Hi all,

I've read up on Marty's and others on other forums but you all seem to have the Carlos Fandango HK or premium systems whereas I only have the Clarion with the iso connectors on the back and a u/s cd player in the boot. If I install an android tablet do I need an aftermarket DSP or similar between the tablet & speakers? I don't think I've seen a tablet setup in a non premium system :-)

I'm not shy of using a soldering iron or creating / modding wiring looms but I think with my bargain basement affair it might be an RCA <=> ISO plug adaptation.
Does anyone have any ideas please or am I on a wild goose chase?

You wanting to install a tablet or head unit?

If it's head unit, have a read through my post here

If you just want an aux input for a tablet or ipod, give this a watch.

I don't think i posted sizes on my head unit thread but to fit in the hole where the factory sat nav would go, you need to be steady with a dremel cutting away the excess and you need a head unit that is 180mm wide by 100mm high.

I don't have the DSP amp - it was missing when I first bought the RR. I have recently just fitted one of my DSP amp replacement boards in which uses the standard 'high line' amps.

All that is required for most systems with the amps in the doors is the attenuator circuit on each channel to match the amplified outputs from a head unit device to the amplifier input levels.

If you have the lowest line spec with no amps in the doors, then you can just plug the ISO into the head unit as most of the Android devices have an amplifier chip in them.

I've read of one owner who has used the RCA Line level outputs from the Android, via balancing transformers to the door amp inputs, as the P38 amplified systems uses balanced audio feeds, rather than standard unbalanced line level outputs from the RCA connectors.

Would have to find out some more details as to exactly what your vehicle has fitted at the moment, to be able to let you know exactly what is required...

Cheers,
Marty

If you've got the sub and CD player you've got the high line system with amps in the doors. The rest of it is the same as the mid line with bass, midrange and tweeter in the front doors and bass and midrange in the rear but the midrange doesn't have the amps but is fed directly from the head unit at speaker level. So if you drive it with speaker level it will distort unless you knock up a set of attenuators but line level from a tablet won't be enough to drive the amps.

Thanks guys. I hope this helps.

My plan is to go touchscreen for satnav/radio (dab & fm)/phone/ maybe a reversing camera. I was originally going to do a carputer but tablets got so much better! Like the joying one Marty did (when funds allow) but if I can slowly do prep work for wiring, transformers etc then I'll start to purchase the kit.

OK so after reading all your sage advice above here is where I am.

I don't know if I need a head unit and mine is the other Clarion that can't be modded. I investigated that previously.
Is a head unit a techy word for the new radio? (I'm telecom's not ICE, it's Practical Sportsbikes for me not Max Power I'm afraid hahaha)
I have no sub that I know of only door speakers
I will have to get behind the door cards to see what's there

Hope that all makes sense

If you have a sub, which you should have if you have the CD changer, it lives above the CD changer and is intended to squirt the noise out through the grille/vent looking thing in the shelf. It may be there but not working (speaker cones can seize or the amp built into it can die) or someone has nicked it in the past but I suspect you will find the door amps. Yes, head unit is modern day speak for radio but as they all do much more than just radio these days then they became head units.

With the door amps rather than the DSP system, you've a lot less preparation work to do other than knock up the attenuators.

Thanks Gilbertd. I was planning to get into the doors this weekend but in true P38 fashion.... my suspension dropped itself to the bump stops today and won't recover. No errors in the system either.....

But the weekend is only just starting, you've got two whole days in front of you for many more things to go wrong.......

Hahahaha so true! The more love you give them, the more they demand. There must be a point on the lines where it equalises!

Anyway, I finally found out what my head unit is, it's not a Clarion it is an Alpine XQD101550LNF, cd unit in the boot (u/s) and no sub. Does this have amps in the doors or directly driven by the head unit?

Should have and somebody has nicked your sub.......

It never had a sub when I bought it. But I did have a gear box "swapped over" by an independant and only realised once I'd had my latest engine fitted last year when the garage asked me when I'd swapped the gear box out! Wouldn't have happened if I'd had a nano and had all the serials.