Sylfex
News   Products  


AuxMod is almost HERE!!!!!


Frequently Asked Questions of the AuxMod:
1. Will it work with my car?
2. When can I buy one?
3. I want one! What should I do?
4. What kind of audio sources can I connect to my car with AuxMod?
5. What about the other connector in the radio in the back of the unit?
6. Can I use my iPOD(tm) with the AuxMod?
7. I've got another portable mp3 player, will remote controls work for it too?
8. What about AuxMod Advanced?
9. What happened to the LCD text display capabilites?
10. I need an audio cable for AuxMod? What kind of cable can I use?
11. How is the sound quality?
12. Will I need a ground loop isolator? Where do I get one?






1. Will it work with my car?
The AuxMod tested vehicles matrix
Car Model 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
CX-7 Depends on Radio***
Non-NAV radios only
- - - - - - -
RX-8 Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes - - - -
Mazda6 Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes - - -
Mazda5 Verified Yes Verified Yes - - - - - -
Mazda3 Depends on Radio*** Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes - - - -
Mazda2 / Demio Unverified Yes Unverified Yes Unverified Yes Unverified Yes Unverified Yes Verified Yes - -
Miata / MX-5 Depends on Radio*** Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified OK* Verified OK* 2-DIN only OK* -
MPV - Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified No -
Protege - - - Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes** -
Tribute - Verified Yes Verified Yes Verified Yes Unverified Yes Unverified Yes Unverified Yes -
B Series Truck Unverified ??? Unverified ??? Unverified ??? Unverified ??? Unverified ??? Unverified ??? Unverified ??? -
RX-7 - - - - - - - Verified Yes
* The 2003 Miata HU exhibits a mute Aux-In until adjusting the volume when switching from other sources. Ok between ignition cycles
** 2-Din Radios only
*** We have had numerous reports that the radios in this model year vehicle have had the radios lower module bay connector removed. Inspect your radio first to ensure that the connector does exist before ordering, as there may be some variation in different cars.






2. When can I buy one?
As of this writing, we are in production You can go back to the main AuxMod page and buy AuxMod Basic now!.
AuxMod Advanced development is on hold indefinitely.




3. I want one! What should I do?
Buy AuxMod Basic here! If AuxMod Basic is out of stock, then you can send us an email to let us know. We'll put you on our wait-list and send you an email to notify you when the modules are back in stock. Groups of people on the wait list will be given the first opportunities to purchase units as they become available.




4. What kind of audio sources can I connect to my car with AuxMod?
You can plug in just about any audio source. Some possibilities are portable mp3 players, video game consoles, portable DVD players, computers, phone kits, you name it. You should check question #12 to see if your audio source might require a Ground Loop Isolator (GLI) to prevent audio feedback noise.




5. What about the other connector in the radio in the back of the Radio unit?
This is a possiblity. The functionality of this plug has problems with various Mazda Head units however, so it isn't a universal solution. We currently emulate the functionality of the factory tape module with AuxMod Basic, so any Mazda that accepts the factory tape module upgrades as part of the modular radio, should accept AuxMod Basic.




6. Can I use my iPOD(tm) with the AuxMod?
Certainly! Any portable mp3 player should work just as well.We are working on developing an interface to the iPOD for the AuxMOD that will enable steering wheel controls to be relayed to the iPOD.




7. I've got another portable mp3 player, will remote controls work for it too?
At this point in time, we've only done work with the iPOD, and the specifications for other mp3 players aren't as readily available. There are also litterally dozens of different mp3 players that we could potentially develop interfaces for, which makes this a very difficult scenario to plan for. Our hardware design will support the majority of mp3 players, but additional software will need to be developed in order to interface with other mp3 players. The only other one we've considered thus far is the Archos.




8. What about AuxMod Advanced?
We've put Advanced on hold indefinitely. We may resurrect this project at some point, but currently it's still incomplete, and we don't plan to complete it at this time.




9. What happened to the LCD text display capabilites?
It was part of the Advanced functioanly. We tested the capabilities, and had success during our testing. We had determined that our test radio allows us to update the Album title at any time, which facilitates iPOD & CarPC integration so that text can be pushed to the display at will. The maximum charecter rate is just under 200 characters per second. We think that smooth scrolling of the 10 charecter display with text will be possible, but we have yet to decide wheather we will make this device dependent (CarPC controlled), or AuxMod Controlled.

Invariably wanted to make the most flexible solution.




10. I need an audio cable for AuxMod? What kind of cable can I use and where can I get it?
The Audio cable is not supplied with AuxMod. Depending on your vehicle, installation plans and audio device, the requirements vary greatly. The Audio connector used on the AuxMod side is a 1/8" (3.5mm) mini stereo plug. When connecting your audio device to AuxMod you should ensure that your cable has an adapter or the correct connector type on the other end for your audio source. The unit will accept line level or headphone level audio in. We reccomend that you initially use a very low volume setting and never exceed the equivalent loudness of the CD unit or FM radio.




11. How is the sound quality?
Sound quality is dependent on several factors: The quality of the Audio cable, the quality of your audio source, and depends on wheather your device is running on its own battery power, or if it is powered from another accessory power plug. If you have a battery powered device, you will probably get very high quality audio with a reasonable cable, and a good audio source. If you are running from a separate powered device such as an XM reciever, a CarPC, or powering your device from the vehicle power you may get a hum which correlates to the engine speed. If you hear this hum or buzz, you may be able to use a ground loop isolator to eliminate the feedback that is occuring. Subjective responses from people who have tested the module themselves report that the sound quality is excellent for most applications.

When used with a ground loop isolator, the sound quality very good in all cases. Many AuxMod users report that the audio quality is equal to or even better than the CD audio quality.




12. Will I need a ground loop isolator? Where do I get one?
A ground loop Isolator may be necessary if you are supplying audio from a device that runs on vehicle power. You can really only tell if your application needs a ground loop isolator by comparing how the audio source sounds when the vehcile is running versus how the audio source sounds when the vehicle is parked, change the ignition to ACC selection to test audio when powered only by the vehicle battery. If you can tell a substantial difference in the amount of audio feedback between these two settings, a ground loop isolator will help, but may not completely eliminate the interference.

You can find ground loop isolators at many places, including Radio Shack here or at many other places. There are various brands and models available that all perform the same basic function. We have recieved very positive feedback regaring the use of this particular model, and can recommend its use.

*Update: RadioShack no longer has this GLI listed on their website, however they may still have old stock in the stores. This more expensive GLI is the one now listed.






Got Questions? Contact us.