Aux in

Hi. I've browsed a few threads on here already and I can probably muddle my way through with a bit of trial and error, but anyway I thought I'd ask a few questions which may help with my overall understanding as well as with less trial and less error!

(I have installed an aux in cable in a pretty crude way in the past in a Mazda and a Peugeot (yes I'll wash my mouth out!). Because neither of those vehicles had the right wiring, I did it using a device which you may be familiar with, which basically sits between the header unit and the external antenna and effectively you tune the device to an unused area of the FM band and you can play your iPod as if it was an FM radio station. I don't want to do this unless I have to because although it works it's pretty crude and of course FM coverage is pretty full and the available frequencies vary when you travel around, which means that the iPod's frequency can clash with 'real' radio stations and of course then the playback is interfered with.)

So I know from other threads that there is a 'proper' way to do this in the A2 via a box which can be bought off Ebay or Amazon.

Here's what I'm asking and please by all means just point me in the right direction if these questions are answered elsewhere:

I haven't pulled the header unit out yet so I'm not quite sure what lies behind. 1) What am I going to find? Is what's back there standard on all A2s or does it vary by model? (It's my other half's car, a 2002 1.4SE). 2) Also, do the additional boxes which provide the aux in facility depend on the A2's wiring, or on the header unit wiring, or both? (I don't have a pic of the header unit to hand but it's an FM/MW radio with a single CD input. I can do a pic and post it if that helps). 3) I would gladly sacrifice the CD input facility because that isn't used, and would use its wiring if it is possible and/or would make installation simpler. Does that make any difference to the choices I may make? 4) Do the aux in boxes require splicing into the wiring loom or is power delivered via one of those multi-wire plug interfaces? 5) Do you have a recommended device which works for you, especially one which is relatively hassle-free to install?

I know this is a bit long-winded but thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any pointers.

Cheers, Steve
 
Hi Steve. I got a connects2 box which was pretty simple. I pulled the stereo out (you can get the keys on eBay), there are a few multicoloured blocks in the back and you just unplug a couple, add the new ones one the Connects2 in their place and plug the unplugged ones into the connects2. Easy. I ran the cable down to the tray behind my gear stick and hid it underneath with a jack point but it’s easier just to have it in the little cubby under the air con.

Once it’s fitted you press ‘cd’ on your Concert stereo a couple of times and the connects2 just pretends to be a cd autochanger and away you go.


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Many thanks Pinky. Does the connects2 get its power from one of the multicoloured wire blocks? And I assume the connects2 needs to be earthed somewhere or does it get that via the wiring blocks?

Cheers, Steve
 
Earth and power are both at the back of the stereo. Power from a block and earth is a separate cable. I wedged mine in place originally and it came adrift when refitting. It should really be screwed somewhere but I was pulling the stereo out a fair bit so I just attached it to the stereo’s cage and put a bit of tape over it to hold it on. Done!


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Thanks guys for all this input. I just need to digest and find the time. In the mean time I'll share an anecdote though. My daughter borrowed the car and observed that it needs an aux in (which I already knew!!). So what she said she did was put her iPhone in the glove box turned up to max volume and she said the glove box acted as a crude amp, good enough for amplifying voice recordings (eg podcasts). Ha ha! Hardly a long term solution though....
 
Here's the current unit with its front panel on and off. It's a Panasonic which must be aftermarket. I'm now thinking that maybe I just swap the unit for one with aux-in. Is there anything oddball about the A2's audio wiring, or should a unit with generic wiring be just plug'n'play? Thanks in advance!
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Ah okay, I think most people assumed (like myself) you had a standard (Audi) stereo in the car.

This not being the case, then if you're happy with the sound that you're getting from the stereo and it's currently working okay (it seems to be from the picture) then I would say your best bet is a trip to Halfords to see what they've got in stock. You will almost certainly already have the adaptor necessary for the speakers and power in the back of the stereo.

They're doing a bundle deal on Sony DSX-A410BT for £99 at the moment which has Bluetooth and an AUX-In (although no CD player) - https://www.halfords.com/technology...ony-dsx-a410bt-car-stereo-fully-fitted-bundle

or... for £139 there is the Sony DSX-A510BD which has much the same, but also DAB radio and USB port - https://www.halfords.com/technology...sony-dsx-a510bd-dab-radio-fully-fitted-bundle
 
... or if you would be happy fitting it yourself, the DSX-A210UI is only £47 :eek:

https://www.halfords.com/technology/car-audio/car-stereos/sony-dsx-a210ui-car-stereo
Thanks sciroccorrado. I certainly don't mind doing the fitting. Do you know if there is anything I need to be aware of as concerns the wiring harness? (In my own mind I'm thinking either that the wiring harness is generic, or else that there needs to be some kind of adapter to join the car's harness to the new header?).
 
No, you shouldn't need a new harness, as I'm assuming the Panasonic would use standard ISO wiring harness adaptor, so you just reuse that one. The only thing you might need to do is reverse the permanent-feed and ignition-feed on the head unit as sometimes they're reversed on VAG/Audi cars. You will know if this needs doing as when you take the key out the stereo will stay on.
 
In fact the stereo already stays on and I have to switch it off each time. Here is the wiring on the rear of the Panasonic. The orange and brown wires aren't connected to any corresponding wires on the car (maybe the corresponding wires are buried deep behind the dash?) and I'm guessing that these might be for the rear speakers, which definitely aren't working even with the fader function set to the rear.
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Have gone for a (UK supplied but Chinese made) head unit to replace the Panasonic. It has aux in but is better than that because it also has Bluetooth which works with both music and hands free phone. Doesn't have AM radio but happy to live with that. Wired it in quickly but that still needs further work when I get round to it because a) Rear speakers still not working. I'm sure I wired the head unit in properly but I suspect a fault deeper in the wiring loom. Can live with it if it's too difficult to trace. b) Unit still works when ignition is turned off. This is because I emulated the wiring of the Panasonic, which as I can see has the red and yellow wires merged together into a single connection into the car's loom. I guess the previous owner wanted that. I can probably work out how to change that but again, not critical at this stage. All in all not exactly a purist's solution but I'm very happy with the result so far, especially the hands-free phone connectivity which is a bonus.
 
Okay from above;
  • The rear speakers won't work unless completely rewired, as these take their feed from a separate amplifier which is under the driver's footwell. This is triggered by the Audi OEM stereos, but there appears to be no way of triggering it from a "normal" remote feed.
  • Check you actually have rear speakers, as they were not fitted to all cars.
  • It sounds like the original fitters were too lazy to find a switched feed and like you say, just bodged the permanent and switched feeds together. If you can live with remembering to turn the stereo off whenever you get out the car then you might well be better off living with it.
On the whole, good result and glad you're happy with it :)
 
Thanks and good points on the rear speakers guys. I had assumed that the grilles being present implied that there would be speakers behind them! I'll check when I get a mo. It's a 1.4SE so I also dunno if rear speakers were standard or not. In any case we can live without them. I was going to pursue it out of curiosity as much as anything else but given SC's comments about how these are driven I may well just let it lie.
 
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