I just bought the Garmin Zumo 660 (motorcycle friendly) GPS. I've tried running the audio out to the Aux. input (Harmon Kardon HU) to get the sound from the GPS over the speakers, including the built in MP3 player. It works fine for a while and sounds great, but eventually, the Aux cuts out, reverting back to FM or CD.

At first, I thought it might be the 3.5 mm plug/wire that I was using to connect the GPS to the Aux input, but I've tried 3 different plugs and they all act the same.

It's strange, but it seems to last longer after the HU has rested. First part of the day it will work for 20 min., or so. If I disconnect and plug it right back in, it will work for about a minute. I tried this with a borrowed Zumo 550, with the same results.

Any ideas?

Thanks, in advance.

 

Odd. I do this all the time with my Nuvi with no problems... sounds like either a bad wire, a bad aux port, a bad connection or the Zumo is outputting something that the headunit doesn't like... Have you experimented with different volume levels on the Zumo?

 

Yes. I've tried different levels with the master volume and data volume on the GPS as well as the Aux levels (1-5) on the HK; no change. As I said before, I also tried this with another Zumo (550) before I got mine, hoping it was just the borrowed unit; apparently not.

I know that a Nuvi is similar to the Zumo, so...???

 

Hmmmm......timely thread. I don't have an answer for you but I have to ask, where is the AUX port on your HD head unit? I've got an '06 JCW cabriolet with full HK system and I've added one of those aftermarket iPod adapters that plugs into the harness that's usually reserved for the CD changer. Is there still an Aux input somewhere on the head unit? And if so, can I use it for audio input from a GPS and still use my iPod electronics that are plugged into the CD changer harness?

And how do you like the Zumo 660? I'm in the market for a GPS unit and though I ride a motorcycle as well, I was thinking I didn't need to spend the money on the Zumo as I didn't really think I'd use it much on the bike. But, after finding that all the Nuvi units have volume that sucks, and the Magellan 4700 may have some questionable accuracy bugs (though the volume seems great), I am now thinking the Zumo 660's volume, which is better than the Nuvi's, might be OK for my purposes. So, I guess what I'm asking is: How is the Zumo's volume? Can you hear it reasonable well while driving?

Oh, and how and where did you mount it?

 

Aux input cutting out is a common problem when your device is connected to power (cigarette lighter) at the same time. If you can run your GPS off its battery and the aux doesn't cut out, it is definitely your problem. The remedy is a ground loop isolator (like this, or other versions also available at Radio Shack and Best Buy).

 

The aux. input port is on the back side of the HU, at least on the MINI Harmon/Kardon HU that I have. You have to get the aux. input cable from MINI to attach a 3.5 mm plug and wire to it, which then goes to your device. It's a small opening to reach around and plug it in behind the HU, but I did it in just a few minutes. You can plug an ipod to it, but not sure about your exact question.

I love the 660! Had read complaints about it on the Zumo forums, but Garmin seems to have fixed most things with software updates since then, and the owners are quieting down. The volume, which now comes directly out of a speaker in the unit itself, as opposed to the 550, which was located in the cradle, is really pretty loud, when turned up to max. I just like the sound over the speakers because the quality is excellent (for MP3's) and I drive a cabrio. In an enclosed vehicle, it doesn't need to be turned up to the max, unless you have hearing problems.

I just got it about 4 or 5 days ago, so it's not yet mounted to the bike. I'll be putting on my Goldwing. I've read some "how to's" about mounting to this type of bike...may get some help, too. It comes with the mount for either on the handlebars or brake reservoir.

 

Really...common problem? Never heard this before....and I've asked around a lot. Not to offend, but do you know this from experience?

I am powering off the cig. lighter, so this sounds like a possibility. I had previously been using an MP3 player only, off the aux. input, but it was run by batteries; never a problem then. So this device could help remedy this? It says it's for eliminating whine, but I don't have any whine that I'm experiencing.

 

Yes, a common problem. Do a forum search on the word "isolator" and look for the threads related to aux input.

The headunit enables or disables the aux mode depending on whether it detects that an aux cable is connected. If your device is also connected to power, an electrical loop is created that can cause noise which confuses the headunit into thinking there is no aux cable. As I said, you can verify if this is the issue by running your GPS from batteries only.

 

I see that you've directed many to this solution. With so many having this problem, or a similar one, this really should be made a sticky, or something.

I'll drive around today running on the GPS battery only and see what happens.

Been searching for this "isolator" with many possible names. Seems to be available only online...but I want it now! Radio Shack here doesn't carry it any more and Best Buy only has it with RCA jacks; don't want to add any more adapters than I already have. I've even tried Car Audio stores, but none have them in stock.

