[DLC5005]

Hi Reinhard,
Thanks for such a detailed DIY thread.
You have covered all the aspects very well and it will surely help those, who are thinking of a similar DIY.


Meanwhile, have few questions for you :
(Since I too am contemplating a similar ICE and camera setup)
1. How good is the Bluetooth pairing and call quality?
(Please share the mic mounting pics)

2. According to you, which is the best place to mount the GPS antenna? Left A pillar, right A pillar or on dashboard ?
( If its right side A pillar, won't the wiring part be easier? Since we can route it along with the mic wire)

3. Does the head unit work/switch ON, even when the ignition is OFF? If so, won't it drain the battery, if the system is left ON mistakenly?



Now call it a coincidence or my luck, I too was contemplating to install an android system and a reverse camera to my 7 year old i10, via DIY method.

While the android system is yet to be finalized, I already have a similar camera, tools and similar connectors at my disposal. And actually had the virtual plan done, to use scotch locks in same pattern and wire routing 90% similar to yours.

Now you have already done that, I got to see how it might actually look and perform in real time. This thread will surely help me as a guide, during my DIY soon. So thanks in advance to you.

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by Grease_Monkey

Enjoyed reading the DIY Reinhard! I am tempted to do this myself on my K10 too, though won't go for the rear camera and rear speakers setup. I am not really stepping out of the house unless needed and the crappy stock system is not allowing my Morels at the front to sing.
Few questions:
1. How is the output without amp? I don't have one now, but will purchase one in future. Not keen on buying amp from Amazon. If we compare the output with a sub 15k unit from Pioneer / Sony,
2. Can you share the various sound customization options. I see this unit has DSP as well
3. My installer told me not to go for Android head units, any reason - apart from the fact he will lose on profit

Hi Grease_Monkey - happy you enjoyed it!

So you want to continue just with the 2 front speakers? Then the project implementation will literally take 15 minutes tops!

1. I have used the external amplifier ONLY to power the sub-woofer. All the other 4 speakers are running on the HU's built-in amplifier & the sound output is more than adequate & on par with any other branded system you can buy.
2. I have used a Sony AX5000 head unit for about an year or so like I mentioned earlier. Had spent a good 20000 on it. And given a choice today - I'll buy the Android unit a hundred times over. Absolutely no doubt about it. So either the installer doesn't have immediate access to the Android system OR its the margin like you mentioned.
3. So far I have seen equalizer which is very good in the music settings. Haven't seen DSP yet. Also - note that if you run the music off Bluetooth from your phone - I don't think it allows equalizer in the head unit. But then - there is an equalizer in the mobile app that will do just as good. (Or we can install a different app on the head unit to play Bluetooth music! The possibilities are pretty much endless with Android OS!)
4. But its an android system with access to PlayStore. So adding a good app that implements a DSP emulation would be pretty much child's play. That said - I'm absolutely happy with the audio output in this little car & won't really be looking for DSP at all to be honest. (Yes the portal does show DSP in the item listing.)

By calling it "crappy" you destroyed any little chance I had of selling that Nippon unit for some bucks on OLX! But well yeah, it is crappy!

Originally Posted by DLC5005

Hi Reinhard,
Thanks for such a detailed DIY thread.
You have covered all the aspects very well and it will surely help those, who are thinking of a similar DIY.

Thanks DLC5005, glad you liked it & good luck with your project! And not just DIY, I think a lot of car accessory store guys also keep away some times because of not being sure. I have heard such stories from many acquaintances in Pune. So I try to keep information in the thread such that readers can simply take a print & take it along to some accessory store to get the installation done after ordering the product online from some source.

Originally Posted by DLC5005

Meanwhile, have few questions for you :
(Since I too am contemplating a similar ICE and camera setup)
1. How good is the Bluetooth pairing and call quality?
(Please share the mic mounting pics)

The BT audio is better than any of the systems I have used so far. Call clarity is superb & mic is extremely sensitive. Its better than the setup in Nexon & it works even better since the Alto K10 is a smaller car.

