Why don't we make our own head units?

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Seeing as head units are now mechless there is very little there to be called a car stereo anymore, its basically just a music file player with a DAC and amp. most people want an AM/FM radio but I personally don't, all I care about really is weather or not it has a high quality DAC and a USB port.

So.... why aren't we making our own head units out of sheet metal boxes? The DIN size of an old car stereo shouldn't be that difficult to hollow out and manufacture a black perspex front to cover the innards or simply re-use the plastic front panel that are behind the controls of old stereos, and then simply assemble an ALPS volume control into the front fascia. A simplistic style with a few buttons would then allow you to skip a track and start or stop music.

Then we could stuff the innards with high quality Panasonic FC capacitors and a high end miniature headphone DAC and just have a couple of RCA outputs on the rear with power going in.

Anyone feel up to it? I've got an old sony head unit that fits the bill for gutting.

Maybe later on we can get a manufacturer in china to provide the chassis and do the pcb all in one shop and we will have a car stereo that will outperform SQ wise with the high end head units and something that can resemble something professionally made but for $50-$100.
 
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For far too many vehicles, it's getting harder to replace the OEM head unit due to integration with other vehicle functions.

For virtually 100% of those who want car audio, their phone (or a used phone - $50 on ebay) or tablet provide good enough quality so that the minor improvements are not worth the many hours it would take to produce a head unit. If you don't like the headphone output, you can get a bluetooth to RCA adapter for cheap.

If you need crossovers and equalization, plug it into any of the ones available for car audio.

If you want a mechanical volume control, mount one in your center console just where your hand naturally lays when driving.

The caps won't make a difference. Too many forums have people that know nothing about audio telling others to replace caps and it will make a huge difference. In virtually no case will they make a difference.
 
Disabled Account
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All good valid points. I guess I will go with the RCA volume control route and simply blank off the two din slots in my car.

Or I could get a DIN blanking plate and simply drill a hole into it to mount an alps volume control then use a wood or bakelite knob. simple easy and looks good.
 
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Disabled Account
Joined 2017
An even simpler idea would be simply mounting a 7 band car equalizer into the usual position of a car stereo, those have volume controls on them so it fits the bill and no machining necessary.

Or I could simply add the equalizer and preset the volume control on that and simply use a secondary main volume control near where my arm sits on the center console. my phone can then sit comfortably and safely in the center console arm rest.
 
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Disabled Account
Joined 2017
IDEAS are flowing: DC 6-12V Assembled HIFI Bluetooth Audio Module CSR8635 4.1 Stereo Receiver Board | eBay

its either that or having a bluetooth module output spdif then outputting that into a dac.

With this:
Optical Transmitter And Receiver Bluetooth 4.1 TOSLINK/SPDIF 2-in-1 Wireless | eBay

BAM, SPDIF output in a car for less than $30. EAT THAT Alpine!

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Disabled Account
Joined 2017
Here's a challenge you may like since what you propose above is too easy, a car record player, it would probably have to be mounted in the boot somehow, and you would have the added pleasure of stopping every 15 minutes or so for a short stroll

I did that once and put the TT on the rear parcel shelf, the disc slipped off in the high-g force and hit me in the back of the head like a frizbee.

Some people say that papercuts don't hurt. That bloody little bastard hurt for a month.
 
You can usually hotrod a factory head unit by improving the power supply and using better op amps, and whether or not you can hear a difference between the various capacitors, there’s always that to play with also.
It can be very difficult to get schematics/pin outs for the automotive processors though, I found mine on an Asian site.

I did think about putting an sd card player hidden away somewhere, and just have a volume knob in a convenient location, always turned on...
 
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Joined 2017
I've got a nice galvanized steel project box with mounting tabs that i'll use for a twin alps volume control, one for fronts one for rear so I can use the rear 6x9's for mid-bass fill. Will probably paint it red to match the color of the car.

I've seen the volume controls for cars on ebay and all the cheap ones are made from plastic and I'm not going to spend $30 on a metal one. So this seems like the cheapest route.

Needless to say but it would be embarrassing if a chirp from my cellphone came over the car stereo especially if its running at a high volume level, could be deafening.

I'll mount it to the center console with some double sided tape, gorilla tape, mine already has too many screw holes.

The pots might fit:
Aluminum Box Circuit board Enclosure Case Electronic Project Amplifier 100x76x35 | eBay

Will have to wait for them to arrive to find out. Might be able to fit 3 in there side by side. RCA cables will probably have to be female type external to the case with a single hole grommeted.
 
