Ipod Control Solution For Oem Stereo Is200/300 Finally Found

mAltezza · November 26, 2007

Iv got err3 on mine too, there are 6 cds stuck inside, iv taken the fuse out over and over again and it just makes a grinding noise then stops. I have now taken the head unit out and started stripping it down, but still dont know how to get the cds out, has anyone done this before, does anyone have any pics of how to get them out, cos im not sure my new Ipod cable thingy will work if theres cds still inside,

Cheers

Hando · November 26, 2007

How do you take the fuse out Hando?
more over, where is the fuse?

Fuse is in the fuse-box under the bonnet just in front of Battery - take box lid off and turn it over and there should be a map telling you which fuse is which - you want the one marked "radio". Turn ignition on, take fuse out, leave for 2 mins and put it back in - turn stereo on - it should reboot.

Iv got err3 on mine too, there are 6 cds stuck inside, iv taken the fuse out over and over again and it just makes a grinding noise then stops. I have now taken the head unit out and started stripping it down, but still dont know how to get the cds out, has anyone done this before, does anyone have any pics of how to get them out, cos im not sure my new Ipod cable thingy will work if theres cds still inside,
Cheers

Some instructions for getting discs back here - linky . I think there might be a more detailed guide on the site somehere too.

KnightUnit · November 26, 2007

I know its pretty easy getting cds out on the newer head unit, as I have done this for a friend. But the older bottom loader seems to be a pig.

Parthiban · November 26, 2007

AFAIK it doesn't have phone mute but then Geoffers' one didn't allow pod-control via headunit controls. For the phone mute I'm using the autoleads part that FlashBastd listed here. This lead plugs into the amp whereas the Ipod control plugs into headunit so they shouldn't interfere with one another.

Can you let me know how this goes if you have it fitted - I knew one of them was a problem for cars with satnav, so if it isn't the aux, it must be the phone mute (which is why geoffers unit was so clever i think)...........hope it works though :)

johnboy · November 26, 2007

i would be interested in this too, if it works with the bottom loading cd/earlier model

Sonnet · November 26, 2007

Hi all,

on this weekend I had the chance to test the GromAdapter intensively with the sat nav. As I post before after the quick test everything works really fine :D

When beeing in iPod mode with satnav running, the driver side speaker fades out the music from time to time, so that you can hear the voice of the navigation lady as usual. After the orders were given the speaker switches back to the iPod music. Wonderfull!!! It works like factory build!!!

Regarding all the question of ERR3 I can say, that the control of the INSIDE CD Changer and the EXTERNAL CD changer (Grom with iPOD) is completely independant. If I have CDs in the internal Player I have to press two times the "Disk" button to get to the iPod stuff. If its empty inside just one press is needed.

So if you have a faulty drive just move on by pressing the disk button again. I'm quite sure it will work.

Regarding all the other question about the earlier stereos with down layed CD. If you have the relevant harness on the backside of your stereo and if nothing is pluged in this 12 line plug. Why should it not working? On the Grom Audio page (see the first post in this thread) they say it will fit in all IS from 99-2005)

Good luck!

Sonnet

KnightUnit · November 29, 2007

Hi Sonnet,

Just a quick off topic question, I see you also included a pic of your own homemade adaptor. How did you get the stero to recogise you had an input coming through there? i.e so you could push the 'cd' button twice and it would then play through that output.

Thank you

Sonnet · November 29, 2007

Hi,

this was a really strange solution. There was no pssibility to switch to the external sound source. Sound was only available when a CD with no sound (0 dB) on it was running parallel in the internal CD player.

It was a solution but it was not really state of the art, due to the reason, that two signals were laying over each other the external signal has to be very strong to get an exeptable sound quality.

When I will be home I will post the lexus part numbers for the self made adapters. I found it in a german lexus conector catalog. In the english catalog this specific connector is not included.

Regards

Sonnet

KnightUnit · November 29, 2007

Hi,
this was a really strange solution. There was no pssibility to switch to the external sound source. Sound was only available when a CD with no sound (0 dB) on it was running parallel in the internal CD player.

It was a solution but it was not really state of the art, due to the reason, that two signals were laying over each other the external signal has to be very strong to get an exeptable sound quality.

When I will be home I will post the lexus part numbers for the self made adapters. I found it in a german lexus conector catalog. In the english catalog this specific connector is not included.

Regards

Sonnet

Ah ok, so it would work for me then as my machine gives me err3 all the time. Thanks for letting me know anyhow, interesting fact.

Hando · December 4, 2007

UPDATE: my one of these has just turned up in the post from LA. Took 10 days from ordering.

Will be fitting this weekend and reporting back.

Sonnet · December 4, 2007

Brilliant :D

Yesterday I've send the guys from GromAudio a feedback to their adapter an gave them a link to the LOC UK board.

They have replied really impressed about the discussion and will keep this place in mind. I suggested to them to sign up in the UK LOC board, so that we have a direct line to the manufacturer if further questions occure....

