Disco2 head unit

Son would like to fit an Android compatible head unit to his 2004 Disco ES Premium with the higher spec Harman Kardon system.
I need some recommendations please and also some advice with regards to wiring the original amp and steering wheel controls, he's not bothered about using the cd multiplayer.
Many thanks.

A few months ago I fitted an an XTRONS DQS112L head unit with 10" screen Android operating system & Android Auto / Apple car play, Bluetooth, screen mirroring & reversing camera (camera was extra)
Definitely not as cheap as some Chinese units.
Cost just over £300 in 1 of their relatively frequent 20% off sale via their UK website. Register first & wait for the email offers to arrive !
Unit looks great & seems to work really well.

Its a single DIN unit, so fits into the standard radio slot after changing the metal cage.
Screen is fixed, but can be set at different heights & vertical angles to optimise viewing.
The 10" screen is slightly forward of the dash & partially in front of the centre vents - but not far enough to cause any problems with access or use of the vents.
Android Auto & screen mirroring are via wired connection to the phone which is a slight pain (Apple Carplay is allegedly wireless or wired)
Sound quality is great - even using all the standard D2 Hi Line speakers (& standard Lear Amplifier). Its more than loud enough as well !
You can add a separate USB connected dongle for DAB (or TV if you want) - which I might add now I know it all works well.
I've added a reversing camera too - with separate control switch so I can use it when I want.
Camera image is great (much better than my Range Rover !)

Biggest installation issue (manageable if you're OK with a soldering iron ) was creating a special adapter lead to connect from the Head Units RCA pre-Amp outputs to the Disco's standard ISO 8 pin speaker input connector. If you're willing to cut & solder the Head Unit or Discos wiring loom, this wouldn't have been needed.
I did initially try connecting the Head Units (full power) ISO 8 pin speaker connection directly to the cars ISO connector, but although it worked, the much higher input into the D2s amplifier meant the volume control had to be almost off to get the actual volume down to an acceptable level & much worse was a totally unacceptable "Hissing" sound at all volumes.

I have used My TomTom Go SatNav app from my Android phone via Android Auto & it looks good - although has some bast***dised functionality caused by Google limiting access to my favorite "My Places" (Google won't allow access to more than 5 favorite locations as you'll be too distracted )
Being a full Android based device you can add whatever Apps you like - NOT limited by Android Auto !

PS Should also have added that connecting up to the steering wheel remote controls was easy & has gained more extra functions such as quick access to phone or voice controls without needing to operate the Head Unit itself.

If anyone's interested I can provide more info.

Anaconda said:

Son would like to fit an Android compatible head unit to his 2004 Disco ES Premium with the higher spec Harman Kardon system.
I need some recommendations please and also some advice with regards to wiring the original amp and steering wheel controls, he's not bothered about using the cd multiplayer.
Many thanks.

Click to expand...

Slightly off the point, but does the old unit work? Including the CD player?
and would he be happy to take it all out without busting it and flog it to me?
I'm hoping it'll be a plug and play in my 2000 GS Disco, as neither of my aftermarket head units work properly at the mo!
I apologise for being so cheeky!

You don't know! If you don't ask

Kev

Stanleysteamer said:

Slightly off the point, but does the old unit work? Including the CD player?
and would he be happy to take it all out without busting it and flog it to me?
I'm hoping it'll be a plug and play in my 2000 GS Disco, as neither of my aftermarket head units work properly at the mo!
I apologise for being so cheeky!

Click to expand...

The head unit works, I don't think he has ever tried the cd player.
I would take a guess he will want to keep the old units but I will ask him.

Anaconda said:

The head unit works, I don't think he has ever tried the cd player.
I would take a guess he will want to keep the old units but I will ask him.

Click to expand...

Thanks very much.
I know it was a bit cheeky.
At the moment I can only retrofit a D1 unit, which plays brilliantly, although it isn't as sensitive for picking up radios stations, but the CD player that went with it (it came from an Anniversary model) went fubar.
Or else buy a completely new unit.
I like to keep it original as possible, which porbaly is why your son would want to hang on to the original!

