PhatHack
Phatbox / Keg software and support => Phatnoise Hardware Support => Topic started by: just_z00t on April 30, 2005, 09:46:29 pm
-
I was wondering if anyone has experience with powering up a PhatBox or a Keg outside a car. I just got my PhatBox yesterday and I bought a VW/Audi Version but what I really want to do is install new firmware and convert it over to a Keg, but after reading through the manual it says its powered up with turning on the headunit and I dont own a VW or a Audi and would rather not risk damaging a headunit that I dont own. So what would be the correct way power this thing? Does it need pulsed switched on? Does it have to communicate with a VW headunit to be in a state where I can install the new firmware?
what I had in mind was to apply +12v to pin 8,6 and GND to pin 3 on the VW CD Changer cable connector with a 300W PC power supply.
(http://phathack.com/VW/Phatbox%20-%20VW.png)
I would just like to make sure I dont fry my new toy in the first week I own it, so I would appreciate any ideas anyone here on the forum could offer.
Thanks, just_z00t
-
no promises, but as far as I know... as long as you have the DMS with the correct firmware in it before it's powered on, it won't communicate with the HU until it's reflashed itself
-
Otherwise, you could look at the data at http://www.phathack.com and connect up the appropriate voltage to the power pins ;)
-
Hi all
I have done some research into this but not sure how true this is all you need to to do is reflash the phatnoise to a keg with the kenwood firmware
available here
http://phatbox.sixpak.org/firmware/
and use a kenwood keg lead maybe someone can aclarify if this will work or not ???
Cheers
Image2000uk
-
It worked for me. I recently got in on that $120 VW/Audi Phatbox deal. I got an upgrade to the USB 2.0 cradle, a 20GB DMS, and I also swapped out the older Keg board (rev A) with the newer Phatbox board (rev B). I did this because I liked the look of the Keg over the Phatbox. And now I have a whole spare Phatbox with all peripherals. Not too bad for $135.00 shipped!
Anyway, after swapping boards (putting the VW board in the Keg case) I just erased the new 20GB DMS and let PMM initialized it. I then went in to the firmware update section of PMM and set up the latest Kenwood firmware (don't skip that step). I then made sure my headunit was OFF, not just the ignition, I turned the headunit off and then turned off the ignition. When I plugged the FrankenVW/Keg box in, it updated the boards firmware without any problems.
The Keg works and plays fine. I have a KDC-X579 headunit. I can't say it will work on any other model, but I had no problems.
-
Has anyone else had a similar positive experience upgrading a phatbox unit with music keg firmware?
I bought one pb for my '02 jetta and another for my '97. I would prefer installing a kenwood hu in the '97 instead of a '00+ factory hu.
Also, has anyone installed a '00+ hu in a A3 jetta?
-
Also, has anyone installed a '00+ hu in a A3 jetta?
Yes, and it's extremely straightforward.
In the A3, you'll need to modify the "III" connector (the bottom-most connector with power/ground/etc.). Alternatively you can use a forward and reverse harness to adapt the stock wiring without making any permanent modifications (sort of like an extension cable for the factory wiring harness).
Make sure pins 1, 2, and 3 don't connect to anything on the stock radio (2 and 3 shouldn't even have wires in the stock configuration). Connect the wires for positions 4 and 5 together. Then you can just plug in the Mk4 HU, but you'll need to run a changer cable too.
-
Alternatively you can use a forward and reverse harness to adapt the stock wiring...
This adapter would be home made? Maybe available from Crutchfield,etc?
-
Yes, you buy two harness pieces (the part that plugs into the car and the part that plugs into the radio) and wire them together yourself (per my instructions above).
The Metra (manufacturer) part numbers are:
70-1784 (Plugs into car)
71-1784 (Plugs into radio)
This will only fit the "single-DIN" Mk4 radios. Crutchfield stocks the 70-1784, but finding the 71-1784 will be a little harder (TheZEB.com seems to have both but I haven't ordered from them before).
-
Thanks for all of the help.
