USB Radio

**colin** · 06-30-2008, 08:40 PM

After a bunch of reading, Ive learned that there are basically three solutions for carputer radio:

- cheap USB modules by Silabs or a Radioshark or whatever
- the HQCT module from MP3Car
- a Visteon Zoom thing with a cable from MitchJS

Is this right? I want to use the Zoom so that I can get HD radio and analog radio. Also, is there a schematic for the serial cable MitchJS sells? I saw people mentioning it but couldn't find it.

Thanks.

**rgarjr** · 07-01-2008, 03:34 AM

U should get the Visteon with Mitch's cable so you can enjoy the new HD technology.

**colin** · 07-01-2008, 11:05 AM

Can I make Mitch's cable on my own instead of paying 25 bucks? I have quite an extensive electronics background.

**rgarjr** · 07-01-2008, 04:10 PM

I'm sure you can make the cable, however u need to have someone that has it look at it and try and get the pinout.

**colin** · 07-01-2008, 09:29 PM

Well I can like reverse engineer mitch's board, but is there a simple schematic available instead?

**Pockets** · 07-01-2008, 11:02 PM

Maybe, but I can't remember if it is this cable, or one of his others (like for the Sirius radios, etc) that it is more than a pin-out. I think there's a small chip in one end.

**az1324** · 07-02-2008, 01:42 AM

from the photos i've seen i think there is just a level shifter circuit involved.

but then again mitch deserves some compensation for his work on the RE and software so i'll probably buy one from him when i get a module.

**colin** · 07-02-2008, 01:59 PM

See, Im going to be writing my own software anyway so all I want is the cable. It looked like just some level shifting -- which would explain why there could be a chip on some. Mitch's looked like just a transistor and a few resistors, some others might use the MAX232 or whatever it was to shift serial levels.

Can anyone maybe find this pinout for me? Im having a lot of trouble finding it in Google... what the hell shoudl I search for! haha