chusteveb

I've had a lot of success with this version of an audio 'aux in' so I'll share it with you all.



Installing an ‘aux in:’

Obtain 4 relays all of them need to be 5 pole. You can find them at any car audio/ alarm install shop.
Also obtain a RCA cord with at least one side being a female end for both left and right channels (the other end will be cut off and discarded) long enough to go from your relay pack in the trunk to the desired location of your ‘aux in’ connection (up front under the glove, center console, etc.).
Don’t forget about the switch so get one of those if you haven’t already.

You will need to install a switch up front with one side of the switch coming from a 12V source (be safe and fuse it) and the other side going to the set of 4 relays in the trunk.
On the relays you will see numbers adjacent to each of the 5 prongs respectively: 85, 86, 87, 87a, and 30.
Take all 4 relays and jump all of the 86’s together and tie in the wire coming from the switch containing the 12V source.
Take all 4 relays and jump all of the 85’s together and tie in a wire that runs to ground.

On the backside of the right rear quarter panel in the trunk is the XM unit. Remove the trunk liner to access this unit and remove the 3 10mm bolts that hold this unit to the trunk support.
The XM unit will have 2 plugs, one is an antenna plug, and the other is the main harness. Remove or cut open a section of the black flex-lume and expose the wires connected to the main harness.
Using the schematics I’ve attached find and cut the appropriate 4 signal wires containing positive and negative for both left and right channels: red, green, white, and black.
Red is the left positive channel, attach the end coming from the XM harness to 87a on the first relay; take the other end of the red wire going into the car and attach it to 30 on the first relay.
Green is the left negative channel, attach the end coming from the XM harness to 87a on the second relay; take the other end of the green wire going into the car and attach it to 30 on the second relay.
White is the right positive channel, attach the end coming from the XM harness to 87a on the third relay; take the other end of the white wire going into the car and attach it to 30 on the third relay.
Black is the right negative channel, attach the end coming from the XM harness to 87a on the fourth relay; take the other end of the black wire going into the car and attach it to 30 on the fourth relay.

Take the RCA cord and from the relay pack route the female end of the RCA cord to where you want your ‘aux in’ to be located.
Cut off the end of the RCA cord by the relay pack to expose the positive and negative of both the left and right channels of the RCA cord.
Carefully strip both the positive and negative of the left and right channels on the cord to expose the bare wire.

Attach the left positive channel of the RCA cord to 87 on the first relay (relay with the red XM wires).
Attach the left negative channel of the RCA cord to 87 on the second relay (relay with the green XM wires).
Attach the right positive channel of the RCA cord to 87 on the third relay (relay with the white XM wires).
Attach the right negative channel of the RCA cord to 87 on the fourth relay (relay with the black XM wires).

Reattach the harness to the XM unit and carefully reinstall everything.


Testing your ‘aux in:’

With the source selected to XM and the switch in the ‘off’ position, XM radio should play as normal.
With the switch in the ‘on’ position, whatever is connected to your aux in should be heard.

rbf351

what if we don't use XM radio anymore?

can we just run the 12V wire to the relay directly, to have the aux input?

Brewmaster

Nice ... Thanks ...

Two Questions and a request:

Question 1 - Others have reported a volume drop when tapping into the XM .. does this rectify that?

Question 2 - What If I wanted an open Aux In (MP3 player) and a dedicated Aux In (DVD Player)? Could I split the RCA cable and it would recognize that one is on and the other is off, or would I need a switch?

Request - Could you link to a high res copy of the wiring diagram?

Thanks again ... you rock!!

TLXLR8S

chusteveb, ill upload the hi res wiring diagram for you. i owe you alot.

RIGHT CLICK AND SAVE AS

once you save and open it, it will be too big for most screens, but if you print it, it will fit perfectly on one page.

chusteveb

If you don't use XM radio anymore nor care to ever have it in the future you can skip all of the instructions I listed out above and straight wire the cut and stripped end of the RCA cord to the respective corresponding cut wire on the XM plug (the ends that goes into the car).

Relays act as a switcher, but if you don't need to switch to anything you won't even need relays.

chusteveb

I am one of the many who had almost half the volume lost, however it was when using the audio part of AV Electronics unit. Routing anything audio through this AVE unit resulted in volume loss. I still use this unit but for video only. So to directly answer your question, yes my method does rectify that situation of volume drop.

chusteveb

Oh yeah and as to the second question,
...ehhh that would work but I myself wouldn't do it that way. If you are needing more than 1 'aux in' I would sugest finding an alternate solution. The AV Electronics unit would have been a fine solution if there wasn't the issue of the volume loss.
What I ended up doing is using the 'aux in' on the back of the DVD player for my additional or second audio 'aux in' the only thing is that the DVD player has to be on and changed to Line In.

chusteveb

Hey thanks for taking care of this request.