Best of luck with it, both you and your son!

Stanleysteamer said:

Thanks very much.
I know it was a bit cheeky.
At the moment I can only retrofit a D1 unit, which plays brilliantly, although it isn't as sensitive for picking up radios stations, but the CD player that went with it (it came from an Anniversary model) went fubar.
Or else buy a completely new unit.
I like to keep it original as possible, which porbaly is why your son would want to hang on to the original!

Best of luck with it, both you and your son!

Click to expand...

Not cheeky at all
His D2 is completely stock, well not quite as previous owner had rear springs fitted.
I have read endless threads where it seems a bit of a nightmare getting the wiring to work out correctly.
It has the highline Becker head unit I do believe.

Most of the wiring is fairly straight forward - just making sure you match the correct wires up - "simples" .

The new head unit wiring is all clearly labelled, so you then have to get the wiring diagram for your car set-up (Harmon Kardon is slightly different to Lear I think) & work out the wires in the car loom for :
- switching the amplifier on,
- powering the aerial amplifiers
- connecting to the steering column volume switches
- Permanent Live &
- ignition controlled Live

The biggest issue is when people with the amplified Harmon Kardon or Lear set-ups by mistake connect the ISO plugs from the new head unit straight to the ISO sockets from the car & wonder why they get incredible amounts of speaker hissing & have to turn the volume right down.
This does not work properly because the Head unit amplified output is being fed via the ISO plugs into the car amplifier & is just to too loud & causes the background hiss at low volumes to be amplified.
To make things work correctly, you have to connect the head unit RCA (Phono) plug outputs (ie the output that isn't amplified) to the cars ISO inputs via a specially made adapter lead OR by cutting into either the car loom OR the head unit loom.
Unfortunately I never found a pre-made loom for this task on-line anywhere, so I made a customer adapter loom - but the extra plugs & wiring make fitting the radio back into the car quite hard (best suited to a hot day - lol).

I've now bought a "spare" head unit loom from XTRONS so that I can cut the RCA / Phono plugs off & solder the wires directly into some spare ISO sockets I have - removing the need for the extra RCA - ISO adapter lead I made. Leaving the car wiring still as factory.
If I have to take the radio out again (maybe to add a DAB radio module) I'll replace the standard head unit loom & "special adapter lead for the modified XTRONS lead - making it easier to re-fit.

I could have cut-up the originally suppled XTRONS lead, but it would make the unit very hard to sell if I ever wanted to get rid of it.

I found a copy of the circuit diagrams. The original head unit has satnav in it, looks a bit rudimentary.
Will have a look at it, see if it makes any sense to me.

H

Pawl said:

A few months ago I fitted an an XTRONS DQS112L head unit with 10" screen Android operating system & Android Auto / Apple car play, Bluetooth, screen mirroring & reversing camera (camera was extra)
Definitely not as cheap as some Chinese units.
Cost just over £300 in 1 of their relatively frequent 20% off sale via their UK website. Register first & wait for the email offers to arrive !
Unit looks great & seems to work really well.
View attachment 300878
Its a single DIN unit, so fits into the standard radio slot after changing the metal cage.
Screen is fixed, but can be set at different heights & vertical angles to optimise viewing.
The 10" screen is slightly forward of the dash & partially in front of the centre vents - but not far enough to cause any problems with access or use of the vents.
Android Auto & screen mirroring are via wired connection to the phone which is a slight pain (Apple Carplay is allegedly wireless or wired)
Sound quality is great - even using all the standard D2 Hi Line speakers (& standard Lear Amplifier). Its more than loud enough as well !
You can add a separate USB connected dongle for DAB (or TV if you want) - which I might add now I know it all works well.
I've added a reversing camera too - with separate control switch so I can use it when I want.
Camera image is great (much better than my Range Rover !)

