I bought my Tape module separately form my RX-8, so I have my original tape module cover... which may go back into the RX-8.. There's no reason why you couldn't keep the tape face-plate in. Fortunately, for people in your situation who want to get the stock trim piece back, I think it is much cheaper than the ~$60 tape module trim piece. I'm pretty sure just about any Mazda Dealer will be able to get the original trim piece for you, and I think it's only half the price, if that.. I haven't called for a quote, so that might be off a bit..

Regards,

OverLOAD

 

and if you remove the cassette player, the opening in the trim panel may be used for a custom panel with switches or to plug in an I-Pod
So there is no need to order a replacement panel after all

 

Hi Overload,

you might be right. The MP3 unit could be the better choice to find out how to display text.

Thank you for your info about FMS Audio. Ford, Mazda, Sanyo, makes sense. ;-) I did not know that.
So it is mainly Sanyo stuffs. My 93 FD has Panasonic HU I guess.
The RX-8 audio hardware IDs allow to say FMS Audio, Panasonic or Clarion. So I think FMS Audio is not the only supplier of the audio stuffs.
Maybe FMS makes the HU, Clarion the CD section and so on. Maybe also everybody makes any module, it just depends who had time or was cheapest at the moment.

Regarding the Audio Pilot switch, I think unoplugging the microphone will not switch the HU. As far as I know, the microphone plugs directly into the amp, not the HU.
I also think that all the equalization stuffs is done inside the amps.
The HU only sends the Audio Pilot turn ON / OFF signal to the amp. Maybe this function is activated by (un)connecting a pin inside the HU or - as you mentioned - the BOSE HU as slightly different software.
Would be cool to find out how to use the "simple" speed dependend volume control with the BOSE HU. Again: Not cos there could be any problems with the aux-unit, justfor BOSE owners who want to get rid of all the BOSE speakers and amps.

Maybe you should ask FMS Audio how to display text... :D

rgds
Tobi


That is funny. Hey, I am from Germany. DIN means "Deutsche Industrie Norm", so German Industry (Producing) Standard. :p

 

Just a quick note to say that all I would need is a RCA input that is controlled by using the MD button. I have an Ipod mounted in my centre console with a line out function installed. As soon as you have the ability to input into the stereo you will have my order.

 

OverLOAD --

Let me/us know if we can donate anything into helping this project move along as planned. Maybe start a Paypal account for people to donate a few bucks or possibly send you that CD player you want to reverse engineer.

Thanks for all the good work! This is something I so wished I had time to work on, so I envy you having that kind of time. Must be fun

Gudlyf

 

Wow, OverLORD, I have a mazda protege 5 and myself and sooo many other p5 owners would like to buy one of these cables from you when you start selling them! Let me know if you need to test your cable on a 2003.5 protege5 and I'd be more than happy to test it for you on my car. I've been looking for one of these cables for so long! You are a savior!

-DaViper

 

The microphone on the Bose system goes from underneath the dash on the driver's side all the way back to Bose amp. It doesn't go to the head-unit at all.

I don't think anyone really knows at this point how a replacement head unit when inserted knows whether the Bose is present or not. My suspicion is that line 1H and 1J in the following schematic form a link to tell the head-unit the Bose is there. Audio-pilot is done in the Bose amp so 1H must be the line that turns the audio-pilot on and off while 1J is likely a signal from the Bose amp that tells the head-unit that the Bose amp is in the car.

Sorry for going slightly off-topic.

-Mr. Wigggles

 

If people really are interested in contributing something to 'the cause' the mp3 player is really one of the few things that we would need to get the module to the stage where it can display on screen text. If people want to donate cash towads the purchase of an MP3 Player, or the whole mp3 player itself, PM me, and I will send you some details about how to do so. Even if you are willing to 'loan' out your mp3 player to us, we would be able to use it the reverse engineer the message structure of the mp3 player lcd screen updates, and would return it once we were done.

I don't really feel comfortable asking for anything to get this going the way we have already planned (listed before), but this might help us to get to the next stage faster, and a mp3 player would be a helpful tool.

Regards,

OverLOAD

 

Sure would be nice if we could somehow "tweak" the bass and treble settings of the Bose equalization. I like the speed/ambient noise sensitive feature, but don't like the settings Bose chose.

Another question for ya OverLOAD: Where will these pairs of RCA input jacks be? On the end of a cable that hides under the dash till you need it, or mounted in the cassette faceplate blank? Thanks...

 

The board that we're planning on putting the place of the Tape/MD unit is so, being designed so that the RCA plugs will be directly on it, which would put it relatively in the same position as the deepest in part, of a Casette tape that was inserted in the tape module.

This would allow you to do several things, depending on your needs:

1. Run (one or both pairs of) RCA cables to a remote location, with either a mini-stereo, or RCA extention to your remote device, either in the glove box, or center console, Trunk, or wherever.

