Headunit replacement

Electronic systems, stereo and Holden iQ, wiring, it all goes here....
landcrush
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2020 5:55 pm

Headunit replacement

Post by landcrush »

I originally posted this in the wrong section..

With the exception of the G8 Designs bezel and hvac controller, are there any other options for double din headunit in place of stocker?

Could the display be taken out up top in favor of a double din, and maintain the hvac by supplying power, ground and illumination.

I did something similar on a Subaru with integrated HVAC. Kept the stock hvac controls and head unit in place and just added a double din where the stock NAV display was.
joshtex
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2020 11:29 pm

Re: Headunit replacement

Post by joshtex »

I am considering this route, as well. some fab will be involved with fiberglass to make it look right.
I am wondering if the video output from the silver box, for the AC details, can be tapped into and run into a video input on the new head unit ?
I like the Kenwood shallow mount units. I had one in my Jeep Wrangler and they have great tunability.
GammaFlat
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:26 am
Location: NW Indiana

LSXtreme Head Unit

Post by GammaFlat »

I have just replaced my head unit (on my '13) with an LSXtreme silver box and what I'll call the front panel which has the screen, buttons and HVAC controls. It cost a little over $1K.
LSXtreme Box Contents.png
LSXtreme Box Contents.png (595.21 KiB) Viewed 5555 times
What I got out of it was Android Auto, phone support, backup camera support (not working quite yet), blue tooth. I did this as opposed to the "White" solution because I wanted Android Auto. I reasoned that having mapping on the radio screen was important. I also wanted gauges (oil pressure and trans temp) on the radio screen.
Android Auto.png
Android Auto.png (255.92 KiB) Viewed 5555 times
So far, I am partially victorious. I don't understand Android Auto well enough to know why, but it seems that some Android Apps are either "Android Auto Capable" or some are pre-installed in the head unit. For example, I get Google Maps which is great. I also get Audible, Messages, Calendar, etc., but not some apps I want. If anyone is interested, I'll make a video that shows Android Auto operating. What I really want is something like Android Car Scanner to show me gauges on the radio. So far, I don't have that working.

I'm supposed to get the backup camera late tomorrow. I'll report back on how that works out. I'm concerned I may still need my BCM whacked over the head by White. Alternatively, there may be a way to show the backup camera through controls on the radio (not optimal for backing up but a nice feature - I want to look at my trailer while rolling). I have an email to tech support of LSXtreme on this one.

A big shout out to Steve Walker for publishing the Connector pinouts. They are super valuable. I needed that to get "Battery +", "Battery -" and "Accessory On". Again, if anyone is interested, I'm happy to share my experience with the installation.
Current: 2013 9C3, deeper trans pan, 12VoltSolutions Remote, Class III hitch, Android Auto capable radio
Fandango
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2020 12:31 am

Re: Headunit replacement

Post by Fandango »

That's super cool. I'll have to look into that option.
GammaFlat
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:26 am
Location: NW Indiana

LSXtreme Headunit replacement - update 1 - adding apps to Android Auto

Post by GammaFlat »

Update 1 on LSXtreme head unit.

Here are instructions on how to install an Android App on your car stereo (Android Auto). I have not done this but plan on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjngyvqqekw
Current: 2013 9C3, deeper trans pan, 12VoltSolutions Remote, Class III hitch, Android Auto capable radio
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Mooseman
Posts: 1075
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:35 pm
Location: Ottawa, ON Canada
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Re: Headunit replacement

Post by Mooseman »

Having Android HU's in my other vehicles, I'd love to have that in my Caprice however I just can't justify that price. I can live with the White modified stock unit.
2011 Caprice PPV, former RCMP test vehicle, never put into service
Build Thread: http://www.newcaprice.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2419
GammaFlat
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:26 am
Location: NW Indiana

Re: Headunit replacement

Post by GammaFlat »

Mooseman wrote: Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:21 am Having Android HU's in my other vehicles, I'd love to have that in my Caprice however I just can't justify that price. I can live with the White modified stock unit.
I completely get that when you consider that the difference between "White" and "LSXtreme" is $1050 - $175 = $875. That is a lot of modification money for not a lot of capability difference. To make matters worse, the screen is not great. Android Auto and Apple Play deserve a screen that is larger and has a higher resolution. One of the things that pushed me over the edge is that I really wanted mapping (and gauges of course). I have an activity that requires lots of repetitive mapping and traveling. 10 - 20 destinations over a 1 hour period. That makes mapping a "very nice to have".
Current: 2013 9C3, deeper trans pan, 12VoltSolutions Remote, Class III hitch, Android Auto capable radio
GammaFlat
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:26 am
Location: NW Indiana

LSXtreme Headunit replacement - update 2 - Backup Camera

Post by GammaFlat »

I got the backup camera going. Running the camera wire to the back was a breeze. I went passenger side.. behind the trim above the doors. I found a gap in the trim between the back door and the seat "upper". Snaking into the trunk was easy with a coat hanger.

