automatic muting of car stereo

[tomjeffs]

Equipment:



Audi A4

Tomtom Nav 2

Compaq Ipaq 3630



Is is possible to mute the car stereo on announcements? Is there a pin on the bottom of the Ipaq that grounds for this (this is how my stereo mutes for the carphone), or could I use one of these http://www.qubit.dk/products.html



The only other thing I can think of is one of those CD/cassette adaptors with a flying headphone lead, but that negates using the radio.

[TonyP]

Their GPS mute box might do the trick, but the link to the data sheet was broken

[trafcam]

Depends on the stereo involved, I think. Some Audi head units have a Navigation input on the back, which you would wire the iPAQ headphone output to. The head unit then lowers the radio volume when the iPAQ says something. I've read various things on the UK Audi TT forum about this, but obviously this applies to an Audi radio - you didn't say if yours is still the Audi unit or not.

[tomjeffs]

Yes, I have the standard Audi Concert radio (1998 model) installed. There is no devoted GPS input on the radio, rather it has a single pin to which you connect your equipment. For instance, I have my Nokia Cark91 connected to that pin, so when the phone is making/receiving a call, it earths that pin. The radio detects that the pin is earthed, and mutes (also shows phone on the display).



I was hoping there would be a similar pin or such on the Ipaq, failing that, I would need a device that I could connect inbetween the radio and a speaker, and that would also have a wire connected to the mute pin of the radio, automatically detecting the audio output of the Ipaq (a direction instruction for instance), and muting the radio, while routing the audio output of the Ipaq to one speaker (or perhaps even 2) from the Ipaq headphone socket.



It's all a bit complicated I know, but all perfectly possible (apart from the Ipaq generating the mute signal itself), and if I can get it working, I'll let you all know. Unfortunately the people on that website link haven't got back to me, but it was Friday when I asked.



Oh and BTW - TomTom - POSTCODE SEARCH PLEASE!!!

[tomjeffs]

I've just read that post, and had a thought - if the unit doing the switching was connected to 2 speakers, I wouldn't need to mute the radio - only the rear pair would still be active, and I could adjust the volume of the Ipaq to suit. So I guess I just need a device that switches the input to the front 2 speakers from either the radio, or the Ipaq, depending of course on whether the Ipaq is saying anything or not, by detecting the change in audio level from the Ipaq.

[TheBoyGroucho]

Quote: Originally posted by tomjeffs on 17 May 2003

---

I've just read that post, and had a thought - if the unit doing the switching was connected to 2 speakers, I wouldn't need to mute the radio

---

Even if you could get Ipaq to output to the speaker nearest to you, it would be pretty good...Anyway please let us know how you get on as I'm very interested in doing something similar.

[compaq dave]

You could design and build a device that when the Ipaq outputs a sound, you can ground a pin on the radio with a relay, but muteing or disconnecting one speaker will blow up the output of your radio! the amp's from you radio must have a 4 ohm load, or they will over heat.



Dave

[compaq dave]

woops, should say can blow up your radio, not will! what i ment to say was you need to swap the load of the speaker for the load of a resistor

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!