1.  What's the best option for my Corvette?  There is no simple answer for this one, because it depends on your Corvette, what you are looking for in features, and what you want to spend.  Obviously everyone wants to spend as little as possible, but the least expensive option is not necessarily the "best" option.  If all you want to do is connect an iPod or other smartphone to your audio system for the least amount of money, a simple auxiliary input harness will do the trick.  BUT, you need factory XM for this option.  A "better", but more expensive option is to install a Version 2 PAL.  The PAL (Personal Audio Link) is a GM product built specifically for the Corvette that does much more than a simple auxiliary input harness, including music searches directly on your Nav or non-Nav radio screen, display of your music information on your radio screen, an auxiliary input, and charging of your iPod or iPhone.  The "best", but most expensive option is to replace your radio with one of the new factory USB Nav radios from a 2011-13 C6 Corvette.  This option provides an OEM quality radio with a built-in USB input and an auxiliary input, all controlled from the Nav display.

 

 

 

2.  What will an auxiliary input do?  An auxiliary input provides a way to connect your iPod or smartphone to your audio system through the XM bands on your radio.  That's all it does.  You must control your music device from the device itself, not the radio.  The radio will display whatever XM channel you happen to be tuned to, but you will hear the audio from your music device instead of the XM station.  No music information is displayed on the radio and no device charging is done through the auxiliary input.  The auxiliary input harness is a simple "plug and play" harness that connects at your XM receiver with no wiring splicing needed, so the installation is completely reversible if you ever want to remove the harness.  A cable is part of the harness that you can route to any area in your car that you want to store your music device.

 

 

 

3.   Why is XM needed to install an auxiliary input harness?  Without XM, your radio does not have an extra audio input that can be used to connect a music device.  My harnesses use the XM audio circuits into the radio to transmit your music device audio.  You do not need an XM subscription, but you MUST have the XM bands on your radio so you can choose XM1 or XM2 for your auxiliary input.

 

 

 

4.  Does my Corvette have XM?  If your Corvette is 2008 or later, yes.  (No European Corvettes have XM however.) If you have an earlier C6 Corvette, XM was an option, so you may or may not have it.  If you don't know, it's easy to check.  One way is to simply turn on your radio (Nav or non-Nav) and check the bands available.  Nav radios will have soft buttons for AM, FM1/2, XM1/2, and CD if you have XM.  If you don't have XM, the soft buttons will be AM, FM1, FM2, and CD.  For non-Nav radios, push the BAND button and cycle through the bands.  XM1 and XM2 will show up if you have XM.  The other way to check is to look at the silver options label in the glove box.  All factory installed options for your car are listed in alphabetical order.  Look for U2K - that's the XM satellite radio option.

 

 

 

5.  If I don’t have XM, can I add it?  2005 C6's were prewired at the factory for an XM receiver even if XM wasn't ordered.  No such luck for the 2006's and 2007's.  Since the wiring is in place for the 05's, a number of Vette owners have successfully added a used XM receiver to the harness.  You'll find this link on my main website for adding an XM receiver:  http://www.kawal.net/xm.htm

You don't need a subscription to XM for my auxiliary input harnesses - all you need are the XM band buttons to show up on your radio.  This inexpensive installation seems to accomplish this.  

 

 

 

 

6.  If I have XM, where is the receiver?  In coupes and Z06's, the XM receiver is located above the left rear wheel well, behind the carpet.  Pull down the carpet and you'll see the receiver in a plastic tray.  You can remove the receiver from the tray by unlatching it and working it out.  There are three small studs that make it a tight fit, but it will come out.  If you have an extra top for your coupe and you have the brackets in the back for holding the top, you will have to pull up on the plastic cover and remove it to allow the carpet to be moved enough for the XM receiver removal.  If you have a convertible, the XM receiver is behind the waterfall, between the seats.  It is held in place by the three small studs on the receiver that give the coupe and Z06 owners a hard time.  In 2005 C6's without XM, the wiring harness connectors are there for the XM receiver, but the receiver is not.  Click HERE for lots of photos to show you how and where the XM receiver is installed.  These photos show a PAL installation, but installing an auxiliary input harness is basically the same procedure.

 

 

 

7.  What is a GM PAL?  When the C6's came out in 2005, there was no way to connect any music device to the Corvette audio system.  Apple iPods were the rage, and everyone wanted to connect their iPod and listen to their own music.  GM soon promised a device to connect an iPod to their premium car, the Corvette.  But it wasn't until 2009 that the GM PAL (Personal Audio Link) became available.  There were (and still are) other aftermarket iPod interfaces available, but the GM PAL is still the best iPod interface for the C6 Corvette because it is so nicely integrated into the Corvette audio system and HUD display.  The device, which originally sold for around $175, is very nice because it uses the XM2 band on the radio to create a new PAL menu for music searches, display of music information like song titles, artists names, album names, etc. right on the Nav radio screen.  You can store you iPod in the glove box or center console or anywhere and not even have to touch it, since you can control everything from the Nav screen.  The PAL will also charge the early iPods while the car is running.  The GM part number for the Corvette PAL is 17800593 and the cost is now up to around $330.

