after some research I figured I could put a second pack of them behind the wood trim above the glove box; I’ve done this with plastic trim and it’s a great way to not permanently destroy the car.

I connected all the harnesses together; including connecting the Parrot to the Soundgate with an Amazon Basics phono to mini cable.

I built a little box with some cutouts for the jacks and switches; and covered it in black felt which was a pretty good match for the stock covering in the Center Console box.



Box with jack panel and aux input selector button installed. The button toggles between CD changer; Parrot and the aux in on the jack panel.

The center box has a couple cutouts for wiring for the erstwhile Lexus portable Plus cellular phone; these were perfect for the new wiring.

I removed the glove box and cut a small notch in the lining near the door for the airbag connectors.Additionally I added another magnet behind the small alcove so that optionally the screen could be positioned inside it if I didn’t feel like looking at it.


Magnets allow the stand to live within the glove box behind for incognito mode

The display wire runs through a cutout next to the airbag connector that's been padded

I ran the wire behind the stereo and ran the wire for the microphone behind the pillar trim and behind the glove box.


Running the mic wire out the side of the glovebox and then up behind the a pillar trim

I installed the custom connector box in the center console; using the cutouts that exist at the bottom for the mobile phone installation. An old iPod fits perfectly and provides 10,000+ songs which the Parrot can find with voice search (works decently).

I pulled the stereo and swapped out the middle connector to the Metra.

I turned on the car to test the installation… nothing. I checked the wiring again; nothing.

Pulling the circuit wiring I realized that the Metra harness would probably work with the Pioneer stereo but not the Nakamichi head unit; as the plugs are different.

However the plug for the hazard light switch was a match. Looking at the wiring diagram there ended up being both constant and ignition power there. Some wiring harness hackery and I came up with a new harness that took constant and switched power from the hazard switch. Additionally the Soundgate requires power; so I piggybacked the power for the Parrot onto the Soundgate.
.

The new revised harness for pulling power from the hazard light switch

Wiring up to the switch worked; the unit powered on successfully.

I connected the Soundgate to the back of the stereo; which also worked perfectly. The only thing left to do was crimp the mute wire to the mute wire coming out of the back of the stereo.

I was able to put the Soundgate to the left of the stereo (and partially underneath it).

The Parrot box didn't fit to the right of the stereo so I relocated it to the side of the transmission tunnel in the passenger footwell.

Once the carpet is tucked in fully it's barely noticeable.

I built a little stand for the wireless controller; and put some more magnets behind the console so that I can remove it and toss it in the center console if I want to.


Aside from the mic above the rear view mirror this is the only visible indication the stereo has been modified.


The panel installed at the front of the center console box.



The jack panel in the center console box with iPod installed; the 3.5mm wire was in there for testing.

After using the setup for a couple months it works but I can’t really recommend the Parrot. The unit’s software is a bit buggy and slow; and I can’t really hear the output (music or telephone) if the CD changer is not selected and the switch set to bypass it. But it’s better than nothing I suppose and does the job mostly well.

The big revelation was the soundgate; it’s a total bolt on solution that retains the stock CD changer and adds 2 line level inputs;which could be used to connect almost anything to the stock radio.

OG Dada

iTrader: (10)

This is what I bought for mine. Works flawlessly. No loss in audio quality. Can control the music. Can answer calls. Completely plug n play, with 2 USB jacks. LOL

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/anker-r...?skuId=6297940

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

Good Job. I like to do stuff like this to cars. I was one of the first to hard wire in an iPod to a Factory BMW e53.

RudysSC

Does this fit into the ash tray area without sticking out too much?

Also OP - cool install and I like the thought that you put into the whole process. Nice work!

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

Excellent, clean installation, jainla! Love the attention to detail. I also looked into those Parrot products a couple of years back. I went with an iSimple Tranzit BLU-HF ISFM2351 when I was running my OEM Pioneer head unit. Your DIY would work well with any product integration. Thank you for posting a writeup for those owners who have the rarer factory Nakamichi stereos!

jainla

No problem. Parrot generally makes good products so the lack of support for the Asteroid Mini is frustrating. Were I to do thi again I might look for the Asteroid Tablet which is larger but I'm not sure where to put it in the interior.

