I'm in the process of buying an 07 JX8 4.2 x350. Ive ruled out getting the new XJ and XF. The new body style looks great but I just cant live with inside. I do lots of miles and I just think the x350 is a much nicer place to be. The only thing I will do to the body is a respray and an 09 Mesh Grill. Not that the paint is no good just don’t like the color and have not been able to locate one in a color I like.


I’ve searched the forums but cant find some clear answers to a few things re Ipod and Phone


As I see it, and I might be wrong here, my ipod / phone options are;

1. ACM + Bluetooth module.

Both are hard to find.
When playing from the Ipod you don’t get Track info on the screen
Voice activation of the phone needs the voice module installed

1. Connect the Ipod via the Rear seat controls + Parrot Car kit

Doing this means you cant change the source settings from the drivers seat.
You need access to the ipod via extension cables for control plus no steering wheel controls of the ipod. Phone voice control via parrot kit

1. Install the Dice Universal RDS • USB + Pac Audio SWI-X + Parrot Car kit

Dice unit controls the ipod, IR remote is supplied for doing this
The SWI-X can be programmed to send the remote signals to the Dice unit for IR. This give steering wheel control.
The Dice unit send the song info to the head unit via FMRDS signal
Phone voice control via parrot kit

1. Relocate the Rear Audio controls + Parrot Asteroid car kit

Control of the Ipod and phone via the Parrot Asteroid.
Connect to the steering wheel controls using the parrot connection kit
Connect the AV out from the Parrot the the rear audio
This will give mobile internet, album info and cover art and voice control of the ipod and phone


I also plan to add a reverse camera using the Namvtool unit
JAGUAR XJ-TYPE 2004-2009 NAVIGATION VIDEO INTERFACE


Camera with guidelines
Mongoose - ClearView Cameras - MC204


My questions are;
Has anyone attempted relocating the rear audio panel to the front armrest.
Putting wiring issues aside will it fit?


Does the nav tool work if you have rear audio installed?


Does the Dice Universal RDS • USB actually work with the RDS?

Can anyone that has installed this post a pic of the ARD song info on the nav screen


What are the dimensions of the ash tray and the ash tray/lighter
I'm looking at installing the parrot asteroid in place of the ash tray and lighter


Many thanks in advance to all

 

I'm currently in the same position as you (trying to work out audio and phone integration) in a '06 Super V8 Portfolio. I just moved from a '00 XJR which I had fitted a Motorola T605 to, and it was absolutely perfect, cost <$50 and gave me bluetooh handsfree calling and bluetooth music streaming. Luckily I have Bluetooth Phone in the new car, so that works nicely. However, I now have to work out how to get the audio in via bluetooth.

"Doing this means you cant change the source settings from the drivers seat." --> My car has an aux in located in the center console under the armrest....... when I first saw this, I thought, "Great, I have an ACM installed" and I didn't think to check further (I was going to then connect another Motorola T605 to this aux in and then I would have bluetooth music streaming) However...... now that I have the car and have been able to pull it apart (we all do that within the first 48 hours, don't we?!) I actually don't have an ACM....... Somehow this aux-in is connected to the rear entertainment system (It's actually Aux 1). So then I thought, wow, thats crazy, I need to reach over and change the audio source to Aux 1 from the rear entertainment panel........ then I started hunting about for something else and I stumbled upon a magic button installed inside the coin cubby on the left hand side of the steering wheel (of my left hand drive) car. This magic button cycles the rear entertainment through all its choices, ie AM, FM, Aux 1, Aux 2, DVD. So I can push it a few times to activate the aux input in the center console, and if I want to go back to radio or CD or CDC, I can just press one of those source buttons on the HU and it changes to that input. It's not perfect, but it seems to be a solution thats on par with fitting an ACM (assuming you can find one), with perhaps less of the lock up problems I've heard about.

Long story short, if you have this button you can select the audio source on the rear entertainment system safely from the front seat

 

Wow, the new XJ has such awesome lease rates, it would be hard for me not to go with new model... I can see not going for the XF since it's not aluminum rivet bonded...

 

That's awesome.. I have the ACM but many users here without the ACM would love this feature. Can you shed any light on whether this is factory or a mod? Can this be added?

