existing phone, appleplay and bluetooth (1 Viewer)

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apologies for the multiple posts. trying to get a handle on this 97lx450. probably also burning off some nervous energy hoping the gal that had this rig for 6 months before buying it from the guy before didn’t blow something in the engine on it. he-he. but i won’t be laughing if she did.
/anyway/. should i pull this phone somehow?
wtf is apple play? i can hook it up to my iphone by downloading an app or something? then i can make calls from the radio? play music from my phone?
also, where do the cassettes from my 98 taco go. just joking of course. i mean they stay with the taco.
what is this mic? what about this center console speaker?
can i use the phone and pretend i’m back in the 90’s when in the US we used to bitch about each others’ politics instead of whether we were patriotic or snowflakes or haters?
THANKS for any help
: )

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Not a clue on the original phone.

Did you try and Bluetooth link your phone to the new head unit?
The speaker is for hand's-free phone calls.

Dude, you're a bigger technocromuggen than me....I didn't think that was possible> LOL:)
 
Not a clue on the original phone.

Did you try and Bluetooth link your phone to the new head unit?
The speaker is for hand's-free phone calls.

Dude, you're a bigger technocromuggen than me....I didn't think that was possible> LOL:)

LOL. ok. so a quick explanation?

i’ve been thinking about it a lot. i actually use a computer and work with some technical things. i can deal with it when i am working.

but i learned to wrench recently on a 93 r100gs motorcycle. LOVED working on it and /love/ driving it.

the 98 taco has basically has had tires and gas and oil since i bought it in 2000. finally took the plunge with the LC/lexus because the 2006 4 runner made me crazy. so far so good.

but i guess you are hearing my ambivalence about techology in the vehicles. i actually had a major struggle trying to figure out if i wanted to stay with cassettes or “upgrade” to DVD’s in the taco when i had to replace the stereo recently. ; )

so that’s a bit of background i guess. i was sort of playing it up i think...

i am going to print out the stereo instructions and study up. just kind of trying to sort things.

so the microphone is plugged in to - er - the speaker in the center console? duh. no the mic is plugged into the /phone/ and the phone can output through the center console speaker?

erg. also. how is the phone making calls? the stereo keeps trying to call someone i don’t know.

LOL!!
 
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That head unit is very nice (~$500 online after a quick search)! You can connect your phone to it via bluetooth and take calls while remaining "hands free". The microphone (last pic) is plugged into the back of your Kenwood head unit and is what you would speak into while taking calls via bluetooth (think wireless headset or earbuds with a mic... same idea).

Apple Car play is exactly what you described. If you have an iPhone, you don't need to download an app... everything is wireless connection via bluetooth. Looks like that Kenwood has Android compatibility as well. You can play music you have on your phone, Pandora, Spotify, podcasts, etc. etc.

No clue on the phone or speaker in the console... are those buttons on the back (number pad?)? Can you unplug it somewhere (as opposed to being hardwired in)? Post more pics! :)
 
The LX phone has its brains under the carpet on the passenger side of the center console.
The big center speaker is the 4" sub woofer for the stereo.
 
thanks gents.
here are more pics of the phone per request. i’m realizing now this must be an LX thing.
can i just also ask if anyone knows what this USB connection is at my glove box? i could try to track it down but i’m a tad confused on this as i usually use USB for disk storage or to plug an iphone into an outlet. it’s for the radio somehow?
THANKS
jon

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The USB connection is for the Kenwood head unit. The one in my pickup allows me to plug in an Ipod or other USB MP3 player. I frankly don't like the Kenwood, it does not connect to my phone well and it does not fully support the functions of the Ipod. I have an Alpine in my Land Cruiser which does everything perfectly. I'll be switching the one in my pickup to an Alpine soon.
 
The USB connection is for the Kenwood head unit. The one in my pickup allows me to plug in an Ipod or other USB MP3 player. I frankly don't like the Kenwood, it does not connect to my phone well and it does not fully support the functions of the Ipod. I have an Alpine in my Land Cruiser which does everything perfectly. I'll be switching the one in my pickup to an Alpine soon.

duh. yeah. thanks...
 
hi gents.
a little more help please?
1. how do i access the “brains” under the passenger seat and also what is in it exactly?
2. i see a module and an antenna on the drivers side rear at the jack and tool. any idea what the antenna is or what the module is for? both for the phone somehow?
btw, the “phone calling issue” was a splash screen on the stereo which shows how much i know.
THANKS
jon

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Yeah the antenna and module appear to be old school cell phone stuff.

