DIY: 3.5mm Auxiliary Input Jack with OEM IPod Module
 

I got sick of trying to find a head unit with firmware 9.55 or higher for all the aux modules to work with. So I created my own soloution, by tapping into the iPod audio as it enters the head unit. Since I used a 5 pin jack instead of a 3, the iPod audio passes straight to the head unit uninterrupted until something is plugged into the auxiliary jack.


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Attachment 241112
Hijacking the iPod input at the connector that enters the head unit from the iPod module. “WHITE” is Common Signal Ground “BLUE” is + Left "ORANGE” is + Right.
Keep in mind you don’t need to cut the "WHITE" Common Signal Ground but simply splice in the (1) Common Signal Ground of the auxiliary 3.5mm jack

Attachment 241113
1=Common Signal Ground, 2= + Right Channel, 3= + Right Channel Pass Through, 4= + Left Channel Pass Through, 5= + Left Channel.

Attachment 241114
Bottles of beer make great soldering iron holders, especially since they multiply as the night goes on.

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I cut the ends off a fairly short CAT 5 network cable since I only needed 1.5ft of cable to run from the 3.5mm auxiliary jack to the back of the head unit to the iPod input module connector. They also happen to have 5 wires in them including the ground outside shield which are all we need.

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I put the aux jack in this plastic cover. Which made it much easier then pulling out my entire rear console to drill a small undersized hole so it threads in nice and snug and shouldn't get pushed out anytime soon.

This thread got me thinking about this mod, I also borrowed the pic of the 5 pin aux jack from it.
http://forum.mazda6club.com/mazdaspe...se-system.html

Good work.

But essentially the same as the CDHack mod or AUXMod that many of the older RX8's have been doing for years.

But anytime anyone figures out a new way to complete their objective, I give you props.

Nice and clean install.
I did the CD hack previously mentioned with a few extras. I've since redone how mine looks, but same principle.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-interior-audio-electronics-24/diy-blank-cd-iphone-aux-external-controls-223049/

thanks for the comments, i feel that my mod has a few advantages over the cd hack. mainly that you dont have to burn blank cd's in order to listen to the aux audio. the ipod audio goes straight to the head unit until i plug something into the aux jack which disconnects the ipod audio just leaving the nice clean aux audio playing. soon as you unplug it goes straight back to the ipod audio.

i also feel i have a few issues. one is that you need the ipod aux module to do this mod, secondly that the ipod continues to play even when you plug into the aux jack even though you cant hear the audio. id really like the ipod to pause when the aux jack is used but that's beyond my capabilities at this point.

http://www.sylfex.com/products/AuxMod/
is a really good product and has some obvious advantages over my mod. i've emailed them a few times and got no word back as when their next product run is. $60 is a reasonable price to pay for such a device, i already had all the parts i needed for my mod so it cost me nothing but time.