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VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (How To)

47K views 46 replies 21 participants last post by  S80_UK 
#1 ·
All,

As I have reported elsewhere, I have been successful in connecting a VW Phatbox to my S80 as a low-cost (less than half price) alternative to the genuine Digital Jukebox accessory from Volvo.

So, here is how I did it.

For those that choose follow me down this path, I must state the obvious. You do this at your own risk! I have a new, 2006 model, European S80 D5 SE with Navigation. If you have an S60, or a different model year, or no navigation, then your car will have differences. Hopefully, your experience will be similar. But there are no guarantees. As they say, your mileage may vary....

Also - I am not the expert here. I have no connection with Volvo, or Phatnoise who manufacture the boxes for Volvo and VW. I am an electronics engineer who now works in sales and marketing and who still likes to get his hands on real hardware from time to time. So if you get stuck - I may or may not be able to help (I also have limited free time). I have tried to document as fully as possible what I have done.

To get you tempted - here's a picture of my installation...



The Basic Setup

The Volvo Jukebox connects to the head-unit using the same control bus as the Nav unit (or TV tuner, or CD changer if you have one). Note - you cannot have a CD changer and a jukebox in the trunk at the same time - but if you have a jukebox that shouldn't be such a hardship, I guess.

This diagram shows the basic arrangement for my current installation...



Interfacing to the Navigation Box or Head Unit

The cable from the head unit to the Nav unit or CD changer ends in an 8-pin DIN plug. (Note - there are TWO different types of 8-pin DIN. Volvo use the more common type with pins 6 and 7 appearing to be part of a circle. There is another type where pins 6 and 7 appear to be moved out from the circle slightly, sometimes called an "Offset 8-Pin DIN" - this type will not mate correctly with the Volvo cables.)

If you have the Nav unit, the control bus is available to be daisy chained to another device. This comes out on a 13-pin DIN socket on the back of the Nav unit. Volvo sell a cable to adapt from the 13-pin socket on the Nav unit, back to the 8-pin plug connection (Volvo p/n 8673298A). If you have navigation or jukebox preparation already installed, but no navigation, then this first cable is not needed.

Want to make one? It looks like this...



Take great care when wiring to the plugs and sockets. All of my diagrams here are drawn assuming that you are looking at the outside of the plug or socket (that is, looking at the end of the pins, or into the holes of the sockets). Getting this wrong would clearly stop things working, and could do real and expensive damage to the Phatbox, or the Nav system, or the head-unit. I also recommend the use of heat-shrink tubing over any solder connections, to provide additional insulation and strain relief.

In the development of this "hack" I had a problem with interference from the alternator. This was due to the fact that the Volvo and VW boxes are not exactly the same hardware inside. They treat the signal grounds differently. The simplest way to overcome this problem was to include a ground loop isolator in the audio path. I made this up as a separate short cable with an 8-pin DIN socket for the connection back to the cable from the Nav or head unit, and an 8-pin plug to go to the Phatbox (thus keeping it easy for me to make changes). These isolators are available from car audio accessory shops (in the UK, available from Maplin - product code VW43W, price 8.99 pounds). Typically the isolator is wired to RCA / phono type connectors. I just cut these off and re-made the connections to the DIN connectors. Only the audio signals and their ground connection go through the isolator. The control signals bypass it. I also connected the metal shells of the DIN connectors since Volvo do the same on their cable. Ideally these connect to a screen which covers the entire cable, but because of the presence of the isolator this was not practical, so I just connected from one shell to the other with another wire.

Want to make one? It looks like this...



Update:This drawing shows the audio part of the isolator wiring with greater clarity. (added January 2010)



The biggest part of the puzzle was to understand the connections to the jukebox. Although the audio connections are common to many different units, Phatnoise use different combinations of control signals for different makes and models of cars. When you get a VW box, it comes with a VW cable. And if you order a jukebox at great expense from your Volvo dealer, it will come with the correct cable. But the dealers do not have the part number for the cable in their printed catalog - I know, I looked. And Phatnoise will generally not sell cables to support different vehicles.

However, nothing is impossible. So here's what you need to do.
You can try asking your Volvo dealer to order you one of part number 30732633. It is the cable that goes from an 8-pin DIN socket to a 26-way Phatbox connector. It is the cable that Phatnoise supply with the jukebox, so the part number is not generally listed separately. This cable also includes the power connection. BUT - it is expensive (I would guess about $80 or so in the US).

