# Audio Problem w/ Tablet to AUX (hiss/static)



## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Welcome to the forum. 

The best way to go is Bluetooth so you don't pick up noise from the car plus the audio is much better.
If you have the audio controls on your steering wheel, you should be able to change your pdim with one for a camaro. Check out this thread,

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5833

If you have an ls and don't have pdim to switch, I recommend a kinivo.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009N...200_QL40&qid=1402982527&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2

I'm able to connect both my tablet and my phone at the same time. Plus you have pause/play, fwd/bwd and long press home without having to look up at the screen.

Regarding your navigation, sounds like an issue with the app. I use Google maps and it lowers the volume when there's instructions.


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## iTz SADISTIK (Apr 6, 2014)

The "Hissing" sound you hear is engine noise in the audio. A ground loop isolator will fix this issue. 

Amazon.com: PAC SNI-1/3.5 3.5-mm Ground Loop Noise Isolator Works with iPod/Zune/iRiver and Others: Automotive

Very simple and relatively cheap 

BTW, Very nice setup! What took you so long to join


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

Thanks for your responses. I do have audio controls on my steering wheel. I have a pretty good idea where the PDIM in my vehicle is; I think I seen it when I disassembled the center console. Being able to utilize the the audio controls on the steering wheel with the tablet is intriguing. The 2-5 week turnaround time on Amazon; yikes! I think I'll mosey on over to the dealership and ask if they have one and how many fingers and toes they want for it. If they don't have it or if they want too much I guess Amazon is it..



> BTW, Very nice setup! What took you so long to join


Really comes down to I had nothing much to say. You guys/gals did a pretty good job answering my questions without me ever having to chime in. I know the AUX issue been beaten to death here I just thought the DAC would resolve my issues seeing how most tablets/phones have a pretty weak pre-amp. I knew about the A2DP mod; but didn't know I could retain my audio controls.

Heck the coolest thing Ive learned here was finding out my trunk had a button above the license plate. 3 months into ownership before I came across that one.

Thanks


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## iTz SADISTIK (Apr 6, 2014)

wlynn said:


> Heck the coolest thing Ive learned here was finding out my trunk had a button above the license plate. 3 months into ownership before I came across that one.
> 
> Thanks


**** it, I keep getting reminded of this and still haven't tested it out. SMH lol


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

Well I guess Amazon is where its at... My local dealership didn't have it; but a dealership an hour away did but they wanted $202 for the PDIM. I think i rather spend $90 and wait 2-5 weeks and have it delivered to my door. Its not like I'm without audio - just crappy audio. Thanks


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Well you could pick up that isolator in the meantime. You might find it at a radio shack or computer store near you.

How are you getting power? I got mine going to the cigarette lighter but I'd like to hardwire it.


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

Mick said:


> Well you could pick up that isolator in the meantime. You might find it at a radio shack or computer store near you.
> 
> How are you getting power? I got mine going to the cigarette lighter but I'd like to hardwire it.


It's hardwired using a add-a-circuit fuse tap.. Like http://www.amazon.com/Add-A-Circuit...8&qid=1403034045&sr=1-3&keywords=atm+fuse+tap

Ran the fuse tap behind the fuse box toward the driver side front quarter panel where I slide it under the carpet. Once under the carpet I ran it along and under the carpet's edge under the pedals. When you reach the center console kickout panel on the driver side there is about a 18 inch gap you have to bridge under the carpet; used a coat hanger to fish it through. Now power is under the center console. 

For ground there are two pillars (one on each side) of the center console about 2 inches wide. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole through one and using a bolt, a couple of washers, and a ring lug and I have ground under the center console. 

From there I constructed my own lighter socket under the center console... the rest in probably similar to yours.

All my hubs and accessories are on the floor level of the center console (lots of room). Only thing I run up to the Nexus 7 is power for the OTG cable and USB back down for USB host mode


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## iTz SADISTIK (Apr 6, 2014)

Mick said:


> Well you could pick up that isolator in the meantime. You might find it at a radio shack or computer store near you.
> 
> How are you getting power? I got mine going to the cigarette lighter but I'd like to hardwire it.


Do be careful on the brand of isolator. I'm not saying a $200 will perform better than a $20 or a no name but as cheap as the PAC is I would recommend not going through a headache and go with a known quality part. PAC or otherwise. I am, rather positive, radioshack does not carry these. A phone call would save you some gas $$ though.


