holdenvyvzheadunit(withipodinterface)ins

Holden VY/VZ head unit (with iPod interface) installation

instructions

author: Vlad Apostolov

email: udc.aus@gmail.com

Melbourne, Australia 2009

Version 1.3

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Disclaimer

The installation of the iPod interface kit is a complex procedure and carries potential risk of damaging your audio head unit as well as the iPod interface. All necessary measures to prevent electrostatic damage to the sensitive components comprising the kit and the head unit should be taken.

All iPod interface boards manufactured by Unique Design Concepts have passed testing before shipment.

Unique Design Concepts does not assume any responsibility if the kit does not function as anticipated in your car. It is the responsibility of the person installing the kit to ensure that all steps of the installation process are carried out with utmost care and all necessary precautions are taken to ensure that the car, the head unit, and the iPod interface are not damaged.

Unique Design Concepts does not assume any responsibility and liability for damages and side effects to the car or personal injuries in the process of installing and using the iPod interface kit.

Unique Design Concepts reserves the rights to change the kit and the installation instructions document at any time without prior notification. The document is prepared with every intention to be correct, but it is not guaranteed to be free of errors.

The iPod interface kit is designed to provide seamless integration with the factory head unit. Although it is extensively tested, it is not guaranteed to be bug free. There could be operational scenarios when the interface may not behave as expected.

Sales inquiries and technical support

For sales inquiries and technical support please email to udc.aus@gmail.com

Getting started

The modified head unit (with the iPod interface inside) is shown on Figure 1. The iPod cable has to be run through the head unit enclosure shown on Figure 7. Because the iPod connector (circled in red on Figure 1) is too big to pass through the head unit enclosure, the enclosure needs to be modified slightly. First, the glove box needs to be detached.

Figure 1

Detaching the glove box

The glove box (Figure 2) can be detached without tools.

Figure 2

Fully open the glove box as shown on Figure 3.

Figure 3

Push the two rubber stoppers inwards (circled in yellow on Figure 4). Push the glove box further down. Note the gap circled in red on Figure 4.

Figure 7

The corner of the enclosure circled in red (Figure 7) needs to be opened slightly to allow the iPod cable connector to pass through.

Figure 10

Figure 11

Pull out the iPod connector from the glove box area circled in yellow on Figure 12.

Figure 12

Route the iPod cable under the metal arm circled in red on Figure 13. This way, the glove box will not damage the iPod cable when it opens and closes.

Figure 13

Route the iPod cable under the plastics and the cable loom as shown on Figure 14.

Figure 14

Routing the iPod cable to the driver seat side 

From the driver side (where the brake and accelerator pedals are), insert a semi-flexible rod (coat hanger wire is suitable) through the area circled in yellow on Figure 15.

Figure 15

Figure 16 shows where the rod should appear in the glove box area.

Figure 16

Wind the iPod connector around the rod end with electrical tape as shown on Figure 17 and Figure 18.

Figure 17

Figure 18

Pull the other end of the rod from the driver’s side as shown on Figure 19 and Figure 20.

Figure 19

Figure 20

Unwind the iPod cable from the rod. The iPod cable is now ready to be routed to the storage compartment between the two front seats (Figure 21).

Figure 21

Routing the iPod cable through the storage compartment between the two front seats

Next the iPod connector part of the cable needs to be routed through the storage compartment between the two front seats. Figure 22 shows the lamp hole of the compartment (circled in red) where the cable will pass through.

Figure 22

If the storage compartment has the lamp installed, it should be removed with the help of a screwdriver as shown on Figure 23.

Figure 23

Figure 24 shows the detached lamp.

Figure 24

A small hole needs to be cut somewhere in the plastic (example circled in red on Figure 25) for the iPod cable to pass through.

Figure 25

Figure 26 shows a compartment without a lamp. Insert the rod as shown on Figure 26.

Figure 31

Inserting the head unit in the enclosure

Pull out the cable end (circled in red on Figure 32) while inserting the head unit in the enclosure.

Figure 32

Pull the cable from the pedal side until the cable loop shrinks as shown on Figure 33.

Important: Always leave a cable loop as shown on Figure 33 in case the head unit has to be removed again.

Figure 33

Hide the cable loop shown on Figure 33 under the plastics (glove box side). Hide the cable under the plastics shown on Figure 34 (driver seat side).

Figure 34

Connecting iPod to the iPod interface cable

Turn ON the car ignition and switch ON the head unit. Wait until the CD stacker loads all CDs. Plug the iPod to the iPod cable connector as shown on Figure 35. The iPod should start playing.

Figure 35

If you have a bigger size iPod remove the coin tray as shown on Figure 36.

Figure 36

Figure 37 shows how a bigger size iPod fits without the coin tray. Note how the iPod displays the user interface. In this mode the iPod could be controlled from its own buttons but the head unit would not display song, album, artist and play time information.

Figure 37

Figure 38 shows the iPod operating in Advanced Remote Mode (tick in the middle of the screen). This mode of operation is selected by pressing the head unit button 6. In this mode of operation the head unit LCD displays the iPod song, album, artist and play time. Also, in this mode the iPod could not be controlled via its own buttons. It still can be fully controlled via the head unit buttons though.

Figure 38

Figure 39 shows an iPhone that has just been connected to the iPod interface cable. If YES is selected, the iPhone could not be used as a phone while playing through the head unit. Selecting NO keeps the phone function operating as per normal.

Figure 39

Figure 40 shows the battery charging icon on the iPhone, which is displayed when the iPhone requires initial password. It is not necessary to enter the password for the iPhone to play through the head unit.

Figure 40

Connecting third party MP3 players to the iPod interface

Third party MP3 players could be connected to the iPod interface through a SoundDock adapter cable (not provided), which could be purchased from here:

http://www.cablejive.com/sounddockcable.html

Figure 41 shows an MP3 player connected via its headphone connector and a SoundDock cable to the iPod interface.

Figure 41

Figure 42 shows an iPhone connected via its headphone connector and a SoundDock cable to the iPod interface. 

Figure 42

The head unit displays MP3 as shown on Figure 43 (with radio clock) and Figure 44 (with no clock).

Figure 43

Figure 44

In this mode of operation the CD head unit button is used to toggle between a MP3 and a CD player. The head unit and steering wheel sound controls (volume, mute, equalizer etc.) work as normal with the MP3. There are no other controls and the MP3 player is not being charged. 

To connect RCA output type audio devices use a SoundDock to RCA cable adapter (not provided), which is available from: 

http://www.cablejive.com/sounddockcable.html

Figure 45 shows how the RCA adapter and SoundDock cables are connected to the iPod interface.

Figure 45

Using the iPod interface

The following video demonstrates how the iPod interface works: