ICS videointerface - Alfa 166

[S@gittarius]

Originally Posted by rogier166

With my video interface, all functions are available, audio is in stereo and you can attach normal devices with a composite video output (instead of RGB), even a rear view camera and other nav system.
But the disadvantage is that you have to open the ICS to put an extra printed circuit board in it...

Would it be possible to share your knowledge about that PCB and the scheme you did work on? I've heard something like 5+1 coming out of the DVD connected to 166's ICS. I think it will be awesome but stereo would be nice too.

[maryjo]

Originally Posted by tvrdi

Thanks, but, I'm sorry I think you made mistake and you changed green and black connector pinouts. I'm looking pinoutc sheme of ICS connectors and how I can see VGND is pin 3 on black connector .... or I have wrong pinouts sheme and now I'm totaly confused, what is correct !!??
look

http://nicolas.georgiou.free.fr/Sche...son%20ics1.jpg

http://nicolas.georgiou.free.fr/Sche...son%20ics2.jpg

Dear, do you have this scheme pin outs ? This links don't work.

Regards, Maryjo

[W4Jay]

Does anyone have a clear guide on the wiring for the ICS (the basic one without the phone, DSP, or Sat Nav)?

It's just that I'd like to add an HDD media player and don't want to hack the wires blindly! Even better would be a full installation guide for such!

Any ideas?? Thanks for any input!

J.

[W4Jay]

Hi

I've just installed an iPod very easily. If it helps, get a 'stereo 3.5mm jack > twin phono jack' lead. Disconnect the audio lines from your cd changer and substitute for the iPod one (but keep the main signal cable for the cd changer connected). Granted you'll lose the cd changer, but play through iPod instead.

Hope it helps.

[BrianMor]

hi, i did same with my i pod last year and ran the leads up to inside the arm rest so very discreet. One tip is put the longest playing cd you can find in slot 6 only of changer and you will only have a brief interruption in play every hour an a bit or so.

[tzziviielles]

hello,

i have a dvd player with rca output. can i use an adapter like the one posted to convert it to scart and then connect it to the ics?

cheers
Bogdan

[Alfa-CZ]

Originally Posted by tzziviielles

hello,

i have a dvd player with rca output. can i use an adapter like the one posted to convert it to scart and then connect it to the ics?

cheers
Bogdan

This adapter is useless for you, because its just only ADAPTER as you wrote. Its not a converter and cannot convert the composite video signal to RGB, this one only connects the RCA jack with SCART S-Video (composite) input (or output).

[tzziviielles]

so i have to search for a dvd player with RGB output. right? can you give me some examples please? i would be very greatful.

cheers,
Bogdan

LE: is this one ok? (Majestic DVX 381 - found it on the link on alfanatiques - link)
LE2: can't fint the above one for sale. what dvd player can i use? the home ones are they ok? can i use a mini home one with a 12v/220v converter? if it has scart output is it ok?

[Alfa-CZ]

Yes, the home DVD with 12/220v changer is the easiest and cheapest solution, i recommend to use this configuration...

[tzziviielles]

so if i use a home one, i connect the wires to the scart output right? that should be RGB. thank you

Cheers
Bogdan

[tzziviielles]

is that corect?

[tzziviielles]

please answer if possible

cheers

[Artermis]

another member here struggling to find anything that has the required output.

i was under the impression according to the pin out that there was a composite video connection?

anyway if anyone has a recommendation of a decent either dvd player or better yet media hdd i would be very grateful!

[Artermis]

just a quick addition to this one.

there are a couple of what maplins describes as mini DVD players in their range which appear to have RGB scart on them. not sure if they are 12v though but thats not too hard to overcome.

they are £30 or there is a £40 model which has usb input as well

maplins product codes:

A11HJ for the £30 unit
A32JC for the £40 unit

gonna nip down there when they are open and take a look

[Alfa-CZ]

Originally Posted by tzziviielles

please answer if possible

cheers

Correct, but get familiar with all schematics and procedures before you begin with disassembling and connecting, etc.

[Artermis]

the wiring is fairly straight forward i am happy to say. I tested today and all seemed well, although the picture wasnt good as i suspect a bad connection. i had only test fitting it on an interfereance basis, so there was no suprise.

hope i can find the right connectors and i will be sorted!

