Audio/Video iPod/iPhone Integration into your FX

[SteadiFX]

A Quick Sidenote - I threw this together to satisfy the audiance that my DICE MediaBridge review generated. I am still missing photos of a number of things so I will try to add more to this in coming weeks.

~~~~~~~~~~

HOW-TO:
Audio/Video iPod/iPhone Integration in your FX
w/ Kuda Base, Dice Cradle, Dice MediaBridge, and NavTV

THIS GUIDE WILL DESCRIBE HOW TO INTEGRATE YOUR i-DEVICE (iPod/iPhone/iPad) INTO YOUR INFINITI FX WITH AUDIO/VIDEO OUTPUT WHILE MAINTAINING DEVICE CONTROL AND TEXT READOUT THROUGH YOUR FACTORY RADIO SCREEN. AT THE TIME OF THIS POSTING, THIS IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY WAY TO DO BOTH.

First, let me start off with a brief explanation of the Apple Authentication Chip that makes this whole project such a headache. We can all agree that the ideal result would be getting video out of the iPhone while maintaining text readout and track control on the factory radio, right? Apparently not that simple, thank you Apple.

The Apple Authentication Chip in the video cables utilizes 4 connections to the dock connector: Serial Rx, Serial Tx, 3.3v, and GND. It effectively terminates the Serial TTL lines allowing no other devices to communicate with the iPhone. It is undetermined how often the phone checks for the chip, but it is 100% confirmed that the video output will not open without it.

It also kills any chance of you using a device like the OEM front kit or USA spec (or GROM and any of the other cheap brands) from controlling the iPhone. All of these devices simply translate the iPhone's Serial commands to ones that the Infiniti radio understands since the Infiniti appears to use some form of Serial communication too. I will soon find out if it's TTL or RS232. The traffic from the Auth Chip blocks anything else from communicating right now.

So for the above reasons, the only viable options to get Audio AND Video out of your i-device simultaneously are through USB or Bluetooth A2DP streaming. I don’t want another Bluetooth device in my car that will just add clutter and render the existing Bluetooth buttons useless. The ultimate goal to make this work is to separate device control to the USB Data lines and free up the Serial Data lines to authenticate the video output.

If you have a 2009+ FX, you already have a USB port on your radio, so you’re set. Just buy an Apple A/V cable with USB (or any cable with the Apple Authorized Chipset) and it will plug and play to your radio with video for your NavTV device. The analog R/L audio cables remain unused.

If you have an 03-08 FX, continue reading because this is the only current way to integrate an iPod/iPhone/iPad with Video output while maintaining Digital Audio Out, Device Control thru the Radio, and Text Display on the Radio. Currently the only device to do this is the Dice MediaBridge MBR-1503-NIS (released mid-2011).


~~~~~~~~~~

Big Ticket Items:
-Dice MediaBridge MBR-1503-NIS (currently $220 on Amazon)
-Dice G2 Cradle of your choice, I used DCR-50 (currently $50 on Amazon)
-Kuda Mounting Base (currently $73 from Kuda)
-PAC VCI-NIS or NavTool or NavTV (VCI currently $217 on Amazon)
-iPhone Composite A/V cable w/ USB, must contain Apple Authentication Chip (currently $20 at www.spider-foot.com)
(*sidenote – the Dice DCR-150 cradle claims to eliminates the need for an Apple A/V cable, however this is unconfirmed so I used a DCR-50 in this How-To)

Preparation (Kuda Base & Cradle):
1) Switch out the DICE G2 cradle post for the longer one. You will need this for proper cable clearance. Also prepare the face of the Kuda Base with painter’s tape. Pre-drilling is recommended here, as this will give you a cleaner hole in the faux-leather.

2) Mount your device to the cradle and find a symmetrical center point side-to-side. Top-to-bottom, you will need to eyeball a good center point that looks aesthetically pleasing with your particular device. Just mounting the DICE G2 cradle dead center will cause your device to stick up beyond the footprint of the Kuda Base. This is all a matter of preference and eyeballing. Once you have the positioning that you want, hold the cradle firmly to the Kuda Base and mark the 4 screw holes with pencil.


3) Proceed to pre-drill the 4 holes with a bit smaller than the screws to be used. The Kuda Base is made of fiberglass and simply screwing into it may crack the material. Remove the painter’s tape and gently secure the cradle to the Kuda Base with the supplied screws. I recommend orienting the rectangular DICE G2 cradle base such that the larger square holes are on the bottom, this will be come more apparent in Step 4. Don’t crank it down yet because it will need to be removed again.
(pic coming)

4) If you choose not to cut your A/V cable and run it through the Kuda Base as I have, skip to Step 5 (you will have to find an alternate solution for cable management).
If you want to be able to rotate your device to horizontal, you need to decide right now if you will be rotating it right or left for the purposes of running the dock cable. I chose to rotate left, so I drilled a hole where the bottom right square hole in the G2 cradle base matches up with the Kuda Base. Use a pencil to make a fine dot in the 4 corners of this square. Remove the G2 cradle from the Kuda Base. Use an Exacto knife to cut the top layer of the faux-leather of the Kuda Base. I cut an “X” from dot to dot, folded back and taped the resulting triangles of fabric, and drilled my hole for the cable in the underlying layers. This allows a polished look on the exterior.

