Linking the factory nav system to a new head unit...
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Linking the factory nav system to a new head unit...
For those of you trying to install a new head unit in your Z, but keep the existing factory navigation system, and keep the voice, the info below will work ! THis is what I did, and it works great, just like the factory navigation system does. Keep in mind that you will have to have a Mute capable head unit, and you will have to wire a seperate speaker for the nav voice. A small price to pay for the much better sound you will get out of an aftermarket head unit.
Anyways, here is what I did:
The output of the NAV system is about 7.5-9 volts. This is not enough voltage to trip a standard 12 volt (30A) relay. So, what I did was this. You have to setup a 2 stage system, composed of a transistor and 12v relay, to switch the mute circuit on a new head unit.
Parts I used:
1. Potter and Brumfield 12V Relay (Bosch will work too)
2. TIP31 high power NPN Transistor (Radio shack sells it)
3. Various length wires and crimp-type connectors
4. 1 kohm resistor (1/4 watt)
NAVI-SYSTEM WIRE MAP:
Mute wire from NAVI control to head unit - R/B
NAVI earth ground - B/P
NAVI Voice input + L/B
NAVI Voice input - W/B
Transistor circuit:
All transistors consist of a Base (B), Collector (C), and an Emitter (E). The pacakge will tell you, if you buy it from ratshack, or look online for a datasheet for your transistor. THis circuit will work for an NPN only. A pnp transistor will be wired differnetly, so make sure you get the proper parts !
1. Wire Mute (R/B) from NAVI control to the transistor Base (B) through a 1kohm resistor (Limits the current so you don't fry the TIP31).
2. Wire the Emitter (E) to vehicle ground
3. Wire the collector (C) to postion 85 on 12V relay
Relay CIrcuit:
1. From 3 above, wire the output of the collector to position 85 of a 12v relay.
2. Wire postion 86 to 12v switched by the ignition (only on when key is on)
3. Wire postion 30 of the 12v relay to vehicle ground
4. Wire positon 87 of the 12v relay to mute input on the new head unit.
5. Position 87a is not connected
Here's what happens:
When the voice control turns on for the navi system, it send the R/B wire high (7.5 volts). This voltage triggers the transistor to open up, and essentially provide ground to the relay. Once the relay is grounded, the relay is energized, and switches the constant ground (suppleid by terminal 30) to position 87, and supplies a ground signal output from the 12v relay. This ground signal MUTES your new head unit. THat's all...simple circuit, great results !
Don't forget that you will have to add a seperate speaker for navi voice under your seat, and run the 2 voice output wires from the navi control to this speaker. If you mount it under the driver's seat, you may have to turn the volume up slightly to hear it...
Good luck, and I hope this helps those who are adding aftermarket headunits to a Z with factory navigation...
One-cool-ee
Anyways, here is what I did:
The output of the NAV system is about 7.5-9 volts. This is not enough voltage to trip a standard 12 volt (30A) relay. So, what I did was this. You have to setup a 2 stage system, composed of a transistor and 12v relay, to switch the mute circuit on a new head unit.
Parts I used:
1. Potter and Brumfield 12V Relay (Bosch will work too)
2. TIP31 high power NPN Transistor (Radio shack sells it)
3. Various length wires and crimp-type connectors
4. 1 kohm resistor (1/4 watt)
NAVI-SYSTEM WIRE MAP:
Mute wire from NAVI control to head unit - R/B
NAVI earth ground - B/P
NAVI Voice input + L/B
NAVI Voice input - W/B
Transistor circuit:
All transistors consist of a Base (B), Collector (C), and an Emitter (E). The pacakge will tell you, if you buy it from ratshack, or look online for a datasheet for your transistor. THis circuit will work for an NPN only. A pnp transistor will be wired differnetly, so make sure you get the proper parts !
1. Wire Mute (R/B) from NAVI control to the transistor Base (B) through a 1kohm resistor (Limits the current so you don't fry the TIP31).
2. Wire the Emitter (E) to vehicle ground
3. Wire the collector (C) to postion 85 on 12V relay
Relay CIrcuit:
1. From 3 above, wire the output of the collector to position 85 of a 12v relay.
2. Wire postion 86 to 12v switched by the ignition (only on when key is on)
3. Wire postion 30 of the 12v relay to vehicle ground
4. Wire positon 87 of the 12v relay to mute input on the new head unit.
5. Position 87a is not connected
Here's what happens:
When the voice control turns on for the navi system, it send the R/B wire high (7.5 volts). This voltage triggers the transistor to open up, and essentially provide ground to the relay. Once the relay is grounded, the relay is energized, and switches the constant ground (suppleid by terminal 30) to position 87, and supplies a ground signal output from the 12v relay. This ground signal MUTES your new head unit. THat's all...simple circuit, great results !
Don't forget that you will have to add a seperate speaker for navi voice under your seat, and run the 2 voice output wires from the navi control to this speaker. If you mount it under the driver's seat, you may have to turn the volume up slightly to hear it...
Good luck, and I hope this helps those who are adding aftermarket headunits to a Z with factory navigation...
One-cool-ee
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
onecollee- Did you listen to your system before the installing the new headunit?? I installed my components (see sig) and the system is very limited by the HU. My question, if you did, how much % better does it sound? I am thinking about an aftermarket HU.
