The RX-8

Okay, well I am just interested in the RX-8 at the moment; I do not actually own one, although I hope to in about five months... I am trying to find a loaded used or possibly '04 RX-8 for no more than $22,000, and hopefully the car will depreciate to that value within these five months of torture! I have a bunch of questions pertaining to this, and if you have an AIM screen name or email, I would be extremely gratified if I could have it so we can talk more directly and extensively; it looks like you know your stuff! Anyways, a few questions immediately come to mind:

1. What are the advantages/disadvantages to using the Interrupter/Switcher from AVElectronic as opposed to the Universal Video Converter shown here? (I am in no way affiliated to either companies...)

2. Doesn't the navigation system have to interrupt the audio signal periodically to tell you to turn left or go straight for 500 feet, etc. So how would it do that if you are using the Ipod? Does it interrupt the signal later in the circuitry or has this issue not yet been addressed?

3. What exactly is the P.I.E.? What are its I/O cables? How does it work? What does it do? I basically have no idea what it is... hahaha

4. I had planned to attempt this on a '04 Accord, and I had devised a way to introduce live antenna television. Would you like to help me figure out how to implement it on an RX-8? (Again, you seem to know your stuff)

5. Where did you mount the DVD player? And the AVElectronic box?

6. Totally unrelated, but WHERE CAN YOU GET THE ATATCHED GRILLE?

Thanks for the info! I realllllllllly want this car, so if any of you see one (especially a winning blue for sale for 24K or less that is loaded or ALMOST loaded, please PLEASE let me know! I will need all the help I can get finding a car like this at that low of a price... )

JeRKy 8 Owner

This looks like a great mod to perform down the line w/my new nav system but how much do you think it would cost me to have a professional installer do all this work for me? I'm not a big fan of tearing off seats or "making incisions" in wires. I was able to handle installing the mp3 player and wiring a sound system in this car, but that was baby **** compared to this job.

The RX-8

Back when my friend and I were planning on doing a similar mod to his Accord, we called up this place in Brooklyn and they offered it for about $1500 for the DVD ONLY. That means no AUX audio, inability to drive with dvd running as they wired correctly in order to avoid liability issues, and also I do not believe it comes with RF remote. Therefore, I think because of the hefty price, the lack of features, and the inability to upgrade, your best bet is to grab a friend, and spend a weekend modding the car yourselves... It is well worth it! Offer him a beer when it is done, and I think he will jump on the offer!

truemagellen

well first my aim can be reached by clicking on the AIM icon in my profile or from the link in each post...I don't know much about purchasing/financing stuff....but maybe I can help

1. I actually looked at the nav vision unit...but it came down to features....and the backup cams integration, the 4 input (one being svideo) and the nav plus screen (4 output) and RF remote to controll everything really made it clear...I was looking at speending way more with the other unit after I got everything set up the way I liked it...plus the remote for the avelectronic unit can be copied by the homelink buttons, whcih is aawesome! I could say much more about this....but really hands down avelectronics is the way to go

2. the nav 'injects' audio into the front drivers side speaker and do so regardless of what audio you are listening too...so cd or radio or aux in (ex 1) nav will still work just fine...no problems....no worries

3. pie is a small boxwith a connector that plugs intot he back of the head unit...then you get the 8pin to RCA cable that plugs into the box and you now have a crystal clear auxiliary input into the head unit...works great.

4. the old avelectronic box had a tv tuner built in but was not nearly as developed as the current switcher model...addding a tv tuner is no problem...in fact it is on my list of todos after I finish cosmetics on the xbox/avbox in the trunk and install the hymee exhaust....literally plug it into one of the avelectronic inputs...run the ir receiver down the center console and then mount inconspicuously...then hookup to power...and finally run an antenna wire behind the back seats...up the side of the back 'dash' (back facia) and mount on the window...I can show you wfere to buy the tv tuner for really cheap but you'll have to get a better antenna

now I am going to try sharing the radio's antenna...which I believe will work unlike normal rod antennas

5. I dont have a specific dvd player anymore...that was temporary so I never mounted it...I now have a modded xbox that has a 400 gig hard drive so I just load music/movies/music videos/games and such in and so no discs..in fact I'm trying to get rid of the disc drive and mroe already....in hopes of minitaturizing the xbox

