sb65

My first thought is that either I'm slower than a 7 year itch, or the people that claim they installed the USA Spec/Blitzsafe/etc in 20 mins are full of it

I was replacing my AC filters and figured that while I had the glove box off, may as well install the USA Spec PA11-HON that had arrivied a few days earlier (ordered from Enfig Car Stereo, arrived 2 days later). I had read a few posts on doing it via only removing the passenger side kick panel, and went that route. Most of the links I found for DIY were old/non-functioning, but I found a few posts that described removing the wood trim and panel, so I went for it.

To remove the wood trim, I wrapped a flat head screwdriver with a layer of electrical tape to prevent scratching and it worked like a charm. I was hesitant to pry things off, but eventually got it going by workiing from the back towards the front and got it off.

Removing the screws for the side panel were easy, but you definitely have to pull/yank a bit to get it off. Once it's off, then you see how small the space is you have to work with!

Two things that will help a great deal to get an idea where the plug goes in the Aux. port is a flashlight (small is good) and either a small mirror or better yet, something like you would see at a dentist office. You can then visualize what you need to do to get it plugged in correctly. The port (on my 2003 TL, no navigation) is on the right most side of the head unit (passenger side).

Don't do what I did. I wasted 20 minutes cussing, sweating, and bleeding from cut fingers/hand because I was a moron and first tried feeding the plug up from the front/bottom of the radio, then sticking my fingers in there and trying to line it up and push it in. Eventually, I removed my cranium from my arse and sort of straitened the wire out that the plug is connected to, and fed it straight towards the back of the radio from another tiny gap that is behind the radio. I was then able to stick my fingers up from directly below the radio, guide it into place, and fully insert the plug into the Aux port in about 5 minutes.

I then plugged in the ipod (120 Gb classic) and verified it worked correctly. Everything was working, so it was time to route cables etc.

I decided that I would store the ipod in my glovebox, since I set up 4 playlists (per the instructions), so I don't need to see the ipod and it can stay locked in the glove box. I ran the cable from the radio to the USA Spec switch box basically straight down, hiding the extra cable in the carpet that is under (i.e. within) the side panel. I then have the cable running from the back part of the side panel and the switch box is tucked way up on the upper left part of the passenger side floor board. I'll eventually secure it with double sided tape or velcro, but it is well hidden and easily accessible as it is, and doesn't move. The cable from the switch box to the ipod runs back up into/under the dash and I fed it into the glove box, with about 2' or so extra so that I can pull it out and manually change things if I want to (i.e. via the disk 6 button).

So far, the only issues are that it occasionally gets screwed up and won't go to CD-1 (Aux port) or gets stuck on FM or FM-1. To remedy it, I just disconnect the ipod, put the radio on FM-1, turn the radio off, reconnect the ipod, turn the radio back on, and then it's fine. I plan to call USA Spec about this, but for now, it is a minor inconvience. I find that if I put the radio back on FM-1 (or FM-2) before turning the car off, it does not happen.

The sound quality is awesome. I have it in playlist mode. Disks 1-4 are your playlists that you named like HONDA1, HONDA2 ... HONDA4. Disk 5 is "all music". Disk 6 is direct control of the ipod (it is frozen when using disks 1-5). Wish I had gotten this thing months ago when I finally got an ipod. So nice to have every CD and download I own at my finger tips.

Putting the side panel back on proved to be an utter bitch. You have to bend that puppy quite a bit. I found the only way to do it was to get the front tabs in, bend it, then use a very big/long screw driver to guide the tabs in the back of the panel into their slots, as they kept wanting to fit into a space behind the slots since you were bending it inwards (i.e. it is bowed towards the passenger seat). It definitely took longer to get it back together than to take it apart, which is pretty normal.

I may buy a vent mount for it, since it will reach easily from the glove box to one of the center vents. Still debating.

The only casualty of the procedure was that when I was prying the "stops" off of the glove box .. the ones that keep it from coming all the way open ... one popped off and flew somewhere. I figured I would find it when putting things back together, but it is nowhere to be found. I can only think that it somehow flew up into and under the dash and got lodged. So far, using just one seems to be good enough, but I'll probably order one to replace the lost one. Can't be very expensive.

SLushhYYY

iTrader: (8)

lol I installed the blitzsafe in ~15 mins, including the time it took to drink a cherry 7-up I drank after I finished.

You did it wrong, you're not supposed to bend the side panels, you unscrew your center console and pull it back, which allows the side panels to simply slide off.

