DJ Qube's top secret audio control mod finally unveiled!
06-10-2002, 07:01 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
DJ Qube's top secret audio control mod finally unveiled!
I picked up an Alpine 7995 recently, and of course, lost the dash control functionality. I could have ordered the PAC module, but I'd only have 5 remote control functions available (audio mode, CH, MUTE, Vol Up, Vol Down). However, the 7995 remote has 14 functions.
S2000 Dash Controls (only 5 functions)
7995 Remote Control (14 functions)
Well, I figured out that I only really wanted to use about 8 of the 14 functions, so I needed 3 more buttons on the s2000 dash control. I decided to change the pushbutton Audio Control MODE Push button into a 4-way "hat switch" button, like on a joystick
Okay, let's go!
Step 1 - pull the circuit board from the aftermarket head unit remote control. Map out the connections to see how many signals they are using to correspond to the buttons. In my example, 8 signals are used to denote 14 separate buttons.
Button 1 push = connection between signals A and B
Button 2 push = connection between signals A and C
Button 3 push = connection between signals B and C
etc.
So the key here is 8 connections. I picked up some Mac cable at Fry's electonics that has 8 different wires in it.
Step 2 - Splice the cable and solder each color-coded cable to the connections on the circuit board of the remote control
Step 3 - Unsolder the infrared LED from the remote control circuit board and solder in some kind of 2-connection wire to extend it (I used an RCA cable). You will need enough cable to go from the audio controls to the left of the steering wheel to the head unit.
S2000 Dash Controls (only 5 functions)
7995 Remote Control (14 functions)
Well, I figured out that I only really wanted to use about 8 of the 14 functions, so I needed 3 more buttons on the s2000 dash control. I decided to change the pushbutton Audio Control MODE Push button into a 4-way "hat switch" button, like on a joystick
Okay, let's go!
Step 1 - pull the circuit board from the aftermarket head unit remote control. Map out the connections to see how many signals they are using to correspond to the buttons. In my example, 8 signals are used to denote 14 separate buttons.
Button 1 push = connection between signals A and B
Button 2 push = connection between signals A and C
Button 3 push = connection between signals B and C
etc.
So the key here is 8 connections. I picked up some Mac cable at Fry's electonics that has 8 different wires in it.
Step 2 - Splice the cable and solder each color-coded cable to the connections on the circuit board of the remote control
Step 3 - Unsolder the infrared LED from the remote control circuit board and solder in some kind of 2-connection wire to extend it (I used an RCA cable). You will need enough cable to go from the audio controls to the left of the steering wheel to the head unit.
06-10-2002, 07:02 PM
#2
Registered User
Thread Starter
Step 4 - Wire the hat switch and switches from the original s2000 audio control circuit board to the corresponding controls on you head unit remote control. Use the other end of the color-coded cable to make it a quick-connect from the s2000 audio controls to the head unit remote control.
Important note on the Joystick Hat Switch - For the way my remote control was created, and probably most others, I could not use a standard hat switch. A standard hat switch has one lead which is common for all directions, plus one unique lead for each unique direction (See below)
"UP" is A+B
"Down" is A+C
"Right" is A+D
"Left" is A+E
This doesn't work with my particular remote because of the way the buttons were mapped on the remote circuit board. I needed a hat switch with 8 distinct leads (2 unique leads for each direction) to avoid creating inadvertend connections between leads. The hat switch from my old Microsoft Sidewinder joystick was perfect.
Joystick Hat Switch from Microsoft Sidewinder Pro joystick
Important note about the S2000 audio control circuit board - I had to "isolate" the connections from the switches from other components on the circuit board, similarly to the hat switch, to avoid creating inadvertent connections between leads. I used a dremel to to scratch the surface of the board around each switch solder location.
S2000 Audio Control circuit board with scratch marks to isolate switch solder points
Notch cut in top right of board to allow clearance for hat switch and hat switch wiring
Leads soldered to board
Step 5 - Do whatever you need to do to fit the hat switch in the right location behind the audio control interface. My hat switch required an insane amount of Dremeling, gouging, cutting, scraping, sanding, and gluing in order to make it fit perfectly. But in the end, it worked out and looks totally stock.
Solder all appropriate connection to the other side of the cable that plugs into to the remote control and reassemble the audio control box.
Important note on the Joystick Hat Switch - For the way my remote control was created, and probably most others, I could not use a standard hat switch. A standard hat switch has one lead which is common for all directions, plus one unique lead for each unique direction (See below)
"UP" is A+B
"Down" is A+C
"Right" is A+D
"Left" is A+E
This doesn't work with my particular remote because of the way the buttons were mapped on the remote circuit board. I needed a hat switch with 8 distinct leads (2 unique leads for each direction) to avoid creating inadvertend connections between leads. The hat switch from my old Microsoft Sidewinder joystick was perfect.
Joystick Hat Switch from Microsoft Sidewinder Pro joystick
Important note about the S2000 audio control circuit board - I had to "isolate" the connections from the switches from other components on the circuit board, similarly to the hat switch, to avoid creating inadvertent connections between leads. I used a dremel to to scratch the surface of the board around each switch solder location.
S2000 Audio Control circuit board with scratch marks to isolate switch solder points
Notch cut in top right of board to allow clearance for hat switch and hat switch wiring
Leads soldered to board
Step 5 - Do whatever you need to do to fit the hat switch in the right location behind the audio control interface. My hat switch required an insane amount of Dremeling, gouging, cutting, scraping, sanding, and gluing in order to make it fit perfectly. But in the end, it worked out and looks totally stock.
Solder all appropriate connection to the other side of the cable that plugs into to the remote control and reassemble the audio control box.
06-10-2002, 07:03 PM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Step 6 - Reassemble everything else.
Put the infrared LED in a location where your head unit can receive the signal when the head unit door is open or closed
Here's the end of the hat switch with the button removed
Here's the final result. Looks stock!
Now I can push the button to the right for "Next Song", "Fast Forward", or "Seek Up",
to the left for "Previous Song", "Rewind", or "Seek Down"
up for "MP3 Folder Up" or "Radio Preset Up"...
...and Down for "MP3 Folder Down" or "Radio Preset Down".
The only "negative" result is that I lost the LED from the mute button. It's actually better that way for the head unit I have, because you can get out of mute without pressing mute again. I don't want to have the light on if the radio is not muted.
Enjoy!
Put the infrared LED in a location where your head unit can receive the signal when the head unit door is open or closed
Here's the end of the hat switch with the button removed
Here's the final result. Looks stock!
Now I can push the button to the right for "Next Song", "Fast Forward", or "Seek Up",
to the left for "Previous Song", "Rewind", or "Seek Down"
up for "MP3 Folder Up" or "Radio Preset Up"...
...and Down for "MP3 Folder Down" or "Radio Preset Down".
The only "negative" result is that I lost the LED from the mute button. It's actually better that way for the head unit I have, because you can get out of mute without pressing mute again. I don't want to have the light on if the radio is not muted.
Enjoy!
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06-11-2002, 06:23 AM
#9
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Location: Pottsville
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i always thought that button looked like it should do more...and now it does. That was a fantastic idea...i want to try that with my pioneer unit...i also have a sidewinder at home somewhere that i can use. What a great idea.
Matt
Matt