Sony Mute Lead?

[GregE240]

Hi Guys,

I'll be getting my hands free car kit fitted soon. One of the options I want setting up is the mute function that kills the radio/cd when a call comes in.

Unfortunately as my Sony CD player was installed by the dealer, they gave me the users manual but no installation guide. So I don't know what colour cable is the mute lead!

Does anyone have any idea what lead it would be? I've just phoned Sony who basically said "We can't tell you in case its the wrong lead and this causes the unit to malfunction" - gee thanks

Thanks in advance chaps!

Cheers,

Greg

 

[jaymanek]

god ive done this so many times but ive forgotten, it may be orange as yellow and red are the lives, but not sure.

I think theres usually a key on the top of the radio itself or the wires are written on to tell you...

Cheers

 

[GregE240]

Cheers Jay - orange rings a bell to me too.

Think I might be ripping the radio out at lunchtime for a look see.

Thanks again,

Greg

 

[Richard W]

I can't remember which is which but some have a switched power supply trigger (for an amp) as well as the mute. I'll have a look at my spare loom at home tonight and tell you.

R

 

[GregE240]

Originally posted by Richard W
I can't remember which is which but some have a switched power supply trigger (for an amp) as well as the mute. I'll have a look at my spare loom at home tonight and tell you.

R

Thats great, thanks Richard.

 

[16vKenya]

Should be a light blue wire; at least this is the case in my Sony (XAV-7W).

 

[Richard W]

Sorry missed it last night! I'll check after the vicar has been - don't laugh - we're having our son christened!

R

 

[Richard W]

Sorry for the delay - goty NTHell at home....

Yes it's a blue wire on mine too... (didn't help that the fitter had connected it to a black wire....

R

 

[GregE240]

Thanks Richard, I'll let the chap know (due here this afternoon).

Well, despite the fact a professional fitter is doing the work I'm absolutely bricking it. I've got visions of this spanner monkey ripping the guts out of my wiring and making a right pigs ear of it. My first question will be if he has worked on these cars before.

If the answer is a resounding yes, I'll feel a lot better.

Wish me luck!

Greg

 

[GregE240]

Update:

Chap has arrived, has worked on "dozens" of E Classes, already has false floor out of passenger side for proper power, slightly bemused at my totally OTT Dash Lead and console, but he's fitted them before so no great shakes.

Left him nursing cup of tea and a toolbox the size of Luxembourg.

Faith restored!

 

[GregE240]

All finished - it took him less than an hour!

I'm impressed with his job, very professional. I'm guessing the "brain" is hidden under the false floor towards the front of the passenger footwell, with the phone console sitting quite low on the trim panel so as not to obstruct the heater controls.

The mic has been run to the middle of the roof just beside the front courtesy light cluster.

The DashLead works like a charm, the only annoying thing with my Sony is that it sort of goes into "standby" so you get the 3 warning chimes that the front is still on! Small price to pay.

Not tested it with the car in motion yet but doubtless on the way home I will get every chance to.

The Mercedes trim isn't a 100% colour match but after a very long winded e mail reply from MB customer service I bought the correct item. Guess a bit of vinyl cleaner will help and sunlight to dim it up a bit.

I can post pictures but theres already a wealth of information about this install on here (thanks chaps) and I don't think I could add anything substantial.

Cheers,

Greg

 

[Richard W]

As a guess he's wired it up to the amp switched supply instead of the phone mute. The unit should just mute the volume not power down (i.e. front panel alarm goes off). Which model Sony unit is fitted?

Although the amp is a trigger to power up an external unit..... sorry now confused$*?

R

 

[jaymanek]

yeh something up there, shouldnt power the whole unit down. I think he's cut a corner there!

 

[GregE240]

Yeah, I thought that too.

Shouldn't be too difficult to sort, just a case of getting the stereo out and having a look I guess.

For the moment its fine, doesn't really bother me. Shame really as the rest of the install is fabulous, well pleased with it.

The stereo is a Sony CDX780R, single slot, no amp or changer.

 

[GregE240]

OK, just went out and had a look:

There are two wires hanging loose at the back of the radio; a blue/white striped lead, and a solid blue lead. Neither are plugged into anything. The solid blue lead has "ATT" stamped on it, can't see anything on the stripy lead?

Otherwise, its the ISO connector plugging straight into the "DashLead" then back into the wiring loom for the radio? Theres obviously a power take off for the DashLead somewhere, but I think thats coming off the ISO connector? There's a red bullet piggybacked onto something there, couldn't see much else.

Any ideas?

Greg

 

[pepe]

I think you'll find that the blue and white striped one is the phone mute lead, it is on my mates sony as the "ATT" stands for attenuator (think thats spelt right) which means silence. you need to connect this to the appropriate wire on your hands free wiring. Basically when your phone rings is sends a signal to the "ATT" cable which mutes the head units built in amp.
Hope this helps.

 

[GregE240]

Originally posted by pepe
I think you'll find that the blue and white striped one is the phone mute lead, it is on my mates sony as the "ATT" stands for attenuator (think thats spelt right) which means silence. you need to connect this to the appropriate wire on your hands free wiring. Basically when your phone rings is sends a signal to the "ATT" cable which mutes the head units built in amp.
Hope this helps.

Cheers Pepe.

Its the solid blue one thats marked "ATT" - you meant that one, right?

 

[pepe]

Normally there are two blues, one is the remote switch on for an amp or electric aerial and the other is the phone mute. but the one with Att on is the mute lead, you can test it with a multi meter just to make sure ,the amp remote wire will have no voltage when the stereo is switched off and when you switch it on the amp remote will have 12v.

 

[GregE240]

Well, I posted the same question on the Expansys forums. Here's the reply I got:

"The mute function on the Sony is indeed the "ATT" or attenuate wire, the reason that most people don't use it and configure the lead to actually switch the stereo off during a call is that the ATT is is not a full music mute, it only dims the sound, which means it can still be heard during a call."

Given I'm usually having my music a bit loud this represents the best solution for me. I'll stick with what I've got, seems changing it won't be as good.

Any other thoughts?

Greg

 

[pepe]

It actually does mute it quite a lot, the easy way is to try it. dissconect the wire hes done and temp connect it to the att wire and turn your stereo up to normal listening volume and make call. whatever works best for you really.