HD Radio Cables READY!

**utd09bry** · 03-18-2008, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by jayrod7387

my soundcard uses mic and line in as rear and sub out when a setting is changed. not a true 6 or 7 channel......

wait... what are you connecting your sound card's output to? 2/4 channel receiver? headunit?

i agree that you should use line-in for any inputs and not the MIC port. it's true that it might only be a mono-in.

anyways, if you are saying that MIC is normally your rear channel output, then unplugging that and using it for input would disable your rear channel (if you were, say, using a 4 channel amp.) I'm really hoping its more complicated than that.. but might as well ask the obvious.

**Bivio** · 03-20-2008, 07:54 PM

Hey mitch,

Cable works great, only thing im wondering, can i cut off the end of your cable and add the cut off length of the one that came with the HD HU? If i needed more length for example. What i mean to as is this, are all the electronics and such that you added to the cable on the rj232 jack?

**mitchjs** · 03-20-2008, 08:25 PM

sure, kiinda, but dont do that.... very hard to solder

just purchase a mac straight male to female extension

http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

**frollo** · 03-25-2008, 02:43 PM

you get some cables in yet mitch?

**mitchjs** · 03-25-2008, 02:48 PM

THEY Coming, i got my fedex trackin number yesterday!!!
i will be shipping a bunch this week!!!

woo!

mitch

**jayrod7387** · 03-27-2008, 07:39 PM

yes i am running my front and rear output to a 4 channel amp. I really need an input channel....

**RipplingHurst** · 03-28-2008, 12:07 AM

I'm still waiting for my cable since last week, just bought the HD radio at the Best Buy Outlet store for 28.99. Hopefully I'll get the cables soon, thanks!

Mitch, what RS232-to-USB brand do you use? I found a couple of them at my local Fry's, but none of them inspired confidence. Which one uses the FTDI chip? Air link?

Thanks.

**eribs4e** · 03-28-2008, 08:27 AM

Got my cable two days ago...thanx Mitch!!

**greatwhite** · 03-28-2008, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by greatwhite

Well, removed teh rca ground jumper and all my "ground loop" noise is gone. The beeping/buzing/alternator whine is completely gone.
Now there's a base sizzle noise in the system. It's definately induced by the radio as unplugging or muting the line in for the sound card makes it completely dissapear.

I did notice that it could be made louder or quiter by handling the black box on the constant 12v in. I had to resoldier the connections in the box when I got it as the wires came completely out (fell out when I turned it over in my hands). I'm going to investigate that next.

I'm beginning to think the build quality on these units isn't so high.........

OMFG I found it!

After a month or so of just running without the radio plugged into the sound card because of the interference noise, I went back to trying to get it to work (it's been pretty cold here lately, didn't feel like freezing "you know what" off in the garage).

OPlugged it back in and the noise returned to the sytem like "ol' faithful".

Chased settings around in the KXdriver, same results no matter what I tried.

Started thinking about rewiring, moving stuff and grounding schemes but Everything looked proper as I worked through the installation.

I got to the 3.5 mm jack at the soundcard. Now, keep in mind, my sound card jacks are very difficult to see where the Mputer is installed. I usually have to use a mirror to confirm things are plugged in correctly.
Plugged in, good solid connection........but waita minute.............somehow I've got it in the MIC in jack. Hmmmm, maybe I'll try the "Line in" jack like I thought I had it hooked up.

Plugged it into the LINE IN port, unmuted the corresponding line in the driver and............

SUCCESS!

No noise!

For some reason either the KXdriver or the audigy 4 didn't like having the sound fed into the MIC port. Go figure................

I knew it had to be something simple, another "fumble" on my part I guess.

Now, I just have to find a way to improve reception on the analog mode as I don't have HD feeds in my area.

So, finally to the point:

MITCH, I'm using the in glass antenna (yes, I know you don't like them) as my car is rather expensive (300M Special) and I'm not going to install a mast antenna on it.
You seem to have a pretty good grip on how radio works and my antenna must have been amplified in the old head unit as the adapter (small black box, no power lines) to the glass antenna only has the coax running out of it.

Is it possible to for you to build a signal amplifier (or buy one) to go in line between the antenna and the Visteon for improved signal?

Would it even do any good?

I'm almost back to the radio quality of a stock Head unit, the visteon just seems to have more static cutting in and out as I drive or turn the car certain ways (probably masking the signal and the unit is dropping in and out).

My stock Head unit worked great with the in glass, Pulling in stations clearly from unbelievable distances sometimes. Now, obviously, the factory unit was matched to the antenna and this is why it worked so well. But there must be a way to adapt the visteon to this receiving method.....

I noticed what appears to be an antenna "trim pot" in the Visteon. Would there be any sense in trying to tune the unit to my antenna (like old aftermarket units used to be able to)?

The visteon manual makes no reference to tuning to the antenna or an "antenna trim pot", but it sure looks like one and I know I always used to tune my aftermarket units to my vehicles antenna for proper reception..........

Or am I totally out in left field on this?

Cheers

**mitchjs** · 03-28-2008, 03:23 PM

oooh, antenna stuff is waaaay over my head, that RF stuff is a ton of science and bit of black magic...

yes... the factory antenna is designed to work with the factory radio... now sometimes the antennas electronics are outside the radio... sometimes they not...
when they are, maybe you can get the amp powered on...

id say hit up a car audio forum, but i bet NO ONE replaces the stock 300 radio!

good luck

mitch