Chalk Outline
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PIE/Scion HU Questions
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Chalk Outline
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sketch1 said:
The surprisingly unimpressive stock single play cd/cassette unit.
GYoter
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I have a 04 scion HU with the PIE adapter running my iriver h140. No issues to speak of, install was easy and straightforward. And yes, you hit the CD twice for the PIE since the adapter makes the HU think it is a cd changer. You need to turn the audio up loud on the mp3 player to get a good signal to the HU, but it sounds great.
Chalk Outline
New member
Re: Re: PIE/Scion HU Questions
$285 must have been for the 6 disk changer. I paid $86 + $15 shipping. That seemed about right. Another '06 went a day later for $80 + $15 shipping.
To be honest, I am having 2nd thoughts about putting this in. I may stay w/the stock unit and add an external amp instead. I'm looking at replacing the stock speakers with Focals and they may want a bit more power than the Scion Hu has.
teotwaki said:
$285 must have been for the 6 disk changer. I paid $86 + $15 shipping. That seemed about right. Another '06 went a day later for $80 + $15 shipping.
To be honest, I am having 2nd thoughts about putting this in. I may stay w/the stock unit and add an external amp instead. I'm looking at replacing the stock speakers with Focals and they may want a bit more power than the Scion Hu has.
GYoter
New member
If you already have it, just put it in, the install is so easy there is no reason not to. You will be happy you did. Just see what you think about the sound with the new deck, if you want to add external amps later it will be just as easy but you will have a nicer deck to work with.
sketch1
New member
Well I agree with putting it in. New speakers alone (with amp) will sound better than it does now, but I have heard from many users that simply upgrading to the scion head unit makes a world of difference. Meaning that the sound the factory head unit puts out is not very high in quality.
Focal is a great brand, I have them and I reccomend them to everyone I know. I have the polyglass component set, but I want the polykevlar set (a bit pricy however). But without quality sound feeding the speakers, you aren't really going to get quality sound out.
I would reccommend installing the new head unit, as well as adding new focal speakers and an amp. The head unit only cost you 100 bucks and it that is a small price to pay for much better sound. But if you do the head unit and the speakers, your system will sound a whole lot better. Factory speakers are also usually pretty cheap, unless you get an upgrading package. Such as the JBL system.
Focal is a great brand, I have them and I reccomend them to everyone I know. I have the polyglass component set, but I want the polykevlar set (a bit pricy however). But without quality sound feeding the speakers, you aren't really going to get quality sound out.
I would reccommend installing the new head unit, as well as adding new focal speakers and an amp. The head unit only cost you 100 bucks and it that is a small price to pay for much better sound. But if you do the head unit and the speakers, your system will sound a whole lot better. Factory speakers are also usually pretty cheap, unless you get an upgrading package. Such as the JBL system.
microjoe
New member
I installed the 2006 Scion HU with the single disk MP3 player. Got it on EBay for $89 + $10 S/H. A far superior unit than the stock CD/Casette unit. I also installed the TOY03-AUX PIE unit as a direct feed from my XM Roady XT unit.
The only problem I have is that there is a high pitch whine when using the XM so I had to stop using the PIE unit and go back to the FM transmitter. I found information online that suggests grounding one of the RCA shields will eliminate the noise but I have not had a chance to pull the HU out again to test it out.
The only problem I have is that there is a high pitch whine when using the XM so I had to stop using the PIE unit and go back to the FM transmitter. I found information online that suggests grounding one of the RCA shields will eliminate the noise but I have not had a chance to pull the HU out again to test it out.
generalpatton
New member
I've seen that person over there trying to get that much for a single disk '06. I picked mine up as a buy it now for $140 I think brand new still sealed in the Toyota box with the users manual.
For me it was well worth the small amount of money I spent for the sound quality improvement you get with this unit. I plan to upgrade my door speakers and I'm pretty sure I'll be set without an amp. Sounds pretty decent right now though too.
Last edited:
Chalk Outline
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Thanks
Thanks for all the advise. I made an appt to install the Scion hu, new Focal spkrs & PIE aux input converter next Sat. I'll let you know how it all comes out.
Thanks for all the advise. I made an appt to install the Scion hu, new Focal spkrs & PIE aux input converter next Sat. I'll let you know how it all comes out.
sharp4runr
New member
See how much they'll charge just for the speaker install because the head unit install is plug n play. PIE unit is plug in play as well and you'll already have access to the head unit.
Instructions have been posted on the forums so do a search if you want to do it yourself.
Save yourself some money and buy more mods
:
Instructions have been posted on the forums so do a search if you want to do it yourself.
Save yourself some money and buy more mods
:generalpatton
New member
You know you can run your Iriver through your console accessory port and save yourself the $75+ the PIE unit costs with the '06 Scion HU don't you? I agree with the installing it yourself, it's easy, plus you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about tearing your dash apart and putting it back together again. Trust me, the knowledge will come in handy........I just put my Scion hu in my runner a few weeks ago and now I'm going to tear it all back apart again this weekend to install my Sirius. I think I can do it all from memory this time too.....it's a piece of cake!
microjoe
New member
Well, finally had a moment to pull apart the dash again and ground the RCA connector on the PIE adapter but no luck. The high pitch whine is still there. I did not have a ground loop isolator to try but heard that does not work either. I assume it is a noise on the power line that the Roady is sensitive to.
I decided to run the XM Roady XT using the FM modulator and i ran the PIE outlet into the center console for my MP3 player. I am still not happy with the FM modulator sound but it is not that much worse than the direct connection. I may upgrade to a different XM receiver at some point and I will try the PIE adapter again. The good part about this hookup is I have lots of possibilities: XM or MP3-CD in dash or MP3 player in the center console (I suppose I could listen to the radio but we don't have much to listen to here in Upstate NY)
Also, I pulled 12V outlet for the XM Roady receiver from the second 12V line under the ashtray and I have my cigarette lighter back! It looks much nicer now since I ran the power cord behind the front panel.
I decided to run the XM Roady XT using the FM modulator and i ran the PIE outlet into the center console for my MP3 player. I am still not happy with the FM modulator sound but it is not that much worse than the direct connection. I may upgrade to a different XM receiver at some point and I will try the PIE adapter again. The good part about this hookup is I have lots of possibilities: XM or MP3-CD in dash or MP3 player in the center console (I suppose I could listen to the radio but we don't have much to listen to here in Upstate NY)
Also, I pulled 12V outlet for the XM Roady receiver from the second 12V line under the ashtray and I have my cigarette lighter back! It looks much nicer now since I ran the power cord behind the front panel.
Mountaineer
New member
pipspeak said:
I switched out my input cable (mini plug to RCA's) from my XM Roady2 to my PIE with a longer cable and started getting the engine whine. When I had a shorter cable there was no whine. When I installed it, I bunched up the new cable with a zip tie in the center console under the trim. I took it back apart and untied the cable and stretched it out so that it did wrap around or touch itself anymore. No more engine whine. I don't know if will work for anybody else, but it worked for me.
teotwaki
Senior Member
Mountaineer said:
I think I can guess as to why it made a difference. When the wire was bunched up it made a fair electromagnetic loop antenna that had about the right dimensions to pick up the alternator whine. The frequency of the whine can be roughly the engine RPM times 2 or times 4 depending on the diode rectifier style in the alternator. When you stretched out the wire it became more like a poor quarter-wave antenna for much higher frequencies (Megahertz range) and was detuned from the low audio range.
Joke mode on:
Did you happen to measure your gas mileage before and after you uncoiled the wire? If cow magnets work, why not coil up every wire in the 4Runner........:biggrin2:
