Aux Input
 

Please just skip over the newbie flaming, as I have used the search feature and found little usefull information via that route. I've never owned a Honda, nor did I expect to. However, its an 05 EX-L V6 with Nav. It has SiriusXM installed and on for a 3 month free trial. What I want to do is to add an import via either 3.5mm jack or if I can make it work the a iPhone 3gs or I5 (actually the 3gs works best for me, it's my music one) Whats the most cost effective way to do it with having to make a custom super fly project out of it?

Thanks in advance guys

no flaming here bro. we run a tight ship.

welcome to HAF

Pac Audio
Grom Audio
USA Spec

all make aux input adapters for your factory radio. they aren't cheap but they work well. visit their respective websites and enter vehicle info and take your pic.

They also have iPod/iPhone adapters for even more features but at a higher cost.

When installed, will the XM remain functional I guess is my question. Years ago (which seems like 100 years when talking to electronics store employees) when I was deep into car stereo, we'd just add a $20 Audiovox wired FM modulator into the antenna line and get perfect quality music with having to Broadcast with those crappy plug in units. It didn't charge the MP3 player, but it worked fine. I have no issue using the iphone to control the music, honestly I could care less if it displays on the head unit. But when I talked about doing that, they were all like oh you can't do that, to much complicated wiring and interference blah blah blah. The worst part though, is no one sells the freaking things anymore. I checked almost everywhere...Best buy, Frys, Walmart, a local car stereo shop.....they all tell you to buy a $200 iSimple device. FFS! $200 to listen to my MP3 player? If it wasn't for having the navigation with climate control built into it I'd just yank the whole friggin thing out and replace it.

I have been looking at the following units on Amazon: (still unhappy with costs to do this)

USA SPEC PA15-HON2 $135
iSimple ISHD651 $140
GROM-USB2P-HON1 $132

I guess at this point, if that is the only effective way, which ones have you guys used and had the best experience with. Amazon reviews always leave something more desired, since there are always a couple idiots who don't know what they are doing and try to install then complain they don't work. But each has it's own reviewed issues. I figure asking here I can get some good, realistic opinions and user views as to which ones function worth a dam and which ones have problems or higher failure rates.

And thanks for the non-flaming atmosphere. I've frequented many, many auto forums over the years, seems there is flaming in just about all of them, especially for common questions such as this. I just didn't see the most direct answer I was looking for when I seached the threads. I guess I let the stereotypical "ricer" owner stigma sway my opinion, and that appears to have been incorrect. Place seems pretty well like a normal bunch of helpful people from what I've read so far. Thanks for the help and opinions!

Also, this may not be possible, but is this navigation unit capable of being modified to play video? Like a movie from an iphone or dvd? It seems a bit old to do it, but that startup screen seems like it has a decent resolution

What do yall know about this:
New Honda Apple iPod I Pod Music Link 2 0 Audio | eBay

Seems a little less than descriptive as to what it is for, but if it does indeed work?

You found a nice adapter! Surprised that I didn't find that... I just installed this: Blitzsafe HON/M-LINK1 V.3X

Works GREAT!! And I can input any audio source (3.5mm for any cellphone basically) AND an iDevice source unit.

Found the install for your unit ... HERE

I just picked up a new USA SPEC PA15-HON2 on ebay for 104.99 free shipping.
Can't wait to get it, tired of the stupid fm transmitters.

I actually didn't buy that one. A few days later I went with the USA Spec unit.

I installed that USA SPEC HON2 unit. The instructions are nearly worthless. The DIP switch settings explanation is horrible. Also, depending on if you have Factory Sat or not depends on how the connections are made. If you have Sat and Navigation, as I do, then there are two cable adaptors to be used. There are two possible ways to install them, but it only works one way....which is not clearly explained. If you get it backwards, you'll find you hear both the Sat radio and iPod or other MP3 player at the same time. And the plugs in the USA Spec harnesses are ungodly tight into the radio. You will need to make sure you really get that harness plug pushed fully into the radio. After all that, just hide the box and run the cable where you want it. I just left mine in the glove box, as I have a spare iPhone 3GS that I use for MP3's and video so it just stays in the car.

I also installed a PAC AOEM-HON20 for RCA outputs. Works very well, however get a good amp because when the gain is higher than say, 30% there is a definative humming noise. Fortunately, the Fosgate amp I used is spectacular and the gain is almost at minimum.

Glad you like the USA SPEC HON2 unit :).

As far as the PAC AOEM-HON20 ... Please give us a review of that unit.

I've been debating the purchase of one of those units, however, the OEM head units are not of the same quality output as even a low end after-market head unit. And furthermore, when you use a Line Level Converter, you are amplifying the OEM amplifier (which is already inferior). I understand that you wish to keep the stock appearance, as do I, that is exactly why I wish there was a way to TAP INTO the low level (RCA) circuits of said head unit. That way you by-pass the head unit's amplifier.

How I wish the stock head units had RCA outputs!!! :(

thanks for sharing.

Clarion FM200 is still available here and there and i've used it. but the FM sections add noise and lower S/N so the approach you took is pure line-level and better overall sound quality.

i have long believed that all stock head units should feature 4-channel RCA outputs. it would be trivial for them to add that. but it would add cost (as if they are complicated in the first place) for the 1% (made up by me) that would ever use them.

I ordered the AOEM-HON20 from Amazon for $38. There was another listing on Amazon for $37 but it had shipping added, and as I have a Prime Account I get free 2nd day shipping with Amazon direct shipped items. This unit is pretty straight forward. Unlplug the white plug in the back of the radio (in mine, again with Navigation and factory XM) and plug in the inbetween harness. That then plugs into the unit itself, which provides front and rear RCA and an Amp REM blue wire. I will say this; I've not ever been an import guy, and really never dealt all to much with using factory head units.....I always changed them out for something more superior and ran my own amp....but that's another story from another lifetime for another day:D What really caught me off guard was that on the 05, you have to pop off the center section on the top of the dash. In that little piece, there is a display that has Temp for the climate control as well as a small radio display. After I installed this unit, I couldn't get the radio to work, at all. It wouldn't even let me select an audio source. After plugging and unplugging several times, and getting madder than hell, I accidentally stumbled up the solution to that problem......the radio code had to be reentered after the power disconnect but since I had popped out the upper trim and turned it to the side I coudln't see the little display screen that was feverishly displaying CODE while I was cussing and yelling and damning the engineer that made this little unit. Once I realized that was the problem, the rest was as much a cake walk as it should have been from the start. It's all plug and play, all you have to do is route your RCA's and rem line.

The one issue I will say I have with this, is the harness connectors are tighter than dick's hat band, to a point that they are very difficult to connect and disconnect. Make sure you use plenty of force to get the connector into the back of the radio, as some have noted that they weren't getting a good connection and it was caused by the super tight fittment. Otherwise I was impressed with it's relative ease of use, install and performance.

Now, I'm no novice. I have done some serious work back in the day, and done some extensive wiring as well. (extensive, though not quite to the extent of KHA's current project, that's about 10 steps past extensive)

I actually got into the harder aspects of car stereo after my first attempt at bypassing a fuse that kept blowing.....which promptly burnt the carpet in my Explorer.....thus leading me to force myself to learn more on the topic as to avoid such catastrophe again. At some point I got a bit overboard, and at the upper end of my time I actually blew some glass out of that same Explorer with a little to much power. After that (and a 3rd noise violation from the Statesboro PD with a tab of $900) my days of heavy duty stereo began their decline, until at the point I became married with kids and had little left in the way of serious equipment. While the process is the same, the equipment is very different these days, and a lot more expensive!