hywel

So I'm looking at my new center console project and specifically at the media connections. In the new one, it's a USB socket, the old one is the big plug. At the end of the day, I'm not sure that the 2008 pigtail is actually doing anything but taking a few connections to my iPod. My question is, has anyone out there thought about what it'd take to take the old connector and rewire it the the usb end? It can't be that hard (for someone intelligent) to do can it?

Thoughts, anyone?

AllentownG37

Yes, it can be that hard to do. In the 2010+, a USB connection has 4 wires; 2 for power, 2 for data and the signal is transmitted digitally. In the 2008s, it's an analog signal sent over a composite connection (RCA). To accomplish connecting directly to an iPod, you would need to build or buy a digital-to-analog converter and some kind of controller unit (thinking something like the Arduino project) that could be licensed to interface with Apple devices. There may be something out there already that you can purchase (I don't know because I have a 2010 with the USB plug and have never looked into it) but to actually make one yourself would be quite a challenge, unless you're an electrical engineer and want a fun summer project. Hope that answers your question.

hywel

Thanks. I wonder if my question wasn't phrased correctly. So the 2008 has an iPod connector, that consisted of a multipin socket with a pigtail that ends in an iPod connector. That works well. What I was asking, is is it feasible to simplify the connection so that instead of the numerous wires that may or more likely are not used, can I just use the 4 relevant ones - power, ground and two data? Am I oversimplifying this?

ricbel

The iPod connector in 2008 models is digital. There is a separate RCA connect that is AUX. You would have to change the entire stereo to 2010 system though to get USB. The 2008 stereo doesn't support a USB port.

Freshness

A USB connector would be nice

AllentownG37

My apologies, I didn't realize that the 2008s had a digital iPod connector -- I thought it was just the analog RCA connection. If it is digital, sure, it's possible you could swap the header from the iPod connector to that of a USB port. I think the stereo system would be expecting to interface with an iPod though, so unless you planned to plug in an iPod, it wouldn't do you much good. I would think you would still need some kind of a controller in between the car's stereo to translate from whatever you've got plugged into your USB port to something the stereo's factory firmware can understand. As Ricbel stated, you'd be better off swapping out the factory headunit for a 2010+ to get USB support. Or, just go aftermarket. Though, if you have a little bit of extra cash, some time, and a lot of curiosity, why not pick up an extra 2008 iPod cable, tear it apart, swap out the header for that of a USB port and see what happens? Maybe you might get lucky and find out that the 2008s support USB as well.

hywel

Thanks for all the pointers; I learned enough to know I'm not smart enough to do this