6. That billet is a simple car molding that was purchased at pep boys I believe...for a grand total of...8 dollars :D I'll try to find the diy thread for you

The RX-8

Very nice, thanks for all the information! I have a couple more questions, but it is soooooo late that it is early, so I am going to sleep after I post this... :o How do you switch between your auxillary input and the normal input on the P.I.E. box? Additionally, if I were to hook up an Ipod, how am I to go about it? How can you integrate the car with the Ipod so that you can switch songs, raise the volume, etc. using the car's controls (specifically the ones located on the steering wheel)? Can you give me a cost assessment on modding the XBOX, AVElectronic kit, and wiring a 3.5 mm stereo jack through the center console and into the storage area near the driver's seat? What other modifications have you done to your RX-8? Your RX-8 sounds amazing! Where can I get this cheap TV tuner? I have a bunch more questions, but no need to overwhelm you hahahahhaha... Thanks for everything!

truemagellen

There is a primary remote toggle switch which you can install anywhere in the car, it simply swaps between the video inputs of the avelectronic box and the Nav's image...it does not cancel/disable the audio inputs whatsoever

the nice thing about this is you could have a dvd as an input, an xbox, an ipod, a portable XM satellite unit, youcan have the NAV running like always but listen to the dvd (ie a concert on dvd), or the xbox audio, or the ipod audio, or the satellite audio...and you can switch by using the remote, or one of the homelink buttons if you program it...

the steerinng wheel controls can be had with the denison icelink...unfortunately this doent work verywell with the 8 as lots of people are reporting it freezes up...so until they rework it you'll want to stick with a direct aux in (the pie unit) plus it costs less

for ipod controls instead mounting a remote on the steering wheels sounds great but actually the best place to mount buttons is actually on the center console right next to the shift boot...your steering hand is always in action...your shifting hand is not...you can use a simple remote and mount it on top of the console but even nicer would be to disable the remote and mount the remote under the console with the buttons sticking through...very OEM looking :D

as for mounting the dvd...which I never addressed....many have put one in the passthrough, you can probably fit one in the glove compartment (a tiny one) or under the seat

I'm actually using no 3.5mm jacks....everything is wired with high end RCA cables...seperate right and left stereo....the pie uses RCA outs
for you ipod you simply pick up a male stereo RCA to Female 3.5mm Y adaptor from radio shack...then mount the female jack in the center console compartment, or the glove compartment wherever you want to keep your ipod

the cheap tv tuner I can get for 45 but I'm going to see if a forum vendor can carry the product for even less :D...I'll keep you updated

as for the billet grill it will cost $10 not 8 here is the diy...you can choose number of bars for the look you want https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-%2410-billet-grille-16282/

The RX-8

Okay, you have convinced me that an XBox is the ideal way to go especially since I can get one off ebay for about 90 bucks. Storing all my mp3s on the xbox would take a while, but would be well worth it; ditto with the dvds... Is there a way to mount the xbox in the trunk so you can access it from the passthrough in order to put in a dvd or game? Additionally, how much did the custom DC to DC power supply cost you? Also, how did you mod the XBox? I cannot get my xbox to read Audio CD-R's which I have burned, nor can I get it to store DVDs... Explain to me how you did this, because this is certainly intriguing. I really like your ideas, but I have no idea how to do these mods to the XBox! HELP ME!!! hahahah thanks man!

truemagellen

well if you don't know someone to help you mod an xbox...you can call up a company but they won't do any of the software aspect of it (illegal although what I'm doing is game free since I use it for music/movies so technically not illegal )...best thing to do is find a friend who knows how to do this...as for the dc to dc powersupply...well those guys will also mod the xbox for you...but I'm their first customer for this so they'll wonder how in the world you knew they will be offering it :p

PM me for more details on that...but if you don't know your way around the web and IRC/FTP etc...and don't have a friend to help you with the software, you will struggle and may fail...but in the end the modded xbox is the cheapest way to go

especially when a 160 gig hard drive is only $50! add an Xbox used for $90 and an inexpensive modchip $15, only $155 for a huge music/movie/game server