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Disabled Account
Joined 2017
For my car audio build:
RG58 CU MIL SPEC 50 OHM COAX UHF CB AMATEUR COMMUNICATION SCANNER CABLE 25M LOT | eBay

1 pair RCA Male Plug Audio Video AV Connector Metal Spring Adapter Connector | eBay

For my custom alps volume control for my car:
8 Set Amplifier Audio Terminal RCA CONNECTOR FEMALE Jack CHASSIS Panel MOUNT PCB | eBay

XTRONS Male ISO Radio Wire Wiring Harness Adapter Connector Car Adaptor Plug | eBay

Red Black RVB2 x 0.3/0.5/0.75/1.0/1.5mm2 Wire 2 Core Home Loud Speaker Cable | eBay

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PIONEER...IDGEABLE-CAR-AUDIO-AMPLIFIER-AMP/191007811712

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Optical...-1-TOSLINK-SPDIF-2-in-1-Wireless/302397976997

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Strong-...-Pads-9080-EVA-78X62X1-5MM-Black/182775790392

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Japan-A...meter-RK27-Round-shaft-6-pin-PCB/142343800010

2.5mm 30 meters (critically low on this size)
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BLACK-H...-HEAT-SHRINK-WRAP-CABLE-1MM-12MM/322206404590

My old iron is dead:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DOSS-30...E-WELDING-TOOL-STAND-KIT-AU-SHIP/262520035433

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FEMALE-I...VY-VZ-REPLACEMENT-WIRING-HARNESS/260690439481

I'm going to keep the original factory Fujitsu Ten (Ten Means Heaven in Japan) because it sounds so darn good (100% analog from beginning to end and no DSP) and I need a cassette deck/radio for simple radio/mixtape means, plus it has NO DSP so it sounds FANTASTIC! http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/F-Revers...41F-adaptor-cable-lead-loom-plug/291625706920

This radio will go alongside a fully custom mobile phone -> bluetooth receiver -> spdif -> headphone dac -> alps volume control -> pioneer Class AB stereo -> Vifa split speakers system budget car SQ build.

I'll end up just plugging the speaker output from the Fujitsu Ten into the speaker inputs on the Pioneer Class AB amp and the DAC will get the RCA inputs on the Pioneer amp. Simple and no need for a splitter or switch in between, it should work seamlessly and I could even invariably listen to the radio while playing something on my phone....AT THE SAME TIME.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aluminu...c-Project-Case-Black-100-76-35mm/352071992070
 
Disabled Account
Joined 2017
The Fujitsu Ten line of stereos that are commonly found in Toyota Camry's sound AMAZING.

Mine came from a 20 series and it has amazing internal components.

To give you an example I was just sitting down in the car moments ago listening to a speech taken by someone talking outside of a parliament building in sydney and I could hear the people talking in the background and could pick out (quite easily) a stereo image of the road surrounding him from the Fujitsu Ten, over FM radio...

Through stock paper cone speakers without tweeters. The high end was amazingly clear and detailed. Easily equalling and maybe even surpassing my frugalhorn setup in the home.

The stock FM receiver and amp in the Fujitsu Ten is amazing. Power supply is zener rectified and the amp is a TDA7388 Class AB IC with a 0.03% THD at 1KHz. http://www.st.com/content/ccc/resour...CD00179160.pdf

I couldn't best that even if I plunked down $500-$1000 in an aftermarket head unit.

And you might be thinking that the audio coming from the bluetooth receiver and external headphone dac is going through the fujitsu ten, no. I'm routing around it.

= Should sound AMAZING.
 
There is really no need for diy head unit. In most cars, there are vital systems integrated into the head unit, which will cease working. It is much easier to open it (well, the Visteon built ones aren`t haha), find a digital out track on the PCB and export it to the back panel. There you connect a digital cable which goes to a quality DSP with inbuilt dacs, like the miniDSP ones, and you should be pretty happy with the result without killing any car option or system. And its easier to do.
 
Disabled Account
Joined 2017
Here are the pictures of the Fujitsu Ten that I pulled out of my mums camry as promised. The model number of the head unit is:
"TMCA No. 86100-YC140"
"TEN SUB ASSY NO. 121001-99600431"
"ASSY NO. 121001-99600151"

Mine doesn't need a security code for some reason and none were provided with the car.

Made by Fujitsu Ten Limited and came from a 2000 Model XV20 Camry V6.

The amplifier is a surprising little thing with two packages instead of the usual one. Two AN7196's. My previous suggestion that the IC was a single TDA7388 was incorrect. (Couldn't see it properly.)

The AM/FM receiver chip is a Sanyo LA1888N
 

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There is definitely a market for a hi quality single DIN head unit that doesn't look like it belongs in a spaceship. There are a lot of classic (80's-90's) car people looking to upgrade their headunit with bluetooth and iphone in while maintaining the looks of the interior. Unfortunately it like like DIY is the only way to get there. Has anyone mated an older or custom face onto a new headunit?
 
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