bobclevenger

I think you'll be soldering to a PC board, so have a low-powered soldering iron. Some experience doing this wouldn't hurt either. It's not brain surgery, but you can ruin a PC board if you're not careful.

Squidward

it depends on how you look at it.

I wasn't "peeing" in his cornflakes... I was simply stating the fact that he has completed everything except this little bugger of a connector... I've been enticed day after week after month with this project. It's frustrating to see something so cool be held up by a little problem.

vaporware = hardware or software that is proposed/advertised but never gets released.

so currently this is vaporware for me.

FM modulator crappy? perhaps but its better than nothing.

and lastly to clarify my statement, perhaps it was a little crude, but I said at least the FM modulator works, what I meant was this-- if something works to solve a problem, but you can't have it, does it solve your problem?

And yes, I will probably buy one if it is available for purchase, but for now I'll have to do with the FM modulator. It may be crappy but millions of cars use it, it can't be that bad. Also, I'm listening to highly compressed sound files, I don't think having the most clear sound system will help. Your sound is only as good as your source.

What I like about Overload's module is that is much better integrated vs. a regular FM modulator. As for the sound, we'll have to see how much advantage in quality a person gets listening to Audible files and MP3's...

mbkowns

"Also, I'm listening to highly compressed sound files, I don't think having the most clear sound system will help. Your sound is only as good as your source"

Which mp3 produces better quality then any great "FM Channel" which is all you will get with a fm modulator. For some users Radio quality sound is just, but for alot of people on this thread it isn't and with this mod soon they will be able to get the CD type aux in they are looking for.

It takes time to get blue prints together and production inline to build these units and I know Overlord doesn't feel like making all of these by hand.

brat

I have also been waiting for Overload's module and will get one when it does become available, He appears to be an excellent person as I too could not wait any longer and opted for the tape aux in module and had problems and pm'ed him and he was a great help with that. (ended up buying an Ipod)

I am sure it will be worth it in the end as I tried 2 FM modulators (both were crap) and the tape hack was awesome. Will be buying the module from him for my Mazda6.

rjacobs

To the post about the mp3 sound quality. I have been around car and home stereo stuff for years, mostly high end stuff such as tube driver for cars and b&w for home and there have been blind reviews done to highly aclaimed(sp??) audiophiles where they take a studio disk and a disk burned with mp3's of the same files and the "highly aclaimed" audiophiles could not tell a difference so the audio quality issue of the file should be a null point. Maybe if the file is done at like 64k or lower, but I am pretty sure at 128k(most MP3 files) nobody can tell much of a difference. If you can,especially over stock speakers, even with a line in, definitly let me know so you can listen to all my future systems for tuning purposes.

mbkowns

radio and cd quality sound are different and if you don't believe that then enjoy your radio fm modulator....

Tamas

iTrader: (1)

You're SO wrong... I, for one, can hear a GLARING difference between an MP3 recorded at 128k vs. say, 192k. So then there is no question I'll hear the difference between the 128k MP3 and the original (good quality) source.

RAM

I have been on this thread since page one. We now have 41 pages and I haven't re-read the entire thread so if this has been discussed before I apologise.

I assume (at the risk of being wrong) that the tape deck has the necessary connector. Has anyone considered or is it possible for someone (Overload?) to set up a daisy chain like others have set up where interested parties can send a tape module to them . . . have the connector removed and installed into and become a part of OverLoad's module and then have sent to them? I for one would be willing to buy the tape module, send it to OverLoad, have the work done and pay for the additional work. This would be not much more expensive than buying the tape module and then doing the solder solution . . . in both cases you have to buy the tape module. I would rather have OverLoad's module installed than a bastardized tape module.

Possible? Costly? Stupid?

Tamas

iTrader: (1)

This is certainly possible - but that has got to be the most expensive connector I've ever heard of :p

l008com

It this point I think its safe to say that any solution will be well received at this point, weather its through the other connector in the back of the radio, or what. I know I speak for many people when I say, I just want my ipod plugged into my radio.

spicedham

It's actually possible to do the 'tape deck hack' without the tape deck (read Ectomort's description in the middle of page 7):

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...x&pagenumber=7

Cost of parts needed is less than $20, even if you have to buy a soldering kit. However, if you read the last post on that page (mine) you will find that path is not without it's perils.

flyboyindy

so how bout it Overload, if we buy the tape unit, could you convert it into the module?

l008com

if your going to buy the whole tape module anyway, why not just do the tape deck hack. the whole point of overloads module is the $50 price tag, instead of $200

RAM

Would rather have a fully functioning, upgradable and expandable Overload module than a hacked tape module.

ectomort

This is true... the direct mod is cheap and relatively easy. There is a risk of damaging your head unit. However, I judged the risks worth the benefits. I'm impatient and waiting (at that time 3 months) for OverLOAD's ostensibly better solution wasn't going to help me love my car more. (Remember, we were dealing with the fuel efficiency discrepancies and I had an engine replacement to boot.) Quite frankly, I also had a new 40Gb iPod begging for its rightful place in the 8.

I know very little about electronics hardware, and haven't more than a handful of hours experience with a soldering iron, but I used common sense and kept the power low, took my time, and soldered on the jumper board between the module connector and the main head unit. And, I bought a quality adaptor which takes line level output from my iPod (details in earlier posts, as I recall.)

I'm happy with the choice I made, and I'm sure folks who wait for OverLOAD's module will be pleased with the quality and ease of his solution.

Durahl

I followed Ectomort's posts and found the hack to be fairly straightforward. The total cost of zero ( I had an old headphone extension cord lying around) made it worth the slight risk. If you've ever put together a computer then you have the skills to do it. Just my 2 cents.

MEGAREDS

I've built a few computers, but have not ever had to solder anything. Is this the project to learn?

MadRonin

OverLoad -

Have you tried Foxconn ?

They are probably the largest manufacturer in the world of connectors.

Just a thought.

mbkowns

Is it just my ISP and I or is foxconns website always slow?

leonardo

I am from Germany and the speed of the connection to the foxconns webpage is okay.

MadRonin

Their site is slow because of the way it is designed. I have a T1 here and it takes a while to come up.

burngopher

Greetings all. Like many, I'm a Mazda 6 owner and member of that site. We' too are waiting anxiously for some news of the plug in.

However, there is nothing showing up on the corresponding thread at mazda6club.com, the web site that is listed on this thread is dead, and there hasn't been any news from overLOAD in two weeks. OverLOAD, please send an update, a composite summary of your status, or something. If you could find it in your heart to include the Mazda 6 forum in your updates, I would certainly appreciate that, too.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with a 6 that's getting so impatient. Thanks!

[iG]

Holy sh*t. 56,000 views on the thread. :-I

This thread is probably generating half the traffic on the site lol.

l008com

Just imagine if each view was a sale!