Ongoing DAB

[rickandbev16]

Hi All,
I am the proud owner of a 2014 1.6 FAP Auto Blingo B9, and I am determined to find a way of getting DAB in the car. 

I actually have a Pioneer DAB head unit from my last Blingo but have given up (temporarily ?) on the idea of fitting that, because I would lose the reverse sensors and it might mess up the display too. My latest hairbrained scheme is a DAB tuner/Modulator, but where to fit it ?? My latest thought is the centre console. The car is an automatic so I cant imagine there would be much behind it, and of course there is the added bonus of the power take off from the "cig lighter" socket.
Only thing is I cant see how to remove it. I would guess that it is clipped on, but I dont want to break anything trying.
Has anyone got any ideas on this ?? Or has anyone fitted a DAB tuner anywhere else ??
Any thoughts would be most welcome.
May thanks, Richard

[Nordic]

Hi
I mounted an adapter to the console between the front seats, in front of the cup holder on a 2014 Multispace . I used a self made bracket. I am thinking of instead mounting the adapter on a swivel hinge inside the console, so I can flip it up when in use and down inside the console for theft protection when not in use.
I have an inside glass antenna that came with the unit mounted to the right side rear window and would make a suitable hole in the console for the antenna wire and power.
I have put two additional power outlets in this console at the bottom front beneath the cup holder. Power comes from a lead from the rear power outlet which turns on when the car is in use.
I use the built in FM transmitter and to my ears it gives decent sound quality.
I get the station name on the car radio display as an RDS message.


regards

[rickandbev16]

Hi
I mounted an adapter to the console between the front seats, in front of the cup holder on a 2014 Multispace . I used a self made bracket. I am thinking of instead mounting the adapter on a swivel hinge inside the console, so I can flip it up when in use and down inside the console for theft protection when not in use.
I have an inside glass antenna that came with the unit mounted to the right side rear window and would make a suitable hole in the console for the antenna wire and power.
I have put two additional power outlets in this console at the bottom front beneath the cup holder. Power comes from a lead from the rear power outlet which turns on when the car is in use.
I use the built in FM transmitter and to my ears it gives decent sound quality.
I get the station name on the car radio display as an RDS message.


regards

Many thanks for the reply. How did you route the power cable to the centre console. My power outlet is in the boot on the right hand side underneath the window. Is yours the same ?? My latest madcap idea is to mount the DAB in the dash top cubby hole. At the moment I'm trying to think of a reason not to do that. I still would need to remove the centre console (underneath the radio) to get at the back of the power socket.
Any thoughts most welcome
Thanks, Richard

[Nordic]

Hi
I thought about just making an extension lead from the rear right power socket to free up the dash socket for other use. But I put two new power sockets in the front of the center console instead.

I use the rear right hand socket  and just route the cable across the floor under the mats to the rear of the console where I have made a hole for the lead to enter the console.
The lead are then attached to the two power outlets I mounted at the front.

Inside glass antenna from the rear right window is run under the window frame rubber down to the floor, under the front seat and to the adapter.

The adapter bracket is just a little angle iron I found in a hardware store, and bent to suit the adapter mount.

The adapter detaches from the bracket so can be removed for theft protection.

On the inside of the console, behind the power sockets I make certain that the back are insulated so nothing I put in the console should make a short circuit.

The power plug I use at the back also has a built-in fuse.

[rickandbev16]

Is there not a way of using the stereo's unused AUX input instead of an FM modulator?  It seems a shame to lose quality going to FM and back when there's an input sitting there waiting to be used.

Having said that, I think a lot of them use the FM RDS text as a way of getting the info onto the main screen, so perhaps that is that standard way of doing it.  With the AUX input you may get better sound quality but you'd get nothing displayed - perhaps not a problem if the DAB unit has its own display though.

Personally, I'd look at mounting it somewhere high up, round by the sun visors somewhere - that way you could probably get away with leaving if fitted without it being too visible.  There's lots of space and clips for routing wires behind both A-pillar trims and the fusebox is a piggyback fuse away, in the back of the glovebox.  I managed to thread a feed through for my crash cam and phone charger this way and it's completely invisible and totally safe, plus it won't jump out like fag lighters can.  I seem to remember it was a little tricky getting the cable from the fusebox to the A-pillar but otherwise it's easy.  I just stuffed it into the headlining along the top, and just used a few dots of hot glue to stop it falling out.

OK thanks for that, its given me food for thought.
-  Thinking about it if you wasnt bothered about changing stations (eg listen to planet rock all the time), it wouldnt be such a crazy idea to stuff it in the boot, stick the aerial on the RHR window, and power it from the rear 12V socket. If the unit had a remote that would be even better.
Thanks a lot for your help on this
Richard

[Nordic]

Most of them are so tiny these days that the remote control would be the same size - e.g. the one in Nordic's photos.

Now I'm tempted.  It's the gadget I haven't yet fitted.

The adapter I have is called Tiny C5