Stereo Upgrade - Printable Version

Stereo Upgrade - Printable Version

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Stereo Upgrade - Richard - 02-28-2022

This is unabashed coach pimpage, I admit.

It is also a tale about scope creep, but one with a good outcome. I had a Sony head unit, that was connected to a remote CD player. These days Rhonda and I just hooked our phones through a AUX in cable to listen to tunes. When it became time to switch phones to permit fair play time for HER music, I did not like her standing up in front of the windshield to switch the phones. That glass is not going to hold anyone in if you hit something. So I started to search for a Bluetooth radio that would wirelessly pair with the phones. Simple enough, right?

Well, the hole for the original is single DIN size, so that really limited the selection.
And then I wanted Sony so that the passenger control stalk on her side worked with the radio.
And then I wanted Apple CarPlay compatibility.
And then I wanted rear view camera capability.
And then I wanted an equalizer to fix the sound balance between the speakers and the subwoofer.

And I found such a unit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0971WNNRM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wait, how does a 9 inch screen work with a single DIN opening? The body of the unit is single DIN and the screen attaches on the front with some adjustability up and down, plus tilt adjustment. The install was pretty straightforward EXCEPT the single DIN opening had to be moved 1/4 in to the left to prevent the screen from hitting the TV outcropping. That was simple enough using an oscillating saw.

As you can seen, I was able to install without obscuring any lights or switches.

The Apple CarPlay gives me the Maps on the screen, plus Siri control of Music, Phone, and hands free texting.

Tim at RVcam hooked me up with some adaptor cables so that I could use the existing Sony cable to the rear with the new head unit. That saved having to run a new cable from front to back. That was easier than trying to frankencobble a wireless adapter to the head unit. I ran the power leads including backup from the old camera location across to the left A pillar and into the head unit.

Well, what to do with the hole left by the old monitor? How about installing a speaker there to match the one on the other side? But that would require an amp, and RCA cables to the amp. In for a penny in for a pound. So I ran more cables down the A pillar, and installed the amp in the center of the console. I was lucky that power and ground was already there in the interior of the console from a long ago abandoned Motorola phone system.

Seriously, I never expected to find something that works so well in integrating all of the different functions I was hoping for. And the work to install was far less than it could have been.

And yes, I did get a color camera upgrade for the back. That’s next on the install list.

The only downside I can see is now I will be hearing a lot more of 80s music.

So

Wait

RE: Stereo Upgrade - 360 - 02-28-2022

Very nice! Gotta love it when a plan comes together.

RE: Stereo Upgrade - MrE - 02-28-2022

Richard, awesome upgrade! Pretty hard finding electronics these days with the supply chain problems, good work! I had to replace a home AV receiver earlier this year and was extremely limited in my selection.

A word of advice to anyone replacing their stereo in their toad, I have found Crutchfield.com to be the very best resource for car stereos. They might not be the cheapest, but if you enter in your car information, they will also offer everything you need for the installation. I've installed a lot of car stereos, and with Crutchfield, there is no need to alter the existing wiring, and they offer units to interface with your steering wheel controls.

I've installed an inexpensive car stereo in the bedroom that plays audio off of my bedroom TV using an audio cable. It also adds hands free bluetooth and a remote control. Those units can be had for around $100.

RE: Stereo Upgrade - TJ Clark - 03-01-2022

Cool upgrade

RE: Stereo Upgrade - Latitude 28 - 03-01-2022

Great mod.....been trying to come up with a way to get the rear monitor from off the floor to my frontal scan area using the existing Sony wires. This does that with Bling to boot....Great Job!

RE: Stereo Upgrade - afrench - 03-21-2022

[attachment=9695][attachment=9696]Did you have to rewire from the existing plug? Ive got the Metra unit out of a ford and wanting to replace... Looks like a lot of wires to change harnesses. Are adapters available?

RE: Stereo Upgrade - MrE - 03-21-2022

@"afrench" , check out crutchfield.com, I've replaced a fair amount of factory car stereos with aftermarket units to get handsfree Bluetooth receivers. If you know what year and model Ford used that receiver, enter that into Crutchfield as your car, and they will recommend all the necessary adapters for your install. I've done foreign and domestic installs without having to alter any of the original wiring.

RE: Stereo Upgrade - Richard - 03-22-2022

I did have to rewire. I had the color codes for both old and new units. I just took my time, cutting one wire at a time, crimping the connector, then moving to the next wire. Took about 20 minutes. I used heat shrink butt connectors

RE: Stereo Upgrade - afrench - 03-22-2022

I’m having trouble figuring out why mine has 2 different plugs. The larger one has the speakers and power, but the smaller plug I’m not quite sure what they are?

RE: Stereo Upgrade - MrE - 03-22-2022

Based on information contained in your Facebook post, your current radio is the same as the factory radio for a 2004 Ford Mustang. This is the adapter to use if that is truly the case. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120705521/Metra-70-5521-Receiver-Wiring-Harness.html