Symphony 2 install in non-Audi?

Fri Aug 22 23:23:20 EDT 2003

Hi Walt,

Walt_Helsel at URSCorp.com writes:
> I'm trying to install a (I believe 02'?) Symphony II six disc CD with tape deck
> in a non-Audi car.. how miserable is my life going to be in doing this?  I've
> read that the CANbus is used for some features, and obviously my car won't
> have that.. so what do I lose?

The face plate of the radio is shaped specifically to fit the Audi model's
center console, so you will probably need to do some custom work to
make it install right in a non-Audi car.

The CAN bus is used for communication with the instrument cluster.
On the Audi, the radio mode/frequency/name etc can be displayed there,
and on the Symphony II it is likely used also for speed information (for
speed adjusted volume), because there is no separate speedometer signal
connection.  These are probably inconsequential to you, but there
is one feature that may be a problem...  The Symphony II's security
lockout feature is coded to match the car.  I am not sure, but even if
you have the unlock code, it may not be sufficient to wake it up.  You
may need to re-program the radio via the diagnostic port, using the
VAG scan tool.  However, when installed in a non-Audi, you lose *that*
connectivity (that's what the K-line is used for).  The new security
feature of this radio is that even if it loses battery power, you don't
have to enter the security code to unlock it if it is still connected
to the same car after the power is reconnected.

> I need:
> All CD functions
> All Tape functions
> All Tuner functions

Assuming you get the radio to wake up and get past the security lockout,
and have all the needed wiring done, these should be no problem.
Note that Audis that come with this radio have an antenna amplifier,
and a non-amplified antenna may not provide sufficient reception.

> Display dimming with Headlights/dashboard dimmer

The radio display does not dim with the headlight switch.  It has a
light sensor that automatically dims itself in a gradual manner
depending on ambient lighting conditions.  The buttons' backlighting
is probably something you lose without having the CAN bus connectivity
to the instrument cluster, since there is apparently no separate dimmer
signal connection.

> Stuff that I can live without:
> Speed adjusted volume
> Telephone/NAV muting

Yep.  You're not going to get that if you don't have compatible
perpheral systems in the car.

> I basically wanted a 6 disc with tape that has a red display and is an OEM
> deck (theft deterance).. the Symphony fit those and was a great price so I
> snapped it up.  Now I need to figure out if it will work.  So, will I have the
> functions of a plain-Jane radio or is it going to be an uphill battle to even
> get it to work?

I'll include the connection description for the older Delta CC and the
Concert I/Symphony I radios below.  The Symphony II is only slightly
different than the Symphony I, so hopefully that will help you get
things wired up correctly.

> After I get this to work (hopefully) I'm also going to want an Aux. input
> too.. I found this: http://forums.audiworld.com/audio/msgs/1166.phtml[6] and I
> think that gets me there but until I have the deck, no clue.

Yes, but it's not a simply aux input.  There is a external CD changer
input, and you have to hook up an active adapter to fool the radio into
thinking that it's talking to a CD changer before it will let you switch
to it.  Blitzsafe AudiAUXInputAdapter and Soundate SDS1 are both usable:

	http://www.blitzsafe.com
	http://www.soundgate.com/index.htm

Audi Radio Connector pin-outs
=============================

20-pin conn (T20)
	Delta-CC			Concert I, Symphony I
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1	Line-out left rear		same
2	Line-out right rear		same
3	Line-out audio GND		same
4	Line-out left front (Bose)	same
5	Line-out right front (Bose)	same
6	Sw. +12V for active spkr	Sw. +12V for active spkr (or Bose amp)
7	Bose coding (Bose)		-
8	Clock signal			same
9	Data signal			same
10	Enable signal			same
11	-				-
12	USA coding			-
13	CD bus data (CD changer)	CD bus data-in (CD changer)
14	CD bus clock (CD changer)	CD bus data-out (CD changer)
15	Digital GND for CD changer	CD bus clock (CD changer)
16	Continuous +12V power		same
17	Sw. +12V for CD changer		same
18	CD-input GND (shield)		same
19	CD-input left			same
20	CD-input right			same

8-pin conn (brown)
	Delta-CC			Concert/Symphony
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1	-				-
2	-				-
3	Spkr-out right front (+)	same
4	Spkr-out right front (-)	same
5	Spkr-out left front (+)		same (or Bose: hands free speaker +)
6	Spkr-out left front (-)		same (or Bose: hands free speaker -)
7	-				-
8	-				-

8-pin conn (black)
	Delta-CC			Concert/Symphony
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1	Speedometer signal		same
2	Tel/Nav mute signal		-
3	+12V power (terminal 30)	K-diagnosis
4	+12V ign switch (S-contact)	same
5	Sw. +12V for antenna amp	-
6	Illumination (terminal 58d)	same
7	+12V power (terminal 30)	same
8	GND (terminal 31)		same

10-pin conn (red)(T10)
	Delta-CC			Concert/Symphony
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1	N/A				Tel mute signal
2	N/A				-
3	N/A				Tel low freq +
4	N/A				Tel low freq -
5	N/A				Nav low freq +
6	N/A				Nav low freq -
7	N/A				Nav control line
8	N/A				-
9	N/A				Illumination (terminal 58d)
10	N/A				CD GND

CD Changer Plug (changer side)
==============================

	8-pin conn			13-pin conn
	Delta-CC			Concert/Symphony
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Shield	To CD changer chassis		N/A
1	CD bus data (to T20/13)*	Audio-out right (to T20/20)
2	Audio GND (shield)(to T20/18)*	Audio GND right (shield)(to T20/18)
3	CD bus clock (to T20/14)*	Audio-out left (to T20/19)
4	Audio-out right (to T20/20)*	Audio GND left (shield)(to T20/18)
5	Audio-out left (to T20/19)*	CD GND (to radio T10/10)**
6	Continuous +12V (to T20/16)*	-
7	Sw. +12V power (to T20/17)*	Sw. +12V power (to T20/17)
8	Digital GND (to T20/15)*	-
9	N/A				CD bus clock (to T20/15)
10	N/A				Continuous +12V (to T20/16)
11	N/A				Data-out (to T20/13)
12	N/A				-
13	N/A				Data-in (to T20/14)

* What's denoted here as "T20" is	** Connected as a shield for pins
  actually labeled T8c in the Bentley      9 and 11 within the harness
  manual wiring diagram

-Ti
2003 A4 1.8T multitronic
2001 S4 biturbo 6-sp
1984 5000S turbo
1980 4000 2.0 5-sp
--
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
   ///   AMB Laboratories, Sunnyvale, CA. USA
  ///    ti at amb.org
 //////  http://www.amb.org/ti/
///