I have a 2003 Xterra XE with the standard AM/FM/CD Player. It is a Clarion Model# PP-2449H. It is commonly sold on ebay by owners who have upgraded. Between looking at the pictures they have posted and pulling out my own, I have verified it has an 8 pin DIN jack for a CD changer, just like the 2000 Model. Has anyone tried the 2000 mod on this model? Does anyone have the service manual for this radio? This is the same stock radio as in the 2002 and 2004 XEs. If the mod works, it would give a lot of people mp3 ability. Any thoughts would be appeciated. Thanks.

My stock radio in my 2004 XE sucks. I can't even hear it when one window is down and it's at the highest 32 volume. Saving for a new tunebox....

Danna

I'm not aware of anyone trying the 2000 mod on a newer radio. The only reason we ever figured out the 2000 was because someone came up with a schematic of it's innards.

The schematic is the key. The rest is easy.

I did it for the stock FM/AM/CD on my 2002 X. I got the schematic from a post on this board. Its been awhile so the details are a bit fuzzy at this point, but used the 8 pin DIN connector intended for the CD changer control. Added a button to switch the head unit between AUX and normal mode. None this was my idea (like i said from this board, probably the 2000 mod you are talking about) but it works for the 2002 head unit too. Let me know if you need more data.

Right now i'm using the input for a Sirius reciever (couldn't stand the crappy FM transmiter anymore), works like a champ...

Many thanks to whoever posted the original info on the CD changer port (electroken i think you helped out, or did all the work, like I said its been awhile ).

Would that mean that we could do this to a 2001 with the 6-cd changer? I would really like to do this so I could run my mp3 player through the radio, but am an electronics idiot!

ElectroKen:

I finally received the schematic (service manual) for the Clarion Model# PP-2449H from Pacific Coast Parts. It looks like it might be the same as the original stock radio. Please check it out for me though, it has been a long time since my circuits & electronics courses. The relevant portion of the schematic is below. Thanks in advance.

Your signature line says it all. That's why I won't guess or make assumptions with these things.

"ElectroKen sucks! He blew up my radio!"

This appears to be a very simple hook-up. Putting 12V on pin 1 looks like it will activate "aux" mode in the radio. So it goes like this:

Pin 1: +12V for auxiliary input
Pin 4: Left channel audio +
Pin 5: Right channel audio +
Pin 6: Left channel audio -
Pin 7: Right channel audio -

If you have a source with only 3 wires (common ground for L and R channel) connect the common ground wire to both pins 6 and 7. This radio looks like it was designed for a floating ground input.

Avoid pin 2. It appears to be a switched output to drive something. We won't need it.

Calford, do you have pics? Also, will this work on a 2002 SE with the 6 CD changer?

Ken, was this for a 2002 Xterra? Also, what will I need to activate the AUX? I'm looking to do a direct connect to my Roady2. Thanks!

The connector you'll need for the back of the radio is an 8-pin DIN plug from Radio Shack. I don't know the connection details for your device, but you'll need some way of switching 12V to pin 1 of the DIN connector to get into aux input mode.

This topic is so thirsty for diagrams, or pics of this whole setup.

As I posted previously. This is the adapter one would need to plug an Aux input into the CD changer port on the back of the radio that DOES NOT have the 8 Pin Din connection..
http://store.yahoo.com/logjam/soundauxniss.html

If you shop around you can find it for around $85 or so..
And more importantly, if your in dash 6 cd changer has a 14 pin cd changer plug it should work as well..

And this would be for the 2003-2005 that have the SAT button on them instead of the changer..
So all of you 05 Nissan owners would want this..
http://store.yahoo.com/logjam/pacaainis.html

Did radio shack discontinue their 8 pin din plug? I can't seen to find one. Any other sources? Seems like it should be easy to find but I can't seem to locate one. (this would be for my 03 x - need an aux in)

Actually - i still gotta take the stock HU out and confirm that i actually have the din connector in back...

Yes, Radio shack discontinued the 8 Pin Din connector..
You should be able to find one online. Or buy one off of ebay.

I've finally given up on FM radio and got a XM Roady XT. None of the connection methods that came with the thing are acceptable to me (cassette adapter, FM modulator) so I finally get to try out this aux stuff I wrote about a couple of years ago. My 2000 X currently has 2003XE radio in it. Pics and wiring diagrams to follow...

Are you using the 8 pin Din connection or the 14 pin?
Thanks

Salsa -
If he's got the 2003XE HU (like me) it's gotta be the 8-pin I would think....

ElectoKen or anyone else who had done the 8-pin din mod -

I'm using the 8-pin din mod as specified by ElectoKen and have noticed 2 things:

1.Volume on my Sirus Sportser, even with it's gain all the way up, is about 5 "notches" lower than the volume of the FM Radio/CD.

2. When I turn off the switch I installed (to deactivate the Aux In, thus reverting back to FM/CD), it turns the HU off and I have to turn the HU back on. Power to the specified pin is spliced from my cigarrete lighter power.

Is this normal? Do other people who have done this find the same thing. Neither of the above is that big of a deal, I'm just curious...

This could probably be easily remedied with one of those little headphone amps that is powered by an AA or 9 volt battery.

brad cook

I'll be using the 8-pin DIN connector. My RoadyXT seems to have a pretty strong audio output. If it's not enough for the head unit I'll whip up a small line level amplifier and include it with the write up.

I might have missed this but does this work for the RF headunits?

Here's the other thread where this is discussed, complete with pretty pictured and diagrams.
Linky to the other thread...

The short answer is: No, it doesn't work with the RockFos/SE hu's since they do not have the round 8-pin din connector. They have a more complicated (i think) 14 pin rectagular connector that seems to be more data-bus'ish and harder to decipher and work with. There might be some 3rd party (expensive) PAC devices that work with it - i think I've seen a few threads on that.

Rumor has it that Radio Shack no longer carries the 8-pin DIN connector. Mouser Electronics #172-0008 will also do the job. It's a molded assembly with 3 feet of cable attached to it. The cable isn't shielded so the cable should be cut much shorter to minimize the unshielded portion of the audio path.

I did this mod and came to the same conclusions... it's def. quieter with my Ipod than a cd or radio (but not so much that I'll mess with putting a small amp in) and likewise, it just turns off when done with the Aux. Small price to pay for a cheap line level in though

Also, I got my plug from Fry's electronics online(less than a buck I think)... soldering was required though, it's just the plug, no wires.

That's certainly true. If you can find an old store with some old stock, you might be able to find one (the stores in my area still had a place for it in the bin, but had no parts, and they completely remove the part number from the system, so it's assumed they discontinued it.. pretty stupid way of keeping the parts catalog updated)

I have a few of the radio shack 8 Pin DIN connectors I didnt use laying around, and even better..
I have a stock 8 Pin DIN CD changer cable I got from Ebay. I cut it in half and am using one side for my Sentra Aux-input project, but the other side is still available..
I tried soldering the individual terminals and apparently my soldering skills arent up to par. So I went the easy route and just traced the wires for the CD changer cable.. So much easier..
And more importantly, no difficult soldering.

If anyone is interested in the plugs or the other half of the cable, drop me a PM or an email. We'll work something out.
L8r
Ken