The attached document details a modification I made to my XJ8, which has been working now for over 12 months with no problems.

If anyone is interested in building a similar unit, I can supply full details (PCB design, Schematic and Firmware).

I hope this is of interest to someone. If you want more info let me know and I will send it to you.

 

very nice setup, i enjoyed reading your detailed write up

 

Thanks Steven,
It was a very interesting project, with still more to come.

Cheers,
Colin.

 

Very nice Colin... Without having to go through your signal sleuthing and software development all over again, how can I get hands on your great design?

What uC did you use to emulate the tape deck signals, a PIC a bit larger than the one referenced in the VMUSIC2 app notes - and I assume you communicate with the VMUSIC2 through this same device, as described in their notes?

Anyway, I'm an EE and can certainly repeat your efforts, but will never get around to it if I have to repeat from the basic beginnings. I would be more than interested in PCB design, source code, schematic, etc.

I currently use the CD butcher method for an AUX input and bluetooth streaming audio thru my motorola T605 adapter, but your design is both simple and elegant - so much so that I'd love to do it too.

I applaud the great job you have done here.

 

Thanks QuadManiac,

I used a PIC 18F2550, although a much smaller one would work (my original protype used a PIC 16F877)., and yes I communicated via the I2C bus as per the app note.
The tape deck emulation does not take a lot of power as the mechanism is quite slow.

I have tried to attached documentation, but not having any luck (files too large I think), send me a pm with your email and I will send to you. if you need any further info let me know.

I have also done an AiNet CDC emulator which will allow using an iPod, or other MP3 player, in place of the CDC and/or replace the Jaguar CDC with an Alpine unit.
Still sorting out the documentation for the emulator and how best to present it, hope to post soon.

 

nice setup!

 

great job ,the bets way to replace this useless cassette player

Would be very interested to have more information of how to do the same on mine

 

Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send information. (Too big to add as attachment here)

 

Colin

Thanks for this - the cassette player went on my 2000 XJR head unit and so I said time to replace it but do what you have done for the Mp3 integration. So bought a working HU from a wrecker ($60 US) and was going to start in on it. Of course I thought about the Ai net splice first (as you did) and so started looking for AI Net protocol stuff and found this link to you - funny thing is I tried looking directly in jaguarforums for Alpine cassette etc but did not find your thread.

Anyway I have a arduino mpe shield that might fit into the cassette cavity. Was thinking about fronting the cassette player cavity insert with a small drop down touch screen LCD that would cover the HU LCD but flip down when you want to see the HU stuff (like FM radio). From this screen you could control the MP3 player etc (this shield also has an IPOD connector and there is lot's of arduino code out there for running the IPod serial interface stuff.

Thanks to your hard work the cassette player emulator protocol and wiring has been all sorted.

Was also thinking about running an XBee wireless connection from the mp3 cassette plugin to the boot which would connect to another arduino that would be running your CDC emulator/Ai Net splice so we could control a daisy chain of devices back there from are nice little touch screen...

So Colin thanks again and you mentioned getting a hold of the the stuff you have done to date (I am going to send you a PM now)

Once this gets going in the next month or so I will keep all posted here as to progress.

Rand
90 XJS conv 5,3 5-speed
00 XJR Anthracite

 

Colin before I go any further do you still check the forum.
The whole system is just amazing. I need some more info into it.
Thanks
V

 

Hi vgalanis,

Send me your e-mail address and I will send you the info. Files are too large to post here.

Colin.

 

My email address is galanisv@yahoo.com
Many Thanks for your support.

 

Colin G.....what a nice setup you have there and kudos to you for doing this and sharing here......much appreciated.

I'd say this needs to be FAQ'd and no doubt one of the mods will organise this shortly

 

Thanks Jim,

I am glad to see others are finding this information useful.

Cheers,
Colin.

 

Colin (or anyone),

If one were to parallel some RCA jacks to the cassette modules left and right outputs could this work as an auxiliary input?....without having to have a cassette inserted or playing? I see some real advantages when tied in with a motorola T605, etc over the butcher-the-cd-cable and other approaches.

It may may some time before I could try myself but the actual mod should be relatively straightforward.

Right now I'm using a cassette adaptor but this results in the loss of the cassette if I choose to tuck the wire away as suggested in another thread.

Tim

 

Hi Tim,

Not quite that easy, the HU mutes the audio inputs from the cassette mechanism untill it see pulses from the tape reels indicating that the tape is moving.
So in addition to connecting to the audio inputs you would have to supply
a pulse train to the HU to simulate the tape moving.

Regards,

Colin.

 

Colin,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I had a feeling it would be something like that. My backup plan is to try fooling it by plugging it a cassette adapter with the cable cut off/shorted.

Another option I've been playing with on a spare radio is to use the cassette adapter with the wire tucked away inside, leaving enough free wire that I can pull it out and squeeze another cassette past the wire and into the radio when I wish. (I get a bang out of my old cassette collection) I picked up a cassette adapter on ebay which uses a very fine input cable which I think will let me get away with it. The purists will put their noses up at the cassette adapter approach but I think it sounds pretty good. The T605/cassette approach is a winner for me. For USB/SDCARD I use the Dice USB/FM/RDS pretty satisfactorily.

 

Well it's been a few months so I thought I'd reply to my own post. I'm now using the cassette adapter approach in both my XK8 and XJ8 and it's working great. It took a while to find some where the mechanical squeak is not discernible, however. Just took a few tries on Ebay and elsewhere. Don't think I'll pursue modifying the cassette mechanism as above for an entirely electronic solution for at least a while. Don't forget to program the radio not to eject the cassette as in the owners handbook.

My approach of leading the adapter wire tucked away inside (and out the back) , leaving enough free wire that I can pull it out (the cassette adapter) and squeeze another cassette past the wire and into the radio when I wish works great.

I can't say enough about integrating this with the Motorola T605 hands-free Bluetooth with stereo A2DP for my iPhone for both calls (stereo does not need to be on) and music (mutes for calls), music pauses when you leave the car. Be aware of the often reversed audio+ and mute lines from the factory see http://jimroal.com/cars/X308Bluetooth.pdf. Do youself a favor and test outside the car with their external speaker temporarily and test that the mute line goes to ground with an ohm meter when receiving a call. I installed the controller in my ashtray putting holes out through the bottom for the wires....who smokes any more.

 

Hi guys, i'm french and i'm very interesting by your install for my XJ8.
You have made a very good jog.
Where did i have this emulator?
thank's

Marc