Adding Aux / Line Input to Fabia vRS with Symphony HU + Photos

[Bagheera]

Been researching this one for a while. Tried a Belkin TuneCast II, but not very good. Maybe because of the Aerial signal amplifier? Going to put it on eBay. Would be of use to someone without an aerial amp. Decided to go down the Aux/Line input route. Too complicated to construct the electronics needed myself. Looked at lots of posts and other sites and spoke to a couple of suppliers. No one could give me a definite answer for the Fabia Symphony unit. Did not want a new HU, less likely to be nicked and my hearing is not that great. Finally went with In Car Developments Ltd after the fastest response to my various queries and a helpful techie. Item needed was a VAGX1 and a set of RCA to 3.5mm jack leads. Information found on this site gave me the confidence to try it out:

http://www.packetradio.co.uk/Cars/octavia/radio.htm

Followed instructions that came with unit and now I am able to play my iRiver H340 through my factory fitted Symphony HU. Have included some photos of the bits I thought may be of interest. I am pleased with the results.

[Josh_PoloGTi]

OK, so where did you get the unit from and how much was it?

I'm sure there are LOTS of owners (polo and golf included) who want to keep their symphony/gamma hu's and have a line-in... I know I did in my polo... I ended up with an Audiobahn in-dash EQ with line-in...

Nice one BTW!

[Bagheera]

Here it is:

http://www.icd-ltd.com/aidetails.php?ID=215

Charged

[Tech1e]

Cool, just uses the input for the factory multichanger (blue plug). Very neat and tidy.

Nice pics

[skidude]

Does it allow you to control the iRiver using the buttons on the Symphony head unit? ie, making the iRiver look like a CD changer to the Symphony.

What I'm looking for is an interface that will allow control of an mp3 player via the Symphony's controls.

[Bagheera]

You can not perform any form of control as far as I am aware, but there is an unused socket on the converter box. I wonder what that is for? Would be nice if it was for a link to the H340 remote socket. Will ask supplier what it is for.

[wol]

The socket is for the CD changer bus lead so you can connect a Sony CDXT70 and use the symphony control to control it. Beware if you use the Sony TX70 (or maybe another capatible Sony unit with the VAGS1) you may have to switch the radio side on first before the changer. It may be something about the signal to the changer but I had the unit working but no sound. Switched to the radio then back and it worked.

Wol

[Bagheera]

Thanks for the info Wol.

Here is the swift reply from ICD:

Good Morning Charlie,

Thanks for the e-mail.

I'm pleased to hear that you received the interface nice and early on

Saturday morning and it's fitted and works well.

Thank you for the link to the Briskoda Forum, it's always good to get feed

back - Both positive & negative.

The spare socket on the interface is for a Sony CD changer. This particular

interface was developed for this dedicated changer but we realised that it

would also operate as an audio opener.

The Sony CD changer come with an audio cable (Cable with 2 x RCA plugs at

either end) and a Data cable (Uni-link). The Data socket is not used because

you are only utilising the audio half of the interface.

The data half of the interface will not control the MP3 player as the Sony &

MP3 information is very different.

It is possible for you to connect a Sony changer to the interface but you

may need to disconnect the power to the head unit to initialise the

interface properly.

Unfortunately we have not developed an interface with MP3 control. It is

possible to develop such an interface but our engineer has been busy on

alternative projects. This version of interface is in our schedule for

development early next year.

I hope this information helps, if you have any further questions please

don't hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Jason Beddow

In Car Developments Ltd

-----Original Message-----

Sent: 31 October 2004 16:46

To: '[email protected]'

Subject: VAGX1

Hi,

Just wondering what the unused connector is for on the VAGX1? Would it be

for a cable to allow the Symphony HU to control the input device? Would be

nice. Please could you give me some detail about it.

Regards,

Charlie.

[Tweekster]

:confused: I would like to know how you switch the head unit to allow the sound from your ext source to come through. Can you still have a cd in the hu ,and if so how do you switch between the two

[Kaiserb_uk]

...plus, and I appreciate this might sound a silly question, just how do you remove the hu in the first place? I followed your link to that guys page and he just mentiones making 'keys' out of sheet metal - bit vague to someone who's never (had to) remove a car stereo before!

I'm trying to use my 20GB iPod 4G so this solution sounds ideal.

Also, a previous poster asked about controlling the ipod from the stereo - the Dension ICE:Link does that. But it's

[Bagheera]

I used a couple of bits of metal from Halfords for removing Kenwood radios. You just insert them into the small thin vertical slots on the sides of the radio. Metal goes in about an inch and a half and then you should be able to slide the unit out. You can use the unit with a CD already in. First you select CD by pressing the CD button which gives you the CD in the HU. Then press button 1 to get the AUX input. Fairly simple but took me a few minutes to work it out. RTFM springs to mind.

[Mike_Vrs]

Hi Bagheera,

When you push the metal into the two vertical slots, what do you do then? Do I need to apply any pressure to the sides of the HU or are there clips inside which move the HU out? How easy does the HU slide out?

Also, I have downloaded the instructions for that

[Mort]

I take it you can't use this with the factory-fitted cd changer installed? Got the changer with the car, and as much as I'd like my iPod to be hooked up, it seems a waste to disconnect the changer.

[Guest Fabia 12v]

I'm trying to use my 20GB iPod 4G so this solution sounds ideal.

Also, a previous poster asked about controlling the ipod from the stereo - the Dension ICE:Link does that. But it's

[Guest Fabia 12v]

I take it you can't use this with the factory-fitted cd changer installed? Got the changer with the car, and as much as I'd like my iPod to be hooked up, it seems a waste to disconnect the changer.

with a bit of fancy wiring both can be used seperatly.. although i have to take ipod out to make cd changer work

(i have dension ICE link)

[Wardy]

Clicky

I have the dension link for my ipod mini works a treat and has full control via the H/U but you can also control via Ipod.

Any pics of your install? Where does the iPod sit when it's in the car?

Steve

[Mort]

with a bit of fancy wiring both can be used seperatly.. although i have to take ipod out to make cd changer work

(i have dension ICE link)

I'd like to see this wiring, in case I come across some money (I have a Gen 2 iPod, before the dock port) especially if it will let me play both the Changer and the iPod from the Symphony head unit!

[cheeky]

I have the dension link for my ipod mini works a treat and has full control via the H/U but you can also control via Ipod.

Does it also show the track name etc on the Symphnoy HU display? I expected this to be the case, but a friend has a Polo with a Beta HU and Ice Link and it doesn't :(

[Chart]

will this work with the standard tape unit? or is there more that needs to be done?