NB8A ipod interface

[davekmoore]

My recently acquired 98 NB8A has the factory radio/cassette head unit and a 6 CD autochanger in the boot (which is more skippy than Skippy).

What's the best way of making the system capable of interfacing with my ipod, or, in future, with an iphone and/or other MP3 players?

[Regie]

easiest and best way would be to install an ipod ready headunit

[Benny]

I think you'll find that there is an accessory input on the back of the head unit.
It's only a small jack plug, but you can plug your i-pod into it and hear the sound, but you can't control it form the head unit.

If your CD changer is vertically mounted in the boot, try mounting it horizontally, or vice-versa.

It has been know to help out with the skipping.

[Jeo]

I've heard of putting some foam between the cd changer and its mounting points to help stop skipping.

[NMX516]

The suspension settings of the CD stacker can be changed too. There are two orientations, one for vertical mount, and the other for horizontal mount. Mine was fitted as a factory option by the dealer when the car was new, and it was incorrect. Eight years later when I thought how woeful the skipping was, I investigated further and set it to the correct position for vertical mount - made a big difference, but still, stackers aren't the best at bump resistance, especially in a car with "sports" suspension.

[davekmoore]

The suspension settings of the CD stacker can be changed too. There are two orientations, one for vertical mount, and the other for horizontal mount. Mine was fitted as a factory option by the dealer when the car was new, and it was incorrect. Eight years later when I thought how woeful the skipping was, I investigated further and set it to the correct position for vertical mount - made a big difference, but still, stackers aren't the best at bump resistance, especially in a car with "sports" suspension.

Well!! Today I looked at the factory fitted CD changer carefully. It's in the boot and fitted at a 45 degree angle. The arrow on it (pointing to "up") suggests that it should be fitted upright, not at 45 degrees. So I took it off the factory mountings and put it flat, but loose, on top of a soft bag in the boot.

Now, I sell stuff for a living, and can't do mechanical or technophrological stuff. But, whereas the autochanger used to skip like mad over the smallest bump in the road, especially on later tracks on CDs, it now doesn't skip at all, even on the later tracks, even if I drive over a REALLY bumpy railway track on the entrance to a roundabout on about 15 degrees of opposite lock flat in 2nd gear.

So how come Madza didn't tell us about this and it took a numpty like me to work it out by accident?

[Garry]

So how come Madza didn't tell us about this and it took a numpty like me to work it out by accident?

The boot mounted stackers were dealer fitted and it seems most of the installers didn't know what they were doing. Maybe the instructions needed to be clearer?

I've got the in dash 6 disc stacker in my NB8B and I cant remember it ever skipping. I've also got an auxilary input mounted to the stacker plug at the back of the head unit. I can plug anything with a 1/8" headphone jack into it.

But like others have said, if you want full Ipod connectivity you're better off with a new Ipod compatible head unit.

[MX5-SP]

I tracked down an "Audio Link iPod Intergration System for Mazda (602-300)" from Rspeed.net in the US for about $120.00. It fits the rear socket in the radio which was removed using two sets of "Ford radio removal tools" and a bit of useful information from SPy about the way in which to push the holding clips apart. The iPod end of the cable has two jacks (a) flat type that fits an iPod and iPhone (2) single pin type that fits a Shuffle. You control the music from the stereo with the iPod/iPhone hidden away in the glove box. There is an issue with playlists restricted to 99-tracks, but it's easy enough to do that on iTunes.

A simple mod that keeps the head unit all original.

[Garry]

Did you fit the aux input yourself?

Yeap, I got it from a mob in the US but I'm not sure that they're still in business. It's basically a small circuit board with a plug on one end to plug into the remote CD changer socket on the head unit and a 1/8 phono socket on the other end. MX5-SP's solution sounds like it could be a better option if you have an Ipod product.

