CD Changer Install - I'm stuck
12-01-2007, 01:46 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'02 C230 Kompressor Coupe
CD Changer Install - I'm stuck
Most of this install I've undertaken today has gone seamlessly. Opening up the dash was not a problem, removing radio no an issue. ('02 C230K). The tips of this board were wonderful.
I did find the power cable taped/bundled behind the radio. I did NOT find a fiber optic cable bundled there. So, trip to the dealer, and $25 later, I have a cable.
Here's my frustration.
The head unit already has a fiber optic cable plugged into it... it has two (2) orange lines coming out of it, each of which has a tag on it marked "Amp". They proceed down into the transmission tunnel under the carpet. So, where do I plug in the new CD cable? If I unplug the cable marked "Amp" to plug in the CD changer, no sound whatsoever. So, I am at a loss. What does the CD Changer's cable plug into, if the only optic socket on the head unit runs fiber optic to the amp?
Please help. The guys at the stealership didn't know, and said I'd have to ask "John" Monday, that he was off today. <Sigh> Very frustrating... <Sigh>
I did find the power cable taped/bundled behind the radio. I did NOT find a fiber optic cable bundled there. So, trip to the dealer, and $25 later, I have a cable.
Here's my frustration.
The head unit already has a fiber optic cable plugged into it... it has two (2) orange lines coming out of it, each of which has a tag on it marked "Amp". They proceed down into the transmission tunnel under the carpet. So, where do I plug in the new CD cable? If I unplug the cable marked "Amp" to plug in the CD changer, no sound whatsoever. So, I am at a loss. What does the CD Changer's cable plug into, if the only optic socket on the head unit runs fiber optic to the amp?
Please help. The guys at the stealership didn't know, and said I'd have to ask "John" Monday, that he was off today. <Sigh> Very frustrating... <Sigh>
12-01-2007, 04:07 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Orange County
Posts: 2,848
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes
on
15 Posts
2005 C Wagon (No snickering please!)
CD Changer? How quaint.
Your car has a D2B fiber optic system to move audio between devices in the car. Each assembly has two fiber optic (FO) cables connected to it. One is a LED that sends light down the fiber. The other is a photo diode that "sees" the light from the LED. So now we have a goes-outa, and a goes-inta. Every goes-outa gets connected to a goes-inta on the next assembly. The D2B forms a loop to all the devices that connect to the head unit (HU).
If your car has the premium audio with separate amp and subwoofer, and/or Teleaid and/or telephone those items are conected in the daisy-chain fashion mentioned above.
If you have none of the options mentioned above, you simply remove the FO cables from the head unit and connect them goes-outa to goes-inta on the changer. Then return the light from the changer to the goes-inta on the HU.
If you have premium audio, look under the passenger side carpet on the side of the tunnel. About even with the gear shift you should find some FO splices. These are plastic holders that simply hold the FO cables so light can pass from one to the other. You can open the one from the HU goes-outa and insert your new changer into the loop. You need to get the goes-outa of the HU connected to the goes-inta of the changer, and then send the goes-outa of the changer to the amp goes-inta.
If you use the premium audio technique, and you don't have an amp or any of the telephone stuff, your FO cables are not in a loop, the changer will not work. You simply need to use the "no options" system to do the job.
If your car has the premium audio with separate amp and subwoofer, and/or Teleaid and/or telephone those items are conected in the daisy-chain fashion mentioned above.
If you have none of the options mentioned above, you simply remove the FO cables from the head unit and connect them goes-outa to goes-inta on the changer. Then return the light from the changer to the goes-inta on the HU.
If you have premium audio, look under the passenger side carpet on the side of the tunnel. About even with the gear shift you should find some FO splices. These are plastic holders that simply hold the FO cables so light can pass from one to the other. You can open the one from the HU goes-outa and insert your new changer into the loop. You need to get the goes-outa of the HU connected to the goes-inta of the changer, and then send the goes-outa of the changer to the amp goes-inta.
If you use the premium audio technique, and you don't have an amp or any of the telephone stuff, your FO cables are not in a loop, the changer will not work. You simply need to use the "no options" system to do the job.
12-01-2007, 06:01 PM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'02 C230 Kompressor Coupe
Wow, Moviela!!! I am not a dumb person, but I was really getting frustrated on this thing,... I was close to resigning to the fact that I was gonna have to pay the stealership to do this for me... then I read your response. You put it so plainly, simply, accurately... and when you mentioned the splice... AH HAH! I remembered seeing one inside the dash... so after reading your post, I went back out, ripped the dash and head unit back out, and completed the job. I just ran to the drug store listening to my CD's on my newly installed CD Changer. Thanks muchly, Moviela... you're awesome!!
I will try to write up my experience on this car, and will include your instructions and give ya credit. Thanks again!!!
I will try to write up my experience on this car, and will include your instructions and give ya credit. Thanks again!!!