Or you could buy the bits and make one, like this....



Power Arrangements

Then you need to get some power into your Phatbox. The Volvo box has a separate power connector, a bit like a 4-pin mini-DIN socket but designed for high current. The VW box does not have this, and uses some pins on the 26-way connector instead. If you use the Volvo cable as above, then you will need to modify your VW Phatbox to connect the power to the circuit board.

Once you are inside, this is where the power needs to go...



Put a hole in the metalwork and use some kind of 2-way latching connector - discard the strange Volvo one. And please note the warning on the system level block diagram. The power cable into the Navigation unit has +12V power on multiple pins. On the Volvo jukebox cable (if you can get one), one of the pins connects to ground through the jukebox. If you connect these in error you will blow fuses!

If you decide to make your own cable, then you can use the same power connections as used by VW. This means that you do not need to go inside your Phatbox at all. You would wire it up like this...



Then you need to mount your new toy in the back of your Volvo. I cheated (did not need to save every last penny, just most of them) and I bought the Volvo installation kit from my dealer. For my S80 (with Nav) this is part number 30737848. It includes the metal plate on which to mount the jukebox, a power cable to taking a power feed from the Nav unit, as well as user manuals for the Volvo jukebox in about 12 languages - one language per book, and the installation guide. Volvo recommend the jukebox is electrically isolated from the metalwork using some nylon washers which they include in the kit. I did this, but I am not sure that it is strictly necessary when using the ground loop isolator described above. Note - this kit has different numbers for cars with / without navigation and also different numbers for S60 and V70 models.

If you don't want to use this kit (it does make life easier), then you still need to find a place to mount the Phatbox. Take care to allow some protection for the hard disk cartridge which projects a couple of inches or so.

You will also need to find a fused +12V feed and a good ground connection.

Firmware Change

The last step is to put the Volvo firmware into your Phatbox. This is easy. Phatnoise Media Manager (and Music Manager) allow you to replace with VW firmware with Volvo firmware (and other versions too). When the cartridge is inserted into the Phatbox with new firmware on the drive, the box then goes through a process of re-programming its internal memory. This takes several minutes - the green LED will flash during this time. Once done, the box restarts with the new software running. If all has gone well, it appears on your Volvo head unit as a CD changer device (use the source selection control).

Hopefully, it then works, and you will only have one problem left... deciding which of your CD's to store on the DMS cartridge.

Good Luck!

Some helpful tips

1) Only install the Phatbox into the vehicle with the correct firmware on the hard disk cartridge. If the firmware does not match the head unit, then strange (maybe bad) things could happen.

2) I have shown three cables here. I needed to keep things flexible while experimenting, especially when I was fixing the alternator noise problem. If you are good with wiring and a soldering iron, you could buy only the parts needed and combine these into a single cable from the 13 pin plug (or 8-pin socket if you don't have navigation) to the 26 way Phatbox connector.

3) The 26 way connector needed to make your own Phatbox cable is available from Digi-Key (http://www.digikey.com). Part numbers are given on the diagrams above.

Have fun! And tell me if it works for you.

Les. (S80_UK)


Modified by S80_UK at 4:31 PM 1-20-2010
 
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#3 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (S80_UK)

Wow great writeup! http://********************/smile/emthup.gif I may give this a try if/when I get my hands on a used Phatbox.
 
#5 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (S80_UK)

Dear All,

I tried to install the VW phatbox (Jukebox) with the adaptor cable as describe by Les today. With the help of Les I obtained the 26 pin connector and purchased the 13 din connector from http://www.packetradio.com (fast service, relative low shipping costs to Europe).
With the clear description of Les I made the adaptor cable and try to find the connector in the navigation DVD player. As you maybe know the navigation player is in the V70 at the left side. Plugged in all cables and tried the radio.......
It works perfectly, can access all songs and playlists.
The problems started why I tried to fit the navigation player again. The backside (with all the connectors) is only 1-2 cm from the side of the car. The normal 13 din connector was to big and clearly a 90 degree connector is needed!!!