5) Re-attach the DICE G2 cradle, snugly this time. Set aside the base for installation later.
If you opted to cut your A/V cable, run your A/V cable through the hole in the base and reconnect the wires pin-to-pin on the back side. Give yourself long wire leads to work with. The smallest heat shrink tubing is recommended as these tiny wires are too delicate for electrical tape. This will all be hidden anyways, so while sound cable structure is important, it doesn’t have to be beautiful.


Bonus Content (the following is no longer applicable to this installation, so skip to the 2nd post if you wish):
I went a little more in depth because this was still an experiment and I was figuring it out as I went. I built my own A/V cable to try and use to pull out the video signal and pass-through the 30pin dock connector to the USA Spec PA15-NIS, which proved a futile effort as the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] page describes. Here is that process for those interested.

1) Build a 16pin circuit board, or have one etched. This will be used to pass all signals in the Ridax Dock Extension Cable through to the female connector.


2) Using a Radio Shack project box, drill holes on each of the longer sides for the cable in and out. Install grommets for strain relief. Run the wire already installed in the Kuda Base and the other half that you cut off in the Kuda Mount Preparation Step 4 section into either side of the box. Strip the cable end and strip just the tips of all the wires inside of it. Tin all of the ends with solder. Start attaching them pin-by-pin to the circuit board, making sure that the Composite Video and Video GND signals are accessible to be tapped into. My circuit board had extra traces built for this.


3) Open up the male dock connector of the iPhone A/V cable you wish to cannibalize and tap 4 wires to the Auth Chip as illustrated. The colors in the Ridax Dock Extension Cable that I have at the time of this write-up are as follows: Pink (3.3v), Black (GND), White (Serial Tx), Red (Serial Rx). Solder the other ends of these wires into the matching circuit board pins to tap the signal and the Apple Chip will authorize the video output to the RCA jack.


4) Install the circuit board into the box, solder side down. Drill a hole on one of the short ends of the box and install a panel mount RCA jack. Wire the Composite Video signal to the center, and Video Ground to the outer shield.


5) Screw on the lid to the Project Box and install the assembly into the Kuda Base with double-stick adhesive

iPhone/iPod Dock Connector Pinout
(w/ Ridax Extension Cable colors for reference)
​