[rupem_issar]

Originally Posted by rogier166

Design by myself.

Hi Rogier166. i wanna buy your ics adapter, is it possible? thanks

[rupem_issar]

anyone to ever do an auxiliary stereo audio input, which have a high quality? (until now we did not just mono or poor quality sound distorted)

[torch]

Originally Posted by rupem_issar

anyone to ever do an auxiliary stereo audio input, which have a high quality? (until now we did not just mono or poor quality sound distorted)

Using the CD changer input lines? That is providing you have a CD changer, of course...

I'm almost about to order the Mvisto player, mainly to get to play mp3 files without extra gadgets and lines laying around in the car, together with a nice screen interface for browsing the media.
But I have a few questions for you who have already done this:

-Isn't the sound of this hooked up to the ICS in full stereo, comparable to CD-quality (providing you play a .wav or good 320kbps mp3 file?

-Does the Mvisto player start where it last stopped when you turn the ignition off and on, or could you set it up to do so?

Rogiers solution seemed even nicer, (why a remote, when you can use the ICS buttons?) but he have yet to respond to my email, and reading this thread it seems he's not to keen on helping out any more...?

[sureview]

Hi, i have read all the threads regarding this, it seems very interesting, pity rogier166 does not seem to want to share his information.

It seems that go get video into the ics is a very simple task, it has rgb input and mono audio, activated by pulling one pin on the connector to ground.

so to add a simple video device like a rear view cam, or input from a media player, you would need the device to output RGB + sync, which is common on a lot of dvd players , but not so on cameras.

simple solution would be to fit an composit video to rgb converter, then it would take the much more comon composit video, these are available from CPC | CPC - Over 100, 000 products from one of the worlds leading distributors of electronic and related products. at a cost of about £65 +vat

That would make it very easy to add a reversing cam, and i intend to try this out

I will document the whole process and post it here

the input could also be used for a media player, there are lots of sd card media players on ebay, starting at about £20. - if you can live with the mono audio


I think the next step would be to remove the tape deck, use the audio in on that to input stereo sound, use it as a proper feed for the media input,

my plan here would be to use a sd card media player that has basic controls - skip back / forward etc, and connect it to both the mono input and the cassette converted input.

this would mean that. you could switch to the media player input and see the track listing, options etc, you would get mono audio and no access to the other ics functions, but then as soon as you switch back to normal ics mode, you would get the stereo audio, the sat nav (if fitted) phone (if fitted) would all work as normal, with the auto mute on nav information and phone calls, choose a player that has basic skip back / forward buttons and there would be little need to switch back to 'video' mode once you playlist was selected.

the problems here are:-

tape deck expects the reels to turn and that there is a tape in - soulution build a little circuit to provide the pulses

the audio qualtity - the input would need a filter with the correct curve to emulate that of a tape head - again - should not be much of a problem

i dont think i can spend the time to go to the same level as rogier166, he must have spent a lot of time working out the control functions of the becker ics , pity he is not in a position to sell his design to other alfa users, but i am sure a simple cassette replacemnt circuit will provide a great AUX input for ipods, media players and projects like my own!

If anyone has the circuit details of the Becker ICS, this would be most usefull !!

If anyone has a spare ICS unit with code that they are willing to donate and let me use as the prototype, drop me a line (well i cant drive around with no tunes can i !!!!)

development would be a lot faster if i could leave a ics on the bench at my workshop ( i have a very good audio engineer there !)

Sorry its a long rant of a post !

Dave !

[sureview]

Composit to rgb adapter ordred today !, in stock so should be with me by monday, now on with my search for a reversing cam and media player, my engineer has started to design a little eq circuit to intaface down the tape system.

[rupem_issar]

i'll be return with pictures after i'm done. till now the entire electrical job was finished and the sound is great , beleve me, without any distorsion and stereo. i've used the audio input from deck

[sureview]

rgb interface has arrived, also ordered a media player from ebay, one with nice big icons on the display, went for a sd card player with manual buttons, will post pics when i start the fit

[K9d]

Sounds intersting. I will follow this

[Tamariini]

i'll be return with pictures after i'm done. till now the entire electrical job was finished and the sound is great , beleve me, without any distorsion and stereo. i've used the audio input from deck

Sounds great!

Waiting for pics.