2 Din Head Unit Cable Connections?

[Mr Edd]

2 Din Cable Connections

First let me say that I am not an expert and this stuff is as new to me as it is to you. One of the reasons why I am posting this is to get answers and maybe; just maybe, help others to get some too.

The following is my experience on installing these 2 Din units which may differ from yours. Hopefully our combined efforts will be of some help to others.

I am installing the Chinese 2 Din Head Unit with all the toys which I bought of RadioGuy (Sean). I have to say from the outset I think it is a fantastic bit of kit. My only disappointment is the total lack of instructions for installing it. Now let me say from the start it is really fairly simple and most features are plug and play. But there are a myriad of different cables of all sorts of colours which; lets face it, do not match any of the cables in the cars loom. Quite understandable, but this is the main problem.

It seems that most peeps are having all sorts of trouble trying to figure out which cable from the unit connects to which cable in the cars loom behind the dashboard. I hope that between us we can sort this out and make this a reference point for future buyers.

First there are two main cable groups that come with the unit.

Each of these have numerous coloured cables most with labels. If you have the old BMW loom like this...

you will require an adaptor which allows all these cables to plug into the BMW loom. One of these...

Which you can get off eBay for about 99 pence plus 99 pence postage. Search for AUTOLEADS PC2-05-4 BMW TO ISO WIRING ADAPTOR Sorry but I can't guarantee this link will work forever. I suggest the first thing you do is pull the existing radio out and have a butchers at which loom you have. There doesn't seem to be a hard fast rule as to when the switchover from the old BMW connections to the ISO version.

If you have the ISO loom you will not require the adaptor. (Sorry I don't have a picture of the ISO loom)

Quote from RayKay...

The ISO loom has two 8 pin plugs, the same as the ISO end of the BMW to ISO adapter (sometimes, as in the adapter lead, they are joined together as a single 16 pin plug) Pins 4 -8 of the power plug and all 8 of the speaker plug are always the same, pins 1,2 & 3 of the power plug have no ISO designation and can be used for various functions, depending on the manufacturer.

Thanks RayKay

Now we have to identify each of the unit's strand of cables and try and work out which one connects to which wire in the loom.

First lets take a close look at this one (Mainly cos its simple)...

The obvious strands of cable are the Video-In and Audio-In and are suitably labelled. If you have a DVB-T TV box this will NOT be connected via these cables You will use the AUX ones for these which supply the TV and Audio signals to the main screen.

The Video-Out and Audio-Out are easy to figure. They should be connected to the appropriate cables. Such as... If you have additional screens on the back of the headrests they will be connected via these cables.. This means the kids in the back can watch a movie while you concentrate on driving (you are aren't you?).

This whole loom or cable plugs (Yellow/Green/Blue see the diagram on the back of the unit for more details) into the appropriate slots in the back of the unit. They are keyed so they will only fit in the correct socket, it is almost impossible to plug them into the wrong one.

This diagram on the back of the unit helps to show how these are plugged in. I would like to go into more detail on this...

You will find each cable labelled accordingly. Compare them to the diagram by their colours and if you want, number them according to the diagram.

1#

Now this is where I have questions... In picture number 1# You can see each cable and its label. Does anyone know what the function of the Blue AMP-C is for? On the diagram it says ACC Power. I dunno what that means so if you do please explain. Also do we need to connect to it for anything?

Quote From RayKay...

The AMP-C is the output for an amplifier etc, it 12v live when the unit is switched on.

Thanks RayKay

From Edd... Some very interesting info from David Lawrence on this subject in the first responce to this post.

On the diagram look down the list of functions for each of these wires. Most are acronyms and I don't know what all of these stand for. I guess if we did then we would understand what the function will be. Can anyone enlighten us please; and if you don't mind explain what these functions are?

Again in image number 1# there are some other cables with labels. The Video-Input 1 and Video-Input 2 are self explanatory. This is where additional input devices will be plugged in. Now as you can see there is a label for Steering Wheel Key-2. I'll come to this in a short while.

Lets take a look at the next group of cables and their labels...