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

For the moment I'm going to save my money and not buy a ground loop insulator. The hiss/static is is really low and can only be heard for when no audio is being played through the tablet. I think I can live with it for a month or whenever Amazon delivers the PDIM especially considering the tablet install isn't complete. 

Next on the agenda is the backup camera and the Joycon EXR....


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

Hey OP,

Do you happen to have a pic of the rear of this setup?

I'm considering the same, probably with a Gen 1 Nexus 7, but i might do the gen 2 and a wireless charger so I don't need to try and do charging on the USB port.

--John


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The alternator feedback when I plugged my phone in for music was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Bluetooth doesn't have this issue.


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

Just to update. I received the PDIM for my tablet install about a month ago and installed it the same day. It works great - the hiss and static are gone completely and maintaining my steering wheel controls was defiantly a plus.

I have only one complaint about the PDIM and I can probably resolve it with some software tweeks on the tablet but in the meantime Ive found a workaround. The problem is if the tablet is connected to the car via bluetooth when power is disconnected and the car turns off and the tablet goes to sleep. When power is is reapplied, the radio immediately tries to connect to the tablet via bluetooth and it fails cause the tablet hasn't finishes waking up. When this happens I generally have to manually connect the Bluetooth on the tablet which is ok. 

My workaround has been switching to radio just before I turn off my cruze. This way when I turn my car back on, its the tablet which initiates the bluetooth connection and not the car radio.

Also I still haven't figured out how to give Google Maps audio focus which other music is playing. I tried looking in the settings and nothing.



> Hey OP,
> 
> Do you happen to have a pic of the rear of this setup?
> 
> ...


I don't charge from the USB port in my cruze. The USB port would not supply my tablet and accessories with enough juice to keep it alive and I suspect the wireless charger would result in the same. Normally USB charging is capped at 500mA (0.5A). My tablet is wired directly into the fuse box via a 2 amp charger - my USB hubs and accessories have their own 2 amp charger also wired into the fuse box.

I use a modified kernel to fool the tablet into thinking its plugged into an AC adapter which tells the tablet its okay to pull more than 500mA through the charging port. Running my tablet on full brightness with music/video/maps or whatever - it generally uses between 700mA to 1 Amp. With USB charging, your battery would be tapped out in a day or two. The modified kernel allows the tablet to pull up-to 2 amps from my charger keeping my battery full.

Before you install the tablet with the wireless charger, try it out before and see if it can keep your tablet charged while in use.


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

wlynn said:


> I don't charge from the USB port in my cruze. The USB port would not supply my tablet and accessories with enough juice to keep it alive and I suspect the wireless charger would result in the same. Normally USB charging is capped at 500mA (0.5A). My tablet is wired directly into the fuse box via a 2 amp charger - my USB hubs and accessories have their own 2 amp charger also wired into the fuse box.
> 
> I use a modified kernel to fool the tablet into thinking its plugged into an AC adapter which tells the tablet its okay to pull more than 500mA through the charging port. Running my tablet on full brightness with music/video/maps or whatever - it generally uses between 700mA to 1 Amp. With USB charging, your battery would be tapped out in a day or two. The modified kernel allows the tablet to pull up-to 2 amps from my charger keeping my battery full.
> 
> Before you install the tablet with the wireless charger, try it out before and see if it can keep your tablet charged while in use.


You misunderstood. I do know the concepts of power draw. I was merely asking for a picture of how you mounted it into the bezel plate.

I already know the usb port in the cruze isn't really good for anything but its original intention.

I'm really wondering how much you had to hack apart the JY customs bracket to plug into the USB port on the Nexus 7 tablet.

I've went and sized out all the tablets and whether they will fit without hacking apart the bracket, and the Nexus 7 (both gens) the USB port lines up right with the clip that retains it into the dash. The length of the tablet (or width in this orientation) also interferes with the two screw posts for putting the retaining peice on the back of the mount.

Only tablet that seems to be requiring little to no modification of either the bracket or the tablet itself would be the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7", but I can't get Timur's kernel for that.

Do you happen to have a picture or no?


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

I know this is late but you said you were using an aux cable? That would be my first place to look the cable itself.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

wlynn said:


> Also I still haven't figured out how to give Google Maps audio focus which other music is playing. I tried looking in the settings and nothing.


This is a function of your music player. I use the built in music player and Google Maps will drop the volume on the music player, give directions, and then resume the music volume. I know there are some music players out there that ignore the reduce volume message from Google Maps.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

hificruzer226 said:


> I know this is late but you said you were using an aux cable? That would be my first place to look the cable itself.