Biggest installation issue (manageable if you're OK with a soldering iron ) was creating a special adapter lead to connect from the Head Units RCA pre-Amp outputs to the Disco's standard ISO 8 pin speaker input connector. If you're willing to cut & solder the Head Unit or Discos wiring loom, this wouldn't have been needed.
I did initially try connecting the Head Units (full power) ISO 8 pin speaker connection directly to the cars ISO connector, but although it worked, the much higher input into the D2s amplifier meant the volume control had to be almost off to get the actual volume down to an acceptable level & much worse was a totally unacceptable "Hissing" sound at all volumes.

I have used My TomTom Go SatNav app from my Android phone via Android Auto & it looks good - although has some bast***dised functionality caused by Google limiting access to my favorite "My Places" (Google won't allow access to more than 5 favorite locations as you'll be too distracted )
Being a full Android based device you can add whatever Apps you like - NOT limited by Android Auto !

PS Should also have added that connecting up to the steering wheel remote controls was easy & has gained more extra functions such as quick access to phone or voice controls without needing to operate the Head Unit itself.

If anyone's interested I can provide more info.

Click to expand...

I Pawl.

I have just fitted an Xtrons head unit and I have got all working apart from the steering controls.
If you could provide further info on how you did it that would be great.
Thanks.

Marc

Marc, the steering wheel control wires are in the grey big ISO plug on the D2. Pins 2 & 3.
I think all I did was try each of the 2 Xtrons steering wheel control cables, key 1 / no 3 and key 2 / no. 5 with each of the LR cables to see which way round worked.
It was then a matter of using the steering wheel control set up in the xtrons menu to set up the various functions - volume up and down, channel change etc etc.
All worked well !

Still haven't done this yet, although he has just bought a Pioneer unit yesterday.
The correct cables are, he tells me, available from InCarTec so should be plug and play.

Anaconda, when I looked there were no suitable aftermarket cables to connect the pre-amplifier aftermarket radio rca / phono output plugs to the d2s din plugs to the d2s amplifier inputs.
The din - din connectors are only suitable for a D2 base model without the separate amplifier.

Paul

Pawl said:

Anaconda, when I looked there were no suitable aftermarket cables to connect the pre-amplifier aftermarket radio rca / phono output plugs to the d2s din plugs to the d2s amplifier inputs.
The din - din connectors are only suitable for a D2 base model without the separate amplifier.

Paul

Click to expand...

That's what I thought but another D2 owner with exactly the same original system has fitted the same head unit with the cables from InCarTec and works perfectly, including the steering wheel controls.

Pawl said:

Most of the wiring is fairly straight forward - just making sure you match the correct wires up - "simples" .

The new head unit wiring is all clearly labelled, so you then have to get the wiring diagram for your car set-up (Harmon Kardon is slightly different to Lear I think) & work out the wires in the car loom for :
- switching the amplifier on,
- powering the aerial amplifiers
- connecting to the steering column volume switches
- Permanent Live &
- ignition controlled Live

The biggest issue is when people with the amplified Harmon Kardon or Lear set-ups by mistake connect the ISO plugs from the new head unit straight to the ISO sockets from the car & wonder why they get incredible amounts of speaker hissing & have to turn the volume right down.
This does not work properly because the Head unit amplified output is being fed via the ISO plugs into the car amplifier & is just to too loud & causes the background hiss at low volumes to be amplified.
To make things work correctly, you have to connect the head unit RCA (Phono) plug outputs (ie the output that isn't amplified) to the cars ISO inputs via a specially made adapter lead OR by cutting into either the car loom OR the head unit loom.
Unfortunately I never found a pre-made loom for this task on-line anywhere, so I made a customer adapter loom - but the extra plugs & wiring make fitting the radio back into the car quite hard (best suited to a hot day - lol).

I've now bought a "spare" head unit loom from XTRONS so that I can cut the RCA / Phono plugs off & solder the wires directly into some spare ISO sockets I have - removing the need for the extra RCA - ISO adapter lead I made. Leaving the car wiring still as factory.
If I have to take the radio out again (maybe to add a DAB radio module) I'll replace the standard head unit loom & "special adapter lead for the modified XTRONS lead - making it easier to re-fit.

I could have cut-up the originally suppled XTRONS lead, but it would make the unit very hard to sell if I ever wanted to get rid of it.