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]Need for Scosche Auth Chip[/TD]
[TD]Ridax Extension Wire Colors[/TD]
[TD]Pin[/TD]
[TD]Signal[/TD]
[TD]Description[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Blue[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]GND[/TD]
[TD]Ground (-), internally connected with Pin 2 on iPod motherboard[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]GND[/TD]
[TD]Audio & Video ground (-), internally connected with Pin 1 on iPod motherboard[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Violet[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Right[/TD]
[TD]Line Out - R (+) (Audio output, right channel)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Lt Yellow[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Left[/TD]
[TD]Line Out - L(+) (Audio output, left channel)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Right In[/TD]
[TD]Line In - R (+)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Left In[/TD]
[TD]Line In - L (+)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Orange[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Remote Sense[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Lt Blue[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Video Out[/TD]
[TD]Composite video output (only when slideshow active on iPod Photo)
or Component Video Pb[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]S-Video Chrominance output[/TD]
[TD]for iPod Color, Photo only
or Component Video Y[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]S-Video Luminance output[/TD]
[TD]for iPod Color, Photo only
or Component Video Pr[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Yellow[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]AUDIO_SW[/TD]
[TD]If connected to GND the iPhone sends audio signals through pin 3-4, otherwise it uses onboard speaker.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]YES[/TD]
[TD]White[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Tx[/TD]
[TD]ipod sending line, Serial TxD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]YES[/TD]
[TD]Red[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Rx[/TD]
[TD]ipod receiving line, Serial RxD[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]RSVD[/TD]
[TD]Reserved[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]GND[/TD]
[TD]Ground (-), internally connected with pin 16 on iPod motherboard[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]YES[/TD]
[TD]Black[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]GND[/TD]
[TD]USB GND (-), internally connected with pin 15 on iPod motherboard[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]RSVD[/TD]
[TD]Reserved[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]YES[/TD]
[TD]Pink[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]3.3V[/TD]
[TD]3.3V Power (+)
Stepped up to provide +5 VDC to USB on iPod Camera Connector. If iPod is put to sleep while Camera Connector is present, +5 VDC at this pin slowly drains back to 0 VDC.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Brown[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]+12V[/TD]
[TD]Firewire Power 12 VDC (+)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Tan[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]+12V[/TD]
[TD]Firewire Power 12 VDC (+)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]YES[/TD]
[TD]Lt Green[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Accessory Indicator/Serial enable[/TD]
[TD]Different resistances indicate accessory type:
1kOhm - iPod docking station, beeps when connected
10kOhm - Takes some iPods into photo import mode
6.8 kΩ - Serial port mode. Pin 11-13 are TTL level. Requires MAX232 chip to convert to RS232 levels.
68kOhm - makes iPhone 3g send audio through line-out without any messages
500kOhm - related to serial communication / used to enable serial communications Used in Dension Ice Link Plus car interface
1MOhm - Belkin auto adaptor, iPod shuts down automatically when power disconnected Connecting pin 21 to ground with a 1MOhm resistor does stop the ipod when power (i.e. Firewire-12V) is cut. Looks to be that when this pin is grounded it closes a switch so that on loss of power the Ipod shuts off. Dock has the same Resistor.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]TPA (-)[/TD]
[TD]FireWire Data TPA (-)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Lt Violet[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]5 VDC (+)[/TD]
[TD]USB Power 5 VDC (+)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]TPA (+)[/TD]
[TD]FireWire Data TPA (+)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Green[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]Data (-)[/TD]
[TD]USB Data (-)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]26[/TD]
[TD]TPB (-)[/TD]
[TD]FireWire Data TPB (-)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Gray[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]Data (+)[/TD]
[TD]USB Data (+)
Pins 25 and 27 may be used in different manner. To force the iPod 5G to charge in any case, when USB Power 5 VDC (pin 23) is fed, 25 must be connected to 5V through a 10kOhm resistor, and 27 must be connected to the Ground (for example: pin 1) with a 10kOhm resistor.
iPod 5G can also be forced to charge by attaching the data + and the data - pins to the 5v via a 10k Ohm resistor ( BOTH PINS) and connecting pin 16 to the 5v (ground). (Confirmed working with iPod 5G 20GB). This provides 500mA of current for charging. For quicker charing, up to 1A, see below.
To charge an iPhone, 3G, 3GS, 4 / iPod Touch, 2nd gen, 3rd, 4th or Ipod Classic (6th Gen), usb data- (25) should be at 2.8v, usb data+(27) should be at 2.0v. This can be done with a few simple resistors: 33k to +5v (23) and 22k to gnd(16) to obtain 2v and 33k to +5v and 47k to gnd to obtain 2.8v. This is a notification to the iphone that it is connected to the external charger and may drain amps from the usb.
To charge iPod Nano pins 25 and 27 should be tied together and then connected to a 10K ohm resistor, and the other side of this resistors then needs to be connected to 5v power.
It's also possible to charge the iPod's or iPhone's battery to make use the of internal +3.3v output (18) terminal to connect the USB Data + (27) thru a 47k ohms resistor and the USB Data- (25) thru a 47k resistor to the USB Power source +5v (23). This way the USB function is still useable for normal operations and makes it easier the fit in a plug. The resistors are not to critical 2x 150k's still work.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]TPB (+)[/TD]
[TD]FireWire Data TPB (+)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]N/C[/TD]
[TD]29,30[/TD]
[TD]GND[/TD]
[TD]FireWire Ground (-)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]







Back side of dock connector;
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29
Pins 1,2 connected on motherboard.
Pins 15,16 connected on motherboard.
Pins 19,20 connected on motherboard.
Pins 29,30 connected on motherboard.
If you disassemble the original apple-ipod-dock-connector-cable and look at the connector itself, on the back side, where it is soldered, you can see the number 1 and 30 (e.g. pin 1 and 30). In this description NUMBERING is INVERSED: pin 1 is pin 30 and pin 29 is pin 2, so, don't look at numbers on connector.

 

[SteadiFX]

Preparation (Factory Matching Switches):
First, a quick background on the composition and layering of materials in these switches. See the attached PDF for wiring specifics. It might help you when modifying, because it is quite a precision process:
Labeling the switches has turning out to be the toughest part of this whole iPhone/NAV-TV project! The switch is composed of 3 layers (I found this out after destroying one button cover with a dremel).

