I have found several websites that have available an adaptor that can allow the stock RX8 headunit with firmware higher then 9.55 to use a CD Changer with MP3 capability (ALPINE CHANGER $230 new). The adapters are about $78+$10 shipping in all = $88.

I was wondering if anyone had went with this route? The only thing I wanted to know is if the steering controls are still retained, and if it supported CD Text.

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/piemazpcalp.html
http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=445


UPDATE:

If I go with the CD/MP3 route then I will sell my 9.55 firmware CD Player for $155 shipped. Couple of guys bought CD players hoping to get the 9.55 and above were screwed. I will post this cd player for sale on the parts section as well.

 

Steering wheel controls should be retained but Mazda's head unit does not support CD text. The pie adapter is connected through the CD port. Only the stock MP3 player is capable of displaying text.

 

Yes. It works fine.

The steering controls will work as they do now - but they won't control the peripheral you are connecting through the PIE box.
CD text is not supported.

 

You will be able to control the peripheral through the pie box as long as it is a alpine compatable unit. If you use the rca adapter to the pie box then you will loose control of the unit. Most alpine cd/mp3 changers should work with the pie box. Just make sure they are not Ai-Net connector. The connector on the pie unit is M-Bus

Hope this clears some things up.

 

ok.. makes more sense now. So with the M bus then pretty much I can't use the MP3 changer for playing MP3 files?

 

There are adapters that convert Ai-net to M-bus but I have never used one and I can't say for sure about compatability with all the new mp3 changers. Let me know if you get one to work.

 

Ok the MP3 Changer function doesn't work (won't read MP3 files, but will read Audio CDs).. only regular CDs so that means I'm going with the factory MP3 CD Player. Blah...