I though that perhaps they mounted ACM under the ashtray. I don't even know if that's possible.

But when I look at those pathetic installation instructions they show the ashtray as being removed and it doesn't look like they're just talking about the portion that gets emptied. I

t shows it "just coming out"?

It looks and feels to be very securely in place so I am afraid of breaking the darn thing if I don't know how to do this. And I don't.

The switch function on the ACM box that's in the center bin does seem to function as described and the "Y" cable for the CDC player is in place so I kind of think that the main ACM module is burried in there somewhere otherwise I don't think my CDC player would be working. I don't have an IPOD so I can't try that connection out.

Raining like H now so time to stop the investigation for now.

Bob S.

 

5 pages in and I'm lost

Which car model year do you have and what makes you think you DO have an ACM? I don't believe the CDC implies an ACM (e.g. my 2004 STR has CDC but I believe no ACM).

This on the basis that ACM is Audio Connectivity Module, rather than Audio Control Module (the part that can see the buttons etc around the nav screen).

 

Sorry your'e lost but several people on this thread have been following it and I don't think they're lost. But I am mystified so far.
If you haven't read the ACM installation guide and gone though this then it might not make much sense to you.

I have all the normally visible equipment except the USB cable mounted in the car. I am trying to locate the main ACM box to see if there is an actual USB input jack on the version installed in my car.

If you're familiar with how this option works then you know that there's rather small control/input box with: two RCA jacks on it for analog input, a mode selction slide switch and an indicator lamp that is typically mounted inside the center armrest bin. There's a loose laying Ipod connector as well (I have that) and there's supposed to be a loose USB connector that pushes into a retaining clip so that you can insert a zip drive into it to select music from file system on there.

There's an emulation system inside the main ACM box that makes the USB memory sticK, Analaog input or IPOD look like CDs and tracks on a CD to the main audio control screen.

The slide switch on this small interface box switches you in/out of emulation mode.

Now with that bit of info I think my latest posts will make more sense to you. I hope so ...

Here are the instructions. A real gem of an installation manual ...

http://topix.jaguar.jlrext.com/topix...es=1&view=FitH

Bob S.

 

Thanks. I do know what the ACM is and about the iPod connector. If you have that and follow the wires.... don't they lead to the ACM itself? They don't sound to be the wires you mention going down the LH of the RH passenger foot-well.
Ahh.... the iPod connector does work does it? It's not that someone has left the wiring but removed the ACM?

If you don't know that the box is actually there (somewhere), I wonder if AutoEnginuity would see an ACM? If so, maybe Matt (h20boy) would loan you it or you could meet up.

I expect a dealer could tell but I'm thinking you don't want to pay the diagnostic fee.

 

The cables at the back of the radio unit that I mentioned are part of the harness (see the install kit) that are used to splice into the optical connection between the CDC in the trunk and the head unit. I believe these are fiber optic cables. That's what is disapearing down the RH side and either under the ashtray or somewhere?

So if they did remove the ACM main module they left the splice harness in place. I kind of think that my CDC wouldn't be working at all if that were the case as I beleive that the main ACM box does the actual switching between using the CDC or emulating one. The small switch on the other module is probablyt just a simple selector switch. I'm guessing here though.

I can't have a much of look at where those cales are going. I'm not even sure how to get at that part of the car.

I thought I would start by finding out how the ashtray assembly with door comes out. Then see if that gives better access.

It's pouring outside right now with tornado warnings. This can wait a bit ...

Bob S.

 

Heck, yes! You don't want to be out in that!!

I'm pretty sure someone posted about taking the ashtray out but beats me whether here or on the UK forum. It's a pain if you have to take so much apart just to figure this out.

I vaguely recall WinterJag knows quite a bit about the ACM (don't trust me to be right on that) so maybe have a look at his posts if you didn't already. There are all manner of posts on the UK forum, too, but I at most glanced at them as I figured I'd never fit an ACM even if I found one going free

I don't see the ACM on the JTIS electrical diagrams but maybe they were all drawn before the ACM was available.

 

Well I guessed correctly! Yes the ACM box is there somewhere????
I stuck a borrowed IPOD in it tonight and out came blarring Madona - Material Girl. The interface on the Jag side is damn near non-existant. It tells you zippity. But when you turn the stereo off the IPOD displays the Leaper and says it's OK to remove the IPOD.

So now if I can find where they stuck the darn box I just need to add a USB cable. HOORAY!

Bob S.

