Car music HDD project

O

Omnigamer

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Hello all,

I currently own a '99 Mercury Sable with a Clarion 6-disc CD changer installed. As much as I love to stick with CDs for my long trips, it can only ever be a fraction of my full library available at a time.

Thus, I'm trying to come up with my own way to set up a HDD player in place of the current CD changer (using the same connections). The base criteria for the finished product are as follows:

-Capable of starting when the vehicle starts, and beginning playback immediately.
-Access to my full music library; not hampered by relative folder location/filename
-Plays through my car's audio system at the highest quality available
-Ability to set playback as random/shuffle and control next/previous track functions through the main dashboard
-Stop playback when the audio mode is switched (radio, tape, etc)

And some bonus goals:
+Hack the data stream/dashboard such that it actually reads out track name/info on the display
+Resume playback of most recent track after mode is switched
+...?

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Depending on the products that are actually available, this project could go a couple of different ways. Ideally, I would be able to find a hard drive enclosure that supports direct media streaming, and that would greatly simplify things. Just a matter of hacking the wires to the right spot from there.

The other solution is a bit more complex. I'd basically have to come up with my own mini OS for going through the HDD file system and decoding the music, which would involve programming a couple of microcontrollers, amongst figuring out a proper circuit and enclosure for it all. This would allow me to completely customize operation though, but the time put into it is far more.

There could also already be such a solution out there, but I wasn't able to find it through some searching.

There are some other problems that concern me as well:
-The only kind of information I've found on my current disc changer is that it's a Clarion model XW1F-18C830-AB device sent directly to OEMs. Nothing else is listed on the unit. I have not been able to find any sort of manual or otherwise online. So this means I don't have any idea of the operating params (current, voltage) or the pin configuration for the connector. I can find all of this through some extensive testing, but that's something I'd rather not do if I don't have to.
-I'm not sure of the input format for the audio. Many disc changers use a special digital format, and I'm not sure I'll be able to mimic that through software. Regarding the rest of the process between the changer and when audio comes out of the speakers as a black box, I'm not sure to what extent I'll be able to set up audio signals to play in its preferred format.

And that's the current state of the project in my head. I haven't actually given a try to anything yet, just working on planning and trying to cover all options before I decide on a route to go. I also figured that the many able minds here would be able to give some help and advice as far as the best way to go about this. So, any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
An old MP3 player might be an easier solution for you if your head unit has an aux input.

Otherwise, with as much effort as it would take to get a HDD to talk to your head unit through the CD changer connections it would probably just be easier to build a carputer.
 
J-Will said:
An old MP3 player might be an easier solution for you if your head unit has an aux input.

Otherwise, with as much effort as it would take to get a HDD to talk to your head unit through the CD changer connections it would probably just be easier to build a carputer.
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree more. :)
 
why don't you pick up a a head unit with usb stick, usb hd or ipod features.
 
A simple MP3 player is no good; it simply doesn't have the capacity I'm looking for. Switching out the head unit presents its own problems, but more that I don't want to increase the clutter up front.

Part of the reason I'm trying to do things this way is for the challenge in it. I do have a variety of ways of simply broadcasting the music from a laptop if I wanted to, but that much takes up space and time to set up. Having everything integrated not much different from how it is now lends itself to be a pretty good project, and something that's not too different from the things I'm studying now. So I'm looking it as a good test in addition to getting the functionality I want out of it.
 
The connection coming from the head unit to the changer probably has six wires: 12v+, ground, 2 for stero sound back to the head unit, one to send control signals from the head unit to the changer, and one to send display info (# of tracks, track # thats playing, maybe titles if its that advanced) back to the head unit. There might be a remote lead wire too, does the changer turn on right when the car is on or only when CD is selected from your head unit? Figuring out these is the easy part.

If you're lucky the changer reads and decodes the audio cd and passes it back to the HU in a basic stereo signal. The head unit then amps the signal out to the speakers.

I wouldnt begin to know how translate the HU signals into useable signals on your HDD... assuming you can even build one that will work the way you'd want.

If you do go through with this, I would begin by figuring the pin outs. That shouldnt take too long. Then hook up a laptop or MP3 player and try to splice into the audio wires to see if you can just turn them into a makeshift aux port. If that works then you know the signal is not encoded by the changer and is just processed and sent up the the HU. Otherwise, your project will probably end here.
 
This sounds like a cool project and I look forward to hearing what you come up with.

You may find that you wouldn't necessarily have more clutter with an aftermarket unit though.

One of the popular options is to grab a head unit that supports iPod input. I know Alpine does this and I think they require the purchase of an optional iPod control cable that runs out the back of the head unit. I know someone who has this setup and they just run it into their glove box and they just put their iPod in there. All control can be done from the head unit and track information is also available.

Most of the head units I looked at from Alpine and Pioneer (just looked at a couple brands) have USB connectivity as well. You could probably do something with this and a regular USB HDD enclosure. You may even be able to power a 2.5" USB enclosure and have no need to find a way to power the HDD which would be handy. Too bad most of them put the USB connection at the front of the unit though which would cause extra clutter which is what you are trying to minimize with this project.

There may be more but this unit has a USB port on the back and the front but the form factor may not work for your car, not sure.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Products/CarAudioVideo/In-Dash/CD-Players/Premier/FH-P800BT
 
I own a Pioneer AVIC F-900BT. It has ipod support for many of their new and old platforms. I hate ipods, so I chose to buy an external HDD. I went with a western digital 250GB passport.

The pioneer has a usb input that is fed into my glovebox from the rear of the unit. I also had a cigarette lighter / dual usb box installed in my glovebox in order to power the HDD discretely instead of having wires exposed leading to my dash cigarette lighter adapter.

It took some playing around, but eventually I got it working fine. So far the only limitation that I am experiencing is a 40GB limit on music before the HDD is not recognizable. I am very close to picking up an 80 or 120GB ipod... whatever the biggest one is so that I can have all of my music in my car.

http://avic411.com/forum/ has all the help and utilities that you need.

http://avic411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=24072&start=0

thats the thread where the guy shows how to do the glovebox mod.
 
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