For those interested a proper little write up of my android install on my p38 with the single rear Mounted DSP amp but I see no reason why it can't be be used in cars with door amps.
Back ground to why iv gone android, when I bought the car I had a working DSP amp so pretty decent sound via the standard factory system I have an collection of tapes so could now play them again in the car and a fair few CDs. After a year or so the amp started to die with a back ground in TV and audio I thought I would just repair the amp symptoms were hissing from the rear speakers which would go after warming up, fault tracked to DSP surface mounted micro chip resin covered, not repairable. I suspect the resin is the reason the chips fail due to over heating in the long term.
Time for a plan and much internet searching for inspiration I originally buy a smallish android unit to install instead of a standard single din stereo if im going to update the cars audio I mite as well have hand free calling and anything else I can get and these cheap Chinese units seems to be pretty good. Also need a scrap centre dash just in case it doesn't work out I can always revert back to a single din install and keep my nice walnut centre dash in 1 piece.
Here is my 2nd choice android unit fitted to my scrap dash its got holes from old hands free kit and a crack but it will do for now, this 2nd android unit is much slimmer than the 1st has sat nav and a few more features.
Next thing to do was have a good look at the cars wiring I had removed my DSP amp completely because it suffered total failure and was draining the battery.
The next stage was to rewire all the door speakers a simple thing to do, door cards off and connect all the positives and negatives together then use the main wire from the largest speaker which actually runs all the way back to the dsp amp as my pick up wire for the new speaker cables. You can find them in the loom under the plastic trim panels.
This is the passenger side I did this one 1st as its the easiest one to start with, did all the door speakers over a few hours and a couple of days only because on the drivers side somewhere in the loom the wiring changes colour it took me a while but I finally found the connectors in the A pillar for the drivers front and B pillars for the drivers rear.
Now I had new speaker wires from each door it was time to start on the dash and have a look see so I pulled the radio out, there is no chance or need to even try and get a lead that will connect your new unit to the existing connector so don't bother the all important one for me was the big grey plug it has all of the power feeds I need including steering wheel controls, happy days.
The colour coding is
Black=ground
White/pink=switched +12volts
Red/white=illumination
Grey/black= remote turn on you need this for the power antenna
Purple=constant+12 volts
Grey/orange=steering wheel controls
For a 1st fix I just connected the lead supplied with the unit with connector blocks I suggest soldering them on for the longterm much nicer and neater job. Cut the grey plug off its no longer needed.
You will also need a special adapter for the aerial I will post up all the links to these later.
A dry run and connected it all up and it worked a treat so just need to find a day spare to remove my nice walnut dash and replace it with the scrap panel with android unit installed.
Looks a bit of a mess but when its all back together it looks neat, only problem was it didn't fit I needed to trim away some of the plastic to the right where the original radio mounts not a problem you wont ever see it so out come the junior hack saw and cutters and I trim away.
Its in and working I plan to replace the old radio with a single din cubby box but for now I refitted the old radio to tidy it all up
Here it is all finished
I will post up the links to the android unit and aerial adapter that's all you need to buy, these are now selling at 73 quid on the bay the newer version has dab so if I'm happy with it and its reliable then I will get the dab version and install that in my nice walnunt centre dash and just swop it out I originally cut out the hole for the 1st android unit so its a tiny bit bigger than I need and I wasn't as carefully as I should have been. Everything works the unit is amazing the sound from the original speakers is brilliant I just need to install some capacitors to the from mid range speakers at some point. It has Mirror imaging or iPhone connect I run a Samsung phone so connect it via 1 of the 2usb leads it has which I have hidden where the ash tray use to be including the dash cam power lead. I will at some point install and connect the reversing camera it can with?
To say I'm happy with how it turned out and looks is an understatement its just a shame the scrap center dash is in poor condition but it will do for now, I think this can easily be done in a single day with many teas breaks as long as you have pre cut your dash panel and installed the android unit 1st
Hope this helps any one else out there with a dead or dying amp iv always wanted to keep mine looking factory, even if you just want a modern ice install go for it.