So to everybody with a V70 and who what to try connecting the VW Phatbox in a V70 I can say the following:
- the guidelines from Les are perfect
- try to get a 90 degree bended 13 pin Din connector.

Regards,

Pedro
 
#6 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (S80_UK)

I was also successful at making this work(Thanks Les!).
I made the cable myself by rewiring the VW cable provided. I used the alternate power connections, so I only have one connection the the Phatbox. I have not added the ground loop isolator, so I do get the slight whine from the alternator. I would like to eliminate the need for the isolator, and plan to look for an alternate ground, but I haven't had time.
It is so nice to have that much music at your finger tips, and since my total install was under $200. it was well worth the time and effort.
 
#7 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (Rspeed)

Hello Rspeed,

Many thanks for the feedback - Glad you got it working!


Please do let us know if you have any luck with the search for the ideal ground, although I suspect that it may vary from one car to another, even for the same model.

I am wondering if there would be interest if I could get a few isolator units made up, since I see that owners of the genuine Volvo Digital Jukebox also run into the same problem sometimes. Not sure what they would cost, but I doubt that it would be too great.

Cheers.

Les.
 
#9 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (MrTippy)

Hi Peter,

You are right - but even following the "correct" advice fom Volvo does not always yield perfect results. It is the same problem that can give rise to visible horizontal bars on the navigation display. We are talking about low level audio or video signals, and a ground variation of a few millivolts can easily be heard (or seen), and can be hard to eliminate.

On the Nav unit (and I suspect on the CD changer) the audio ground is not directly connected to the power ground in the unit, but is only connected to the head unit. The internal design allows for this split ground approach. Certainly this method is not used in some of the Phatnose implementations - hence the difficulties in eliminating the noise and the reason that I resorted to an isolator solution.

Regards,

Les.
 
#11 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (S80_UK)

Les,

I've red your instructions with great intrest, compliments for how you did it with the clear diagrams you made.
I am using an original volvo phatnoise unit and experience the whining noise described before.
My dealer could not provide any solution for it. So no i am orientating about any solutions. I've read discussion fora, and it seems that there are two possible answers,
1. filtering the audio signal like you described) or
2. filtering the 12V AC 'signal'.
The last solution seems to bee a lot easier than yours but i am not sure if it works. http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/per...59721

About your solution i have a question; is it also possible to put the noise filter cable between the NAV unit and the Radio ( in my case HU 803) ?
In this way i have to make only the noise filter cable and dont need to make the others (from nav to filter, and from filter to the phatbox) In case it is possible are the pinouts the same if the filter is placed between the radio and the NAV unit?

Hope to hear from you,
Thanks in advance,

Guido

Modified by guido at 4:16 AM 12-29-2006

Modified by guido at 4:19 AM 12-29-2006

Modified by guido at 4:20 AM 12-29-2006

Modified by guido at 4:20 AM 12-29-2006
 
#12 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (S80_UK)

As to the comment about making up some noise filters or isolators:

Yes.

I am seriously considering adding the phatbox to my car, and this would save time, and probably money. post the cost when you have it figured out.
 
#13 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (guido)

Hello Guido,

Many apologies for not responding earlier. I just saw your post when I was updating the system diagram a little.

I just read the other forum concerning the noise. I think that the solution will be very installation dependent, due to the different power feed and grounding setups that exist. For VW, the Phatbox power normally comes down the head unit cable, and it is grounded in the same way. For the regular Volvo Digital Jukebox installation, it is different with supply and ground being local to the Jukebox. I went with the isolation in the audio path based on my 30 years in electronics and knowing that it should work first time (it did!).

For what it's worth - my set up is still working 100%. I have had it in the car now for 16 months and 20,000 miles. Fantastic.


You ask about putting the isolator between the Nav and the head unit. That may work, but I think there could be a problem. As I understand it the Nav has a third audio line (pin 8 on the 8 pin Din connector) for navigation audio. You would also need to handle that. I did not want to risk the possibiliy that I might damage my Nav box, or stop it working in some way, so my approach was for me also the safer one.

If you do try to go between the Nav and the HU, yes - I believe that 8-pin pinout is the same. the Volvo cables allow you to have a Digital Jukebox whether Navigation is installed or not. And it does still work if I take the Nav box out of the system.

Good luck!

Les.

