Kenwood DDX470 Head Unit Install

[EHNWI]

Here is the USB extension I used.

From 3.5-USB Extension Cables with Dash Mounting Bracket :: Accessories

So far, no issues with FM reception. I asked a local audio shop about the two antenna cables and he said to just use the larger of the 2. He claimed the 2nd cable was just a ground and we should just tape it up. Not sure I 100% believed him, but I thought we'd try it first.

My son really wanted a manual volume knob on the unit, so that's why we ended up with the Kenwood. All the Pioneers in his price range had volume buttons. His choice, so I didn't argue.

This USB AUX extension is awesome! How would I go about installing something like this?

 

[Whitson Metalworks]

I have the same unit in my F250, love it. I grounded the parking brake wire right off the bat, no problem playing DVDs cruising on the interstate, well, my wife watches and I listen...

 

[blizz86]

I found the solution for my weak FM reception. Thanks to [MENTION=1653]riverwolf[/MENTION] (Brent) for pointing me to the right direction. I didn't think much about the "Power Antenna wire" since this model 4Runner doesn't have a power antenna as the previous model. But that wire is required to power the OEM antenna booster. Now I'm getting HD signal inside my garage as I only get Analog previously. Below is the post I found from a forum at Crutchfield. The only regret I have was even I have talked to the tech at Crutchfield (where I purchased my Pioneer) about the two antenna cables, he didn't mention to me about Power Antenna Wire. I had wasted time and money to purchased the antenna wye cable and the adaptor.

--Quote:

The reason there are two antenna cables is because the factory radio uses "Diversity Tuning".

You can think of it like there being two tuners in the factory radio and two antennas in the car. With diversity tuning, the radio is constantly looking at both antennas and it uses the one that is the strongest.

The Pioneer on the other hand only has a single tuner so you can only use one antenna. In the Toyota, the largest antenna cable is the one to use.

Realistically, the reception shouldn't be much different though. In the vehicle, the only thing I see is that there is an antenna booster in the car and this needs to be turned on or you will have pretty bad reception.

Turning the booster on is done by connecting the Power Antenna wire (Blue) from the adapter to the System Remote wire (Blue/White) on the Pioneer.

Shawn

--Unquote

Digging up an old thread.. anyone with a pioneer HU or any other aftermarket HU that has/had spotty weak FM transmission?

It'll be fine most of the time, but once i get in a particular area it starts to have intermittent static?

I've done the above with the blue (harness) to white/blue (radio) connection and also have separated the grounds to different grounding points.