**** FINAL UPDATE ****
I totally forgot to upload the wiring diagram a long time ago for this. So, here it is.

A few new notes:
1. has been working well.
2. bluetooth sometimes won't connect. rare, but usually a car power off will reset it.
3. you HAVE to flash it with the Nissan CDC firmware.
4. You still buy the NIS02 connector. The you will need to make your own jumper harness to the CD changer harness. this means.. solder maybe, connector pins, etc... I found some stuff online that worked as i couldn't find a male connector for this anywhere. I might 3d print one soon.... Soldering is probably the easiest.
5. I swapped pins 12 and 16 from my original design. Now the unit doesn't restart from the first track at each power on.
6. Repeat/Random functions: after initial power on, before you do anything else, press the RPT button to cycle through the available options. This function is weird and can ONLY do this if it's the first button pressed. The way USB works, is that you select a disc 1-6, then it starts playing. if you want to random the entire "disc", then you select ALL DISC RANDOM from the repeat options. it won't cycle through all the "virtual" discs, just all the tracks on the "disc". no way to select all 1-6 "discs". doesn't matter if you through all your tracks onto a disc.
7. steering wheel controls work fine.
8. if bluetooth is playing, you cannot switch to USB. limitation of the device no matter what. must stop playing BT
9. unlimited track numbers
10. all normal grom audio information still applies, such as track labeling.
11. there are a few customizations available via a config file. documented on grom's site somewhere.





**** UPDATE ****
I decided to revisit this option after learning that the Grom Audio unit could emulate CD Changer controls. The connector supplied does not fit connectors on a G35 with Bose + Nav. However, I have figured out the wiring and have been mocking up a harness that allows the Grom unit to be recognized by the headunit. So far, so good. That said, it appears to work. Once I finish testing, I'll update this again with all the dirty details. Grom was very helpful in providing information to make this possible.
*********************

So, I came across a device from Grom Audio in another thread. It's just what I've always wanted from Santa, so I bought it. It's in shipping now and should be here early next week, or sooner. (Saturday please?)

http://www.gromaudio.com/store/all-nis02.html


I only ordered the USB model, so no ipod tests. If someone wants to order the IPOD cable for it and have me test it out, I will (i have an ipod touch, which I hate ).

I paid About $120 shipped.

I have an 07 G35S with Nav. I was informed that I should be able to use the device with the steering wheel controls AND have text displayed on the nav screen.

There are some limitations and "quirks". The files and folders need to be setup properly on the USB drive for proper playback, especially with Random playback. In other words, you should have every file titled either with a track number at the start, or NONE of them with track numbers at the start of the file name. I'm going the "no track number" route, as who really cares what track number it is? They have an FAQ on their website about this aspect.

They state they have tested with more than 10,000 songs with no issues! YAY! No more 512 file limits.

I will try to take some simple pictures of the install and tests.

Also, they now have a Nissan/Infiniti unit that will work on units that don't have the satellite capabilities.

Oh, that's the other thing to be aware of with the model I ordered. Your radio HAS to have the word "CAT" written on it for this model to work. In other words, you must have the satellite radio capabilities.

They also provide firmware updates that seem easy to install. The really nice thing with the firmware updates, is that you can switch firmwares between vehicles. In other words, you can plug the unit in you bought for your infiniti into your new BMW! Only thing is, you'll have to buy the correct cable. Which isn't expensive.

Should be interesting, and I hope it works.



*****************UPDATE***************************
See top of post for most current update.
for the specific model of my car, with the specific options (music box, cd changer, backup cam, ICC, etc...) the grom audio box doesn't work. They are updating their website to indicate such and are hoping to find a solution. For everyone else, who doesn't have an integrated XM satellite tuner, this is a good device from a company with excellent customer service. NOTE: some of the G35 sedans have an XM tuner that is integrated into the radio/head unit. NO USB/IPOD interface that uses XM will work on this car.
Grom Audio USB/BT to CDC control hack up for G35S with NAV/SAT.

