Hi all, I have searched the forum and found some good info on using the ALP/AI-AUX for audio inputs, but, I when I read about this, I can't really determine if what I am wanting to do will work. First off, I have a 2004 XK8 with the Alpine stereo including the working CD changer in the trunk. I do not have a factory NAV system. I use a Garmin 2360 mounted on the windshield. I want to have the audio from the garmin come through the car stereo so that I can hear it, and so that it auto-mutes whatever is playing on the stereo when the garmin speaks. The garmin does not seem to have an audio jack, and I assume that the "mini usb" port on the back that is used to connect the power adapter doesn't have an audio out. If someone knows otherwise, please let me know. What I expect I would have to do is open the Garmin, solder 2 wires on the speaker connector, and run these wires to the ALP/AI-AUX unit, but, I don't really know the details of this unit, and what would the results be, such as, would it only work when I listen to CD's or also when listening to the radio? What if I only want to hear the garmin, and just don't want the radio or cd playing (my wife and I often talk when riding, so, sometimes dont want music). Any thoughts on this?

 

If you do not have the factory phone or bluetooth, I think the best way is to use the phone interface and mute, with a signal trigger box for the the mute.


If you confirm this, I will post the details later.

The AI-Aux will mute the radio or the CD, but not both.

 

I do NOT have the factory phone. I just tried interfacing a Motorola T605 with the factory phone input in the premium audio system, and it appears that without the factory phone installed the phone audio inputs do not work. If there's a way to work around this, someone please let me know. I was simply trying to get the mute to work (the T605 has a mute wire) but the mute function did not work.

Some GPS units these days have A2DP bluetooth. I'm not sure about the Garmin 2360, but if it does, you can interface the GPS with an aftermarket bluetooth so that the audio will play through the speakers. On the premium audio system, the amplifier has a separate input for the nav system and the nav audio is controlled separately from the stereo audio.

 

Something is not right Sam, I interfaced Parrots to the factory phone input on two different XK8s so far. Post the details of what you are doing.

 

I don't have factory phone or bluetooth in the car.

 

On the premium ICE system, the radio head unit has five wires coming in from the factory phone. Two of them are the ACP wiring, which are just the electronic communication between the head unit and the phone. The other three wires are telephone audio-, telephone audio+, and telephone mute. Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought the mute input (IC20-5) was supposed to mute the stereo and allow the phone audio to play. My Motorola T605 has the mute wire, so I hooked it to t the white/black mute wire on the head unit (IC20-5) but it didn't mute the stereo. Also, the telephone audio would not play through the car speakers when tapped into the phone audio + and -. I ended up installing the external speaker that comes with the T605. It works great and I'm happy, I'd just be happier if it was playing through the car's speakers. The T605 also has A2DP bluetooth, so I can connect my phone to it wirelessly and play the music that's on my phone. The T605 has a built-in mute function, so when I'm playing phone music and the phone rings the music gets muted, but if I'm playing the radio I have to manually turn down the music.


And... I'm sorry if it appears that I'm hijacking this thread. All of this stuff is related, so I don't really think I am. The audio from the Garmin could be played through the car stereo if the phone input on the back of the head unit would work without the phone installed. It sounds like WhiteXKR has actually made this happen, so I'm interested in hearing how he did it.

 

I don't think any of them came with factory bluetooth. I added the Motorola T605, which is spectacular. I can put the top down, drive 55 mph, and I can still hear the caller and they can hear me as if we were sitting in the same room. I've only had it installed for a week, but I've gotten so used to it that it's second nature to take phone calls in the car now. I just press the button and start talking. I don't have to talk louder, and the person on the other end doesn't even know that I'm using a hands-free device.

But, as I was saying earlier, the A2DP function of the Motorola T605 would allow it to interface with an A2DP GPS. You wouldn't need to open up the case and do any soldering at all.

 

I just looked up the Garmin 2360. It has bluetooth, but not A2DP bluetooth.

 

Thanks Sam, you beat me to it. I just looked it up to. Oh well, that would have simplified this. I still don't mind opening the unit and soldering 2 wires if that is what it takes. It looks like Garmin only has 2 units that do have A2DP. I think it is strange that this isn't a more common request. Oh, and BTW, I don't think you are hijacking the thread, your input and experience is very relevant, and appreciated. Thanks for all of your contributions to the site, you have assisted me countless times (whether you know it or not). Steve

 

Sam try a test. Take the White/Black mute wire and ground it. That should cause the radio to mute.

Then, with the mute wire disconencted from the vehicle try a call, and see if the mute wire goes to ground.

