From: tss001@acad.drake.edu
Newsgroups: rec.audio.car
Subject: Re: Sony Changer Compatibility
Date: 22 Nov 92 01:15:47 GMT
Organization: Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

In article <1992Nov20.182814.900@cmkrnl.com>, jeh@cmkrnl.com writes:
> In article <1992Nov19.232152.7001@wdl.loral.com>, trw@spl1.spl.loral.com 
> (Tim R Witort) writes:
>> In article <CMM.0.90.4.722179090.clane@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, clane@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (bored-out-of-my-skull) writes:
>> |> So Sony isnt making the changers that will work with the XR series anymore?
>> |> 
>> |> I was just going to ask that,  [expletive]!  I suppose when I graduate and get a
>> |> real car i will have to buy another stereo...........
> 
> Do I detect crocodile tears here?  "Oh, drat, I'll just HAVE to get another
> [better, more features, more reliable, ...] stereo."
> 
>>    Good point.  Are the new "U" serires Sony CD changers 
>> compatible with their controllers that control the older
>> "X" series?  I wouldn't expect all of the nifty new features
>> of the "U" series to work, but would the standard old 
>> features work?  I have the Sony car DAT deck which can
>> control an "X" series CD changer - but will it control the
>> new "U" series?
> 
> I don't want to say "definitely not" -- it's a little bit difficult to prove
> that the necessary adapter doesn't exist and will never exist -- but I think
> it's pretty unlikely:  The connectors don't match.  Worse, the functions of
> the pins in the connector don't match.  Not anywhere close, in fact.
> 
> The old "X" series have an cable with about a dozen pins in the connector.  I
> got a look at the connector for the U-series changer (a Dow Stereo sales droid 
> tried to sell me one to go with my XR-7280).  The connector looks similar from
> a distance, but close up it appeared that there were just two (2) pins!  
> 
> I'm not sure how they're multiplexing two channels of audio plus control
> signals to and from the changer PLUS power on two wires (plus the shield)... I
> suppose that using "phantom power" techniques and putting the control signals
> on carriers above the audio band would do it.  Heck, the audio could be riding
> on a carrier for that matter -- Sony has chips to encode stereo audio on a 200
> kHz or so carrier and to decode it back again; these are used in their infrared
> headphones.  They could be doing the same thing here, just eliminating the IR
> part. 
> 
> However it works, it's surely a different signalling scheme than the X series
> uses, so forget about hooking one to the other with a simple cable adapter. 
> 
> Of course I could be wrong.  Don't rush out and buy a new head unit on my 
> advice alone!  I suppose the best thing to do would be to call Sony and ask
> them if an adapter is available.  Let us know what you find out. 
> 
> 	--- Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Consulting, San Diego CA
> Internet:  jeh@cmkrnl.com, hanrahan@eisner.decus.org, or jeh@crash.cts.com
> Uucp:  ...{crash,eisner,uunet}!cmkrnl!jeh
The Sony rep told us that there was not, and would never be an adapter for the
old controllers/new changers...The format is totally different. there is a
cable that is only for data sharing and another for the signals...
they might have placed both in the same sheath by now, but that doesnt matter.
The point is...if you want a Unilink changer, you HAVE to buy a Unilink
controller, no ifs ands or buts.
Shaun.
Newsgroups: rec.audio.car