 

When you install it, can you write a review? I'd like to know how it stacks up with iSimple integration which I have (and feel indifferent about). Thanks.

 

Interesting thread. It should have been like this from the factory, I am not a IPOD touch fan either! I think USB port is better to play music than CF card or anything else. It is more common.
Thanks dookie for your contribution, let us know how it is!

 

I was following your previous thread, so thanks for the link to this one. Can't wait to see how it turns out. Plenty of pics please.

 

i actually bought one two weeks ago and just sent it back yesterday.

great little unit, very easy to install and power up, however you must completely disconnect your satellite radio to use it, which i am unwilling to do since i listen to my xm radio about 90% of the time i'm in the car. the website, sadly, does not say this but the instructions in the box do.

otherwise, great little unit but i didn't get to experiment much with it due to not wanting to disconnect my xm. it didn't charge my ipod either....not sure why yet...

i ended up putting my iCrap gateway back in. i think that thing sucks. it attenuates the volume of the iPod and XM radio, and is buggy since it causes my XM not to display song titles some times and the firmware is only updatable via windows XP and Vista (of which i use NEITHER).

 

thanks remmy. I hadn't seen anyone else who had one, so...

I don't have xm anyway. (i'm too cheap, I guess) I have 32GB of mp3s, so having a usb stick/drive useable in my car is nice.

I actually intend on using a usb to micro SD adapter most of the time with a 16gb micro SD card.

Grom Audio did state that it SHOULD charge the IPOD. As I stated earlier, I won't be able to test that unless someone else wants to order the IPOD cable for it. Grom seems to be quite willing to work with you if you have problems. They responded very quickly to all of my questions.

 

i could have sworn the website says it supports accessory charging but i can't recall right now, i'll have to go look.

otherwise since you don't have xm then i think you'll be quite happy! GROM's support seems to be very good and the unit is very small and easy to hook up, as i mentioned. the posi-tap connector they give you for the power is awesome, i bought a bunch of them on ebay because they're so useful.

let me know how you like it! and also the one thing i was wondering about was whether scrolling through songs using the steering wheel was just as easy as changing presets on the radio, or whether you have to press and hold the steering wheel track up/down then release after like 3 seconds (a'la the 'iSimple' gateway)...

cheers!

 

Received the USB module today. Might try installing it tonight, but will probably wait until tomorrow. For now... pictures yay!

 

well damn.

The cable supplied with the unit doesn't seem to fit anywhere on the radio....

I have contact support, just waiting to hear back.

Remmy, did you have the same car as me? 07 g35s with nav/music box?

 

good morning dookie!

i had the non-nav/non-bose model stereo but i could have *sworn* it fits your car too....you're sure it doesn't fit in that one smaller plug receptacle?

 

yeah. The pinout appears different. I'll see if I can get a better shot of the rear of the radio after work.

They have an 2009 FX35 w/ Navi install tutorial using the same cable on their website. Everything seems fine there. Maybe I'm missing something, but in pic 2, the middle connector is the one that is supposed to go into the back of the radio. The only connector on the radio that is CLOSE, in the second connector on the top row, but like I said, the pinout is wrong and the connector doesn't fit anyway.

 

thats very odd. could be they just sent you the wrong cable. alberto at grom is pretty quick to reply, maybe he can shed some light on this.

and i know this is a dumb question because im sure you checked but your stereo does say "CAT" on one of the buttons, right?

***edit****

so i checked the g35 shop manual and that harness is definitely not compatible with your stereo. you may need to ask for a different one OR maybe you will have to hook it up directly at the satellite radio module in the trunk. i would look into that.

 

oh yeah. it does. I have the full up system, with XM sat radio, CD changer, music box, etc...

The cable looks like the one they show in the pictures. If I can dig up an infiniti wiring diagram, I can figure out which connector they NEED to go to, since they're using the sat interface. I could do my own wiring, but I'd rather use a nice connector if possible.

 

dookie, maybe this will help....this is the satellite harness

 

Man that blows, hope you get it figured out.