kawal

If you have a C6 with the XM radio option, you can easily add an auxiliary input for an Ipod, any PDA, or an mp3 player. My '07 Z06 has Nav and I added the factory 6 CD changer. This makes it even easier to add an Auxiliary Input.

We have a Hewlett Packard Ipaq for our PDA and we load it up with music and audio books on the built-in SD flash memory card. Since we want to play it through the Vette sound system, we needed to add the aux input.

The photo below shows the completed installation, which cost me about $9 to install, since I had a few connectors already lying around my shop. Here's a link to some more photos and installation tips:

http://www.kawal.net/auxinput.htm

cthusker

How's the sound compared to the CD player? Nice write up BTW....

ShockwaveGT

Decent...but if you are using the headphone jack as your output on the iPod you aren't getting the best signal.

Using the direct line output on the bottom is the best signal, and will sound a lot better.

But that's a good, very cheap solution for someone for sure. Just not the best if you want a higher signal quality.

Gearhead65

Nice mod! Also enjoyed your NAV mod writeup even though I don't have it. I know alot of folks have been looking for that.

I have a 07 3LT non-NAV with XM. Any suggestions on how I do this mod to my car? Been waiting for GM's PAL, but would love to (inexpensively) use by iPOD on the vette until it comes out.

Thanks!
Tom

kawal

To my ears anyway, the sound from my Ipaq sounds just as good as the CD player. I have lots of .mp3 music on the Ipaq that I usually use with headphones on an airplane, so plugging it in to the Vette sound system gives me lots of music to listen to. It sounds as good (to me) as either the CD player built in to the Nav unit or the 6 CD changer.

By the way, this mod would be extremely easy to do if you are also interested in this navigation mod:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1732903

The plug you modify has the three sound signal wires (left, right, common) right on the plug. You could tap into them with Scotch connectors without cutting anything.

Ray

kawal

Yes, it should be very easy. But you might want to wait to see what GM comes out with first, because it sounds like there may be some sort of Ipod integration which could allow control of the Ipod. Most people now have Ipods (I don't yet) and being able to control it right from the dash sounds very nice.

My mod only provides an auxiliary input which can be used for any device, but you still have to control the device from itself.

But if you want to do this on your 3LT, PM me or email me at ray@kawal.net and I can walk you through it. It helps if you have the service manual.

Good luck,

Ray

PeterSG

What a fantastic write-up. Only in America -- and perhaps only a Vette guy -- would create such a high quality and detailed description.

Thank you!

Sven

That's a great write-up ... thanks!

And begs the question, why can't the General offer this from the factory?

Gearhead65

Thanks Ray...sent you an Email with some wiring pixs.
Tom

Tri-Tip

Great write up, I'm going to look into that!

BLU BYA

I finally got my '08 JSB 3LT a few days ago and did this mod to add a line-level input for my MP3 player.

I wanted to add though that it wasn't necessary to install a relay to switch between the XM and MP3 player as the source. I was going to add the relay and put in a switch to toggle it between the two sources, but then I had an idea. I wondered if a "silent XM channel" would suffice. I found that XM channel 0 keeps the amp on but without any XM audio signal present. So by simply tapping my MP3 player's audio output to the wires described above, I'm able to get it working more simplier than expected. No relay and no switch issues to deal with. Sounds real good.

Small nit:
I got an audio hum (not full loudness hum as when there's no audio ground, but say ~10% - 20% hum) when the mp3 player is turned on. I solved this (got rid of all the hum) by grounding the audio shield ground wire directly to the XM module's chassis (instead of the audio common wire as described above). There are screws there to easily attach the ground wire to the chassis. Now there is absolutely no hum. Not sure why the hum is there when I ground it per the instructions above, but the simple chassis ground did the trick and I was running out of time.

Note: I did notice that the audio volume of the XM radio audio is reduced a bit when the MP3 is also turned on (in pause mode) and I'm guessing it's due to the double circuit load on the input line. With both in parallel, it's probably something like 1/2 the impedance as usual. I don't think this will cause any harm to either the car radio nor the MP3 player, but I'm not an audio engineer. The volume returns to normal if the MP3 player is powered off or if the audio input line is unplugged from the MP3 player. If anyone has any insight on that particular item, especially if you're an audio specialist, please let me know. I plan on using it as it is, since I'll never have both the mp3 player and the XM radio tuned to an actual channel at the same time.

I hope this additional info about tuning to XM channel 0 is of help to someone else who might be thinking of doing this mod.

Tae

PS: Thanks to (Ray) Kawal and Gearhead65 for the help and inspiration. I love doing electrical mods like this.

kawal

Tae,

This is good information. Some time ago, I found that my auxiliary input (used with the optional changer) also worked on the XM band just fine - as long as I was parked in my garage - that is, no XM signal. I was thinking about ways to disable the XM (remove antenna signal, etc.) for others who do not have the changer. (With the changer, you just press PAUSE and you can use the aux input.)

Your suggestion to tune to Channel 0 sounds like a very easy solution.

The hum problem is interesting. I have not experienced that problem with my setup. But it sounds like you also solved yours.

This should be interesting to a lot of Vette owners.

Thank you,

Ray