brucelee1

iTrader: (2)

Hi guys, I have done a search on this but no cigar.

I have a pristine 97 ES with the original stereo (not NAK). I would like to keep the head unit and would like to be able to add sat. radio, IPOD or both.

Are you guys aware of any options other than the crappy FM transmitter approach for the IPOD?

Thanks

jtsosie

I have a 95 ES, and cut into the line from the CD Changer. I also added a switch in the center cubby to switch from iPod dock to CD. You'd have to cut wires and console material, but the result is quite nice and unnoticeable (except for my little iPod sticking out of the wood trim).

Choas

Really could you go more into detail on how to do this mod? Also is it possible to do this mod without the cd changer?

smokesgtp

word up

Limen

yea how did you do that?

OceanView

post some photos please.

Thanks

NovaRacer

I bought this ipod attachment at circuit city.

Installing it this weekend, let you know if it is worth the $.

jimmyjay

Good luck. Hope it works. Please let us know.

jtsosie

Nova, 'looks like you have a '96.
You'll probably be able to control your ipod with your deck controls and view song titles if your deck does that with your adapter. You'll also be able to control your ipod with your steering wheel controls if you have them.

Mine is a 95 and is too old to do that. I don't know about your Pioneer adapter, but other adapters out there can do that.

I'll post some pictures of mine soon.

NovaRacer

jt

It is a 99. No steering wheel controls.

I am taking the radio apart this weekend and putting the new LCD display in, and I'll hook it up to the changer then. I'm hoping it will reside in the glove box with the changer.

According to the instructions, it does run from the changer/radio, and it has 2 plugs on the back. The instructions have me thinking that the radio will recognize it as a cd. We'll see.

WB

jtsosie

Sorry it took so long, but here are the pics...
My wood trim was already cracked all over, so at worst, my project would mean I had to replace my ugly trim with nice trim. I like how it turned out, though. There's only just enough room underneath to put it in that spot. You could move it left or right, though.

jtsosie

Here is the jack I mounted in the center cubby to switch back to CD-Changer if I choose. I haven't used it, though, since that I got my music on my iPod. While I was at it, I figured I should go ahead and add a regular headphone jack for any passengers or future owners not fortunate enough to roll with an iPod. heheh

My son dropped the insert on the right down into it's own hole. When I add my under-dash lights, I'll fish it out of there...

Nova, did you get your cable hooked up already?

NovaRacer

jt

No I did not. I seafoamed both the lexus and my tahoe last weekend(tahoe had a lifter acting up) and that took longer than I anticipated. I also didn't get the plood until the beginning of this week.

I plan on doing all of it this weekend.

I'll try to post pics.

WB

Choas

What I would like to know is exactly what wire you hooked it all up to off the cd changer?

jtsosie

Choas,

I think 94, 95 & 96 are the same. For other years, you'll have to get the repair manuals or at least the wiring schematics and find the layouts which show the color codes of the wires coming from the CD Changer.

After that, find the "line" (-L, +L, -R, +R) that go from the CD Changer to the factory deck. You'll want to know for sure which wires are the ones. The color codes will make it clear.

>>>Easy Way<<<
Then cut the wires, strip them back, and solder the "lines" from your new iPod cable (or mini headphone cable) to them. You'll be connecting 3 wires at each connection. Solder together all 3 wires for -L (1 from Deck, 1 from CD, 1 from iPod). Solder all 3 for +L. All 3 for -R, and all 3 wires for +R. Then record a CD with 1 blank track of silence and put that one in your changer by itself. Now you can play your iPod.

>>>Better Way<<<
Do the above, but when you connect all three wires, add a switch that breaks/connects 2 of the wires from the CD Changer. You don't need the switch to break all 4 wires (-L, +L, -R, +R), just 2 (both +'s or both -'s). I used my switch to break the connection of +L and +R. Now you can fill your changer with regular CDs and switch back and forth at will.

BTW, this is a great way to test the quality difference between CDs and MP3s, or play only special songs with massive bass from CD. If you want, you can rip your CDs to iPod with Apple Lossless quality and quit using CDs altogether.

My iPod line is always connected. Only the CD Changer is "turned on/off" (connected/disconnected) by the switch. The iPod is disconnected by pulling it out of the dock.

The line levels from the CD Changer and iPod are probably low enough that they wouldn't hurt each-other, but I don't want to take a chance of damaging my iPod or Changer outputs. So, if I want to play a CD, I pull the iPod from it's dock. When I play the iPod, I switch off (break the connection) the CD Changer with the switch.