2. Run (one or both pairs of) RCA cables to the tape face plate. With the head unit out of the car (you're going to need to take it out, to put the module in, just like the tape module). You can mount either mini stereo or RCA plugs on the blank face-plate, and run those to the RCA plugs on the Aux-Board.

3. Be creative. I can't think of all uses, this is just what I'm thinking of doing.

I'm most likely going to do option #1 for both pairs of cables. One to the glove box, and one to the center console, with female mini-stereo plugs on the exposed ends of the cables.

We won't be able to sell faceplates with this unit, due to their high cost (~$20 for a blank, $62 for the Tape or MD face plate from Mazda) in comparison to our target price, and there hasn't been much interest (except from Tamas) for a customized face plate. However, anyone who ordered their car without either a tape or MD unit should have the blank. It would be very easy to drill a hole for the a mini-stereo plug, if that's what you wanted to do. Otherwise, the wires will easily route down through the back of the head unit inside the dash to the remote locations..

Regards,

OverLOAD

edit:

Sorry, I missed the first question. Most devices that you'll be using might have their own EQ capabilities, like the IPod, or the Archos (which I have). Otherwise, you could get an in-line eq. The eq will be handled by the HU as normally done, but if you wanted a more customized EQ, this wouldn't be too difficult to route a small eq into the line. I've seen it done elsewhere, but it usually doen't look stock. Our goal for this, is to look as factory as possible.

 

Hm... I don't recall expressing any interest for a customized face plate
I'm perfectly fine with simply having the RCA inputs on the board because all I need is to have the AUX-IN cables run to the trunk for my MP3 jukebox :D

 

count me in el grande. great thread.

overload if you email me your address i will help with some loot.


beers

 

Ready and waiting..
I have installed my iPod into my car and I am looking forward to not using the iTrip..

See below for pictures
http://www.rx8ownersclub.co.uk/forum...pic.php?t=1232

 

Greetings,

SIGN ME UP FOR THIS!

Just got my RX-8 2 weeks ago, and was about to order the cass unit ... until I ran across this forum in an unrelated Yahoo search. Full stop on that!

I'm an Amateur Radio Operator, and have been putting off reinstalling my ham gear until I could figure out an elegent way to integrate the audio from my radios into the sound system. Had a cass tape adapter in my former RX-7 - never really liked that.

I REALLY need a couple 1/8 mm stereo aux input jacks. The rest of the functions described sound like gravy - I'll find a use for them:D

Jeff

 

I'm definitely in whenever you get it up and running. I'd really like to be able to use my iPod without a FM modulator and possibly adding a second switched input for something like XM would be pretty sweet as well.

Feel free to PM me when you've got one ready!

 

Why doesn't someone just ask these guys?

http://www.installer.com/aux/index.html

Looks like they know what we want.

 

Well I called up that company listed in the previous post. The man I spoke with said that the FMM100 unit will work with any system since they do not have one especially made for the RX-8. This unit can be found here
It is the fourth product from the bottom of the page. I might try it and if so i'll post how it works.

 

I found this from another forum.

http://www.blitzsafe.com/blitz_forum...PagePosition=2

 

Keep in mind that this is just an FM modulator. Despite what they say I see no reason to believe its any different than any of the many others currently on the market. The project that started this thread exists mainly because people are unhappy with the quality of units just like this.

jds

 

I wuld like RCA and or mini jacks

John

 

I just wanted to share some of our progress with you guys, since there are a lot of you tuning in to this thread.

We managed to get our software to communicate with the Head Unit tonight. We can actually switch the Head unit into tape mode now, still with the aid of a laptop computer to control the data messages.

The goals of the project for the initial implementation (basic aux-mode with simulated tape mode appearance) has proven to be feasable, and it looks like we will be able to simulate the tape module in the Aux-in module intially. We were able to simulate button pushes from the head unit, and send messages from the tape module which changed the display of the rpt, and dolby LEDs on the display, so once we get the mp3 module, and some time to reverse engineer it, we can hopefully display text too.

Just wanted to let you know that we are on schedule, and everything is looking good.

Regards,

OverLOAD

 

*clap* *clap* *clap*

Good to hear you are making progress! Congrats and thanks for the update!

P.S. Are you guys willing to share the reverse engineered information your finding out? I know that this is most of what is going to make your prroduct a success, but just wanted to ask cause I have other ideas for things to plug into that. Let me know.

serff

 

That great news. I'm glad you are tyring to go the extra mile and get text to display. That will be a really cool feature.

 

Thank you for taking on this development process. I am an M6 owner who would like to purchase your connection device, when available. I have been following the development process on www.mazda6club.com. Please e-mail me when you are ready to ship.

 

Hello,
This is what i found out,so far, about the connector between the HU and tape module.
It has to be tape conn of course.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...5&pagenumber=5