The base layer is clear just like the window the ON lettering resides over.
Just in the middle of the button, there is a 2nd layer which is white frost.
And then the top layer is the black button coating, with "SNOW" etched out of it to show you the 2nd layer. The “OFF” and “ON” letters are simple screen printing and can be easily damaged so be cautious around them.
So the SNOW switch, as we now know from the wiring diagram below, has a 12V+ trigger in the first configuration from the diagram (which is what I want because what is the point of this whole switch if I can't use the LED backlight?!). That seems to mesh perfectly with the NAV-TV's 12V+ trigger required to utilize the Video2 input (normally for a backup camera). So my new goal is to label the 2nd switch with 'iPhone' instead of OFF and 'AUX' instead of ON, and use it to enable the AUX jacks that I've installed on the back of the center console.


Supplies:
-(2) Nissan/Infiniti “Snow” switch PN#25130-EG000 (currently $50ea on InfinitiPartsUSA.com)
-“NavTV” black vinyl decal w/ clear letters (.125” Capital Letter Height, Verdana font) – DIYLettering.com
-“NavTV” black vinyl decal w/ white letters (.125” Capital Letter Height, Verdana font) – DIYLettering.com
-“AUX” clear vinyl decal w/ white letters (.125” Capital Letter Height, Verdana font) – DIYLettering.com
-“iPhone” black vinyl decal w/ white letters (.125” Capital letter Height, Verdana font) – DIYLettering.com
-70% Acetone
-Q-tips
-Edge-lock painter’s tape
-Elmer’s White Paint Marker

The NavTV On/Off switch:
1) Mask a rectangle as squarely as possible around the “SNOW” lettering on the switch. The masked opening needs to be at least as wide as the “NavTV” vinyl decal from first letter to last letter, but not wider than the overall width of the black vinyl. Mask a 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] layer as close to on top of the 1[SUP]st[/SUP] layer as you can get it. Acetone eats through about everything including the adhesive on the tape so be careful and be prepared to replace the tape often.


2) We are going to begin using the acetone to eat away the black coating that the “SNOW” letters are etched into, but delicately and in small stages so we don’t eat away through the underlying layer. Dip a q-tip in acetone and blot it on the sides of the container to drain the excess off. Rub it back and forth across the switch with medium pressure, being mindful to cover the edges and the middle equally. Don’t press too hard and don’t try to rush and take larger steps.

3) When the q-tip becomes soiled, flip it over and repeat Step 2. You should be blotting away excess acetone with a dry cloth often. Straying acetone can seep under the tape and eat away at other parts like the “ON” and “OFF” letters which are only screen printing and will easily come off. You should probably remove al of the tape and re-mask as precisely as possible to the lines in the first step.

4) Continue Steps 2 & 3 until you have a fairly square area and a uniform surface. The “SNOW” letters should be nearly unreadable gone.

5) Dry the surface and put 1 fresh layer of masking tape on the button, matching the edges of the opening we created. Use the Elmer’s White Paint Marker to paint one even layer of white across the opening. This will provide a translucent white background to go behind the clear “NavTV” letters in the vinyl decal. Let it dry completely.

6) Apply the “NavTV” black vinyl decal with clear lettering so that the black vinyl covers our entire opening and none of the paint pen shows out the edges. The white paint pen should have created white lettering for your clear decal that can now be backlit.

The NavTV source switch:
1) Dampen a clean cloth with acetone and rub the 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] button lightly to erase the “OFF” and “ON” screen printing.

2) Overlay the “SNOW” lettering with a “NavTV” black vinyl decal w/ white letters. If you wish to make the lettering light up like the first button, follow the guide in the previous section.

3) Before removing the “AUX” clear vinyl decal w/ white letters from its’ backing paper, lay it over the clear window where the “ON” text used to be to make sure it is trimmed to size. Then remove it from the backing paper and install the “AUX” decal in the clear window.

4) Install the “iPhone” black vinyl decal w/ white letters at the top of the button where “OFF” used to be

Wiring the switches:
We will construct our own wiring harness with easily sourced Molex plugs to make the switches removable like the other stock switches in the panel. There are 5 pins to connect and the wiring diagram on the next page describes how to make your connections.

Supplies:
-(2) 4-position Male Polarized Connectors (Radio Shack #274-224)
-(2) 4-position Female Polarized Connectors (Radio Shack #274-234)
-Bosch 12v SPDT Relay
-25-position Female Crimp D-Sub Connector (Radio Shack #276-1430)
*note: we need 10 of the small crimp type female pins from this part
-Hot glue gun
-Crimping and wire stripping tools
-Small gauge spare wire of different colors for help with deciphering wires during installation

1) Construct a 5-wire harness with the pinout information at the top of the next page.
a. Use the crimp type female pins from the D-Sub kit to make 6” pigtails. Connect wires to each of the 5 necessary pins of the switch described in the diagram, writing down what color goes to what pin.
b. With all 5 pins connected, wrap the socket on the switch with masking tape and fill it with hot glue to secure the pins.
c. Start connecting the 5-wire harness into the 4-pin Male Polarized Connector by consolidating the 2 GND wires into 1 pin.
d. Wrap the wires in heat shrink or electrical tape for aesthetics if you wish.

