Can't get my Phatbox to be recognized by the head unit! Help!

[Impossibles3000]

Hey Guys,

Newbie to the world of phatbox here.... I bought one on eBay a few weeks ago and I've been trying to get it to work for like 2 weeks now. I have a 2002 Audi A4 with symphony II headunit.

Some on Audiworld told me the problem was that i needed to put the long brown wire (ground) to pin #10 in the 20 pin harness in the back of the head unit. This caused the phatbox to not even light up at all.

So i put the brown wire back to a ground source. The phatbox lights up, then shuts off, as written in the manual.

But it seems like the head unit won't recognize that the phatbox is even there.

I tried the holding the preset 4 while powering on, and it always says NO CDC. I am under the impression that it will not say this when it knows a changer is there?

But i try pushing the CD button twice and its like the thing isn't even there... Just stays playing on the in dash cd changer... Can anyone help me out? I am starting to get sick of this not working... almost about to throw in the towel....

Any comments would be appreciated!! Thanks everyone!!

-Nick

[sbingner]

Do you have the right firmware loaded on the PhatBox?  If you're not sure, I suggest reflashing it with the proper firmware to be sure.

[Impossibles3000]

I'm actually not sure about the firmware. I have tried to update it, but the media manager, and music manager software that i have won't let any updates or headunit settings show up at all. Also the voice stuff doesn't seem to be there either...

Could this be a software issue and not a hardware one??

Thanks! -Nick

[sbingner]

Use the tool VorTechS wrote to update it.  PhatNoise's servers are down forever.

http://forum.phathack.com/index.php/topic,1291.0.html

Make sure you don't do the hack, just update the firmware.

[VorTechS]

Also, please only do the 'Update firmware', and not 'Create New DMS'.

[Impossibles3000]

Hey Thanks for the help guys!! The software works perfectly! But there is still one problem. - The phatbox is still not working.

I updated the firmware. The phatbox took a few minutes to update with the lights flashing, just like it is supposed too. Then i turn on the stereo, try to switch it to the changer, and nothing happens.

** To get to the changer on a Symphony II, one presses the 'CD' button twice, correct??

Is there something minor that i am overlooking??

I'd really appreciate any other help y'all could offer! Thanks again!

-Nick

[sbingner]

It still says "NO CDC"?

I assume you turned off your car then turned it back on after the firmware update?

[Impossibles3000]

Yes i restarted after the firmware update. It still says NO CDC. Would this be software or a hardware issue? I just went over the wiring that i did in the harness, and it seems to be in the right order.

I don't want to but, I'm starting to loose hope in this thing

[Impossibles3000]

Alright!  - Finally got the phatbox to work. Wasn't a software issue. (Although i now have the firmware updated too). The problem was that the instructions i got with the trunk to headunit cable said to insert the pins in a east/west orientation into the harness. When in actuality the clips need to be oriented north/south in order to contact the points in the back of the headunit properly.

So i rewired up the harness, and presto! CDC1 displays and the phatbox starts playing! I feel great now! Thanks for your help guys!!

Is there supposed to be a startup phatnoise sound?? B/c there wasn't one... hmm

Again, thanks for the support!

-Nick

[sbingner]

There CAN be a startup sound... but there doesn't need to be.  It may also have played before your HU was listening to it, either way... not something to worry about.

You, however, really should Hack your PhatBox now so that you won't be hosed when your DMS dies (all hard drives eventually die)