Fabia Symphony Stereo - using the stereo's cd changer port for an iPod/3.5mm connection.

[Hawthorn654]

Hi all

 

A few years back I had a Citroen Xsara (booooo) and the OEM stereo was a tape player, but a CD changer had been fitted to the back.  I read up a lot at the time and in the end figured out how to hard wire a 3.5mm stereo jack into the ISO connector.  This then tricked the stereo into thinking it was receiving audio from the CDC, but instead it came from the iPod at the end of the 3.5mm jack.

 

I now want to do the same thing in my Fabia Mk I (53 plate).  I tried it yesterday but got no sound.  The CD player in the Symphony still worked though (not sure if it's meant to...).  I wondered if anyone can help me get this sorted please?  Some things I've thought and/or read about:

 

-  Might the CDC pins be different in the Symphony compared to the Citroen stereo?  Do I need to swap wires about in the ISO connector?  

-  I read in a couple of places something about needing to connect an earth to the metal beneath the black rubber nodule on the back of the stereo.  Is this the problem?  If so, what wire is the earth?

-  Does anything need to be rewired in Connector A to get it to work?

-  Is there a menu setting on the stereo which needs to be set for it to "see" the CDC?  

 

I'll keep reading in the meantime and try to educate myself   But aside from the Citroen job I've never done anything with car stereos and so I'm a bit green on it.  ANd that was a few years back, so what I learnt then has well and truly faded from memory!  

 

Huge thanks

 

Max

 

 

 

[vindaloo]

You need a micro controller to fool the stereo into thinking a CDC is attached.

http://www.connects2.co.uk/Product/ProductItem/CTASKUSB001

 

That would add functionality to play the ipod. However, these days, you'd be better off spending £60-£80 on a new h/u with ipod control on-board.

 

J.

[Hawthorn654]

Thanks Vindaloo.

 

So would the presence of the CDC from the Citroen not be enough to fool the the stereo that there is one present?  That's how I did it in the Citroen...  I had planned - if it would work - to just mount the Citroen CDC somewhere out of the way.  It's the cheapest option and one I could do right away, so would be preferred.  But if it definitely will not work then I'll go down the connects2 route.  

 

ATM I'd prefer to stick with the OEM HU, but I would be interested to hear thoughts on how the sound quality of the OEM amp compares to that of one from a aftermarket in the £50-£100 price range.  

 

Man thanks

 

 

[Gissin]

vindaloo is spot on with the connects 2 kit, that was the same as I used in my old Octavia and worked well and when using a jack input on my phone also worked as a hand free kit ..bonus

Edited 4 October, 2017 by Gissin

[bspman]

I don't know if true for the fabia, but my octy had a powered aerial. So if you are after radio signals - make sure you get that fitted too.

 

I have a kenwood aftermarket unit and it's very ok. Does the job but the integration with my mobile is a bit spotty at times. 

I put this more down to my mobile than the headunit.

 

 

[vindaloo]

2 hours ago, Hawthorn654 said:

Thanks Vindaloo.

 

So would the presence of the CDC from the Citroen not be enough to fool the the stereo that there is one present?  That's how I did it in the Citroen...  I had planned - if it would work - to just mount the Citroen CDC somewhere out of the way.  It's the cheapest option and one I could do right away, so would be preferred.  But if it definitely will not work then I'll go down the connects2 route.  

 

ATM I'd prefer to stick with the OEM HU, but I would be interested to hear thoughts on how the sound quality of the OEM amp compares to that of one from a aftermarket in the £50-£100 price range.  

 

Man thanks

 

 

 

CDCs by different manufacturers mate to their head units and not other peoples. There are various adapters for mating this to that but mating a Citroen OEM to Skoda/VW group OEM? Probably not going to happen easily.

[Hawthorn654]

11 minutes ago, vindaloo said:

 

CDCs by different manufacturers mate to their head units and not other peoples. There are various adapters for mating this to that but mating a Citroen OEM to Skoda/VW group OEM? Probably not going to happen easily.

 

Damn, that's bad news.  TBH though, I'm not even sure if the CD changer in the Citroen was OEM or aftermarket.  Just to be clear, it uses the standard blue 8-pin ISO connector block, so getting it to fit the Symphony physically is not an issue.  I just wasn't sure if the actual wiring might be different and if so whether it could be cured by swapping some of the pins.  

 

Do you know if these 8-pin ISOs follow a standard pattern in terms of what each pin is?  Or is that what you're saying is different from stereo to stereo in the previous post?  

 

Many thanks (and same to the other responders)

Edited 4 October, 2017 by Hawthorn654

[Hawthorn654]

Well, if I can't do the above then I think I might go with the Connects2 CTVSKX001:

 

http://www.connects2.co.uk/Product/ProductItem/CTVSKX001

 

I have a couple of questions about that but think it best to start a new thread for those...

 

If anyone can help with any of the above though, that would be grand and I'll revert to plan A!