2) Construct the female side of the Polarized Connector with matching wire colors of about 6” length. Make sure to match colors pin-by-pin to the male side. These ends will wire into the car’s harness.



~~~~~~~~~~

Installation (based on 06-08 models):
*note – either disconnect the battery or leave the ignition off for any installations involving electrical!

Radio & Dash Removal:
1) Remove HVAC/Radio trim. It is held in only by clips, but some tugging is necessary. Don’t use metal tools as they may damage the dash.
-Start at the top-left corner and work your way to the bottom and across to the bottom-right corner. At this point, you will likely be able to pull the whole piece straight out.
-Don’t just rip it off, because there is an expensive ribbon cable and an electrical connector on the passenger side of the bezel that need to be unplugged. The ribbon cable unplugs by pulling straight out, using the plastic tabs on each side. The electrical connector has a tab on the top that needs to be depressed first.

2) Remove the cupholder/shifter piece.
-First remove the shift knob by pushing straight down to release the boot and removing the wire clip that holds the knob in place, then pull the knob straight up.
-Open the cupholder and grip the piece by both sides. Pull straight up to release the back clips. Work your way forward to the front clips.
-Disconnect the wiring harnesses for the switches and shifter light. Set the piece aside

3) Remove the clock bezel. Remove the 2 phillips head screws at the base of the bezel. The rest is held in by clips. Start at the bottom by pulling towards the rear of the car, and work your way to the top. Remove the wiring harnesses on the back and set the piece aside.


4) Remove the 6 phillips head screws holding the radio to the dash.

5) Unplug all harnesses and remove the radio from the dash.
-The LCD harness and antenna plug have the shortest cable, so remove them first.
-The rest of the plugs are upside down, so work your way from the bottom row of connectors to the top. It is easiest to depress the plastic release tab on the rest of the plugs by depressing straight down with a flat-head screw driver that is narrower than the tab itself. It should fit well between the fatter end of the tab and the socket on the radio. This way, as you are depressing, you can turn the screwdriver side to side to push the plug out a bit. Then pull the rest of the way out by hand.


6) Remove the knee bolster under the steering wheel in preparation for installing the switches.
-Remove one Phillips head screw at the bottom left corner near the hood latch.
-The rest is held in by clips. Pull the entire piece straight out, not up. You may break some clips if you bend it upwards.
-Let the piece hang down slightly, it is not necessary to disconnect components as you cannot remove this piece fully due to the hood latch.

NavTV/VCI-NIS2 video interface:
1) Find a place to mount the VCI-NIS2 box that is accessible later (there are adjustable brightness controls you’ll want to tweak with the car on). I mounted mine to a piece of the duct work under the center speaker with 3M double stick molding tape and wrapped it with a zip tie, brightness controls facing out of course.

2) Run the wiring harness to the rear of the LCD, securing it to the factory LCD harness with zip ties along the way.

3) Plug the factory harness into the VCI-NIS2 harness. Leave the other end disconnected for now.

4) Run the remaining bare wire leads and the switch harness towards the driver’s side, stuffing them under the steering wheel. These will be connected later after we button up the center console pieces.

DICE MediaBridge audio interface:
More info here: https://www.infinitiscene.com/searc...dge-iPod-iPhone-USB-Integration-Kit-Bluetooth
1) Find a place to mount the DICE MediaBridge that is easily removable for firmware updates later. I chose to mount mine with Velcro on the forward facing side of the center console bin. This space is large enough hide the MediaBridge in reach of the radio with the supplied harness, and can easily be accessed without removing the whole radio.


2) Mount as pictured and run the wiring harness towards the front of the car, ending behind the radio opening.

3) Connect the female 10-pin harness to the factory harness. There is only one plug that will fit here. Leave the other plugs with the rest of the factory plugs to be reconnected later.


4) Connect the USB extension to the MediaBridge and run the other end through the center console, up near the VCI-NIS2. It will connect to the A/V cable from the Kuda Base later.

5) Connect a 1/8[SUP]th[/SUP] inch to Red/White RCA Y-cable if you want to use the AUX audio input. Run it to your desired location. Mine was a set of panel-mount RCA jacks that I installed on the rear of the center console, below the power outlet.

