Sorry, I know this is better placed in ICE, but from previous experience people there are not used to Seis as much as here.

Is the standard Sony CDX-C4850R stereo fitted to all Sei Sportings pre-2000 facelift the Unilink type? I'm 99% sure that it is.

I want to be able to use the rear RCA ports as a normal AUX port for my mobile phone/mp3 player, but this wont work with a standard cable. Something needs to plug in to 'fool' the port into thinking that there is a CD multichanger attached.

I just want to be sure that this is the right product:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SONY-UNILINK-...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Also, there isn't much space at the back of the stereo for the RCA cables - the left hand one is very difficult to plug in. The only way may be to cut down the rubber around the RCA for that side, or to cut the metal brace that is blocking a portion of it.

Anyone have a clue what I'm on about?

Cheers

Whack a pic up, it sounds like the one i had in mine and mine was an MPI

Thats the spec sheet of the above named stereo. Its pretty crap because there isnt much there if im honest, also coming from a pre 2000 car this was long before USB ports and MP3 playback from stereos were pretty much the norm for the standard cd player.


* CD-Player: yes
* CD-Product: CD Player
* Cassette: no
* Cassette Deck: no
* Cassette Player: No
* Category: Car Radio
* Changer Control: Yes
* Changer-Control: Yes
* Compact Flash Card: No
* Component Type: No Component
* DAB: No
* DVD Player: no
* DVD Player / Recorder: No
* DVD Player Function: no
* Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB): no
* Full Logic: no
* MD-Player: no
* MD-Product: No
* MP3 Playback: No
* MP3 Player: no
* Mem.CD In Radio: no
* Memory Stick: No
* Microdrive: No
* Multimedia Card: No
* Noise Reduction: no
* Number of Output Channels: 4
* RDS: Yes
* Secure Digital Card: No
* Security: Panel Release
* Security System: Panel Release
* Smart Media Card: No
* Speaker Sockets: 4
* Type of Memory Card: no
* Type: Format: CD Player
* Type: Radio: Radio+CD
* WMA Compatible: no
* WMA Playback: No
* Wattage: 40
* -Picture Card: No

If it was me i would just replace the unit, i know that is propably 'too expensive' but saves messing around for parts that may not work and mp3 ones are that cheap now anyway

Pic:

http://www.koopjeshoek.be/popup.htm?http://www.koopjeshoek.be/pictures/6866.jpg

I looked into replacing the head unit. Halfords seem cheap, but once you add on a 'harness' that it apparently needs to fit a Sei, its hard to stay under £100, and I'm not totally confident in fitting it, so I may have to pay them £20 to do that too.

That, or spend £4 on the key to get the stereo out, and take my chances fitting the new one myself! The only way I've learned anything about cars is by doing it myself, so maybe that's not a bad idea.

Again though, I'd rather spend £15 on this little gadget and keep the rather nice Sony head unit that's done me proud for all these years. But I want to make sure its the right part first (various tech forums I found when googling suggest it *probably* is)...

I just need a better solution than this awful awful FM transmitter I'm using. Low volume, middling sound quality and constant interference from pirate radio stations and mobile phones - not tenable!

Cheers

Simon

Stickman said:

Pic:

http://www.koopjeshoek.be/popup.htm?http://www.koopjeshoek.be/pictures/6866.jpg

I looked into replacing the head unit. Halfords seem cheap, but once you add on a 'harness' that it apparently needs to fit a Sei, its hard to stay under £100, and I'm not totally confident in fitting it, so I may have to pay them £20 to do that too.

That, or spend £4 on the key to get the stereo out, and take my chances fitting the new one myself! The only way I've learned anything about cars is by doing it myself, so maybe that's not a bad idea.

Click to expand...

Not the same but similar.

What is the 'harness' you refer to, stereo is a 5 min job to change, you dont need to get an ISO cable thank god, so just plugs straight in.

You dont need removal keys either. You can make your own from coathangers, cocktail sticks etc like others have, most units come with a set anyway.

Stickman said:

I just need a better solution than this awful awful FM transmitter I'm using. Low volume, middling sound quality and constant interference from pirate radio stations and mobile phones - not tenable!

Cheers

Simon

Click to expand...

Check is your aeriel isnt past it and/or at a decent height on car for a better reception

My bad - its not a harness but a 'harness adaptor'. Here is what Halfords say I must have to get the Kenwood stereo I've been looking at to fit a Sei:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...1_productId_192167_langId_-1_categoryId_31375

May have a scent of BS, no idea.

How do you make removal keys? I'm intruiged.

As for radio reception, had a look at noticed the metal had sheared and was being held on by plastic. Some tin foil and solder, then plastic case back over it, and now reception is much much better. Cheers for the idea to check!! Mobile phones still cause a prob - if I try to have a phone convo using the FM transmitter as a handsfree, the FM signal interferes with the phone and ruins the phone call. I suppose that's inevitable when a transmitter is that close to a phone signal though.

Take it easy

Simon

Stickman said:

How do you make removal keys? I'm intruiged.

Click to expand...

bend a coathanger, or get two fairly blunt knives, one down each sideand pull unit out

I bought a Sony CD player with bluetooth to keep me legal! Its been great and ive got some 6X9s in the parcel shelf.. took about an hour including cutting holes in the parcel shelf and threading the wires.
Now looking for some decent 10cm speakers for the fronts that will go behind the grilles.

Haha - got it out using 2 paper clips! I can't believe they call the stck of metal a 'key' - there is no lock! Its just a piece of metal to push down on each side!

I've ordered the fleabay gadget that should trick my head unit into thinking that a CD multichanger is attached, and therefore activate the 'Stereo Bus In' RCAs on the back. Then its just a case of an RCA-to-3.5mm cable from Maplin and everything should work out great :crosses fingers:

If this doesn't work then I'll just bite the bullet and replace the stereo, I saw with it out today how laughably easy it is to do, its just a case of rather spending £15 instead of £60 minimum for a decent head unit. Though this one I have is rattling a bit, its still a lovely unit that I'm very accustomed to now.

I'll post when the device arrives to report on whether or not it works. Since my head unit is the standard Sei sporting Sony unit, the result I get should be reasonably representative, and may lead others to buy or avoid the same product.

Cheers

Simon

Just as a little update to this thread, I bought the same unilink adaptor as the OP for my C4850R stereo and its worked pefectly. Gives you full aux-in, very pleased with it. Much better than going out and spending lots of money on a new head unit just to get the iPod connectivity when the old one can do it fine with a cheap adaptor.

I got my unilink adaptor from an ebay seller called uneeksupply and it took about a week to arrive from the USA. The item number was 400054682066 if anyone wants to look it up, and it cost about £11 including the shipping.

Once thats connected you just route a standard RCA to 3.5mm cable from the rear of the radio through to the passenger footwell and thats it.

Hope this helps,

J400uk