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Originally Posted by NOS TANG
While an internal modification of the type I propose (should it even work) will void the warranty, it will most certainly not bring legal action from XM. It is in no way worse than the digital audio modifications available nor the serial control modification for the SkyFi. I have two XMPCR units with voided warranties and "illegal" TOSLINK modifications that I'm sure nobody would have any problem with me selling for $500 on ebay. Do you intend to publish the XM Direct protocol when you figure it out? If I am able to find a solution that will result in wider compatiblity and lower cost, it's going to be published publiclly. I very seriously doubt that people will have trouble with voiding the warranties on a $40 device -- the mp3car community doesn't seem to have a problem voiding it on $350 LCD monitors!you can do everything the pcr does through the headunit port.... besides any modifications to the xmDirect itself would put you in a legallity issue with xm....remember the reason that they discontinued the pcr is because they want to stop the mp3 recording with time trax...if you are modifiying there product you are allowing this to happen again and could put an individual at risk.....just a word of advice.....we have been working on this and I can assure you that the two devices are quite diff in protocol the main problem we have been having is getting it to sync up before the computer takes full control....and what i mean is when the unit has power applied to it (12v) the first time the headunit makes a communication with the tuner...there is some sort of syncing going on.....once this has happend we can remove the controller and operate solely on the cpu ie....power on/off channel ....ect....
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Hers some pix 4 u.
Thanks,
There is more crap on the adapter board then on the direct...
Notice that Atmel processor, now I know what they are doing? Same thing we are trying to avoid
Anyone??
Hers some pix 4 u.
OK, I'm at work now, so I can't check, but I'm interested to see what the chip is that drives my XMPCR. If it too is an AVR, then we might just be able to reflash the XMDirect with XMPCR firmware. Another interesting thing is the 8 pads in the upper right of DSC02196.JPG. JTAG maybe? If so, reflashing the AVR should be a breeze.
Edit: Scratch that... I just reread the first post. It seems as though the solution is to write a script for the AVR that passing anything coming in on one side to the out on the other. This should be pretty easy upon identifying which i/o pins on the AVR are used for input and output.... All this assuming that we can get JTAG access to the thing.
There is no microcontroller in the XMPCR. It's simplay an FTDI USB Serial converter IC hooked directly to the XM module. Reflashing the microcontroller in the XM Direct is possible, but it requires hardware modification to get the thing where you can even flash it. If you're going to do hardware modification, just bypass the Atmel. There are a lot easier methods of completing this project than mucking with flashing the existing microcontroller.
A guy on the XM411 forums has PCR compatibility from the XM Direct already in a form that requires no modification of the XM Direct, but it remains to be seen what the future of his project will turn out to be. Hopefully a less expensive solution (even if it requires some simple modification to the XM Direct) will be determined since this interface is not going to come super cheap!
MY CAR IS FOR SALE!
See My Project Page for Details - 2003 BMW E46 ///M3
Custom Dash Monitor Housing - OEM Fitment
Custom Overhead DVD-ROM Housing in Headliner
BMW I-Bus Integration
My homepage with many other fun projects!
We officialy have the interface cables for xmDirect.
The interface comes with a SDK for your own software integration and a copy of MMC Alpha 5 Rev 6 with enhanced xm control for the xmDirect, xmCommander. soon there will be a plugin for timetraxx as well.
The Price is 40.00 plus S+H 5.00 (priority mail)
So it's OK to trash talk my effort by saying that making a timetrax compatible modification is putting the individual at risk, but yet you are either making a compatibility layer or working with the author of TimeTrax to support the XMDirect "protocol" yourself? I could give a damn about timetrax. Their software is against the terms of the XM service agreement, and I refuse to support them. Especially in the MP3car community, there are more people interested in actually listening to the radio than using it to make low-quality MP3's with bad tags and lousy start/end points. There are a lot of developers that have put a lot of work into supporting the PCR and I see no reason that they should have to implement another protocol to make it work. You guys are really starting to rub me the wrong way. I also thought that advertising was not permissible on this board?
Just in case anyone is interested, I (or one of the nice people I am collaborating with) should have the information on making your XMDirect 100% PCR compatible within a few days. Please be patient with us as we have only started working on this within the last day or two. The information will be published free of charge and the cable and all modifications should not cost you any more than a few bucks to put together. If you are really really worried about internal modifications to your radio or voiding your warranty, then I have to question why you would purchase a simple cable that costs more than the XM Direct itself simply not to void the warranty?
In case anyone wants to get ready, you will need a DIN-8 connector compatible with the plug on the XM Direct. A compatible part is a KYCON KMDA-8P which is available from mouser for $1.41. You will also need a regular DB9 female serial connector and a 12V power adaptor (or other 12V power source). If you want USB control, pick up a cheap USB/Serial converter which can be found all over the place for well below $10.