There is no external mic to be mounted anywhere. The mic is on the top left corner of the head unit on the face, right above the power soft-key. Well placed. I have tried calls & the mic is fantastic.

Originally Posted by DLC5005

2. According to you, which is the best place to mount the GPS antenna? Left A pillar, right A pillar or on dashboard ?

( If its right side A pillar, won't the wiring part be easier? Since we can route it along with the mic wire)
Since there is no wiring required for the mic - its really your preference. I mounted it on the LHS because the antenna port of the head-unit is on the side near the glove box when installed.

Originally Posted by DLC5005

3. Does the head unit work/switch ON, even when the ignition is OFF? If so, won't it drain the battery, if the system is left ON mistakenly?

The head unit is hooked up to the stock harness of your car. So it gets power ONLY when your existing system used to get power. No difference here. If your car allows to switch ON the music system right now - the same will happen with the android system too. In the Alto - it doesn't work unless at least in ACC mode. (Same was the case with old HU also.)

Just tell the exact model & year of your current car. They'll ship the correct matching OEM connector & harness pigtail. You can simplify it by sending a picture of your current dashboard to them.

Originally Posted by DLC5005

Now you have already done that, I got to see how it might actually look and perform in real time. This thread will surely help me as a guide, during my DIY soon. So thanks in advance to you.

Any time mate! I hope it helps. You can drop more questions if needed during your project too. Do share your DIY too! There are plenty i10 owners who'd love this change. (There is one in my immediate family too!)

[Grease_Monkey]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

[list=1][*]I have used the external amplifier ONLY to power the sub-woofer. All the other 4 speakers are running on the HU's built-in amplifier & the sound output is more than adequate & on par with any other branded system you can buy.[*]I have used a Sony AX5000 head unit for about an year or so like I mentioned earlier. Had spent a good 20000 on it. And given a choice today - I'll buy the Android unit a hundred times over.

Thats wonderful to hear! I will go for an amp and even a sub once the Covid situation clears, but for now this seems excellent option, especially since I would like to go DIY route.

I am even playing with the idea of using the stock front speakers, maybe I'll make a boombox out of it and use the stock unit to power it

[DLC5005]

Thanks again, Reinhard.
That pretty much clears most of the doubts I had.

Originally Posted by Reinhard

And not just DIY, I think a lot of car accessory store guys also keep away some times because of not being sure.

Yes you are cent percent right.
That is why, I am also thinking of a DIY project and was researching on the same.

Originally Posted by Reinhard

The BT audio is better than any of the systems I have used so far. Call clarity is superb & mic is extremely sensitive.

Good to know!!
Bluetooth and voice calling, is one of the main reasons, that I am planning for an ICE upgrade.
Have been using the external Bluetooth device (Tantra fluke), from past 2 years. Though its quality is good, I wanted to overcome the dangling wire and lack of features. Hence the upgrade plans.

Originally Posted by Reinhard

There is no external mic to be mounted anywhere. The mic is on the top left corner of the head unit on the face, right above the power soft-key. Well placed. I have tried calls & the mic is fantastic.

My bad, I missed observing the pic of Kit/contents of the system you shared, which obviously didn't have external mic wire.
Few of the systems I had seen, had an external mic as well, so I was confused.

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Since there is no wiring required for the mic - its really your preference. I mounted it on the LHS because the antenna port of the head-unit is on the side near the glove box when installed.

Ok got it now. Will keep this in mind during my project.

Originally Posted by Reinhard

The head unit is hooked up to the stock harness of your car. So it gets power ONLY when your existing system used to get power. No difference here.

That makes sense to me now. My current OEM system doesn't work if ignition/ACC mode is OFF. So no more worries for me, related to battery drain.

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Just tell the exact model & year of your current car. They'll ship the correct matching OEM connector & harness pigtail.

Yes, that's what exactly I have done.
Still better, I actually removed the system and have taken pics of all OEM pins/ports and connectors.
I have shared the same along with the dashboard pic with the seller. Still waiting for his response.

