Disco 2 Solution - Bluetooth on OEM Head Unit with CD Multi-changer

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GJ1

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It's probably not the most important post given the range of ACE or Air Suspension questions, but thought I'd share a good solution for connecting Bluetooth enabled devices (iPhone etc) to the factory fit head unit on a D2. Some of us like the existing sound systems, steering wheel control, amplification, CD multi changer, don't want to butcher the loom, have a replacement unit, all plastic, shiny, flashing disco lighting system in a Disco etc, and simply want another input or Aux jack for connecting an external device. If that's you, then this is a solution.

I just fitted this to my OEM Sat-Nav Head Unit. This is actually a Becker Traffic Pro (4720 or something) and has: CD Multichanger input (Important!), separate amplification, steering wheel controls, Sat Nav (with antenna, F/R sensor from gearbox and speed sensor). All of which is nicely integrated into the block connectors on the rear of the unit. I believe that this will also work for the non-satnav units but MUST have the separate multi changer under the driver's seat.

I purchased a splitter kit from http://www.discountcarstereo.com/AUX-BKR.html in the US. The kit comes ready wired. It works by unplugging the CD multi changer block from the back of the head unit, and connecting it to the socket on the kit. The other end of the kit then connects back into the head unit. The 3.5mm jack plug is attached, providing the new extra input. The good thing is that, if there is no signal from the 3.5mm input, the CD changer operates as normal (some kits sacrifice the CD input all together to be totally replaced by the new Aux-In) Simply select "CD" and the new device plays, taking precedence over the CD Multichanger.

So far, so old school (yes, I can already hear the comments of "why still have your CD connected?", and what's the use of a plug when I want wire-free connections........ ) So answering the first, because I have lots of CD's and I like keeping the truck as original as I can. Secondly, this is where a bluetooth dongle comes in.....

Simply purchase a https://www.taotronics.com/taotronics-br05.html (already had one from a previous car), charge it up, pair with the device of your choice, connect it to the 3.5mm jack, and hey-presto - iPhone music streaming. The 3.5mm jack connection was long enough to route through the dash, under the centre console and emerge near the cubby box. By removing the electric seat controls on the driver's side I was able to route the socket up towards the top of the cubby, where I drilled a small hole through and passed the socket through, attached the retaining nut, and all was good. I chose this route as I didn't have to go about removing loads of trim, and again, keeping the dash "stock". The bluetooth receiver sits in there quite happily out of sight doing its thing. I did have a 3.5mm male to male cable rather than the solid connector that comes with the adapter as you can see in the photo.

Note that you can't control the device from the head-unit, so song selection will be controlled from the iPhone.... which, of course is illegal... so make sure your play list is set-up before you head off!

Anyway, not the biggest fix or tip, but hopefully the solution may suit someone as well as me.
 

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Yup, got one of those for mine about a year and a half ago....so far, downside with mine has to do with having to talk a bit louder than usual for the person on the other end of a call to hear you, but all in all, does what it says it should do on the box so not really complaining. Have been thinking of looking up the possibility of getting a long aux cable so I could route it behind the A-pillar trim and have it mounted around the sun visor so it picks up speech much better.
 
Yes, think that may be a slight issue for me too, but the ability to play my iPhone music through a great sound system makes up for it in my mind.
 
It's probably not the most important post given the range of ACE or Air Suspension questions, but thought I'd share a good solution for connecting Bluetooth enabled devices (iPhone etc) to the factory fit head unit on a D2. Some of us like the existing sound systems, steering wheel control, amplification, CD multi changer, don't want to butcher the loom, have a replacement unit, all plastic, shiny, flashing disco lighting system in a Disco etc, and simply want another input or Aux jack for connecting an external device. If that's you, then this is a solution.

I just fitted this to my OEM Sat-Nav Head Unit. This is actually a Becker Traffic Pro (4720 or something) and has: CD Multichanger input (Important!), separate amplification, steering wheel controls, Sat Nav (with antenna, F/R sensor from gearbox and speed sensor). All of which is nicely integrated into the block connectors on the rear of the unit. I believe that this will also work for the non-satnav units but MUST have the separate multi changer under the driver's seat.

