skippy911

Anyone know if there are wireless steering wheel controls for the ipod nano?

EDIT: Actually found it myself, a lil to expensive though imo. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-DbGHMBW...50&I=142IPNRFC

thomas1

I too have joined the ranks of installing a input jack, everything is great except for the reduced volume, I have a Sandisk E250 and have to turn the volume on the headphones up to about 85 percent to get equal volume on the head unit. otherwise it works well and the sound quality is great. I am looking for a cheap pre amp that can be adapted to the Sandisk or put between the head unit and the input jack....

thomas1

Does anybody have the schematic for the Belkin Auto kit so that the Sandisk could be converted to use this kit*Ipod)? Is the amp in the Belkin useable for a pre amp to the HU?

salimshah

There are amps and amps the major difference is what signal levels they work with and what they drive.

Most pre-amps work to a level of 1 volt and typically drive an impedence of 32Kohms.

The Power amps drive typically 4to8 ohms and depending on rated wattage. For example with 8ohms load the signal voltage varies up to 5v for 3watts [the 5v signal needs 11v of supply, without going through invertors as in big amps].

In my previous posts, I have expalined the issue with non-standard and differential input needed for Lexus sound system.

Comercially what is available are the line-level to head-phone amplifiers {aka Belkins amplified adapter}. What I have picked up from posts is that the hack drives single ended into the Lexus system [so essentially you are driving half the signal]. With the built in amps the results are acceptable ... clarity vs loss of volume as compared to FM or tape solution.

Salim

thomas1

thank you for responding, I have read your post, sorry my day of electronics amps goes back to transistors and vacuum tubes, I am not up on ic circuitry. The line out to the headphones is what I am using and the sound quality is quite good on the rx when it is cranked up to about 85 percent on the sandisk. Oh the days when I used to design my own circuitry....just dont feel like it.

whitels

I wonder if this would work to increase the aux in signal level..
http://www.chaneyelectronics.com/products/smd/c6736.htm

maxbreaker

Please post a picture how it wired if you can. Thx,

Helibob

I've been reading through these posts. Great info. I was wondering if I didn't care about using my CD changer could I just "tap" in to the signal wires with out a relay/switch?

salimshah

If you dont want the CD then instead of tapping, why not cut and permanently tie the new input ... as if relay is on one way. You don't have to splice the harness .. just pull out the wires out of the connector. Buy the pins to mate from Lexus parts ... they have a repair kit. Shrink tube it too.

If you tap (// connection) you will short out l- and r- of cd output to gnd. [I am assuming that your source is l,r & gnd.]

The other potential problem is that you have to fake the system in thinking the CD is playing. For my sons SC, he just opens the cover. For RX I am thinking you have to have the cd spinning. So check with Tomv and others.

Salim

Helibob

Well I was bored today and played around with the RX today. I just backed out the pins from the connector at the back of the CD changer. I made up a couple of RCA pigtails and connected them to the rd/wht and blk/gn wires. I used a Pocket Dock and 1/8 to RCA cable. Worked fine.
I have ordered the relay and socket from the IS thread. Now what exactly is the relay going to do? I'm guessing it allows the use of the CD or iPod with a flip of the switch? If I wanted to completely eliminate the changer what would I need to do? Sorry if this has been covered already.

salimshah

That is exactly what I said... you need the relay if you want to listen to one source.

So how are you fooling the head unit in thinking the cd is "on". Do you have a disc playing (spinning since the audio feed is cut?

Salim

Helibob

Sorry for the confusion. Yes I just have the CD spinning. Today was kind of an experiment day. So the headunit needs to "see" the CD changer in order to switch to the CD input. What is it looking for voltage, amp draw?

salimshah

It is a mystery to me .. and has to to with serial communication link used by lexus and years of what drivers are accustomed to. ... like when you eject cd/tape the radio comes on .. I am sure many of the readers have cursed that feature when they have taken their vehicle through a car-wash and lost their antennas.

It is legacy I think. When the cd is not running then the radio comes on. Not running is most probably based on certain switches being on [cd in tray, motor on] and that information is sent back to the head unit through the proprietary serial link protocol.

Salim

lexusscturbo

iTrader: (12)

Okay guys I just did this mod on an 01 RX..However I think my switch might be faulty as it continues to play the CD in either mode...
The switch has 2 prongs...
and for one of the rear prongs I just grounded it...and the other I just ran to the relay where it states on the diagram (to a switch lead)..
Do I need to double ground it??
Help?

salimshah

CD running is "ok". IN fact you want the serial link to think CD is running. You are disconnecting the audio and injecting audio through aux-in.

Salim