You'll have to remove the seat to get to the "brains". Should be four bolts (2 front and 2 back). The rear are under the little plastic feet (they should just pop off), front should be visible (at least they are in a land cruiser). You'll also have to unplug the harness for the power seats once you have the bolts out and the seat lifted up.
 
Here you go buddy:
LX450 Phone Delete

about your current stereo... that sub in the center console is not being used with the new stereo. If you pull the center console you can remove it or change the sub for a regular speaker and wire it in to a CB or ham radio if you want.

apply carplay requires you plug your iphone in to the usb port just like android auto requires you plug in your android phone to the usb connection. This will put maps and select apps from the phone on the stereo screen so you don't touch the phone while driving. Works well in most situations.

the bluetooth connection allows you to also play music just like USB but slightly lesser quality, but calling and controlling some music on the phone can be done wirelessly.

The benefit of apple carplay and android auto is that it the headunit will use its own GPS once the signal is stronger than the GPS you get on your phone, and it can do music, gps and switch to calls all very smoothly.

For people considering a new stereo with touch screen; it is really important to find one that has a tilting/adjustable angle screen as glare can be an issue seeing the screen in sunlight. These rigs were not designed to block glare on the screens.
 
Grab one of these and reroute that usb connection to a switch blank to the left of the cig lighter.

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Yeah the antenna and module appear to be old school cell phone stuff.

You'll have to remove the seat to get to the "brains". Should be four bolts (2 front and 2 back). The rear are under the little plastic feet (they should just pop off), front should be visible (at least they are in a land cruiser). You'll also have to unplug the harness for the power seats once you have the bolts out and the seat lifted up.

thanks a lot pascascout.
so i may have missed it but the “brains” under the seat are basically only for the cell phone? i mean i will read the link clx16 posted but do you know if that box under the seat is only for the phone?
 
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Here you go buddy:
LX450 Phone Delete

about your current stereo... that sub in the center console is not being used with the new stereo. If you pull the center console you can remove it or change the sub for a regular speaker and wire it in to a CB or ham radio if you want.

apply carplay requires you plug your iphone in to the usb port just like android auto requires you plug in your android phone to the usb connection. This will put maps and select apps from the phone on the stereo screen so you don't touch the phone while driving. Works well in most situations.

the bluetooth connection allows you to also play music just like USB but slightly lesser quality, but calling and controlling some music on the phone can be done wirelessly.

The benefit of apple carplay and android auto is that it the headunit will use its own GPS once the signal is stronger than the GPS you get on your phone, and it can do music, gps and switch to calls all very smoothly.

For people considering a new stereo with touch screen; it is really important to find one that has a tilting/adjustable angle screen as glare can be an issue seeing the screen in sunlight. These rigs were not designed to block glare on the screens.

hey man. thanks a lot.

lots of moving parts here as i try to wrap my head around service, mechanical, ordering parts etcetera. so apologies if i am slow on the uptake on this.

can i use that microphone up at the top of the pillar somehow? or that is plugged into the phone somehow?

i need to replace the busted antenna and the speakers are all blown. so i’m working on that.

i did notice the center console mounted speaker was not working.

can i ask what i would need to get CB? a used CB? plus a speaker for the center console? and wire it up somehow?

crutchfield says they had nothing for the center console. also it looks like there are two speakers in the dash down low on each side. apparently they don’t have anything for those but it is hard to imagine i’d need them. can i repurpose those somehow?! or just leave them alone i guess.

on carplay and the USB.

the USB lets me get better sound out of my phone as compared to bluetooth?

or i can plug in an ipod or mass storage with music on it (?) and control /that/ from the stereo?

and carplay requires USB but lets me use the phone as a phone while i use the stereo as GPS or use the stereo as music while talking on the phone?

or i guessi can integrate the stereo into making phone calls?

i need to read up but i ask because i can’t see using the stereo as gps. i need gps up high on the dash so i am trying to figure out if i have any utility in integrating the phone and the steeeo or the phone and the car somehow. or if i just use each independent of the other...

