Build and install your own AUX Cable!

[Spooky]

I have now re-routed the cable, I have added 3.5mm to 3.5mm extension to the original cable(£5.99 @ Maplins). and routed it down the gearbox/handbrake tunnel.
This now means there are no wires showing anywhere except a few inches behind my drivers seat, This is a massive improvement on the original because I cant stand trailing wires. Then any ipod/phone can just be plugged straight in, and it sits nicely in the little cubby hole between the seats.

Total cost ; £16. Im happy again.

 

[a11y]

Ooh, good link! Just purchased one of the £12 leads because TBH at that price I can't be bothered heading to Maplin for the bits

 

[Spooky]

Ooh, good link! Just purchased one of the £12 leads because TBH at that price I can't be bothered heading to Maplin for the bits

did you get that lead in the end? did it work??

 

[a11y]

Ooh, good link! Just purchased one of the £12 leads because TBH at that price I can't be bothered heading to Maplin for the bits

did you get that lead in the end? did it work??

Yep, purchased and works absolutely fine with my Creative Zen (none of this iPod crap ) - sound quality as good as CD as far as I can tell. I did need to purchase a 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead to link the MP3 player with the 3.5mm jack socket on the end of this lead, but this was only a couple of £££ from Tesco.

 

[TH3CROW]

Does anyone know if these cables (the DIY one or the other one from internet) work with the BASIC RADIO-CD of our Z4's or is it mandatory to be plugged-in in a Business Radio-CD one???
Thanks for your help people!!

 

[RX-78]

Great post sk93 Even I might manage this one..... yeah I mean I might manage to convince my father in-law to do it for me

 

[Spooky]

Ooh, good link! Just purchased one of the £12 leads because TBH at that price I can't be bothered heading to Maplin for the bits

did you get that lead in the end? did it work??

Yep, purchased and works absolutely fine with my Creative Zen (none of this iPod crap ) - sound quality as good as CD as far as I can tell. I did need to purchase a 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead to link the MP3 player with the 3.5mm jack socket on the end of this lead, but this was only a couple of £££ from Tesco.

Glad it worked well, but your wrong about the ipods!!! :evil:

 

[Bobbydm]

Ooh, good link! Just purchased one of the £12 leads because TBH at that price I can't be bothered heading to Maplin for the bits

did you get that lead in the end? did it work??

Yep, purchased and works absolutely fine with my Creative Zen (none of this iPod crap ) - sound quality as good as CD as far as I can tell. I did need to purchase a 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead to link the MP3 player with the 3.5mm jack socket on the end of this lead, but this was only a couple of £££ from Tesco.

I have the same cable as a11y and have fitted it to the rear of the head unit but have no AUX option

I have checked the wiring layout against the diagrams and it matches. I have also unplugged the main cable for 5 mins to try and reset it.... still nothing. The cable fits very well and is definitely secure... any ideas???????

 

[lacroupade]

somebody else just posted about this.

http://www.incartunes.co.uk/pc7-bmw-01-aux-in-adaptor-580-p.asp

For £12 delivered, it's not even worth trying to make your own.

Apologies if this is on the other Aux lead thread, but (i) I can't see what the other end of this lead is - is it a 3.5mm jack? And (ii) I bought the wrong lead in a rush on fleabay the other day but Sytner, who sold it, are happy to swap for the right thing. My question is - the lead I bought was not 3.5mm but iPod (which fecked me for a start) but was actually the fly lead for the MP3 player and was made to go into a Mini connector (in the dash not on the head unit itself) that had both 3.5mm female and a USB connection which would suit me.....anyone know if theres a head unit lead like this that fits the Zed?

 

[Hendy]

After reading all the various post I decided to give the install a go and so purchased PC7-BMW-01 AUX in adaptor on fleabay. Managed to remove the vent without any difficulty, connected the lead to the rear of head unit and attached my ipod pressed mode function but aux does not appear. not sure if the lead is faulty or i have done something wrong any advice would be welcomed. Ta

 

[DWSMGS117]

Bought one too it does not work I have contacted incartunes in uk they have not responded yet. I wonder if the dsp radio is the problem anyone have this cable with dsp and has it working?

 

[Hendy]

Not sure what dsp is but the eBay seller has contacted me and said the reason why it doesn't work is because aux has not been enabled. I thought aux was enabled in all zeds, am I wrong? I have looked at the position of the wires going into the quadlock and they appear different to the diagram in the earlier post. I think this is more likely to be the problem.

 

[gannet]

nothing had to be enabled on my car :?

 

[Siftah]

Seems to be about three current threads on this topic...

Sounds like DSP/Bluetooth audio makes a difference to whether these cables work or not?

Does the DSP option disable the AUX-IN or is this just because the cable being sold doesn't have the necessary capacitors/resistors for the radio to sense the Aux option is installed?

It sounds like the bluetooth audio option also uses the same socket as the aux-in cable, can anyone say whether the BMW bluetooth cable is modifiable? ie: could I pull the BMW bluetooth cable out and add the extra pins to it to create my own Aux-In cable?

 

[Siftah]

Well, I popped my vents/radio out this evening to have a nosey at what's there:

White Plug: Pins 2, 8 & 9
Black Plug: Pins 11 & 5

I'm guessing I should be ok here, I need to use pins 4, 8 and 9 on this Black plug which currently only as 11 and 5 connected. Would sure love to see a full pin-out for all those pins though?

 

[sk93]

To answer all your questions:


DSP / Bluetooth have no relation on whether the aux in works. (it works with both or either).

DSP does not disable AUX in. I have DSP and AUX in works perfectly.
It is likely the cable being sold does not have the resistors in place (the caps help reduce noise and maintain a clear signal. its the resistor introduces a drain between the two inputs, which tells the stereo it has an AUX connection)

With bluetooth installed, you need to splice into the two existing wires. This can be done with any of the cables, and there are instructions within the BMW TIS printout.

and for my final trick:

 

[Siftah]

Brilliant!

Thanks very much, I'll get the pins and knock myself a cable up then - It looks like I should be able to make use of the VCR/Tape inputs too with a similar cable which is going to be handy for future projects

 

[sk93]

I believe they're actually outputs, but don't quote me on it... i certainly couldn't find any obvious use for them!

 

[Siftah]

I believe they're actually outputs, but don't quote me on it... i certainly couldn't find any obvious use for them!

Ah

I'll perhaps look at using the NAV/TV and VCR inputs on the other plug then - looking at what the TV modules are going for I don't think I'll be adding night vision for a while anyway

I've managed to rip a couple of connectors out of some old PC header cables, so with a bit of luck I'll have the right capacitors/resistors knocking about to get something soldered up - unfortunately, left my flippin' soldering iron at work so I'll not be doing it tonight, doh!

 

[DWSMGS117]

SK93 I think you hit the nail on the head. I see no resistors or capacitors on the cable I have purchased. I will add per your schematic and hopefully all will work. Thanks for your help.