 

I've only just got the car (bought from a dealer so PO was not present) so I'm not sure on the history of this "feature"

Here is a picture of said Magic Button...



And here is the aux-input in the centre cubby (with a 3.5mm lead plugged into it)



Here is a video of it in action...... you can hear me pushing the button each time, then the source changes. A point to note is the button doesn't have "on" and "off", or "in" and "out" positions.... it's just a momentary closed button that springs back out when you let go of it.

Magic button on 2006 Jaguar XJ - YouTube

I'm trying to think of how it could be working...... could it be as "simple" as wiring the button in parallel to the "Audio Select" button on the rear entertainment switch pack..... ? Then also wiring the aux input lead behind the RCA inputs ? I haven't actually tried feeding anything through the RCAs..... perhaps if I did that I would find that Aux 1 (left hand side) doesn't actually work from the rear of the car ?

The car is immaculate (That's why I traveled 2500 miles to buy it) so if someone has had it apart before me, they were pretty careful about what they were doing.

Anyway, for the time being, I'm happy with what I have. I have one of these connected to the other end of the 3.5mm lead.... Amazon.com: Miccus BluBridge Mini-Jack RX: Bluetooth Music Receiver use with Bluetooth-Enabled Mobile Phones, Tablets, PCs and Apple (BBMR-02): MP3 Players & Accessories so I have bluetooth phone directly through the car and bluetooth audio via the Blubridge/aux-in/magic button...... in other words, I've almost got it as good as the set up I had in my '00 XJR !! So thats progress for you

 

Re the new XJ, cost is not an issue I'd buy one outright. It's just the inside feels German to me and that's not what I want.

I ruled out the ACM route due to the interface. I don't see the point If I cant so simple things like see the track data and cover art.

Relocating the audio switch and rca's from the rear audio is a simple job. Its just a matter of tapping the connections and mounting a new switch

My installer was talking about going a step further in remapping the steering wheel controls. He would install a box that fits between the steering wheel control and head unit. An extra output on the interface is wired to the rear audio switch. Puts the switch on the steering wheel. All I know about the inside of the interface is my installer makes them himself and it works because he has done in my current car.

That brings me to the next issue what to control the ipod. The cheaper option is the parrot asteroid. This gives all the normal Ipod functions plus and lcd with the album info and cover art.
For installing this he has given me 2 options. Remove and rework the asteroid panel and fit it in the ash tray area. The snapin controls would fit in the ash tray and the LCD will replace the clock. Same has here. Jaguar Forum.co.uk &bull; View topic - My Ipod Dash Install The only difference is the LCD is not much bigger than the clock

I like this option but again not fully integrated with the steering wheel but much better

The second option is junk the Head unit. The dilemma being the is the HVAC and NAV.

I can live without the nav as the features are way out of date. So what he is talking about is hacking the head unit. An when he says hacking he means pulling it apart and interfacing inside the head unit.

Ill go into more detail on what was explained to me if anyone wants to know but to put it simply

The OEM head stays in the dash. The Nav switch changes from OEM to External
A double din NAV is installed in the boot. When switched to the external the oem touch screen operates the double din nav touch screen. This is very similar to this
customGadz

 

Will be great to see what you finally decide to do.... your ipod integration into the X308 was awesome so I can sense you have high standards and will not accept anything sub par....

 

Sorry if I gave the wrong impression that link was not my car, just showing what can be done. Don't want take credit away from others.

It really comes down to can I live with the limitations of the stock nav.
Either way steering wheel controls are a must have as is a Ipod album art, track info and access to the ipod features like playlists and artists

the other option is a mac mini with winxp and centrfuse but I think a double din will be easier in the long run

The only thing set in stone so far is a seat upgrade.
Removal of the switch pack for one from an 08/09 that has the climate control button for the seats. Removal of the OEM seat heaters and installing aftermarket. That will do away with the low heat OEM heater insert for ones that actually get hot. The 2 new switches for climate control will be used to trigger aftermarket seat massagers.
Premium Seat Heaters With Massager

 

Did you ever find out how this works??

I'd like to add the exact same thing! Am struggling to work out how to add this button....