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Any time mate! I hope it helps. You can drop more questions if needed during your project too. Do share your DIY too! There are plenty i10 owners who'd love this change. (There is one in my immediate family too!)

Thank you, will get in touch with you, if struck somewhere during the DIY process.
The connectors, panels, ports etc of Hyundai are obviously different to that of Maruti. So, as you said, a DIY thread might help other Hyundai car owners.

[Reinhard]

Here are a couple of better pictures taken in more day-light yesterday.

Also added a magnetic mobile holder to solve an eternal problem about keeping the mobile somewhere properly while driving!




Changed the wallpaper to a simple Suzuki logo I downloaded off a Google search. You can set anything. Perhaps I should set a picture of the Alto K10 from the TBHP official review!





And here is a quick video demo of the system's touch interface, YouTube & maps usage. (I compressed it to keep a small video size, turns out - the video quality got compromised too much! Sorry. The video / maps are running off the wi-fi hot-spot of the same phone through which I took the video recording. And its the first time I opened these on the head unit. So nothing cached locally either. I hope this shows how fast the system works.

Quick Video Demo with YouTube Streaming & Maps

[viXit]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Perhaps this simple circuit diagram I made will help you & others. I have used a 12V DC illuminated switch which I had in stock. So it has 3 wires. 1 for input, other for output (where you connect the load) and one for ground.

I have simply installed it in series with the REM wire that goes from the head unit to the amplifier (which in itself is a wire working as a switch). If you use a simple AC/DC 2 pin rocker toggle switch - you'll simply have to connect the REM wire coming from the head unit to 1 pin of the switch & the wire from the other pin of the switch to the REM pin on the amplifier. When the switch is "ON" it will complete the circuit and send the 12V to REM wire. Simple.

I have drawn the diagram quickly using PowerPoint. So please excuse the absolute massacre of electronic circuit diagram principles and standard symbols.

Attachment 2033941

Pardon me for my lack of knowledge but why does the switch have to be grounded too?
Couldn’t it just be used to open /close the circuit at the power cable.
I have understood every other bit of the wiring very well thanks to the informative diagram

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by viXit

Pardon me for my lack of knowledge but why does the switch have to be grounded too?
Couldn’t it just be used to open /close the circuit at the power cable.
I have understood every other bit of the wiring very well thanks to the informative diagram

Thats because I have used a 3 pin switch I had in inventory. Its an illuminated one. The white LED glows when switch is off and glows brighter when turned ON. (You can see in the video I have shared for that.) For illumination, you need the LEDs circuit to be closed all the time. Yeah? Thats what the ground is for.

Like I mentioned elsewhere, you can simply use an inline 2 pin switch that simply closes and opens the circuit. Toggle 2 pin. It will work also.

[viXit]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Thats because I have used a 3 pin switch I had in inventory. Its an illuminated one. The white LED glows when switch is off and glows brighter when turned ON. (You can see in the video I have shared for that.) For illumination, you need the LEDs circuit to be closed all the time. Yeah? Thats what the ground is for.

Like I mentioned elsewhere, you can simply use an inline 2 pin switch that simply closes and opens the circuit. Toggle 2 pin. It will work also.

Thank you for the clarification, I didn't realise the LED in the switch would require a closed circuit despite you mentioning it's illuminated.

First I thought of installing the switch in the dashboard. However - that would fill up the single remaining dummy switch position. . I can use the blank dummy position in the dashboard for something else in the future if I add it.

Why not mount it elsewhere like below the centre console on somewhere near the handbrake as many bass knobs are mounted there to control subs.

or maybe something like what @hydrashok had done on his palio, a very stealthy switch?
(image taken from https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...tml#post346250 (Major ICE Upgrade in my Palio (EDIT: Car upgraded.)))

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Next is this project. A complete revamp of the In Car Entertainment - ICE - in the car from the stock setup - a Nippon CD player (with USB but without Bluetooth) and 2 front speakers.

