Hi guys,

Ok. So I've got an interface cable for my Mazda MX5 BOSE amp that will let me rip out the factory supplied unit without cutting. I've also ordered a double DIN adapter and I'm more or less ready to try installing this thing (and then harass Rob when I fail).

But, I still need to figure out the steering wheel controls. I expect I need Mark to reply here. Hussein and I discussed the interface and came to the following conclusions:

*). The interface is known to require Sony.
*). Various adapters are available, but few for Sony interfaes seem to be available for 2006+ MX5s.

Therefore, the idea is to hook up a ohmmeter to the steering control cables and see what resistance levels are being set. Then this needs to be adjusted to what the empeg expects. Except, there's an idea that Mark's ir filter module might actually be able to adjust these aswell as IR signals. Is this true? If so, how do I (in general) change the resistance values that the empeg is looking for on those steering control inputs?

Jon.

btw, mostly for Hussein's benefit, Crutchfield seems to be the site to go to in the US - rather than $60 for the plastic double DIN, I just got one for $25 including delivery charges

Assuming the controls do work by resistance (they don't necessarily work by resitance), then yes.



Details of the stalk interface IR codes generated here.

Use the the hijack feature that shows the codes on the screen when you press the buttons. I forget the name of this feature, but I think it was on the hijack main menu on the player.

If the codes showing on the screen don't match what the stalk interface list above says they should be, then see if you can get IR_Translate to work for you. I don't recall if it could work, but it's worth futzing with. Details of using the IR_Translate feature of Hijack are here.

Anyone know if that last thing will work? I don't remember.

Yeah, that's the right idea.

First, Jon has to probe the interface lines to verify that they really are just resistances rather than active volatages/currents.

Then hook them up correctly, and use the Hijack Menu feature for Button Code Display and see if they generate resistances within the acceptable range of the empeg tuner hardware -- eg. each button gives a significantly different value on the display.

If yes, write down the numbers and create a big ir_translate entry with them in the config.ini file.

If no, then some hardware hackery is required.

Cheers

It works fine -- I use ir_translate with my stock Ford Focus stalk controls.

Mark, I've found the ir_translate settings for regular IR inputs, but how does one express ohm values in that table?

My plan is to hack up the connector that I have here to add a few pins for the steering controls...I just need to find small enough metal pins to add to it. But first I'll measure and check it's purely resistive in the MX5. We think that it is.

Oh also, anyone know the difference between US/Europe antenna connectors? I've got an non-official tuner module (I guess one of Patrick's designs) that came with this empeg. I assume it's a US style connector - tuner came from an Australian ebay user - but I would like to confirm this before I take the car apart.

http://empeg-hijack.sourceforge.net/stalk.html

There is no need/use for the ohms values. Instead, base the settings on the mid-points between successive button codes shown on the Button Code Display page.

US connectors are long clumsy things, whereas I believe the European style are short, stubby, but more fragile.

The factory tuner (below) has a euro socket, which won't mate with the US style antenna plug shown below it.

Patrick's tuners typically shipped with a US style socket -- a longish black tube thing (on a short length of coax), into which the US style plug gets completely inserted.

Here's another photo, showing the adapter used to convert a US style antenna (with plug) to a euro style socket on a factory tuner. I have broken several of these adapters -- they do seem somewhat fragile.

My Mazda, and so I expect yours too has a 'DIN' male antenna plug which would look like this (the bottom one). So, you need the female end (top one) on the end of your PCATS Tuner:

lol, thats what I get for trying to post and do work at the same time, major lag!

By the way, the system in my picture above is 'DIN', and the other system being called 'euro' which you can see in Mark's pictures (on the factory tuner) is called 'ISO'.

Thanks for that link, Mark! I've updated the relevant FAQ entry.