AUXHOND3 & P.I.E. UNi-POD, Operating Question Options

[Stephen Segari]

Hi all,

I have an '05 Honda Accord Coupe with XM, Navigation, and in-dash 6-disc changer and I am ready to take the next step in connecting my iPod. I've done my research and am prepared to buy the AUXHOND3 & P.I.E. UNi-POD today. I have 2 questions:

1. Does anyone have this combination installed in their Honda and if so, can you let me know how you like it?

2. How does the source switching work on the radio once everything is installed? You know, right now it's Radio, XM, then CD. Will the auxillary input appear when I cycle through the different sources? I haven't been able to find any mention of this anywhere.

Any help you can give me would be great. I'm ready to order today, just want to make sure. Thanks again!

[Logjam Tech Support]

It is probable that because the AUXHOND3 is such a relatively new device, there may not be anyone of the forum that has the AUXHOND3 and UNi-POD combination. We can say that once installed into the applicable vehicle, the AUXHOND3 does add an auxiliary input to the function of the radio without the loss of any of the current radio functions.

[Stephen Segari]

Thanks for your quick response. I figured that not that many people had this combination, but my concern was more about the source switching. Thanks for the helpful information. I'm going to go ahead and order today!

[srizvi1]

Hey Stephen, Can you post your (hopefully) success story once you're done? I have an '04 Accord w/ XM, Navigation, and a honda factory cassette player and my wife just got an '07 Accord w/ XM & Navigation. I've been dying to get just the auxiliary jack installed in both of our cars so we can connect our ipods directly without going through the tape player in my case and the FM modulator in her case.

The thread over here:
http://logjam.d3datasolutions.com/forums/i...;f=7&t=1356

has scared me a little in going through with this though because it seems if you're an '03-'07 Accord w/ Navi owner, you need either the Dealer's help or a Dealer tool to get the Navi out to reach something. At least that's what I'm gathering from my research.

How were you planning on going about this?

Also, I understand what the AuxHonda3 does - but what's the P.I.E. UNi-POD all about?

[Stephen Segari]

I plan on doing the install tomorrow morning so I'll let you know how it goes. I saw that thread you posted a while ago, and I guess all I can say is that I'm goign to go as far as I can and see what I find. It may be a little trickier or require some additional poking around, but I'm confident I'll get it hooked up. I guess we'll see tomorrow!

The P.I.E. UNi-POD connects to the AUXHOND3 (or any rca-inputs) and after wiring it to your car, allows to play and charge your iPod all through one cable.

[Stephen Segari]

I performed the install last Saturday, and everything works but I am having a few issues which I am trying to resolve.

1. The volume of the XM is slightly muted.

2. When CD-C is selected, the audio sounds fine. When XM-1 or XM-2 are selected, you can hear the auxillary audio coming through to that input as well. If the iPod is paused, this is not a problem and all you can hear is the XM. So this is really a usability issue. But I am wondering if this should not be happening at all.

3. The audio is crystal clear when the dash lights are off (the headlight switch is off). As soon as I turn on my parking lights, there is a noticeable buzz when CD-C is selected. I have rewired and troubleshooted as best as I can, and I have tracked down the problem to the wiring harness that came with the AUXHOND3. At first I thought it was the P.I.E. unit causing a ground loop. I purchased the isolator from Radio Shack, but this did not fix the problem. I then removed the P.I.E. from the equation. I still had my buzz on the CD-C input. I disconnected the AUXHOND3 from the wiring harness it came with and the buzz was more prominent. As soon as I removed the harness, the buzzing was gone. Attaching the AUXHOND3 to the harness reduces the buzz, but it is still there and you can hear it. I then took some electrical wire, connected it to the ground wire that is part of the 14-wire plug in the AUXHOND3 harness and grounded that to the chassis of the car. The buzzing went away. But now I have another problem. Because of this ground wire, I am now hearing the "alternator whine" on the CD-C and both XM inputs. I am going to try some different ground points tonight and see if that fixes the problem, but I was wondering if anyone had any other thoughts/ideas. Logjam, could the wiring harness possibly be defective?

[srizvi1]

Hey Stephen,

This is troubling news. I'm still interested in how you got back there to connect the wires and what tools you used to pop the Nav out.

I hope these issues get resolved though because if the ipod isn't working good anyways, might not be even worth trying the install.

