Remote faceplate with Alpines (interconect, wire, solder)

justintime · 02-05-2006, 08:15 PM

I bought a new Alpine CDE-9845 CD player, which has a detachable faceplate. I am planning on wiring the connectors with a 3 foot CAT5 cable as others have done, because I don't have enough space for this in my dash. I wanted to know if anyone has tried this with similar Alpine units. I am posting photos of the male and female connectors as a reference.

The Male conector looks very easy to solder onto. Not too sure about the female. (no jokes on ths one please!)

I would really want to avoid soldering onto the PCBs, as I have seen some people do. Is it totally crazy to think that I can get away with soldering between these connectors?

FYI: this CD player is only $119 at Best buy on clearance, it does sound very well, and has some nice features like MP3/WMA playback -- best of all a mini jack connector on the back for AUX input (!).

LESLIEx317537 · 02-05-2006, 11:05 PM

If you try to solder directly to those gold plated contacts you are going to melt the plastic.

Hark · 02-05-2006, 11:06 PM

I hope you have better luck than I did - I tried with the 9855 probably 20 times with no luck. I really don't think it's possible with these new Alpine units. A professional stereo shop even tried and failed. You might save yourself a ton of time and frustration by trying it on a unit that's been proven to be relocatable.

Wiredwrx · 02-05-2006, 11:14 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Hark

I hope you have better luck than I did - I tried with the 9855 probably 20 times with no luck. I really don't think it's possible with these new Alpine units. A professional stereo shop even tried and failed. You might save yourself a ton of time and frustration by trying it on a unit that's been proven to be relocatable.

Why did it fail?

Michael

p.s., JIT, I followed a bunch of your relocate facepplate threads. I think the first and the second are better choices than this one, though there might be an easy solution for this one. As stated, the male connector is not gonna be easy to solder to. And, as expected, the female is even harder. I would actually want to see the back of the male connector. Perhaps the connector can be easily removed, and the board soldered to with wires, and then the other end of the wire can be soldered to the rear of the male connector, and then the headunit mounted on the connector where you want it.

justintime · 02-05-2006, 11:16 PM

The 9855 has a fold down faceplate, right? Do the connectors on the 9855 look like the ones I posted in this thread?

Also, check out this link, the guy seems to have used the EXACT SAME HU that I am using. Seriously, that is a CDE-9845 as far as I can tell!
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=54990

Quote: Originally Posted by Hark

I hope you have better luck than I did - I tried with the 9855 probably 20 times with no luck. I really don't think it's possible with these new Alpine units. A professional stereo shop even tried and failed. You might save yourself a ton of time and frustration by trying it on a unit that's been proven to be relocatable.

turbocad6 · 02-05-2006, 11:35 PM

that doesn't look too hard to solder, just make sure you have like a 10-15 watt iron with a small tip,,,,... tin the term's & the wire ends seperatly then touch & solder.... use the solder very sparingly, as to much will cause stickage of more than one terminal....

weather it will work or not remains to be seen, I've done quite a few like this in the past with great results.... I here rumors of the newer ones being to sensative, but a cheaper unit may have a much better shot than a better one with a sophisticated display, I'd go for it

justintime · 02-05-2006, 11:42 PM

turbocad,

I will definitely give this a shot. I bought this thing for the sole purpose of remote locating.

I have a nice thin 15W solder iron, and I have gotten pretty good with it. The Male looks dead easy. The other one however is a challenge. But I am up to it, so we'll see how it goes and whether it works.

Any suggestions for a cable with 15 wires? I know people use CAT5, but I want to keep this clean with just one cable. I am thinking maybe a printer cable LOL

JeremyM · 02-05-2006, 11:43 PM

Anyone done this with the CDA-9825?

It's a semi-old school Alpine unit - it should work. It's not fold-down either, so I'm in business there.

Wiredwrx · 02-06-2006, 12:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by turbocad6

I here rumors of the newer ones being to sensative

What do you mean by sensitive. What has beent he problem?

Michael

turbocad6 · 02-06-2006, 12:58 AM

low voltages & complex lcd display comunications mainly.... the more comunication between the face/screen & the head the tougher it'll get... a sheilded cable may be a benifit...with twisted pairs can also be an extra edge for a higher end display, but this one should be a simpler display & less likely to be an issue,,,, you could go w/just a pair of cat5's on a display face that's just simple switches & an average display... really only one way to find out

turbocad6 · 02-06-2006, 01:04 AM

I found a really nice mini vga cable,sleak 15 pin plugs.... perfect for something like this, especially if you want to make it detachable.... the cable plugs into itself, so you just cut it a few inches from one end & the short pigtail becomes one lead (screen or head, depending on where you'd like the disconnect) ... the long to the other...... nice stuff, but the cable will be half as much as the head unit was...

LESLIEx317537 · 02-06-2006, 05:44 AM

You might be able to get longer distances with the cat5 since it elminates crosstalk.

If you fail, send it to me I'll try.

The first time I relocated a HU was super easy for me.

Why has it gotten harder???

I would take the unit apart and trace the leads to where they are originally soldered too and then solder to that. Isn't that possible? LIke i did here - http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=22819

DaveB · 02-06-2006, 11:35 AM

Many units now use thin ribbon cables that plug into a socket on the PCB and there is no place on the PCB to which you can solder your wires.

Here is the problem. If you solder wires to the gold contacts you will likely never be able to return the unit back to stock and have it work as normal. That means if you go through all of the effort to extend the faceplate, and it doesn't work, then you've wrecked a good radio. Many of the faceplates won't work if you extend them. The LCD displays won't function. I think that is because there is not enough power being sent to the LCD.

I asked around on here and found someone who gave me a brand and model of unit that did work when it was extended. I bought the same one off of ebay (still waiting for it to arrive).

I also made a mold of the male connector and I molded my own male connector for a pioneer! I'll solder my wires to the metal strips on the male connector that I made.

justintime · 02-06-2006, 01:30 PM

Like I said, seems to be proven for my model, as this guy did it!

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=54990

justintime · 02-08-2006, 08:38 AM

DaveB: whay do you say this? I think that if you solder through the gold contacts and it doesn't work, you can always desolder and remove the thin layer of solder from the contacts (you can suck that with special tools) and have it work as normal again (and even return it).

I would say soldering to the PCB on more risky, and prone to screwing something irreversibly!

Quote: Originally Posted by DaveB

Here is the problem. If you solder wires to the gold contacts you will likely never be able to return the unit back to stock and have it work as normal.

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