I recently posted a thread on my install of the Dension 500 and BTA 1500. It all went smooth and without problems. What I didn't post was the XM radio install and that is what this post is about. One very cool thing about this, is that GW500 is going to provide a new release to play artist+track on the head unit for the iPhone. I think that's spectacular and it's because of this site.
On to the XM XpressRC unit... I have 2 problems
1) No sound through the RCA aux in port on the Dension 500
2) (may be related) I'm not sure if I actually turned on the AUX in port.
I chose to use the mini-plug->rca with an rca extension cable to the aux in from the Dension 500 unit. I can't get the sound through the AUX IN port. I can get sound via the FM modulation mode and it actually sounds better than I thought. The unit chose 88.3Mhz, but I noticed the higher the frequency tune, the better the sound. Right now I'm listening to it at 103.9 and it sounds OK. Considering how loud it is in the car + the sucky sucky long time Bose speakers, I could have actually stopped there. But I want the highest quality.
My initial thoughts are that the 6' RCA Extension cable PLUS the 3' mini -> RCA cable is too much of a load. Below is the configuration:
XpessRC->mini plug-> Y (3') -> male to male RCE (1 inch) -> RCA cable (6') -> Dension 500
You would think that 9' of cable would be plenty of length, but from where it's installed to the AUX in, there is literally no slop. Oh yeah. I lied
The RCA cable is actually a Y G R video cable that I wanted to use since it looked beefier and lower resistance (at the expense of much more capacitance). I have verified the connections multiple times. That is not the issue.
On to the Dension AUX in...
I press 6, then menu, then select AUX GW. I cant get it to stay to AUX GW. After a few minutes it reverts back to the normal "park" in Disc 5 iPod UI mode. Normally (from what I understand) I'm supposed to press FF (number 6) after AUX GW mode. Although it wont stay in that mode. It might be that the signal is so degraded, that the absense of the signal wont let the AUX GW mode to actually turn on.
One other issue (related). I simply haven't figured out the secret decoder sequence of buttons to press to go from USB (listening to USB) to the AUX GW mode. It seems that the only other option it gives me is the bluetooth audio. The only way I can get it to display the AUX GW mode is to plug in the iPhone, and then 6, then menu, the select. That seems rather a long way. There should be a direct USB to AUG GW without plugging the iPhone in. OK, I've attached some pics. I have a virtual "snake" of wires that goes through the firewall. All of it is wire-tied. Check out the XM antenna location behing the battery. Great reception...Even in my garage!!!
Wires in the "snake":
pwr/gnd for the Dension 500 (went to fuse block)
RCA 3-wire (goes to XM. Only uses 2 wires)
XM antenna
Microphone (used for BTA 1500)
USB for Dension (Extension cable)
iPhone connector (Extension cable)
Thanks in advance!!
-Ed
Just to verify, have you tried plugging in your iPod via the headphone jack to the aux port and seeing if you have sound?
I've used a 3 meter miniplug > rca cable with no issues with a sirius receiver and an iPod with no issues... the aux port doesn't have to be turned on; but you can either switch to it from the cd-6 menu or you can just unplug the ipod and any other devices and it will automatically go to it.
Is it possible that you haven't pressed the ">" button long enough to get the FastForward functionality?
What you wrote is very weird. Of course you can select any source after any source.