[Stephen Segari]

Everything is working, and I couldn't be more happier.

Instead of using the Soundgate AUXHOND3, I requested the HON/AUX DMX V.2X as a replacement because I suspected the AUXHOND3 unit I received was defective. A couple of days ago, I swapped out the units, and it all works like a charm.

I do have to give credit to Logjam for sending me a replacement unit so quickly, and Joe Hobart from Soundgate for even sending me the replacement chip for the AUXHOND3. Unfortunately, I just received the chip today as I've been in and out of the office with Margi Gras down here in New Orleans, so I'm not sure if I'm going to attempt to reinstall the AUXHOND3 unit. Joe, if you would like me to send the chip back to you, please let me know. Logjam, I will be returning back to you the AUXHOND3 unit this weekend.

Thanks again to Logjam and Joe for all your help. Joe, I'm very interested in the new device you are working on mentioned here: Coming Soon Please hit me up when you can offer more details. I'd be interested in purchasing one of these units.

srizvi1, I did not take pictures of the install. Everything is exactly the same except for the radios without nav, except for the location of the 14-pin bus cable the unit plugs into. When you have the cubby underneath the stereo removed, directly to the left and next to the in dash changer you will see the connection you will plug into. If you cut away the foam and electrical tape, you will see a male to female 14-pin connection. Disconnect this, and connect in either the AUXHOND3 or the HON/AUX DMX V.2X. There is not much room to work with so expect your hands to be cramped. I'll try and take a picture of the connection for you this weekend.

[Slick1020]

Try these step by step instructions. This guy didn't have a NAV system but I'm for certain everything is connected in the same spot concerning the Y harness. I have a 2006 Honda Accord Coupe with factory 6 disc changer and factory XM radio.

http://www.beaufordbuddy.com/ipod_install_1.htm

I have the AUXHOND3 and I can only say its the greatest device in the world! I haven't had any problems with the device.

[Slick1020]

There was nothing wrong with your AUXHOND3 dude. You have to turn your interior lights to full bright and the buzz will go away. It sucks having your dash lights a little bright at night but the buzz will go away.

If you have a Honda and you plan to charge your device and listen to music through your AUXHOND3 you will need a ground loop isolator. It makes a huge difference with the buzzing noise you will receive from the cigarette lighter in your car when you are charging your music device. You will only receive the buzz if you are charging your music device through the cigarette lighter.

[Stephen Segari]

My AUXHOND3 unit was indeed defective. Turning my interior lights to full bright would not have been a fix to the problem, but a workaround. Plus, the sound played over my XM, which it should not have been doing. Once I plugged in the HON/AUX DMX V.2X I received as a replacement, everything worked like a charm. Now I'm not knocking Soundgate at all. Joe Hobart worked with me in determining what the problem was, a faulty chip in the device. I definitely love Soundgate products. Going with the HON/AUX DMX V.2X was just a matter of timing. The first one that worked is what i stuck with.

Instead of having to buy a ground loop isolator, I recommend also purchasing the P.I.E. UNi-POD to work with the AUXHOND3 or whatever device you've got. Does everything through the dock connection.

[srizvi1]

Sorry to bring an old thread back from the dead, but I did a search for Accord in these forums, and hadn't seen any new discussion for Accords since June so I thought it'd be ok.

With my recent Eid gift, the latest (2g right?) iPod Touch 32gb, I wanted to try and follow through on this iPod installation that I wanted to do. Again, I have a 2004 Accord EX w/ Nav. I also have a Honda OEM Tape player installed and use my XM. I mainly want a 3.5mm jack so that I Can stop using a cassette adapter, but wouldn't mind having some iPod controls with the factory unit.

So to do this, I would need to get HON/AUX DMX V.2X and the P.I.E. UNi-POD? I know that there's some discussion here for the AUXHOND3, but I don't want to deal with a ground loop isolater or bright interior lights.

Also want to do this in my wife's 2007 Honda Accord EX w/ Nav as well (I'm handing off the 4gb iPod Nano she gave me on Eid a year ago). She doesn't have a tape player and she doesn't have an XM subscription (though she has the capability).

And lastly, I'm not sure if it's ok to post info on competitors or anything, so please delete this if inappropriate, but I Was wondering how the products discussed in here compare to USA Spec? ( http://www.usaspec.com/ipod.html ) I heard about them in another forum.