Are you referring to the feedback? If so, many cars have feedback when a music player is plugged into the power outlet and you're using the headphone out jack to play music. This feedback is electrical interference from the alternator. Bluetooth breaks this feedback loop by inserting an air gap into the power to stereo. It doesn't matter if you're using shielded cables or not.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

obermd said:


> Are you referring to the feedback? If so, many cars have feedback when a music player is plugged into the power outlet and you're using the headphone out jack to play music. This feedback is electrical interference from the alternator. Bluetooth breaks this feedback loop by inserting an air gap into the power to stereo. It doesn't matter if you're using shielded cables or not.


I was not talking about bluetooth at all. I may have misread but I understood the op was using a aux input not bluetooth. If the aux is determined by an actual cable most noise in my experience comes from this. If it is USB than I would say power conditioning is the ave I would take. Your standard 3.5 mm jacks are poo.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

OP switched to BlueTooth to avoid the AUX feedback noise.


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

nybble said:


> You misunderstood. I do know the concepts of power draw. I was merely asking for a picture of how you mounted it into the bezel plate.
> 
> I already know the usb port in the cruze isn't really good for anything but its original intention.
> 
> ...


I don't have a picture of how I mounted it to the bezel. But on the bezel there is a tab where the USB port connects on the tablet - I hacked away half of this tab to make room for the USB connecter (it still locks in tho). The tab on the other side of the bezel I left fully intact. The two screw post for mounting the strap - I hacked away both of them cause they interfered with the placement of the nexus 7.

With regards to how I mounted the tablet. I placed a screen protector on the tablet and used black double sided mounting tape to give the screen a seemless fit to the bezel. I reenforced this mount by using affixing brackets to the bezel using plastic weld epoxy - then used zip ties to strap the tablet in. I put forward pressure on the tablet I slid 3 inch sections of PVC pipe under the zip ties. The PVC pipes are secured in place with notches which lock into the zip ties.

The bezel itself is secured with the two tabs (1.5 tabs) on the bezel and two screws on the bottom of the bezel. The trim around the radio and AC vents also helps lock it in place.

To fit the nexus 7 into the cruze I also had to hack away some plastic bits on the cruze so the tablet would fit.


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

obermd said:


> OP switched to BlueTooth to avoid the AUX feedback noise.


This is correct. I switched to bluetooth and the AUX feedback noise is no longer an issue.


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

obermd said:


> This is a function of your music player. I use the built in music player and Google Maps will drop the volume on the music player, give directions, and then resume the music volume. I know there are some music players out there that ignore the reduce volume message from Google Maps.


Thanks I'll look into this. Ive been using MX player - maybe I'll have to switch.


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

wlynn said:


> I don't have a picture of how I mounted it to the bezel. But on the bezel there is a tab where the USB port connects on the tablet - I hacked away half of this tab to make room for the USB connecter (it still locks in tho). The tab on the other side of the bezel I left fully intact. The two screw post for mounting the strap - I hacked away both of them cause they interfered with the placement of the nexus 7.
> 
> With regards to how I mounted the tablet. I placed a screen protector on the tablet and used black double sided mounting tape to give the screen a seemless fit to the bezel. I reenforced this mount by using affixing brackets to the bezel using plastic weld epoxy - then used zip ties to strap the tablet in. I put forward pressure on the tablet I slid 3 inch sections of PVC pipe under the zip ties. The PVC pipes are secured in place with notches which lock into the zip ties.
> 
> ...


Wow, I was thinking something similar. So trim down the two round ones until they don't interfere with the tablet, and then trim down the one side clip where the usb port will sit.

Are you using a right angle micro usb cable or the stock one? Actually, which usb host cable are you using if you don't mind me asking (since I re-read your OP and your using usb host)?

What are your thoughts on exposing the light sensor / front facing camera through (if it lines up not too far off the black bezel)? I'm going to try and make a template once I get the tablet ordered and delivered, if it actually lines up enough for me to make a smooth hole in the bracket.

Man... I think i'll go with the nexus 7 2013 now... Seems worth it.


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## wlynn (Jun 17, 2014)

nybble said:


> Wow, I was thinking something similar. So trim down the two round ones until they don't interfere with the tablet, and then trim down the one side clip where the usb port will sit.
> 
> Are you using a right angle micro usb cable or the stock one? Actually, which usb host cable are you using if you don't mind me asking (since I re-read your OP and your using usb host)?
> 
> ...