Modified by S80_UK at 4:50 PM 2-13-2007
 
#14 ·
I have installed Les' ground loop isolator solution and it works perfect. I've talked to other people in the electronics business and they believe filtering the power lines may also do the fix; and since you aren't doing anything to the audio signals, you may just get better sound quality than with filtering the audio.

i had the parts for a ground loop isolator on hand and i couldn't wait to get this thing working, so i didn't try the power filters.
 
#16 ·
Re: (SHIFT_S60R)

Quote, originally posted by SHIFT_S60R »
I have installed Les' ground loop isolator solution and it works perfect.
Great - that's always good to hear. http://********************/smile/emthup.gif I'm glad it helped you.

Quote, originally posted by SHIFT_S60R »
I've talked to other people in the electronics business and they believe filtering the power lines may also do the fix; and since you aren't doing anything to the audio signals, you may just get better sound quality than with filtering the audio.
The reason that I went with the isolator is that in the case of the Volvo, a lot of the problem is due to differences in ground potentials at different places in the car. Power filters will clean up supplies, but won't remove ground voltage differences, and can make them worse. Different makes and models will be different. And as they say, your mileage may vary, even with the Volvo set up.

Also, note that a good isolator should not noticably filter the audio - even quite cheap ones can have pretty good bandwidth. They work because the noise is not on the audio lines themselves. Without the isolator though, the noise will appear to the amplifier or head unit as though it is on the audio lines because of the ground voltage differences.

Quote, originally posted by slowrey »
Anyone want to make a ground loop isolator that is plug and play for those of us with the factory Digital Jukebox????
Good question! And one that I thought about quite a while back. How many people would be interested I wonder? The cost of parts is not that great, but one needs to make it safe, reliable and fool-proof (not saying that anyone's a fool, but we can all make mistakes). Then there's the time to do it. Building a couple would take an hour or so maybe, but they would be rather "hand-crafted" so to speak. If the demand is for more like twenty and up, then it really needs a little more planning. At a very rough estimate I would think that I could do this for about $60 each shipped from the UK (the current exchange rate doesn't help, I guess).

Do I have the time to do it? Not really. Would I do it? Depends on the demand.

Cheers!

Les.
 
#19 ·
Re: VW Phatbox to Volvo Transplant (S80_UK)

hi les . just come across your phatbox transplant page and im chomping at the bit. i have a 99 c70 with a 901 head unit so i hope you can help . had the car 1 month and playing mp3 player via crappy cassette route
. first where can i look for cd changer plug in my car , sorry to sound dumb not long had car and other forum have conflicting views . so before i start tearing car apart i thought id ask the experts . secondly would you be preparred to build me the lead . i live in london so getting cash to you wont be a prob as id drive anywhere in uk to sort out this lack of jukebox problem . new to forum so not sure on protocal so be gentle boys . hope to hear some good news from you soon
 
#21 ·
Re: (sebaveh)

hi sebaveh . thanks for reply . i dont want to fit a changer, just wanted to be able to locate the changer skt and hopefully les will build me a conection lead or advise me on possabilities for transplanting a phatbox into my 99 c70. but thanks for info anyway . also could anyone advise on best place to pick up a phatbox . they sell them on e bay but from america so warrenty is not valid and dont know if any difference in us spec ???? any expert advice greatfully recieved. thanks for advice again seaveh
 
#24 ·
Re: (muffbumfy)

i just did the same for my VW (Audi) unit to S60r (05). I even got a trunk mount but hit a minor problem...

My car did not have a nav, sat or a CD changer to beging with (thus order a mount). what i did not realize was that i need to get a new door (a door to the trunk fuse area). Otherwise, that door won't close now.

other than that, it's all good now
 
#25 ·
Re: (MyJules)

Cool!


Many thanks for the feedback.

Why did you need the new fuse door for your S60R? Does the mounting kit take some space used by the original door? I have not seen an S60 install - if you are able to provide one, it would be good to see a photo.

Les.
 
#26 ·
Re: (MyJules)

MyJules, what does your modified plug/harness look like? I've still got mine waiting to go in from a few years ago, but I haven't built up the motivation to run the Melbus cable.

FYI, I got most of the schematics to make the cable from this post http://********************/smile/emthup.gif
 
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