Soliciting comments about my plan of action.

While the car's appearance is great, I purchased the 2002 SC430 knowing the ML Amp was bad. Turns out the navigation screen has a central dead spot and other parts of the screen look like they were used for a cat scratching post. There was no DVD in the Nav drive. I have no idea of the condition of the speakers. The radio turns on and the antenna goes up and down.

I started totaling up costs to bring back the OEM system. This was a good amount of cash just to end up with a stock system that seriously lacked capability (IMO). I do like the concept of keeping true to OEM, but decided I needed to at least map out some alternatives.

After reading almost all the audio posts on here (I have at least glanced at all the threads - yes, all 490+ pages of them), And after considering costs, I decided to go a route just a little bit different from others.

My plan is an Xtrons TQ700L Android Radio to replace the ML radio/cassette/cd player. The Xtrons has Android 10, 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM, plus a bunch of input/output ports. I'm making use of the GPS, OBDII, Backup Cam, Bluetooth, USB and SD card slots, and to drive an external monitor via an HDMI cable.

For the external monitor to replace the multi-display I plan to use a high brightness Lilliput monitor (1000 nits, about 3 times the usual screen brightness) - this will replace the nav screen and I will use it for GPS mapping and the reverse camera.

To keep the Nav and Audio cover doors functional I will keep the appropriate boards from the nav unit and the radio (thanks to the forum members who documented that working). To delete the amp without disrupting the bus, I will put a jumper across the in/out ports of the radio that transmit/receive to/from the amp (idea sourced from a successful SC430 install I watched on YouTube). Then I can use the space allocated to the nav DVD and the ML amp to install my own amp(s).

I don't yet know the condition of the OEM speakers, but if they don't measure up, I will replace them with aftermarket. Since I'm going aftermarket with amp(s), I'm not concerned with how to handle speaker crossover points - I've done that before in other vehicles.

I'm planning on using a PAC SWI-RC-1 interface to the steering wheel. I've used them before and it provides more capabilities than the OEM steering wheel pad supports.

Anyway, given I'm an SC430 newbie, advice/comments from any who have gone down similar paths would be most appreciated.

Lee

 

Hey Mate,

I just went down the rabbit hole again and redid my entire audio system. ( https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...ssues-now.html )

I have a similar setup, minus the Nav replacement - As I had issues with Naviks/Beatsonics in the past, I have it actually unplugged, was going to attempt replacing it one day, but never saw any posts regarding it -- if you don't mind sharing the info you reference in your post?

I can say I've tried 4 different SWC modules in the past, the BeatSonic and METRA/AXXESS and PAC -- I can tell you it's a PITA to get it working 100% the way it's made. I've never been able to get more than a few buttons working, and some buttons always cloned other buttons which was super annoying.

I may go down the route the LS/GS post regarding taking it apart and putting resistors on the buttons and just doing it that way.

I've redone the Head Unit about 6 times in the past 5 years -- I always upgrade, or see a feature somewhere and swap out - since those Android Head Units are upgraded/changed so fast.

 

Here's the wherein the guy talks about jumper wires for the comm circuit when the amp gets removed. I just finished downloading the FSM and wiring diagrams from the Toyota website, and it all seems to make sense. On connector R3 (20 pin on back of radio) instead of having them run to the amp, jump between pins 5 and 15. Alternately one could jump pins at the amp wiring, that's pins 6 and 19 on connector S23 (the TX+ and TX- lines). That's just the other end of the same wires.

Regarding keeping boards to keep doors working my first source was posts by member evgeniy such as post #5 in this thread.

Did I answer what you were asking?

I can't remember (sorry to the OP) which thread had the same basic idea for keeping the radio door working. If I find it I will post back.

Edit: Here's the thread that mentions keeping the radio control board for that door to keep functioning (post #17). What I don't know is if it has to be in the closed position when being reconnected like mentioned in the above Nav door situation.

The Android headunit I sourced from Ebay (search: Xtrons CAMERA+ 7" Android 10.0 2-Din Car Stereo 6-Core 4GB +64GB Radio GPS Wifi 4G HDMI), and the Lilliput monitor from Amazon (search: Lilliput 7 inch TK700-NP/C-B)

 

OMG Thanks, I've never seen those threads.

My radio door works, but none of my NAV works anymore because I have it all disconnected -- I was going to pop it off and do measurements and do some design/3d printing of bracket to make it work, but I saw another post with the splicing/bypassing of connectors - I may end up doing that since I have some of my Trunk Liner open - Might open it all back up now.

My NAV door has been shut for.. years now -- hated that low res screen.. Was tempted to do a custom bracket with a 10" android 2din aliexpress madness but didn't want to cover the vents, but now I can just put in another screen, and video out from my head unit for multi display.

I'm glad all the chinese android radios are so cheap - I don't feel so bad going through them.

 

FYI I was talking about this post from ( https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc4...ml#post9324493 )

 

Yeah, can't remember if it was in that thread or another wherein he says the radio is the AVC/LAN "Master", that got me to the idea of keeping the radio control while combining methods for doors opening/closing, etc. That's one of the functions the Beat-sonic has to be emulating.

I hope I have better luck with the steering wheel controls. I got the PAC unit because it worked well for me in a Tacoma and I saw so many bad reviews for Axxess. And Beat-sonic is way overkill if everything is being replaced.
Guess I'll see if I made the right choice.

 

The only issue with the sc430 and the swc is it’s canbus from my research (I may be wrong) most of the modules I tested don’t decode it properly for all buttons to work properly.

most I’ve tried - mode and vol +- will work

but let me know I got a pac in my keep.

 

I'm wondering where folks tapped into for an aftermarket illumination lead. I can get 12v signal with lights on under the hood at the 15A low beam fuse. Hopefully someone found a better location?

Maybe fuse #13 in the passenger side fuse box 1? I just haven't checked yet to see if it's hot all the time, or only when tail, parking and side markers are lit (the latter is my desired behavior).

Will check pins 2 and 12 based on input below.

 

The harness should have it.

20 pin connector on radio

 

I was under the impression illumination (brightnness level) was under CANBUS control. That would be great if that's just a 12V signal. That's what my Android wants, 12V and it lowers screen brightness to a night time setting.

 

I doubled checked my wiring from the TYTO harness, and yeah that's the illum i have connected to my android radio too.

 

I spliced the wires behind, and i can't get the open/close nav door to work.. I'm going to pop in original Radio tomorrow and see if it works.

 

Okay I put original head unit in, and everything works, funny story, my nav began to work again lol. Which it hasn’t in years, dirty dvd but whatever.

let me know how you make out on splicing, as I’m obviously doing something wrong.

 

It will be a while, my house is in a remodel phase that started Friday and is expected to last a minimum of two weeks. And I haven't even started yet - just collecting ideas and planning before I dig in.

But I will update.

 

I tested some more, its the AXXESS modules that are screwing things up. My god those guys at TECH Support at AXXESS are quite rude.

If you're replacing the AMP/Bypassing the AMP so you can retain the ECU / AVC-LAN it'll work the way you want it.

I've also contacted PAC -- according to all there SWC modules for the SC430, you'll only retain Vol +- / Set.. the other buttons won't work according to them - only way around that is to use the PAC in conjunction with the steering wheel resistor mod ( https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ml#post8135837 )

Which if you're removing the Stock Nav / Radio System -- you won't need any of those buttons to function on the AVC Lan anymore.

Going to test splicing all the RX/TX lines without radio to see if NAV still works later today.