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DFW: My new toy (GromAudio Adapter)

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Old Apr 18, 2009 | 04:09 PM
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TX DFW: My new toy (GromAudio Adapter)

Hey,
Just I thought I'd post this up for fun since my wife is hogging the projector with her sis watching girly movies *ick*

So I got an Iphone for work a couple weeks ago, and have been pysched ever since. I have always hated the radio with a passion, and Sirus/XM suck even more with a fee to boot.

Getting an iphone finally meant that I could listen to internet radio (which frankly I think is the future of radio period). I ran into a slight problem. I discovered that the ipod dock wouldnt work because when you plug the iphone in it closes whatever app you're using and loads the ipod app... well this would be all well and good if I was actually using the phone as an ipod in the car, which I was not. The issue is that the iphone can run only one app at a time, and I needed the phone to be running an internet radio app. The solution was to just get a regular head phone adapter and hook it up to my radio that way.

Surprisingly finding an adapter to do this wasnt easy, even using google. Luckily I came across a car PC post that I saw had a picture of this adapter. Going to the site revealed that it was exactly what I needed. Alittle more research and I started taking my car apart. Was alittle anxious in that regard since I was alone and had never done anything like this before. Wasnt too hard, took it all apart, plugged the adapter into the back of the radio and was off to the races the first time!

Heres pics of me working in the car:




Last edited by Riley Craven; Jun 9, 2009 at 11:33 AM.
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Old Apr 18, 2009 | 04:30 PM
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Which input do you select on the radio? I've been looking at doing something like this for my iphone and just using the ipod part of it. Plus, when it's plugged into the headphone jack, you can just put your phone on speaker and have "hands free" phone.
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Old Apr 18, 2009 | 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by KWarner04
Which input do you select on the radio? I've been looking at doing something like this for my iphone and just using the ipod part of it. Plus, when it's plugged into the headphone jack, you can just put your phone on speaker and have "hands free" phone.
I hit the CD/EXT button and it works just fine.
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Old Apr 21, 2009 | 03:29 PM
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good to see you finally figured it out; good job!
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 08:23 AM
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Thomas, you shoulda asked me. I already have a P.I.E. adapter running in mine.

I believe this is the unit I have in mine. You can then select one of three adapter cables: RCA, 3.5mm, iPod (each sold separately and not something you're likely to switch out).
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 09:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Creto
Thomas, you shoulda asked me. I already have a P.I.E. adapter running in mine.

I believe this is the unit I have in mine. You can then select one of three adapter cables: RCA, 3.5mm, iPod (each sold separately and not something you're likely to switch out).
Man for 85 + shipping I'm damn glad I didn't ask you since the grom was 65.
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Riley Craven
Man for 85 + shipping I'm damn glad I didn't ask you since the grom was 65.
I never said I paid that much, I just said that was the unit I had.
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 10:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Creto
I never said I paid that much, I just said that was the unit I had.
Ah.
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Creto
I never said I paid that much, I just said that was the unit I had.
This doesn't sound shady at all....
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by KWarner04
This doesn't sound shady at all....
lol... nah, I bought mine used.
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 02:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Creto
Thomas, you shoulda asked me. I already have a P.I.E. adapter running in mine.

I believe this is the unit I have in mine. You can then select one of three adapter cables: RCA, 3.5mm, iPod (each sold separately and not something you're likely to switch out).
So does anyone know of a device that will work on my '05 that has Bose, factory satellite and 6 CD changer? Seems most adapters won't work with that combination and would require me to disable the satellite radio.. You know me, I want it all..
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Rowlettrx8er
So does anyone know of a device that will work on my '05 that has Bose, factory satellite and 6 CD changer? Seems most adapters won't work with that combination and would require me to disable the satellite radio.. You know me, I want it all..
I just bought one of the Grom units that Tom got and I've got bose factory sat and 6 disc changer. We'll see how it goes. It should get here this weekend but probably won't get around to installing it for a while cause of my travel schedule. It says it will work with the 6 disc changer, so we'll see how well it works.
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Old Apr 22, 2009 | 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by KWarner04
I just bought one of the Grom units that Tom got and I've got bose factory sat and 6 disc changer. We'll see how it goes. It should get here this weekend but probably won't get around to installing it for a while cause of my travel schedule. It says it will work with the 6 disc changer, so we'll see how well it works.
The cd changer is not the problem, the sat radio is. the problem is that there is only one extra connection slot on the back of the head unit, so you can either use that for sat radio or an aux port, the work around to that is to loose your sta controls from the steering wheel and get an 1/8th inch y adapter that takes two different inputs and sends them to one output cable. You'll only be able to use one at a time but that should work.
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 08:31 PM
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You should have asked me!! i just made a DIY about how to do it for the cost of an rca a/v cable...
granted it takes some time, effort, and soldering ability...
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Old Apr 23, 2009 | 11:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Lord ET
granted it takes some time, effort, and soldering ability...
Lol, none of wich I was willing to give. I really just wanted something plug and play.

