Track Skip Buttons for Aftermarket Radio AUX or Bluetooth Connection - Has Anyone Done This (1 Viewer)

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Hey, All. I have a custom Retro Sound stereo installed in my FJ45. I connect my iPhone to the radio using either a USB input or bluetooth. I'd love to have track skip (up and down) buttons wired in to avoid fiddling with my phone to skip tracks (spotify, podcasts, etc.).

Has anyone ever wired custom buttons to skip tracks in their FJ40? Is this even possible, without some sort of digital signal processor? I was thinking it would be possible since you can have wired headphones that send a signal that results in track skip. Bonus points if it works with long press for fast-forwarding. I would either mount the buttons on the steering column or somewhere on the dash.

TIA
 
Hey, All. I have a custom Retro Sound stereo installed in my FJ45. I connect my iPhone to the radio using either a USB input or bluetooth. I'd love to have track skip (up and down) buttons wired in to avoid fiddling with my phone to skip tracks (spotify, podcasts, etc.).

Has anyone ever wired custom buttons to skip tracks in their FJ40? Is this even possible, without some sort of digital signal processor? I was thinking it would be possible since you can have wired headphones that send a signal that results in track skip. Bonus points if it works with long press for fast-forwarding. I would either mount the buttons on the steering column or somewhere on the dash.

TIA
Can't you do that using the right knob?
 
Can't you do that using the right knob?
yeah pretty sure it's there like @45Dougal says. However, I have found the knob twist to be a little finniky unless maybe you have some different knobs. You might be trying to raise the volume or whatever else the primary knob does and then you accidently press the other knob. I like the idea of a custom thing on the steering wheel, but I just don't know if anyone has done the work for that or if it would even be worth it. Maybe Retro Sound has a solution.
 
electronics 😄
 
I would not be able to hear a radio while driving in mine. It would require noise canceling headphones.

In fact, I just removed a steel box speaker from mine. IT fit in the corner above the kick vent. The radio was above you left knee. IT was all after market stuff.

Good luck though, make it your own.
 
yeah pretty sure it's there like @45Dougal says. However, I have found the knob twist to be a little finniky unless maybe you have some different knobs. You might be trying to raise the volume or whatever else the primary knob does and then you accidently press the other knob. I like the idea of a custom thing on the steering wheel, but I just don't know if anyone has done the work for that or if it would even be worth it. Maybe Retro Sound has a solution.
Yeah, so can confirm that rotating the outer, right know does skip track. It is just annoying to use and finicky. I wonder if there is a way to tap into that knob to add a button that performs the same action. I'm guessing it would be difficult or impossible because of the way those rotary switches work.
 
I would not be able to hear a radio while driving in mine. It would require noise canceling headphones.

In fact, I just removed a steel box speaker from mine. IT fit in the corner above the kick vent. The radio was above you left knee. IT was all after market stuff.

Good luck though, make it your own.
Oh really? I can hear mine just fine. Sure, I have to crank it up a bit loud to cover the wind noise, but I also have 4 speakers with a bit of power. I have a 4 channel amp with about 260W total RMS and a separate 100W sub. It's definitely overkill for an FJ45 truck cab, but it's a future proof system in case I ever move to something else (say a FJ45 troopy). I have speakers mounted near the kick vents, like you, but also have two speakers mounted in the top corners, behind my head and pass head, near the roof. Honestly, it sounds great. All I really have to do is shift the balance significantly to the kick vent speakers so the rears aren't blasting in my ears.

Turns out....not a lot of room to mount speakers in an FJ45, lol.
 
Yeah, so can confirm that rotating the outer, right know does skip track. It is just annoying to use and finicky. I wonder if there is a way to tap into that knob to add a button that performs the same action. I'm guessing it would be difficult or impossible because of the way those rotary switches work.
Depends how proficient you feel with a soldering iron and pair of cutters.
Open up the case and it will probably become obvious whether you can tap in or not.

If you run wires from that switch all the way to your steering wheel then you might end up introducing electrical noise into the stereo and damage it permanently since you don't know what they're connected to.
Id try and add some series resistors to each wire before they leave the case - say 1kohm each. Drop the resistance if it doesn't work.

Would love to see some photos of your micro surgery in there.
 

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