All the best Hando and have fun

Sonnet

swfcdan · December 4, 2007

is your cd player bottom loading Hamdo? im too lazy to read the thread again

Hando · December 4, 2007

is your cd player bottom loading Hamdo? im too lazy to read the thread again

chuh! ;)

It's a top loader with err3.

swfcdan · December 4, 2007

is your cd player bottom loading Hamdo? im too lazy to read the thread again

chuh! ;)

It's a top loader with err3.

Cheers, was hoping you was going to say a bottom loader , not sure if these will work or not on mine with it being a bottom loader, boo hoo

lexus 200 · December 4, 2007

just ordered mine lets see how it goes

Hando · December 4, 2007

is your cd player bottom loading Hamdo? im too lazy to read the thread again

chuh! ;)

It's a top loader with err3.

Cheers, was hoping you was going to say a bottom loader , not sure if these will work or not on mine with it being a bottom loader, boo hoo

Well - in the package are two leads each with two connectors - so I reckon that's four connectors which should cover all the headunits. If you have a look at the back of your head unit and let me know the size/shape/no. of pins of your mini-disc/cd changer port I can let you know if there's an appropriate connector included in the pack if you like?

Sonnet · December 5, 2007

Hi all,

as you maybe remember I ask the guys from Grom Audio to become a registered LOC user, to be directly available for question regarding the adapter from board members. Well here is the answer from them:

Quote Start----------------------------

"GROM Audio" <info@gromaudio.com>

Hi,

...

Thank you for the idea about registering on the LOC website, we will do our

best to assist all of you guys.

Thank you for all the pictures and the review are great. We

will post everything on the web in a couple of days.

Best Regards,

Helen K

GromAudio

Quote End-----------------------------

After they had a look at this thread ( I've send the link to them) they ask my if I will give the permission that they place my photos and the installing story on their site to help other interested people who are not regitered at the LOC. From my site I can say - of course they can :)

I hope you see it the same way and do not think that I'm connected with grom and using this board for hidden advertising. I don't get any money if you are buying one of these boxes. I'm just an enthusiatic user who thinks that every Lex driver should know all availabe possibilities to get music in his car.

Best Regards

Sonnet

Hando · December 6, 2007

Sonnet.

This was an awesome find. Can't thank you enough.

I've fitted mine this morning and it does everything you said it would. Couldn't be happier :D

I've written up a little walkthrough of my install in the workshop here. Hope it helps others wanting to install this great piece of kit.

Well done - and thanks again!

KnightUnit · December 6, 2007

Can anyone confirm if this work with the older style bottom loader cd player?

Thanks

Hando · December 6, 2007

Can anyone confirm if this work with the older style bottom loader cd player?
Thanks

Shahz has mailed Grom in the states a photo of the back of his bottom-loading head unit to confirm if it will work (I suspect it will) but he'll report back when he hears from them.

Sonnet · December 6, 2007

Thank you for the flowers Hando :) and congratutiation from Berlin to the UK to your new listening experience :D

Due to the reason that English is not my mother language it's perfect that you wrote down your experience in a real installation story.

Are you in electronic music? I saw that you own the new iPOD nano too. In iTunes 7 you can set a tic for gappless playing and the nano is one of the few player out there who can handle it. Finally I can listen to Tall Paul in my Lex without any breaks for hours!!!!!

All the best

Sonnet

P.S. I hold my finger crossed for all the guys with bottom cd changer that they will have the possibilty to you this adapter too.

Hando · December 6, 2007

Thank you for the flowers Hando :) and congratutiation from Berlin to the UK to your new listening experience :D
Due to the reason that English is not my mother language it's perfect that you wrote down your experience in a real installation story.

Are you in electronic music? I saw that you own the new iPOD nano too. In iTunes 7 you can set a tic for gappless playing and the nano is one of the few player out there who can handle it. Finally I can listen to Tall Paul in my Lex without any breaks for hours!!!!!

All the best

Sonnet

P.S. I hold my finger crossed for all the guys with bottom cd changer that they will have the possibilty to you this adapter too.

:) Actually I got a 30GB ipod video from eBay last week for £50. My previous pod was ancient and needed replacing, the fact that the GromAudio unit only fully supports 4th gen and later ipods sealed it for me

But yeah it supports gapless playback - which is a godsent.

PS - I've PM'ed Scarface/Virus and asked him to sticky this post.

Sonnet · December 6, 2007

PS - I've PM'ed Scarface/Virus and asked him to sticky this post.

Lovely :D

I hope they will support this suggestion. Regarding the Generations of iPod I found out that apple count the generations for each modell by itself -> the newest Nano is Gen 3 while the lagre Classics and Videos are at Gen 4. But anyway the important thing is that it works

So thump up and let it rock!!!

Sonnet

MrADeveci · December 6, 2007

I've made this a sticky ...... well done Sonnet, brilliant find! :)

SHAHZ · December 7, 2007

Can anyone confirm if this work with the older style bottom loader cd player?
Thanks

Shahz has mailed Grom in the states a photo of the back of his bottom-loading head unit to confirm if it will work (I suspect it will) but he'll report back when he hears from them.

As posted in Handos thread........Good news fella's, i received an email yesterday from Grom confirming that the device will work with my head unit (2000, bottom loading).....get ordering people :winky: