Thank you so much Wrathernaut!!!!! Your last reply was what I needed. Geez that thing has a LOT of screws. Oh by the way, in addition to the four big screws holding the navi to the bracket, there is also a ground I had to remove (see the unit's side shot in my previous post). Bracket wouldn't come off until ground was removed.

All this just because I wanted to remove some stuck CDs. I'm not changing the unit yet until the summer. But at least now I know from experience what to expect. I think it would be f*cked up if a CD gets stuck again.

But all the same, thanks man. I really appreciate your help.

 

I'm in the middle of my installation on a 2003 G35 Coupe 6MT w/Bose. I'm using the Metra kit (Crutchfield deal) with the Scosche CNN-03 wiring harness. The HU I'm installing is the Pioneer AVH-X3500BHS.

I was under the impression that I was to use the stock metal chassis even with the Metra 99-7604 (Silver). Or am I supposed to use all the hardware provided by Metra?

My HU comes with a microphone which I originally wanted to mount under the headliner. But under advisement from my mechanic that used to work for Infiniti, he suggested it be mounted along the the A pillar around sun visor height. When he showed me how flimsy it was using the clip for the mic and stated that if you ever need your windshield repaired, the wire could be cut. What would be the optimal recommended mounting point for the mic?

Next is the USB cable. Are people generally mounting it in their glove box or the little manual box above it? Or are people flush mounting it into the cup holder area or even the dummy blank switch in between the two heated seat switches?

I also have an amplifier ground wire from the CNN-03 that isn't being used should that be grounded with the other wires or just not used?

 

The metra trim should connect to the factory radio bracket, use whatever shims and such came with the metra to get the radio into the exact position you want.

I mounted my microphone to the reading lamp trim piece. There's less wind noise in this location than at the a-pillar, plus it can hear both passenger and driver fine for voice commands to the radio or for phone calls.


I ran my USB cable to the center armrest, making a flush-mount inside the auxiliary power (cigarette lighter socket) hole, so I don't have an auxiliary power socket in there, just USB and a 3.5mm jack.

Ground the amplifier ground wire. Good luck getting the bose amp to work right with the CNN-03 though... it might work ok for you, but for most installations, you'll run into very quiet audio without using the recommended PAC ROEM-NIS2.

 

It didn't seem to work so ended up using all Metra parts. In fact the plastic was so cheap the mounting bracking up on top broke as soon as the radio was put in the dash. So now it's held in by the bottom screws only.

I eventually settled on the A-pillar. When testing on the streets it sounded fine. I then made a call from the freeway and was told it sounded like a lot of noise. So I'm not sure if it was tires and/or wind noise (window was closed).

This is where I ended up having mine but ended up drilling towards the front of the car. I used an old dual PC USB bracket that had a mounting shroud and cut up the cable to solder splice into the Pioneer cable after cutting the extension end. I was told not to put the cup holders back in to refrain myself from using it since there is a chance I could spill something in there even though it is about mid depth of the arm rest compartment. I ended up not doing anything with the amp ground. Doesn't seem to be affected.

The problems I had where programming the Axxess steering wheel control. After reading the diagnostic light indicators, it told me that the control wires weren't connected. Sure enough after checking the scotch-lok and firmly pressing down on it again, I tried reprogramming and it worked fine. Everything else was soldered and my only point of failure was the cheap taps.

The other issue was adjusting the CNN-03. The instructions were to turn the gains down all the way and turn the volume up about 3/4 of max volume. I could already hear distortion at the time so that certainly didn't work out. When I moved the CNN-03 to try some more adjustments I could hear changes in volume and that was the only time I've heard it happen so I'm not sure what to make of that. I ended up just turning the trims a quarter turn each and just left it at that.

My USB mounting shroud is beige so it kinda sticks up in a felt black compartment. Not sure if I can use heat shrink to fully envelop the affected area so it will match inside.

 

Hey Guys,
1st to Wrathernaut, thanks for the into...one of the BEST posts on here. I plan on doing a DD HUinstall in the next few months..(probably will wait until late winter/early spring of next year for a really good HU with Android functionality to come out.) I have had a DD install many years ago with a single din unit. LOOOng story short the guys at Tweeter messed up the install and my radio reception has been crap for the last 7yrs or so. I just lived with it for a while but as I get older I listen to more NPR and C-SPAN LOL It's finally bugged me long enough to open 'er up and take a look inside. I ended up finding a blue wire marked "Ext Ant Cont" and using the handy dandy guide I spliced it to a red wire from the HU harness. I have no idea what type of harness the guys at Tweeter used, but I got rid of the Bose amp and I'm running my own 2.

