luigi741

So I bought a a GROM audio device so that I could listen to my phone through USB or Bluetooth. So I hooked it up and unfortunately, it would not fully work. Now I think that it has to do with issues on the actual head unit itself. Even before installing it, the display wouldn't show the version number (which was needed to check for compatibility for the device). While I had the head unit pulled out, I did the reset, pulled the fuse, disconnected the battery, reset DSC all that stuff and it still wouldn't work. It would work on and off, I would have to take the key out entirely and put it back in. But something in the display is off because when I had my phone plugged into the module the display would jump around for example when showing the track number or track time. At this point I've just about had it and I think I'm gonna shell out the money and put an aftermarket head unit. Anyone having a similar issue or maybe can help me?

firebirdude

iTrader: (3)

Ehhh. Sounds pretty dodgy. Other than making sure the dash display is plugged in all the way, not much else I can recommend.

But there's a bunch of other options to get an AUX input on the factory RX8 head unit. Bunch of links in the sticky at the top of the forum, though they might start getting outdated....

These are universal, but work pretty darn well.
You don't have to mount the AUX/USB/switch in that polygon shaped piece. You don't even have to mount them all in the same spot. Maybe put the AUX port where the factory Mini Disc blank panel is, then the USB in the center console. Just a thought.

Or if you're using Apple products, use this for old gen ipods iPhones with the 30-pin plug

Or this for lightening connector.

They'll charge the device as well as play.

Tim Prater

So maybe someone can point me in the right direction. I've read several posts but didn't see the answer I was looking for. I installed the following ipod adapter last year and haven't been able to use the in dash CD changer since: http://pages.ebay.com/motors/link/?n...207476&alt=web

My question is, has anyone else had this problem and is there a way to make it work so I can use both?

JamesD31

I have both the GROM (selling soon) and AuxMod (selling soon as well) since I did a full Nexus 7 install.

UHATEIT

I have the stock 6-disc BOSE unit which tells me I have version 9.51 when i press the buttons. I am interested in getting a unit to work so I can do MP3 or microSD or flash drive plug in.

My concern other than the fact that there seems to be no units comparible with my firmware is which would work with the BOSE head unit? My unit does not say BOSE on it and not sure if it should, but I have the Bose amp in the trunk and the 9-speaker system.

I see others have installed an aftermarket headunit, which I would be fine doing, but will the Bose system still work with the aftermarket headunit without having to rewire all the speakers? That has always been an issue in the past with Bose, but I imagine one of these units will make it still work, maybe its the Metra one that works?

So I have 2 options: I am willing to buy a unit to work with my stock HU if I can find one that will work with the 9.51 firmware and the BOSE HU (will GROM do this?). Or I am willing to replace it with an aftermarket CD player but need to know what adapter is needed to get the stock BOSE system still to work (is this the Metra kit?).

Any suggestions on which works for my options above?

firebirdude

iTrader: (3)

First, any of the options I linked above will work with any firmware/head unit in any vehicle. They just trick the head unit into thinking it's picking up a wireless FM signal, but it's actually hardwired right into the factory antenna wire. Please don't get these confused with the wireless FM transmitters (they all suck). The iSimple IS7705 is the best option if you have an iPhone 5 or 6. It will use the lightening connector and charge the phone too.

Don't know about the GROM.

And installing an aftermarket head unit is always an option. The Metra kit gives you everything you'd need to install in a non-Bose RX8. If you have Bose there's a couple ways you could make it work, the best being to include the ISVE61 level adapter (which is essentially the same as the resistor pad method). This will take the relatively powerful speaker wire output of the new head unit and bring it down to a lower level suitable for the factory Bose amp. Without using that, your volume output will be screaming on 3-4 and just distorted loud mess anything above that. You could use the RCA outputs on the new head unit and , but people have reported some induced noises from this. Also, your RCA ports are then unavailable for aftermarket amplifiers without using a Y-cable which can become a mess depending on exactly what you're doing.

UHATEIT

Oh right on! I'll take a gander at the cables above. Due to having that 9.51 firmware nothing seems to work, but if one of these does then that will be perfect! Out of curiouscity tho, if they trick the HU into thinking its picking up a wireless FM signal, will the quality be bad like it is on an fm transmitter?