Something I knew 100% was going to work...
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Old Apr 24, 2009 | 01:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Riley Craven
Lol, none of wich I was willing to give. I really just wanted something plug and play.

Something I knew 100% was going to work...
to each his own. Glad it's working out for you!
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 08:55 AM
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how do you like it, and can you still use the ipod to change songs?

and does it auto power on and off?
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 11:29 AM
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Originally Posted by always.anthony
how do you like it, and can you still use the ipod to change songs?

and does it auto power on and off?
Since its just an aux port you use iphone/ipod just like you would if you were wearing headphones.

Not sure what you mean by auto power on and off. The unit draws power from the radio, so its on as long as you use it.

So basically you hit the cd/ext button on your head unit and plug the jack into your ipod and you have music.

I notice the Ipod will stop playing music if you unplug the jack.
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 06:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Riley Craven
Since its just an aux port you use iphone/ipod just like you would if you were wearing headphones.

Not sure what you mean by auto power on and off. The unit draws power from the radio, so its on as long as you use it.

So basically you hit the cd/ext button on your head unit and plug the jack into your ipod and you have music.

I notice the Ipod will stop playing music if you unplug the jack.
on the xcarlink its plugged in through the dock area/port. and if left in, when the car is off, the ipod turns off, and when the car turns on, it starts playing where you left offf.
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 07:04 PM
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Hay this is great man I been waiting to c a plug and play application what I wanna do is put a man an opening in the cup holder or a mount in that part were the ashtray is, is the cable long enought to reach down that far??
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr.We$t
Hay this is great man I been waiting to c a plug and play application what I wanna do is put a man an opening in the cup holder or a mount in that part were the ashtray is, is the cable long enought to reach down that far??
Those cables are actually pretty long. You could prob wire it all the way to the back seat if you wanted. if not you can always buy longer cables, the end is just regular 2 channel RCA cable. (they provide two cables, one that has an S-video like end that plugs into the adapter box, and has 2 audio rca's and then another that has an rca front end and headphone jack back end)
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 07:16 PM
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Great you are so the man for today LOL, are you gonna post a DIY?
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr.We$t
Great you are so the man for today LOL, are you gonna post a DIY?
Well its pretty simple really. I gleamed info from other threads in the forums on removing the head unit, and then I just plugged in the extra piece to the only spare slot the head unit has.

But Basicaly:

1. Remove the shift ****
2. Remove the panel beneath the shift ****
3. unscrew and Remove the ashtray (dont detach the wires)
4. unscrew the radio (screws are behind the ashtray)
5. Unscrew the bolt underneath the stearing column (its where your right knee is while driving)
6. carefully pull the head unit out and then unplug the wires
7. plug the grom unit in and place it behind the radio (might want to anchor the the s-video cable with tape that goes out of the grom unit as it has a tendencay to fall out)

Then just reassemble what you took apart.
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 08:16 PM
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Originally Posted by always.anthony
on the xcarlink its plugged in through the dock area/port. and if left in, when the car is off, the ipod turns off, and when the car turns on, it starts playing where you left offf.
The grom audio I bought was not a dock for iphone/ipod. I wanted a general multi purpose jack that worked with anything.
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Old Jun 9, 2009 | 08:24 PM
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Where did u buy it from. Ive been wanted something like this
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