Nav unit fibre optic connection

[Zaekker]

Hi, any idea if my unit has fibre optic connection or not? I'm looking at android units and wouldn't wanna buy something that I won't be able to use.

2009 Lexus IS 220d

[Linas.P]

Mark and Levinson units have optical connection, so if you don't have ML, then you don't have optic connection. By the looks of it, seems to me it is non-ML unit, so no optic connection.

That is how ML units are marked:

 

[Zaekker]

Wasn't sure about that too cause I still have 14 speakers in my car just no ML mark on CD changer. Thanks for the answer though 👍

I also noticed on picture you posted, there's DVD mark on bottom. I tried DVD on my unit but wasn't working.

[Linas.P]

Yes ML has DVD, standard system does no have DVD. 

I doubt however you have 14 speakers, I reckon you have 14 speaker grilles, but in the place of central speaker there is just a hole (that is normal). Basically, non-ML cars still have grilled and place for 14th speaker, but it is just empty space. 

[Zaekker]

Placebo effect 😅

[McShmoopy]

If you’re buying an android unit you will need the fibre optic box as you have a NAVI unit, I had a mark Levinson system from 2010 and to fit my XTRONS unit you needed the fibre optic box. 

However my recommended head unit to go with is the TEYES CC3 as a fellow LOC has it and I’ve ordered one myself for my mums vehicle, seems To work the best and retains all stock features and works impressively well. Particularly as you car is facelifted these are more Problematic even with my XTRONS so I’d highly suggest the Teyes CC3 as it all works. 

Worth reading this thread and posts on it 

 

[ahmed24]

I've installed quite a few of these for people. And from what I know, the fibre box is only needed if you are trying to install the 10.2 inch system on the factory nav system. They call it the fibre box but essentially it's a seperate processing unit required to run the 2009+ factory nav systems regardless of whether you have fibre cable or not. And BTW both ML and non-ML both have a fibre connection going to the CD changer. If you have factory nav system, you need the 9 inch system as pictured below. 

As @McShmoopy said, check out the thread he created about the XTRONS system where i've posted lots of information about the Teyes system. 

 

PS: On a sidenote, a search on the forum first to see if the topic exists will save us having a lot of repetitive content on here 🙂 just FYI 

[Linas.P]

7 hours ago, McShmoopy said:

If you’re buying an android unit you will need the fibre optic box as you have a NAVI unit, I had a mark Levinson system from 2010 and to fit my XTRONS unit you needed the fibre optic box. 

Please don't confuse people - the optic connection is for connection to ML amp. Yes you needed it because you have ML. Above it was already clarified OP does not have ML, so he does not need optic connection.

[Zaekker]

@ahmed24 Now you really got me confused 😅

Link below to unit I want to buy, at least one like this. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354396097248?fits=Car+Make%3ALexus|Cars+Type%3A220d|Model%3AIS&hash=item5283a74ae0:g:pucAAOSwN-tjLY9X&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4N6paZDgyG9hFOgzXTbheeCBIOU5ULo84p%2BbhzSl9UZ3l%2FR8%2FMO6q0REB9wgbHGGbNtq8gmvRutbIZMvZRW%2F0cYOXhTUCg685QBXBGb9BycndblhP8fzxK9pZawiWr2UC7bbWD2yawL%2Bpekp0ILM07C3fXeWVo%2BFzxACr4G%2BC%2BGyxeMV8SbvQ24Wd0uZ4kPNL2Hj55CzsUo2QoMMpWl9R8Gmgaa0d%2BAu1y%2BPx72YDXkBEMcOvQ0HouOTLzAIdSkTSq7QFgMPSpEMUX9fPU%2BayqT1Pa9Jpr%2B4iBeAMic8my3o|tkp%3ABFBMxI_t8b5h

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, Zaekker said:

@ahmed24 Now you really got me confused 😅

Link below to unit I want to buy, at least one like this. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354396097248?fits=Car+Make%3ALexus|Cars+Type%3A220d|Model%3AIS&hash=item5283a74ae0:g:pucAAOSwN-tjLY9X&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4N6paZDgyG9hFOgzXTbheeCBIOU5ULo84p%2BbhzSl9UZ3l%2FR8%2FMO6q0REB9wgbHGGbNtq8gmvRutbIZMvZRW%2F0cYOXhTUCg685QBXBGb9BycndblhP8fzxK9pZawiWr2UC7bbWD2yawL%2Bpekp0ILM07C3fXeWVo%2BFzxACr4G%2BC%2BGyxeMV8SbvQ24Wd0uZ4kPNL2Hj55CzsUo2QoMMpWl9R8Gmgaa0d%2BAu1y%2BPx72YDXkBEMcOvQ0HouOTLzAIdSkTSq7QFgMPSpEMUX9fPU%2BayqT1Pa9Jpr%2B4iBeAMic8my3o|tkp%3ABFBMxI_t8b5h

Best to clarify with seller. All normal sellers usually will ask you what you have and send you the unit/harness you need. 