2#

Now we can see a couple of grey/black cables with the labels Video Out and Camera. I know that the reversing Camera is connected to the black one labelled Camera (more on this in my thread on Installing the Reversing Camera) I guess the Video Output is for some other application; anyone want to tell us?

And then there is a brown one with the label Line Out Rear. I guess someone can also tells us what we could use that for too? I am guessing and think perhaps they are related to the rear screens on the headrests?

Now lets have a look at picture number 3#

3#

Again there is one called "Grey Line Out Front" so tell us if you know what its for? There is a black cable with a label called Aux In. I plugged my DVB-T TV Box into this; yellow to yellow, red to red and white to white. These are for the video/audio signal from the TV box. So when you select Aux in the main menu on the 2 Din unit you will get the TV signal along with the sound of the TV show you are watching through these three cables. That is if you are getting a strong enough signal. I haven't yet (at time of writing) got this working. TV aerial signal is a big issue and will be addressed in another thread.

Now we get to the three Steering Wheel connections (the two here and the one in picture number 1# above). They are a green "Steering Key-1", a Black "Steering GND" and the one back in picture number 1# the Grey "Steering Key-2". I have already wired them into a chocolate box connector in anticipation of connecting them to the loom once I have discovered which cables I need to splice into.

I have now discovered which wire connects to which wire. See my post #39 below

So to clarify...

The Blue/Purple wire from the loom is for the output (Green wire "Steering Key-1" on the head unit) and the Blue/Orange wire from the loom is the Earth (Black wire on the head unit). These are the ones that have to be cut out of the red box and the loom and then spliced together.

These are the ones I am having problems with, understanding which cables in the car loom they connect to. There is also an option to configure this in the Systems section on the unit.

I have tried these but still no joy (more on these screens in another thread to follow). I think it is something to do with which these cables are attached to the wires on the car loom. If anyone can tell us which wires to splice these into then I am sure it will start to work.

Quote from RayKay...

The steering wheel control cables are Blue/Purple and Blue/Orange in the car's BMW plug, but are not continued through in the BMW to ISO adapter lead (two of the three empty sockets in the ISO plug)

Blue/Purple is for the output from the unit, Blue/Orange is Earth.

The 17 pin BMW to ISO adapter leads only have 13 cables as there is no ISO designation for the other three (pins 1,2 & 3) and can have various uses depending on the manufacturer, so they are not in the lead.

The plug in your picture is the ISO end of the lead, if you go to the other end there are 4 cavities, two of which will correspond with the Blue/Purple and Blue/Orange in the car loom 17 pin connector, they are the ones you need.

Thanks RayKay

Now we need to try and figure out where and what some of these other cables are used for and if we need them and if we do what we connect them too.

My guess is we have to splice some of the 2 Din Unit cables into any one of these cables (below) on the car loom.

Someone care to list the colour and function of each of these. If there is a wiring diagram of this socket then can it be published here with an explanation of them?

At this stage all I want to know is which wire the Steering Wheel cables above have to be spliced into? That is if it is any of these? They could be spliced into some other cables I am unaware of.

Now I want to talk about this little beggar...

This was mine with only 3 cables into it.

Another member (Mister Tomez) posted a photo of his and as you can see there a far more cables going into it.

I did get a list from Terry in Stourbridge of the wires that maybe connected via this little plug. But it seems they can differ in their location so I wont repeat it here just in case we get confused (not hard to do hey!).

What we have to concentrate on is the colours of the wires and what they do; not necessarily where they are located in the plug. These cars are now getting a bit old and have probably had a few modifications so the wires may have been relocated in the plug. I guess their individual colours will remain the same from manufacture and assembly. If the wires have been changed by a previous owner then I am afraid you will need an experienced auto electrician to sort them out. Evidence of change will be in strange connections and splices that will look totally different to any of my photos. And probably different colour identification combinations too. Sorry I can't help you in that scenario.

However, in my case, one I am pretty sure of is the Green with a Brown stripe.

This is the one that the Pink cable from the 2 Din Unit connects to. This is what operates the reversing camera automatically when you select reverse. Again refer to my thread in the link above about installing the reversing camera for more details.

So now what do the others do? The two Steering Cables from the 2 Din unit originally were connected into a red box type of connector.