I tried a right angle one but I had issues with charging. I think the wire gage in that cable was too small. I ended up going with this one:

Amazon.com: Micro USB Host OTG Cable with Micro USB Power for Samsung i9100 i9300 i9220 i9250 by AtomicMarket: Computers & Accessories

Yes Im using USB Host w/ fast charging. One of the primary reasons I chose Timur's Kernal. 

I never considered using the on-board camera's for anything. The tablet is in a central location and sitting in the bezel, the tablet is actually angled upwards slightly. I don't know how much use it would be. I am planning on installing a backup camera using USB UVC capture device and Joycon controls and dash cam at some point though.


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

wlynn said:


> Just to update. I received the PDIM for my tablet install about a month ago and installed it the same day. It works great - the hiss and static are gone completely and maintaining my steering wheel controls was defiantly a plus.
> 
> I have only one complaint about the PDIM and I can probably resolve it with some software tweeks on the tablet but in the meantime Ive found a workaround. The problem is if the tablet is connected to the car via bluetooth when power is disconnected and the car turns off and the tablet goes to sleep. When power is is reapplied, the radio immediately tries to connect to the tablet via bluetooth and it fails cause the tablet hasn't finishes waking up. When this happens I generally have to manually connect the Bluetooth on the tablet which is ok.
> 
> ...


Jy customs sells a smart box that keeps power going if you turn off the switch momentarily. This keeps the tablet from restarting when switching key positions. Link is in my for sale thread. 

I use tasker and don't have a problem with blue tooth connecting. When I start the car, blue tooth is the first thing that turns on so the bt device always finds it even before the screen wakes.

Google play music is good at giving priority to navigation.


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

wlynn said:


> I tried a right angle one but I had issues with charging. I think the wire gage in that cable was too small. I ended up going with this one:
> 
> Amazon.com: Micro USB Host OTG Cable with Micro USB Power for Samsung i9100 i9300 i9220 i9250 by AtomicMarket: Computers & Accessories
> 
> ...


I guess that could be a factor. I'll shop around and see if I can find a decent right angle otg, that'd be the best. Thanks for the link to the one you got.

Yeah, thats why I'm dead set on getting the N7 (either year), is for timur's.

I'm not really thinking the camera itself would be useful, but it could, i'm going to dry run my current tablet in the spot and see what it sees camera wise, but I like having the light sensor exposed, so I can continue to use the built-in auto-brightness, or something like lux, to better adjust the screen brightness based on the cabin light level, vs blindly doing it by time or manually.

Looking at the product page, it should be easy to do, since it seems to be VERY close to the useable part of the screen. Device on Play Store

Didn't even think about the potential for a backup camera. IT was one of the "features" i'd crossed off my list because I didn't think there was a solution (completely forgot about the joyconn).

I guess the only other thing I have to check out before I order it is how the screen is polarized. My current N7, if in landscape and I have my sunglasses on, screen goes dark. **** polarization.



wlynn said:


> This is correct. I switched to bluetooth and the AUX feedback noise is no longer an issue.


Does your bluetooth a2dp disconnect after a period of no audio, or does it stay connected?

I have that problem with my nexus 5 and drives me nuts. Its the main reason I was going to do the AUX with the ground-loop isolator and forgo having the steeringwheel controls.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

My Bluetooth will disconnect after about 15 seconds of no Audio if I'm playing music. If I'm using just Google navigation it appears to stay connected. My music player also stops after any phone call but the Bluetooth A2DP is still there so I just have to hit the next song track on the steering wheel.


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

obermd said:


> My Bluetooth will disconnect after about 15 seconds of no Audio if I'm playing music. If I'm using just Google navigation it appears to stay connected. My music player also stops after any phone call but the Bluetooth A2DP is still there so I just have to hit the next song track on the steering wheel.


That's exactly what is driving me nuts about this.

It's the only car stereo I've had that does this, all the others keep the channel open regardless.

Guess i'm going to go the aux and G.L.I. route.


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Don't have that issue with the aftermarket bt. Sucks to hear that's a problem.


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## nybble (Mar 30, 2014)

Mick said:


> Don't have that issue with the aftermarket bt. Sucks to hear that's a problem.


You did the PDIM swap or are you using other (external device on the AUX port) to do bluetooth?

If PDIM, what PN did yours end up being... perhaps yours is a newer or older model, with a different software build...


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