Congrats on a great DIY and thanks for sharing this very interesting read.

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by viXit

Why not mount it elsewhere like below the centre console on somewhere near the handbrake as many bass knobs are mounted there to control subs.
or maybe something like what @hydrashok had done on his palio, a very stealthy switch?

Yes of course - I had planned to install a simple toggle switch first - between the fog light & headlamp leveler buttons besides the steering wheel in the dashboard. It would have been simply in-line addition & the remote wire passes pretty much right behind this location too.

However - the toggle switch procurement took too long thanks to lockdowns & supply chain disruptions / shortage of parts in stores near me. So decided to use a switch available with me at home. Its a switch without a proper secured base. It gets installed using a 3M double sided tape instead. So mounting it elsewhere wouldn't be too secure for the long run. Also since its a 3 pin switch, I avoided too much wiring & routing hassle by installing it right over the amplifier - where all the wiring is present nearby anyway. Anyway - it won't be needed too often. When needed - its a 30 second job to open the boot and operate it.

Originally Posted by R2D2

Congrats on a great DIY and thanks for sharing this very interesting read.

Thanks R2D2! Glad you found it interesting and worth a read. Cheers!

[rajshenoy]

Very informative thread. was just wondering how to pamper my Alto on her 3rd year anniversary and one of the options is to ICE up. I don't think i can DIY all this

I am thinking of replacing the front door speakers(may be comps) and install ovals on real parcel shelf while using the stock HU. Still i bet the quality will imrove 10x.

Quick question. Neighborhood ICE guy claims we need a wooden plank as the standard Maruti parcel shelf is weak. How is your experience with vibrations on this shelf ? is it sturdy enough.

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Very informative thread. was just wondering how to pamper my Alto on her 3rd year anniversary and one of the options is to ICE up. I don't think i can DIY all this.

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Quick question. Neighborhood ICE guy claims we need a wooden plank as the standard Maruti parcel shelf is weak. How is your experience with vibrations on this shelf ? is it sturdy enough.

So - the stock shelf in my Alto is holding absolutely fine. To be honest I had presumed that I'd need a ply-board to install the speakers. But was pleasantly surprised to see the very thick good quality PU panel used by Maruti. It is way stronger than sheet metal panels to be honest (in push-by-thumb test). I suggest you continue with the stock parcel shelf. It will last plenty. In case it sags in future (probably will take years to be honest) - you can then think of replacing with wooden plank. There is no difference in vibrations etc. for me after installing the speakers.

[fiat_tarun]

Great thread and very well explained.

We have a very similar garage with a compact SUV / Crossover and a white Alto K10 Vxi(O) AGS as the wife's car .

Since my wife doesn't really care about audio quality, I intend to just swap the head unit and retain the stock speakers.

I see you got a great price. The same unit is 12k now. Any pointers to get it at a better price ?

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by fiat_tarun

I see you got a great price. The same unit is 12k now. Any pointers to get it at a better price ?

I'm afraid no pointers. The prices shot up shortly after I procured my HU. Especially after the things with China went sour and imports from the manufacturing hub started facing troubles. With the chip shortages hitting all industries as well, the HUs I believe are making hay while the Sun is out. You can contact MotorBasket on their mentioned mobile number on their website & see if some festive discounts etc are available. Motorbasket generally has some offers ongoing (like all such accessory vendors) around festivals etc.

Also - I believe the currently available HUs are a bit more advanced than mine, with better OS interface and features like DSP etc. Mine doesn't have a DSP built-in.
I suggest - get one with 2GB ram if fits in your budget. I regularly play YouTube / Prime Video etc on my HU (when my son is in the back seat). Either of these + google maps working together - render the system a bit too slow and does restart suddenly once in a while. I'm quite sure thats linked to the small 1GB RAM in my system. 2GB units might fare better & respond faster.
(For 1 app usage, BT telephony and even BT music streaming etc - the system is absolutely fine. No lag on screen or anything.)