I read in a few threads that other peeps had cut the red box off and connected the wires to the appropriate cables in the loom. The ones I still don't know which? Help!

I have tried connecting the Steering Key cables to the remaining two in the little plug thingy using different combinations but had no joy in getting the paddles to work. Fortunately I haven't blown any fuses or damaged any components but I think I have been lucky

I have now disconnected them and have them taped up until I can get some idea which ones I need to connect them too. If the appropriate wires are in any of the photos please copy and paste that particular photo into your reply and detail which ones they are. Thanks in anticipation.

So now lets look at some of the other wires on the second loom and what they do and where they connect...


There is a series of them... for instance what does this Park cable do?

I can't find any reference to Park in the diagram on the back of the unit. (Its a mystery to me said the gorilla ffrrraaattt)

Had a response from Bob (on t'other side) about the Park Cable...

I can't help you with most of the post Edd but I believe the park cable stops the units dvd player working unless the handbrake is on.It's to stop you watching a movie while you drive.I believe it is wired to the hand brake switch in some way.This can be connected so as this function is disabled, but that is illegal so i've been told.

There is also a GND one in light brown and another Key-1 in dark brown. What are they for? Even if we don't need them it is still nice to know why we have them. They could be useful to future users or installers. GND seems okay as I am sure we all know that means Ground as in Grounding to Earth. But what is Key-1 for?

I traced some of these cables back into the plug and discovered that there is no corresponding cable coming out of the back of the socket to the loom. Some of these are just to blank holes...

There seems to be a reference to them in the diagram but... To my mind not definitive enough to leave me comfortable without taping them up with insulation tape for protection in that jumble of wires that finish up getting shoved down the back of the unit behind the dash.

Any comments on these below?

If I have missed anything or totally got something wrong please correct the appropriate bit and I will include it in the above.

HOWEVER... Please don't quote the whole post including the pictures. If you want to comment on a particular bit including a picture just enter the quote code... [ quote ] without the spaces and then after the bit you have quoted type [ /quote ] without the spaces and you will have a quote box in your post with the bit you are quoting inside it. Makes it look so much better dun-it... Like this...

This is a quote box using the above code into which you can copy and paste anything you like from my cable discussion above

If you can answer any of mine and others questions and need to quote the appropriate bit. I will likewise post your answer within my thread using this method and you will be accredited with the answer.


Thanks


Edd

[David Lawrence]

Originally Posted by Mr Edd

Now this is where I have questions... In picture number 1# You can see each cable and its label. Does anyone know what the function of the Blue AMP-C is for? On the diagram it says ACC Power. I dunno what that means so if you do please explain. Also do we need to connect to it for anything?

I dont remember mine having an AMP-C wire loose in the thin harness. I think it means AMP control and on mine it was part of the main adaptor harness and not loose as yours shows. It supplies power out from the head unit to the aerial amplifier at the back of the car.

Where you show your wire coming from,on the diagram in my head units handbook it is marked "IR IN". Which I assume is if you wanted to supply a remote sensor input somehow, but I'm pretty sure this wire was not there at all on mine.

I certainly wouldn't connect it to anything if I were you. Have a look on page 46 of the handbook to see if your diagram there matches with the one on the back of the unit.

ACC power means a 12V input supply that turns on when the accessory position of the ignition key is selected. That should be a red wire according to my manual and not blue and in the harness of thicker wires not the thin one.
As for the "Brake" wire. If you want to set the system up so that it disables the screen controls except when the handbrake is on, you connect this up to the switch in the handbrake. Then you set it to ON on the menu. I wouldn't bother with this either.

Cant help with the steering controls as you seem to have some different connectors from your car, but in my case I cut off the red block as you mentioned and connected it up to 2 wires in the thicker harness out of the car, didnt need to do anything to set them up, they just worked first time. I don't have the BMW connector though.

I totally agree with how you connected up your DVB box, but another user on here said that he needed to use the VIDEO IN to get his working, but I used AUX the same as you have.

[raykay]

The ISO loom has two 8 pin plugs, the same as the ISO end of the BMW to ISO adapter (sometimes, as in the adapter lead, they are joined together as a single 16 pin plug) Pins 4 -8 of the power plug and all 8 of the speaker plug are always the same, pins 1,2 & 3 of the power plug have no ISO designation and can be used for various functions, depending on the manufacturer.