Another shout out to Steve Walker for trailblazing this upgrade. I like his relocation of the "key entry" of the trunk (above the license plate). I may put it in the back seat area?! There seems to be a lot of slack. The cable release originates at the latch above the bumper, so there's plenty of slack to terminate it in any of a number of locations. It is possible to eliminate the keylock altogether. All it takes to open the trunk is a pull on the inner cable while holding the outer sheath.

The scenario you are trying to protect against is this: You have a dead battery. Your remote won't open your trunk and you can't access your batteries for a jump start. There is a work-around.. You can use jumpers and connect to your alternator (generally directly connected to battery) with negative to a good ground and charge your batteries or leave it on just long enough to actuate the electronic trunk release and get access to your batteries. I would NOT attempt to start my car using a jumper cable attached to the alternator. Your alternator wire would certainly "let the smoke out".

My camera mounted in the keyhole nicely (see below). I built a "bracket" out of aluminum flat (cheap at Menards or Home Depot). I did this in 5 minutes on an end mill but it is easily duplicated with a drill. The bends are to allow the studs to make it through the bracket while still "capturing" the back side of the camera and letting the wire through. A round hole might have been better than square (as I did) to retain the camera but I got impatient and it's easier to make straight lines with an end mill. I could have offset the bends more and made a smaller round hole....but I digress.

It was unnecessary to remove the trim (I did anyway) from the deck lid. I really only needed to remove the keylock and cable mechanism. I think Steve's camera was a larger diameter and needed the seal/trim opened up... which required taking the chrome piece off.

The camera I used was a Boyo VTK601HD. 69.99 at Crutchfield. It is the size/shape of a large marble.
Boyo Camera.png
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The studs hanging out of the trim going through the decklid are sort of wobbly (big holes in bracket are fine). My bracket's purpose is to hold the camera in a steady spot and maintain the seal between the chrome and decklid face opening. The nuts were snugged enough to hold the camera steady against the seal and seat the seal but no more. The camera sort of self centered and pressed into the (not modified) rubber seal of the trim. I'll post pics of the image I get on the dash screen later. I am very happy with the quality of the image and the location of the camera.

I wish there was a way to turn on the camera without going into reverse. The "I'm in reverse" signal gets to the head unit through the BCM via the "Low Speed GMLAN Serial Data" wire (Pin 16 on the silver box connector). This one wire happens to be the only "communication" between the car and the radio. It manages things like "Car is in Reverse", "Accessory is On", etc.

This is inside decklid where the key lock used to be:
Camera in keyhole of Caprice.png
Camera in keyhole of Caprice.png (458.25 KiB) Viewed 5275 times
Crappy picture at night of camera peeking through the former keyhole on the trunk chrome piece. It looks like it was made for the opening:
Camera outside decklid.png
Camera outside decklid.png (117.44 KiB) Viewed 5275 times
Current: 2013 9C3, deeper trans pan, 12VoltSolutions Remote, Class III hitch, Android Auto capable radio
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Z09SS
Posts: 96
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2022 10:58 am
Location: Gulf Coast Florida

Re: Headunit replacement

Post by Z09SS »

I'm kind of following in your footsteps here.

Did you have to do more wiring to the camera than plugging in the RCA cable to the side of the LsXtreme silver box?
GammaFlat
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2020 9:26 am
Location: NW Indiana

Re: Headunit replacement

Post by GammaFlat »

The cable that came with the camera plugged right in to the radio. The camera has a 4 foot-ish "whip" with the end being a weird skinny deal that plugs into the long cable. The connector is made so you can snake it through small openings. I suspected I had a problem with that connector for a while but it magically quit giving me trouble. If I recall correctly, the cable sort of runs the same path that the physical cable trunk release ran. Since the new cable is not stiff, you kinda need to tie it down in a few places. You might want to protect it in a sheath or wire wrap of some kind.
Good luck!
Current: 2013 9C3, deeper trans pan, 12VoltSolutions Remote, Class III hitch, Android Auto capable radio
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