THANK YOU

jon
 
That's the cover for the rear heater.
Keep looking.
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hey man. thanks a lot.

lots of moving parts here as i try to wrap my head around service, mechanical, ordering parts etcetera. so apologies if i am slow on the uptake on this.

can i use that microphone up at the top of the pillar somehow? or that is plugged into the phone somehow?

i need to replace the busted antenna and the speakers are all blown. so i’m working on that.

i did notice the center console mounted speaker was not working.

can i ask what i would need to get CB? a used CB? plus a speaker for the center console? and wire it up somehow?

crutchfield says they had nothing for the center console. also it looks like there are two speakers in the dash down low on each side. apparently they don’t have anything for those but it is hard to imagine i’d need them. can i repurpose those somehow?! or just leave them alone i guess.

on carplay and the USB.

the USB lets me get better sound out of my phone as compared to bluetooth?

or i can plug in an ipod or mass storage with music on it (?) and control /that/ from the stereo?

and carplay requires USB but lets me use the phone as a phone while i use the stereo as GPS or use the stereo as music while talking on the phone?

or i guessi can integrate the stereo into making phone calls?

i need to read up but i ask because i can’t see using the stereo as gps. i need gps up high on the dash so i am trying to figure out if i have any utility in integrating the phone and the steeeo or the phone and the car somehow. or if i just use each independent of the other...

THANK YOU

jon

That A pillar mic is likely connected to your stereo and is for the hands free operation of your phone assuming you can get it to connect via Bluetooth to the head unit.

I just removed the dash speakers down low. I put 4 good speakers in the door and ditched everything else. On the passenger side I removed the dash speaker and the factory amp and used that space to stash a small 4 channel amp to power my door speakers.

Your phone probably won't connect via USB, it's really for Ipod/Mp3 player. You should go to Kenwoods website and see if you can find the users manual for your head unit. Your phone should connect (assuming it's compatible) via Bluetooth. The sounds comes through the stereo and we already discussed where the mic is. I have a mount in the dash (BH3D printing sell them) that I put my phone in for the GPS and use it as a phone too via the handsfree.
 
That A pillar mic is likely connected to your stereo and is for the hands free operation of your phone assuming you can get it to connect via Bluetooth to the head unit.

I just removed the dash speakers down low. I put 4 good speakers in the door and ditched everything else. On the passenger side I removed the dash speaker and the factory amp and used that space to stash a small 4 channel amp to power my door speakers.

Your phone probably won't connect via USB, it's really for Ipod/Mp3 player. You should go to Kenwoods website and see if you can find the users manual for your head unit. Your phone should connect (assuming it's compatible) via Bluetooth. The sounds comes through the stereo and we already discussed where the mic is. I have a mount in the dash (BH3D printing sell them) that I put my phone in for the GPS and use it as a phone too via the handsfree.

thanks. i have the manual but finding time to read it while figuring out how to fix the radiator is a challenge.

so can i just ask if i can take off the center console and in dash speaker covers somehow? i gather the door speakers will require full door panel removal.

and do i google “iphone car play” and “iphone hands free” to figure out the phone to stereo functionality? like a dope i can’t quite figure out what i can do. i guess the stereo uses cell service when i pair then via bluetooth? and this lets me use siri to make and hear calls using the stereo and stereo speakers?
 
LOL...
but i guess you are hearing my ambivalence about techology in the vehicles. ...

Yes. And the answer is:

Get rid of the dust. That 'll solve almost everything right up front. Anything after that is just tech details :)
 
I would focus on the mechanical stuff you need to do first. Getting from point A to point B is the most important.

looked up your system has apple car play, here is the link below. Speakers were blown in mine also. I would ignore the center speaker and dash speakers until later. You will likely find the Amp has been removed or bypassed when the stereo was installed. Go easy and just install some speakers in the doors.
DDX6702S | Navigation and Multimedia | CAR ENTERTAINMENT | KENWOOD USA

The microphone... dont' worry about it until you get speakers in. You have no need for bluetooth or apple car play or anything related to the stereo until your speakers work. But in short that microphone is connected to the stereo and will connect to your phone through bluetooth on the stereo.

THe USB looks to accept massstorage and your phone... but like i said you need speakers before messing with that. The benefit of gps on the stereo is you can just tell it to do stuff with your voice and it mutes music etc for a directions etc.

the CB. if you aren't in to that sort of thing, then i would ignore my comment until later when you want to accessorize. There are great threads and brighter minds to help you with selection and installs that work great.

also there are lots of threads on an antenna option as well as repair.

Get used to taking things apart and googling a lot. What ever you take apart, clean it and look for damage for anything else.
 

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