ManyMods

On the back of my OE 6-CD changer stereo head unit is the 75-ohm antenna cable input socket. Right next to it is a smaller input socket for another RCA type cable plug that looks as though it is part of the power antenna system.

What is this smaller antenna(?) wire connector for?

I am in the process of building the harness for the installation of my Alpine CDA-9813 head unit and so far it is very straight forward, but that one wire puzzles me.

TIA for any enlightenment.

ManyMods

Okay, I think I know what that smaller plug is for; it is to the printed glass antenna on the right rear glass.

My next question is, how can I utilize both antennas given that this connector plug is smaller? I have to look for a Y-adapter?

Cebby

That is part of the "diversity" antenna. The Toyota radio is designed to use it, aftermarket units are not. Just skip it. FWIW, my Alpine gets better reception than my OEM radio ever did and I'm only using the main antenna.

DrumheadAR

cebby's right, just use the big one. Only the factory units, and few other units utilize the smaller plug.

ManyMods

Well, I tried to get a 3-way adapter from Radio Shack along with a female plug converter for the smaller GM style antenna plugs but both are discontinued, so I guess I am skipping it.

In any event, I have the 9813 installed without any problems and it sounds pretty good so far. I have to calculate the TIME CORRECTION feature for the speakers (that should take me a month of two) and read the rest of the FSM... that should take me until Xmas.

Thanks guys for your support on the antenna question. I hope this unit is able to display text and titles because I would like to have that feature, but I have not figured it out yet.

All in all, I think the unit is really nice. I just hope the tilt mechanism is for the faceplate is durable enough to last. I think it is pretty darn sexy and the green buttons look very at home in the dash decor.

midiwall

Ummm, it depends on what medium you're expecting the text and titles to come from.

That head unit will display titles and misc text from MP3 and WMA files that had it when they were burned to a CD. But there's no mechanism to do similar things with a regular CD or AM/FM radio.

Displaying text from MP3's and WMA's is possible because that information is embedded into the file when it's "encoded" (when the MP3/WMA is created from the audio CD).

This is a critical point to understand. If you're looking to rip your own CD's to MP3's, then you have to use a ripper that will go to one of the online database services (via the Internet) and get that information. The artist/album/track info is _NOT_ on a normal audio CD. There's is an "old" concept called "CD-TEXT" which some manufacturers use, but it's pretty rare these days.

Suggested rippers that support "tags" (the text we're talking about) would be:

MP3 - Musicmatch
WMA - Microsoft's Media Player v9.x


Hope that helps

Mark

ManyMods

Hi Mark,
Thank you for your response to me. I am not going to say I am a total idiot but ripping CD's and downloading music is something I always shied away from. I bought all the stuff to do it with for my computer so that my son could do it but I have never been interested enough to learn. I hear it is really great though.

It embarrasses me to say that all I wanted to do was imprint the radio station call letters (WGBH 89.7) for my preset radio stations… if I could. I read the book last night and I think I can do that, at least I will continue to play with the radio today after I get done at the office.

Has anyone put a remote 6-CD changer under the front seat? Is there enough clearance?

DrumheadAR

If you ever do decide to do your own burning...the cd burning program NERO will allow you to determine what text you want displayed for each track on the cd. I have a Pioneer DEH-6400 and use this option will all of my burned cds.

midiwall

Umm, just to be clear, I was talking about ripping your OWN CDs ("...If you're looking to rip your own CD's..."). I don't advocate downloading music (unless it's from a service that you're paying for).

Oh... okay, never mind then!

DrumheadAR

i second that statement

ManyMods

I do not know what my son does or what he subscribes to but I will ask him... he is away at school. I do not want him doing anything illegal. I just thought by having two CD drives he could make copies of CD's and mix recordings of his favorite tunes.

I am still fighting my way through trying to setup the EQUALIZER and the CROSSOVER. It makes no sense to me and just when I think I understand it I get confused again.

I get into the settings and the screen shows +/-0, then 1,2,3 and then what appears to be different frequency curves. I cannot seem to get to BAND 1,2,3,4,5 and do not understand why they have to be stored or what it means to set individual channels. I assume there are 4 channels. I have been sitting in my darn car all day and my wife thinks (knows) I am nuts. I will call Crutchfield tomorrow since I cannot find an FAQ on either their website or Alpine's.