In principle there are 3 different units non-Sat-Nav, Sat-Nav but non-ML and Satn-Nav + ML. The optical connection only fits Satn-Nav + ML. You don't have ML, so whatever you get make sure it does not have optical connection. 

There may as well be some differences between FL and non-FL units... so what you need to know and what you need to be expected to answer is simply year of your car and which of 3 units you have (note that what is important is date of manufacturing, not date of registration). So in your case that is most likely 2009 (but double check it is not 2008), Sat-Nav non-ML. Don't worry about different sizes of the screen or optical box, this is seller problem to worry about. It could be the case that you find a particular unit which is designed say for 2011 car with ML, but then seller should let you know it will not fit your car. The problems only happens when people don't know what they have, order the unit meant for ML and then need to decode optical signal and convert it back into analog. Normally this should not happen if you order the correct unit. I guess there are some specific branded units like mentioned above like Xtrons or Teyes where 10" only comes with optical option, but unless you going for these specific brands it is simply not relevant. 

In summary, it is possible that not all units fits all the cars and you specifically need to ask for unit which fits - 2009, Sat-Nav non-ML. Again as I said - sellers usually asks you that, but if for some reason they don't ask, then you can ask them to confirm the unit they are selling will fit your car. In my case seller not only asked what I have, but even demanded the picture of the back of my head-unit before fulfilling the order (I kind of cheated and just sent picture of from the internet, in my case it was IS250 2006, non-sat nav).

P.S.

In the description of the unit you posted it states - 2 Door Sportcar or Car with original optical fiber amplifier,Need to contact us to configure different power cable So that means - unit should be fine for your car and you only need to let them know if you have ML or IS250C. As you don't have either in theory you are good, but I am sure they still going to ask and if they don't ask then you know what you need to tell them (I hope I clarified). 

 

[Linas.P]

9 hours ago, ahmed24 said:

I've installed quite a few of these for people. And from what I know, the fibre box is only needed if you are trying to install the 10.2 inch system on the factory nav system. They call it the fibre box but essentially it's a seperate processing unit required to run the 2009+ factory nav systems regardless of whether you have fibre cable or not. And BTW both ML and non-ML both have a fibre connection going to the CD changer. If you have factory nav system, you need the 9 inch system as pictured below. 

As @McShmoopy said, check out the thread he created about the XTRONS system where i've posted lots of information about the Teyes system. 

 

PS: On a sidenote, a search on the forum first to see if the topic exists will save us having a lot of repetitive content on here 🙂 just FYI 

After looking at eBay link I think I understand what you mean now... the description in eBay is very confusing, but it seems you are correct:

What they selling for £279 is 9" screen which fits cars without ML (and without optical).

Alternatively you can contact them and ask for different unit which has optical output and which seems to have 10" screen. And I suppose it is more expensive... 

[McShmoopy]

On 2/3/2023 at 6:08 PM, Linas.P said:

Please don't confuse people - the optic connection is for connection to ML amp. Yes you needed it because you have ML. Above it was already clarified OP does not have ML, so he does not need optic connection.

Ordinarily you’d be right Linas but the Chinese eBay sellers or manufacturers never have thorough and clear descriptions, myself and @ahmed24 have fitted these types of units and as he said it’s basically a processing unit used for NAVI vehicles as the “fibre optic box” they’ve described is used to retain all the main features of the NAVI system. Best example I can give is the XTRONS unit I purchased had its own harness and cables but I was told to buy an additional “fibre optic box” which came with an additional harness to support my NAVI vehicle. This has been tested in both my vehicle (mark Levinson navi 2010 f sport)  and my mums IS250C with a navi non ML audio system. Both required the additional fibre optic box and worked as expected.
 

In any case I’d say the simplest way to look at it is if you have a non Navi system buy 10 andorid screen for the IS and if you have a navi system buy the 9 inch android screens as they account for navi vehicles additional features mark Levinson audio or otherwise 

[Monika.K]

Hi, I've also a facelift Lexus IS 250  2011 yr with ML audio system. Question is from where did you purchase your Teyes cc3 unit? What is needed for it to work with ML?  I wrote to Teyes.com.au and they said no optical connections are for this. 