But good job anyway haha

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

Man I must have done everything wrong with my USASpec...

I...bent the side panel...AND...fed the connector through the front.

No wonder it took me almost 40 minutes. lol

StonedCL

iTrader: (1)

I was gonna install this months ago BUT i read that u can not controll the Ipod from the radio or the steering wheel controls for the radio.. You have to swith songs through the IPOD, Is this true?
Can you switch tracks from the radio or everytime a bad song starts do u have to pull the ipod outta the glove box?

SLushhYYY

iTrader: (8)

^^^Yup, you change songs through the iPod

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

^^ Nooo, the USASpec lets you use the radio and steering wheel controls. You just can't go to the previous song. Just...forward

vw2tl

How's this compare to isimple? And if you can use steering wheel controls then count me in. I know the Isimple can and they just came out with 2nd gen

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

USASpec has iPod and AUX lines. iSimple has just iPod.

StonedCL

iTrader: (1)

does it plug in the 3.5 mm socket or the chaging port?

That is soo freakin KOOL... does it work w/the Iphone 3G and does it charge it while playing the songs?

Where online can I get the USA spec one that can change the songs w/the steering wheel?

hANDYcaptd

iTrader: (5)

^ All USASpec lets you change songs with the steering wheel (for our cars at least).

Connects to the charging port. And yes, it charges the iPod. But the newer iPods and iPhones you need the newer cable for it to charge.

Enfig or Crutchfield has them.

USASpec PA11-HON

sb65

Ha. I took me 20 mins to get my glove box, wood trim, and side panels off! I am the first to admit that I am no pro though! Give me some directions and I'll figure out the rest, but probably not the best/easiest way to do it.

So you loosen the screws for the main center console and then it gives room to line the tabs up in the front and back and just drop it into place? I had that thing bent like a mo-fo to get it in. Never read any directions about loosening the center console.

sb65

Regarding questions about how the USA Spec unit works:

Check out the info here:
http://enfigcarstereo.com/shopsite_s..._PA11_HON.html

There are 2 settings, at least for my 5th gen ipod classic: Direct mode and playlist mode. On direct mode, you use the ipod as you normally would to navigate through your music, playlists, etc. In playlist mode, you have 4 playlists you can set up (not 5), which are accessed by pressing disk 1,2,3 or 4 on the unit. Disk 5 is used to access all music (as if you had a playlist containing every song on the ipod) and disk 6 gives you direct access to your ipod (like in direct mode).

The unit will select your first 4 playlists if you don't have certain ones designated for use by naming them starting with "HONDAx", where x = 1,2,3, or 4. For example, I think I have HONDA1_country, HONDA2_hard_rock, HONDA3_pop, HONDA4_hip_hop.

You can use your steering wheel controls for volume and to go to the next song (like you were listening to a CD). I usually put it on a playlist, or all music and use the random button on the radio to play the songs from that playlist in a random order.

My ipod does charge while playing and I think continues to charge for 30 minutes after shutting off the vehicle.

sb65

So driving in this morning, with my ipod not even connected (sitting home on my computer desk), my radio suddenly goes into CODE mode. Of course, my code doesn't work. I had read about these problems with this unit, but was under the impression that they were fixed a couple of years ago. I'll report back after I speak with someone at USA Spec.

First issue is getting my f**king radio code to take. So annoyed right now.

'02_TL-S

Blitzsafe FTW! Granted you can't use the steering wheel control but no probs whatsoever so far for me. It's only been bout a month tho.

demetri

the usa spec is the best unit out there imo. i don't like the an ocassional error message on the stock radio and the fact that the radio won't work unless you turn it off prior to diconnecting the iphone cable.

i have the blitzsafe aux cable if someone would like to purchase it CHEAP.

thanks

sb65

On a 3 hr trip last week, the radio went from CD-1 (i.e. Aux) to FM-1 or just FM and would not play nor allow me to change the input (i.e. FM-1, FM-2, CD, etc). It did this 3 or 4 times, and every time, I had to turn the radio off, disconnect the ipod, turn the radio back on, push buttons for a while and repeat and eventually it would go back to "normal" and I could power off, reconnect the ipod, and power on and it would then go to CD-1 and work okay (for 30 mins or so).

A few days later, 3.5 hr drive, and I had zero problems. So intermittent, yet annoying (and a bitch to do the above steps on country roads at night without stopping). Calling USA Spec shortly to see if they have any ideas or if I have a faulty unit.