If all that works, then tie them together and monitor the voltage. If it then does not work it is possible you might need a pull-up resistor (1K ohms or so) between the mute connection and +12v OR a pull down resistor (1K) between the mute connection and ground.

I also assume you are using the T605 orange and blue wires for the audio feed.

 

You can use the phone inputs (audio and mute) available under the center console.

Once you bring the speaker leads out, you can use them to trigger one of these: http://archive.pac-audio.com/instructions/TR-7.pdf set to feature #12. You would set the timer for instant on, and maybe 1 or 2 seconds delayed off. You would use one of the (-) outputs to drive the mute.

What is unknown is what the drive level and impedance are for the Garmin speakers. This will take some experimenting to see if the interface is OK as is for the TR-7 and for the audio inputs.

If the drive level is too low, you may need a small preamp like a PAC LD-10. If they are too high you may need a line outut convertor like a PAC SNI-35. A ground loop audio isolator (available at Radio Shack) probably will also be needed to cut down on noise.

 

Ok, if I understand this correctly, I run my 2 audio wires from the garmin to the center console (under the armrest) and connect these to the green and brown input trigger leads on the PAC tr7, but also, I connect my audio wires to the phone Inputs that are also in this same under armrest console area. Then I connect the White output of the PAC tr7 to the Phone input mute. The purpose of the PAC tr7 is to detect the audio when garmin is talking, and it then sets the mute for the stereo and allows only the "phone" audio through the speakers? Also, can you tell me how to locate the phone inputs (audio and mute) under the center console?

 

Yes, Steve, I think you got it. On a 2004 (earlier years are different) there is an 18 pin yellow connector (RT1) on the drivers side under the console storage box. Pin 6 (blue) is Mute, Pin 7 (also blue) is audio +, Pin 8 (blue-yellow) is audio -, pin 11 (black) is ground, pin 4 (brown-red) is B+, and pin 5 (green) is ignition switched +12v.

You might also want to consider a Kuda mount...this would hide your wires and charger and it mounts on the console and comes in matching leather.

I need to add the disclaimer that I have ever not tried this, but it appears to me that it would work.

 

thanks Steve. I ordered the PAC TR7, a ground loop isoloator, a long 3.5 mm male to male cable, a short male to female 3.5mm cable (to connect/solder to the Garmin speaker - which BTW is 8 ohm), and some positaps (since you introduced them in the remote roof kit I have become a believer). All should be here some time next week. The only question I have at this time is "B+", which you mention above. I understand all the other wires needed, but I don't know what the B+ is for.

 

I do not think you will need the B+ (constant +12v battery).

 

Well, I figured out why my mute wire wasn't working. The Motorola T605 that I bought through eBay was supposed to be "NIB" (New In Box). When I opened up the packaging the box had been opened. It didn't look used, but it looked like the prior owner had opened it up, uncoiled the wires, decided it was too complicated, and sent it back. In hindsight, though, it looks like it was sent back because it is bad. It works fine through the external speaker, but the mute function doesn't work. I spent 30 minutes fiddling with it trying to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong, but it is definitely inop.

On the bright side, practice makes perfect. I've taken the radio out so many times now that I was able to pop off the J-gate surround, remove the wood piece, remove the center console, and pull out the radio in less than five minutes!

 

Did you try to look at the T605 mute output with a pull-up resistor connected? On some of those units the outputs are open collector, so if you look at the signal with a voltmeter you may never see the diiference between when it is driving no signal and driving a ground unless you tie the output to +12v through a resistor.

 

Pull down, pull up, it makes no difference. The box is bad, I'm sure of it. I can manually mute the stereo by shorting the mute wire to ground, and in doing so I was expecting to hear phone audio through the speakers. I don't, so that tells me that the unit isn't send the phone audio out on those wires. I have another one on the way. I like this one so much I bought another for my Expedition. I'll plug it into my Jag and see what happens.

 

FIGURED IT OUT!!! There's a mistake in the installation manual for the Motorola T605. It says that the yellow wire is the mute wire. A quick Google search revealed that there is a well known error in the manual. The ORANGE wire is the mute wire and the yellow is one of the audio wires. It only took me fifteen minutes to pull the radio, swap the wires, and put everything back together.

However, now that I've done that and I know it works, I'm going to do what SteveJacks talked about doing. I'm going to crack open my Garmin, take the wires that go to the little speaker in the GPS unit, and route them through a PAC TR-7, which is only about $18. That way my Garmin, which is mounted in the dash where the factory nav used to be, will function exactly like the factory nav system! I can't wait.

 

Sam, unlike Steve's your car had the factory nav..so you can go through the separate nav. audio and mute, not the phone's. Your wiring harness is already there.