Gish
Gish
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Yep, I found the same thing...that Bose/Clarion head unit really suxx. I even posted a thread about it a few weeks back. No matter what I did, or added, including high end line drivers, and special high end line out convertors, my system still sounded bad, even with great amps and speakers. So, I bit the bullet and upgraded the head unit too...it sounds alot better now. If I had to give you a percentage, its hard to say, but I would guess in the neighborhood of 10-20 times, so 2000% better with the new head unit.
The bottom line is if you want good quality sound, you will have to eliminate all signs of anything Bose/Clarion in your Z...
The bottom line is if you want good quality sound, you will have to eliminate all signs of anything Bose/Clarion in your Z...
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
Look in the alpine manual to see if the head unit is looking for a low going signal (ground) or active high (12v)...msot mute circuits look for the mute line to be grounded. If the alpine is like the pioneer, it should work. If its not, and is looking for an active high signal, all you need to do is put 12 volts on the relay terminal that is getting switches, and it will mute the head unit. Either way its an easy modification to my original plans. I would bet a bunch of money that the alpine is the same as the pIoneer...
An easy way to check...take the mute line and touch it to ground, and see if the head unit displays mute...it should. That will be the surefire way to know. This won't harm anything, and could save you alot of time figuring things out...
Good luck.
An easy way to check...take the mute line and touch it to ground, and see if the head unit displays mute...it should. That will be the surefire way to know. This won't harm anything, and could save you alot of time figuring things out...
Good luck.
Trending Topics
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey onecoolee,
Just got my Alpine 7894 from Etronics.com in the mail today! I am having it installed on wednesday, and will give the stereo shop the format you used to wire the Nav to the HU (a BIG thank you for posting that). I can't wait to finally get rid of that SHITTY headunit and listen to the full potential of my $1000 Boston Z6 speakers. I will let you know how it sounds......
Gish
Just got my Alpine 7894 from Etronics.com in the mail today! I am having it installed on wednesday, and will give the stereo shop the format you used to wire the Nav to the HU (a BIG thank you for posting that). I can't wait to finally get rid of that SHITTY headunit and listen to the full potential of my $1000 Boston Z6 speakers. I will let you know how it sounds......
Gish
#9
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
onecoolee,
Great post, but all this technical stuff is just over my head. Can I just install a new HU and not interface it with the Nav unit and get the Nav voice to work through a seperate speaker? I don't need the stereo to mute and I rarely use the annoying nav voice. The few times that I use the nav voice I can turn off the stereo or lower the volume. Is the Nav voice powered by the HU or is it self powered and installing a seperate speaker is easy as finding the speaker leads from the Nav unit (would that be the navi voice input wires that you mentioned in your post?).
Thanks in advance for any info or insight.
Great post, but all this technical stuff is just over my head. Can I just install a new HU and not interface it with the Nav unit and get the Nav voice to work through a seperate speaker? I don't need the stereo to mute and I rarely use the annoying nav voice. The few times that I use the nav voice I can turn off the stereo or lower the volume. Is the Nav voice powered by the HU or is it self powered and installing a seperate speaker is easy as finding the speaker leads from the Nav unit (would that be the navi voice input wires that you mentioned in your post?).
Thanks in advance for any info or insight.
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Marked350Z, yes, you can hook the factory NAV system up to a separate speaker, and leave the actual muting circuit disconencted totally. Obviously, it will not mute at all, but who cares if you don't use the anv voice anyways...
isaac...I am glad everything worked out for you...I knew it wouldn't be too tough, my mod used redily available parts (ratshack) and the cost probably was not too bad either...
Hopefully others upgrading their head units will find this thread useful too...
isaac...I am glad everything worked out for you...I knew it wouldn't be too tough, my mod used redily available parts (ratshack) and the cost probably was not too bad either...
Hopefully others upgrading their head units will find this thread useful too...
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Boonton, NJ
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by onecoolee
Marked350Z, yes, you can hook the factory NAV system up to a separate speaker, and leave the actual muting circuit disconencted totally. Obviously, it will not mute at all, but who cares if you don't use the anv voice anyways...
isaac...I am glad everything worked out for you...I knew it wouldn't be too tough, my mod used redily available parts (ratshack) and the cost probably was not too bad either...
Hopefully others upgrading their head units will find this thread useful too...
Marked350Z, yes, you can hook the factory NAV system up to a separate speaker, and leave the actual muting circuit disconencted totally. Obviously, it will not mute at all, but who cares if you don't use the anv voice anyways...
isaac...I am glad everything worked out for you...I knew it wouldn't be too tough, my mod used redily available parts (ratshack) and the cost probably was not too bad either...
Hopefully others upgrading their head units will find this thread useful too...
#13
BOSE SUCKS!
Originally posted by Gish
Hey onecoolee,
Just got my Alpine 7894 from Etronics.com in the mail today! I am having it installed on wednesday, and will give the stereo shop the format you used to wire the Nav to the HU (a BIG thank you for posting that). I can't wait to finally get rid of that SHITTY headunit and listen to the full potential of my $1000 Boston Z6 speakers. I will let you know how it sounds......
Gish
Hey onecoolee,
Just got my Alpine 7894 from Etronics.com in the mail today! I am having it installed on wednesday, and will give the stereo shop the format you used to wire the Nav to the HU (a BIG thank you for posting that). I can't wait to finally get rid of that SHITTY headunit and listen to the full potential of my $1000 Boston Z6 speakers. I will let you know how it sounds......
Gish