XTRONS aftermarket head unit install / review thread

**xboss** · 03-21-2017, 07:01 PM

Is the DB 25 plug the one connected to the phone module? and if so, you just disconnect the plug and put a wire in the pin hole? All of this type of work around is to maintain balance controls and stuff with the dsp system otherwise the 12v positive @ 16 to the amp is the simple way?

**xboss** · 03-21-2017, 11:56 PM

So if I need the radio in the back method I have the ebay plug all set with just pins in the places needed and labeled to where they connect to. Now I just have to wait a week for the replacement unit which only had to be fedexed to cali instead of hong kong which is cool. They send the replacement via DHL straight from Hong Kong again the same day they get the box in California.

plug.jpg

**xboss** · 03-23-2017, 03:32 AM

Here is a link to the unit I am waiting for. Should have it in about a week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVMMmxrSjmg

This one still fits the E38 wide screen frames. The new E39 ones not so much.

**bigperm206** · 03-23-2017, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by xboss

Here is a link to the unit I am waiting for. Should have it in about a week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVMMmxrSjmg

This one still fits the E38 wide screen frames. The new E39 ones not so much.

Xboss, thanks for the link. I'm jumping in the pool right behind you. Amazon has this for $359.

**xboss** · 03-23-2017, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by bigperm206

Xboss, thanks for the link. I'm jumping in the pool right behind you. Amazon has this for $359.

I booted up the first unit and it was super duper fast boot and smooth running. Should be a good unit. It's $369.99 on ebay but direct from the manufacturer etc.

Don't forget the plug for moving the unit to the trunk. You will need the extension cable as well if you already had oem nav otherwise all set like me.

**bigperm206** · 03-23-2017, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by xboss

I booted up the first unit and it was super duper fast boot and smooth running. Should be a good unit. It's $369.99 on ebay but direct from the manufacturer etc.

Don't forget the plug for moving the unit to the trunk. You will need the extension cable as well if you already had oem nav otherwise all set like me.

Good tips. I'm going to add the back up ? and maybe tpms later

**xboss** · 03-23-2017, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by bigperm206

Good tips. I'm going to add the back up ? and maybe tpms later

Yeah, I have the back up cam. Later I will be getting the dvr cam and the tpms, pretty cool that they mount on the outside. I wonder how accurate they are.

I'm also going to aux in a xm radio feed into mine. Still need to figure out where to put that unit. You can get them on ebay with "lifetime" unlock for $100

**Aitch** · 03-23-2017, 05:51 PM

Question: do these Android units do Android Auto? I know it's a bit superfluous given that it's already Android running on there, but I'm interested if it does because then all your phone notifications etc are natively on the head unit.

**bigperm206** · 03-23-2017, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by xboss

Yeah, I have the back up cam. Later I will be getting the dvr cam and the tpms, pretty cool that they mount on the outside. I wonder how accurate they are.

I'm also going to aux in a xm radio feed into mine. Still need to figure out where to put that unit. You can get them on ebay with "lifetime" unlock for $100

Sweet. Any chance you could tell me what the part numbers are for the extension cable and plug? Sorry if I missed this info in an earlier post. Also, I'm currently running wide screen nav, MK4, and DSP amp. I saw earlier about coding the amp, is that something you are having to do on your install?

**xboss** · 03-23-2017, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Aitch

Question: do these Android units do Android Auto? I know it's a bit superfluous given that it's already Android running on there, but I'm interested if it does because then all your phone notifications etc are natively on the head unit.

Not sure. You can download and install android apps though. These units are pretty fancy and on their 4th revision or so with the 6.0 units possibly being the last. I suppose they may make one more update in the next year or two but I dont think companies will be interested in making them much longer since the buyers are going away as the cars get older.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by bigperm206

Sweet. Any chance you could tell me what the part numbers are for the extension cable and plug? Sorry if I missed this info in an earlier post. Also, I'm currently running wide screen nav, MK4, and DSP amp. I saw earlier about coding the amp, is that something you are having to do on your install?

I will not need to code my amp since I never had GPS. There may be a way to do it without software, I'll find the post, it's my theory and untested.

Here is the extension cable:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ISO-Wiring-H...YAAOSwXeJYIYib

**bigperm206** · 03-23-2017, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by xboss

Not sure. You can download and install android apps though. These units are pretty fancy and on their 4th revision or so with the 6.0 units possibly being the last. I suppose they may make one more update in the next year or two but I dont think companies will be interested in making them much longer since the buyers are going away as the cars get older.

- - - Updated - - -

I will not need to code my amp since I never had GPS. There may be a way to do it without software, I'll find the post, it's my theory and untested.

Here is the extension cable:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ISO-Wiring-H...YAAOSwXeJYIYib

Great, thanks

**franco90** · 03-24-2017, 07:52 AM

Xboss
I downloaded apps to my radio and its pretty cool

**xboss** · 03-24-2017, 11:38 PM

Installing the rear splice this weekend.

I'm just hooking up the four wires which is a simple deal now that I have my mind wrapped around it.

Two wires tap power and ground from the amp.

one wire feeds a 12V signal back to the amp telling it the radio is on.

Fourth wire is the ibus to talk to the dsp amp

The fifth seems to be a mod to get steering controls working for hands free I believe, at this point I will probably not hook that one up.

**franco90** · 03-27-2017, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by xboss

Installing the rear splice this weekend.

I'm just hooking up the four wires which is a simple deal now that I have my mind wrapped around it.

