Hi I have just install external dvd player, the question is: I tape the power wire at the HU for the dvd also but when the car is off or the HU is off, the dvd player is still on, why ? and solution please, thank you.

You wired your DVD player to a constant 12V source. The clock for the radio has to be powered SOMEHOW after all. Most car electronics have a remote terminal. Wire the remote terminal to a switched 12v source (like your accessory circuit) and it should shut down when power to the remote terminal is lost (the car is off)

If your DVD player has no remote turn-on terminal, wire the power to a switched power circuit, and make sure the circuit can power the player without blowing a fuse.

Also, you are fusing all this stuff right?

The wire you tapped on the headunit is constant 12V. You need ignition 12V.

The stock headunit uses the constant 12V as a "memory" to keep the clock and all your audio settings stored. The ignition wire is what allows the headunit to actually be powered up.

Quoting myself from the other thread you started


Your best bet would be to use the power from the rear cig lighter outlet. It should carry more than enough power/amperage for a DVD player, and it is already fused and swithed to be on only when the car is. This is what I would use.

I guess you just wanted to make it difficult for yourself.

Hi Juice, at the begining, I planed the dvd in the back but now it is under the passenger seat, and since I took out the HU I think I can short cut the process but it is not working the way I want to. if I have to use the back cig light which color is the wire ( I have not open it up yet). still now the HU is still out, any simple process for me to do from here? thanks

Hi firebiedude: what color wire is ignition power to HU? please thanks

Yeah, I know you originally planned it to be in the trunk. Since the headunit is already out though, I would just tap into the outlet right below the radio. Here is an excerpt from a DIY from Endless Rotaries (hope you don't mind Rishie).


7. CUSCO RED = RX8 YELLOW, that's your switched power
http://www.autornd.com/catalog/albums/Actual%20Product%20Pictures/Suspension/Cusco/RX8%202E%20Install%20TN/1-Electrical/47.JPG

8. GROUND IS CONNECTED TO THIS BOLT BEHIND THE SHIFTER, PLUG AND PLAY
http://www.autornd.com/catalog/albums/Actual%20Product%20Pictures/Suspension/Cusco/RX8%202E%20Install%20TN/1-Electrical/48.JPG


Just connect the DVD power to the Yellow, and the DVD ground to that bolt in the second picture. From here, you can just run the wires out of the console and under the seat.

thank much juicy, let me do it

work like a charm, appreciated juicy.

No problem, glad it worked out.

The other option is to run the 12V constant and 12V remote through a 12V relay that you can pick up at any local electronics part store. This will correct any issue that may come up with the amperage supported by the remote cigarette lighter not supporting the draw of the DVD player.

devilboi you are right, the front cig-light has a little issue because today while driving to work the sound from dvd player some how not really clear, when i turn car off the sound even get worse.( is it amperage issue?) how to do the 12v constant and 12 v remote through a 12v relay like you said.thanks

How is the audio not clear? Static? Humm? Quiet? No matter what you mean by it not being clear it isn't an amperage issue though. For it to be a problem with amperage, you would need to have a problem with it powering up to begin with or when you started playing a movie. Static is generally a bad/loose connection somewhere not related to power. On the other hand a humm points to a problem with a ground loop, which by your setup appears to be what you have. Try tapping your ground wire into the ground used by the cig. lighter.

As for how to hook up a relay...basically on the bottom you have 4 contacts...2 contacts for your constant 12v power and 2 contacts for your switched 12v power. You would use spade connectors to connect the wires and basically the relay is a remote switch for your DVD player. If you have any questions find the oldest grungiest guy at the Radio Shack you buy it from and ask for help.

thanks for the reply, i will redo all the connections again to see what happen next. it is sound like not enough power to the dvd player, ( the purpose of the dvd player is only for sound because i have lot of music dvds, i have not install a screen yet). it sound weak and electric sqeaks. For the ground, i connect it to the bolt right behind passenger seat where as the rear seatbelt attach to, i don't think it is a problem but since i have to open up the console, well i will relocate the loop. A question for you: the 2 cig-lights (front and rear are exactly the same?)

I am sorry,please hold all the thought, i just tried another dvd and it seems normal now, probably the 1st dvd is not all good, let wait for a day or 2.

Yea...an issue with volume wouldn't be related to the ground. That is either related to bad original quality or a problem with the level of the signal coming out. If it is related to only one disc it would be a leveling issue on that disc.

A ground loop gives a constant hum that increases with engine revs. Doesn't sound like that is what you have.

I asume too soon on the disc problem but it is now not the disc, for example, every time i turn the car off to acc so the music can still play, the volume almost gone at the time and resume a little bit close to normal but this time with some weird noise . and when the car is off and I turn to acc to listen, the sound is normal. And during driving I am certain some thing is not nornal as the disc is playing. Yes I have test the dvd player using car battery thru the aux to home stereo speaker without problem (so we rule out the dvd prob). i really dont know why it happens like this ( i did ground to the bolt at the stick shift as shown in the picture above), no constant hum during driving, just sketching, sweezing weird sound beside music once in awhile. Any help is appreciated. Thanks again.

How did you connect your DVD player to the Head Unit?

What kind of external DVD Player are we talking about?

How is the external DVD Player mounted to the car?

exactly as picture shown above, power using front cig-light taped to the yellow wire, ground is attached to the bolt behind the shift, the half-din dvd player is under the passenger seat, audio out to m-bus rca to alpine cd-changer converter to the back of HU 8-din slot. everything is working except it doesnot seem right.

Have you tried hooking anything else up to the RCA adapter to see if you have the same problem with the fading music?

You say the unit is "under the passenger seat"...did you secure it at all?

yes the unit is some what securely attached to the rug at the bottom using 2 side tape, it is not moving/sliding but not really tighten to the floor, but i dont think it is an issue b/c there is no skiping music like the stock HU does (this is also the reason i want to install this dvd, b/c the HU skip music all the time even only a little bump on the road). For now i think i may live with this problem only while driving, but iwhen I park it is not all good. Thanks for all the concerns. Let it be for a few days, weeks and see what happens.

Does the volume drop once you hit a certain speed by chance?

check ur grounding

If you lost the ground it would just shut off...it wouldn't just get quiet. I had heard somewhere that some DVD players shut off displays so that you can't watch a movie on them while you drive. I am wondering if this is something similar where it just turns down so you can pay attention to the road and they didn't expect you to play an mp3 dvd. I would start to do some testing though with like a headphone to RCA connection and use it on a portable CD player to see if it isn't the alpine converter or everything associated with it.