The quality is so bad out of the BOSE system with the FM transmitter I have that I might as well be running the speaker on my damn cell phone to listen to music!

firebirdude

iTrader: (3)

They're not even comparable to a wireless FM transmitter. Zero static no matter where you are.

UHATEIT

I will check each of those out and read up and confirm. As long as they do not matter what firmware you have then that is exactly what I need.

EDIT: Checked them out, they basically run off the antenna plug in and set like an FM station so they work off the FM station button. But without any interference at all. That would be fine by me! I'll see if I can find one that will work off an SD card that I can plug into it.

firebirdude

iTrader: (3)

No. They plug into the factory antenna port. Comes with a Y-cable, so you can still get regular FM radio too. Other than that, it's just power and ground. Which you can get at the factory radio or cig lighter.

Edit. Ahh sorry. On my phone and didn't see your edit.

You can also check oUT the TranzitBlu. Same idea, but wireless via bluetooth. No cords or ports seen!

MANIACman

I haven't posted much. I'm a new owner of a red 2004 RX8 (Manual trans) Instead of driving it I've been going over it trying to make it perfect. CDs are becoming ancient history to me and I would like to have one of my phones be the "Jukebox" I've been scratching my head trying to decide what to do. Staying with the stock radio has the appeal that all the buttons on the steering wheel will work. Chopping out the cables doesn't have a large appeal but... I may need to dump what I have anyway because the airfoil leaked water into the trunk and the amp looks like its been sitting on the bottom of the ocean. *I'm having the trunk being sanded, repaired and repainted. SIGH... Anyway - All I really wanted at first was an aux connector. I don't have any "I" devices. I use my phone to do music so just having an AUX connector would be good. I pulled the radio out of the dash *Easier then I thought. Looked at the DIY thread but... I really don't want to "play" a blank CD while piggy backing my audio on the CD input. If I understand this right the connector on the bottom of the radio is for a MiniDisc or Tape player. I would like to tap that and have my phone play when I press the TAPE/MD button. I looked high and low and found a pin out and a chapter long paper someone wrote about making it a super Aux connector that will read data from your "I" devices and display it on the RX8 Red Display. So... I'm looking at the price tags. + $100 and I can buy a new double din radio with all the bells and whistles on EBay. But if I do that I've got a dead red display and depending how lazy I am the steering wheel buttons will probably not do anything. So I've got the radio apart and wondering what I need to do other then solder the audio input to the Tape/mini disk connector on the bottom of the radio. Will I need some fancy CPU talking to the radio so that when I press TAPE/MD it will think there really is a tape player? I guess the short version is that I don't want to write any $100+ checks for someone elses gizmo.

Rote8

I use an after market Double DIN head, my red LEDS on the center console are set to the current time, AC/Vent position and "RX8"

And you do not "chop out" the stock radio cables, you use plug in adapters to connect the new head unit to the factory radio connections.

MANIACman

I guess I should have said tack in not chop out. I was looking at the hack where you put in a cd with 70 minutes of silence and put your AUX on top of the CD audio.

I looked at some after market dual din radios. Pretty great stuff. I just don't see spending $60 for an Aux connector when there are some interesting after market radios for around the same price.

I've got a backup camera but the display is this super tacky thing. That would look so much better on a built in. So you still have the red submarine display going with time and with the after market radio? Cool!

I'm not sure how you keep the climate controls in? Did you buy a special front piece or? Thanks for the info btw,

UHATEIT

I guess the ability to install an aftermarket unit would be determined based on if you have a Bose head unit to begin with. From what Ive always been told, if you have a Bose unit you have to rewire all the speakers to get around the amplifier unit. If that is not the case its provably some overpriced connector that will make it work like the Metra. I have never been able to do my wife's CX7 due to hers having a Bose unit. My Rx8 has a Bose unit that does not work and won't play CDs at all so my options are FM transmitter, a plug in unit through the antenna port, or a rewire of the system or the Metra kit.

Does anyone know of one of these AUX units that will work to create a micro SD or SD card slot so I can plug that in and run music from that? SOme of these create AUX ports for your cell phone and others plug directly into an ipod. I Am hoping to find one that I can plus a card into.