Acura-Too-Loud

Why not just add a line driver after the avelectronic unit to keep the volume up?

-Kris

TLXLR8S

what is a AVElectronics unit? iam using my aux input for an ipod, iam connecting my ipod with a wire directly to the realys. will i lose volume too? and if i do will it still be enough?

Masta120

Is there really an auxiliary input on the Navi's DVD player? If I had something feeding to that input, how could I switch over to it?

I'm sorry if I am asking dumb questions....new to audio stuff and especially TL audio stuff....

Brewmaster

The DVD chusteveb is talking about is an aftermarket DVD player he's added for watching movies. You can hijack the Navi video to show it on the Navi screen up front, or wire it to headrest monitors etc. The problem has been getting sound into the car since the only additional AUX IN on the head unit is being used by the factory installed XM. This thread is describing a way to wire (w/ relays) an additional AUX IN for this DVD player so the movie sound will play over the vehicle's sound system.

Chusteveb was specifically saying that he uses the AUDIO IN on the aftermarket DVD player as an additional Audio In. (i.e. he could wire remote RCA jacks into the front of the car (Glove or center console for instance) connect these back to the DVD player's audio in and then use the DVD player to route an additional audio source - say an MP3 player - back into the car stereo.)

chusteveb

Thanks Brewmaster...

chusteveb

Actually, I thought about it but in order to keep the sound quality I'd have to install line drivers before the AVE unit.

Audio Control now makes a unit perfect for this called the Matrix. Check out their website.

Brewmaster

Alright chusteveb .. I've sketched this out and I appear to be missing something ... As far as I can tell, this gives you a right and a left. It does not differentiate from front to back. Does XM not have front / back separation, does it digitally separate at the head unit, or are you just hijacking the back (or front) channels from XM ignoring the other set???

chusteveb

No sorry, both XM and Sirius send only a stereo signals as of now; therefore our XM receivers have only a left and right signal output.

You can still use the headunit to fade of course.

stefan2

wow too much instructions ! I'am also new too Acura TL (6 speed no Navy) and audio Stuff, I use to have an EL (canadian model only) and now switch to a TL !
My only wish was to plug my iPod on the Radio... So I purchased the iCe Link Plus and it did not work ( it almost work in fact.. ) The radio was able to switch to CD-C mode and that's it ! Every thing was hanging there...
Is there a way you can directly connect the iPod to the back of the HU ?
I dont realy care not beeing able to switch song from steering wheel...
(Radio Satellite is not Available here, All I wan is my iPod, so I need is an RCA in and the Radio to Switch to line IN !!)

Brewmaster

Chusteveb - You have been a great help on here, many thanks and my apologies for being a pain in the ass .... I have gone to several shops, Radio Shack, Audio Installers, etc. and no one carries (or is willing to sell) 5 pole relays ... I found this in AutoToys and it looks like it is exactly what you described ... would this work?

rbf351

just did this the other day in my car, went to the white plug behind the radio, chopped the 4 wires listed above in half, hooked up the RCA cables from my DVD player, and now when i press the XM button i have aduio from my DVD player

rbf351

yes you can, you can do like i did, behind the radio/navi screen is a white plug witha few wires, cut the following wires in half - red, green, white and black

Red is the left positive channel,
Green is the left negative channel,
White is the right positive channel,
Black is the right negative channel,

all you do is take the wire that are still attached to the wire harness and connect them to the plug going into your ipod.

SilverQuartzTL

As a suggestion, rather than using 4 SPDT (single pole, double throw) relays, you could use just one 4PDT (4 pole, double throw) like this one:

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/sto...oductId=183011

This would save some space and probably draw quite a bit less current as you are only operating one coil, instead of 4.

Brewmaster

Works great unless you want both XM and DVD ... then you need a switch.

chusteveb

AH HA! You are so right! Actually I'm in the process of doing this. However of course both ways will work. I didn't get any noise from using 4 seperate relays.

TLXLR8S

so this one relay would work and with no volume loss? so if i buy one of theserelays i can hook up the RP, RN, LP, LN and only one wire for power with just this one relay?

stefan2

OK, there is probably something I dont undestand.
OK for the wires, but how dos the radio know there is somthing plug in ?
(ok if I keep the IceLink Plug in) But if I dont wand to keep the Dension thing ?