Do you know of a source for reasonably priced Mk4 hu? CD changer cables?
-
I ordered a VW phatbox to replace my existing 6-disc Kenwood changer in the trunk which runs into a R70FM RF modulator and then to a Nissan/Bose CD Changer. My brother, who has a Jetta and ordered one and simply plugged-it-in, has now been laughing at me for the past few weeks while I try to figure out what I need to adapt mine...
The Kenwood adapter of course has the 13-pin din cable run from the trunk to the modulator. Can someone please help me with a somewhat clear answer to the following questions:
Is it possible to order the connection cable for the phatbox to plug into the 13-pin din connection for Kenwood head-units or do I have to build my own?
If I build my own, is is possible to re-use the VW cable that came with the phatbox or am I better off ordering the bare connector from digikey and going that route?
After the adapter cable is purchased/built, what would be the correct procedure for loading the DMS with the Kenwood code prior to connecting the unit.
In lieu of all the above, is it possible to build an adapter to connect directly to the Nissan/Bose unit? I understand that this is a "special" type of adapter that is specific to the Bose units and can't be purchased (something to do with raising the signal levels?)? Anyone have any experience going that route (ie: building their own direct-to-Bose adapters)?
THANKS SO MUCH!
-Surgeon-
-
I dont have the link to the site but there is a parts site that sells the kenwood keg cables you'd need.
i want to say it was pacsun or something...
-
Surgeon
Just go to your local dealer and ask him to oder you a Kenwood music keg lead as a spare part this is all you need
Cheers
Image2000uk
-
Has anyone other than A543 managed to reflash a vw PhatBox and use it with a Kenwood Head Unit?
-
Does anyone know the actual kenwood part number to for the Kenwood Deck -> Music Keg Cable ?
Thanks
-
Yep - pacsun for the cable.
$50 for the cable, and the flashover to Kenwood firmware DOES work.
You WILL lose artist/album/genre browse however.
This is also reversable at any time in the future, if desired.
-
I presume you mean Pacific Coast Parts (pacparts.com)
I have checked there before for the KHD-5L1 Kenwood->Phatbox cable but they never have it in stock.
I have a Kenwood KDC-MP7028 deck and would really like to get my Phatnoise going, I guess I am going to have to build a cable myself.
Crane007
-
I ordered one from them, it was in stock, and I had it in three days.
Keep looking - they show up.
-
I have one u can have for 50 shipped....
I presume you mean Pacific Coast Parts (pacparts.com)
I have checked there before for the KHD-5L1 Kenwood->Phatbox cable but they never have it in stock.
I have a Kenwood KDC-MP7028 deck and would really like to get my Phatnoise going, I guess I am going to have to build a cable myself.
Crane007
-
951porsche I just sent you a PM.
crane007
-
Hi
I got mine, loaded all the software onto the pc with all the updates, chose the kenwood firmware, said yes to all the warnings about "this firmware will not work with your head unit" (blah blah blah), let it go about its bits, stuck the dms into the phat noise, & rebooted the drive. After about 3 mins (once the lights had stopped flashing) and all done now: vw phat noise working on kenwood head unit using keg cable.
Cheers
Image2000uk
(edited to add lots and lots of punctuation)
-
Has anyone other than A543 managed to reflash a vw PhatBox and use it with a Kenwood Head Unit?
Yes. I have one running on a Kenwood H/U. You lose the artist/album/genre browse, but other than that, it works fine.
-
Just so everyone knows, pacparts will no longer ship to Canada. I tried to order the KHD-5L1 cable (Kenwood deck to Music Keg cable) last night and they send me an e-mail today saying:
"Sorry due to previous Shipping problems in the past, we are no longer providing Shipment to Canada.
As a result, your recent order will not be processed, no charge will be applied.
If you have a US Address, we will gladly ship the order out - You will need to re-place the order (enter the US Address in the Required Ship To fields, enter your billing address in the required billing fields)."