I purchased a splitter kit from http://www.discountcarstereo.com/AUX-BKR.html in the US. The kit comes ready wired. It works by unplugging the CD multi changer block from the back of the head unit, and connecting it to the socket on the kit. The other end of the kit then connects back into the head unit. The 3.5mm jack plug is attached, providing the new extra input. The good thing is that, if there is no signal from the 3.5mm input, the CD changer operates as normal (some kits sacrifice the CD input all together to be totally replaced by the new Aux-In) Simply select "CD" and the new device plays, taking precedence over the CD Multichanger.

So far, so old school (yes, I can already hear the comments of "why still have your CD connected?", and what's the use of a plug when I want wire-free connections........ ) So answering the first, because I have lots of CD's and I like keeping the truck as original as I can. Secondly, this is where a bluetooth dongle comes in.....

Simply purchase a https://www.taotronics.com/taotronics-br05.html (already had one from a previous car), charge it up, pair with the device of your choice, connect it to the 3.5mm jack, and hey-presto - iPhone music streaming. The 3.5mm jack connection was long enough to route through the dash, under the centre console and emerge near the cubby box. By removing the electric seat controls on the driver's side I was able to route the socket up towards the top of the cubby, where I drilled a small hole through and passed the socket through, attached the retaining nut, and all was good. I chose this route as I didn't have to go about removing loads of trim, and again, keeping the dash "stock". The bluetooth receiver sits in there quite happily out of sight doing its thing. I did have a 3.5mm male to male cable rather than the solid connector that comes with the adapter as you can see in the photo.

Note that you can't control the device from the head-unit, so song selection will be controlled from the iPhone.... which, of course is illegal... so make sure your play list is set-up before you head off!

Anyway, not the biggest fix or tip, but hopefully the solution may suit someone as well as me.

thks for an interesting thread and i'm not being sarcastic

started to look about bluetooth and after nearly passing out of the cost to fit an OEM system in mine i was actually reading up about the parrot systems

but good to have a recommendation of another system

with the 3.5mm aux , i believe i've got to do a wiring mod on the back of my radio

thks again for the link
 
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Another option I looked at in addition to the Parrot and my fix, was a Pure 600 DAB receiver, which also allowed bluetooth streaming and seemed ok, but I walked away from that as there were extra antenna for the DAB signal that attached to the windscreen, trailing leads between that and a magnetic ground, and it transmitted over an FM frequency to the existing head unit rather than Aux-In. It looked great to me until I realised all the extra fluff included in the box to make it work (also needs the antenna amp to be powered by USB so whilst the actual controller is wire free (runs off AA batteries), you still end up with leads floating around the dash from the cigarette lighter....) https://www.pure.com/uk/car-audio/products/highway-600 - but an alternative to the Parrot. There is a cheaper one too (Pure 400) but doesn't allow bluetooth music streaming.
 
Another option I looked at in addition to the Parrot and my fix, was a Pure 600 DAB receiver, which also allowed bluetooth streaming and seemed ok, but I walked away from that as there were extra antenna for the DAB signal that attached to the windscreen, trailing leads between that and a magnetic ground, and it transmitted over an FM frequency to the existing head unit rather than Aux-In. It looked great to me until I realised all the extra fluff included in the box to make it work (also needs the antenna amp to be powered by USB so whilst the actual controller is wire free (runs off AA batteries), you still end up with leads floating around the dash from the cigarette lighter....) https://www.pure.com/uk/car-audio/products/highway-600 - but an alternative to the Parrot. There is a cheaper one too (Pure 400) but doesn't allow bluetooth music streaming.

don't know if it the same but my antenna is in the back side glass , can put in another one in the roof, hole is already there, just blanked off, but the cost of the oem is heartstopping

have a single cd / radio unit and as i've not got a complicated oem satnav in mine i can easily replace it with a double din unit , so thought of getting one with bluetooth , aux etc all built in , seen i can also have an OBD2 display on the units as mines compliant

will try and find the link
 
Looks like it has a GPS antenna as part of the kit, on the Becker, the head unit takes a feed from the reverse light/gearbox to refine the positioning, along with a take-off from the speedometer. There is a test mode that confirms these functions. I guess on the more modern units, it's more reliant on the fixity of the satellite and then comparing where you should be (on a road) to the fix, then applying the correction. Does have lots of toys on it, but a little too much of a change for me in the D2!
 
