Hey all,

I installed my PIE/MBUS solution today. All is working fine. I took pictures of the install, BUT I messed up the ashtray lid. I am going to order a new one and put the pics up when it's done. Next project will be the switch I posted the scematic for in a previous post.

I have a Bose CD Changer, No NAV and no Tape (or Mini Disc).

Does anyone know where I can get a whole new ashtray unit?

-RX8J

 

RX8J...is your changer fully loaded???

 

Yeah, I keep it full. I installed the XM Commander as my source and I tried turning the units on in different orders (radio power then XM power and the reverse). It didn't make a difference, I can NOT get the unit to not work (Which is good news for me).

I will try it out without cd's in there and different combinations of that. I also notice that if I hit the display button on the radio it shows 6 CD's in the display (when it's on EX 1), I wonder if the ones that are not working show the same.

-RX8J

 

I do in the UK, but I ordered the interface from ICD in the UK, who make their own version of the PIE interface, MAZA1. Just installed it and all is fine.

Lysander

 

I tried removing lots of combinations of discs from the changer, but the PIE still works fine. I am not sure why it is not working for some....


-RX8J

 

Talk to Rosenthal. Whenever I ask for an odd piece Tommy always comes through.

 

My PIE install went nice and smoothly, everything fit, etc,

But it doesn't work completely. I have the GT package with the Bose HU, no NAV, a MP3 CD & Tape unit in the radio.

After going into EX mode, the 1 flashes continuously and 30 seconds after that, it powers off the whole HU. Not quite what I was expecting. Just figured I'd post my results.

The audio quality is a little better than the Tape line-in hack that I've done. The very low-level tape motors can be heard as a low volume low frequency hum through the tape adapter when set to MAX volume, while the PIE is a little quieter. I can still hear the HU BUS communications through both inputs when listening to silence at max volume.

Regards,

OverLOAD

 

Just finished the install and it works well with the base audio system. One observation: you don't need to disconnect any wires from the unit. Pull it out, twist it slightly to the left and plug in the PIE adapter. The connector is towards left, next to the antenna (thick black wire). Touch to find it. The locking tab points down. Just make sure you push it all the way in - needs persistance :o) Pull on the connector - it should not go out any more when it locks in place. And test that everything works before you put everything back together. Also, I didn't bother puting back the bolt.

 

Anyone else with Option 3 (Bose, No Nav, Single CD Changer), get the PIE work work? Affenage in an earlier post said hers set up worked (perhaps an early PIE purchase, before disabled by mfr?) and another poster, Driver 8, who said his 2nd Gen IPd and XM Commander wouldn't work -- 15 seconds then no audio.

I'm so frustrated that I'm willing to take a chance that the PIE set up will work for my external MP3 player or, if I have to, purchase an IPod mini.

 

Well mine worked, but I have the Bose, no Nav and CD Changer). I tried to track these parts down back in late winter. I had used these stuff for my previous Neo Jukebox install. Gave up waiting on them and went with a slightly modified Overload tape deck option (which wil be up for sale shortly). Glad you brought up this thread starbucks.

 

I just ordered these two items through this site. Their prices are slightly cheaper now (MAZ/PC-ALP $72.98 and ALP/M RCA KCM-122B $18.98). With UPS ground shipping and $1 handling, I paid $100.57 for the complete order.
As for no return options, that doesn't seem to be correct. According to their terms:

Seems to be pretty good, actually.

I'll let you guys know how my install will go - for the record, I have the non-Bose, no CD changer, no nav version.

 

Instead of buying the casette deck and doing the aux in hack, can we not do something like this?

http://nxmx5.com/aux_in.html

Taping directly into the socket that the casette player plugs into seems cheaper and easier.
Yes I know it is for a Miata, and the older bose systems but wouldnt the principles be the same?
Or will it not work due to the casette player needing to communicate with the head unit?

 

Well, on the RX-8 the cassette player doesn't plug into that socket. It plugs into a completely different connector on the bottom of the HU, and that is the connector that seems to be unobtainable by mere mortals in quantities of less than 100,000.
We have a connector that looks like that one on our RX-8 HUs and that is the one that the PIE adapters connect to. I think it is for a JDM TV tuner.

 

Could we not then solder directly into the socket on the bottom of the head unit?

 

Yes, that is an option that some may want to pursue. Overload has said that solder-in kits will be available soon if he can't get a plug-in module going. This is MY recollection of what Overload has said, and I may not be 100% accurate. Don't hold Overload to what I say.
The drawback, apart from the soldering itself, is that it will almost certainly void your warrantee on the Stereo.