 

 

 

8.  What is a Version 2 PAL?  The Corvette PAL (GM part number 17800593) has one major drawback - you have to tear half your car apart to install it, including cutting and splicing into the factory wiring harness.  It's an awful installation, and GM counted on Corvette owners taking their cars to a dealer to have the PALs installed.  It's about a 5 hour job and most Corvette owners don't want anyone tearing their new car apart, so PAL sales sagged.  It is a great iPod interface, but the installation procedure was a mess.  I was able to contact the GM engineer in charge of the PAL development, and he got me in contact with the owner of Mediatronics, who designed and manufactured the PAL for GM.  After lots of communication we developed the Version 2 PAL which included a harness I designed to allow a very simple installation procedure at the XM receiver instead of at the back of the radio.  No splicing is involved and a Version 2 PAL can be installed in as little as 20 minutes, in some cases using no tools at all.  We also modified the software in the Version 2 PAL modules that allow them to be used in all C6 Corvettes, whether you have a Nav or non-Nav radio and XM and no-XM Corvettes.  The original PALs could only be installed in 2008 and later Nav equipped C6s.  The Version 2 software also adds better performance, a user selectable auxiliary input, and additional features that the original PAL lacks.  I was able to get the Version 2 PALs from Mediatronics and sell them directly to Corvette owners from 2009 until December 2012, when Mediatronics basically went out of business.  I can still upgrade original PALs to Version 2, but you now have to buy the original PAL and then ship it to me for upgrading.  Don't bother to ask a dealer what a Version 2 PAL is - they won't have the faintest idea what you're talking about.

 

 

 

9.  Will the PAL charge my iPod or iPhone?  The PAL will not charge the latest generation of iPods and iPhones without an adapter.  This page will explain in detail the various options for charging the latest Apple devices:  http://www.kawal.net/PAL%20charging.htm

 

 

 

10.  Can I use any smartphone with the PAL?  No.  The PAL is designed to work only with iPods and iPhones.  And the latest iPods and iPhones now have a Lightning connector instead of the older 30 pin Apple connector.  So an adapter is necessary to connect the latest iPods and iPhones.  Note that Version 2 PALs include a user selectable auxiliary input, so any smartphone can be connected to Version 2 PALs.  But when using the auxiliary input, all of the neat functions of the PAL like searches and display of music information cannot be used. 

 

 

 

11.  Can I use Bluetooth devices with the PAL?  Yes.  There are a number of Bluetooth devices that connect directly to the PAL 30 pin connector.  You can wirelessly connect any smartphone to the Bluetooth devices and listen to your music.  But searches and display of music information can only be done with a wired connection to an iPod or iPhone.  Check out this page for various Bluetooth devices that work with the PAL:  http://www.kawal.net/bluetooth%20audio.htm

 

 

 

12.  Can I install one of the new factory USB Nav radios in my Corvette?  Yes, and it's an excellent option to choose, but also the most expensive.  The new USB Nav radio is GM part number 20856087, and it was an option in all of the 2011-13 C6 Corvettes.  These radios are often found in pristine condition on eBay for around $450-850.  They fit in perfectly since they were built specifically for the C6 Corvette.  Here's a page that explains the details:  http://www.kawal.net/USB%20Nav.htm

 

 

 

13.  What is the cost of the various options?  Auxiliary input harnesses cost between $40-100, depending on which one you choose.  To help you decide, check out this page: http://www.kawal.net/aux%20basic.htm

 

 

 

GM PALs (Part number 17800593) usually cost around $330 unless you can find a better deal somewhere besides a GM dealer.  The cost for me to upgrade the software to Version 2 is $35 and my XM installation harnesses are $35-75.  Installing one of the factory USB Nav radios will typically cost around $450-850 for the radio plus another couple of hundred for the additional parts needed for the installation, as described on the installation page.

 

 

 

14.  Can I use a Bluetooth device?  Once you have an auxiliary input to your audio system, a Bluetooth device can easily be connected.  Since all of the options listed, including a Version 2 PAL, provide an auxiliary input, one of the nicest Bluetooth devices I've found is the Kinivo BTC450.  It's very inexpensive and has very good sound for both music streaming and handsfree phone.  You can read about it on this page:  http://www.kawal.net/bluetooth.htm

 

 

 

15.  Can I install the factory Bluetooth?  Yes!  Factory Bluetooth became an option in 2009 C6 Corvettes.  And it's not difficult at all, especially if you have a factory radio from a 2009 or later C6.  The factory Bluetooth option will not allow you to stream music, but it's a terrific option for handsfree calling that is wonderfully integrated into the Corvette audio system.  Click on this link for detailed information:  http://www.kawal.net/GM%20Bluetooth.htm

 

 

 

16.  Where can I order auxiliary input harnesses and other specialty harnesse?  Here's the link to my Ordering Page:  http://www.kawal.net/corvettemods.htm

If you have any questions, you can email me at ray@kawal.net