BUILT: Digital Factory Infotainment Integration Honda Civic Bose / Acura Integra ELS

[ashmostro]

Nevermind. Sidegrading to Toslink will add significant cost to the device, so I'm sticking with RCA/RG6 for the first series. If there ends up being a big demand for embedded Toslink conversion I'll pick that thread back up then.

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[matttheazn]

I've got a question for you guys and gals.

If you were to buy this product, would you want to use the option to utilize the factory speaker wiring, or run your own? The factory wiring is pretty thin, so it's not great for high powered systems, but would be fine for modest power (say 50-75 wpc). I'm considering offering two options of wiring harnesses - one with speaker wires integrated, and one that skips the speaker wires for those who want to run thicker wire themselves (that option would be considerably less expensive as wire ain't cheap).

Where would you land?

I plan to use the factory wiring where available. I plan to upgrade to a 3 way system and I will need to run extra wires anyways.

 

[AspecR]

I've got a question for you guys and gals.

If you were to buy this product, would you want to use the option to utilize the factory speaker wiring, or run your own? The factory wiring is pretty thin, so it's not great for high powered systems, but would be fine for modest power (say 50-75 wpc). I'm considering offering two options of wiring harnesses - one with speaker wires integrated, and one that skips the speaker wires for those who want to run thicker wire themselves (that option would be considerably less expensive as wire ain't cheap).

Where would you land?

I think the avergae FL5 owner is going to stick to the factory speaker wiring. It meets most of their needs and at the point where they would need to upgrade the wiring, as well they might just go ahead and get a full custom system.

 

[Westhaver]

Tracking the progress on this closely and I like the direction it is going!

Personally, I plan on sticking to the OEM wiring where possible.

 

[ashmostro]

Thanks folks for your engagement and feedback so far! BTW I am starting a Slack channel for this and future products and will be sharing details on that soon, for those who who intend to remain involved (and beta testers of course).

Back to the wiring loom - assuming the loom is rough estimate $20/ft given the large number of channels being carried, how long of a loom would you want vs. keeping the cost down? I'm trying to determine if I need to offer multiple fixed lengths, variable lengths specified at time of order, or a single fixed length.

 

[ashmostro]

Hey all — quick update. I've set up a Slack community for this System Integrator project where I'll be posting dev updates, answering questions, and gathering feedback as things get closer to launch. Figured it'd be a better home for ongoing conversation than scattered forum threads. It's also the best place to make feature requests during the product development cycle.

If you've been following along and want to stay in the loop, DM me and I'll send you the link.

Still happy to answer questions here too — not going anywhere.

 

[ashmostro]

I should add, if you want to be a Beta Tester, please DM me for the Slack link as I will be selecting Testers and managing the process there and only there.

Thanks!

 

[matttheazn]

Anyone who is interested please join the slack channel. We can make this device amazing and have perfect functionality. It would be great to see and hear other people's builds and what they have planned for their system.

 

[crash1340]

I'd be interested to see if there was a way to design a T-harness that would allow this to intercept/copy the signals from the head unit, to add a subwoofer without the factory EQ and cutoffs applied, but maintain output volume control (which could probably be tweaked somehow) but still allow the stock amp to power the rest of the speakers.

 

[ashmostro]

That would be considerably more complex of a device for many reasons, one of them being the volume control signal would have to continue to inject data into the stock amp while also talking to the integrator, without the signal being corrupted. Doable, but not trivial.

Similarly you would now have to find a new power source for the device as it may not be electrically quiet to T the power and ground from the amp (would need to be tested to be sure). And then of course you'd need an OEM amp output t harness to capture just one channel, which is cost overkill.

I think if you use this device, use it fully or not at all (just go output t harness, which I'm also working on for those who want a less expensive lower fidelity option).

 

[ashmostro]

For the latest updates I recommend you join my Slack that I created. DM me for the link.

That said, I'm happy to give an update here as well.
Progress has been significant. I have found and addressed some design issues in the first boards that I got from the manufacturer, so that has caused a delay, but that's what happens in the R&D stage so I'm not sweating it other than the throwaway expense of boards I can't use.

I've found suppliers for all the necessary hardware: PCBs, Enclosures, custom cut endcaps (for the connector cutouts), and the full cable assembly. Other than product packaging, which I'm not worrying about at this stage, that is everything needed to start testing units in cars. I will be testing on my own car first before calling for beta testers, of course. Timing of all of this depends on manufacturer production and shipping times (all parts are in production right now). Then of course the final dependency is whether there are any defects uncovered during my testing. I'd say this is probably a one-month timeline to get the test results. If all goes well with those results, I'll send some test units out, ideally to locals first.