Click to expand...

Hi ya, bit of a thread revival going on from me. D2 with Philips HL audio set up, I tried this Kenwood HU & it all works great but as you say volume being amplified twice, it's LOUD but don't get any interference. From the pics could you tell me what I need to cut/splice & where to connect please (pin no's etc)? (don't want to cut the trucks loom) I have a spare loom for the Kenwood so can experiment.
Many thanks in advance.

I don't understand what you're asking ?
You've said you've got it working already and you've got all the wiring diagrams identifying the relevant connections on the D2 and the Kenwood.

Pawl said:

I don't understand what you're asking ?
You've said you've got it working already and you've got all the wiring diagrams identifying the relevant connections on the D2 and the Kenwood.

Click to expand...

Hi, perhaps I misread/understood when you said " the biggest issue is when people with the HK or Lear set-ups plug the iso connectors from the new HU's straight into the trucks loom & wonder why they get incredible volume" + the 'specially' made loom from the non amplified RCA's you mention. On mine the volume is loud (only 3 or 4 is ample). My questions are
1) what wire(s) do I cut on the HU's iso connector to stop HU's amplifier signal being sent to the Lear amp ?
2) once I've plugged an RCA lead in the HU's RCA outs & after cutting the RCA plugs off the others end (which is where I presume the 'special' lead bit comes in) which wire(s)/pins do I connect the other end of the said special lead into (as I'm not sure despite having the diagrams) ?
Hope that's as clear as mud .

Pawl said:

A few months ago I fitted an an XTRONS DQS112L head unit with 10" screen Android operating system & Android Auto / Apple car play, Bluetooth, screen mirroring & reversing camera (camera was extra)
Definitely not as cheap as some Chinese units.
Cost just over £300 in 1 of their relatively frequent 20% off sale via their UK website. Register first & wait for the email offers to arrive !
Unit looks great & seems to work really well.
View attachment 300878
Its a single DIN unit, so fits into the standard radio slot after changing the metal cage.
Screen is fixed, but can be set at different heights & vertical angles to optimise viewing.
The 10" screen is slightly forward of the dash & partially in front of the centre vents - but not far enough to cause any problems with access or use of the vents.
Android Auto & screen mirroring are via wired connection to the phone which is a slight pain (Apple Carplay is allegedly wireless or wired)
Sound quality is great - even using all the standard D2 Hi Line speakers (& standard Lear Amplifier). Its more than loud enough as well !
You can add a separate USB connected dongle for DAB (or TV if you want) - which I might add now I know it all works well.
I've added a reversing camera too - with separate control switch so I can use it when I want.
Camera image is great (much better than my Range Rover !)

Biggest installation issue (manageable if you're OK with a soldering iron ) was creating a special adapter lead to connect from the Head Units RCA pre-Amp outputs to the Disco's standard ISO 8 pin speaker input connector. If you're willing to cut & solder the Head Unit or Discos wiring loom, this wouldn't have been needed.
I did initially try connecting the Head Units (full power) ISO 8 pin speaker connection directly to the cars ISO connector, but although it worked, the much higher input into the D2s amplifier meant the volume control had to be almost off to get the actual volume down to an acceptable level & much worse was a totally unacceptable "Hissing" sound at all volumes.

I have used My TomTom Go SatNav app from my Android phone via Android Auto & it looks good - although has some bast***dised functionality caused by Google limiting access to my favorite "My Places" (Google won't allow access to more than 5 favorite locations as you'll be too distracted )
Being a full Android based device you can add whatever Apps you like - NOT limited by Android Auto !

PS Should also have added that connecting up to the steering wheel remote controls was easy & has gained more extra functions such as quick access to phone or voice controls without needing to operate the Head Unit itself.

If anyone's interested I can provide more info.

Click to expand...

This is a great review and one that helped my purchase my xtrons unit. My one issue though is I can't seem to get the steering wheel controls to work.
I have tested to make sure they are sending signals via the multimeter but when connecting up the wires it doesn't give me the option to store in the different functions.
Any help you can provide on this would be awesome.
Cheers.
Marc.