Basic Questions about
Auxiliary Input Harnesses
(revised 11/8/20)
Click here for
main website
This page explains some of the basic
questions many owners have, when considering either a PAL (GM Personal Audio
Link) or one of my auxiliary input harnesses.
First, the Version 2 PAL:
The Version 2 PAL is a sophisticated
electronic module built by Mediatronics for GM that provides an iPod (or iPhone)
interface to allow control of the iPod from the Corvette radio using the XM2
band on the radio. It allows you to do searches for your music using the
radio controls (either the factory Nav radio or the non-Nav radio), and your
music information is displayed on the radio and the HUD. The PAL has a 30
pin Apple connector on the supplied PAL iPod cable. The latest iPhone 5
and similar iPods use the new Lightning connector, so you will need the Apple
adapter to connect your device to the PAL. The Version 2 PAL also includes
a user selectable auxiliary input that will allow you to connect other devices
to the audio system.
These are very nice features of the Version
2 PAL that are not available with only an auxiliary input. But to enjoy
these features you must have an iPod or iPhone and connect them to the PAL with
the PAL iPod cable.
CLICK
HERE for details about the Version 2 PAL
Auxiliary Input Harnesses:
Most of the C6 Corvettes, XLRs, and many
other GM vehicles do not have an auxiliary input to enable you to connect a
music device to your sound system. But if your vehicle has an XM receiver,
you can add a simple wiring harness in many of the vehicles that use a Class 2
communication system, such as the C6 Corvette, Cadillac XLR, '03-'06 GM full
size trucks and SUVs, Hummers, and some others.
Unlike the PAL, the auxiliary input
harnesses do not allow you to control your music from your radio, nor will they
allow display any music information on the radio. Control of your music
must be done on your music device (iPod, smartphone, mp3 players, etc.)
itself. The auxiliary input harnesses are simple wiring devices that use
the audio output wiring from the XM receiver to the radio input on the XM
band. Depending on which harness you choose, the audio signal from the XM
receiver is disconnected and the audio signal from your music device is
substituted and heard over the XM band (or bands). Whatever is displayed
on your radio remains unaffected, because only the audio signal is
changed. You MUST have the XM receiver connected however, because without
the XM receiver, your radio will lose the XM bands as a selectable choice.
Another possible alternative, if you have a
2005 C6, but you do NOT
have an XM receiver, you likely already have a 16
pin XM connector in the car, so it is physically simple to add an XM receiver - just plug
it in. Although I have not personally tried this, other Corvette owners
report success with this option. Check out THIS
PAGE for adding an XM receiver.
Aux Input Harnesses - Which one to order?
AUX-1
This is the most basic (and most popular)
harness because it is the simplest and least expensive. If you do not
subscribe to XM or plan to subscribe in the future, the AUX-1 harness will work
for you. (You MUST have the XM receiver however, because this
provides the XM band on your radio.) This harness disconnects the audio signal circuits from the XM
receiver and connects your music device to those circuits. Instead of
hearing your XM station, you will instead hear whatever is playing from your
music device. I have a few different versions of the AUX-1 harness:
AUX-1: a 10' cable with
a male 3.5mm (1/8") plug to connect to your music device. It is 10'
long so it will reach from the XM receiver location above the left rear wheel
well in Corvette coupes and Z06s to the center console area.
AUX-1 VRT: same as the
AUX-1 with a shorter 4' cable. C6 convertibles have the XM receiver
between the seats, behind the "waterfall".
Here is the AUX-1 male plug:
The above male plug will connect
directly to any smartphone or iPod with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
AUX-1 TRK: same as the
AUX-1 but with slightly different wiring for trucks, SUVs, and Hummers.
Cable is about 6' long.
AUX-1F: same as the
AUX-1 but with a female 3.5mm (1/8") jack instead of a male plug.
This is useful if you want to direct connect a Bluetooth device (see below)
directly to the harness without an adapter.
AUX-1F VRT: same as the
AUX-1F but with a shorter 4' cable.
Here is the AUX-1F female
jack:
AUX-1F TRK: same as the
AUX-1 TRK but with a female jack instead of a male plug.
PATCH CABLE: this
optional cable can be used to plug into one of the "F" (female)
harnesses above so that you can connect it directly to any smartphone or iPod
with a 3.5mm headphone jack:
AUX-1C: harness kit with
an audio pod in the Corvette console:
NOTE:
I have a new "Premium" option of
all of the above AUX-1 harnesses.
Click HERE
to learn more.
AUX-2
For owners who do subscribe to XM,
the AUX-2 harness allows the XM audio signal to pass through a 3.5mm (1/8")
female jack (capable of being panel mounted) when nothing is plugged into the
jack. However, when something is plugged into the jack - a 2' patch cable
is included with the harness - the XM audio is disconnected and whatever is
connected with the patch cable is heard through the audio system on either XM
band. Like the AUX-1 harness, I have a few different versions:
AUX-2: a 10' cable that
will reach from the XM receiver in C6 coupes and Z06s to the center console
area.
AUX-2 VRT: a shorter 4'
version of the AUX-2 for convertibles.
AUX-2 TRK: slightly
different wiring for trucks, SUVs, and Hummers. Cable is about 6' long.
Here is the AUX-2 jack:
AUX-3
This harness does what the AUX-2 does,
except it connects at the back of the radio instead of at the XM receiver.
The cable is about 4' long so it will reach the center console area from the
radio. Most C6 owners do NOT choose this option, because it is necessary
to remove the center console and radio to connect the harness instead of the
easy to get to XM receiver, which is accessible in just a few minutes with no
tools necessary in most cases. Some owners, however, are removing their
center console and radio for other reasons and may choose this option for its
direct way of connecting the jack to the center console. (I have seen NO
difference in sound quality between any of the auxiliary input harnesses.)
You MUST still
have the XM receiver installed, because without the XM receiver you will have NO
XM band to use as an auxiliary input to the radio. The harness connectors
are different on the AUX-3 harness because they connect to the radio instead of
the XM receiver. I have a variation of this harness as well:
AUX-3 TRK: this is the
most popular harness for Hummer owners because the radio is very easy to remove
and is more accessible than the XM receiver. The cable is about 6' long
and has the different wiring required by the trucks instead of the Corvettes.
Here is the AUX-3 jack:
CLICK
HERE for more details about the
various auxiliary input harnesses.
NAV-3: for C6 Corvette owners with
the factory Nav radio and XM, the NAV-3 harness is identical to the AUX-3
harness with the addition of a pair of wires to enable a switch to be installed
on the speed sensor circuit. This "Nav switch" allows entering
destinations while driving. Without the switch a common complaint is the
nuisance of being unable to enter destinations when the car is moving more than
4 mph.
CLICK
HERE for more details about the
Navigation modification alternatives.
Bluetooth Devices
There are quite a few Bluetooth devices
available that allow both handsfree calling and wireless audio streaming from
most any smartphone. Many of these devices require an auxiliary input so
high quality audio can be delivered to your sound system. The nicest one
I've seen so far is the Kinivo BTC450 for the Corvette because of its
simplicity, features, and high quality of sound. It will plug into the
power outlet in the center console and a female 3.5mm (1/8") jack for the
audio output of the device. It will connect directly to the AUX-1F or
AUX-2 or AUX-3 harnesses.
CLICK
HERE for more details about the Kinivo
BTC450.
Click
here for the Ordering Page
If you have any questions, please email me at ray@kawal.net.