[davekmoore]

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm now selling the silver car to buy one with FI sooner than anticipated. Offers invited .....

http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/pri ... 30F36E45D5

[hks_kansei]

I think you'll find that there is an accessory input on the back of the head unit.
It's only a small jack plug, but you can plug your i-pod into it and hear the sound, but you can't control it form the head unit.

hang on a Minute..

the Stock NB8A radio/cassette has a headphone jack on the rear of the unit? If it's in use can the stacker still be used? (ie: does teh stacker use this socket, or does it have a separate one?)

[davekmoore]

I think you'll find that there is an accessory input on the back of the head unit.
It's only a small jack plug, but you can plug your i-pod into it and hear the sound, but you can't control it form the head unit.

hang on a Minute..

the Stock NB8A radio/cassette has a headphone jack on the rear of the unit? If it's in use can the stacker still be used? (ie: does teh stacker use this socket, or does it have a separate one?)

Aha!

Will be searching for this jack over the weekend. As all the tunes I have on CD are aso on my iplod it won't matter that the stacker has to be disconnected. It's already lying loose in the spare wheel well because that way it doesn't skip compared with it being on the original 45 degree angle mountings. May need to investigate getting a proper iplod holder though to comply with new VIC laws. So if that jack can be used for the iplod then the stacker could live in the garage, joining the spare wheel and all the boot interior fittings. "For more speed, add lightness", Colin Chapman, 196?. "To get rid of musty smell in boot, remove all non-metal items", Dave Moore, 2009.

How do I remove the head unit?

As I'm completely non-mechanical please wish me luck with this and with the (probable) loose speaker wire in the driver's door and with maybe mending the central locking by lubricating it once I've got the door card off.

[MX5-SP]

Head Unit Removal:
There are a couple of threads on this topic which you can research. This is probably the most useful:
http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23595&hilit=radio+removal

There are a couple of other links in that post:
http://www.miata.net/garage/nbaudio
http://www.miataspeed.com/howto/radio.html

DO NOT follow the "Idiots Guide to Radio Removal" as, like the name says, it is a guide for idiots. You don't have to do any of that stuff, but I've included the link as it has some good pix of the holding clips.
http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=28063&hilit=radio+removal

The only facia items you have to remove are the two thin vertical plastic bits each side of the radio.

I can tell you from experience, you will be better off purchasing, or borrowing, 2 sets of Ford Radio removal tools rather than trying to use allen keys, coat-hangers, nails, etc. When you have the right tools it's a 5-minute job. Trying to improvise will just lead to frustration and possible damage. You need 2 sets of the tools because there are eight insertion points (but only 4 clips). I tried it with one set at first, but soon realised I need two sets. The holding clips have to be pushed inwards (i.e. splay the tools away from each other). I had the benefit of seeing a radio unit already removed, so it was easy to see the concept. Prior to that "little piece of information" I was ready to pull my hair out as the action required is not intuitive.

One extra tip, just as the tools engage the clips, push inwards a little as the clips might be 'locked' into the frame. A little push should release it, then just smoothly pull the head unit out (this was held in more firmly than I expected, so don't be surprised if you have to exert a bit of effort). You will also need to unplug the arial from the back of the unit after about 1cm.

[greenMachine]

I tracked down an "Audio Link iPod Intergration System for Mazda (602-300)" from Rspeed.net in the US for about $120.00. ...

Having grown sick of the wires associated with the radio transmitter I have used to listen to my iPod, I am now looking for something like the above, which does not appear to be listed any more by Rspeed.

I have the radio out of the car (don't ask ), and it looks as though it would be a very simple thing to have a couple of wires connecting an iPod connector and a CD stacker connector, but it probably isn't as simple as that if the price asked for the device above is anything to go by. I tried one of the local car radio retailers, and his comment was "it is not cost-effective" to make up some sort of adapter.

Do I really have to buy a new car radio?

[Jeo]

Any pictures of what the stacker input looks like? How many wires does it have?

You may be incredibly lucky and find that there are just four simple input wires but certainly couldn't say for sure.