When it works it's quite good; the voice dial and voice content search are accurate; some of the issues may be due to the large music collection (10,000+ songs) on the iPod at any given time.

I've used Vaistech integrations for the LS430 and 600h; and they are excellent and simpler to use in practice. I find the rotary controller distracting when the car is in motion.

All that being said I love love love driving this car. It's rapidly becoming the car of choice even for quick errands around town; where the torque rich launch and agile handling make even a trip to 7 Eleven an adventure.



Lexie does Mulholland Drive.

rentaro

what spoiler is that?

jainla

Just the stock '98-00 spoiler.

smm3

Hello, great work. Thanks so much for sharing. I am looking to buy a 98 sc400 but wanted to check options for playing music through the stock Nak. Unit. If I can find a sound gate, can I just get by with that for player no music from my iPhone? Are there any other options available?

Gee44

Good write-up for this. I didn't want to remove my stock head unit either and I went the CarPC route for music and other things with a Touchscreen monitor (re-wired Radio to move to the trunk). Also, I used the Motorola IHF-1000 for Bluetooth for phone calls but no music streaming. I've since removed the CarPC, use my aux input from FM modulator to go with content from my phone to the Touchscreen.

I have a write-up in here somewhere on wiring the IHF-1000 bluetooth setup. It still works good but need to get another external speaker.

I'm interested in the Soundgate you mentioned connecting to the factory head unit and want to get some more info. So, this Soundgate comes with a harness to connect to the head unit or the harness your bought needs to be used to work correctly?

Thanks for the help.

jainla

The soundgate has a pair of connectors that wire it in series with the stock CD unit. You need to add power (I suspect there is a ground loop isolator in there) but since I was powering the parrot it was easy to splice an additional 12v circuit into the harness. The inputs are just normal RCA cables; you can use it as a brainless Aux in with no trouble.

kelleher2

Help, I am cluless. I have 2002 LS430 and I want to put in a Bluetooth radio perhaps with Back Up camera. cansome one point me in the right direction please.

- V -

iTrader: (1)

Not a bad setup but i still like the simple setup i got on mine. I might do a write up at some point when i have to take the whole thing apart for the interior swap but basically i used a bluetooth kit Kinivo BTC450. Its available on amazon for $40 last i checked. Then use the super simple aux mod for the stock head unit if you have the pioneer or the cd changer wire tap method if youre using the Nak unit. Hook up the Kinivo and hide the wires behind the console. The cigarette lighter power plug is also super short so once its all installed you can actually close the ash tray cover and you cant see any of it except for the little circle that controls the basic functions like skipping songs and answering phone calls. Also you can use google now/siri if you longpress the call button. Best setup if you don't feel like ripping apart half of your interior and cutting holes in stuff.

babycrab

V, how did you setup your aux input? do you have pioneer or nak unit? unfortunately pieisguide's thread on the subject had its photos removed (photobucket)

- V -

iTrader: (1)

Ive done this on both pioneer and nak units.
For the Pioneer unit its actually very easy. In the internals of the Pioneer unit there are 3 pins next to each other. Those pins allow for audio input over ANY channel. IE if you have sound feeding through those pins, youll hear it over radio/cd/cassette. I dont know what the name of the connector is but it looks exactly like the connect on PC beeper speakers. You just hook up ground/left/right and connect it to an aux wire and done. Its what i did when i had my SC300 and then grabbed a cd and put it upside down in one of the cd trays in the changer. Chosing that CD in the changer would result in the ERR code on the unit which would cut all other sound aside from the aux.
For the Nak unit its a bit more complicated. What i did was get a 4PDT relay (approx $8 on amazon), speaker cable and a simple on/off switch. I tapped into the cables leading from the cd changer into the head unit. There are 4 cables that carry the sound from all the speakers. Then i drew power to the relay from the ash tray connection behind the console. The relay allows me to switch between cd changer and aux but you could skip the relay if your cd changer doesnt work or if you dont care about using it. The aux connection can only take stereo so i connected the rear left/right and front left/right together (i think, there may have been a ground wire involved too but i honestly cant remember, it was a long while ago). Hook everything up and done.

I really wish i had taken some pictures and made a proper DIY for this but i didn't have interest in that at the time so i just kind of did it and called it a day lol