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airbish

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Everything posted by airbish

  1. Wow. my experience is EXACTLY the same. My bluetooth would kill the audio and the dealer said they would order the replacement amp. they never called me though and I've been too busy to take it back up with them. (plus the call quality with the bt was terrible so I wasn't using it anyway...fwiw one of partners has the 2005 range rover with the same system and his is much better.). So then...about three weeks ago, the nav started flipping out exactly like yours. Again I've been too busy to take it in, but probably will get to it next week because unlike the bt issue, this one is a MAJOR annoyance. It strikes me as a little wierd that here are three different 2004 LXs with the same problem that started at the same time. Anyone find out what the deal is with this? Also...did anyone else get the 'Our nav map disk has errors so come in for a free nav update' letter from lexus like I did? Think there's a connection? (I'm making the sane assumption that this has nothing to do with that lexus bluetooth virus report that came out a couple weeks ago.) Anyone got the answer? Thanks. Airbish
  2. Ok... I finally did the parking brake/vss bypasss installation. Here are my notes on the process: I purchased the kit from drbypass on e-bay. $140 (yes, it's gone up). I know that you are supposed to be able to do this mod without purchasing a module like this, but there is also some question on whether something changed on the 2004. drbypass said this this kit works on the 04, so for me the $140 was insurance to know that it would work and I wouldn't break something. The $140 gets you a little module (don't ask me what's in it...could be nothing for all I know) with 4 leads and a ground. It's well contructed and comes with crimp splices pre-installed on the leads and a U-clip for the ground. Installation is very easy (if you've done anything at all like this before) and took me about 45 minutes. (if you're handy with this stuff and no exactly what leads you're looking for you could do it faster, but why not just take your time and not blow something up?) There ARE a couple things to take note of though. 1) Definitely get some sort of "hook tool" to get in between the (very tight) gaps between the interior panels to pull them out. A screwdriver is NOT going to cut it. I couldn't find the "hook tool" shown and listed in the instructions but found a set of "probes" at Home Depot that looked like beefed up dental tools. I used the one that looked like a Captain Hook hook. I also clipped and filed the point down a little as it's pretty sharp. With this, getting the lower woodgrain panel (around the lower audio controls) and the vents is not hard. Just be careful. 2) The instructions are wrong (even the set that says 2004 on them) Not terribly wrong, but it does make you think a little more. The directions say (and show) 4 harness connectors coming in to the top rear of the head unit. On my 2004 there are only three. It appears that they combined two of them. The one you want is the one on the very top row, furthest from the driver. 3) The instructions point you to the "violet" lead and the red/white lead. There are a TON of leads back there, but don't get intimidated. The red/white one is the parking brake lead. This is a thin read lead with a white stipe down the length of it. It's easy to spot and is the only one like it back there. The "violet" lead is the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) signal for the screen and is a touch more difficult to identify. It's "violet", which means slightly blue-tinted pink color (with no length-wise stripes, just the little hand-painted dashes that are on all the leads). Don't confuse this with the bright pink lead that is slightly inter-twisted with a blue lead. With that advice it should be pretty easy to find. I do have to admit that clipping leads to your $3000 nav/stereo in your $70K SUV feels a bit like clipping leads on a bomb (I imagine), but it's ok. (DO disconnect the battery) Hopefully this helps. The rest of the instructions are right on and easy to follow. 4) When you disconnect the battery and reconnect it, the NAV system will reset (no big deal). The other thing that happens is that you will get a flashing warning light for the VGRS (Variable Gear Ratio System). I thought I had fried something until I guessed that it might just need to reset itself with some driving, which was exactly right. Just go for a quick drive and once you hit 45 or so it will reset and the light will go out. (whew!) Other than that stuff, it's a cake install and really works well. flipping back and forth from the other nav screens works perfectly, as does the auto flip to the backup camera. The VSS bypass does NOT cause any problems with the NAV system, nor is there a switch the needs to be flipped back and forth. (This system will NOT, however, let you program the NAV while on the move...I imagine you would have to put a switch on another VSS input to do that, but I don't want to go there...) Not counting the time to figure out the "Oh Lord what have I fried on the VGRS system...", this all went in in about 30-45 minutes, being VERY careful. I'm very pleased. (Just be careful and not watch the damn thing while you're driving ok people?..it is dangerous and illegal as it should be....All I really wanted this for is be able to select "play" on a DVD playing from the factory changer while in motion, which you can't do with the rear-zone audio controls..even through you can change between sources and control chapters, pause, etc. from back there.) Now all I need to do (the hard part) is find the video out from the factory changer to pipe to my vizuallogic controllers for the headrest monitors. With that (and the factory rear audio zone) I will have what I believe to be the best integrated rear DVD system available for this vehicle. (I just can't bring myself to have the audio rigged through an RF mod while there is a factory hard-wired Dolby Digital signal (and dual zone audio control) already built into the vehicle. So if ANYONE knows ANYONE that has a wiring diagram that would help me find that video out, I'd greatly appreciate it and freely post the final diagrams and steps. (I haven't pulled the changer to see if there is a standard RCA video out on it (in addition the factory harness), but I doubt it does.) Anyway...Hopefully this info is helpful to someone looking into this mod. AirBish
