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John, I read that thread. Indeed, my car should be prewired. I see some cables with yellow labels on that thread (like: Phone Voice Module). Should mine be labeled like that? Or, am I missing wires I should be needing to buy besides the modules?
Mellow, would you mind clarifying your comment above? I'm not sure if I must have the VACM or not. If I do, I found three of them on eBay, but none in the US (one in GB, two in Germany). I assume I would need to get a US module or I'll end up with the wrong language (or accent). Right?
I went out to the car this morning and pried around. Here's what I found:
I unwrapped the connector I showed above and this is what it looks like (I highlighted in yellow the info imprinted on it)
The connector that we didn't know what it is, seems to be something that connects to the setup because it matches one of the wires in the thread that John suggested I read. Here's my connector:
And the cable from the other thread (arrow in yellow to what appears to match):
Now, with all of the above said, I found a connector behind the metal plate in the back that appears to match John's connector! I couldn't retrieve it from behind the plate, but I was able to take a few pics and it appears to match. Here they are (arrow in yellow to where it's located):
If that's the connector, how do I get to it? Do I have to remove the nav stack and the metal plate?
The following was posted by Cambo a while ago for the VACM versions.
2R8F-14B292-AA, -AB, -AC, -AD = US English 2R8F-14B292-BA, -BB, -BC, -BD = British English 2R8F-14B292-HA, -HB, -HC = Australian English 2R8F-14B292-DA, -DB, -DC, -DD = German
Other languages have other suffixes, French = Fx, Spanish = Ex, etc.
JAGUAR S-TYPE XJ X350 X-TYPE VOICE ACTIVATION CONTROL MODULE VACM 2R8F-14B292-BD this one is on Ebay now at a reasonable price.
I have the AD version.
Once installed you can go thru a lengthy "voice training " procedure so that your voice is more easily recognised.
I’m torn. I can get British English for around $40, or I can get US English for $225. I used the British version of the voice control in the RR for a little while and found it odd sounding so I switched back to US voice.
I’m torn. I can get British English for around $40, or I can get US English for $225. I used the British version of the voice control in the RR for a little while and found it odd sounding so I switched back to US voice.
Ok, so now I have the BTUM (the newer one that doesn't require the center armrest part), the VACM, and the mic. Do I need anything else? Any cables for connections? John, you had mentioned something above about connecting to the DB2.
Thanks for all your help! I really appreciate it!!
Each connector has 2 optical cables into it, 1 is an input and 1 is an output, so you create a loop with however many connectors you need. If you have 2 units you will have 3 connectors (1 for the plug running to the front of the car) with connector 1 having an optic to connector 2 and the other from connector 3, connector 2 having the one coming from connector 1 and the other to connector 3 and connector 3 having the one from connector 2 and the one to connector 1. So when it's all plugged in you have a circuit running from the front of the car into unit 1 onto unit 2 then 3 then back to the front of the car. If you want to add more units (eg 3 units 4 connectors) you splice another cable into the circuit, eg take the input optic from connector 2 which ran from connector 1 and put it into the input of a new connector (1a), then from the new connector put the output optic to the input of connector 2 which has just been removed, thus creating a circuit from the car to connector 1 onto 1a then 2 the 3 then back to the car. Instructions for removing the optics from the connectors in the article from my last post. You can use the lead in the picture on your first post to splice into your existing lead but will only need one of the connectors and one of the optics. You have the same number of optics as connectors, so if you have 4 connectors at present then you'll have 4 optical leads (not always obvious as they have labels and insulation hiding it) if you are adding a unit then you'll need 5 connectors and 5 optical leads. Best way to think of it is like electric cables/plugs, power from the car and in to the first unit then out to the second unit, in to the second unit then out for the third unit etc
In the previous post I have shown what a typical Ebay set of D2B fiber cable and links looks like along with a disassembled link.
Using a small flat head watch type screwdriver it is relatively easy to take off the white cap of the link and then the black tabs on the black housing that hold in the individual cable.
If you do a search on "Jaguar fiber optic link lead d2b" you will see what is available on Ebay which right now is not much.
For the 5 link set up in my pic I paid about $95.
You would not need that much.
You would open up the loop link you have and add in two module connectors, one for BT and one for VACM, with one link connector to go into the open one left by taking out the loop.
HOWEVER you have to make sure modules are added to the loop in the correct order.
I hope that makes sense.
Last edited by jackra_1; Nov 10, 2019 at 09:34 AM.
MY HEAD IS SPINNING! LOL! -- But I think it makes sense. It's like a daisy chain. I'm going to read it slowly and digest it. I'll circle back with more questions
Only the voice control commands for the units that were fitted in the car it came from will work.
For example, if the car the voice control unit came from had no Bluetooth module and no CD changer fitted the Bluetooth and CD changer voice commands will not work in your car.
If you are very unlucky it would have come from a car with a cassette player and no sat-nav!
The only way to activate these voice commands is to use the Jaguar SDD software to make the voice control module re-learn what modules are in your car.
The voice module and the original phone/Bluetooth module were fitted onto the rear of the silver coloured metal plate that is behind the nav/CD changer/amp stack.
You must remove the stack from the car to then remove the plate to fit the voice control module to the reverse side of the plate.
However, the newer X-type Bluetooth box is not the same size so it will not fit where the original S-type phone/Bluetooth unit was fitted. You should get one corner screw in place and then use strong double sided tape to fix it in place.
The electrical connectors are different for each module so you can not get them wrong and they are all pre-wired in 05my or newer cars.
As well as the electrical connectors you need the D2B fibre connector in a loop to each module. You can change the D2B loop by taking the conectors apart and adding extra connectors. You can purchase a simple male to female D2B lead that are usualy the cheapest and use the female connector and cables.
This simple diagram shows the order and direction for the D2B fibre cable. Use the arrows in the conectors to know what way they need to be connected. You can bypass the conector mounted at the rear of the stack and go stright to the CD changer (CDC) and direct from the amp and to gain an extra conector:
That said I am unsure if the order matters as long as the direction of flow is correct and it forms a loop.
Last edited by M-e-l-l-o-w; Nov 11, 2019 at 08:00 AM.
Press AM/FM + eject
When screen changes to the set up screen press eject+mox to cycle thru the SW versions.
Expect to see
MAIN
CDC
PHON
VOICE
NAVI
If it does not cycle through these then then D2B ring is broken.
To get to the PIN entry menu:
Hold in PHONE + MENU for 5 seconds
key in 1971 and that will give you a MISC button to turn on and off optional extras such as CDC,PHONE,VOICE etc.
ON NO ACCOUNT DO A SOFTWARE UPDATE repeat ON NO ACCOUNT DO A SOFTWARE UPDATE
To get to the PIN entry menu:
Hold in PHONE + MENU for 5 seconds
key in 1971 and that will give you a MISC button to turn on and off optional extras such as CDC,PHONE,VOICE etc.
ON NO ACCOUNT DO A SOFTWARE UPDATE repeat ON NO ACCOUNT DO A SOFTWARE UPDATE
I found that my 05MY (early 2004 build) car had all the options selected from factory. Older cars may need to change them.
As mentioned above if you do press the software update button when in the hidden menu you will turn your head unit into a useless paper weight! Do not press the software update button!!
