Retrofit CDC40, GID, DAB and UHP4 to AstraH

[Ian T]

Right, after a fair bit of reading up and looking at the wiring diagrams in TIS etc, I think I know how to do this, can I check my assumptions please?

First, the GID needs to come from an Astra (so temp display will work) - I've got one coming that has the KP ident, think that is right.

CDC40 can come from Vectra or Astra, got an Astra Blaupunkt one coming (ridge down the front) - shame it's silver as my dash is charcoal.

DAB module is the same in all cars, needs antenna and base, antenna loom, shares same coding as radio.

UHP4 is the same in all cars, shares coding with radio and needs mic and loom. I believe this can be reinitialised by Tech2, but presumably ONLY if it hasn't already got the latest firmware?

Looms - it looks like the best method is to buy a Parrot type radio loom passthrough cable and modify that to add the other functions, the question is, do any of the accessories need anything other than soldering in parallel with the existing connections?

I am working on the basis of trying to acquire the UHP4 ane DAB units with loom plugs and tails of cable, which should explain better what I mean above about simply matching the connections to the back of the headunit via an adaptor cable.

Thanks for any advice,

Ian.


PS, if anyone has a good halogen headlamp (offside) with the black internals for sale after an AFL retrofit, do let me know.

[pecky]

Pretty much all spot on, except you can re-flash the UHP module with SPS and tech2 regardless of current firmware or not. It is how the voice language is changed so it lets you do it any time unlike other modules. It is the only way to decode a UHP module.

If you have the connectors with a bit of cable attached then yes it is just extending and soldering to the correct places as per the wiring diagrams.

You often find vectra DAB kits come with some/all of the loom on ebay.

[Ian T]

Well, all of this has been in and working for a long time now and I really rate the setup. The CDC40 is an excellent upgrade and while the factory speakers are purported to have a lower resistance, the standard speakers in my 2004 1.7 Club model match it very well and produce a sound that even as a lapsed car HIFI nut, I am happy with.

My next quest is to fit AUX in to this setup and it strikes me there are only a limited number of ways to do it, so thought I would post up here.

CDC40 appears never to have had a DAB option while fitted with DAB, yet the DAB box seems to be needed in order to enable audio from the aux source (which it uses) to be routed to the amplifier. On the face of it, it seems the way to use the aux source in conjunction with DAB would be to break the audio wires in my loom extension behind the head unit and fit a double changeover relay with a switch remoted out to the ashtray area. That would leave the DAB box and Head Unit thinking they are working together but rout sound from the aux socket onto that pair of inputs.

Are there any other ways of doing it, particularly that display "Aux in" or similar on the display rather than "BBC Radio 4" or similar?

Cheers,

Ian.

[pecky]

Using a changeover switch on the audio feed of the DAB is the only way I found to get AUX working. Don't need a relay, maplin used to sell a 4 pole change over switch for a few quid, just use 3 of the poles and mount the switch somewhere.

[Knolly42]

Hi, hope you can help by giving an opinion on something.

I'd like to get the switch on my vehicle and found a suggestion that the earth can be switched?

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g2...2/DABAUXIN.jpg

Is it advisable/viable given the potential for the DAB to get another connection to earth and try to continue driving L/R audio? Or am I over-reacting?

Thanks

[pecky]

No don't do it that way, it is much cleaner to use a changeover switch. This is what I use and is cheap enough http://www.maplin.co.uk/4pdt-toggle-switch-2343

[Knolly42]

No don't do it that way, it is much cleaner to use a changeover switch. This is what I use and is cheap enough http://www.maplin.co.uk/4pdt-toggle-switch-2343

Thanks!!

Any special requirements on the audio socket cable? Someone suggested a 4 pin http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/XA9951-Mus...item4abc4088bf

Isn't that overkill or would any shielded L+R+GND do the trick?

[pecky]

Any shielded audio cable will work, no need to go overboard, its a car at the end of the day, not a music studio.

[Lao]

If I live in an area where I don't have DAB broadcasting, can I just eliminate the ground wire coming from the DAB box to the CDC40? Or do I need it in place for the HU to sense it before I cut it via a switch?

[pecky]

If I live in an area where I don't have DAB broadcasting, can I just eliminate the ground wire coming from the DAB box to the CDC40? Or do I need it in place for the HU to sense it before I cut it via a switch?

No, if the DAB box doesn't get a signal, the CDC40 will not allow any audio in.