-
I called Kenwood Canada yesterday to see if I could order a KHD-5L1 cable (Kenwood Deck->Keg cable), they will not sell direct, but their Canadian distributor is Global Electronics Supply.
I called Global Electronic Supply, they had a hard time finding the KHD-5L1 in their database, the were finally able to find the cable.
You cannot order the cable through their online store, you must call 1-800-668-8776.
The cable was $67.50(CAN) + Tax & shipping
I ordered my cable today :)
Update: I guess I was the first person to order the cable from Global, they have now have the cable in there database:
http://www.globalsemi.com/search.aspx
Part Number: K-KHD-5L1
Crane007
-
I finally got my phatbox installed last night (VW phatbox with Kenwood HU).
Awsome unit, works like a charm.
Has anyone purchased the VOIT plugin ?
Is it worth it if you have a Kenwood HU ?
Hacks to enable VIOT ?
Crane007
-
Phatnoise won't sell VIOT to you unless you have an actual Kenwoo Keg or a direct-from-Phatnoise Phatbox.
I've never heard of a hack to enable it, either, but anything's possible.
This is unfortunate, because I find VIOT to be VERY useful - to the point that I rarely use my PB in the "native" Kenwood mode anymore.
-
Phatnoise won't sell VIOT to you unless you have an actual Kenwoo Keg or a direct-from-Phatnoise Phatbox.
I've never heard of a hack to enable it, either, but anything's possible.
This is unfortunate, because I find VIOT to be VERY useful - to the point that I rarely use my PB in the "native" Kenwood mode anymore.
I could write a little hack to enable SSA -- the wiki explains it and has the source code for a replacement aadec. All you need to do is send the following bytes over serial port 1: "0x15, 0x01, 0x01, 0xe9"
-
I think a little hack to enable SSA would be really usefull. I imagine that almost all phatbox owners would use SSA if it were free. ( I think $75US is too much for such a feature)
Crane007
-
I think a little hack to enable SSA would be really usefull. I imagine that almost all phatbox owners would use SSA if it were free. ( I think $75US is too much for such a feature)
Crane007
http://downloads.phathack.com/sbingner/customkenwoodssa.zip
NOTE: these are files I put together, not the actual SSA files... I didn't want to redistribute that of course. The ini files are pretty much the same but the inst.pnt is just a dummy file containing "1"
You need to extract that to "PHATSYS\" (root of phatsys drive) then remove PHATSYS\Plugins\plugins.dat if it exists. You also need to compile "replacement" aadec from http://wiki.phathack.com/Aadec and sign it with plsign... once that's done replace PHATSYS\aadec and PHATSYS\aadec.sig with the new files (I'd reccomend a backup in case something doesn't work)
-
Thanks sbinger :)
I am building the cross compiler right now, I will try it out tonight and let everyong know if/how it works.
Crane007
-
You can download one that works very well from http://www.opto22.com/products/linux/SNAPOEMIOLinuxREADME.aspx#Installation
The compilation toolchain takes forever to build, and it's got some issues.... but that one works perfectly... build it with the arm-uclibc-gcc from there with -static and it should work right
-
I have it all built, I will try loading it up later today.
Thanks for http://www.phathack.com/plsign.cgi :)
Thanks for all your help sbingner, I will be a very happy camper if this works :)
Crane007
-
Fantastic job on the utility!
For those people who don't know or use Linux, would it be possible to have a version that includes all the needed files, including the aadec (precompiled) and aadec.sig?
-
I will test out my version tonight, if it works I will post it. (I presume there are no legal issues with this)
Crane007
-
Just tried it out and it works :) :) :)
I will send sbinger a .zip file with everything that is needed, maybe he can put it up in his files section.
Crane007
-
Just tried it out and it works :) :) :)
I will send sbinger a .zip file with everything that is needed, maybe he can put it up in his files section.
Crane007
I made the aadec.c file also, I don't want to post the binary because I dont know if there could be any ramifications or not...
-
I updated the wiki HOWTO with this information
http://wiki.phathack.com/VIOT
Crane007