 

Progress

 

As I mentioned, I just bought the kit but havne't had time to install. But thought it might be of value to post the manuals pics. This should give you a good idea of what comes in the kit and how it was to be installed. Enjoy:

box pic:
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str002.jpg
manual pages in order:
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str003.jpg
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str004.jpg
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str005.jpg
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str006.jpg
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str007.jpg
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str008.jpg
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str009.jpg
http://www.manageware.net/STR_ACM/str010.jpg

 

What year car and what must be in the car (CD, DVD, What radio, GPS)?

 

I haven't been paying attention to that aspect because I knew it would work with a 2005 S-Type with the Nav screen. But in the instructions it does say it will work with the other audio system (non fiber optic) as well. I just don't know how far back it goes. If you go onto the Jag website I think you might be able to look it up. I finally found the entire installation manual on there. It's in an earlier post in this thread. Have a look.

What I'm stuck by is how useless this thing is unless you can see your Ipod because that's the only way you will see what's playing. It also lights up the Ipod display very briefly and then goes dark. So if you miss it your S.O.L. If I had an Ipod I think I'd mount the interface cable on the dash somewhere so that an Ipod mount could be utilized. It seems like a bad idea to have it in that center bin because you can't see it.

I wonder if the USB interface is different? You certainly can't see anything on a memory stick. So if there's nothing displayed on the Nav screen it's all a blind operation.

Time to get back to investigating the Parrot option.

That may be why my USB is missing. I think the PO may have had a USB connection between the Parrot system and the ACM. The Parrot (it also accepts USB input and SDHC cards) does the display work of what's playing and the ACM processes the audio signal into the cars stereo.

Just maybe???

Bob S.

 

I installed an Ipod connection in my 2000 S-Type and I am pleased with the connection and sound. I select CD and it is up and running with the exception of jumping from one song to another that I do on the Ipod. Installing this eliminates the CD but for me that was not a problem. No cutting of wires just plug and play.

 

It appears from the manual that it says MY 2002 and up. Both with Nav and without.

 

So this morning I took my very first CD player, a gift from my bride back in 1982, and plugged it's RCA output into this ACM adapter's RCA input jacks and I was astonished. First that my original player which is about the size of medium book still plays perfectly. It's a Sony ...

But the second and most important thing is that the ACM played the audio without a hitch and the quality is so much better than an IPOD or I presume a USB device will be as well.

I don't think I'm going to be able give up the quality for the convenient storage format on an IPOD or a USB device. I'll have to wait until I can get a portable player that supports at least the CD quality format.

But this analog input also allows systems like Parrot MK9200 to interface with the full audio capacity of the premium sound system via the ACM. It cannot do that otherwise and uses a mickey mouse arrangement of directly connecting to your speakers without it.

This doesn't mean that the Parrot will fully integrate with the screen system though. I don't know if that's at all possible. The ACM doesn't do very well with that either. But phone calls should be able to interrupt the stereo sound. It won't pause a file playing via a player through the ACM RCA input jacks. It will also allow any audio coming in from the Parrot system (SDHC card, USB, Ipod) to be played through the cars stereo amp and not just to the speakers via the crummy built in amp from the Parrot.

Pretty interesting.

Bob S.

 

Hey.... more progress!

It may be that less-compressed-than-usual files on USB work - I haven't seen anyone even say they tried it. You'd get fewer on, of course, and I did see a comment about 4GB USB size on the .co.uk forum but didn't file away quite what happens at 4GB, sorry.

But you're probably heading away from USB anyway.

 

Yes the USB in the ACM suffers the same sampling rate limitation as the Ipod. Indentical issues with all the audio input options I mention for the Parrot line of stuff.

Hey, it's an indistry standard. It's just crummy.

But the analog auadio input lets you have a higher quality once a decent method to play the CD format files from memory based storage medium comes a long. I haven't found it yet but maybe it's around?

Bob S.

 

Er... what ARE the sampling rate limitations? E.g. I have some audio files which are at much higher than the typical data rate (and thus bigger) but have the same kind of compression and file names. They play fine on my laptop etc (don't have an iPod). Much better quality than the usual low-sampling rate files.

 

Have a look at page 12.

http://dension.com/jaguar/AM%209W93%2018C941AB.pdf

 

Thanks.
320K's not too bad (but RCA is better).

 

It' sgoing to be quite a bit worse than CD audio files. But I don't a compact portable player that does any better so I'll stick with the CD changer for now. I'm doubtfull any new players would have a line-out compatible with the RCA in of ACM but we shall see.

I have a friend who's into portable direct digital recordings so I shall tap his expertise now that I know what I have to work with.