Different DIY bluetooth setup for non-MMI 3G (with bonus aptx)

[teylix]

I was looking into playing music from my HTC One (M7) [which will eventually become M9].

Obviously the AMI cable is stupid unless you got an ipod/iphone. One option of course is to just use the AMI to 3.5mm cable, but I want a clean wireless setup since I hated hunting for the cable, plugging it in, blah blah. Then I did some research and found the Tune2Air option for $80. Seems pretty adequate but I realized it's A2DP and not including the aptx codec.

I consider myself a little bit of an audiophile and don't really enjoy audio degradation/compression beyond 320 kbps mp3s. Adding another level of compression just makes me a sad panda. But so do wires.

So I came up with my own setup-- drawing on what some people have done already. Looking for feedback here.

Shopping List:

IMAGE® Music Interface AMI MMI 3.5mm Jack Aux-IN MP3 Cable For Audi A3/A4/A5/A6/A8/Q5 $13
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=AD7C755W08DM6


Monoprice 107230 3.5mm Stereo Jack to 3.5mm Stereo Jack Adaptor, Gold Plated $2.55
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Kinivo BTC450 Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit for Cars with Aux Input Jack (3.5 mm) - supports aptX $40 (found mine used for $33)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Littelfuse FHA200BP ATO Add-A-Circuit Kit $5.42
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A1PH6OFMJYJKNX


Installation Process (in no particular order):

1. Install the AMI -> 3.5mm M cable into the 3.5mm F/F adapter
2. Then the 3.5mm M of the BTC450 plugs into the 3.5mm F/F adapter.
3. Solder ground wire and 12v power wire to cigarette adapter.
4. Route the cigarette lighter adapter through glove box into passenger fuse box
5. Attach ground wire to bolt on firewall
6. Solder/crimp power wire on cigarette adapter to the add a circuit fuse kit.
7. Install the "add-a-circuit" with 3A fuse to the passenger side fuse box.
8. ???
9. Profit.

That should be all she wrote, right? $54 shipped later I should be running high quality (aptx) bluetooth with my phone.

[DallaS4]

Looks like a good setup to me. I'm looking to set something like this up, so let us know how it works for you.

[Schadenfreude]

You're audio quality should be better than mine. I did this predominantly to listen to podcasts in my car.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ht=inadvertant

[teylix]

Looks like a good setup to me. I'm looking to set something like this up, so let us know how it works for you.

I've changed it around a bit and cut down costs. People said BTC450 had more of a quality "feel" to it also. Wasn't 100% sure Himbox had apt-x as well.

I'll take some pics along the way like making my custom cigarette lighter adapter piece.

You're audio quality should be better than mine. I did this predominantly to listen to podcasts in my car.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ht=inadvertant

Sounds like this project will work just fine after reading your setup. I just want to listen to music or stream anything really from my phone. Not sure I want to bother using it for phone calls which will dictate having the device mounted to the dash somewhere versus just having it all clean and tidy in the glove box. I currently have that In-Drive thing from state farm which has bluetooth hands free on the visor.

[Schadenfreude]

Will you have to touch anything/turn anything on or off when you get in or out of your car? The thing I'm happiest about is that my setup so ready to go on its own. The dongle has no battery so it powers up and disconnects when the start button is hit and my phone is set up to play automatically once connected to BT. Very convenient.

[teylix]

Will you have to touch anything/turn anything on or off when you get in or out of your car? The thing I'm happiest about is that my setup so ready to go on its own. The dongle has no battery so it powers up and disconnects when the start button is hit and my phone is set up to play automatically once connected to BT. Very convenient.

Nah, I won't have to touch anything. Only gets power when ignition is on just like your setup and auto-pairs then. I could download a bluetooth autoplay app if I want music to automatically start playing once I turn the car on where I don't have to even pull my phone out of my pocket.

[IvIonsteI2]

Search up tune2air, thats what i use in my 2012 s4.. its bluetooth connectivity to my iphone.... no need for any additional wires because it attaches to the stock port

http://www.amazon.com/ViseeO-WMA1000...words=tune2air

[DallaS4]

Hey man,

How'd it go? Did you get everything installed?

[Usa]

I'm interested in this as well.. wondering what would be the best bluetooth option that you could leave in your glovebox out of sight

Found this possibly better bluetooth option?


http://www.amazon.com/Wirecutters-Pi...nput+bluetooth

[teylix]

I'm interested in this as well.. wondering what would be the best bluetooth option that you could leave in your glovebox out of sight

Found this possibly better bluetooth option?


http://www.amazon.com/Wirecutters-Pi...nput+bluetooth

the himbox is something i looked into as well. i found a good used btc450 so i went with that. benefit of btc450 is that it's not all glowy and more feedback on the internet.

when i originally thought my setup up, i was going to put the device in the glove box. instead i ended up mounting it under my driver side heating button. there's a nice benefit to just hitting the 'next' button if you dont want to bother pulling your phone out. another change was that i bought a road pro adapter where i just cut the clamps off and had a nice ground and power wire to use.



i can take a pic of how it looks inside sometime. the sound quality is really great. only a hair below wired quality. much better than typical bluetooth audio though. it starts up and autoconnects to whatever media player i choose (using an android app). i wonder if there's a way to voice control pandora, spotify, or other media players like "google skip song" or something like that.