from sam cho at beatsonic when i asked about connecting the rx-82 to the new stereo.

Yes, double DIN head units usually comes with RCA connectors, but our sound module does not use RCA and here's why. RCA are used when pre-amps on the head units are used, but you have a factory amplifier in your Lexus, and our module integrates it, so it does not use the RCA. RX-82 wires use bullet connector and we recommend you to get the matching bullet connector from place like radio shack, and use it on the harness that comes with the aftermarket head unit.

 

What I meant by not needing the beatsonic kit was bypass factory amp and install your own amp and door speakers. You would have to run speaker wire though
. Also you would have to splice factory wiring to tap in.

Beatsonic kit is easy to install but to be completely honest he finish is not a perfect match. Its pretty close though and hardly noticeable but less fleck. Also there are only front right and front left on the harness...so you fight as well forget about adjusting fade.

I have plenty of pics...install went well this weekend. Running the cvr12 I had till I finish my under floor box for my 2 8s

 

Hey Carver, I'm almost done. I bought a used Pioneer 8400. Although it doesn't have NAV it has everything else. I'm still waiting on the iPod cable, but I did a test run without the Axxess Steering wheel control to make sure the head unit worked and it did.

I now need to test the beatsonic and the axxess steering wheel control unit together and install the mic. The beatsonic kit only gave me the volume up / down and the mode, I lost the track forward and back as well as my phone options, I want to see if I can get them back with the Axxess system but not sure if I'll lose the ability to play dvds on the factory head unit. Bluetooth streaming worked. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again, without you trail blazing this years ago I might not been able to do this today. This is my very first car radio install and I'll be very excited if I get everything to working. Normally I would pay someone to do it but with this forum, youtube, pdf files, other folks experience I felt empowered to take a crack at it myself.

And besides that I'm broke. So glad I didn't invest in facebook. Thanks again everyone.

 

Congrats, hope you got some pics! Yeah, I didn't get any FB either, too bad you cant short an IPO.

 

I promised you a few snaps so here goes. I was used my camera phone so please excuse the poor quality.

This is the rear of the Pioneer AVH-P8400BH.

I used the Metra Axxess to retain all of my steering wheel control functions along with the Beat Sonic kit. Although with both I lost the ability to view the dvd on the factory unit, but that's not a big deal for me.

Beat Sonic kit was easy to use, it was a matter of matching the colors with Pioneer wire harness. Only thing you lose is fading your rears. You will hear music from all speakers, you just wont be able to fade the rears, but I can still fade left and right.


With the Metra Axxess kit, I also purchased the Toyota wire harness to make things easy. With the Metra Axxess kit, it's generic and you have to download the pdf to know which wires you will need to splice into the factory wire harness. I could of did it that way but I didn't want to cut into any factory wires. So I got the snap on kit METRA 70-8114 TOYOTA, which snaps on the factory harness and the other end goes to the Metra Axxess kit, and the 3.5 mm wire that goes to the back of the head unit.

 

The wires are grounded the the mount at the bottom.

Overall I think it looks good. This is my first car stereo install and my first mod to the Rx.

Using the removal tools, I first remove the panels from the side and left small scratches. Note to self remove from the bottom.

My only other concern is that now the radio is easily accessible. The factory face plate was built into the stereo which made it harder to gain access to the 10 mm screws. With the face plate separate, the screws are right there. As long as you remove the face plate it only takes a few minutes to remove the radio.

 

I still have some clean up work to do and also have to figure out if I want to leave the mic where it is right now or remove the housing of the mic and tape it to the inside of the dome light.

The second issue I have which I don't believe I'll be able to fix is the motorized head unit. While adding or removing a cd, sd card or the face plate itself it bumps into the gear shift.

 

Oh and by the way, I just realized that I'm old school because I still keep reaching for a **** to adjust the volume.

 

Really a great job and write up! Very detailed and the end result looks fantastic. They look like command modules with the two screens.

 

Same here - way better with a quick twist (speed and precision). Looking around for the rocker buttons on the steering wheel is not ideal and bound to hit the Next and Back button. Anyway, congrats to Carver and 1kool, very nice add-ons.

 

Thanks howdybob22.

I've change the location of the aftermarket microphone for the bluetooth head unit. Very simple install. The hardest part was tearing apart the microphone cover. Basically, drop the dome light assembly and then ran the wire to the other side.

I figured that if there were other people in the car that needed to speak, the mic would also pick them up a bit clearer. Also something inexpensive to do.

 

That looks great and thanks for detailed write up. This thread is turning out to be excellent aftermarket DD source!

 

well, i've listened to all the advice and seen i'll the install pics and i've made the decision to do it all myself. i'll document hopefully everything as well as carver and 1koolfella have, thanks guys! i am going with a dnx9980, beatsoninc rx-82, axxess steering with adapter, toyota harness adapter, dvd brake canceller, sirius dock and play adapter, ipod full time connection, installed usb port, installed aux 3mm port, and lot's of fingers crossed. if all goes well, i'll post full update. oh i'm converting a 2006 400h with nav and mark levinson 11 speaker.

 

How was the backup cam attached? Could you post closeups of the camera installed?

 

The packaging will have complete installation instructions, you really can't tell much just looking at it. I tried to find an install vid on You Tube but no luck. There are a variety of camera installs on You Tube if you want to see how it generally works.