I was much to lazy to pull the entire DD finisher thingy out (yes I know I should have) so I managed to do this through the single din dash pocket space (after a few scratches to the back side of my hands.) ANYWAY, after doing this, the FM signal is marginally better, BUT now when I shut the car off in Tuner mode... the unit stays on!! I can shut the car off and take the key with me, lock the doors and everything and the unit stays on. If I have the HU in any other mode (Aux, Cd, HDD) and shut the car off, everything works as it should. Just wondering if anyone knows what the heck I did wrong... I'm not too worried because I'll be doing a full DD Navi unit in a few months anyway, and even when the tuner remains on, I can just detach the face and it turns both my amps off and everything is fine.. this is more curiosity thing

Also where do you guys put the PAX IR eye in a '04 coupe so it has line of sight to the HU? I assume DD and single Dins are the same...My installer never found a good location and I've changed it probably 10 times over the last 7 years.to where it isn't in the way

 

Magnetism, check out appradio 3.

 

You've got the power antenna wire that's coming from the radio connected in there instead of (or in addition to) the power antenna wire that goes to the antenna amp. Whenever you're in radio mode, the power from the headunit's power antenna wire is creating a loop that keeps the radio on. The headunit you have doesn't power the power antenna in any other mode, so the loop is prevented in other modes.

As for android-interfacing radios, that depends on the phone and what it supports, there's mirrorlink, appradio's interface, and even a lone Miracast-supported radio if you've got a Nexus 4 or other miracast phone. Beyond that, you're just looking at the many that do bluetooth streaming interface - AVRCP 1.3 support on those gives you song title and playback control on the headunit in some apps, which is about enough for most uses.

 

Ahh...Figured I fudged it up somehow.. I also notice the same thing happens with my factory navigation... Anyway.. I shouldn't have been too lazy to pull the dang thing out...Oh well.. I did check out the Appradio but that thing has only 2.5V preouts.. My 8yr old Kenwood Excelon has 5V and I'm somewhat of an audio head. I'm about to just say screw it and get a iPhone. Nothing seems to have exactly what I want.. But I'll wat a few more weeks to see who comes up with something at the CES..
What about the PAX IR eye? where do you guys put it?
Thanks

 

Well, as an audiohead, you should know that unless you're running in top-level competitions, you're not going to hear the difference between 2.5v and 5v, especially whenever the vehicle's in motion. Definitely good to have, but if the radio's got everything else you want, it's not a dealbreaker.

I have been hoping to see something "revolutionary" come out of CES for a few years now. It's sad that there seems to be more motion from car manufacturers in terms of phone integration than aftermarket products. Aftermarket had big boosts from when CD players were new tech, another one when iPod/iPhone took off, and have been slacking ever since. The only headunits that have given me hope are the appradio, ones with mirrorlink and the parrot asteroid smart.

Pioneer has been using the same interface for about four generations now, they're really, really due for something new.

 

I have an 07 with factory nav. I want to do a double din setup, and keep my motorized pop-up screen, but put a new touchsceen in that location. What I don't want are the buttons from the factory nav, which will be useless if I go that route. Can I just order the kit for the non-nav setup and keep my motorized setup? Sorry if this topic has been covered before. I searched but couldn't find this particular situation. Thanks

 

Hey guys, not trying to go off topic in this thread sorry if I am, I was gonna create a thread but figured I would just ask you guys in here since it's all the same subject..., which one of those 7inch touchscreen units on Ebay would be good to use ? reason I'm going with a cheaper eBay unit is because I'm not an audiophile, I don't need something that will cost me $500, I just want music back in my car, been a few years since I've had that, so just a basic 7" touchscreen will do, I do want bluetooth and maybe even USB stick connectivity


anyway here's the results for 7" double din I got from eBay, thanks for the help

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_odkw=...e+din&_sacat=0

 

The non-nav kit doesn't come anywhere near close to filling the gap of where the buttons would be. You're best off keeping the buttons there. With some creative wiring, you could have them act as power buttons or such for whatever you're connecting the touchscren to.

 

Quality on those cheap units varies so much I'd be a bit worried. What are you trying to get the touchscreen for? If you're not watching videos, try looking at the non-touchscreen units from Pioneer and others, like the FH-X70BT. Bluetooth, USB, Pandora... and reliable as a rock.

 

Appreciate your reply, reason for video touchscreen is just for usability reasons, and maybe watching some videos at times I guess.... but mostly because I've been touch screening since the original iPhone came out, and I don't wanna go back to ***** and buttons...
I suppose I could look for one that has at least a 2 year warranty on it, I've seen some of them with multi year warranties...

so you got any touchscreen recommendations that come for around $100-$200 range ?

 

Maybe on Craiglist you could pick up a used appradio 3, never brand new for less then 250. The non touch screen units are great for riving: driving and operating. The appradio does get a little sketchy when changing songs on screen when moving.