Help in Kenwood HU Changer Interface

**grayvader** · 07-22-2005, 09:09 AM

Guys, I'm very interested in what you get done. (trying to be non- non-vocal) Not sure what I can do for software help, but I can try stuff with Hardware. My HU is a KDC-X889.
Have you thought of maybe a plugin for girder? It might be the most generic way to go.
Good luck and keep us in the loop on your progress.
Thanks!

**sheerdark** · 07-23-2005, 03:57 AM

Wow, that's awesome. Keep us updated. I'd really like this in my car!

**Lu Bu** · 07-24-2005, 03:49 AM

So would the head unit use the computers hard drive as a CD changer to get music files? I have a KDC-X9 series head unit and this could replace the need of buying a sound card since you could use the head unit as a sound card/ decoder.

**grayvader** · 07-24-2005, 02:51 PM

No, no, nothing so elegant. All the HU can do is tell the PC (which looks like a changer) to play songs, FF, Rewind, and receive song titles on the bus. The actual audio has to be played by the PC (and it comes down the interface cable as analog audio).

**Rayman** · 07-26-2005, 08:41 PM

ok -
im using a KDC-MP4029 as the test unit - this supports the new ipod interface as well as the usual changer -
but the protocol appears to be slightly different from that used in the past as
i am having some trouble getting the head unit to recognise the "changer".

Soooooooo
I'm going to obtain a KCAip500 and snoop the protocol this uses to the head - with any luck it may give more information on the protocol and allow some additional features to be used.

Onward we go.

Rayman

**Lu Bu** · 08-01-2005, 01:32 PM

Any updates?

**Rayman** · 08-01-2005, 07:14 PM

waiting on KCAip500 -
need to get into the car with logic probe as having a problem with not seeing startup pulse on CHG_CON line that should be there - code should see it - need to verify its presence / abscence to see whats going on.

working on paying project for the next couple of weeks so progress will be slowed until thats done -

will try to valididate this pulse sooner rather than later as then I can do debugging at lunch time at work.

Rayman

**Slowmo** · 12-30-2005, 07:17 AM

So, did you receive KCAip500? And how is it going?

**jbors** · 12-31-2005, 07:19 PM

May be this link will help ?
http://www.lompec.nl/KECANI.htm

**stainless** · 02-13-2006, 06:08 PM

Any news on this?

Also, it was mentioned earlier that the audio would not be routed through the Kenwood head unit... how come? As I understand it, once the Kenwood is fooled into thinking a changer is connected, it "opens" the audio channels of the changer input plug. I've found links where people have successfully run audio through a Kenwood head unit from an MP3 player or whatever (and since lost the links, but I could find them again if it would help)... could the audio signal from the computer "changer" not be routed through the cable that connects it to the Kenwood head, even if it means just tapping into the audio out on the soundcard or whatever?

I'd love to help keep this project rolling, so if I can test software or anything, let me know. I have a Kenwood EZ-500 and a bunch of old computer parts that will be used to build the "changer."

S