Kuda mount w/ Cradle:
*note – the mount will be tight but have some play until you replace the clock piece. This is normal.

1) Run the wires for the dock between the center console and the carpet.
a) If you built your cable into the Kuda Base as described earlier, set the Kuda Base on the passenger floor close to where it will install and slip the cable between the carpet and center console, running it up towards the VCI-NIS2. Connect the USB to the USB extension that runs to the MedaiBridge. Connect the video RCA to the Video1 of the VCI-NIS2.
b) If you’re not doing a video install, run your USB iPhone charge cable towards the VCI-NIS2 and plug into the USB extension, or just run it straight to the MediaBridge.
*note – the wires in my photo are different because I was experimenting with my custom circuit board.


2) Hold the Kuda Base up to the passenger side of the center console with the metal tab overlapping to the unfinished area that is normally covered by the clock.
-Before screwing it in, make sure the form of the Kuda Base fits the center console side as best as possible
-When it is in the right spot, the Kuda Base should fit snugly from top to bottom with no overlap on either end of the center console (besides the screw mount). The bottom of the Kuda Base should run parallel with the bottom of the center console trim.

3) Screw the Kuda Base into the plastic with the supplied screw. Don’t over tighten, as you may strip out the plastic and it wont hold.

4) Fold the metal tab at the bottom of the Kuda Base around the bottom of the center console trim. Make sure that the A/V cable is clear from pinching.


Wiring & Switches:
*note – If you don’t have a dedicated accessory power source already, I would recommend tapping the Acc wire in the ignition harness with 14awg wire. PLEASE install a fuse holder in this line and use a 10amp fuse so as not to damage your car if anything shorts later. Use a multimeter to find which wire in the ignition harness reads nothing with the car off and 12V+ with the car on. It is a group of fairly thick wires down lower on the passenger side of the steering column. I don’t remember the color but my 2006 FSM looks as if it is WHITE. Once you’ve found it, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE SPLICING!

Here is the Logic behind all the connections, I'm a visual guy so it may help people like me picture the wiring and signal flow:


1) With the wires from the VCI-NIS2, attach the Black to a bolt in the metal frame around the steering column. Also attach the Green e-brake trigger wire to this bolt.

2) Attach the Red power wire to the fused accessory power you just tapped off the ignition harness.

NavTV on/off switch:
3) Mount the relay to a bolt if it has a mounting tab, otherwise secure it to something with a zip tie as best as you can.
-Cut the cheap toggle switch off and attach the wires to Pins 87a and 30 of the SPDT Relay as diagramed earlier in the guide. It does not matter which wire connects to which pin.
-Connect Pin 86 to a bolt on the metal frame around the steering column
-Connect the Pin 85 wire to the female molex connector harness that you built during preparation
-Cut off the Pin 87 wire, it is unnecessary

4) Connect the rest of the female molex connector as follows:
-GND wire to a bolt on the metal frame around the steering column
-12V Accessory to the fused accessory harness you ran earlier
-12V Headlight Mid LED On can be tapped into the neighboring factory SNOW switch. It should be Pin 1 on that switch as well, but check with a multimeter while turning the headlights off and on. I’m not certain but my 2006 FSM looks as if the color is Blue. Check to be safe

AUX input switch:
5) If you do not want to use the Video2 input, skip this step. Connect the Blue wire from the VCI-NIS2 to the female molex connector harness that you build during preparation, making sure it corresponds to Pin 2 of the switch. This will trigger the AUX video source as diagramed earlier in the guide.

6) Connect the rest of the female molex connector as follows:
-GND wire to a bolt on the metal frame around the steering column
-12V Accessory to the fused accessory harness you ran earlier
-12V Headlight Mid LED On can be tapped into the neighboring factory SNOW switch. It should be Pin 1 on that switch as well, but check with a multimeter while turning the headlights off and on. I’m not certain but my 2006 FSM looks as if the color is Blue. Check to be safe.

7) Remove the dummy covers in the switch panel and install your switches in whatever order you desire.

8) Plug in the switches to their corresponding wiring harness that we just installed above.


