Smartenna installation problem

[Martyn]

Hi from the UK.

Ordered the device from Mark @ Dali racing, arrived safely earlier this week, thanks.

Installed as per instructions ( very clear ) into my 1993 model RHD NSX. The car is fitted with an Alpine CHM-S620 6-disc changer mounted in the boot ( trunk ). You may know that an interconnect cable is needed between the CD unit and the Honda / Acura head unit to correct phasing.

No matter whether I installed the DIN connector before or beyond the phase switching interconnect cable the head unit refused to acknowledge the existence of the CD changer.

I made and remade the connections carefully and checked the earth ( ground ) connection.

More worryingly, although the device has been completely removed the head unit STILL switches straight from FM to LW to AM and then back to FM, refusing to link up to the CD changer. ( The usual sequence is LW-AM-FM-CD )

The radio and aerial ( antenna ) work exactly as they did before, the CD player is completely dead, refusing even to eject the CD magazine. The only fuse that I can see for the system is the radio fuse ( in the passenger footwell ) and that's obviously fine as the radio works. There is no in-line fuse in the DIN cable that supplies power to the unit ( that I can see ) and the instructions that came with the CD changer make no mention of a "reset" function or a fuse that might have blown.

I tried disconnecting the negative ( earth/ground ) terminal at the battery for a few seconds in an effort to reboot the systems, but apart from losing the radio pre-settings and setting the clock back to 01:00 this seems to have had no effect.

So ( and I'm posting this to the NSXprime site too to see if anyone's in a position to help or advise ) - any ideas? Has the Smartenna failed. How can I get my head unit to acknowledge the existence of the CD changer?

 

[MvM]

Martyn,
Are you sure you have got the cable. It should be the ACUALP. There should be one cable in the trunk already. The ACUALP-cable is the only one needed between that and the CD-player to work, no extra cables needed.

 

[Biaggi]

I'm not sure about the Euro spec cars, but you may want to try to just hook up the CD changer straight to the plug that is in the trunk without the adaptor.

 

[Martyn]

Yep, I've got that

Thanks.

The CD changer has been installed and working fine for years, including the phase switcher. The Smartenna kit includes a DIN-DIN connector that fits between the CD changer and the head unit. I've tried fitting it at either end of the phase switching interconnect cable and it doesn't work at either end.

BUT... even though I've removed the Smartenna completely the CD player is still dead, even if I remove the phase switching cable and connect the CD changer direct to the DIN cable from the head unit, no power, nada.

 

[Martyn]

Clock fuse

After advice on the Tech forum, I've checked the 7.5 CLOCK fuse under the bonnet ( hood ) and it's OK.

 

[nsxtasy]

You might try contacting Bryan Zublin, designer of the Smartenna, at [email protected].

 

[Martyn]

I already did ;-)

The first post on this thread is a copy of the e-mail I sent to Zublin and to Mark @ Dali. Mark has replied, suggesting I contact Bryan Zublin!

I guess I'll have to wait and see what he says!

 

[TucAZNSX]

I had the exact same thing happen to me when I got the SmarTenna unit and installed it. I went down to a local car audio store that carried the M-BUS cable and connected this new cable to find that everything worked fine. When I contacted Bryan Zublin he said he'd never heard of the problem, but would pay for the cable and examine the faulty SmarTenna unit. This was over a month ago, but I've been busy/lazy and haven't sent him the cable or unit yet. I will send these off to him and I'm sure he'll take care of yours for you too and hopefully he'll find the cause for the cable shorting (if that is what is happening).

Let me know what his reply is to your problem, but it sounds like the exact same thing where it loses all power to the changer (won't eject the magazine) and can't read any signal on the head unit. In the meantime I just disconnected the power antenna and am happy with that honestly as I never listen to the radio. It's either CD's or the engine for me!

 

[Jin1976]

Exactly what happen to me. Now I only listen to radio or cassette. No more cd.

 

[Martyn]

What's the M-BUS cable?

Hi TucAZNSX - sorry to be thick ( dumb ) - but which is the M-BUS cable? Is it the main cable that carries information down from the head unit that ends in the trunk ( to which you connect your CD player when you install it? )

or do you mean the phase-switching interconnectin cable that connects between that and an aftermarket CD player.

If the main ( long ) cable that runs into the car has been damaged I'll be well gutted ( angry & frustrated ).

The info that came with the kit ( and is on the web site ) says that the unit has been tried and tested with a variety of aftermarket CD players - so it can't be a universal problem.

I really would miss my CD's if I couldn't play them anymore!

Jin 1976- what happened? - you just gave up?

 

[TucAZNSX]

Martyn - The M-BUS cable I'm talking about runs from the CD changer unit to the interface cable. This interface cable then plugs into the main cable which runs to the head unit in the car. On my setup this faulty cable runs from the CD changer unit and runs behind the trunk (assuming your CD changer is mounted on the right side like every other unit I've seen) and plugs into the short, black interface cable on the left side. Hopefully this will clear up which cable I'm talking about. If you are close to a car audio store that carries this cable, I'd go down and test to see if that is your problem. The cable isn't real expensive and is very easy to replace. Good luck and let me know how if that was the problem.

 

[Jin1976]

Re: What's the M-BUS cable?

Jin 1976- what happened? - you just gave up?

I posted in the Tech Discussion and didn't get the reply that I wanted. In the end I just leave it like that. FYI the cd changer was already tested in a shop that deals with sound system and they said that it was working find. They ask me to check the connection in the car instead. I have no time to do it now and I fear that they would do it wrong and in turn the car will not start. Happens to my friend who replace his BOSE head unit to the Sony one and has to order a specialist to fix it. His car di not start.

 

[BryanZublin]

Martyn,
Sorry for the late reply, I don't check the Tech or General forum that often and I just now read your email from last week.

The SmarTenna is designed to work with the stock NSX head unit and stock cable from the head unit. The SmarTenna should be installed to the stock cable from the head unit, BEFORE any other cable adapters or protocol adapters. The location of the stock cable is in the trunk at the left front corner, as described in the installation instructions.

As you mentioned in your follow up email to me, you were able to get the SmarTenna to work when connected as described above. I will quote you directly since it clearly explains how it should be connected:

Long cable into the trunk (boot) from the head unit
joins to...
The DIN-DIN connection on the SmarTenna
joins to...
The extension cable across the trunk (boot)
joins to...
the phase shifting adaptor cable
joins to...
the short cable that leaves the CD changer.

People with other protocol adapters (MBUS adapters) will have a similar setup. The important thing is that the SmarTenna be connected to the cable that goes directly to the head unit, with nothing in between.

Regards,
Bryan Zublin