 

Yup, common problem. I had all kinds of wierdness with my iPhone plugged into my aux port and the power adapter.

+1 on rkw's solution. No problems since.

 

Great stuff here on this thread.

So, it seems that I do have an Aux port on my head unit. Now the only question is: Can I use that port and take advantage of it even though I am currently using the CD changer wiring and have an iPod adapter plugged into it?

Zeusboy: Do you think that the built in speaker on the Zumo 660 is adequate when the top is down? Or is it only really adequate when the top is up? And for top down use, do you think the Magellan 4700's built in speaker would be adequate? (Assuming you've heard the unit, of course.)

 

I suppose that if you don't have anything plugged into the aux. port and aux is displaying on your HU when you switch modes, it should work....but don't ask me; I didn't even know anything about this ground loop isolator being needed when powering from the cig. lighter. You'd think Garmin would give you a "head's up" about something like this.

I haven't tried listening to the GPS speaker audio with the top down yet...it's been so damn cold here lately....I know, I know...I guess I'm getting older.

I really don't think the volume will be sufficient, though, with just the built in speaker and all of the wind noise. This is why it was so important to me for this to work. Also, the quality of the audio from the MP3 is, let's just say, extremely crappy through the speaker. Sounds great through the HK speakers...when it's working.

BTW, I drove around today and ran the Zumo off battery power with the aux plugged into it...it never shut off. Now, to find the isolator, or noise filter, or whatever the company dejour calls it; locally or "wait a while" online.

 

Yes, the aux and CD changer are separate inputs on the headunit, and you can select between the two.

I would think only adequate in quiet conditions. I have a cabrio, and with the top down it is sometimes difficult listening to even the car stereo over road and traffic noise.

 

Hmmm.....methinks I'm going to need to have audio amplification anyway as I'm always driving with the top down. Though often I don't use the audio anyway and just check the map from time to time.

Right now, I don't get the Aux to show up on the HK headunit while switching around. But, I don't have anything plugged into the port in the back, so it may be a matter of the headunit not detecting an imput and therefore not displaying the Aux option. Does anyone know if this is the case?

 

If I remember correctly before I had the aux input plugged into the port, that is the case.

 

I spoke with a tech guy at Garmin today. He says he's never heard of the problem with the power running from the cig. lighter to the GPS causing a "disconnect" from the Aux input. He said he was going to send some e-mails about it to those who need to know and do some experimenting to try and re-create this problem.

I ordered the isolator from E-bay. Nobody here locally has them with the 3.5 mm plugs; only with the large RCA plugs for home stereo. I was told by a local car audio guy that this problem was "old school"...yeah, with a 2005 MCS.

 

It is not a problem with the Garmin, it is a problem with the Mini.

 

That's what I've begun to realize.

 

I just bought the 40 dollar Aux port from Mini and plan to install it. About 4 or 5 inches down the cable from the mini socket, there's a stiff section of the cable where it's bigger around than the rest of the cable. I wonder if they've put in some sort of ground loop isolation circuitry?

 

So, I made my decision. I'm going with the 765T Nuvi from Garmin. I was considering the Magellan until I learned that they don't have any computer based software to make custom routes and upload them to the GPS. I'm also getting the City Navigator North America NT DVD so I can make the custom maps. 'Found the 765T for 215 at Amazon. 'Found the City Nav software DVD, 2010 version online for 75. And to mount it all, I'm getting the Craven X bracket with the mount for Garmins and also an iPod holder. It should all arrive early next week and since I've got the week off, I'm planning to get it all installed next week. For sound, I'm installing that Aux adapter and will be plugging the GPS into it so I can hear the GPS over the stereo. And hopefully, it'll work well with the Bluetooth connection to my cell phone.

Thanks all, for the help.

 

The cable has a simple resistor/capacitor circuit. The headunit can detect it and activate the aux mode without the cable connected to anything else. It is not an isolation circuit.

 

Thanks for that! It remains to be seen, then, whether I'll need the isolation circuit. 'Easily added if I need it. Thanks again.

 

Did you get it installed? I have a r57 as well and am looking at the 765-t as a bluetooth and gps solution.

 

'Got it installed over the holidays. So far, I like the 765T. I haven't taken advantage of the traffic notification but the unit itself seems to work well. The main reason I got it is for an active map to show me where I am. But since I bought the software that interfaces with it, I'll probably use it for planning the summer's vacation. The wife want's to take a road trip with the dog in the Mini in September and go up to Vancouver, stopping at nice places along the way. And then take the coast all the way back down to the Silicon Valley. Here are some notes on my installation.