The AMP-C is the output for an amplifier etc, it 12v live when the unit is switched on.

The steering wheel control cables are Blue/Purple and Blue/Orange in the car's BMW plug, but are not continued through in the BMW to ISO adapter lead (two of the three empty sockets in the ISO plug)
Blue/Purple is for the output from the unit, Blue/Orange is Earth.

[Radioguy]

can't find any reference to Park in the diagram on the back of the unit. (Its a mystery to me said the gorilla ffrrraaattt)

This is for the HAND Brake, Wire this to the GROUND (Earth) to allow for viewing of the Unit While the car is in Motion.

Edd, Do you have Infrared Steering wheel Control or Hard Wired?

Are you getting a message when you are mobile that you cannot view DVD's or TV ?

[Mr Edd]

Originally Posted by Radioguy

This is for the HAND Brake, Wire this to the GROUND (Earth) to allow for viewing of the Unit While the car is in Motion.

Already had a response to that and now things are a bit clearer. I haven't connected it but I haven't tried to view a DVD while driving so it hasn't been an issue.

However, how would this work if you had screens on the headrest for the kids to view a movie in the back?

Edd, Do you have Infrared Steering wheel Control or Hard Wired?

I haven't a clue? How do I find out?

Are you getting a message when you are mobile that you cannot view DVD's or TV ?

No but as I said above I haven't tried yet. Something else to give me an excuse to go for a drive.

Edd

[Mr Edd]

Originally Posted by raykay

The steering wheel control cables are Blue/Purple and Blue/Orange in the car's BMW plug, but are not continued through in the BMW to ISO adapter lead (two of the three empty sockets in the ISO plug)
Blue/Purple is for the output from the unit, Blue/Orange is Earth.

Thanks RayKay for this info. If I may ask another stupid question.

When you say they are not continue through. is it these...

I traced some of these cables back into the plug and discovered that there is no corresponding cable coming out of the back of the socket to the loom. Some of these are just to blank holes...

As you can see the colours are different...

So can I just plug them in here or am I better off splicing them into the colour coordinated cables? Just in case these are not the right ones.

Thanks for your input. I have put these into the post.

Edd

[ceedy]

Ref steering bits


haven't a clue? How do I find out?
------------------------

If you have a Small rectangular LED in the Eyebrow above the radio . then its an IR system...

my Erising 962 had a whole section 1.5 pages on setting up the steering controls and I've read it through and through and its complete gibberish..
I emailed the makers and their reply wasn't much better and compaered to how I got it working.. completely wrong ?.

With my IR connection I used both wires marked key 1&2 and connected them to 2 wires going into the IR Module ( removing the IR box altogether).
But 75's are mostly hard wired aren't they ??
------------------

So IMO , with all these units the Chinglish manuals are mostly helpfullish , but generally useless and potentially dangerous when getting down to the important details ?, especially when you could risk smoking your unit or your cars wiring ... Its just not good enough, for those less experienced in electrickery !! !!
mini rant over!!

So this sort thread is going to be the most useful source of info from other who have had similar experiences and sucesses/failures

Chris

[Mr Edd]

Thanks Ceedy... You have put into words all the things that were frustrating me. Talk about lost in translation.

I am going to take pictures of all the screens in the unit and try and get explanations of what the do.

That will be the subject of another thread.

I do hope this thread will be of use to some people as it has been hard work... Not just the installation but the deciphering of the Chinglish (love that)

I don't have the IR thingy in the eyebrow

Edd

[ceedy]

Originally Posted by Mr Edd

When I edit the original post it seems to me that addition quotes are appearing and extra line breaks. It looks like extra spaces between paragraphs.

I am not doing that

How does it look to you?

Thanks

Edd

Thought something was amiss as I couldn't get any quotes to appear in my reply !!

[Mr Edd]

Originally Posted by ceedy

Thought something was amiss as I couldn't get any quotes to appear in my reply !!

I have just trawled through the whole thing and edited out all the extra lines spaces.

Looks a bit better now.

I deleted the post you quoted but that is okay.

Edd