SilverQuartzTL

Head unit doesn't know and doesn't care. You have a switch that you manually toggle to activate and deactivate the relays. The head unit will think that it's receiving XM and will display the channels, but you'll be getting audio from your external source, regardless of what the XM display says as long as the relay has been switched.

bryanb

What is the easiest way to get to the XM line near the head unit/front of the car? I just want to add an MP3 player and switch between it and the XM.

Thanks,
Bryan

rbf351

do like i said a few posts back, get behind the radio, find the white plug(if you are looking at the back of the radio it the plug/harness on the far right, and it's the only white one)

then cut the 4 wires listed in the first post, and follow the same instructions

chusteveb

Add a ground to your list and you've got it. Don't confuse this relay with the 5 pole relay I first talked about which also works and is more readily available but need 4 of to get the job done.

I don't know the schematics of this new relay so my audio guy will be doing the wiring and soudering.

TLXLR8S

iam just wondering. if you already have the 5-pole relay installed why would you change it to this one?

bryanb

How easy is it to get behind the radio? Trying to avoid dismantling everything.

Bryan

chusteveb

I took everything out to install a full fledge aftermarket system (minus the headunit) including my relays, so I'm just having my installer reinstall with this new relay to make things smaller and more compact.

Other than that, no real reson.

foot3ch

What do you guys think abouy this mod compare to PeterUbers Mod "Large demand for my Ipod/Mp3 player integration setup"?

Here is the link:
https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/best-advice-needing-run-home-theater-sub-woofer-cable-112654/

Large demand for my Ipod/Mp3 player integration setup... (3GTL Garage# I-059)

Thanks,

stefan2

thanx,
it works for the input if the Icelink is present, it make's the radio to switch to CD-C (CD Changer) Mode,
but if nothing is attach (only the RP,RN,LP,LN) to the other wires, the HU never gives me the XM or CD-C option.
What do I Di with other wires... I guess that's where I need a relay from you explanation ?
(I have no XM, NO CD-C, and it's a Non Navi TL 2005 !)

Also for the one's that doesn't want to take apart the console I was able to attach the Harness and Remove 3 times. You can see the Plug at back if you remove the carpet near the left end side of the radio. Now steal a long for Fork from your wife's kitchen, attach the harness to it and slide it to the Plug ! I succeded, you'l make it.

bryanb

Has anyone tried using the Honda Y-adapter to avoid cutting wires?

Bryan

bryanb

Is this possible for those of us with nav?

Thanks,
Bryan

RayRay10

First, great job figuring this out! Couple of questions:

1. Do you think this would also work for a aux VIDEO in on the nav system if the right wires were found?

2. I'm assuming you had to access the XM box through the wheel well...is this right?

stefan2

HI Bryan, the connector is on far end right side of the Radio, Navy or not, it's the same HU (at least it's the same in Canada).
Fold the carpet down (there are 2 pieces of plastic to hold it) this will unveil the little space aloying to see the connector, but you need a flash light)
If you lay down on your back (sorry for pour explanations details, i'm french...) and put your head against the accellerator and look towards the back of the radio you should see it.

I dont have an XM receiver or CD-C install.
So my connector was empty en ready to plug in an IceLink Plus... unfortunatly this one did not work, that's why i'm going trough this trouble.

If you need to split your XM connector than rbf351 and Ace (thanx) way is the best, you only need a 4PDT relay with a little switch in your dash and it will work perfectly.
I've tryed it installing a XM to test my radio and it works, some receivers have an AUX input: http://www.xmradio.com/get_xm/

The Y Harness still need to be attach to a relay, The HU is only receiving one signal at a time and you can ear background noise if you dont do so.

I stiil have one issue to solve !!!
How can you fake the HU to offer the CD-C or XM mode if no CD-C or XM is plug in ?
I actually want to hook up my iPod directly to the back of the HU without XM...
So I have to guess the connectors on the HU that turn's ON the CD-C option.

For less trouble than that you can buy an Tape adapter: the iCarPlay from monster is the best... :-)


Stefan

bryanb

I am hoping to not have to cut the main XM cable. Can I extend the XM cable with the Honda bus cable (08A31-0E1-010) and cut that rather than the original?

Thanks,
Bryan

bryanb

Can anyone provide some pictures or diagrams of the back of the head unit?

Thanks,
Bryan