I ammend my statement...I do have some games but they are all old school emulators...like NES, Neo Geo :D

as for using the drive...you can extend the drive cable to approximately 3 feet...so you could mount the xbox in the trunk and run a drive iinto the center console...really I don't use the drive and may remove it and mod the xbox's size into half...I move all the music/movies/music videos into the xbox by ftp...I also have a wirelss G unit for the xbox and can load files in remotely if needed...or to check the weather when I come across a wifi hotspot...but really I haven't used it yet

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

Sorry if I missed this, but does the install now avoid splicing wires? Uncle Sam sent me mod money, so electronics are next

truemagellen

Hey Nem, the hope was a plug and play adaptor would come out...but I'm not hearing anything of it

now that I've cut the wires and actually redid the wiring when I got a butane solder iron (definitely not needed! quick connect work great)...I know if you needed to hide the install or remove the installl...piecing it back together without ANYone ever knowning it was modified...is extremely easy...in fact after removing the wiring it would take about 5 minutes to hide it all

20 if you wanted to do a solder job...but again not needed

:D can't wait to see it

thew

yes so far the Plugand Paly is on hold.. I have a nice prototype but the connecters seem to be an issue . Its about liability.. However as Truemagellen has pointed out the mod is very easy .. And i can help out over AIM , PHone. ESP ..

LEt me know.. also see Truemagellens DIy.. Explaines almost everything.

TheDosDog

Solder and shrink tube it. After you tape it back up it's as good as OEM. It's not difficult at all and Trumagellen's DIY is right on. Also, I can vouch for Matt's excellent support (on Sunday at that).

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

OK, thanks guys. This is my next mod, and just wanted to see if anything was updated on the wiring.

thew

just got about 150 pie boxes in!!! so nows the time to get a Svideo Kit..
Once ihave coverd all the Rx8club members i wil have to raise the cost of the PIE box..

tabularasa

Will these DVD players also play MP3 CDs? or MP3 DVDs?

truemagellen

many will play both although the mp3 DVD capability is usually not advertised...I must say, MP3 dvds are awesome...especially if it is a dual layer disc, and if it is rewritable it is like having an 8.5 gig drive mounted in your car :D

but I'm still using a modded xbox

tabularasa

Yes, i would like to have 1/8th of my music collection in the car on one disc. That would be fantastic.

You coming to SC anytime soon and want to install this **** for me? :D

truemagellen

:D, it is a bit of a drive from the Twin Cities

but if you have questions feel free to contact me (although I'm going out of the country almost all june)

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

Purchased it finally.... :D

Now I just need to get my act together and not leave it laying around like I normally do with my mods... Dannobre comes by and helps me, so Dan if your reading this...

truemagellen

congrats! you'll love it

hey Nem if you need help feel free to email me...I would say call me but I"m going to South Africa this weekend and won't be back till late June...so email is going to be best (I'll try to check it every other day...won't be like in the states where I check it every other hour :D)

-J

EyeBall Fixer...(o)(x)

Do you have any left?
How much for the complete kit plus shipping to 67502?
Thanks,
Al
PS: I tried sending you a PM but "you've exceeded your stored private messages quota and can not accept further messages until they clear some space".

truemagellen

haha typical Thew...here try his email

info@mazdaparts.com

longpath

iTrader: (1)

I was wondering if it was feasible to set up a camera forward looking that was eiether set up with light amplification or perhaps from the thermal imaging sensor that is used on certain Cadillacs.

truemagellen

I spoke to Flyboyindy earlier this week and he install a forward facing camera an is hooking up a camcorder to it on one of the outputs so he can record rides...

as for 'thermal imaging' it is all camera based technology...so if you want to get a high powered infrared cam that you can do decent night viewing with that is definitely possible...the only problem is most of the infrared cams out there only pic up 15-20 ahead...you'd have to get a very high powered one ($$$$$) to use it successfully...

you could you with a true heat sensing cam but you wouldn't have defined images and only objects giving off heat would be picked up (stop lights, animals, humans, cars, buildings...not much heat radidiation from trees, etc.)

JeRKy 8 Owner

You know it's too bad there's no way to make this install "ultra clean" by having the navigation joystick work with the other hardware.

For example...after switching to a DVD player, pushing the joystick to the right would cause the video to fast forward. And the "menu" button bringing up the DVD's main menu.

Oh well. One can dream...