[McShmoopy]

40 minutes ago, Monika.K said:

Hi, I've also a facelift Lexus IS 250  2011 yr with ML audio system. Question is from where did you purchase your Teyes cc3 unit? What is needed for it to work with ML?  I wrote to Teyes.com.au and they said no optical connections are for this. 

With the TEYES they provide you everything you need but you just have to specify what vehicle you have. For example a non NAVI vehicle you should be buying the 10 inch system and if you have a navi vehicle you should buy the 9 inch system. the fibre optic box is only there to make the 10 inch system compatible with NAVI vehicles and while it does work It does introduce some problems so I wouldn’t recommend it. 

If you have a facelifted NAVI vehicle (white infotainment screen instead of black) you opt for A model variant instead of the B variant as the B variant is pre facelift as they give you the corresponding compatible harnesses depending on your choice. 

I’ve shown some photos to help, I purchased mine from the Teyes UK website 

[Monika.K]

Can you provide me the link?

Thanks a lot

[McShmoopy]

7 minutes ago, Monika.K said:

Can you provide me the link?

Thanks a lot

No worries mate

https://teyes.uk/products/lexus-is250-xe20-2005-2013?_pos=2&_sid=cecd7d601&_ss=r

[Linas.P]

2 hours ago, McShmoopy said:

With the TEYES they provide you everything you need but you just have to specify what vehicle you have. For example a non NAVI vehicle you should be buying the 10 inch system and if you have a navi vehicle you should buy the 9 inch system. the fibre optic box is only there to make the 10 inch system compatible with NAVI vehicles and while it does work It does introduce some problems so I wouldn’t recommend it. 

If you have a facelifted NAVI vehicle (white infotainment screen instead of black) you opt for A model variant instead of the B variant as the B variant is pre facelift as they give you the corresponding compatible harnesses depending on your choice. 

I’ve shown some photos to help, I purchased mine from the Teyes UK website 

I have no doubt this is applicable for Teyes and Xtrons, that said cheap Chinese one I bought (basically similar to what OP posted a link for) had no optical connection, optical connection was optional and I believe would have costed more.

So your warning is correct in a sense that "if you buy Teyes and Xtrons in particular and if you have no ML" then you will need optical decoder box. That is correct. But the one OP linked as far as I can tell will not need any decoder, unless like Ahmed said OP asks for optional 10" screen.

Although here you right again - descriptions are not very clear and kind of generic, but in my experience sellers usually checks what you need and sends you right unit, because let's face it - if it does not fit then it becomes their liability and alibaba or aliexpress don't care much, they just going to refund buyer and it will be end of that. 

[McShmoopy]

4 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

I have no doubt this is applicable for Teyes and Xtrons, that said cheap Chinese one I bought (basically similar to what OP posted a link for) had no optical connection, optical connection was optional and I believe would have costed more.

So your warning is correct in a sense that "if you buy Teyes and Xtrons in particular and if you have no ML" then you will need optical decoder box. That is correct. But the one OP linked as far as I can tell will not need any decoder, unless like Ahmed said OP asks for optional 10" screen.

Although here you right again - descriptions are not very clear and kind of generic, but in my experience sellers usually checks what you need and sends you right unit, because let's face it - if it does not fit then it becomes their liability and alibaba or aliexpress don't care much, they just going to refund buyer and it will be end of that. 

Makes sense,  in any case it’s always worth sending your units pictures and connections so these sellers always provide you with the right equipment so we can avoid the hassle of wrong equipment haha 

[Linas.P]

1 hour ago, McShmoopy said:

Makes sense,  in any case it’s always worth sending your units pictures and connections so these sellers always provide you with the right equipment so we can avoid the hassle of wrong equipment haha 

Yeah... as I said they literally said "no picture no sale" 🙂 

[ahmed24]

Sorry guys, but this is getting somewhat unnecessarily complicated when it needs not to be. Please do not trust everything you read on chinese adverts. I have installed a good number of these units for people. Including the exact non-ML satnav one like the OP. Picture below:

 

 

I've installed these units on 2006 ML Nav, 2012 Nav Non-ML, 2011 Nav ML. And as long as you get the 9" version then these are 100% compatible regardless of fibre or not. The confusion with the fibre box comes from this eBay listing that the OP posted. The listing states if you have fibre version then they'll send you a different power harness not a fibre box (i'll explain the fibre box at the end) What the listing really should have said is just like the Teyes advert, you either have a certain type A or type B system. And based on that there are two different harnesses for the system. Simple as that. But what the OP's eBay link means is exactly the same thing type A which is what the OP needs in that eBay link is reffered to as fibre version. If you look at the picture below of a ML and Non ML 2012 lower CD changer, both have the white fibre connector that i've circled in red. This is what the eBay seller is using to determine whether you need type A harness or Type B harness.