  3. Hmm.. I'm a little confused on a couple things... Are you in the US? The CD changer that comes with the Mark Levinson package IS a DVD changer and that you should be able to play a DVD (while parked, unless bypassed). I don't have the factory rear-entertainment system (RES) in my 2004, so I can't comment on anything regarding it, but I know you should be able to watch in front (parked). As far as the rear...if it's not factory and has an aftermarket rear dvd/screen package, it's going to be tough to get the navigation screen back there. (I suppose there HAS to be a nav video out somewhere if the factory system can in fact do it, but getting wiring diagrams on these things appears to be more difficult than getting plans for an F-15, so I don't know..) I am working on getting video split out from the front ML DVD changer to my aftermarket (vizualogic headrest) rear screens. I haven't yet been able to track down a wiring diagram so I'm not sure if I'll be able to pull it off or not. Personally, I'm not too bent on having nav back there... I figure if someone wants a quick look to see how far we have to go they can peek around the headrest for a sec. (But then my kids aren't old enough to ask "are we there yet" 100 times an hour, so maybe I'll reconsider that in a couple years.) If you actually don't have a factory DVD changer (do you have a CD player at all?..this still doesn't make sense to me), I'm sure the harness is there, but then you would have to try to track down a way to get the video split out from that (like I'm trying to do), or just use the aftermarket DVD player/changer like you have now. For what it's worth, the factory RES system uses a second player/changer and is set up pretty similar to an aftermarket system. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. AirBish
  4. Thanks. I ordered mine last week with my fingers crossed. Glad to get confirmation. (Now if I can only track down that wiring diagram to pump the factory changer video to my vizualogic boxes, I'll be all set.) Steve
  5. Anyone get a definite answer on whether this modification (either the manual process posted or the Dr. Bypass device) works on a 2004 LX? Thanks Airbish
  6. Anyone know where I can find a wiring diagram for the Mark Levinson system in my 2004 LX470? I am trying to split out the video signal from the harness connecting the factory DVD changer to the Head unit. The intent is to feed that signal to a couple Vizualogic headrests in the back. I have found the harness/connector under the console, but need a diagram (or some other method) to find the proper video cables. Another couple questions if anyone has the answers... 1) is there a definitive answer on whether the DVD overide modification works on the 2004 models? (whether through wiring or throught the Dr. Bypass rig...I emailed with him and he sais that it would work...so I guess I just have to to with that...The GPS/VSS thing worries me a little though. Somebody HAS to have tried this by now.) I need to do this because: The factory DVD has no remote control (other than the steering wheel buttons and buttons in the back, but neither of these lets you start a DVD (ie slect "PLAY" from the DVD menu.) So you can only do this from the touchscreen on the head unit....and to do that while driving (or have the front passenger do it) you have to have the DVD video show. Hence the bypass. (I'm a pilot and a focused driver and have no intention of watching video driving down the road. I just want to be able to select 'play' so the kids can watch on the two monitors in the back. From there they can contol the chapters and volume using the factory rear-audio panel in the back.) 2) Anyone know what kind of video signal the DVD changer sends to the head unit? Composite? S-Video? RGB? (I hope not) Thanks guys! I'll let everyone know what I find and if it all works out will post a schematic. I think this would be a really nice config and (in my opinion) would be much better than running a separete DVD into RF to get into the head unit. (why waste that great direct Dolby Digital feed?) Airbish
  7. I too would very much like to do this. This would also let you use factory rear seat audio ports and controls. (I like the wired better anway...a set of bose NC headphones would beat the heck out of those crappy RF wireless sets.) All this would need would be a way to split the video output of the factory cd/dvd so your could patch out to the monitors (I have a set of 7" vizualogic headrests that I want to do this with.) There has to be a way. I know that with the basic audio/nav set (no rear dvd) you can listen to CD/DVD on the wired jacks in the rear console while the speakers listen to another source. All I would need to to is patch the DVD video to the monitors and the audio is already there. And if I wanted to listen to my ipod through the tape converter (or FM mod) over the speakers while the kids in the back watch a movie, I could do that too.) Anybody know any more about this or am I going to have to get surgical on my 04 LX? (or pay a shop a lot of $$ to do it.) Thanks Bish
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