The necessary pinout looks like it will be:
Information on what internal jumpering needs to happen inside the XM Direct will come as soon as we figure it out. I will start working on this problem as soon as my DIN-8 connectors come in, but unfortunately I can't do a lot before then. Please don't send me PM's about this; I will post here when I find out more information. In the end, I may have to end up eating my words on some of this info I am publishing now, but at least rest assured that someone is working on an open solution to the XMPCR problem.Code:DIN-8 DB9 1 RIN <--------> 2 (Also maybe pin 4. Depends on existing PCR software) 2 TOUT <--------> 3 RX 3 GND <--------> 5 GND 6 12V -> to power supply + 8 GND -> to power supply -
Hybrid guys: I respect your desire and efforts to produce a working solution, and I also respect your desire to profit from selling your solution; however, DO NOT EVER AGAIN disrespect my right to perform my own work and openly publish an alternative. I do not disrespect yours.
MY CAR IS FOR SALE!
See My Project Page for Details - 2003 BMW E46 ///M3
Custom Dash Monitor Housing - OEM Fitment
Custom Overhead DVD-ROM Housing in Headliner
BMW I-Bus Integration
My homepage with many other fun projects!
what does this have to do w/ his thread? you are simply advertising your prodcut, not providing any information pertaining to his topic.
it has nothing to do with that...i was looking out for your legality rights....we have not modified any part of the xmDirect tuner...from what i was understanding you were going to bypass the processor and communicate directly with the tuner module....am i correct?....go ahead do it....nobody is stopping anyone...this is a free world, we made this because we had to, not because we were going to profit...the money is just to help recoop time spent and reverse engineering costs....its not like we are gouging you like those guys on xm411 or xmfan....that is ridiculousSo it's OK to trash talk my effort by saying that making a timetrax compatible modification is putting the individual at risk, but yet you are either making a compatibility layer or working with the author of TimeTrax to support the XMDirect "protocol" yourself? I could give a damn about timetrax. Their software is against the terms of the XM service agreement, and I refuse to support them. Especially in the MP3car community, there are more people interested in actually listening to the radio than using it to make low-quality MP3's with bad tags and lousy start/end points. There are a lot of developers that have put a lot of work into supporting the PCR and I see no reason that they should have to implement another protocol to make it work. You guys are really starting to rub me the wrong way. I also thought that advertising was not permissible on this board?
Just in case anyone is interested, I (or one of the nice people I am collaborating with) should have the information on making your XMDirect 100% PCR compatible within a few days. Please be patient with us as we have only started working on this within the last day or two. The information will be published free of charge and the cable and all modifications should not cost you any more than a few bucks to put together. If you are really really worried about internal modifications to your radio or voiding your warranty, then I have to question why you would purchase a simple cable that costs more than the XM Direct itself simply not to void the warranty?
In case anyone wants to get ready, you will need a DIN-8 connector compatible with the plug on the XM Direct. A compatible part is a KYCON KMDA-8P which is available from mouser for $1.41. You will also need a regular DB9 female serial connector and a 12V power adaptor (or other 12V power source). If you want USB control, pick up a cheap USB/Serial converter which can be found all over the place for well below $10.
The necessary pinout looks like it will be:
Code:
DIN-8 DB9
1 RIN <--------> 2 (Also maybe pin 4. Depends on existing PCR software)
2 TOUT <--------> 3 RX
3 GND <--------> 5 GND
6 12V -> to power supply +
8 GND -> to power supply -
Information on what internal jumpering needs to happen inside the XM Direct will come as soon as we figure it out. I will start working on this problem as soon as my DIN-8 connectors come in, but unfortunately I can't do a lot before then. Please don't send me PM's about this; I will post here when I find out more information. In the end, I may have to end up eating my words on some of this info I am publishing now, but at least rest assured that someone is working on an open solution to the XMPCR problem.
Hybrid guys: I respect your desire and efforts to produce a working solution, and I also respect your desire to profit from selling your solution; however, DO NOT EVER AGAIN disrespect my right to perform my own work and openly publish an alternative. I do not disrespect yours.
we have never passed an opportunity to help individuals on this site....why in the hell do you think we are providing the SDK??????
You know im pretty certain we HELPED YOU when you needed the SDK for readyOn..... dont you think that its going to be distributed unfairly....im sure it will.....but with the exception of a very few, I never got any significant amount of money donated to help us find a solution....lets just add this up.....xmCommander....150$ .....xmDirect$....50$ countless hours spent deciphering the protocol....priceless....(had to sorry)
as far as timetrax goes....you might not use it...thats great....but im sure lots of people do....again thats freedom of choice, that is why we all live in America!
anyways
For some people Hybrid Mikes solution is perfect. If you can live with it only working with his MMC software. For others who just want thier own inexpensive solution and are hobbyists at heart and just don't worry about warranties over the satisfaction of doing it yourself, making a few internal mods and a cheap cable is the better solution. Unless we hear otherwise from XM, no one solution is right or wrong IMO. I routinely buy things with the sole intent of cracking it open as soon as I get it home (voiding warranty) so I can make it do something that it doesn't do without completely re-inventing the wheel. There are many others like that on these forums.
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