Clarion Head Unit LCD Screen

[p38arover]

Well, I can now read the screen once more on my Clarion radio. I bought a new LCD from Clarion and fitted it tonight.

The screen was only $23. I also bought a full set of bulbs for the front panel and new green lamp covers. Total cost $53 including shipping. (I've seen ads on eBay wanting GBP40 for the screen alone so someone is making a fair cop out of it.

It's not a job I recommend for non-electronic types. The front panel PCB could be easily damaged.

Tomorrow's job: To make up a cable to connect the iPod into the CD stacker input - I can live without the stacker in exchange for the iPod.

[Scouse]

Good going Ron.

Now I'll just duck over to read your latest post in the 'faulty goods' thread .

[p38arover]

Mongrel!










I should be safe. I bought a cable from the USA to connect the iPod to the Clarion - they sent the wrong one.

[Scouse]

I should be safe. I bought a cable from the USA to connect the iPod to the Clarion - they sent the wrong one.

That's old news Ron. We want to know what happened this week .

[p38arover]

A an ex-colleague from OTC needed a slide scanner. Our local shop had one left so we bought it for him.

He asked "Has Ron touched this?"

[Hoges]

Quote "Tomorrow's job: To make up a cable to connect the iPod into the CD stacker input - I can live without the stacker in exchange for the iPod."

Hi Ron, I went to Jaycar - bought a $16 cassette attachment thingo...slipped it in the deck and connected to iPod...brilliant... just had to reset (increase) the iPod volume output however... just a thought!
cheers

Hoges

[p38arover]

Yep, been there done that. It failed shortly after.

[ytt105]

Ron

Let us all know you go with the aux input to the CD. I've given up getting it to work. Went to an FM transmitter thing. It works OK but not brilliant

[PaulP38a]

Guys, having tried the FM transmitter and cassette adapter in the past, I cannot go past having a stereo with a purpose-built iPod connection...

The cassette adapter is clunky and will play whatever sound is output from the device in a hissy-analogue sound... anyone remember the HP iPaq? I thought it was the bees knees in circa 2002 and could fit around 3 CD's worth of music on it. It had a 3.5mm headphone adapter and worked ok with the cassette adapter, except I had to set up the playlist before driving 'coz navigating the WM Player was too difficult while driving.

Then I tried the FM transmitter for the iPod... not as difficult as the iPaq to navigate while driving but still a dangerous distraction. Biggest downside of the FM transmitter was that I had to change frequencies at least 4 times driving between Canberra and Sydney, and the sound quality was variable.

Then I bought my first iPod-integrated car stereo and have never looked back... the iPod lives out of sight in the glovebox and all control is done through the stereo head unit - playlists, artists, albums etc all accessible through the stereo controls. Oh, and make sure the iPod adapter recharges the iPod while it plays...

Now, all three of my cars have iPod integrated stereos 'coz anything less is not worth the hassle.

Sure, it doesn't look like the stock B&O or Clarion head unit but you gotta admit those are a pretty ordinary looking head decks anyway... get something in black and modify the button colours to your liking... the 80s/90's are over and cassette units are obselete Audio CD's and stackers don't hold enough data/music any more

What I like most about having the iPod in the car is that I dump a (large) variety of favourite music, from Nina Simone and Frank Sinatra through to Nine Inch Nails and Metallica, and then just leave the iPod on random. Much like having a radio station except that there are no ads and I only hear the music that I like

Cheers, Paul.

[p38arover]

I agree that a new stereo would be best but I'm (a) obstinate, (b) cheap, and (c) I like the steering wheel controls. I don't want to throw away a perfectly good radio. I don't really care if the CD works or not.

I've been doing a lot of searching and there is nothing available in order to use the CD input on the Clarion head unit. Certainly the advertised cables on eBay will not work. Some mods on the 'Net say to short pins 5 and 9 on the 13-pin DIN C-Bus connector to switch the head unit to ACCS (Accessory). That won't work with the Clarion in the P38A. Pins 5 and 9 are not connected (I traced them out on the printed circuit board).

There is a way to fool the C-Bus system on the Clarion. One splices into the CD changer cable for a switched feed from the MP3 player. But for this to work, you need a CD playing in the player.