I think the key for me was getting some way of obtaining a retrospective fix of an Aux-in on the factory unit. Once you have that, the world is your lobster. There is a company that takes the Hi-Line D2 unit (non satnav) and solders in the components for Aux-in, but there was not a fix for the Becker.
 
Looks like it has a GPS antenna as part of the kit, on the Becker, the head unit takes a feed from the reverse light/gearbox to refine the positioning, along with a take-off from the speedometer. There is a test mode that confirms these functions. I guess on the more modern units, it's more reliant on the fixity of the satellite and then comparing where you should be (on a road) to the fix, then applying the correction. Does have lots of toys on it, but a little too much of a change for me in the D2!

this is a few pics of my radio , also know i would have to tie in the steering wheel controls,

got spare 12 v power plugs , also bought a cheap battery volt meter , surprisingly accurate

understand they become more complicated , especially when u wish to update things , in what's involved getting panels out as well is sometimes half the battle

i bought the base model on purpose as i didn't need all the extra mods, i.e. dvd screens in the back seats etc

don't know if i'm honest how or discos compare with the electrics , i.e. what's req to fit an aftermarket radio etc in each model , if that makes sense

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thks for an interesting thread and i'm not being sarcastic

started to look about bluetooth and after nearly passing out of the cost to fit an OEM system in mine i was actually reading up about the parrot systems

but good to have a recommendation of another system

with the 3.5mm aux , i believe i've got to do a wiring mod on the back of my radio

thks again for the link

I fitted a parrot system in my D2. If i'd bought brand new I could have bought an adapter to fit it. I managed to pick up the parrot system really cheaply on ebay, 2nd hand, and the previous owner had cut the plug off to connect it into his car and modified the loom. Once I had a wiring diagram of how the system works, i was able to wire it into the D2 loom with ease.

I've a little app on my phone that allows me to play music through the parrot system as well - although the quality is rubbish (the parrot system only routes sound to the front speakers)
 
I fitted a parrot system in my D2. If i'd bought brand new I could have bought an adapter to fit it. I managed to pick up the parrot system really cheaply on ebay, 2nd hand, and the previous owner had cut the plug off to connect it into his car and modified the loom. Once I had a wiring diagram of how the system works, i was able to wire it into the D2 loom with ease.

I've a little app on my phone that allows me to play music through the parrot system as well - although the quality is rubbish (the parrot system only routes sound to the front speakers)

tell u what that has indeed given me a very good option, of looking for some second hand units , once u get the wiring diagram like u say can then work out what's req

not going to bother with getting one until the sales are on in jan , as i always prefer to read up of what's around will give me plenty of time

thks for the heads up
 
@gstuart yours looks a lot more complex! The Becker in mine was available as a Becker branded unit as aftermarket, so it's pretty standard wiring config for retro fit. It was also OEM on Ferrari and Porsche.. quite funny really that those with "Ferrari" inked on the front and that say Ferrari rather than Land Rover when they switch on are £1400 on eBay!!
 
@gstuart yours looks a lot more complex! The Becker in mine was available as a Becker branded unit as aftermarket, so it's pretty standard wiring config for retro fit. It was also OEM on Ferrari and Porsche.. quite funny really that those with "Ferrari" inked on the front and that say Ferrari rather than Land Rover when they switch on are £1400 on eBay!!

bloody hell, £1400 for a radio , all in the name , lol

am going to take my radio out and then see what wires are there already , easier doing this mod instead of the hi line model as it has a cable called a "MOST " wire , which in turn links everything together which i haven't got nor need ,

also with mine being the base model it hasn't got the oem sat nav , info screen , believe the oem satnav is rubbish and am really happy with my tom tom

will take some pics of all my wires can then trace them to identify everything, assume i will have to buy the retrofit extra looms, for the steering wheel controls as well , but got to see what's there first

bet it will be a massive amount of wires hidden away , lol

finding this thread very interesting and good finding out different systems etc
 
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