Two wires tap power and ground from the amp.

one wire feeds a 12V signal back to the amp telling it the radio is on.

Fourth wire is the ibus to talk to the dsp amp

The fifth seems to be a mod to get steering controls working for hands free I believe, at this point I will probably not hook that one up.

Yo
The steering wheel works the way I wired mine years ago

**xboss** · 03-27-2017, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by franco90

Yo
The steering wheel works the way I wired mine years ago

I think the fifth wire to the phone module must have been to get hands free to work. The newer units talk to ibus just fine and you can set wheel controls on the head unit so that trigger is not needed these days I believe.

**franco90** · 03-27-2017, 02:31 PM

ok good

**franco90** · 03-28-2017, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by xboss

I think the fifth wire to the phone module must have been to get hands free to work. The newer units talk to ibus just fine and you can set wheel controls on the head unit so that trigger is not needed these days I believe.

You are 100% right on that is the unit has a small box attached to its for the ibus

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**xboss** · 03-28-2017, 04:45 PM

Here is the trunk patch. The two big wires are the power tap and the thin white behind them in the pic is the trigger. Then off to the side you can see the smaller cable with a tap to the white wire with yellow spots for ibus.

There is a coil of wire in the pic background that is from a BMW dealer installed nav, you guys would def not have those wires

I removed the changer so I can put the radio there. I now wish I had made the cable about ten inches longer. Might rebuild...

sese.jpg

**franco90** · 03-29-2017, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by xboss

Here is the trunk patch. The two big wires are the power tap and the thin white behind them in the pic is the trigger. Then off to the side you can see the smaller cable with a tap to the white wire with yellow spots for ibus.

There is a coil of wire in the pic background that is from a BMW dealer installed nav, you guys would def not have those wires

I removed the changer so I can put the radio there. I now wish I had made the cable about ten inches longer. Might rebuild...

sese.jpg

NICE now you have to do what I told you with the Radio stations to make both radios match the same radio station , that way when you use the steering wheel you have the same display on the cluster as your radio.

**xboss** · 03-29-2017, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by franco90

NICE now you have to do what I told you with the Radio stations to make both radios match the same radio station , that way when you use the steering wheel you have the same display on the cluster as your radio.

I will def try that out. Too bad I cannot read my cluster! That is for another project.

**xboss** · 03-29-2017, 05:27 PM

New finding. The workaround shown online is tapping constant power. I should have known by the red color on the line but it also has a green stripe so I gave it a try. It's an easy power tap but always on so the radio would always be on and draw a tiny current.

I do not like this so I will extend the switched purple line all the way to the trunk if I have to. I don't think switched purple can be found in the trunk since it starts at the ignition. I already have switched purple running into the console for a USB port so when I run the AV line for the backup cam I will include the switched power so the trunk radio turns off with the car. Also, it leaves the big fat amp line untouched which is cool since it has to carry some larger amps it does not need a weak point there.

I see that the charts online show that db25 connect as the ignition switched line not hands free like I thought so in order to keep memory on the radio I will hook both up. One constant and one switched. I'll post all the connections once done to clear up the matter...

**MJ DOOM** · 03-29-2017, 07:11 PM

Use at ATC addon fuse holder with one the 12v switch fuses in the trunk.

611owHobj3L._SL1200_.jpg

**xboss** · 03-29-2017, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by MJ DOOM

Use at ATC addon fuse holder with one the 12v switch fuses in the trunk.

611owHobj3L._SL1200_.jpg

Yep, I lucked out and can use the old dealer installed nav power line. It has a fuse on it and is all set to go.

**xboss** · 03-31-2017, 04:06 AM

Update:

I got the new unit in today. I plugged it up and it is working but I dont have the trunk workaround plugged in yet to set the bass and stuff. Right now it's base heavy.

Anyway, the connections in the back just got easier. MJDOOM was correct that pin 16 will trigger the amp to come on. It's a blue wire with a quick disconnect and I did not have it connected last time I tested it.

So the wiring in the trunk is real simple. You simply need to give the cassette radio two lines of power. One constant for memory and one ignition switched and then a ground wire to complete the power of the device and then all you do is patch ibus into the amp ibus connection and it's all set. Pics of the stuff installed in the trunk coming soon.

Fitment is decent like the pics on page one but not awesome. I'm going to try to see how it fits in a cut version of the mid and cassette radio frame because the wide screen nav fram is not quite right to get super flush. It sits like half an inch out and is not really visible but if you like fitment it does not fly.

**franco90** · 03-31-2017, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by xboss

Update:

I got the new unit in today. I plugged it up and it is working but I dont have the trunk workaround plugged in yet to set the bass and stuff. Right now it's base heavy.

Anyway, the connections in the back just got easier. MJDOOM was correct that pin 16 will trigger the amp to come on. It's a blue wire with a quick disconnect and I did not have it connected last time I tested it.

So the wiring in the trunk is real simple. You simply need to give the cassette radio two lines of power. One constant for memory and one ignition switched and then a ground wire to complete the power of the device and then all you do is patch ibus into the amp ibus connection and it's all set. Pics of the stuff installed in the trunk coming soon.

Fitment is decent like the pics on page one but not awesome. I'm going to try to see how it fits in a cut version of the mid and cassette radio frame because the wide screen nav fram is not quite right to get super flush. It sits like half an inch out and is not really visible but if you like fitment it does not fly.

haha
we can never win with those radios