 

You couldn't spill the beans on this one, looking around for something like this myself.

Did you find a UK supplier, or someone in the US that will ship to the UK?




-andy-

 

Wow... has anyone seen Alpine's new KCA-420i "Alpine iPod Interface"? Here's what they say:

"Now you wonder how you could ever live without an iPod after owning one. What if there was an even better way of cruising to your tunes? Introducing the KCA-420i, the best in-vehicle interface adapter which allows you to cruise to your iTunes™! Simply use the KCA-420i to plug in your *iPod or iPod mini into a compatible 2004 Alpine Ai-NET head unit, and voilà! Get ready to groove to your iPod in your car.

Control Within Reach.

Plugging in keeps you in control. You can quickly search and listen to your iPod tracks directly from your head unit, and even use a remote control. The power to control key playback functions is at your fingertips.

Find Your Favorites Quickly.

With any 2004 Alpine Ai-NET head unit, QuickSearch™ keys, and the ergonomic rotary **** make it easy and extremely convenient to search songs stored in the iPod. You can quickly search through your collection by playlist, artist, or album and find exactly what you're in the mood for. The best part is, it allows you to search for music while enjoying your current selection. When you're ready for your next hit, it's as easy as pushing in the ****.

Song Title, Artist, and Album at a Glance

With every great navigable interface like QuickSearch comes great display information. The Alpine solution displays vital information on the head unit. Identifying your next song selection is simple when you can view artist, album, and song names during playback. All Alpine displays are specifically engineered for the vehicle, and designed to be clearly visible even in direct sunlight. The high resolution, high contrast displays make the information easily viewable from any angle. One glance is all it takes to see what song is playing while you keep your focus on the road.

Turn It Up!

As with any digital music and plugged-in portable device, there's always the fear of the loss of sound quality; but not this time. Since the iPod and KCA-420i are connected directly to the head unit via our patented Ai-NET BUS, it will playback all of the music information encoded on your iPod. The great news is that 2004 Alpine Ai-NET head units are equipped with a proprietary technology which enhances sound quality and restores lost detail to compressed digital media. Alpine is always focused on improving sound performance so you can hear the difference."


I don't know if or how this could tie into the RX-8 head unit via PIE products, but I didn't see the KCA-420i part number mentioned anywhere on RX8Club, so I thought I should bring it up. There's a protocol converter for Ai-Net to M-Bus... is it possible this could integrate the iPod with the RX-8 HU and steering wheel controls?

 

Yep, my PIE adapter was working just fine and then today I had it cut out.
"What the Hell?" I thought. This was working fine an hour ago.
So I tried fiddling with buttons --- VOILA!
When your PIE aux-in is not working right (20 seconds and then no sound and a Japanese TV screen if you have nav) the LED display is saying "EX " -- right? Well, press the "disc up" (#2) or "disc down" (#1) button until the LED display says "EX 1" and it will work.

Apparently Mazda has provided 6 aux inputs in the HU, but the PIE adapter is only using #1.

 

Hmmm, could the solution to all the others whose PIE's cut out be so simple? I hope so. How about those who only have the single CD player and also get the cut off after 15 seconds?

 

bob...that sounds alot like what i suspected...good catch, hopefully that is the problem everyone has been having...

 

Sorry to burst the bubble on this one but mine cuts out while it is Flashing "EX 1" Disc up or down brings it back for another 20 seconds then it dies again. BTW I have the Bose, with 6 disc and Nav

 

Werent there people who had the ex1 flashing and a system that shuts down?
I want to do the pie set up but it sounds as though the cd changer will not work either after it is set up for pie.
Those who are having problems, does this latest solution work, and do you have a fully functional cd changer and aux in?
Do you hit the cd button to cycle from aux to cd changer?
I dont see how shuttling the disk up and down button changes things but whatever works I guess.

 

Even if you don't have a cd player at all you still have the "disc up" and "disc down" buttons. So it ought to work for everyone. I hope some of the folks who are having the problem will let us know if it works for themor not.

 

i have the changer and pie...hitting the cd button again changes from cd to ex1 and back again...disk up and down selects the disk i want to listen to...

 

i think its about what gets input first.. IF you have your input on then turn on the head unit.. it works ?? but if you turn off your MP3... or what ever with the head unit on it goes to T.V. Mode ?