I used the Craven speed X bracket (my Mini is an R52 - an '06 JCW cab). It mounted nicely but the spacers they provide were a bit large on the OD and won't really fit properly down into the screw recesses in the tach mount. A little grinding and polishing and it worked great. Also, the longer screws they provide don't have the same thread pitch as the original (both an odd size metric self tapping design), but it seemed to snug up just fine. Craven told me they went through a fair degree of trouble to find something that would work to replace the special Mini screws. They're silver, though, and even though they really wouldn't show, I sanded the heads lightly with some 400 grit wet/dry and before I put them in, I "painted" them with a black permanent marker. One other note on the Craven Garmin (and iPod) mount. The arms work well in holding the Garmin and iPod in place and do not change position. And the ball they provide snaps into the Garmin mount perfectly. But, the arms are too thin, in my opinion, and they vibrate excessively. I also found the iPod mount arm to be too long for where I wanted to place it (to the right of the Tach). So, I'm getting a special arm from Craven. They have one lying around from some earlier design or even an engineering excercise and it's considerably thicker than the ones they provide. They're going to put some black anodizing on it and then sell it to me as a one off. Nice of them. Nice folks, too. I'll see how that works to quell the vibration of the iPod and if that seems to do the trick, I'll CAD up some new arms for the Garmin mount and have a shop fab them for me and anodize them. But all in all I'm pleased with the mounting. 'Just have to move the iPod in closer to the tach (existing arm is 4.5", the new one will be 1") and then address the vibration. Oh, and the iPod mount works nicely with my Gen 5 Pod and I can slip it in and out of the mount without removing the connector from the bottom.

One of the big concerns I had with the Garmin (or any GPS) was that the volume wouldn't be loud enough. I was right. Especially in a convertible. So, I also installed the Mini Aux jack and located it in that snap down panel directly underneath the switch bar that’s under the climate controls. I used a right angle mini jack adapter from Radio Shack and routed the audio cable and power for the Garmin back behind that panel below the steering wheel and then up the right side of the column and zip tied it to the Craven X mount on the way to the Garmin. Nice and neat and out of the way. But…….the volume is still wanting. It’s OK when the top is up, but is still really inadequate with the top down at speeds above 45 or so. I guess the Garmin output just isn’t that high, even with the Garmin cranked up to 100 percent. So, I have two options. One is to use the Aux input on my iPod adapter (USA SPEC – I considered the DICE unit until I was told that you couldn’t manually control the iPod with the Dice unit.) I haven’t tried this extra Aux input yet, but I will because it might be the best option if I get the volume I want. The other option is to buy an inexpensive iPod amplifier like the Boosteroo and then wire up a DC power supply for it so it’ll run off the car’s power system instead of internal batteries as it’s designed. Then I’d just patch it into the cable from the Garmin to the Aux input and that would do the trick. But mostly, I’ll be using the Garmin as a map rather than listening to instructions so I’ll get to it when I can.

I also installed two extra cigarette outlets. I put them in the more or less vertical wall of the plastic bit that forms the cubby in front of the stock cig lighter outlet. I bought the stock items from Mini so I got the metal part and the amber plastic bit that has to go with it. 28 dollars for a single set. (I could have gotten them at Fry’s or some other place, but I wanted them to match.) Position them as high as possible to avoid interference with that rubber cubby liner. And they have to go far left and far right as well to clear the stuff behind. But it worked great. Now I have a separate socket for my Garmin, cell phone, and radar detector. Nice.

Finally, don’t do what I did and remove one or the other seats without first disconnecting the battery. I removed the passenger seat to finish running the iPod cable up the passenger side door sill and I turned on the ignition to check things before I put the seat back in. That triggered the air bag fault warning and now I have to take it to Mini for a reset to the tune of 70 bucks. Unless someone has a better idea.

Let me know if you have any questions.
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A big THANK YOU, rkw!

I finally got the ground loop isolator and hooked it up and drove around with the cig. lighter powering the GPS while playing tunes from the built in MP3 for about two hrs. today and the aux. never shut off! It may be in my mind, but the audio sounded clearer, too, although I never noticed it sounding bad before when it did work for a while.

I had to wait a week + to get it, but I got it for practically nothing.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I still think this should be made a sticky (admin), seeing as how so many seem to come across this problem and so many threads are dedicated to it. I racked my brain over at Zumo Forums and with electrical "experts" before I thought to come pose the question here.

Thanks again!