Aftermarket HU - Which fakra cable should I buy?

[dk16]

My Golf MK5 uses the diversity system with double Fakra connectors (mustard colour and white). I purchased an aftermarket Chinese HU recently and with the HU came an unamplified double fakra cable. The company sent me a single amplified fakra cable which isn't working very well. AM signals are non existant and FM signals seem to drop out quite a bit.

Does anyone have any experiences with these and can anyone recommend me a decent cable to sort this out? I'm aware that I may never see stock signals but anything is better than I currently have.

Are these Ebay cables any good?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Twin-Dual-Double-Fakra-Antenna-Ae-rial-Adaptor-Adapter-ISO-Lead-Cable-VW-AUDI-/231409983992?hash=item35e11c21f8:g:RKIAAOSwiCRUfrfJ

Or do I need to spend more and get one of these?

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/ct27aa25-aerial-antenna-dual-fakra-din-adaptor

Thanks

[An0NyMOUs]

I've got the eBay cable that you've listed. Does the job just fine

[dk16]

Thanks mate, I shall order and see how I get on. :)

[dk16]

Another question. I need to power the stereo's backlight buttons using the illumination wire (orange). Is there a cable/wire/feed I can tap into on the heater control unit that will only give power when the headlights/sidelights are switched on?

[mk5Eire]

You may also have to run an ignition switched live so that the head unit will turn on and off with the turn of the key, otherwise you will have to do it manually every time. Common way to do this is to tap into an empty slot in your fuse box that's ignition live and run a cable back to the HU.

Alternatively you could splice into the cigarette lighter which is another switched live. Possibly could power the stereos backlights for you Aswel but not 1000% sure on that. I sold my mk5 a few months ago and can't remember if a light comes on around the cig lighter when your turn on the headlights. If it does, your laughing!


Sent from my iPhone that holds battery for 48 minutes

[An0NyMOUs]

If you don't mind spending a few ££ then go for this (its got a switched live on it too, if you need it);

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=250960090221&alt=web

I can't help you with tapping into a wire as my stereo is just a screen and I don't need illumination

[An0NyMOUs]

You may also have to run an ignition switched live so that the head unit will turn on and off with the turn of the key, otherwise you will have to do it manually every time. Common way to do this is to tap into an empty slot in your fuse box that's ignition live and run a cable back to the HU.

Alternatively you could splice into the cigarette lighter which is another switched live. Possibly could power the stereos backlights for you Aswel but not 1000% sure on that. I sold my mk5 a few months ago and can't remember if a light comes on around the cig lighter when your turn on the headlights. If it does, your laughing!


Sent from my iPhone that holds battery for 48 minutes

I tried the cigarette lighter, couldn't find a decent switched live. I used the fuse box;

[mk5Eire]

You may also have to run an ignition switched live so that the head unit will turn on and off with the turn of the key, otherwise you will have to do it manually every time. Common way to do this is to tap into an empty slot in your fuse box that's ignition live and run a cable back to the HU.

Alternatively you could splice into the cigarette lighter which is another switched live. Possibly could power the stereos backlights for you Aswel but not 1000% sure on that. I sold my mk5 a few months ago and can't remember if a light comes on around the cig lighter when your turn on the headlights. If it does, your laughing!


Sent from my iPhone that holds battery for 48 minutes

I tried the cigarette lighter, couldn't find a decent switched live. I used the fuse box;

Yes fuse box always seems to be the better option of the two.


Sent from my iPhone that holds battery for 48 minutes

[dk16]

Thanks for the info guys. Actually, the Chinese stereo I bought came with a canbus connector which has an illumination and acc feed on it. The illumination feed has constant power for some reason so the backlight buttons were originally constantly powered. I switched this over to the red acc cable for now so that the button lights only come on when the key is turned.

I was just wondering if there was a way to tap into a source that only receives power when the headlights are turned on. I know some people have said to use the "grey" wire behind the headlight switch, but I don't want to tap into this till I'm 100% sure it would work.

Alternatively you could splice into the cigarette lighter which is another switched live. Possibly could power the stereos backlights for you Aswel but not 1000% sure on that. I sold my mk5 a few months ago and can't remember if a light comes on around the cig lighter when your turn on the headlights. If it does, your laughing!

I think this might be the way to go. The ring around the cig lighter is supposed to come on when the headlights go on but I think my bulb is blown so it currently doesn't. Should still be receiving power though!

[An0NyMOUs]

Yeah my cigarette lighter doesn't illuminate either, in fact it doesn't work at all!

[dk16]

Yeah my cigarette lighter doesn't illuminate either, in fact it doesn't work at all!

I think it's definitely a blown bulb because mine actually used to work. Apparently they can be changed but not sure how easy it is.

[An0NyMOUs]

My cigarette lighter doesn't even push in to be able to warm up. So I'm not really worried about it

[dk16]

My cigarette lighter doesn't even push in to be able to warm up. So I'm not really worried about it

Cig lighter not staying down is easily fixed. All you need to do is bend the 2 tab inside in the direction I've shown in the picture. :) Don't bend them too much of course, just enough so it catches when you push it down.

[An0NyMOUs]

Nah the spring has gone in mine, I should have explained it better.
It freely slides up and down, doesn't click down or stay up, its fooked :) The lighter part itself that is.

Thanks though!