~~~~~~~~~~

Re-install All Components and Panels:
1) Reinstall the radio, connecting the DICE MediaBridge harness into the plugs pictured below.


2) Reconnect the remaining electrical plugs including the VCI-NIS2 harness for the LCD. Please note that the factory 12-pin harness will remain disconnected, so do not be alarmed if there is no place to connect this

3) Replace the radio, making sure not to force anything in. There will be some extra bulk due to the extra harnesses in the dash.

4) Replace the radio bezel, carefully connecting the electrical connector and ribbon cable back into their places. Work your way around, pushing lightly and straight in to secure all clips.

5) Reinstall the Knee Bolster under the steering wheel. Fit the part that wraps around into the driver’s door jamb behind the rubber door trim, while lining the top clips up with their corresponding holes. Push everything straight in and work your way down, securing all clips. Secure with the screw in the bottom left corner.

6) Reinstall the clock piece, first connecting the harnesses to the back of it. Fit it up into place so the plastic clips line up, and press firmly and straight in. Make sure all clips are secured. There is added bulk on the passenger side of the bezel due to the Kuda Base, so while holding the clock piece firmly against the dash, tighten the screws at the base of it.

7) Reinstall the cupholder/shifter piece, first connecting the electrical to the back of it. Slip the shifter back through the boot, watching to make sure it fits through the plastic piece that slides forward and back to indicate gear position. Settle the bezel into place and push down firmly to secure all clips.

8) Reconnect the battery, turn on the ignition, and test everything out!
-I would first start with the programming of the radio according to the DICE MediaBridge instructions.
-If anything doesn’t work right, start troubleshooting.

ENJOY!

 

[DieselFx]

Wow this cool!! thank for taking the time to post this...

 

[Chedman13]

Nice job. I'm lazy and just have an iPhone cable to my PIE NAVTV unit, then it splices to RCA audio outputs that go into an AUX jack in my GROM unit. I have to control via iPhone. Cheap solution, but not nearly as neat as this integrated one.

 

[la_fx35]

Wow, very nice and detailed DIY.

 

[Dr.2K]

Great DIY write-up! I'm sure many will find this helpful. If I was am apple fan I would probably do this.

 

[Chedman13]

Is there an extender for the spider, I'm guessing it'll be too short for me (3 feet looks like). Can anyone post a link? Don't know what will work with the "chip" so please educate me. I need a 30 pin one? I think something like this, but I've seen these also should have a chip?? Another one I found said it's not compatible with iPhone 4...
http://www.amazon.com/Extension-30-pin-Female-Extender-iPhone/dp/B004BAC2B0

These two are 6 feet which would have worked for me, but I can't trust it has the apple chip in it, even though it says iPhone 4 compatible.

Rocketfish makes one:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Rocketfish%26%23153%3B+Mobile+-+6'+Composite+Video+Cable+for+Apple%26%23174%3B+iPod%26%23174%3B%2C+iPhone%26%23174%3B+and+iPad%26%23174%3B/2494413.p?id=1218330801582&skuId=2494413&st=rocketfish%20composite%20iphone&cp=1&lp=1

and dynex, except the reviews on this make it appear it won't work?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23153%3B+-+6'+Composite+A/V+Cable+for+Apple%26%23174%3B+iPod%26%23174%3B%2C+iPhone%26%23174%3B+and+iPad%26%23174%3B/2629446.p?id=1218341069937&skuId=2629446&st=iphone%20composite&cp=1&lp=2

I think the Apple Composite one is 3 feet, where the component is 6 feet. So no real choice there.

 

[SteadiFX]

Is there an extender for the spider, I'm guessing it'll be too short for me (3 feet looks like). Can anyone post a link? Don't know what will work with the "chip" so please educate me. I need a 30 pin one? I think something like this, but I've seen these also should have a chip?? Another one I found said it's not compatible with iPhone 4...
http://www.amazon.com/Extension-30-pin-Female-Extender-iPhone/dp/B004BAC2B0

Extending the 30-pin dock connector is one good way to go about the problem if you think 3ft won't make it. Be wary of what you buy though because a lot of cables claim to extend the dock connector, but few actually have all 30 wires inside them (though we don't need all 30, just USB, power, composite video). I bought one on eBay that only had the 4 wires for USB inside it. The one that you linked to above has all the language of a USB ONLY cable (i.e. words like 'sync' and 'iHome' which are USB functions). I bought the Ridax Dock Extender cable and detailed it in the write-up, but it appears they have stopped selling it. This cable claims multiple times in the description that it supports video, so at least if they're wrong, it's amazon and you can probably get your money back:

http://www.amazon.com/Connector-Extender-Extension-Cable-iPhone/dp/B004BJLXAM

Another option would be to meet the cable halfway with the USB extension and extend the video cable to your NavTV device with a barrel. Probably cheaper with parts from radio shack. But more permanent if you're installing the Kuda w/ dock, because you'll have to cut your video cable in half instead of a cheaper dock extender cable.

These two are 6 feet which would have worked for me, but I can't trust it has the apple chip in it, even though it says iPhone 4 compatible.

Rocketfish makes one:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Rocketfish%26%23153%3B+Mobile+-+6'+Composite+Video+Cable+for+Apple%26%23174%3B+iPod%26%23174%3B%2C+iPhone%26%23174%3B+and+iPad%26%23174%3B/2494413.p?id=1218330801582&skuId=2494413&st=rocketfish%20composite%20iphone&cp=1&lp=1

and dynex, except the reviews on this make it appear it won't work?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Dynex%26%23153%3B+-+6'+Composite+A/V+Cable+for+Apple%26%23174%3B+iPod%26%23174%3B%2C+iPhone%26%23174%3B+and+iPad%26%23174%3B/2629446.p?id=1218341069937&skuId=2629446&st=iphone%20composite&cp=1&lp=2

I think the Apple Composite one is 3 feet, where the component is 6 feet. So no real choice there.