Through all the R&D and reworks I have performed, there have been some enhancements made to the product that I am really proud of. The devices will now auto-sense the voltage at which your DSP's remote control circuit operates at and match that value directly, rather than only having the settings of 3.3V and 5V. This is good because variations in DSP's even from unit to unit in the same model can occur. This addresses that variability without the user having to do anything.

The final piece of the puzzle to make installation as painless as possible is certification of DSP brands and models. Every DSP manufacturer uses their own form factor for the volume control connector, and they don't publish the pinouts. My goal is to initially have solutions for Arc Audio, Helix, and Audison DSPs. Arc Audio I already own so we're covered there. For Helix, I bought a used URC.3 remote and a forum member has sent me his DSP.3 which will allow me to reverse engineer the Helix volume interface. I still need to locate an Audison DSP for the same purpose, but I'll attack that in a while as I already have a lot on my plate.

As for pricing, I can't say just yet, as everything depends on the cost of parts/shipping etc. Right now, I can support a price of $400 but I'm trying my hardest to get it down another $50 to $100. All depends on the aforementioned, and the volume of interest in the device. The more people line up to buy it, the larger quantities I can order parts in which drives the cost down. I'll pass that savings on to the buyer.

More to come this month!
-Ash

 

[ashmostro]

Good news for those who have been asking for a lower-cost post-amplifier T harness option.

I figured out a way to make a T harness despite the funky factory connector availability. It will be a bit different from the typical T harness as it will be an enclosure that you plug into. It will be a tiny footprint, about 3" square with a height of about 1.75". It should be very easy to bundle in the kickpanel next to the factory amplifier, and then you'll run the provided long harness back to your DSP. It will carry the input and return wires for all the main speakers so all you need to do is correctly wire up your AMP using the provided color-coded wiring diagram. This harness will also carry the car's remote turn on lead, so you'll have everything you need to drop in your DSP/amp other than power and ground of course.

I anticipate the development for this part to be about half as long as the more advanced digital integrator, and will obviously cost less. How much less I don't know yet until I finish the design and get supplier quotes. I'm estimating it'll be about half as much as whatever the Integrator comes out to be.

 

[ashmostro]

Busy working on the analog T-harness option.

 

[ashmostro]

This weekend I designed the prototype T-harness cable and passthrough device and sent the specs to the manufacturer for quoting.

I have also finally named the two products, so it will be easier to discuss them moving forward:

• S2i Trū - this is the digital integration device that allows you to run digital SPDIF to your DSP for the cleanest, purest possible sound
• S2i Tea - this is the analog integration device that allows you to more easily "splice" into your factory wiring without actually cutting anything, so you can use your DSP to reconstruct the source signal using the analog outputs of the factory amplifier. This is lower fidelity vs the Trū, but less expensive, and more familiar to most installers and DIYers

These devices target different audiences with different needs. I should be able to estimate pricing on both within the month.

Hope everyone weekend was great!
-Ash

 

[ashmostro]

All, I am nearing the time when I will need a few testers to send Tru (digital integrator) units to, probably in a couple weeks. I would like to start identifying folks who are seriously interested, and are technically savvy enough to provide meaningful feedback (or if you plan to use an installer who can do the same).

I will be recruiting two testers with Civic FLx (Bose + hatchback models only for now) and two Integra owners (ELS system only for now).

The test units will be pre-production prototypes and the only cost I will ask you to incur is shipping. If the device works flawlessly, you can keep it for your continued use. On the other hand, if the device needs reprogramming (only) then I'll ask you to ship it back to me so I can make those software changes and then I'll send it back to you for revalidation. If there are hardware issues that render the devices unusable or ineffective in your systems, I'll give you a significant discount on the final production version as thanks for your help.

If you are interested in being a tester and you own one of the two vehicle models listed, please DM me with details about:

1. your car model and year and which factory sound system it has
2. your aftermarket hardware (DSP in particular, but it would be great to know things like intended number of powered channels, power levels, etc.)
3. whether it is installed already, or if not, when will it be
4. whether you're using an installer

This will help with initial screening. I am getting a head start on this data gathering for both our sakes, as I imagine anyone who has not yet scheduled their installation might want to do so now.

Thanks for everyone's continued support! We're almost there!
-Ash

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