It should not be rocket science. All the X-3 does is intercept the audio lines and route them through the switcher. Since they don't try to intercept the control signals, as long as they get the pinouts right it's good to go.

 

Excellent. I'm looking forward to a review, mppkll. You should take lots of pictures of the install procedure, so that we can all see how its done.

 

It's not a PIE, but I thought I'd share my iPod installation experience since it may be of interest to somebody. I have the standard in-dash 6-CD changer, not the MACH system or Nav system, and I did it all myself.

The first thing I tried was the Neo iOn found on mp3yourcar.com. I confirmed with them that it should work and they have a return policy in place in case it doesn't. The iOn plugs into the CD-changer port. Being the base model with the changer built-in, my concern was that there wouldn't even be an external changer port. Well, there was and it plugged right in. Problem was that the head unit wouldn't switch over to the external source. The port is there, but it doesn't seem to be active. Return the iOn for a refund.

Next step down. FM Modulator. I got the Farenheit EFM-01 Phase Lock Loop FM Modulator. It offers 8 frequencies to choose from (important because I'm in NYC) and has an adjustable gain control. The modulator does basically hijack the frequency, but if there's a really strong signal, it can interfere. Found the best freq. - only two of the eight didn't have broadcasts on them - hooked it up and it sounds great!

I added to that a Belkin Auto Kit which connects to the dock connector. It uses line-out for audio and has a built-in adjustable amp so I can match the level of the radio and CD. It plugs into the cigarette lighter so it charges as well. I used the "lighter" plug to the right of the A/C dials rather than the one on the center console since the center console plug is constant power and the other is switched. Wires disappear right in between the panels below the plug and the dock connector pokes right out the left air vent where the iPod is mounted with the very nice ProClip vehicle mount and padded swiveling iPod holder. One other nice feature of the Belkin unit is that when you turn off the ignition, it automatically pauses the iPod.

It's quite a nice install (better than I expected actually) and I'm really pleased with both the aesthetics and the sound quality. Some people have ground loop noise problems with the Belkin Auto Kit, but luckily I experience none of that. It may have something to do with my using the Monster iCable, but I think it's more to do with the fact that I made sure to ground everything properly.

Now, with 40GB of tunes, I'm gonna need a really long road trip!

 

Randykato:

Your set up sounds good, but you are compressing the dynamic range of the audio to fit the signal into the FM channel bandwidth (as do all FM transmitters/converters). The PIE system is sending a Line-level audio signal into the inputs provided for the CD changer thus provideing a much cleaner signal with greater dynamic range. Although a car is not the best listening enviornment and it is truely not that much different, it would bug me to use FM.

In the case of the iOn system you tried to use, it would, because you don't have an external CD changer, have to emulate the control signal from/to the CD changer. You can't just put an audio signal on the input without the control signal because the headunit will think there is no CD changer and won't select that input. There are "CD aux emulaters" that do this and work with the standard Ford headunits.

In my case I have a CD changer already, so all the PIE X-3 does is switch the audio input from the CD changer to whatever I have hooked up, but leaves the control lines to/from the CD changer alone, so the headunit still thinks its connected to the CD changer. The only draw back is there has to be a CD in for the changer to play otherwise the headunit will not switch to the changer inputs and displays "No CD".

gbl102:

I will take pictures! I also have pictures of a simaler setup I installed in my '03 Honda Civic Hybrid (before I traded it for the FEH), I think I'll post them on the Honda Civic section.

 

If you want to go the FM transmitter route, I found DLO's TransPod to be the best by far. Monster's FM/charger cable had way too much noise and was subject to fading, plus I had to deal with a wire and some way to hold my iPod. The TransPod fits nicely in my FEH, as the attached photo shows.

 

Well, I ordered a Bltizsafe unit (also from at LogJam) insted of the PIE X-3 because the X-3 was backordered and the Blitzsafe allows you to select the aux input from the Headunit and still allows the CD changer to operate. You press > then < and the display should go to Disc 1 Track 99 and give you aux input. Pressing > again retuns to normal CD input. I got the unit in the mail today so I am going to install when I get home from work and I'll let you know if it works.

 

Good News and Bad News.

Good News: the BlitzSafe unit does work

Bad News: it does not work well.

I installed the unit and hooked up my mp3 player and presessed > < and it did switch over and I heard the mp3 players audio. When I tried to switch back to CD, found out 3 things that will make this unit annoying:

1. you have to press > < several time and get it just right to switch back to CD (but it will switch to AUX the first time).

2. the unit starts up with the AUX input selected every time. It does not keep the last setting when powered off.

3. it switches back to AUX when my phone car kit mutes the system. i.e. when I end a call I get the AUX input even if CD was playing when I started the call.

I'm not sure I'm going to keep this unit, I'll have to play with it a few days and I'm going to call BlitzSafe to see if there is anything I can do to improve things.

Anyway, I did take some pictures that I will post later after I shirnk thier size, each file is about 3.5MB so I don't want to upload that much.

 

Mike,

Couple of questions:

What audio system do you have? Is it the in-dash GPS/external 6-disc changer?

Does a CD need to be spinning in the external changer for the BlitzSafe to operate?

Will BlitzSafe work with the factory in-dash GPS system?

 

I have the Visteon Hybrid Navigantion Headunit with the external CDDJ (that's Ford for CD Changer) under the passenger seat. The CDDJ unit has a 12 pin interface connector.

The BlitzSafe plugs inbetween the CDDJ and the headunit. You just unplug the cable from the CDDJ pug in the BlitzSafe then plug the cable from the headunit into the BlitzSafe. Connect the MP3 player to the two RCA jacks.

While using the BlitzSafe the CDDJ stays in its last state. i.e. if a CD was playing the CD continues to spin. if it was stopped is stays stopped.

I don't know if the BlitzSafe will work with the In-Dash 6 CD changer or not. If by In-Dash GPS you mean the Hybrid Navigantion system, that is the system I'm working with.


Also, I am not having good luck with this! It is very hard to get the unit to switch back to the CDDJ and I get alot of error messages with it (i.e. "CDDJ ACM Bus error" and "No Disk 5") so I would not call this a viable solution.

 

Thanks, Mike.

Just to be clear on this, must a CD be in the external CDDJ for the BlitzSafe to work? Have you tried it with no CD in that external changer?

Also, what is the part number on the BlitzSafe? Their Web site does not list a model for the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid.

I have the same setup you have: external CDDJ and Hybrid Navigation system.