These systems DO NOT use any part of the fibre connections whatsoever, so please don't over complicate this fibre issue. The fibre connections remain on the lower CD changer and do not require any connections.

Now in regards to this so-called fibre box. Let me try and explain as easily as possible. @McShmoopy has what we call the Type A system which is the factory nav. He then purchased an XTRON 10" unit. Now as I mentioned before, the 10" versions are not made for the factory nav systems. So if you get that and plug in to the 2006 to 2009, you can get it working mostly but will have some lacking functionality. But if you get that and try and install it on the Type A system you need a completely different processing unit which basically acts like a multimedia ECU to bridge between the car and the 10" system. This is because in the Type A Nav systems (regardless of whether its ML or Non ML) the processing is done by the upper unit on the navigation system. So disconnecting the top unit practically means you lose communcation with HVAC system and the cars multimedia system. So, to to install the Type A 9" compatible systems you need to dismantle your upper screen and take just the processing unit and keep that mounted. So this is why on the 10" systems they have a seperate unit that does the job of the factory screen. 

Below are some pictures of how a I installed a Type A system for someone. The original screen dismantled and kept the processing unit in place so the system can work

 

So in short, the OP if you want to buy from that eBay link, you need to tell the seller you have the fibre version which is AKA Type A. But personally I would not recommend that eBay one as it's very underspecced and a lot of these other chinese head units have rubbish software compare to the Teyes. Teyes have a very intuitive all-in UI and looks and feels very premium.

[ahmed24]

And here are a few pics of my Teyes system installed. I've kept airvent off for now as I have some other work to do in that area so plan to take the vent out again 🙂 

[Linas.P]

41 minutes ago, ahmed24 said:

But personally I would not recommend that eBay one as it's very underspecced and a lot of these other chinese head units have rubbish software

Still about 10 million times better than what Lexus had fitted from factory, but otherwise I agree.

The question then remains whenever one wants to put £500 worth system in car which (depending on the year) could be worth £2000... or do with £250 system which is still massively better.

[ahmed24]

16 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

Sill about 10 million times than what Lexus had fitted from factory, but otherwise I agree.

100% agreed on that.

 

17 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

The question then remains whenever one wants to put £500 worth system in car which (depending on the year) could be worth £2000... or do with £250 system which is still massively better.

The thing with the lower spec system is that you are not going to get things like wireless apple CarPlay and Wireless Android Auto natively built-in. You are going to then need to splash out 30 to 50 quid on a round about way with a dongle and kind of ruins the user experience. I found the Teyes user experience to be the best out of all the ones i've tested. The CarPlay and Android Auto UI works the best and the system comes back to where you left off every time. I purchased my CC3 top spec 128gb model for £420 and that was with fedex 4 day delivery from china. So an extra £170 well spent. Not to mention if you ever sell the car you could put OEM unit back in and sell the Teyes seperately as it wil always be in demand.

[Chizabc]

Ahmed, I remember you posted about the Teyes CC3 that the climate controls are set up as standard for LH Drive, but that you managed to swap some resistors? over to rectify this.

Was this the only janky aspect to the Teyes, as everything else seems to work more or less out of the box?

[ahmed24]

12 minutes ago, Chizabc said:

Ahmed, I remember you posted about the Teyes CC3 that the climate controls are set up as standard for LH Drive, but that you managed to swap some resistors? over to rectify this.

Was this the only janky aspect to the Teyes, as everything else seems to work more or less out of the box?

This is NOT specific to the Teyes or the 9" or 10" systems. This is specific to the actual frames. The frames are not manufactured by Teyes, they are made by certain factories and all the head unit suppliers will provide their head unit whether it be Teyes CC3, XTRON or any cheap replica. They all use the same frames. for exampe here is a link directly to the 9" frame

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003704205123.html

These are mass produced for the LHD market and pre-programmed to be LHD. I've heard that the newer 10" frames they've started to make this changable through settings but have yet to see it actually being implemented. As it stands, the only way to swap the climate buttons around is to switch resistors around. Here is a video demo showing the RHD climate switched by removing resistors and re-soldering them.