Hack: Hook your Axim directly to a Pioneer Head Unit (for free! or cheap!)

07-07-05, 07:16 AM

If you have a pioneer head-unit that does not have an auxillary port in the form of RCA jacks, you can build yourself a connector cable to port the audio from your Axim (or mp3 player) directly into your pioneer head-unit's IP-BUS Auxillary port (typically used for CD-Changers etc).

I found a really great article online on how to build an RCA to IP-BUS connector:
http://www.gutterslide.com/ip-bus_hack/

I used two sets of CD-ROM Drive audio cables to make my connectors. I moved the pins about in the connectors to the proper configuration, then chopped off the remaining empty slots to downsize them. I then connected them to an RCA cable I had laying around and used an RCA interconnector I had laying around also to make an RCA reciver cable.

I then used a 3.5mm to RCA cable (also laying around) to make the final tie-in to my Axim. Took me a few tries to get the pinnouts correct since the diagram on the page above is in reverse (look closely at the pictures below instead), but once I got it right the axim was boomin!

Hope this comes in helpful to others with slightly older pioneer head units and some willingness to try out a nifty hack.

Skorpyo

ErikB · 07-08-05, 04:02 AM

Hi,

there is even something better.... :)
You might can control your Axim with the Pioneer HU as well.
And the HU can display the name of the tracks (or something else)

Some time ago I found this page:
http://www.vitat.spb.ru/eng/index.php?L1=ip-bus

With that information I connected my Car-PC (which is basically a normal PC) to my Pioneer HU. Now the HU can control WinAMP.

The interface on that website uses RS232 to "talk" to the HU.
And the Axim got RS232 as well....
So it should be possible to do the same with the Axim.

Cheers
Erik

stevenator65 · 07-08-05, 02:33 PM

I think hacks and mods are cool as heck. These are 2 great posts. I think we should have a forum just for stuff like this. Nice job.

higgalls · 08-27-07, 03:53 AM

Hey,

Does anyone know how to hook up a Dell Axim x51v to a Pioneer Headunit via the IP-Bus? Is there some cable I can make? I don't have much money to buy a connector at this stage, so want to make one.

Cheers,
Chris

mkss55442 · 08-27-07, 10:02 AM

The link in the first post seems cheap enough if not free. The go to Radio Shack and buy a 3.5mm to RCA cable.

higgalls · 08-27-07, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by mkss55442

The link in the first post seems cheap enough if not free. The go to Radio Shack and buy a 3.5mm to RCA cable.

Hey,

Sorry - I should have been a bit clearer.

I want to be able to control my PDA audio through my head unit, rather than just transfering sound. The head unit already has a Aux In on the front.
It is a Pioneer Head unit with an IP-Bus.

Cheers,
Chris

spud42 · 08-28-07, 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by Skorpyo

If you have a pioneer head-unit that does not have an auxillary port in the form of RCA jacks, you can build yourself a connector cable to port the audio from your Axim (or mp3 player) directly into your pioneer head-unit's IP-BUS Auxillary port (typically used for CD-Changers etc).

I found a really great article online on how to build an RCA to IP-BUS connector:
http://www.gutterslide.com/ip-bus_hack/

I used two sets of CD-ROM Drive audio cables to make my connectors. I moved the pins about in the connectors to the proper configuration, then chopped off the remaining empty slots to downsize them. I then connected them to an RCA cable I had laying around and used an RCA interconnector I had laying around also to make an RCA reciver cable.

I then used a 3.5mm to RCA cable (also laying around) to make the final tie-in to my Axim. Took me a few tries to get the pinnouts correct since the diagram on the page above is in reverse (look closely at the pictures below instead), but once I got it right the axim was boomin!

Hope this comes in helpful to others with slightly older pioneer head units and some willingness to try out a nifty hack.

Skorpyo

wow.. we did this at mp3car.com way back in 1999 or so.... been using it with a car comp and now my 4700 for 8 years now...

Quick Questin Guys (Pioneer Aux) - MP3Car.com

theres a link to some pictures from mp3car.com... it should help you . all you need is an old ipbus cable and cut it for the connector and add either rca or a 3.5mm jack......