Some of the G37 guys I work with have used the Rocketfish cable so that's confirmed working. I also trust the Dynex brand. If you're willing to pay the best buy price, they'll likely stand behind it if it doesn't work. You could also go in-store and ask to demo it.

Other cables I trust are:
Apple brand (obviously)
Scosche IPAV (but it uses a mini USB connector on the dock connector itself, not ideal for this type of application)

You have a few good options here. I would say your cheapest option is still to buy the Spider Foot cable and extend the video RCA.


- Sent from my Jailbroken Verizon iPhone

 

[Chedman13]

SteadiFX - another question, will this pass through holder work instead of the dice? It specifically says it has ALL 30 pins -- that's all it needs to work because the Spider Cable has the chip right?
http://www.proclipusa.com/?sectionpath=383&pageid=15351&processor=content&pcategoryid=13759&categoryid=18357&lightwindow=true&usermode=_dualselect&v_pcat=&v_cat=&year=&d_pcat=13759&d_cat=18357&have_holder=&have_mount=&p_pageid=1&dtype=

Only reason I'm looking at this one vs. the Dice G2 Cradle, is this has an adjustable holder to fit iPhone 4/4S cases.

[h=1]Apple iPhone 4 / 4S used with a Case - Adjustable Holder with Tilt Swivel and Pass-Through Connector for Cable Attachment[/h][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD][h=3]Benefits[/h][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]

• Pass Through Connector for cable attachment in bottom of holder
• Fits any kind of cable that would fit directly into the bottom of the device
• Passes through all 30 pins
• Custom fit to your device
• Holds device securely
• Keeps your device within easy reach
• Easily slide device in and out
• Keeps your device upright for optimal viewing and cellular/GPS reception
• Neat and discreet design blends well with vehicle's interior
• Holder can tilt 20 degrees in any direction and swivel 360 degrees
• Made of heat and cold resistant ABS plastic
• ///4491[/ATTACH]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[SteadiFX]

Yep, that'll work fine. Simple pass-through is all you need from the cradle. No charge converting or fancy extras.


- Sent from my Jailbroken Verizon iPhone

 

[SteadiFX]

For those considering this project or something similar, KUDA is offering 15% off until halloween.

Use coupon code: HW111


- Sent from my Jailbroken Verizon iPhone

 

[Chedman13]

Okay there are several Rocketfish Cables, and even calling Rocketfish, they suggested I purchase only one of them:
http://www.rocketfishproducts.com/products/computer-accessories/RF-AP300.html
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Rocketf...able/2343581.p?id=1218322743160&skuId=2343581

Why? This is guaranteed to have all 30 pin to composite av/usb, as that's the name of the cable. The others don't say this. This is the white cable. Note that the white cable is model RF-AP300, the other white cable is NOT compatible with newer Apple devices like iPad, iPhone 4, etc.

Never knew buying a cable was so complicated.

 

[PMG 705]

Ed, I just ordered the same mount and cradle for my car yesterday. Hopefully it will look clean.

Sent from my SGH-T989

 

[Chedman13]

Damn, I should have told you. Handy_Andy found a guy who can get 15% off.

Also debating if the proclip in the vent is a better solution.

Ed, I just ordered the same mount and cradle for my car yesterday. Hopefully it will look clean.

Sent from my SGH-T989

 

[PMG 705]

Damn, I should have told you. Handy_Andy found a guy who can get 15% off.

Also debating if the proclip in the vent is a better solution.

Thought about the vent a lot, but worried that with repeated use I might break a piece off.

And next time I buy anything online I will check with the discount master first

Sent from my SGH-T989

 

[ocal21]

thats an awesome DIY i just wished i dared to doit myself bc i hate the ipod integration that came with my 08 FX35.

 

[Chedman13]

Here is where I mounted the mic.

 

[SteadiFX]

So you use the MB handsfree instead of the FX's stock system? What phone do you have? Do you hear positive feedback about sound quality from callers?

I'm 85% sure the iPhone 4 and below suffered from an inferior Bluetooth stack, and that's why everyone tells me I'm muffled and sometimes crackly. I'm told the iPhone 4S got updated Bluetooth, but haven't had anyone with the FX confirm. Of course if you have a different device, all bets are off. I just wonder if I could splice the MB mic in place of the factory mic.


--
Sent from my Jailbroken iPhone 4 (iOS 5)

 

[Chedman13]

03, no factory Bluetooth.

 

[FX45Chicago]

Thanks Ed on the location looks really good there.


Sent from my iPhone