I still keep looking at these Android double din units, so I’m looking for some advice regarding the steering wheel controls.
I was hoping to purchase a converter cable from MX5 to ISO, so I could simply plug and go. see Iso Plug
But from what I can make out these only provide power and audio out.
This has me wondering if the steering wheel controls on the stock MX5 head unit are presented in a third plug ??
Do you mean something like this
It’s been a while since I did mine (not an android unit) but I think whatever, they need the same leads. If I remember I needed the steering wheel control lead, similar to the above link in addition to something like in your link above. Some of the leads are radio make specific, ie I needed one compatable with an Alpine head unit.
This is where it starts getting confusing and probably expensive.
The android units appear to have possibly two wires for steering wheel control.
It would be nice to think it would be a matter of identify 2 wires which come from the steering wheel and splicing them together.
Can’t help there I’m afraid, mine was just a straight fit with appropriate leads/adaptors, never fitted an andriod head unit.
What can be different about the SW controls conns on this unit, it only controls the same stuff android or not?
With what I can make out is that you teach these android units, which button is which.
I’ve downloaded a wiring diagram showing the wiring. It covers just about every Mazda with exception the MK3.
so I’m going to pull the unit out tonight and compare.
It does also give resistance values for the steering wheel buttons, so provided those match, I know I’m on the right track (maybe)
Page 34 of the ‘Entertainment.pdf’ on Mellens for the Mk3 gives the following values in Ohms for the pair of wires from the wheel in a test table with the relevant switch closed. Off is with no switch closed.
Vol - 51-56
Vol + 140-154
Seek - 286-315
Seek + 534-589
Mode 985-1080
Mute 1940-2130
Off 4800-5290
EDIT. The values for the seek buttons might be transposed.
Good luck.
I identified the two wires concerned, Solid blue and Green/White Stripe.
The images show the plug removed from the back of the head unit.
The tab snapped when trying to get the plug out of the back of the radio, making it extremely difficult to remove.
When I did get it out, I took the tab off completely.
Now all I need to do is pluck up the courage to spend £300.
autoleads do a control pro adapter kit which you can teach for various head units. You could ring their technical support and check whether they have ever done an Android unit such as the one you refer to. The control box has either a fully programmable mode or can be set using DIP switches. There is one set of switches forthe car and the other for the radio.
I could not use it having a sporttech nav as my wiring does not present the standard mazda connector you show in the pictuire.
I bought the dynamic sounds lead which is everything you need for ISO to mx5 connector plus SWC in one lead. The head unit I have (pumpkin ) has programmable keys and I guess most aftermarket Chinese will be the same (mines WinCE 6.0 not android) very easy to do, hold the SWC button and pick whichever on the unit to control what you want. You don’t have to stick with OEM functions.
Barrie
I’ve just looked at the dynamic sounds website and the image of the plug doesn’t have any pins where these two wires should go.
Maybe it’s a stock image.
If I can find it, I’ll dig out the install stuff that came with the head unit and patch lead, IIRC there is a loose wire ( or two ) that came on the DS patch lead and/or a plug so you select the correct option and just tape up the wires you don’t need.
Barrie
This is the one I used, a bit different from the one posted earlier
Complete with everything needed, bottom left in pic is the wire/plug sub loom I mentioned.
Barrie
You know what, I’ll never hang myself.
I keep looking at these Android units, thinking, shall I or shan’t I.
I’ve been deliberating since last summer, and I often question that the car is a weekend summer toy, to I really need one.
Need one, want one or just like one ???
Anyhow, doing a little research and it transpires that the better one on the market seems to be the Pumkin brand, so last night I decided to start hunting some real reviews. Not the ones which are obvious marketting hype, but the ones from real people.
What better place to start than Amazon.
It’s not good and I’ve now been deterred.
On each and every model I looked at, atleast 20% of reviews were negative.
Some with the same issues, poor radio reception, system hanging, crashing or just plain old packing in after a few months.
Maybe I’ll just put up with what I have for the time being until something reliable comes along.
I have been looking for months for the best setup in a car that is not used all the time. I want to be able to play ( when not listening to the exhaust ) my collection on an old 160GB iPod and perhaps answer the phone if it ever rings… In the end I have settled for the Pioneer SPH-DA120 Car Stereo with Apple CarPlay, which has most of what I want. I just have to buy it and fit it (has controls for steering wheel). I like the idea of no buttons at all on the flat screen.
The Pioneer is exactly the look I’m after, but factor in the Fascia and it starts to get too expensive for me.
I want something like that, but don’t want to spand that much.
A few pop now and then on fleabay and Grumtree (missed one the other week for 109 quid). Keep looking you might get lucky. I might just go for it this week and fit one as been talking about it since I go the car. Good luck.
If you go for it you will need:
and
John
I’m also interested in a replacement head unit but my research a while ago seemed to show that there is nothing compatible with the Bose amplifier / speakers setup.
I don’t know if this is still the case…
I settled on the pioneer unit. Not tied to either apple or android but could take both, but having a sporttech nav, my wiring loom was different to what was expected. Let me know if you have any success fitting it an what you think.